The Planning, Environment and Development Committee of the Highland Council today (15th May) approved a revised version of the Planning Enforcement Charter which details the Council’s statement of enforcement policy and procedure for dealing with breaches of planning control. The Highland Council has powers to enforce planning controls in cases where they have been breached, such as when development is carried out without planning permission, conditions of a planning permission or original plans are not complied with, or unauthorised work is conducted on Listed Buildings or protected trees.
The Caithness and Sutherland Area Committee of Highland Council will continue to pursue its interests in the economic growth of the area when it discusses Workforce Development and Skills Training at its next meeting at the Assembly Rooms, Wick on Monday 20 May. Councillor Deidre MacKay, Leader of the Area Committee said: “Members have received reports on the economic potential and current patterns of employment and unemployment in the area.
First time homebuyers within The Highland Council area are set to benefit from the introduction of a mortgage guarantee scheme, using the Local Authority Mortgage Scheme model already successfully launched by a number of English councils. The scheme aims to support up to 33 new homebuyers in the current year in getting on to the property ladder.
Highland Council offers five new graduate opportunities. Five graduates will soon get the opportunity to conduct a six-month internship with The Highland Council under the pilot ‘Graduate Intern Programme’ developed and led by the Council’s Planning and Development Service.
Europe Day - EU Open Doors On 9 May 1950, Robert Schuman, the first President of the European Parliamentary Assembly, presented his proposal on the creation of an organised Europe, indispensable to the maintenance of peaceful relations. This proposal, known as the 'Schuman declaration', is considered to be the beginning of the creation of what is now the European Union.
The by-election for a councillor to serve the Landward Caithness Ward (No 4) on The Highland Council has been won by Mrs Gillian Coghill from Halkirk, who will join the Independent Group on the Council Mrs Coghill from Halkirk was one of four candidates, who contested the vacancy, created by the retiral of Robert Coghill in February. She joins Councillors David Bremner (Independent), Willie Mackay (Independent) and Alex MacLeod (Independent Nationalist) in representing Landward Caithness Ward.
Tomorrow (Thursday 2 May 2013) voting begins in the Landward Caithness By-election with polling stations open their doors at 7am and remaining open for people to come and vote until 10pm. The electorate for the Ward is 8,546.
Highland fishing communities are encouraged to apply for assistance from the European Fisheries Fund. The fund aims to help develop communities where fishing is in decline by supporting measures to build skills and knowledge and increase the capacity of local fishing communities and business networks through innovation, collaboration and diversification.
Trading Standards officers of The Highland Council Standards are warning householders to be on their guard if approached at their home and offered tarmacking. This follows reports being received that rogue traders are operating in the Dornoch area and are informing householders that they are in the area working for The Highland Council and have some tarmac left over.
The Highland Council has agreed the process for recruiting a new Chief Executive, following the announcement by Alistair Dodds, Chief Executive, that he will retire on 31 August. The post, which carries a salary of £140,112, will be advertised on Friday 3 May with a closing date for applications on Friday 17 May.
The Highland Council has expressed its deep regret at the liquidation of Castletown-based company, Icetech Freezers Ltd, with the loss of more than 70 jobs. Councillor Deirdre Mackay, Leader of the Council’s Caithness and Sutherland Area Committee, said: “This is a huge blow for the Caithness economy.
1,428 people have applied for a postal vote for the up-coming Landward Caithness by-election. This represents just over 16% of the total electorate.
Inverness West Link public consultation Torvean and Ness-side Development Brief A 7-week period of public consultation period begins today (Tuesday 16 April 2013) on the detailed design of the £27.2 million Inverness West Link Road as well as the Draft Development Brief for the Torvean/Ness-side areas of Inverness. Tomorrow (Wednesday), plans for the road and the draft development brief will be on show at a public exhibition/drop-in session at Kinmylies Church (10am till 8pm).
Three areas in the Highlands are to pilot an initiative by The Highland Council to bring empty properties back into affordable housing use. The Council’s Housing and Property Service is to initially target the Black Isle, Inverness Central and Nairn, as pilots which together provide a mix of rural and urban locations.
The latest Census figures released by the National Register of Scotland, show that Highland’s population growth spans the age range. Highland’s population has risen by 23,000 between 2001 and 2011 to 232,000.
Highland Councillors have set a target of providing 200 new homes over the next four years for people who find themselves in an emergency homeless position. They plan to gradually reduce the amount of money spent on purchasing temporary accommodation from the private sector, such as Houses of Multiple Occupation, and instead build and acquire an expanding pool of one-bedroomed homes in appropriate locations that can be used as a temporary base for the homeless.
Highland Councillors have agreed to adopt a “sympathetic ” policy for those Council house tenants affected by the new Bedroom Tax, who unavoidably fall into rent arrears through the loss of housing benefit for under-occupying their homes. It is estimated that 2,200 Highland Council tenants (16%) are affected by the introduction of the Social Rented Sector Size Criteria Restriction (Bedroom Tax), which sees people who are under-occupying by one bedroom having their benefit reduced by 14% and those under-occupying by more than one room having their benefit reduced by 25%.
Councils face tougher challenges in the year ahead, particularly in dealing with budget pressures, says the Accounts Commission in its annual overview report published today. Pressures on resources and demands on services mean that councils may now have to consider decisions, which they had previously ruled out, to balance their budgets.
The £50M project for two new Primary Schools, a new High School, and new Community Facilities, incorporating a replacement Library and swimming pool, due for completion for use in August 2015, takes another step forward this month. The planning process for major works includes a “Pre-Application Consultation” in which the proposals are shared with the public, so that comments at this stage can be considered by the architects before formal Planning Applications are submitted.
A landmark memorandum of understanding has been signed today joining in partnership the Highland Council and the Cromarty Firth Port Authority. This will further strengthen good working relationships and produce a blueprint for the future of the Cromarty Firth.