Local Authority News
29/3/2012
Council Welcomes New Sponsors of Scottish Open
The Highland Council has warmly welcomed today's news that global investment management group, Aberdeen Asset Management plc is the new title sponsor of the Scottish Golf Open, being held at Castle Stuart, near Inverness, between 12-15 July 2012. The Convener of the Highland Council, Councillor Sandy Park was at Edinburgh Castle for the announcement by European Tour Chief Executive George O'Grady CBE, Aberdeen Asset Management Chief Executive Martin Gilbert and the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP, Scotland's First Minister.28/3/2012
Partnership Initiative To Tackle Doorstep Crime
A multi-agency initiative to protect the most vulnerable members of the Inverness Community from doorstep crime was launched recently at Trading Standards offices, Harbour Road, Inverness. The joint campaign is the result of a partnership between Highland Council Trading Standards, Northern Constabulary and NHS Highland.27/3/2012
Solvent Sales Advice For Retailers
Retailers in Caithness and Sutherland are being issued with guidance on the sale of solvents following an increase in the number of solvent abuse cases being reported among young people in the north. The Highland Council's Trading Standards campaign follows concerns raised by NHS Highland Youth Action Service and the Caithness and Sutherland Drug and Alcohol forums to an issue of solvent misuse reported in the area.25/3/2012
Big Savings For Council With Biomass Energy Cabins
Highland Council recently approved the purchase of 20 Energy Cabins that will make big savings in energy costs and supply an income from electricity being fed into the national grid. Many of the cabins are to be installed at schools across the region.
25/3/2012
Caithness Councillors Greet Prostate Cancer Love Train Project
Caithnesss councillors and members of the ward managers team welcomed the members of the Prostate Cancer Lovetrain project aiming to raise £1,000,000 to save more people from deaths by prostate cancer - one of the biggest killers of men from cancer. A team of three is walking from John O'Groats to Lands End as one of a series of fund raisers to help set up more research facilities to finally get a break through to preventing and curing this disease that kills over 10,000 men each year in the UK alone.
25/3/2012
Partnership Initiative To Tackle Doorstep Crime
A multi-agency initiative to protect the most vulnerable members of the Inverness Community from doorstep crime was launched on 22 March 2012 at Trading Standards offices, Harbour Road, Inverness. The joint campaign is the result of a partnership between The Highland Council Trading Standards, Northern Constabulary and NHS Highland.22/3/2012
Tanker Grounding Changes Minds
Tanker grounding once again highlights need for tug cover. Highland Councillor Michael Foxley has expressed his relief that Monday's grounding of the tanker, MV Flinterspirit, off North Uist did not result in a serious environmental incident in which lives were lost.22/3/2012
NHS Highland Agrees To Partnership With Highland Council
Partnership agreement breaks new ground for caring services in the Highlands. Today the Board of NHS Highland sealed a ground breaking partnership agreement with the Highland Council.22/3/2012
Highland Council Agrees To Historic Parterneship With NHS
Partnership agreement seals integration of caring services in the Highlands. Highland Councillors have sealed a ground breaking partnership agreement with NHS Highland to improve outcomes for the people of Highland through the development of integrated services.20/3/2012
Amended timetable for partial reopening of Stromeferry bypass 
The timetable for the partial reopening of the A 890 Lochcarron - Kyle road at Stromeferry has been slightly amended following the first day's operation. There is a change to the Monday - Friday timetable.
20/3/2012
Leader welcomes "perfect" outcome of Crown Estate review
The Leader of The Highland Council is delighted that the Scottish Affairs Committee reviewing the future of the Crown Estate Commissioners has unequivocally endorsed the submission of Highland and Islands local councils that Crown Estate powers should be devolved to local council and local community levels. Councillor Michael Foxley said: "The report is perfect.19/3/2012
The Highland Council signs up again for WWF's Earth Hour
The Highland Council is the latest Scottish local council to sign up to WWF's Earth Hour 2012. At 8.30pm on Saturday 31 March the people of Highland will join millions across the globe in switching off their lights for 60 minutes in a graphic demonstration of support for people and wildlife threatened by climate change.18/3/2012
Highland Council Decides on Response To Exotic Fuels Consultation
At a meeting on Wednesday 14 March 2012 of the Planning, Environment and Development Committee, members agreed that if the Nuclear Decommissioning Agency decides to transport fuel material from Dounreay to Sellafield , this should be transported by rail rather than road. The NDA has recently published a paper on the management options for unirridiated plutonium and high enriched uranium bearing fuels which are currently stored at Dounreay.16/3/2012
Council agrees funding formula for extra road maintenance works
The Highland Council's Transport Environmental and Community Services Committee has agreed a formula for spending an extra £2 million in the new financial year commencing on 1 April on road maintenance, including filling pot holes and drainage projects. The spending supplements the £15.2 million already being spent by the Council on road maintenance and £5 million on winter maintenance.16/3/2012
Robust Response to Scottish Ferry Services Review
The Highland Council is to make a robust response to the Scottish Government's Review of Scottish Ferry Services, highlighting the huge importance to rural and island communities of lifeline ferry services. Councillors said ferries are as important to the Highlands as the Forth Road Bridge is to Edinburgh and the East of Scotland and is the economic bedrock of many communities.13/3/2012
Earth Hour - Will You Join and Switch Off?
WHAT IS EARTH HOUR ALL ABOUT? WWF's Earth Hour is a simple idea that's quickly turned into a global phenomenon. Hundreds of millions of people turning off their lights for one hour, on the same night, all across the planet.
9/3/2012
An Action Plan For Economic Development In The Highlands
The Highland Economic Forum, a partnership of public and private sector organisations chaired by Highland Council, is pursuing an initiative designed to build on the substantial employment and population growth that the region has achieved over the past ten years. Highland's population grew by 6.1% between 2001 and 2010 (twice the Scotland growth rate), and the Moray Firth sub region achieved the second highest economic growth between 1998 and 2008 of all the areas in the UK.9/3/2012
Wanted - 200,000 Scots To Keep Scotland Beautiful
200,000 Scots called to action to tackle the nations litter problem! Keep Scotland Beautiful Keep Scotland Beautiful, one of Scotland's leading environmental charities, is calling out to 200,000 Scots to do their bit to clean up their favourite part of Scotland during a two month attack on the nations litter. Scotland's biggest annual litter clean up, known as National Spring Clean, is Keep Scotland Beautiful's flagship volunteer campaign and is supported by Zero Waste Scotland.8/3/2012
Status Quo Prevails On Public Entertainment Licensing
The Highland Council has assured organisers of free-to-enter events that there will be no change to the current licensing arrangements when new guidance on public entertainment licensing is introduced on 1 April. This means that there will continue to be no charge for community or fund-raising events that are free to the public to attend.6/3/2012
