The Highland Council has appointed chairmen to its two new area Planning Applications Committees. Councillor David Chisholm, Dingwall and Seaforth, is Chairman of the North PAC, Vice-Chairman is Councillor Audrey Sinclair, Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh.
North Highland smokers urged to improve their health and wealth by kicking the habit. North Highland's 6,784 smokers are being urged to make 2012 the year they quit for good - and to take advantage of the wide range of NHS services to help make it happen.
The standstill allocation of money by the Scottish Government for council services in the Highlands mean " significant reductions in real terms for Highlands Council to spend on its services for the public " over the next three years, according to Rhoda Grant MSP. Speaking today she said "When these allocations are looked at again taking into account the effect of price rises , a different picture emerges from the so-called 'same level of funding' claim.
A scheme is to provide funding for projects that make a difference in local Scottish fishing communities, with up to £7.6 million to be shared out across 13 local authorities. £4.2 million is available under Axis 4 the European Fisheries Fund, which the councils involved need to co-finance in order to access.
Eann Sinclair the Programme Manager for Caithness & North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership look s back at some of the business highlights last year in Caithness. January Staff move into the new £4M Centre for Energy & the Environment in Thurso, and begin the £3M MaREE research programme, with funding from HIE, ERDF, UHI, Scottish Funding Council.
Week commencing 9th January: Energy: Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission Ltd has published a contract notice for the design of the subsea hub and off-shore platform proposed for the Moray Firth (in the area of the Beatrice field), to support the provision of a High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) subsea link from Caithness to the Moray/ Aberdeenshire coast. This is a key milestone in the ongoing electricity Grid enhancement programme for the area, and the proposed timetable would see the facility built and commissioned by the end of 2014.
Thursday 19th January - Tea Tasting Evening at the Whaligoe Steps Cafe Come to the Whaligoe Steps Cafe in Ulbster for an evening of tea specialities. Taste some of our 40 different varieties of tea, and eat tea scented; savoury, sweet and iced goodies.
E.ON will this week begin to prepare phase two construction of its Camster wind farm in Caithness. The Camster wind farm will be situated between Lybster and Watten and feature 25 turbines capable of generating up to 50MW of electricity, enough power for up to 35,000 homes1.
Members of The Highland Council's Education, Culture and Sport Committee have agreed to bring forward £1.038 million of Capital Funding Projects to help offset an estimated £3.6 million projected underspend in the current financial year 2011/12. Approved projects in the Capital Programme which are being brought forward include works at: · Kingussie High School, Culloden Academy, Inverness and Tain Craighill Primary School; · inspection of craft, design and technical equipment in Secondary Schools; · works at Dingwall Leisure Centre; and · the purchase of a disabled access mini-bus at Lochaber High School.
Highlands and Islands superfast broadband rollout on course to begin in 2013. A planned rollout of superfast broadband across the whole of the Highlands and Islands is progressing according to plan, says the region's development agency.
Week Ending 9th January 2012 Energy: Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission Ltd has published a contract notice for the design of the subsea hub and off-shore platform proposed for the Moray Firth (in the area of the Beatrice field), to support the provision of a High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) subsea link from Caithness to the Moray/ Aberdeenshire coast. This is a key milestone in the ongoing electricity Grid enhancement programme for the area, and the proposed timetable would see the facility built and commissioned by the end of 2014.
At the start of this week's Education, Culture and Sport Committee at Highland council in Inverness, two senior pupils from Millburn Academy joined the Chairman, Councillor Bill Fernie, to make a presentation to Mr Bob Macdougall from Inverness. Bob has just retired from his post at Inverness Prison following 32 years' service.
Motorists are being advised that work begins in Inverness on Monday (16 January 2012) to replace the existing traffic signals at the Harbour Road/Shore Street junction, which have reached the end of their useful life. The Highland Council is removing the traffic signals and replacing them with a mini roundabout.
The Highland Council started work earlier this week on a notorious section of sub-standard lifeline road in Moidart - at Drynie Hill. During the contract, Monday through to Friday there will be a temporary road closure in place between 10am and 12:25pm and 1.10pm to 3:30 pm to safely carry out vital tree felling and blasting works.
All the information to stand in the Crofting Commission Elections can be found at http://www.highland.gov.uk/yourcouncil/elections/croftingcommission/.
The Highland Council will introduce a car and a passenger ferry service between North and South Strome on Monday to combat the impact of the closure of the A 890 Lochcarron - Kyle/Plockton road due to the danger of rockfalls. The timetables for the two ferry services, which will have connecting buses, will be confirmed on Friday.
For the second year in succession, The Highland Council is recommending a council house rent increase below the rate of inflation. The Housing and Social Work Committee is recommending an average increase of 1.9% which is 3.3% below inflation.
The opening ceremony for the Thurso River, 2012 Season. 11 January 2012..
The new dental clinic at the Dunbar Hospital in Thurso, which has been built at a cost of £1.2 million, will significantly improve access to NHS dental services in Caithness when it opens tomorrow 11th January 2012. The dental clinic represents significant investment in the Dunbar site and forms part of NHS Highland's plans to transform the site into a centre of excellence for health and well being in Thurso.
Police re-issue advice following card skimming incident in Inverness. Northern Constabulary is re-issuing advice about some of the things members of the public can do to avoid becoming victims of card skimming following an incident at Morrisons in Inverness at the weekend.
