Local Authority News
6/3/2011
Community Benefit Policy Agreed
The Highland Council has agreed changes to the way communities will benefit from renewable energy developments. For onshore developments, the Council is adopting a three-tier approach to community benefit.6/3/2011
New Community Council scheme
A new scheme governing the running of Community Councils in the Highlands takes effect from 1 April 2011. It brings together eight separate schemes into one Highland-wide scheme.4/3/2011
Special Council Meeting Called To Consider CHaP Findings
A special meeting of The Highland Council is being held on Thursday 10 March 2011 at the Council Chamber, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness IV3 5NX to consider the findings of the Accounts Commission in respect of the Caithness Heat and Power project in Wick. The meeting is public and will start at 2 pm or following a meeting of the Education Culture and Sport Committee, whichever is the later.3/3/2011
Extension of Council Meetings Webcasting
The Highland Council's pilot webcasting scheme is to be extended so that council and strategic committee meetings held at Council headquarters in Inverness can be viewed by the public from their computers. At present, the Council webcasts meetings held in the Council Chamber of the Planning Environmental and Development Committee as well as the Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey Planning Applications Committee and the Highland Licensing Committee.3/3/2011
Wick By-Election Date Confirmed
A by-election will be held in The Highland Council's Ward 3 - Wick - on Thursday 7 April to choose a successor to Councillor Katrina MacNab (Independent), who resigns from the Council with effect from Friday (4 March). Nomination papers will be available from 10 am on Monday 7 March.2/3/2011
Caithness Heat & Power - Accounts Commission Report
Highland Council failed to establish effective governance arrangements for innovative heat and power project The Accounts Commission has considered a report on The Highland Council's Caithness Heat and Power (CHaP) project, which was run by an arms-length community enterprise. In its findings the Commission says the lack of appropriate risk management and effective governance arrangements for the project was a corporate failure by the council.2/3/2011
Council Respond to Accounts Commission Report On CHaP
The Highland Council has put in place new governance arrangements to prevent a recurrence of the deficiencies experienced in the early operating years of Caithness Heat and Power, the community-owned enterprise formed to deliver a biomass district heating system in Wick. The Accounts Commission has ruled that the lack of appropriate risk management and effective governance arrangements for the project was a corporate failure by the council.1/3/2011
Caithness and Lochaber - New Recycling And Refuse Collections 
Preparations for the introduction of the new refuse and recycling collections to households in Caithness and Lochaber step up a gear this week as The Highland Council begin the distribution of new calendars and booklets giving full details of the new service. Households in areas which presently have blue recycling boxes will also begin to be issued with blue wheelie bins; these will take a wider range of materials than the boxes - paper, food tins and drink cans, cardboard and plastic bottles.
1/3/2011
Launch of Green Dog Walkers Campaign 
www.highland.gov.uk/greendogwalkers Dog fouling has long been an issue in all parts of the Highland Council area and now responsible dog owners are banding together to stop it with the launch of the Green Dog Walkers scheme. Green Dog Walkers is a non confrontational friendly way of changing people's attitudes towards dog fouling in public places and encourages responsible dog ownership.
26/2/2011
Council Looks To Maximise Energy Community Benefits
Enhancing benefits from renewable energy developments A working group set up by The Highland Council to identify the most effective way of maximising benefits to communities from renewable energy developments is recommending changes that could not only increase the level of pay outs by developers but see the benefits more widely spread throughout the Highlands. In reporting back to the full council after five meetings, the Community Benefit Working Group says the guiding principle should remain that local communities accommodating developments should continue to benefit most.25/2/2011
Caithness Mod Was Big boost To Caithness Economy
Evaluation report on Caithness Mod confirms event's economic boost to the area. A survey of people visiting the Mod in Caithness 2010 has shown that over £2million was generated in direct expenditure and an additional £1million generated indirect expenditure for the area.22/2/2011
Integration Of Health & Social Work - Appointments
Appointment of two senior officers to lead Highland integration of health and social care The Highland Council and NHS Highland have appointed two senior officers to lead the planning for the integration of health and social care. Jan Baird, the Director of Community Care for NHS Highland, will become the Transitions Director, leading a team of seconded staff from the Council and NHS Highland to develop and take forward the integration plan.
19/2/2011
Sustainable School Estate review - Wick and Thurso Associated School Groupings
Sustainable School Estate review - Wick and Thurso Associated School Groupings Head Teachers and Parent Councils in Caithness have been asked for their views on initial proposals by The Highland Council to review Primary School provision in the area. Feedback will help inform the production of the proposals for statutory consultation that will be submitted to the Council's Education Culture and Sport (ECS) Committee on Thursday 19 May for consideration by Elected Members.16/2/2011
Council Rules Out Day Off For Royal Wedding
Cost rules out day off for Highland Council staff for Royal wedding Given the financial plight facing them, Highland Councillors have decided that it is not appropriate for them to sanction an additional day off for staff to celebrate the Royal wedding on Friday 29 April between Prince William and Kate Middleton. The ruling by the Council's Resources Committee includes schools, which will be open on this day.16/2/2011
Council To Spend £2 million On Road Repairs
In recognition of the deteriorating condition of Highland roads, The Highland Council is to invest £2 million on repairing damage caused by snow and ice over the past two winters. The Council is to receive £1.645 million as its share of the £15 million allocated to Scottish councils for road repairs by the Scottish Government and a further £355,000 has been allocated to road repairs in 2011/12.11/2/2011
Council Revenue Budget Set For 2011/12
The Highland Council has confirmed a freeze on the Council Tax for a fourth year in succession. The tax for 2011-12 is: Band A: £775.33; Band B: £904.56; C: £1,033.78; Band D: £1,163; Band E: £1,421.44; Band F: £1,679.89; Band G: £1,938.33; Band H: £2,326.11/2/2011
Cross Party Group To Review Classroom Assistance
Cross party group to review assistance provided in primary school classrooms The Highland Council has agreed to set up a cross-party working group to review - before this summer - the level of assistance provided in primary school classrooms. In doing so, it agreed to reduce the amount of savings to be taken from classroom assistants in 2011/12 from £883,000 to £319,000.11/2/2011
New membership of The Highland Council
The political make-up of The Highland Council has changed as a result of the resignations of two councillors from the Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Janet Campbell, Inverness Central and Glynis Sinclair, Culloden and Ardersier. Miss Campbell has joined the Independent Members' Group and Mrs Sinclair has confirmed she is now non-aligned.11/2/2011
Public urged to have their say on design of new Wick High School
A public meeting is being held at 7.30 pm on Wednesday 23 February at Wick High School to give interested parties the chance to have their say on the design of the proposed new state of the art secondary school for the community. The Council has appointed an expert team to prepare a detailed brief for the new £34 million High School and the co-located community facilities and want to explore the requirements of the new facility at the public meeting.1/2/2011
