The Highland Council's Trading Standards are seeking young people to help them to check that businesses are not selling age-restricted products to those under the minimum age. Leaflets produced in association with NHS Highland are being sent out to all Highland Council secondary schools, encouraging young people aged between 15½ and 16½ years old to volunteer to visits shops in the Highlands and carry out test purchases of age-restricted products such as cigarettes, solvents, fireworks, DVD movies and games.
The Highland Council is currently in the process of renewing its Contractors Framework agreement which will be used by Highland Council Services for selecting contractors to carry out all construction works up to the value of £50,000. The Contractors Frame work is changing from £25k to £50k This new agreement, which will commence on the 3rd September 2012, will in effect cover a three year programme of work but will be re-opened and re-advertised at six monthly intervals to provide the opportunity for new contractors to apply.
Twenty years of films locating in the Highlands being celebrated in Cannes. The Highlands of Scotland Film Commission, which is part of The Highland Council, is twenty years old, and to celebrate a brand new Highlands film app is being promoted in Cannes.
The Highland Council will be asked at its next meeting on Thursday 31 May to agree a new committee structure and elect office-bearers. A motion from the Administration of SNP, Liberal Democrat and Labour Group members - to be moved by the Leader, Drew Hendry and Depute Leader David Alston - proposes the creation of four strategic committees, namely: Finance, Housing and Resources; Planning Environment and Development; Transport Environmental Community Services and Adult and Children's Services.
A High School in the Highlands is seeing significant reductions in its heating bills thanks to the installation of a renewable heating system by Scotland's leading biomass company. The biomass heating system at Lochaber High School in Fort William was installed by national biomass heat specialists HW Energy in March last year.
Throughout May, The Highland Council's Trading Standards officers are taking part in the 'Scamnesty 2012' national campaign in a bid to end the scourge of mass marketed scam mailings targeting UK consumers. A focus of the campaign is to invite the public to hand over scam mailings to Trading Standards Officers and Highland consumers will get a chance to do this on Friday when officers take a presence at the Eastgate Centre, Inverness.
The Highland Council has elected its three most senior members to lead a new Administration comprising members of the Scottish National Party, the Scottish Liberal Democrats and the Scottish Labour Party. Leader of the Council is Councillor Drew Hendry (SNP), one of four ward members for Aird and Loch Ness.
The Highland Council is running a campaign to improve the quality of the garden waste collected at Recycling Centres and from the brown bin collection service. The garden waste collected by the Council is turned into compost and is mainly used by farmers as a soil conditioner; some is also used for landfill restoration.
Public's views sought on new developer contributions guidance and public art strategy. Communities and developers are being invited to have their say in shaping a new approach to dealing with developer contributions and public art in new developments across Highland.
Wick councillor Bill Fernie welcomed the news that Transerv will shortly start drainage and resurfacing works on the South Road in Wick. Wick councillors have been complaining about the delays for some time in getting this road up to a decent standard.
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.