Councillor Margaret Davidson (Independent), Leader of the Highland Council today welcomed the commencement of work to start dualling the A9 which was formally launched today by Keith Brown MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities. This first phase of work is the five-mile long section between Kincraig and Dalraddy which is due to be completed by summer 2017.
Nominations are invited from people seeking election to all Community Councils across Highland this autumn. This is your chance to help represent the views of your community to the Highland Council and other public agencies.
Highland Council Leader, Councillor Margaret Davidson has welcomed Justice Secretary Michael Matheson's announcement at Scottish Parliament this week of measures to strengthen policing in Scotland including a ‘stay of execution' for Police Scotland’s Inverness call centre. The Scottish Government has indicated that it will support the retention of staff in Aberdeen and Inverness for a period beyond 31 March 2016 to allow for an effective handover of operations to a combined North Area Control Room in Dundee.
A cross party meeting of Group Leaders from The Highland Council has today met to discuss Highland Council's initial response to the Syrian Refugee Crisis. The Group Leaders also met with Bylthswood representatives to hear of the work they are doing to support the Syrian Refugees.
Five candidates are to contest the upcoming by-election to elect a councillor to represent the Aird and Loch Ness Ward of The Highland Council. The candidates are: • George Cruickshank, Scottish Conservative and Unionist • Jean Mary Elizabeth Davis - Scottish Liberal Democrats • Emma Ann Knox - Scottish National Party (SNP) • Zofia Fraser- Independent • Vikki Tania Trelfer - Scottish Green Party The by-election is being held on Thursday 8 October after Drew Hendry, one of four councillors for Ward 13, stepped down after he was elected as an MP for the Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey Constituency.
The Highland Council has agreed to replace two Area Committees with four new Local Forums for community planning and local decision-making and scrutiny for Councillors and for local community planning if partners agree to take part. The two Area Committees covering Caithness and Sutherland and Nairn and Badenoch and Strathspey will be disbanded and established as four new separate local community planning forums.
This article is from the Scottish Government web site and reminds everyone the deadline for application to buy a council house or from a social landlord is 31st July 2016. Right to buy is ending for all tenants of social housing in Scotland on 1 August 2016.
A campaign which aims to encourage all 15-17 year olds who will be eligible to vote for the first time in the Scottish Parliament election scheduled for May 2016 to sign up and register has begun across Highland and Islands. The initiative is part of a wider campaign that has been launched nationally across Scotland by the Electoral Commission.
The Highland Council's new improved recycling service begins next week. From 31st August residents can also put plastic pots, tubs and trays (excluding black plastic) into the blue recycling bin - in addition to cardboard food & drink cartons, aerosols and envelopes which were added in earlier in the summer.
Hundreds of potholes have been repaired in the first 6 months of this year. 1,437 potholes were repaired between January and June 2015.
The Highland Council is not impacted on any current projects by the "interruption" of EU funds to Scotland for 2007 -13 Programmes. The “interruption” relating to 2013 will have no bearing on claims submitted by the Council in 2014 or 2015 and Highland Council projects, audited in 2013, received a clean bill of health.
The Highland Council Care and Learning Service has been successful in securing £250,000 to support the development of the use of technology in learning. The bid, led by Louise Jones, ICT in Learning Manager was submitted to the Inspiring Learning Fund a Scottish Government fund developed by the Scottish Futures Trust.
Highland Council welcomes the announcement today by the First Minister that 5 local schools are going to receive additional funding as part of the Attainment Scotland Fund. This second phase of the national initiative involves 57 schools across Scotland, and the five in Highland are - Merkinch and Bishop Eden (Inverness), Coulhill and Milton (East Ross) and South Wick (Caithness).
Highland Council residents can now apply for Council Tax discounts and exemptions and report change of circumstances online with the launch of new online forms on the Council's website. The new forms allow customers to complete online rather than by paper when applying for council tax discounts/exemptions and to report changes that may impact on their council tax, housing benefit or council tax reduction.
The PFR stone table with the inscription 'Out of Caithness to the World' will become the centre piece of the NDA Archive when it opens its doors in 2017. Construction of the new facility has begun at Wick and was officially opened by David Flear, Dounreay Stakeholder Group chairman, when he cut the first turf at an opening ceremony in August.
The Highland Licensing Board is advising people who have had their personal licences revoked that rules have changed and they may now be able to reapply. Since December 2014 The Highland Licensing Board has had to revoke a number of personal licences where the licence holder failed to comply with the mandatory refresher training requirements.
LEADER of The Highland Council, Margaret Davidson met with Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabularys in Scotland (MHICS), Mr Derek Penman, today to discuss the Inverness Police Control Room. She said: "I would like to thank Mr Penman for taking time to come to Inverness and listen to the concerns of the Highland Council.
The Highland Council is introducing further new materials to the blue bin recycling service at the end of August. Following on from the recent introduction of aerosols, envelopes and cardboard food and drink cartons, from Monday 31st August residents will also be able to recycle plastic pots, tubs and trays.
Highland Council welcomes confirmation of the Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) by Scottish Ministers which will enable the West Link to go ahead. The Highland Council has today been advised that Scottish Ministers have confirmed the Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) promoted in respect of the West Link road project.
Highland Council's new Administration met with all elected members today to discuss their new Programme, which will be launched next week. The Programme is based on three main themes: A Community-Led, Well-Served and a Fairer Highland.