The Highland Council has produced a proposed strategy for growth for the public and private sectors over the next five years to ensure Highland climbs out of recession with a stronger and more sustainable economic base and having the potential for growth. Following approval of the draft Plan at todays (Wednesday 16 January) Planning, Environment and Development Committee, it will now go out to key public and private sector partners for wider consultation before being adopted.
Work on the new Caithness and Sutherland Local Development Plan will begin later this month. As part of this the communities of Wick and Thurso will each have a unique opportunity to shape the future of their community and influence future development decisions in the area.
Members of The Highland Council’s Transport, Environmental and Community Services Committee will hear next week that the extent of damage to Council harbour facilities and coastal defences during the 14/15 December 2012 storm is currently estimated at £2.555 million. In a report to the TEC Services Committee, members are advised of the extent of the damage to facilities at 24 locations including: Scrabster – East Gills; John O’Groats Harbour; Freswick Harbour; Ackergill Harbour; Keiss Harbour; Staxigoe Harbour; Victoria Street, Wick; Scalesburn, Wick; Service Bridge, Wick; Latheron Harbour; Dunbeath Harbour; Helmsdale Harbour; Brora Harbour; Golspie; Embo Harbour; Portmahomack and its harbour; Hilton; Balintore and its harbour; Shandwick; Rockfield; Rosemarkie; and Nairn.
Highland Councillors are being invited to adopt revised guidance to help assess planning applications for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) across the Highlands. Comments have been taken on board from a public consultation in late 2012, which included a debate on the options for Inverness City Centre at the Council’s City of Inverness and Area Committee.
The Wick Offices of Highland council at Market Square will close on Friday 18th January and reopen on Monday 21st January 2013 at Girnigoe Street, Wick. A new telephone system has been installed and new telephone numbers allocated - see the listing attached.
The Highland Council is ready to move from its base in Market Place in Wick to temporary accommodation in nearby Girnigoe Street in preparation for the £8 million redevelopment of the Market Place site as modern Council office accommodation. Offices in Market Place, including the Service Point, will close on Friday 18 January at 3pm and relocate to Government Buildings, Girnigoe Street.
The Highland Council has decided to raise no objection to a consultation on proposals by MeyGen Limited to construct and operate a 86MW tidal array scheme in the inner sound of the Pentland Firth. The Council’s response to Marine Scotland reaffirms its support of renewable energy development in the Highlands and highlights the economic benefits that this can bring to the area.
Opportunities for local contractors to renew existing applications or apply for construction works with Highland Council. The Highland Council is currently in the process of renewing and reviewing its Contractors Framework agreement, which may be used by Services within the Council for selecting contractors to carry out construction works covering reactive day to day repairs, general maintenance works and minor projects up to the value of £50,000.
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. The Highland Fisheries Local Action Group (FLAG) administers the £549,392 available to the Highland area.
In a move aimed at encouraging community empowerment, The Highland Council today (Thursday 3rd January2013) launched its new Community Challenge Fund, which will provide £1 million each year of recurring spending for community projects exploring new ways of delivering services at a local level. Community councils, community groups and establish social enterprises are invited to express their interest via a one-page form which is available from the home page of the Council’s web site: www.highland.gov.uk The Council is open to ideas on how groups could:- 1.
The Highland Council’s Leader Councillor Drew Hendry has written to the Scottish Government seeking emergency financial assistance towards the cost of repairing damage caused to piers and harbours and coastal defences by recent exceptional storms. In a letter to Richard Lochhead, MSP, Cabinet Secretary, Rural Affairs and the Environment, Councillor Hendry says: “In Highland, the storm surge caused extensive damage along the eastern coastline between Wick and Nairn and our officials are currently carrying out detailed inspections to assess the nature and extent of the damage.
Commuters urged to think ahead. A programme of essential repairs to the Kessock Bridge took a step forward today when Transport Scotland announced that Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering had been appointed to undertake the works.
Many people become the victims of fraudsters intent on conning them out of their cash. If you receive an unsolicited or unexpected telephone call, be on your guard as it may be a scam.
Wick and Thurso communities to get unique opportunity to plan their futures. Work on the new Caithness and Sutherland Local Development Plan will begin in early 2013.
Ministers will consider emergency financial assistance for local authorities to help deal with the costs of the storm damage last weekend. Aberdeenshire Council and The Moray Council have made representations to the Scottish Government to activate the Bellwin Scheme as a result of the severe storms over the weekend.
The Leader of The Highland Council, Councillor Drew Hendry has welcomed today’s announcement that the Global Energy Group, owner of Nigg Energy Park, is launching a Highland-wide recruitment drive to find an additional 400 skilled personnel in a wide range of energy disciplines to support their existing labour force in the delivery of contract work. Councillor Hendry said: “The Council’s programme places the highest priority on sustainable economic growth and economic recovery.
A plan will be prepared next year to guide development activity in the Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters. The Government Directorate Marine Scotland, Orkney Islands Council and The Highland Council have set up a working group to take forward the project and are encouraging stakeholders to get involved in the development of the plan.
The Highland Council is putting plans in place to carry out essential repairs to it harbours and coast defence structures which were damaged by the storm surge last weekend (14/15 December 2012). The initial clear-up is completed and work is now ongoing to plan for the repair works which will be carried out by the Council’s directly employed staff and contractors.
The Highlands has 17 datazones ranked in the most deprived 15% in Scotland according to the Scottish Government’s latest release of the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD). SIMD has been designed to identify the most deprived areas across Scotland.
The Highland Licensing Board has confirmed its decision to abolish its door entry policy, which required customers at 13 night clubs across the Highlands to enter the premises by midnight. The Board took a policy decision to abolish its door entry policy at a meeting on 20 November on the basis that it had not been demonstrated that the policy continued to serve any of the 5 licensing objectives.