Islanders on Raasay, off Skye, were celebrating on Tuesday 17th August 2010 the opening of their £12 million new ferry terminal. Stewart Stevenson, Minister for Transport Infrastructure and Climate Change, was joined by pupils from Raasay Primary School in unveiling a plaque to mark the completion of the terminal at Churchton Bay, which provides a sheltered roll on roll off facility for the Caledonian MacBrayne car ferry, Loch Striven, and overnight berthage.
Staff at Caithness General Hospital have made good progess in their efforts to reduce the risk of infection among patients, visitors and staff, according to a report published today. The Healthcare Environment Inspectorate report, published today, states that NHS Highland is complying with the majority of measures to reduce infection rates.
Ever wondered what goes on behind closed doors? Every September, the national Doors Open Days offers free access to landmark buildings, private homes and usually private work spaces that the public never normally get a chance to see. The Highland programme is co-ordinated by The Highland Council and Inverness City Heritage Trust.
Probation teachers receive a warm welcome in the Highlands For 2010 Seventy five probationer teachers who will start work in Highland schools next week attended an induction day in Inverness today. The probationers were welcomed by Chairman of The Highland Council's Education, Culture and Sport Committee, Councillor Bill Fernie, and Hugh Fraser, Highland Council Director of Education, Culture and Sport.
Trading Standards Officers have joined forces with Money Advice Service colleagues on The Highland Council to tackle the "unacceptable and aggressive practices" of debt collectors. Gordon Robb, principal trading standards officer, highlighted the joint effort to address the problem while presenting the annual report of the Council's trading standards service to a meeting of the Transport Environmental and Community Services Committee.
Throughout Scotland's Housing Expo a series of seminars, organised by Sust, will offer an opportunity for housing and building specialists to hear expert opinion on a range of special interest topics related to the industry. Sust is the Scottish Government's Sustainability in Architecture Programme which is part of Architecture and Design Scotland.
The Highland Council's Finance and Trading Standards teams have been alerted to the fact that Highland residents are currently being targeted by a Council Tax rebate scam. The "phishing" scam involves attempts by callers to obtain bank details over the phone, on the false promise of being entitled to receive a rebate on their Council Tax payments.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (August 10th) sold 6438 store lambs at their annual district sale to average £51.61 (+£4.39 on the year). Cheviot wedder lambs (3,681) averaged £50.82 (+£3.28) and sold to £64 gross for a pen from Knockglass, Dornoch.
Highland Council to consider delivery of community learning and leisure services by arms length organisation. Members of The Highland Council's Education, Culture and Sport Service have agreed to the principle of setting up an arms length organisation to deliver the local authority's community learning and leisure services.
The Highland Council's Education Culture and Sport Committee today (Thursday 5 August 2010) agreed to amalgamate or close rural primary schools which it has deemed to be no longer educationally viable. Under the terms of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010, the Council recently carried out consultations in Lochaber, Skye and West Ross and has now agreed to: Amalgamate Fort William Primary School and Upper Achintore Primary School in a new school on a site yet to be identified.
Highland pupils have done well in their SQA exams, again performing above the Scottish average. Last year's results by the end of S4 were the best for the previous three years.
The Care Information Scotland telephone helpline and website offers a single point of information on the care available for older people throughout the country. Care Information Scotland (CIS) was launched earlier this year by the Scottish Government.
A Council spokesman confirmed that officers from the Council's Environmental Health team had visited the farm at Auldearn yesterday (Tuesday) to interview the farmer who owned 2 of the bulls born in the UK from embryos from a cloned cow. The visit was to confirm information on the bulls and their offspring.
A new deadline date of Wednesday 6 October has been set for community groups across the Highlands wishing to bid for Euro funding to help improve their broadband services. Applicants should send their bids to their local Highland LEADER representative for final determination by the Scottish Government.
Scotland's Housing Expo at Inverness running throughout August has been marked with the induction of its newest recruits. Thirty-five students, all hailing from the Highlands, have been appointed as House Ambassadors for the month-long Expo, which kicked off on Sunday, 1 August.
Move to benefit more applicants and help smaller projects Changes are being made to the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP) to ensure rural Scotland gets maximum benefit from the Programme. This will increase the number of business development proposals financed through the SRDP and strengthen the role of local decision-making in community development projects.
Highland Councillors are being asked to consider investigating the feasibility of a pioneering new model of providing much-needed affordable homes in the Highlands. It could see a new build programme of 650 houses over a five year period.
Council asked to agree principle of outsourcing its leisure and cultural services. Highland Councillors are being asked to agree the principle of establishing an arms-length organisation to deliver all activity concerning its leisure and cultural services.
A Thurso based engineering company which has been supported by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has successfully diversified into the offshore wind industry. Calder Engineering Ltd has been supplying cabins to the offshore oil and gas industry for 12 months ago and has recently won a contract to supply them to the renewables industry.
The Highland Council's recruitment panel for director-level appointments has unanimously appointed Bill Alexander as its Director of Social Work. Mr Alexander will take over from Harriet Dempster, who retires at the end of August after 11 years at the helm of the service.
