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News Archive


11/12/2021
Place Based Framework approved for Future Highlands
Highland Councillors a their meeting held on 10 December 2021 have approved a new way of working aiming to improve how the Council works with individual communities to address their needs.   A framework has been written up for the new "place-based" approach as a way of bringing ideas about services, investments, resources, and assets together.  
11/12/2021
Coronavirus Update From The First Minister: 10 December 2021Thumbnail for article : Coronavirus Update From The First Minister: 10 December 2021
More bad news for the run up to Christmas as the Omicron variant increases rapidly..  
11/12/2021
Preparations underway for local government election next May
At today's meeting of The Highland Council (Friday 10 December 2021) members agreed the resources required to run the Highland Council Local Government Elections which will take place on Thursday 5 May 2022 and were advised that preparations were already underway to ensure its successful delivery.   The total cost of running the 2022 Council election is estimated to be £550,000.  
11/12/2021
Armed Forces Community Covenant Achievements Commended
The work of the Highland Armed Forces and Veterans' Community Covenant Partnership was commended by Highland Councillors today at a meeting of The Highland Council.   Councillors welcomed the considerable progress being made with partners across a range of activities supporting the Armed Forces Community Covenant.  
11/12/2021
Covid-19 Variants Identified In The UK - Omicron in UK will exceed one million infections by the end of this month
Latest update - 10 December 2021.   The latest variant technical briefing suggests that Omicron continues to grow rapidly in all regions of England as measured by confirmed cases and S gene target failure (SGTF).  
11/12/2021
Investing In Education Recovery - Support for schools, colleges and universities
Children, young people and learners of all ages will benefit from record investment in education in the 2022-23 Budget.   Resource and capital spending is up almost £200 million - one of the biggest rises in the history of the Scottish Parliament.  
11/12/2021
Coronavirus (covid-19): Daily Data For Scotland - 11 December 2021Thumbnail for article : Coronavirus (covid-19): Daily Data For Scotland - 11 December 2021
4,087* new cases of COVID-19 reported.   44,390* new tests for COVID-19 that reported results 9.9% of these were positive.  
11/12/2021
Back To Basics For Covid - SimplesThumbnail for article : Back To Basics For Covid - Simples
Here are some key steps that everyone can take to protect one another from COVID19 says UK Health Security (Formerly Public Health England).   1️⃣ #GetBoosted and book your COVID-19 vaccine: 2️⃣ Wash your hands.  
10/12/2021
Budget Statement: 2022-23 - Statement Given To Parliament By Finance Secretary Kate Forbes
Statement given to Parliament by Finance Secretary Kate Forbes on Thursday, 9th December 2021.   Presiding Officer, today's budget will help tackle the climate emergency, support economic recovery and reduce inequalities.  
10/12/2021
Appeal For More Vaccinators To Come Forward
Scotland's National Clinical Director Jason Leitch is becoming a vaccinator and is encouraging more people to enrol to help accelerate the national booster jab programme.   Since 19 November, the equivalent of 300 full-time additional staff (more than 1000 individuals) have joined the national vaccination effort and health boards are actively recruiting to create extra capacity.  
10/12/2021
Public Health Scotland Urges Public To Defer Christmas Parties As Omicron Threat Grows
Given the number of COVID-19 outbreaks that are being linked to Christmas parties, particularly those caused by Omicron, Public Health Scotland (PHS) is urging people to defer such parties at this time.   Dr Nick Phin, Director of Public Health Science and Medical Director, PHS explains:"There is much that we still need to learn about Omicron, but early evidence suggests that this new Covid variant is much more transmissible.  
10/12/2021
Income Tax Rates Remain The Same For 2022/23...But Personal Allowances Frozen by UK Budget
The Scottish Parliament has the power to set the Income Tax rates and bands for the non-savings, non-dividend income of Scottish taxpayers, with the revenue received coming to the Scottish Government through the operation of the Fiscal Framework.  Responsibility for the other parts of the Income Tax system, which includes reliefs and exemptions, and setting the UK-wide Personal Allowance, remains reserved to the UK Parliament.  
10/12/2021
Scottish Budget 2022/23 Announcements By Kate Forbes on 9 December
Foreword - by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Economy.   This Scottish Budget comes at a crucial juncture for Scotland.  
10/12/2021
Land And Buildings Transaction Tax Rates - No Change
Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) is a tax applied to residential and non-residential land and buildings transactions (including commercial leases) where a chargeable interest is acquired.  The Additional Dwelling Supplement (ADS) is payable, as part of LBTT, on purchases of all relevant residential properties for £40,000 and above.  
10/12/2021
Safeguarding Scotland's Marine Wildlife
The critically endangered flapper skate is to gain further protection following the extension of an urgent Marine Protected Area (MPA) within the Inner Sound of Skye.   The site protects a nationally important flapper skate egg nursery area which is the largest of its kind to be identified in Scotland.  
10/12/2021
Non Domestic Rates - Often Called Business Rates
Non-Domestic Rates.   Non-domestic rates (NDR), often described as business rates, are a local tax levied on lands and heritages used for non-domestic purposes in the public, private and third sectors.  
10/12/2021
Councils Given Freedom To Set Council Tax Rates For 2022/23
2021/22 council Tax was frozen but now councils may set new rates for 2022/23.   Council Tax is a local tax, with receipts retained by local government and separate from the Scottish Budget.  
10/12/2021
Scottish Budget 2022-23
Ending Scotland's contribution to climate change, tackling inequalities and investing in the economy and our public services are at the forefront of the 2022-2023 Scottish Budget.   Outlining a bold, ambitious and progressive funding package, Finance Secretary Kate Forbes said the Budget will accelerate Scotland's COVID recovery and help transition the country towards becoming fairer, greener and more prosperous.  
Construction Pauses For Winter As Cairngorm Mountain Gets Ready To Welcome SkiersThumbnail for article : Construction Pauses For Winter As Cairngorm Mountain Gets Ready To Welcome Skiers
One of the UK's most challenging civil engineering projects will be paused for the next few months as winter takes hold on Cairngorm mountain estate.   Teams from contractor Balfour Beatty, acting for Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), have been busy on site since April 2021, carrying out a range of technical tasks to strengthen the 1.8km viaduct that supports the Cairngorm funicular railway.  
10/12/2021
Scottish Income Tax: Distributional Analysis 2022-2023Thumbnail for article : Scottish Income Tax: Distributional Analysis 2022-2023
A note on the distributional impact of the Scottish Government's Income Tax policy for 2022-2023.   Income Tax: Cumulative Impacts on Income Levels and Equality Summary This note sets out the distributional impact of the Scottish Government's Income Tax policy choices on Scottish taxpayers since 2016-17, when the Scottish Parliament was first able to set a different rate of Income Tax in Scotland.