Advisory / Counseling Services News

Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership - Update

Week commencing 24th March 2014 Energy & Business Services: Following last week’s news of consents given to the two offshore wind developments in the Moray Firth, SSE has this week announced its major review of offshore wind commitments in the UK.  Whilst the company has announced plans to scale back investment in renewables, the good news is that investment in a 375MW Beatrice project will continue, with further key project decision points expected at the end of 2014 and in early 2016.  

Heavy Lift Pad Construction Underway At Wick Harbour

Wick Harbour Authority is making progress with its plans to create a heavy-lift facility on the commercial quay at Wick harbour, with contractors Gunns Lybster Ltd having now begun the work.   The project, and its associated dredging works, was supported by CNSRP partners HIE and NDA respectively and is the first of several proposed phases of work to position the harbour as a key player in the energy sector, with the current focus being on potential to benefit from the development of Offshore Wind in the Moray Firth.  

Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership - Update

Week Commencing 3rd March 2014 Energy & Business Services: It was good to hear this week’s announcement of new ownership and opportunities for AGM Batteries and ABSL Power Systems in Thurso.  Under the new structure ABSL Power Systems will become Denchi Power Systems Ltd (named after Denchi House in Thurso, where both businesses are based).  

Remote Delivery Costs - Small Business Survey

For the past three years the Scottish CAB Service has been campaigning against unfair delivery charges for online deliveries.  Citizens Advice Scotland’s report ‘The Postcode Penalty’ analysed over 3,000 customer complaints and over 500 online companies, uncovering a ‘postcode penalty’ that sees some Scots having to pay an average of nearly £19 extra when buying goods online.  

Graduates attend first ScotGrad skills course

The first residential course for the ScotGrad Graduate Placement Programme in the Highlands and Islands took place this week.  The 18 graduates who attended the tailored business skills course are employed to work on innovative projects by organisations across the area.  

Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership - Update

Week Commencing 10th February 2014 Energy & Business Services: As promised last week, further information on the consultation events that Pelamis Wave Power will be undertaking in the north next month as the company prepares to submit application to build a wave site at Farr Point in North Sutherland.  Events will be held on Monday 24th March (Caithness Horizons, Thurso, 17.00-20.00); on Tuesday 25th March (Bettyhill Hall, 13.00-16.00 and Strathy Hall, 17.30-20.00) and on Wednesday 26th March (Durness Hall, 17.00-20.00).  

New industrial biotechnology innovation centre to create 1500 jobs

A new innovation centre for industrial biotechnology (IB) is forecast to increase IB related turnover to up to £3 billion by 2030, create 1500 jobs within five years and put Scotland at the forefront of a global transformation.   Funded by the Scottish Funding Council and supported by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands & Islands Enterprise, the new Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC) – hosted at the University of Strathclyde – is a key element of the National Plan for Industrial Biotechnology – Towards a Greener, Cleaner 2025.  

Businesses urged to target China in the Year of the Horse

Highlands and Islands businesses interested in exporting to China have an opportunity to access specialist information and advice at a free event in Inverness in March.   Organised by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), in partnership with Scottish Development International (SDI) and the China-Britain Business Council (CBBC), the event comes a matter of weeks after China celebrates its New Year, the beginning of Year of the Horse, on January 31.  

Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership - Update

Week Commencing 12 January 2014 Energy & Business Services: There is further evidence of progress with the programme of upgrades to the electricity transmission network in the north with this week’s announcement that Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission has received final planning consent from Scottish Government for the reinforcement of the electricity transmission network between Caithness and Moray.  This will involve a new overhead line between the new Dounreay sub-station and Mybster (on the Causeymire), as part of the wider £1.2bn programme, which includes a subsea link from the east coast of Caithness to the Moray coast.  

Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership - Update

Week Commencing 16th December 2013 Energy & Business Services: As apprentices on the North Highland College engineering programme go out into work placements during Year 2 of their course, the attached video highlights student views on the course and the lessons they have learned to date from their experiences in the workplace.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3vgSxfzJFQ Tourism, Food & Drink: Caithness Horizons in Thurso celebrates its 5th birthday this month, and it was good to meet this week with directors, staff and local stakeholders to commemorate this milestone.