News Archive
24/9/2012
Smoking Rates Ccontinue To Drop
Smoking rates have fallen in the last year and more Scots are trying to stop, according to a range of new figures published today. The 2011 Scottish Health Survey reports 23% of Scots adults are smokers, down from 25% in 2010; In the last financial year, there were 118,394 quit attempts made with the help of NHS smoking cessation services, compared to 90,083 in 2010-11; In the last financial year, there was a 31.5% increase in the number of items prescribed for smoking cessation, to 583,716, with nicotine replacement accounting for over 80% of prescriptions.23/9/2012
Consultation on Shaping Scotland's Court Services Launched
With the Scottish legal system about to embark on the most significant changes in over a century, The Scottish Court Service (SCS) has today launched a three month consultation on its proposals for court services in the High Court, sheriff courts and justice of the peace courts. Civil and criminal justice will be reformed in the coming years following the recommendations arising from the reviews by Lord Gill, Lord Carloway, Sheriff Principal Bowen and the forthcoming Victims and Witnesses Bill.23/9/2012
Satellite Tracking Of Offenders
Cutting edge satellite technology is to be brought to Scotland to track offenders for the first time following the signing of a new contract today, Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill has announced. The Justice Secretary said the award of the contract marked a significant step forward in the tools available to Scotland's law enforcement agencies to ensure offenders complied with the strict conditions placed on them upon release into the community.
22/9/2012
UHI FREE Business Seminars
UHI's Management School will be running a series of 5 free business seminars in October and November. All workshops will run from 12.30 - 1.30pm and anyone interested can participate by video conference at The North Highland College UHI in Thurso.22/9/2012
Council Action On Thurso Sheltered Housing
Council responds to concerns at Thurso sheltered housing scheme. The Highland Council has responded to concerns about warden cover at a sheltered housing scheme in Thurso by visiting residents and promising to advise them soon of the outcome of the consultations.22/9/2012
£100,000 North Highland Fund
£100,000 North Highland fund to stimulate tourism and food & drink sectors. A £100,000 challenge fund which will stimulate new ways of working within the North Highlands' tourism and food & drink sectors is being launched today (Friday).22/9/2012
Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership Update
week commencing 17th September 2012 Energy: Scottish Renewables' Marine Conference and Exhibition took place in Inverness this week, with over 250 delegates and over 40 exhibitors including Kongsberg Maritime, Caithness Renewables and Invest Caithness. To coincide with the Conference Scottish Renewables published data indicating that the costs of connecting to the National Grid for Caithness-based Pentland Firth wave and tidal projects had decreased against previous estimates, whilst connection charges from Orkney had dramatically increased.22/9/2012
FM and Cosla President Write to Councils About Capital
First Minister Alex Salmond and Cosla President David O'Neill are together asking Scotland's councils to use capital investment to promote economic recovery and to protect and create jobs. Mr Salmond and Mr O'Neill have written asking local authorities to review whether they have any further 'shovel-ready' construction projects that could begin at short notice - if the UK government were to release funds.20/9/2012
Caithness District Partnership Meeting
The new Caithness District Partnership will meet in full for the second time on Friday 28 September, as part of the new arrangements under the Planning for Integration (P4i) partnership between the NHS and The Highland Council. Partners will consider a report from the NHS steering group, who are recommending a Stakeholder Engagement Plan.20/9/2012
Closure of Sheriff Courts a mistake claims Highlands & Islands MSP
Highlands & Islands Labour MSP David Stewart has hit out after the Scottish Court Service today launched their consultation on court closures. The move means that 11 of Scotland's 49 Sheriff Courts and 5 Justice of the Peace Courts are threatened with closure.20/9/2012
Street Lighting Trials To Continue
The Highland Council's Transport Environmental and Community Services Committee has noted the progress being made with trials to achieve energy and carbon savings in street lighting. Members were told that the introduction of new technology energy efficient white lights with associated 25% dimming between midnight and 6 am has generated annual savings of £60,000.20/9/2012
A Scottish Budget For Jobs and Growth
The Draft Budget for 2013-14 and the actions the Scottish Government will take this Autumn will provide further investment in construction, skills and the green economy John Swinney said today. Setting out the budget to Parliament, Finance Secretary John Swinney pledged £180 million over two years for construction, skills and employment and a green economic stimulus.20/9/2012
War Memorial Refurbishment Programme 
The Highland Council is to embark on a programme of repair works to war memorials in the Highlands ahead of the 100th anniversary of the start of World War 1 in 2014. The majority of the Council's 165 memorials have been inspected to assess the level of work required to bring them up to a good standard.
19/9/2012
Family activity day at Dunnet's Seadrift Visitor Centre
Science O3, the organising charity behind the annual Caithness International Science Festival, will be collaborating with The Highland Council Countryside Rangers to present a fun-filled family activity day at Dunnet's Seadrift Visitor Centre on Saturday, 29th September 2012. The day of workshops, talks and walks, led by the Highland Council's Countryside Rangers, will highlight the biodiversity of Caithness and allow people of all ages to learn more about the wonderful world of birds, bush craft, whales, bats and basket making.
19/9/2012
Opening of Thurso Toilets
New public toilets in Thurso are now open for use by visitors and locals. On Monday (17 September 2012) Jannetta Sutherland, Visitor Services Advisor with VisitScotland, whose office is opposite the new toilet block, was invited to cut the ribbon to mark the completion of the project.
19/9/2012
New Town Tornagrain Gets Go Ahead From Highland Councillors
A proposal to build a new town to accommodate up tp 10,000 residents in over 4000 new homes to be built over a 30 - 40 year period finally got the go ahead today The proposals relate to the creation of a new community on 259 hectares of land on the A96(T) just to the north east of Tornagrain and south of Inverness Airport. It is envisaged that the town will have a population of around 10,000 when built out over an estimated 30-40 year period.19/9/2012
Conon Bridge Station To Be Reopened Ahead of Kessock Bridge Works 
Transport Minister Keith Brown today announced that Conon Bridge Train Station will be reopened in time for the resurfacing works being carried out on the Kessock Bridge next year. The station has been closed since 1960 but a new £600,000 station will be built on the site, set to re-open by February 2013.
19/9/2012
Planning For Sustainable Economic Growth
Planning Minister Derek Mackay yesterday updated parliament on progress towards planning reform, and outlined a major review of Scottish Planning Policy and the programme for delivery of Scotland's third National Planning Framework. In a statement to Parliament, Mr Mackay stressed the importance of the planning system in creating sustainable economic growth for Scotland.18/9/2012
Save, Borrow, Plan for Tomorrow
HI-SCOT Credit Union is now operating across the Highland area and provides an opportunity for people in the community to come together to save, and borrow money at low rates. Credit Unions are not-for-profit co-operatives, with surpluses being returned to members.18/9/2012
