News Archive

HIE Severance Scheme Produces over �2m Annual Saving

Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) becomes a leaner organisation this month when 53 members of staff leave their posts through voluntary severance on March 31.   The move is calculated to produce a total of �2.02m of saving each year which will be reallocated to direct support for economic growth across the region.  

A1 Phoenix Driving School Launches Credit Crunch Offer

A1 Phoenix Driving School, Wick REDUCED PRICES TO HELP DURING THE CREDIT CRUNCH We appreciate the difficulty of affording driving lessons at this difficult time during the recession, so we have reduced the cost of driving lessons and introduced a new lesson time structure to make it easier and quicker for you to get that driving licence.   We now do 1 1/2 hour and 2 hour lessons along side our normal 1 hour lessons We also do 5, 8 and 20 hour 'BOOSTERS' to speed things up during you course with us.  

Highland Council and NHS Highland Consultation For Community Care Services

The Highland Council and NHS Highland are undertaking a consultation over the next few months on the joint plan for community care services.   The draft Joint Community Care Plan sets out the kind of services needed to deliver the best outcomes for older people and other vulnerable groups, including people with learning disability, sensory impairment, mental health and substance misuse problems and those who are homeless.  

Highland success in Institute of Directors awards

Four accolades at the recent Institute of Directors (Scotland) annual awards went to directors based in the Highlands.   At a prestigious gala dinner at Edinburgh's Sheraton Grand Hotel, Finance Secretary John Swinney congratulated winners from across Scotland who had been nominated for the awards' 18 categories.  

Wick Children's Centre Manager Wins Award

Social work award for Tracey Taylor The "outstanding leadership skills" of a Highland children's centre manager have been recognised with an award.   Tracey Taylor, Unit Manager of The Highland Council's Wick Children's Centre, was highly commended in the "Residential Care Worker of the Year" category of the annual awards held by the British Association of Social Workers in Scotland.  

Highland Counts The Cost Of Winter Maintenance

The coldest winter in the Highlands since 1962 has resulted in an estimated overspend on The Highland Council's Transport, Environmental and Community Services budget by �1.497 million (2.2%) by the end of the financial year.   Figures presented to the Council's TEC Services Committee have shown that the Highland Winter Maintenance budget is estimated to be overspent by �2.276 million by the end of the financial year.  

Highland Outlines Waste Awareness Campaign For 2010/11

A campaign aimed at encouraging Highland householders to reduce, reuse and recycle their waste has received continued support from members of The Highland Council's TEC Services Committee.   Commending the efforts of a six-strong team of waste awareness staff Councillor John Laing, Chairman of the Council's TEC Services Committee said: "Our officers do a magnificent job educating people of all ages about how to deal with their waste.  

Latest windfarm Footprint Map Available At SNH

A map showing the footprint of windfamrs in Scotland is available at Scottish Natural Heritage web site - http://www.snh.org.uk/strategy/renewable/sr-rt01.asp An update is added every six months.   The site points out that the map may not always be up todate..  

Council Offers Assurance On Care Homes

The Leader of The Highland Council's Administration has given a categorical assurance that the only work currently being carried out on the future of Council care homes is a review of the business case for building care homes at Burnside/Ach an Eas, Inverness, Muir of Ord, Fort William, Tain and Grantown.  This work is scheduled to be completed by the end of this month and the aim is that a report is taken to the full council on 13 May.  

Pelamis Wave Power celebrates outcome of The Crown Estate's Announcement

Pelamis Wave Power Ltd (PWP), the Edinburgh based developers of the Pelamis wave energy converter, have been named as the technology supplier for three major offshore wave energy projects in the world's first seabed leasing round off the north coast of Scotland.   The three Pelamis projects which were successfully awarded lease options from The Crown Estate in the UK's first marine energy leasing round include: - A 50MW offshore wave project with E.ON UK, off the west coast of the Orkney Islands, and - A 50MW offshore wave project with Scottish Power Renewables, also off the west coast of the Orkney Islands, and - A third 50MW wave farm site off the north coast of Sutherland being developed by PWP themselves.