Following enquiries from councillors and members of the public, The Highland Council commissioned the Building Research Establishment, an independent organisation, to evaluate all wind turbine installations on or adjacent to school sites. Based on initial feedback from BRE, the Council has taken immediate action to temporarily suspend operations at all 16 school sites until the risks are fully assessed and any additional measures deemed necessary are undertaken.
The results of The Highland Council elections resulted in the Independents securing 35 seats; Scottish National Party, 22, Liberal Democrat 15, and Labour 8. In Caithness the elected councillors are - Ward 2 - Thurso Donnie Mackay - Independent John S.
The Duncraig Educational Trust is open now for funding applications for grants up to £1000. Councillor Bill Fernie, chairman of the Education, Culture and Sport Committee of Highland Council who also sat on the group making the awards said," The Duncraig Trust has already helped with funding for a wide range of young people and in 2012 the emphasis will be on young folk looking to improve their performances towards the Commonwelath Games but this will not preclude other areas completely so it is well worth looking at the criteria to see if you qualify to apply." The Duncraig Educational Trust Scheme can offer financial assistance to young Highland people who can meet the essential criteria for the scheme.
Polling takes place tomorrow (Thursday 3 May 2012) in elections to elect 80 councillors to serve on The Highland Council for the next five years. A total of 170 candidates are seeking election.
Tactile devices are being provided at each of the 271 polling stations being used for The Highland Council Elections on Thursday 3 May to give blind and partially sighted people the chance to vote at a polling station. Presiding officers and polling clerks, who are on duty at the poling stations, are available to assist voters who request use of this provision.
Voters reminded to mark their Council Election ballot papers with numbers. Returning Officer Alistair Dodds (centre) is eager that voters use numbers and not a cross on their ballot papers at the forthcoming Council elections on 3 May.
Voters are reminded of the deadline for both registering to vote and applying to vote by post in the forthcoming Highland Council elections on 3 May. Applications for a postal vote must be received by 5 pm on Wednesday 18 April.
The Highland Council has confirmed its ongoing commitment to advancing equality of opportunity and tackling discrimination by publishing its new plan, A Fairer Highland. The plan sets out arrangements for gathering information and developing outcomes that affect people on the basis of disability, race, gender reassignment, age, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.
Tribute has been paid to the 13 Highland Councillors who are retiring from local government. At the end of the final meeting of this five year Council cycle, Convener Sandy Park presented scrolls to 12 of the outgoing councillors.
Finance Secretary John Swinney outlined the range of new business incentives that are available to encourage private investment in Scotland's four new Enterprise Areas, during a visit to the Port of Dundee this morning. Incentives and actions to stimulate investment include: business rate discounts worth up to £275,000 per business or enhanced capital allowances; new streamlined planning protocols across all sites; skills and training support; and an international marketing campaign to promote the sites.
Highland Councillors have unanimously supported a call for the reinstatement of the Emergency Towing Vessel, which until recently was based in the Minches, and for the successful conclusion of an agreement with the Oil and Gas Industry to provide ETV capability for the Northern Isles, fearing an environmental catastrophe if vital cover is not provided in the rural and exposed coastal waters. Council Leader Michael Foxley highlighted the importance of the tugs at the last full Highland Council meeting before the May elections, showing slides that highlighted the extent of a potential oil spill should previous groundings have led to a spillage.
Scottish companies are being reminded that they can spread the cost of the inflationary increase in business rates through the Scottish Government's rate deferral scheme for 2012-13. The scheme gives companies the flexibility to defer the uplift in their 2012-13 business rates bills over three years.
As of Tuesday 10 April 2012, The Highland Council's out of hours calls for emergencies relating to council housing repairs, property and homelessness, as well as roads, street lighting and environmental services will now be managed by Northern Constabulary working in partnership with The Highland Council. Calls will be dealt with by specialist staff from Northern Constabulary at the Force's Operations Centre, Old Perth Road in Inverness.
A compulsory scheme to safeguard millions of pounds in deposits paid by tenants renting properties in Scotland has been approved by Housing Minister Keith Brown. Annually, tenancy deposits amount to over £74 million in the majority of the 273,000 households that make up the private rented sector in Scotland.
Full List Of Candidates on the Highland Council Web Site at http://www.highland.gov.uk/yourcouncil/elections/highlandcouncilelections/list%20ofcandidates2012.htm The elections for the 80 seats on The Highland Council, being held on Thursday 3 May, will involve 170 candidates contesting all of the 22 multi-member wards. The breakdown of candidates is as follows: - Independent, 49; Scottish National Party (SNP), 33; Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, 22; Scottish Liberal Democrats, 18; Scottish Labour Party, 17; Scottish Christian Party "Proclaiming Christ's Lordship, 9; Scottish Green Party, 4; UK Independence Party, 3; the Labour and Co-operative Party, 2; Scottish Liberal Democrat Focus Team, 2; Scottish Anti-Cuts Coalition, 2, All Scotland Pensioners Party, 1; No description,8.
lmost 3,000 people from Highland signed up to tackle nations litter problem - will you join them? A campaign to support communities in their effort to tackle litter - one of the most commonly perceived problems affecting Scottish neighbourhoods and communities - gets underway this weekend. Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment Richard Lochhead praised the efforts of almost 3,000 people from Highland who have already committed to taking part in the National Spring Clean, which runs from 1 April to 31 May, as he launched it at Portobello near Edinburgh (Thursday 29 March).
Nominations Closed Thursday 29th March. 5 pm Wednesday 18 April: Deadline for receipt of new requests to vote by post or postal proxy, or to change or cancel an existing postal or proxy vote arrangement 5 pm Wednesday 25 April: Deadline for new applications to vote by proxy (not postal proxy) except for medical emergencies.
The Highland Council has warmly welcomed today's news that global investment management group, Aberdeen Asset Management plc is the new title sponsor of the Scottish Golf Open, being held at Castle Stuart, near Inverness, between 12-15 July 2012. The Convener of the Highland Council, Councillor Sandy Park was at Edinburgh Castle for the announcement by European Tour Chief Executive George O'Grady CBE, Aberdeen Asset Management Chief Executive Martin Gilbert and the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP, Scotland's First Minister.
A multi-agency initiative to protect the most vulnerable members of the Inverness Community from doorstep crime was launched recently at Trading Standards offices, Harbour Road, Inverness. The joint campaign is the result of a partnership between Highland Council Trading Standards, Northern Constabulary and NHS Highland.
Retailers in Caithness and Sutherland are being issued with guidance on the sale of solvents following an increase in the number of solvent abuse cases being reported among young people in the north. The Highland Council's Trading Standards campaign follows concerns raised by NHS Highland Youth Action Service and the Caithness and Sutherland Drug and Alcohol forums to an issue of solvent misuse reported in the area.