New legislation from the UK government means that, from 1 April, a deduction will be imposed on housing benefit claimants in council or housing association homes with a spare room or rooms in their homes. The new rule is estimated to affect more than 2,200 council house tenants in Highland.
The Highland Council has raised no objections to a consultation from the Scottish Government (Marine Scotland) regarding an application by Moray Offshore Renewables Ltd for the construction and operation of 3 offshore wind farms and associated electricity transmission works in the Outer Moray Firth. The application has been submitted under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 so although The Highland Council is not the determining authority, it is an important consultee so today (Tuesday 19 March) Members sitting on the North Planning Applications Committee considered the proposals.
Memorandum of Understanding seeks to strengthen economy & bring new jobs in the Cromarty Firth. The Highland Council and the Cromarty Firth Port Authority are to sign a partnership agreement to promote co-operation and joint working, with the aim of creating good quality employment opportunities and facilitating the development of new and existing port facilities at Invergordon and in the Cromarty Firth.
There is a regular flow of abnormal loads, northwards over the A9 Kessock Bridge, which in the main includes outsized assembly parts for a range of important development initiatives within the Highland area. It is important for the progress of the Highland economy that such loads are progressed without unnecessary delay.
In recognising that tourism is the Highland’s biggest industry, members of the Council’s Planning Environment and Development Committee today agreed funding to VisitScotland of up to £270k in 2013/14. They also agreed that a further £80,000 be used to both deliver services directly by the Council’s tourism team and to provide discretionary funding to business or community groups undertaking tourism projects.
Highland Councillors have agreed a further enhancement of the model for the integration of health and care services across the authority. This involves the organisation of Allied Health Professional Services and Community Learning Disability Nurses, as well as some changes to the performance frameworks for both adult and children’s services.
Leader explains Council job statistics. The Leader of The Highland Council Councillor Drew Hendry is to write to the GMB trade union to tell them they have got the wrong end of the stick over job statistics.
By-election - Ward 4 (Landward Caithness) Candidates wishing to stand at the by-election being held in The Highland Council’s Ward 4 – Landward Caithness – have until 4 pm on Thursday 28 March to complete their nomination. The by-election is being held on Thursday 2 May to find a successor to Councillor Robert Coghill (Independent) who, following medical advice, stepped down at the end of February.
The Highland Council has this week received £3.8 million of funding from the Scottish Government towards new affordable housing. This is part of a £40 million distribution of funding to local councils in Scotland for new social homes.
Council targets Sutherland and Inverness-shire holiday homes avoiding waste collection services payment. In February this year The Highland Council wrote to the owners of around 600 non-domestic rated (NDR) holiday home properties in all the Inverness and Sutherland areas advising them of their legal obligations under the Environmental Protection Act and associated Duty of Care Regulations to have in place a waste collection contract for dealing with the waste generated from their businesses.
Businesses urged to find out if they can benefit from Highland Council Employment Grant. Highland businesses are being invited to find out if a Council funding scheme can help their business grow while assisting unemployed people to return to work.
Members of the Thurso and Wick communities have helped to develop a new vision for the towns by participating in events known as Charrettes. The Charrettes included well attended workshops held over two days in both Thurso and Wick and culminated in report back sessions in Wick on Tuesday and Thurso on Wednesday.
Households across Highland have an opportunity to save hundreds of pounds on their energy bills as part of a collective buying initiative. Highland residents have until Sunday 17 March to join in to secure a better deal from energy companies by buying energy together.
The Highland Council welcomes Transport Scotland’s announcement today that a £1.3 million ground investigation contract is expected to be awarded early next month, for the dualling of the A9 Perth – Inverness road. Leader of the Highland Council, Councillor Drew Hendry said: “We are delighted that this early sign of delivery on dualling of the A9 has been announced.
The Highland’s three MPs - Danny Alexander (Inverness Nairn Badenoch and Strathspey), Charles Kennedy, (Ross Skye and Lochaber) and John Thurso (Caithness Sutherland and East Ross) - attended a meeting of The Highland Council’s Welfare Reform Working Group today (Friday) to hear the Council’s concerns about welfare reform and ideas for action that may reduce the impact of change. Councillor Alasdair Christie, Chairman of The Highland Council’s Welfare Reform Working Group welcomed the opportunity of a face-to-face briefing with the MPs.
Staff, parents and pupils in the Highlands are being reassured about the quality and safe consumption of the fresh meat and processed food used in school meals in the Highlands. Council Catering and Cleaning Manager Norma Murray has written to the head teachers of the Council's 177 primary schools, 29 secondary schools and three special schools in response to the national debate and general concerns surrounding the presence of horsemeat in some UK food products.
Highland Councillor Robert Coghill, who represents Landward Caithness, has given notice of his intention to resign, with effect from Thursday 28 February. Councillor Coghill, who helps run a farm at Halkirk, is standing down on medical advice.
Six Highland community groups have been selected to progress bids for funding from The Highland Council’s new Community Challenge Fund, which will provide £1 million for community projects exploring new ways of delivering services at a local level. The groups are Nairn Cricket Club, Kinlochleven Community Trust, Lochalsh Sports Association, Kyle and Lochalsh Community Trust, Fort Augustus and Glenmoriston Community Company and Lochaber Sports Association.
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.
The Caithness and Sutherland Area Committee will take place at Timespan in Helmsdale next Monday and top of the agenda, is a Highland Council key Programme priority for the economy, tourism. Area Leader Councillor Deirdre Mackay said: “Tourism is one of the main sectors of employment in the Highlands and it is with this in mind that I felt it would be meaningful to hold the committee in Timespan.