A financial plan which will invest a further £10M across a range of projects in phase 2 of the investment strategy for Health and Prosperity and £54M of capital investment in schools. The detailed designs and costings for the five schools identified for investment will be brought to Council in September for approval.
The Highland Council noted this week's announcement on the changes to the Scottish qualifications and assessment system following the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Organisation (OECD) report which backs Scotland's school curriculum in its independent review. Last year, the Scottish Government commissioned the OECD to carry out a review of Curriculum for Excellence (CfE).
The public is being asked for its views on proposals by The Highland Council to review the maximum level of charges for the hire of taxis or private hire cars fitted with taxi meters operating under licence of The Highland Council. The Council has a statutory duty in terms of Section 17 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 to review its scales for the fares and other taxi related charges every 18 months.
Scotland's Chief Statistician today released the latest Council Tax Reduction statistics. In March 2021, Scotland’s Council Tax Reduction scheme supported 496,580 households (compared to 469,370 in March 2020) and the total weekly income forgone by local authorities was £7.328 million (compared to £6.525 million in March 2020).
Scotland's Chief Statistician today released the latest Council Tax Collection Statistics which provides Council Tax collection figures for Scottish local authorities, up to and including the financial year 2020-21. In 2020-21 for Scotland as whole the total amount of Council Tax billed (after Council Tax Reduction) was £2.675 billion.
The Highland Council has submitted bids to the UK Government's Levelling Up Fund and Community Renewal Fund totalling over £80 million. When the Chancellor set out details of the Levelling Up Fund in March 2021 the Council was advised that they could submit one transport bid and one bid for each of the three Westminster constituencies.
Two Highland Council by-elections to take place. Following the recent resignation of two Councillors, preparations are underway to hold by-elections in both the Inverness West ward and the Wick and East Caithness ward.
The Highland Council today launches Building Our Future Highland - a campaign dedicated to keeping the public updated on the progress of works for the re-profiled capital programme's education, housing, and property projects across the region. Chair of the Housing and Property Committee, Cllr Ben Thompson said: "I would encourage anyone interested in the development of our housing, property and schools to utilise this new campaign and keep informed on the progress of works in Highland.
Boundaries Scotland (external link) has submitted its final proposal for Councillor numbers and wards in the Highland Council Area to Scottish Ministers. The Islands (Scotland) Act 2018 required the Commission to review six councils containing inhabited islands - Argyll and Bute, Highland, North Ayrshire, Orkney, Shetland and Na h-Eileanan an Iar.
Taxi and Private Hire Drivers and Taxi Operators are set to benefit from a new grant scheme, following an announcement from Scottish Government. If you are a licensed taxi or private hire driver who previously received support through the Taxi Driver and Private Hire Vehicle Driver Support Fund, and hold a current Driver Licence, you are eligible for an additional payment of £1,500.
Councillor Nicola Sinclair will stand down as an independent councillor for East Caithness on 25th June 2021. She will take up a position as reporter for the Press and Journal returning to her former career as a journalist.
All eligible young people are being encouraged to apply for a weekly, term time allowance of £30 per week from August 2021. The Highland Council administers Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) in respect of eligible young people from across its 29 secondary schools.
The Highland Council is believed to be the first local authority in the UK to temporarily relax licensing regulations to enable landowners with suitable sites to provide continental style motorhome stopovers known as ‘Aire' - Àirigh (meaning Shieling in Gaelic). Highland Council is adapting to the significant increase of motorhome ownership in the UK and the demand for self-contained holidays by creating an opportunity to offer small, simple and low-cost short stopovers for motorhome visitors.
The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, Shirley-Anne Somerville, announced today to the Scottish Parliament the details of the appeals system that will support this year's Alternative Model for Certification for young people studying for Scottish Qualification courses at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher level. Young people will be empowered to indicate their intention to appeal from 25 June, based on certain criteria.
Revised burial grounds and crematorium management rules are to come into place from 1 June 2021 for the next 10 years. Following a public consultation that took place in February and March this year, Members of The Highland Council's Communities and Place Committee have approved the revised management rules.
The Council is continuing to work at pace to submit bids into the UK Government's Levelling Up Fund and Community Renewal Fund. The Highlands can submit one transport bid and one bid for each Westminster constituency.
Members of today's Recovery, Improvement and Transformation Board were provided with an update of the early progress of the Transformation Programme, which consists of nine key projects that form a major part of the Council’s Health and Prosperity Strategy, which was approved in March 2021. £3.7m will be invested over 24 months in these key projects, which are projected to generate an estimated £18.7m of savings, efficiencies, cost mitigation and cost avoidance.
Wick Common Good fund looking for some help. See poster for details..
Members of Highland Council's Health, Social Care and Wellbeing Committee, which met virtually yesterday, were informed of the work being undertaken to finalise the 2020/21 Local Child Poverty Action Update Report. In 2017, the Scottish Government introduced the Child Poverty (Scotland) Act, which outlined responsibilities on both the Scottish Government and local partners to address child poverty.
Children and young people across Highland will have access to playful, creative and engaging experiences over the summer. The Scottish Government has announced £20m nationally to support a ‘summer of play' as part of the recovery from Covid-19.