Highland Council Agrees Support For 2024 Mountain Bike World Cup Event
18th November 2023

Members of The Highland Council's Economy and Infrastructure Committee on 16 November 2023 agreed to use up to £100,000 from its UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) to support costs associated with the hosting of the 2024 Fort William Downhill Mountain Bike World Cup Event.
Chair of the Economy and Infrastructure Committee, Cllr Ken Gowans, said: "In August this year, Fort William very successfully hosted the UCI Cycling World Championships downhill mountain bike event at Nevis Range, drawing a huge number of competitors and spectators and showcasing what the region has to offer through its world-wide media coverage.
"Following on from that success, the new partnership between UCI and Warner Bros to host and organise all the mountain bike discipline events worldwide reflects the continued growth of the sport globally and provides huge opportunities for the host regions. Therefore, I'm delighted that UKSPF funding has been used to secure Fort William as the only UK venue in the 2024 calendar of events as it demonstrates the regions standing in the sport. It also opens a wide range of opportunities for businesses and communities in Fort William, Lochaber and the wider Highlands to benefit from this prestigious event."
The committee also agreed the redirection of £148,300 of UKSPF funding within the Peoples and Skills priority to the Science Skills Academy for spending during the first quarter of the 24/25 financial year.
At its meeting in August the Committee agreed an updated Delivery Plan following formal notification of successful funding received through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) for 2022/23, 2023/24 and indicative allocation for 2024/25.
The funding will help Highland Council bring additional investment to the people of Highland, supporting communities, businesses, employment and tourism. The overarching objective of the UKSPF is to build pride in place and to increase life chances.
For more details about the Mountain Bike Champonships 2024 go HERE
Related Businesses
Related Articles
The Highland Council welcomes moves by the Scottish Government to introduce greater flexibility on how it could design a Visitor Levy Scheme for consultation. The Visitor Levy (Scotland) Act 2024 currently provides local authorities with discretionary powers to implement percentage-based levies following statutory consultation.
As it looks to set out its forthcoming priorities, the council is seeking involvement from members of the public, including businesses, community groups, parents, and young people. All their opinions are going to be crucial in deciding how Highland Council will take on its budget challenge for 2026-2027.
Thurso is to benefit from £100m investment in education and community facilities and are rolling out the first phase of public consultations on 9 and 10 December 2025. The Highland Council is inviting people that live, work, or study in Thurso, to come along to the public consultation events to have their say; this is an opportunity to help shape the future of Thurso, to gather views and ideas.
A new online portal has been launched to bring empty homeowners together with prospective buyers or developers with the aim of facilitating more properties to be used as homes again. Covering the whole of Scotland, this builds on the success of local pilots, referred to as "matchmaker schemes".
Steps towards introducing a short term let control area have been considered by Highland Council's Isle of Skye and Raasay area committee. On Monday (1 December 2025) the committee heard evidence to justify the grounds for the introduction of a Short Term Let Control Area covering all or part of Skye and Raasay.
EMPLOYERS and educators from across the Highlands have gathered to hear how a new initiative is aiming to transform the region's economy. Workforce North - A Call to Action brought together business leaders and teachers from primary and secondary schools from across the Highland Council area with a wide range of partners geared towards education, learning and skills development at Strathpeffer Pavillion.
The Highland Council continues to call for meaningful engagement from the Home Office over its plans to temporarily accommodate up to 300 adult male asylum seekers at Cameron Barracks, Inverness. It follows an email on Monday from Alex Norris MP, Minister for Border Security and Asylum, to Council Leader, Raymond Bremner, which failed to answer questions raised by the Council or address community concerns.
SSEN Transmission has become the first company to sign up to the Highland Social Value Charter (HSVC), marking a significant milestone in delivering long-term socio-economic benefits for communities across the Highlands. Investment commitments from the company include funding for roads, new homes, jobs, and work for local contractors in addition to a local and regional fund for communities to apply to.
The Highland Council continues to work through the procurement process for the provision of the Wick Public Service Obligation for the Highland Council. We have now entered the preferred bidder stage and have entered a standstill period.
Maps of the Council's gritting routes by priority and policy are available online at www.highland.gov.uk/gritting (external link) The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time. It is not intended to imply that any individual route is entirely snow and ice free and drivers must be aware that conditions can change rapidly and make their own assessment of conditions for travelling.