An innovative project to recycle thousands of computers for use by communities and deserving children across the Scottish Highlands has been launched, in a festive season boost for many in the area. The huge initiative to renovate equipment for re-use instead of landfill is funded by technology company Fujitsu and The Highland Council.
The Highland Council has received the Report of Examination for the Highland wide Local Development Plan from the Scottish Government's Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals. The Highland wide Local Development Plan is the key planning document to guide development across Highland for the next ten years.
Highland Councillors have taken an important step towards securing significant local funding for communities across Highland from renewable energy developments. They have agreed the recommendations of their Community Benefit Working Group which will determine how future funds are allocated and set out how the Council will secure the highest level of benefit possible.
Highland Councillors Back Introduction Of Minimum Pricing Of Alcohol. Highland Councillors have voiced their unanimous support for the introduction of minimum pricing of alcohol as a means of tackling the growing incidence of alcohol misuse in the Highlands.
The Highland Council has welcomed the creation of a £5 million Cities Investment Fund to support a Scottish Cities Alliance. Senior council representatives were present in Edinburgh when Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Cities Strategy, Nicola Sturgeon, announced that initiative, which will see leaders of Scotland's local authorities team up in a new economic partnership to attract investment, create jobs and help Scotland's cities compete more successfully on the international stage.
Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon today set out the Scottish Government's plan to integrate adult health and social care. The moves aim to improve the quality and consistency of care for older people and put an end to the 'cost-shunting' between the NHS and local authorities that too often ends up with older people being delayed in hospital longer than they should be and not getting the best standards of care.
Two elections confirmed as 16 more Community Councils formed. Elections will be held in two Highland Community Councils following a second round of elections and a further 14 Community Councils attracted sufficient nominations to reform.
16 of the 19 CCs that had gone into abeyance will be able to continue. 12 Community Councils received sufficient nominations to form a Community Council ie they attracted half or more than their maximum entitlement (7-13).
HI-Scot Credit Union are launching a campaign across the Highlands and Islands so that people are more aware of the cost of borrowing. The warning follows a revelation that some High Street banks charge more than 800,000% APR for unauthorised overdrafts.
The Highland Council has welcomed the Scottish Government's plans for substantial investment in Scotland's rail network; the dualling of road network between all of Scotland's cities, including the A 9 Perth - Inverness and the A96 Inverness - Aberdeen road; and the upgrading of the A 82 between Fort William and Crianlarich. The Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure and Capital Investment, Alex Neil, made the pledge as he published the Scottish Government's Infrastructure and Investment Plan, which details plans for up to £60 billion of spending right up until 2030.
Members of The Highland Council's Gaelic Committee have welcomed the progress on the implementation of the Council's first Gaelic Language Plan 2007 - 2011 and have urged members of the public to have their say on the production of the second Highland Council Gaelic Language Plan for 2012 - 2016. In May 2008, The Highland Council was the first organisation to gain Bòrd na Gàidhlig approval from its statutory Gaelic Language Plan.
ECS: All schools in Highland were closed to pupils. Information has been prominent on the home page of the Council's web site since Friday.
Highland children learn internet dangers of social media. An innovative project will see more than 10,000 Highland schoolchildren receive advice on protecting themselves against online stalkers over the next four years.
Progress on the future provision of Primary Schools in Wick has been outlined this week by The Highland Council. Earlier this month on 10 November, members of The Highland Council's Education, Culture and Sport Committee heard the outcomes of statutory consultations on the proposed amalgamation of Hillhead Primary School and North Primary School and the proposed amalgamation of Pulteneytown Academy Primary and South Primary School in Wick.
Consultation begins on phase 2 of consultation on Inverness City West Link Road Project. Consultation begins today (Wednesday) to gauge public opinion on the eight options being considered by The Highland Council for the Inverness City Trunk Road Project - West Link, which will provide a new transport link from the Southern Distributor Road at Dores Road to the A82 trunk road via a fixed link across the River Ness and the Caledonian Canal.
People in the Highlands are invited to find out more about, and have an opportunity to have their say on the development of Planning for Integration of health, education and social care services in the area provided by NHS Highland and The Highland Council. At three public meetings in Helmsdale (30 November), Inverness (1 December) and Fort William (7 December), Jan Baird, Planning for Integration, Transitions Director will explain how, from 1 April 2012, staff are being brought together into integrated teams to work with children and families and with people who use community care services.
The Highland Council has today (Monday) published on its web site: www.highland.gov.uk a notice of election seeking nomination of candidates to serve on the 19 Community Councils in the Highlands which were forced to disband from Wednesday 16 November as the result of not attracting sufficient nominations at the first time of calling. The deadline for nominations is 4 pm on Friday 9 December.
As the final stages of work take place on the £3.8 million community centre for Wick, Highlands and Islands Enterprise's most senior staff have enjoyed a sneak preview. As part of a two day programme of meetings with ambitious Caithness and Sutherland businesses and social enterprises, the HIE Board visited the Pulteney Centre due to open in the new year and paid tribute to the achievements of the Pulteneytown People's Project (PPP).
"Watch out for fake goods and bogus websites this Christmas" warns Highland Council Trading Standards. The Highland Council Trading Standards Service is warning consumers not to be duped into buying counterfeit sports clothes and equipment from bogus websites, as part of the National Consumer Week 2011 campaign entitled "Good Sports Don't Fake it".
Margaret Ann Beaton, who is responsible for the operation of The Highland Council's five school residences, has been chosen as the Council's Employee of the year. She received her prize at the Council's annual Quality Awards, held at the Town House, Inverness, on Thursday night.