News Archive
6/4/2011
Government Approves New £6.08 Minimum Wage Rate
The Government has today accepted the independent Low Pay Commission's (LPC) recommendations for this year's National Minimum Wage (NMW) rates. The following rates will come into effect on 1 October 2011: * The adult rate will increase by 15p to £6.08 an hour; * The rate for 18-20 year olds will increase by 6p to £4.98 an hour; * The rate for 16-17 year olds will increase by 4p to £3.68 an hour; and * The rate for apprentices will increase by 10p to £2.60 an hour.4/4/2011
Is You Business Prepared For Any Emergency?
Council asks Highland businesses and voluntary sector if they are prepared? 17,000 businesses and voluntary sector organisations are being urged this week to ensure that they have plans in place should their activities face a major crisis. Along with the annual billing of non-domestic rates, the Council is including a short information leaflet that asks people if they are prepared.4/4/2011
Message In A Bottle
Message in a Bottle: 100-Year-Old Whisky Reveals Its Secrets. Whyte & Mackay has successfully recreated the century-old whisky buried under the Antarctic ice by famous explorer Ernest Shackleton.
4/4/2011
Incapacity Benefit Changes Will Reduce Numbers Of Claimants
Half a million people on some form of incapacity-related benefit could be found fit for work and transferred onto Jobseeker's Allowance over the next three years, ministers say. The first few thousand letters are being sent out requiring some of the 1.6 million people on disability living allowance to submit to reassessments of their fitness to work.4/4/2011
Health and Safety Inquiry
Committee launches new inquiry into health and safety in scotland The Scottish Affairs Committee today launches its inquiry on health and safety in Scotland. The Committee welcomes submissions on all aspects of health and safety in Scotland.2/4/2011
BettyHill Police Station Closed
Police to use shared service point following closure of Bettyhill police station The Northern Joint Police Board agreed the closure of a number of police stations at its meeting in January, in order to avoid a further reduction in police staff numbers and to maintain officers at highest possible levels within communities. This enables the Force to meet the reduced budget for 2011-12, whilst retaining officer numbers above a minimum of 761 for the coming year.2/4/2011
Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd - Sale 30 March 2011
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (March, 30th) sold 1,084 store cattle and 32 OTM cattle at their annual show and sale. Bullocks (614) averaged 182.5p and sold to 219.2p per kg for a 365kg Charolais cross from Pitmain Farm, Kingussie, and £1,040 gross for a 585kg Limousin cross from Torgorm, Conon Bridge.2/4/2011
Business Mentoring - Helping businesses to grow
Thursday 7th April 2011 Venue: Mackays Hotel, Wick Time: 12:30 - 14:30 Business Mentoring is a service that is provided through the partnership of Scottish Chambers of Commerce (SCC), Highlands & Islands Enterprise (HIE) and the European Social Fund (ESF) through the Highlands & Islands Partnership Programme (HIPP). The service is being led locally by Caithness Chamber of Commerce and the strategic aims are to contribute to the improved performance of Highlands & Islands businesses and the economy by assisting and encouraging more businesses that are seeking to develop and grow, within the Highlands, throughout the UK and abroad.1/4/2011
Public reminded of changes to ways of paying Council bills
Highland householders are reminded by The HighlandCouncil of new and extended ways of paying their Council Tax, rent and other Council bills, which took effect from Friday 1 April - the start of the new financial year. The public will be able to pay by cash at any Post Office and more than 300 PayPoints and Payzones throughout the Highlands.31/3/2011
Public Briefings On New Wick Council Offices
Town and Country Planning (Development management Procedure) (Scotland) Regulations 2008 Planning Application Pre-Application Consultation The Highland Council's Housing and Property Service are conducting pre-application consultation on the following development proposal; Redevelopment of the existing Council office buildings at High Street/Market Place, Wick, KW1 4AB Further information can be obtained from The Highland Council's Housing and Property Service, Town House, Inverness, between 9:00am and 5:00pm Mondays to Fridays. Public consultation briefings will be held at the Assembly Rooms, Sinclair Terrace, Wick , on Friday 1st April 2011 between 1:00pm and 5:00pm and on Saturday 2nd April 2011 between 9:00am and 1:00pm.31/3/2011
Caithness Heat and Power - Council Letter
In response to recent press items and letters Steve Barron, Director of Housing and Property for Highland Council has issued the following letter. Dear Sir Council Reassurance on Caithness Heat and Power Further to the article in the 25th March edition of the Journal I write to reassure your readers that Highland Council is confident that the Caithness Heat and Power (CHaP) project can be successfully transferred to Ignis, such that loyal customers can continue to enjoy the benefits of low cost heat and hot water.31/3/2011
A Chance To Visit The Faroe Islands
We received this item offering the possibility to share a chartered flight to the Faroes. the flight is already booked but has spare seats and the writer is trying to fill the spare capacity.
31/3/2011
New Grants For Community Energy Schemes
Please could you help us let people in your area know about the energyshare grant fund which has just launched with up to £500,000 for community renewable energy projects? We're calling for communities across the UK to register their interest. To apply see www.energyshare.com/fund/about-applying/ energyshare is a 100% renewable energy community giving everyone in the UK the opportunity to get involved in sourcing, using, and generating your own renewable energy.29/3/2011
Redundancies Avoided In Council Grounds Maintenance
Through working closely with the trade unions and following effective vacancy monitoring and redeployment policies, The Highland Council has been able to avoid making any grounds maintenance staff redundant following the outsourcing of routine grass cutting work to a private contractor. When the Council decided to invite the private sector to compete for grass cutting contracts last year, it was estimated that 22 staff would transfer to the successful bidder under the TUPE Regulations, and that a further 33 posts would be at risk of redundancy.28/3/2011
15 Candidates Seeking Election Across Three Highland Constituencies
A total of 15 candidates across the three Highland constituencies are seeking election to the Scottish Parliament on Thursday 5 May. In Caithness Sutherland and Ross, four candidates are seeking election.28/3/2011
New Refuse Services Begin In Caithness on 4th April
New refuse and recycling service begins in Caithness and Lochaber next Monday The new refuse and recycling collections in Caithness and Lochaber begin next Monday, 4th April. From this date householders will receive a fortnightly refuse collection, alternating with a fortnightly recycling collection from blue or blue-lidded recycling bins.28/3/2011
Apprentice Day For Highland Youth Voice Members
The Highland Youth Voice Apprentice Day is running for the 6th time on Wednesday, 30th March with 14 young people aged 15-17 from Lochaber, Nairn, Wick, Fortrose, Dingwall, Kingussie and the Inverness area taking part. Highland Youth Voice, the elected Youth Parliament for the Highlands, holds an annual 'Apprentice Day' on which members of the Highland Youth Voice shadow Senior Managers.28/3/2011
Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd - Sale 29th March 2011
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (March, 29th) sold 68 prime cattle. Prime bullocks (30) averaged 169.5p (+3.5p) and sold to 180p per kg and £1,195.40 gross.27/3/2011
Updates for Property Pages Begin
Due to increasing demand from our visitors we have started working on several upgrades to our property section. To begin with we are focusing on the Property for Sale section.27/3/2011
