A report outlining the key points within The Highland Council's annual accounts for the year to 31st March 2022 was presented to full Council today (30 June 2022), ahead of their submission for full audit. The report shows that the Council continued to demonstrate strong financial management during financial year 2021/22, with an overall surplus of £9m recorded against the revenue budget for the general fund.
Members of full Council, who met yesterday - Thursday, 30 June – were presented with a report on the UK Government's Shared Prosperity Fund and provided with an update on the process currently underway to develop a Highland Investment Plan which will determine how the funding may be used locally. A financial allocation of £9,445,515 has been awarded to Highland Council over a three-year period, which runs from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2025.
At the first full Highland Council Committee meeting (30 June 2022), newly elected Members agreed that the Council will implement a trauma informed practice across all Council services. It is estimated that around 60% of the UK population has experienced psychological trauma in their lifetime.
A pioneering bid for Green Freeport status by the Opportunity Cromarty Firth (OCF) consortium today received seismic boost after Members of Highland Council homologated the local authority's cross-chamber support. Members agreed their continued support for the OCF project and Green Freeport bid and acknowledged the potential benefits to the Highland region.
Business operating in the short term letting market may think this is the worst time to add more cost to running what for many is a small business. The Highland Council has set in motion the plans required by the Scottish government to control who can an cannot operate in the region.
The Highland Council wants to hear the views of residents, visitors, interested groups and organisations on the Council's short term let draft policy statement and proposed additional conditions for a licence. Earlier this year the Scottish Parliament approved legislation to introduce a new licensing scheme for short-term let properties, which is due to come into effect on 1 October this year.
Scotland's Chief Statistician today released the latest Council Tax Collection Statistics which provides figures for Scottish local authorities up to and including the financial year 2021-22. In 2021-22 for Scotland as a whole, the total amount of Council Tax billed (after Council Tax Reduction) was £2.723 billion.
Highland Council Licensing Committee agreed today 20 June 2022 to an early review of taxi tariffs that could see a 15 and 20 per cent fare increase. Taxi operators want increases to offset the inflation and increased fuel costs recently.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) is joining forces with the Spirit of the Highlands and Islands project to provide funding support. Spirit of the Highlands and Islands aims to encourage visitors to see all parts of the Highlands and Islands in a sustainable way.
On April 22nd 2021, a custom-fitted articulated lorry was parked outside The Highland Council's Headquarters. The vehicle had been nick-named "Jabbernaut" and staff inside were assisting people in testing themselves for COVID-19.
The Hydro Ness project team is hugely proud to be announced as a finalist in the Highlands & Islands Renewable Energy Awards 2022. The project is nominated under the category of ‘Best On-Shore Renewable Energy Project Award'.
Bill passes allowing nationals from certain countries to stand as local councillors. An electoral reform bill allowing nationals from countries where a relevant treaty has been agreed, including Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal and Spain, to become local councillors has been passed by Parliament.
Governance arrangements for the new Council, including senior councillor structure and associated remuneration have been agreed at The Highland Council meeting on 9 June 2022. The following Office Bearers were appointed to Strategic Committees by agreement of Council.
Scotland's councils have had a pivotal role in supporting and working with communities as they responded to the impacts of Covid-19. Now councils must lead recovery work with and alongside their local communities, focusing on getting the services people need in place as pressures and stresses escalate and impact the day to day lives of individuals and communities.
The Hydro Ness, a hydroelectric generator on the banks of the River Ness, is now fully operational. Hydro Ness is a 92kW Archimedes screw hydroelectric scheme and interactive visitor experience which will generate over 500,000 kWh of renewable energy each year.
The new Leader of Highland Council, Raymond Bremner has indicated that the economy will be a key focus for the Council as he welcomed the announcement that thousands of jobs would be created by an Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport. He responded to the initial research published today by Opportunity Cromarty Firth and Biggar Economics which said winning the Freeport bid would stimulate manufacturing, creating thousands of jobs, and revolutionise the Highland economy.
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All the results for the 2022 Highland Council election have been declared. They are as follows: Independent - 21 Scottish Conservative and Unionist - 10 Scottish Green Party - 4 Scottish Labour Party - 2 Scottish Liberal Democrats - 15 Scottish National Party (SNP) - 22 Total elected 74 The first meeting of the new Council will be held on Thursday 26 May.
The Highland Council and their development partners Hub North Scotland (Wick) ltd have agreed that reinstatement works for a section of wall cladding for the games hall at Wick Community Campus will be carried out during the coming summer holiday period. This is to minimise disruption to the building users, in particular pupils at Wick High School, who are currently undergoing national exams until June.
The Highland Council is inviting individuals, community groups and local businesses in Thurso to have their say on determining how the historic centre of the town is managed in the future. Following the success of an event held at the end of March, the Council will be hosting another public drop-in session at the start of May to highlight the draft Thurso Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan and encourage input and feedback from the local community.