New voluntary pay and display machines will be in operation in Nairn from Friday as part of a drive to raise funds to support local infrastructure. The Parking ticket machines are located at The Harbour, Cumming Street and The Maggot Car Parks in Nairn with signs confirming voluntary parking charges.
Health, Social Care and Wellbeing Committee members have been provided with sight of the latest iteration of the Highland Integrated Children's Service Plan (ICS) for 2021 - 2023 prior its submission to the Community Planning Partnership Board for formal sign-off. The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 requires every local authority and its relevant health board to jointly prepare a Children's Services Plan for the area of the local authority, in respect of each three-year period.
Lead Mental Health Officer to co-ordinate ‘whole system approach' for emerging strategy for mental health services for children and young people in the Highlands. Members of The Highland Council’s Health, Social Care and Wellbeing Committee, met yesterday 19 May 2021 and noted the work being undertaken and the proposals to create a mental health strategy that addresses the wide-ranging needs of those in the community.
Highland-based community groups are being invited to tender for funding to support delivery of small-scale activities and events that provide fun, engaging, nature-based opportunities for the benefit of our health and well-being. High Life Highland (HLH) is a key member of The Highland Green Health Partnership, which aims to improve people's wellbeing through engagement with nature.
Elected members react to opening of new residential unit to let younger children return to Highland. Members in attendance at yesterday's Health, Social Care and Wellbeing Committee shared their delight upon being informed of the opening of a bespoke residential unit to return younger children from Out of Area to Highland.
Members of The Highland Council's Inverness City and Area Recovery Group have welcomed updates on various projects all with the joint aim of revitalising Inverness city centre and highlighting what a great place Inverness is to live in and invest. Provost of Inverness and Area Cllr Helen Carmichael said: "Councillors on the City and Area Recovery Group are unanimous in their support for these exciting and wonderful opportunities that have been presented before us.
Last weekend saw the first patrols of The Highland Council's new Seasonal Access Ranger team. The team are based throughout the Highlands to promote and advise on responsible access to the countryside through the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.
Members at today's full meeting of Highland Council agreed a motion from the Leader and Chair of Corporate Resources, which would call for a fairer share of income derived from the development of the region’s natural resources to establish a Highland Renewable Fund. In the motion Highland Council Leader, Cllr Margaret Davidson, highlighted that at a time when private energy companies are making huge profits from the abundance of natural resources of wind and water in the Highlands the region’s roads were suffering.
Anja Johnston from Thurso will take up the role of Highland Youth Convener early in May 2021 This full-time role is a bursary position that will run for 12 months. The 24-year-old, has previously worked as an Assistant Youth Worker, delivering the YOJO digital youth project with High Life Highland.
At the Highland Council Gaelic committee to beheld on 18th May 2021 the committee will be asked to agree that the National Mòd for Inverness in 2021 should be given a further £80,000. The council has an agreement to pay £40,000 annually that aids the Mod to come to Highland every three years.
Since the launch of the Highland Employment Recruitment Offer (HERO) in March 2021, there has been a positive uptake of the grant scheme across Highland as 157 applications have been approved in principle, with 73 recruited/currently being recruited. HERO is funded by The Highland Council and the Scottish Government under the No One Left Behind and Young Person's Guarantee Funding Streams.
Members of the Highland Council's Economy and Infrastructure Committee have agreed to allocate up to £200k of the Council's Cycling, Walking and Safer Routes 2021/22 grant award to the delivery of a new Council 20mph programme, and 10% of this annual budget is to be used in future years. The introduction of more 20 mph speed limits on Highland roads will help the Council to meet the challenging road casualty reduction targets set out in the new Scottish Road Safety Framework launched in February this year.
With the majority of businesses re-opening this week, Highland Council's Environmental Health team with assistance from Police Scotland will be undertaking joint visits to premises throughout the Highlands. The visits aim to help raise public confidence that businesses are doing all they can to protect public safety as the lockdown restrictions are eased.
The Highland Council's Tourism Committee has approved a final draft Visitor Management Plan for 2021 yesterday (Wednesday 21 April) which aims to assist communities and the public during the anticipated busy summer months. Chair of the Tourism Committee, Cllr Gordon Adam said: "Welcoming visitors back to the Highlands from Monday 26 April is a positive sign that the road to recovery can finally commence.
Twelve successful projects have been awarded a share of £409,652 Highland Coastal Communities Fund (HCCF) yesterday (Thursday 22 April 2021) by The Highland Council's Caithness Committee. £98,803 was agreed to be invested in moving forward an economic development project that will benefit the whole of Caithness, with a view to securing match funding for local partners.
The Highland Council is inviting people to follow them on YouTube so that the local authority can broadcast live the Highland constituencies and the Highland and Islands Regional results. Please follow (subscribe to) Highland Council's YouTube at: www.youtube.com/user/TheHighlandCouncil (external link) Constituency and Regional Returning Officer, Donna Manson explained: "Due to COVID-19 restrictions and the need to provide a safe election we are facing new challenges and opportunities in delivering the Scottish Parliamentary Election count and declaration of results.
A bid to fund the design and delivery of over £55 Million of transport infrastructure in Highland was submitted to Transport Scotland today. A partnership including The Highland Council, bus operators and other stakeholders has put together a package of measures to prioritise buses in congested parts of the network.
The largest leisure centre in the Highlands will temporarily suspend sporting activities in favour of regional democracy when it becomes one of the locations where votes in the Scottish Parliamentary Elections will be counted. Douglas Wilby, Director of Sport and Leisure with High Life Highland said, "We have been working closely with the Returning Officer and colleagues in The Highland Council to accommodate the substantial changes in the way this count is taking place, in order to offer those involved a COVID-safe environment.
Highland Council has announced that the closing date for applications to the Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Driver Support Fund this scheme has been confirmed as 5pm on Thursday 25 March 2021. The Scottish Government has also now clarified that if you have received a grant through the Taxi Fund this will not now affect any Universal Credit payments you are also receiving.
To meet the growth in visitors to the Highlands of Scotland, The Highland Council's Tourism Committee has agreed a Visitor Management Plan for 2021 which will be adapted to provide a 5-year plan for the future. The Council will work with other agencies involved in tourism and visitor management to deliver the plan.