News Archive
21/1/2024
Royal Mail - Scrapping Saturday Post Among Ofcom Options For Reform - Will Another Privatised Industry Go Backwards
Royal Mail could be allowed to scrap Saturday post deliveries, as part of an Ofcom review into how the postal service may need updating. The regulator is set to publish a document next week outlining options on how Royal Mail can "evolve to more closely meet consumer needs".
21/1/2024
Northlink Ferries Weather Disruption - Changes To Times And Cancellations
Early disruption warning to customers Current forecasts indicate the possibility of disruption to our services from the evening of Sunday 21st January through to the evening of Tuesday 23rd January. More information will follow as forecasts update.
21/1/2024
Snp Green Government Stuck Between Higher Scottish Taxes And Possible Tax Reductions In England
With a billion pound budget gap the Scottish government is trying to close the gap with higher taxes in Scotland. A lot depends on it.21/1/2024
Navy Missile System Used To Destroy Red Sea Drones To Be Upgraded
Cutting-edge Royal Navy missiles - recently used to shoot down multiple hostile drones in the Red Sea - will receive significant enhancements through an upgrade programme supporting hundreds of UK jobs. Crucial to defend sailors, surface fleet and air threats, the Sea Viper Air Defence system will be upgraded with updated missiles featuring a new warhead and software update that will enable it to defeat ballistic missile threats.
21/1/2024
Taxpayers Subsidising Carbon Emissions, Highlights New LEA Paper On Wood Chip Burning
Christopher Snowdon has produced a report for The Institute for Economic Affairs about the use of wood chip for heating and energy. The government heavily subsidises dirty and expensive wood chip burning despite net zero goal.21/1/2024
On Premise Sprits Sales Fall By 4.6%, But Some Categories Are Bucking The Trend
Have you given up alcohol in JANUARY for health reason or cost of living. A report suggests sales have been falling.21/1/2024
Economic Affairs Committee launches new inquiry on the sustainability of the UK's national debt
This one may be for the economic nerds out there. Do you know much about how the National Debt works.20/1/2024
The Post Office Scandal Goes On But Can We Trust The Water Companies - A Report By Unearthed
Unearthed is a Greenpeace web site and their investigation into one water company is very worrying. It begs the question of - Can we trust any of the privatised industries running essential services to tell the truth if it means cutting dividends to shareholders.20/1/2024
Storm Isha On the Way - Turning milder, wetter and windier - Afternoon Weather Forecast UK – Met Office Weather
Plenty of sunshine today, with milder air bringing rain and snow to central and northern Scotland. Turning milder, wetter and windier into the weekend as Storm Isha approaches.
20/1/2024
Thanks Given To Highland Council's Roads Operations Teams
The Chair of Highland Council's Economy and Infrastructure Committee has thanked the local authority’s roads operations teams as they continue to manage routes across Highland’s large roads network during challenging weather conditions. Cllr Ken Gowans said: "The challenging winter weather over the past week has caused considerable disruption to our communities, schools and businesses.
20/1/2024
Extended Relief For Councils Buying Affordable Housing - Increasing Exemptions To Additional Properties Tax
Legislation enabling councils to increase their affordable housing stock without having to pay a tax on additional properties has been introduced in the Scottish Parliament. Under changes to the Additional Dwelling Supplement (ADS), paid as part of Land and Buildings Transaction Tax, the length of time a buyer moving between properties has to sell their original home in order to be able to reclaim ADS would also be extended from 18 months to 36 months.20/1/2024
Elvis Visit To Local Care Home Get On Their Blue Suede Shoes
Pentland View care home in Thurso was transformed into Blue Hawaii to mark what would have been Elvis Presley's 89th birthday on 8 January. It is estimated that Elvis has sold over one billion records worldwide so to honour the undisputed King of Rock & Roll, the staff and residents enjoyed a fantastic day of music, fun and dancing.
20/1/2024
Blue Christmas For Retailers As December Sales Tumble
The latest official estimates reveal retail sales plummeted by -3.2% in December, their biggest fall since the height of Covid lockdowns. The home delivery expert ParcelHero says the impact of inflation meant shoppers reduced the amount they bought this Christmas, but there were crumbs of comfort in online sales results.20/1/2024
Power Boost For Off-grid Island
A project to increase electricity supply and reduce emissions on a west coast island has been awarded more than £25,000 by HIE. The HIE funding is being used to replace and upgrade high voltage transformers and other associated equipment to enable a major upgrade of the renewable energy supply on the Isle of Muck.20/1/2024
Selling On Vinted, Etsy Or Ebay? Here's What You Need To Know About Paying Tax
If you've sold clothes on Vinted or Depop, or something you've made on Etsy, you might have been alarmed or confused by information recently published by HMRC on paying taxes when selling items online. If you've sold clothes on Vinted or Depop, or something you've made on Etsy, you might have been alarmed or confused by information recently published by HMRC on paying taxes when selling items online.19/1/2024
Thurso and Wick High Schools Closed on Friday 19th January
Weather is still hitting school transport services around the county. Wick Unfortunately we have made the decision to close the school tomorrow, Friday 19th January, due to the ongoing snowfall and hazardous road conditions.19/1/2024
Region's Young Workforce To Take Part In Pioneering Sustainability Skills Programme
Region's young workforce to take part in pioneering sustainability skills programme. Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), Zero Waste Scotland and business transformation enterprise Powering Futures have teamed up to provide the fully-funded places on the Highlands and Islands Powering Futures Challenge 2024.
19/1/2024
NHS Highland Consultant Selected For All-female Expedition To Antarctica
Sharon Pfleger, Consultant in Pharmaceutical Public Health, has sailed to Antarctica as part of a global leadership programme for women in STEMM working on environmental issues. In November, Sharon Pfleger, Consultant in Pharmaceutical Public Health, embarked on the Island Sky ship leaving Puerto Madryn in Argentina and sailed to Antarctica as part of the culmination of a global leadership programme, Homeward Bound, for women in STEMM working on environmental issues.
19/1/2024
Using Your Own Car For Work Subsidises Your Employer And Leaves You Seriously Out Of Pocket
Employees driving their own car for work - so-called grey fleet drivers - are being left out of pocket with current rates remaining unchanged for more than a decade. That's according to research conducted by the RAC Foundation, which suggests the 45 pence per mile (ppm) approved mileage allowance payments (AMAPs) rate should increase by 41% to 63p.19/1/2024
