News Archive
"Watch out for fake goods and bogus websites this Christmas" warns Highland Council Trading Standards. The Highland Council Trading Standards Service is warning consumers not to be duped into buying counterfeit sports clothes and equipment from bogus websites, as part of the National Consumer Week 2011 campaign entitled "Good Sports Don't Fake it".
16/11/2011
Rio Tinto Alcan has signed up to a pioneering partnership with local and national government as part of its plans for ongoing maintenance and expansion at its highland smelter and hydro power stations at Lochaber and Kinlochleven over the next five years. Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs Fiona Hyslop, met with staff from the company along with representatives from The Highland Council and Historic Scotland to hear about how they have worked together to simplify the planning process associated with the modernisation currently being carried out by Rio Tinto Alcan at its Lochaber power station.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (November, 14th) sold 179 adult head of breeding cattle. Bulling heifers (25) sold to �1,180 gross for a pen of Simmental crosses from Milldam, Meikle Ussie.
15/11/2011
Tourist industry leaders and holiday home owners in the Highlands, Islands and North-east are teaming up with Scottish Water to ensure holiday properties are protected and prepared for winter. Last year's unprecedented Big Freeze - which included the coldest December on record - saw Scottish Water repairing around 2,000 bursts and answering more than 40,000 calls between Christmas Eve and New Year, when 7,500 calls would normally be expected.
14/11/2011
Citizens Online is a national charity who believe participation in the digital world is a basic human right. As a result we are committed to promoting digital inclusion.
12/11/2011
7,500 could be cut from incapacity benefits in the Highlands and Islands. MSP David Stewart has criticised the way that the government in Westminster intend to cut the number of incapacity benefit claimants.
12/11/2011
Highland Youth Voice, the elected youth parliament for the Highlands, meets next week (17th - 19th November 2011) at Badaguish Outdoor Centre, near Aviemore. The conference has been planned by young people with a theme of "Get the Message" and will look at how young people can get their messages across and influence change in the Highlands.� HYV members will hear from the Joint Committee for Children and Young People as they are hosting their meeting in front of the parliament, with the programme instigating a question time - where the Joint Committee will act as the panel.
12/11/2011
Tourism experts from across Scotland are coming together this week in the first of a series of events taking place before the end of the year looking at how working together improves visitor experiences and business growth. The chairman of VisitScotland, Dr Mike Cantlay will host 'Making things happen for Tourism' in Wick on Friday.
Margaret Ann Beaton, who is responsible for the operation of The Highland Council's five school residences, has been chosen as the Council's Employee of the year. She received her prize at the Council's annual Quality Awards, held at the Town House, Inverness, on Thursday night.
This year's award for Local Government Politician of the year, sponsored by Improvement Service and Robertson Group, was won by the Leader of The Highland Council, Councillor Michael Foxley, for his campaigning on issues such as the threat to coastguard stations and emergency tugs and for reform of the Crown Estate. Councillor Foxley received his award at a ceremony in Edinburgh, sponsored by the Herald newspaper.
The Chancellor and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury today visited Nigg on the Cromarty Firth, where they announced around �100 million of additional funding for Scottish renewable energy, including marine renewables. This announcement is additional to the existing budget and spending plans of the Scottish Government.
In order to understand the extent of the problem of Internet delivery charges, The Highland Council's Trading Standards team are looking to gather evidence from Highland consumers and small businesses about any malpractice they have experienced and to trace and tackle those businesses that fall foul of internet trading law. They are launching a web survey from The Highland Council's web site: www.highland.gov.uk/deliverycharges to gauge the experiences of Highland consumers and small businesses about what often seems like excessive delivery charging for goods bought online.
Hundreds of primary and secondary school pupils from the Highlands and Islands will this week take part in an online event designed to encourage young people to make positive decisions around substance misuse. Choices for Life online will be broadcast on Glow, Scotland's intranet for schools, on Monday 14 and Tuesday 15 November and will be available to over 2,600 primary and secondary schools across Scotland.
Caithness Members of The Highland Council have pledged to support this year's "DA DOONIE DAY" Viking Festival which will take place in Wick on Friday 25 November. The event, which is run by Thurso Rotary Club, will receive financial support of up to �3,000 from each of the three ward discretionary budgets to assist with the cost of staging the event.
DINGWALL,Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (November, 10th) sold 2,881 store sheep. Lambs (2,106) sold to �82 gross for Texel ewe lamb from Barnyards, Beauly.
High Life Highland, established on the 1st October to deliver Community Learning and Leisure services on behalf of The Highland Council, launches its first Highland-wide community event this month. The 6 week "MOVE IT TO LOSE IT" Christmas Challenge begins on the 14th November at all participating High Life Highland leisure centres.
The Caithness Countryside Volunteers recently turned out in force on Sunday 30 October, tools in hand to tackle the overgrown and wild path to General Patrick Sinclair's Grave, Lybster. The Sinclairs of Lybster have a long history, going back to the Sinclair Earls who ruled Caithness, and played a significant role in the once booming herring fishing village of Lybster.
Almost 100 delegates from voluntary groups, carer support groups, independent care providers, NHS Highland and The Highland Council met last week (2nd November) in Inverness to plan how older people can be better cared for in their communities in the future. The event had been arranged by the Highland Third Sector Partnership, a group of local organisations funded by the Scottish Government to support voluntary activity and volunteering.
Organisers of the Highland's first apple day have heralded the event as a blossoming success that has sown the seed for future annual celebrations. Over 200 people recently attended the inaugural apple day at Inverness Floral Hall on 22 October.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (November, 8th ) sold 70 prime cattle. Prime bullocks (10) averaged 198.4p (-6.5p) and sold to 208p per kg and �1,445.30 gross.