News Archive

Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership Update

Enabling Activities: Enabling those who are currently out of work to find employment, helping school students to identify paths towards employment and supporting those seeking transition opportunities within the current workforce were the three drivers for a meeting I convened this week with colleagues from North Highland College, Skills Development Scotland, Caithness Chamber of Commerce and Highland Council's Employability team.  The discussion was to progress plans for an event that promotes access to skills opportunities in new and emerging sectors with relevance to the area.  

Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd - Sale 18 July 2012

DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd, (July, 18th) sold 1,308 store cattle at the Anniversary show and sale.  The Judge, Mr D.  

Welfare Benefits Changes - Advice Sessions

Council to run sessions highlighting changes to the welfare benefit system.   The Highland Council will be running a number of awareness raising sessions in Skye and Lochalsh, Ullapool and Dingwall over the next few weeks advising people on how changes to the new Welfare Reform may affect them.  

Applications from Highland invited as £75k flytipping fund opens

Applications are being invited for a new £75,000 fund, launched today by Zero Waste Scotland, to help transform local areas blighted by illegal flytipping.   Grants of between £500 and £10,000 will be available to community groups, landowners and land managers in the Highland area, who are consistently battling the problem of unlawfully dumped waste, such as furniture, TVs, white goods and garden and commercial waste.  

Forss Wind Turbine Refusal To Be Reviewed

The decision to refuse planning permission for five further turbines at Forss, Caithness will be reviewed on Thursday 19th July 2012.   RES the company behind the bid say the six turbines already on the site supply power to more than 3,700 homes RES says it wants to add five turbines to the six it has at Forss in Caithness.  

Academic Partnerships Boost

Highlands and Islands companies confirm academic partnerships boost business.   Interface providing vital support to businesses.  

Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration - Update

This is a short message to update you on activities relating to the Caithness & North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership.   Update 9th July 2012 Tourism: Natural Retreats, the operators of the new development at John O'Groats, confirmed in this week's local press the good news that the high-quality self-catering lodges at its site should be completed by early August, with already encouraging levels of interest.  

Coalition Announces £9bn Investment In Rail

Over £9bn investment in the railways is to be announced by the Coalition, in a demonstration of unity following Tory rebellion over House of Lords reform.   Prime Minister David Cameron and Deputy PM Nick Clegg are to outline a series of investments to take place between 2014 and 2019, with £5bn to complete current schemes such as Crossrail and Thameslink.  

HIE Consults Public On Broadband Coverage

With the rollout of superfast broadband across the Highlands and Islands looking set to begin next year, the region's development agency is launching a public consultation on current levels of service.   Highlands and Islands Enterprise is asking broadband providers to confirm any plans they may have to upgrade to superfast, and seeking information from local people and businesses about the quality of their current service.  

Contractors Deadline Extended By Highland Council

Deadline extended for local contractors to apply for construction works opportunities with Highland Council.   Local contractors in the Highlands have been given an extra week within which to apply to The Highland Council to join its new Contractors Framework Agreement.