Boost for Pultneytown Advice Centre
19th February 2013
At today’s Caithness and Sutherland Area Committee members awarded Pulteneytown People’s project £90,506 from the Deprived Area Fund which will be used to provide services to local people through the Advice Centre. This will be used to support the work of the one-stop shop to provide local people help and advice with benefits, staying on at school, re-training, housing issues and applying for jobs. Plans also include running special activity days throughout the year, the setting up of a job club and creating a new support group for carers. The funding will also mean the Centre will be able to offer places on SVQ Level 3 courses in social care, administration and childcare.
Caithness Civic Leader Councillor Gail Ross said: “Our decision today will give an important boost to everyone involved in the project. The opening of the new learning centre is a major achievement. The Council showed its confidence by providing capital funding to get the building open so I am delighted that this support is continuing now the centre is up and running. It has already become a vital resource to the local community and the funding approved today will allow it to provide and develop good quality services which will really help people in Wick.”
In April 2010 the Council established a Deprived Area Fund targeted at priority areas in Caithness, East Ross, Inverness and Lochaber. Applications are invited from community and third sector organisations to assist defined disadvantaged communities to develop and implement activities that improve the quality of life and regenerate their communities. Priority is given to projects that directly deliver employability outcomes for individuals who live within the targeted area and who are furthest removed from the labour market.
Chairman of the Caithness and Sutherland Committee, Councillor Deirdre Mackay highlighted the positive effect the Deprived Area Fund has on communities. She said: “The Deprived Area Fund directly supports the Council’s Programme by assisting organisations working in defined disadvantaged communities to develop and implement activities aimed at improving quality of life and regenerating communities. The £90k for the Pultneytown Centre will have a really positive impact on people’s lives and there is potential for more people to benefit. The Caithness fund allocation is £104k so there is still £13,494 available so I would urge community organisations to make enquires.”
The funding is available until March 2014 and therefore only projects that can complete or are substantially committed before the end of March 2014 will be considered.
The areas eligible to apply to the Deprived Area Fund in Caithness are Wick South, Wick South Head, Wick Pulteneytown South and Wick Hillhead North. Full details of criteria and how to apply are available from The Highland Council’s website.
Related Businesses
Related Articles
The Highland Council has today received confirmation from Scottish Government that it will continue to provide funding to the Wick-Aberdeen Public Service Obligation (PSO) into financial year 2025/26. The funding provided by Scottish Government in 2025/26 will be up to £1 million, as in previous years, and The Highland Council will continue with its own already agreed commitment of £300,000.
As agreed at The Highland Council's budget meeting on Thursday 6 March, more than £2 million has been approved for investment in environmental and community services throughout the Highlands including a community development fund, a community-focused operating model, Access Rangers and grass cutting maintenance. Councillor Bill Lobban, Convener of Highland Council, said: "These investments reinforce our commitment to working with communities to create a resilient, sustainable and nature-positive Highland.
The Highland Council is taking part in the 2025 Welcome to Your Vote Week campaign run by the Electoral Commission which launches today (Monday 10 March). Every year the Electoral Commission asks schools, colleges, youth groups and universities to celebrate democracy by teaching democratic education with their students and young people.
A £4.3m investment for education was agreed in Highland Council's 2025/26 budget. This investment is a key indicator of change for Highland schools, its 31,000 pupils and their 2,000+ teachers and support staff that will further consolidate the Council's on-going path to improvement.
Highland council agreed a 7% increase in Council Tax, one of the lowest increases in Scotland, with 2% of this allocated to create capital investment fund for schools and roads as part of the Highland Investment Plan. Members agreed a budget which will see over £4.5 million of revenue investments for 2025 - 2026, over £17 million additional reserves investment for major developments and the creation of over 100 jobs across the Highlands.
As part of The Highland Council's proposed three-year Medium Term Financial Plan, £14 million has been allocated for expansion of bus company operations across the Highlands and shared investment in renewable energy opportunities. £6 million is proposed to be allocated for an ‘Investment in Community Transport’ programme to build on the success of the Council’s in-house bus service by expanding its services to benefit more communities across the Highlands.
After receiving numerous complaints from businesses and the public, Highland Council Trading Standards has seized a significant quantity of illicit tobacco products from a retailer in the Highlands. This operation underlines the Council's commitment to protecting consumers and supporting legitimate businesses.
The Highland Council is delighted to announce a significant increase in positive destinations for school leavers in the academic year 2023/2024. An impressive 96.5% of Highland leavers have secured a positive destination, up 1.2% from last year.
Highland Council at its special meeting on 3 March 2025 will propose to raise council tax by 7%, with 5% for core service provision and 2% for investment in schools and roads through the Highland Investment Plan. The SNP led administration has a majority so the proposals are likely to be passed at the council meeting.
Members of The Highland Council's Licensing Committee have agreed that the Council will undertake a public consultation before deciding whether to introduce knowledge testing for private hire car (PHC) drivers in The Highland Council area. Under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 and the Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2015, Highland Council has long imposed knowledge testing requirements on applicants for a taxi driver’s licence.
