News Archive

Improving Scotland's Planning System

Further new measures to create a more effective planning system to support economic recovery come into effect today.   The changes include: * Establishing local review bodies so that councillors, rather than the Scottish Government, can review decisions made over small-scale, local developments * A requirement on developers to consult communities before submitting major development proposals * More information being made available on planning decisions * Increasing the options for planning authorities to take effective enforcement action Infrastructure Minister Stewart Stevenson said: "The Scottish Government is working to ensure Scotland's planning system is increasingly joined up, providing greater certainty and speed of decision making for developers and communities.  

Highland Independent Museums Meet National Standards

Months of hard work have paid off for seven Highland independent museums.  Dunbeath Heritage Centre, Timespan (Helmsdale), Groam House Museum (Rosemarkie), Ullapool Museum, Grantown Museum, Gairloch Heritage Museum and the Museum of the Isles on Skye have all achieved museum accreditation, meeting the set of national standards for UK museums.  

Caithness Broch Centre Opens Saturday 25th July

The Caithness Broch Centre opens to the public on Saturday 25 July with a day of activities and talks.  The centre, based in Auckengill Old School, takes over where the Northlands Viking Centre left off some three years ago.  

Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd - Sale 15 July 2009

DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd, (July, 15th) sold 1,249 store cattle at the Anniversary show and sale.  The Judge, Mr Tom Stevenson of Balmacolly Farm, Bankfoot, chose a 435kg junior Limousin cross bullock from Messrs Smallburn Farms Ltd, Duffus, Elgin, which realised �1,050, as his Overall Champion in the T.S.H.  

Contractors Sought for Major Inverness Flood Scheme

The Highland Council is seeking tenders from contractors to build the first two phases of the South-West Inverness Flood Relief Channel, having obtained the necessary Flood Prevention Order and planning consent for the �10 million project.   To be completed over five years in phases, the scheme will divert flood water from the south side of Inverness away from residential housing in Hilton, Lochardil and Holm, picking up overflow water from the south side burns and leading this to the River Ness at Holm Mains.  

Anyone For Debt? - Asset backed new issuance drops 54.1% in Q2 2009

(LONDON, UK) Xtrakter, the market utility, released the following figures today: Fixed income new issuance was valued at USD 1 trillion for Q2 2009 representing a 15% (USD 180 billion) drop on Q2 2008 figures.   During the same period asset backed new issuance accounted for USD 100.6 billion of all issues down by 54.1% (USD 118.7 billion) and the overall size of the international capital market rose by 10.3% (USD 1.3 trillion) to a total value of USD 14.1 trillion.  

Council Secures Additional Care at Home Services

Following a comprehensive tender exercise, The Highland Council has entered into contracts with three independent sector providers, to deliver additional care at home services across the Highlands, which will supplement the services provided by the Council's in-house team of home carers and services already purchased from the independent sector.   The successful bidders, British Red Cross, Independent Living Services and Crossroads Caring Scotland, will collectively deliver an extra 117,000 hours per annum of care at home in the Highlands.  

Flood Worries Subside Thanks To Castletown Sewer System

Properties in the Caithness village of Castletown that have experienced flooding in recent years are benefiting from the completion of a �136,000 Scottish Water project to upgrade the local sewer system.   An investigation showed that a section of pipe under Main Street struggled to cope during downpours of heavy rain, causing water and sewage to back up and flood nearby properties.  

Council Signs Historic Agreement

The Highland Council has signed and sealed a formal agreement with the National Archives of Scotland and the Church of Scotland to secure the transfer of historical documents from Highland Presbyteries and Kirk Sessions to Inverness.   These important historical records, currently preserved in Edinburgh by the National Archives of Scotland, are to be transferred later this year to the new Highland Archive Centre currently in the final stages of construction at the Bught, Inverness.  

Modernising the Planning System

Changes to the determination of local planning applications will be introduced later in the year to speed up the decision-making process and encourage inward investment.   The Highland Council has agreed a Scheme of Delegation and establishment of a Review Body, which it has presented to the Scottish Government for approval and implementation by 3 August.