Miniature bird backpacks containing solar-powered GPS systems or tracking tags on tail-feathers could transform our understanding of how wild birds move around offshore wind farms. The technologies are among the suggestions put forward by four pioneering companies responding to an innovation challenge from the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult, working on behalf of Moray Offshore Windfarm (East) Ltd (Moray East), with the project supported by Beatrice Offshore Wind Ltd, Marine Science Scotland and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
Subsea 7 S.A. (Oslo Børs: SUBC, ADR: SUBCY) has announced the award of a substantial contract by Statoil for the Snorre Expansion Project, located in the Tampen area, 150 km west of Florø in Norway.
The union representing Scottish ambulance workers warned today that lives are being put in danger due to poor planning and dangerously low staffing levels. UNISON, Scotland's biggest health service trade union, said that ambulance technicians and paramedics are repeatedly being asked to work excessively long hours without breaks.
-- Rolling dry dock period to commence late January with final vessel complete by 20 February--. -- MV Arrow secured on short term charter -- -- Alternative travel arrangements in place for MV Hamnavoe -- NorthLink Ferries has today (Thursday 21 December) published timetables confirming arrangements for the regular planned maintenance of its passenger vessels, with one vessel at a time due to be out of service between 22 January and 20 February.
Construction of a new facility to support the decommissioning of reactors and demolition of historic active laboratories are just two of Dounreay's major projects expected to be delivered as part of a new framework agreement, potentially worth up to £400 million, which is being published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) today. - www.ojeu.eu The decommissioning services framework agreement will initially be for a period of up to 4 years with the possibility of extensions of up to 3 years meaning skyline changes could be delivered over the next decade under the arrangements.
The British Hospitality Association secured a major victory today (21 December2017) as the Scottish Government confirmed that any plans for a ‘tourist tax' in Edinburgh - or any other Scottish cities - are firmly off the table. The BHA has been campaigning consistently for over six years against the implementation of any such additional and uncompetitive tax and is delighted that the Scottish Government has recognised our reservations.
Plans for a new fish market in Lerwick have taken another step forward with Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) approving funding of £586,879 to Lerwick Port Authority (LPA). LPA is leading on the £6.3m project to develop a modern fish market to support the sector across the islands and manage the growing demand for Shetland whitefish.
Chief Executive of The Highland Council, Steve Barron said: "The Council is continuing to do all it can to support employees who lost their jobs following the change in contract for the processing of recycled waste. Evanton-based William Munro Construction laid off the staff after Highland Council transferred a recycling contract.
Health union UNISON will deliver 5000 christmas cards to constituency MSPs demanding that the Scottish government pay up on NHS pay. Tom Waterson, chair of UNISON health committee said, "across Scotland NHS workers have been enthusiastic in their support for our campaign.
Electoral reform consultation launched. Voters in Scotland are being asked to have their say on how they choose their political representatives at Holyrood and in local government elections.
The Highland Council has successfully prosecuted a food business after discovering unsafe hygiene practices in the transportation of food. An investigation by officers of the Council's Environmental Health Team discovered that N E Meats Ltd of Newcastle had been transporting and delivering foods from the North of England to the Highlands without any temperature control measures.
Investment and reform of the health service will be prioritised, Finance Secretary Derek Mackay confirmed in his Draft Scottish Budget. Mr Mackay visited the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow to meet NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde staff and students in the teaching and learning centre, where he took part in a teaching session on cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
Locals and road users will get a chance to see the plans at public exhibitions in Pitlochry Town Hall on 17 and 18 January 2018. Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, Jobs and Fair Work, Keith Brown said:"Having recently published draft Orders for the Killiecrankie to Glen Garry project, we are now able to publish the draft Orders for the over 4 mile stretch between the popular tourist towns of Pitlochry and Killiecrankie.
Publication of national plan to improve workforce planning New actions will be put in place to ensure people get the right care, in the right place, and at the right time - supporting them to live as independently as possible. The National Health and Social Care Workforce Plan sets out how the Scottish Government, COSLA, and social care partners will work together to develop new ways of recruiting nurses and care workers, and improve national and local workforce planning.
This overview comes from the Fraser Of Allander Institute. This short blog provides a summary of key points from the Scottish budget on Thursday 14th December 2017.
OFFICIAL FIGURES SHOW MORE PEOPLE AND CARS SAILED ACROSS THE PENTLAND FIRTH FROM CAITHNESS TO ORKNEY IN 2016 FROM GILLS BAY THAN ON ANY OTHER ROUTE. Official figures recently published by Scottish Government 'spending watchdog' body Audit Scotland show that the so-called 'short sea-route' from Gills Bay to St Margaret's Hope was the busiest seaway to Orkney across the Pentland Firth in 2016.
Maps of the Council's gritting routes by priority and policy are available online at www.highland.gov.uk/gritting The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time. It is not intended to imply that any individual route is entirely snow and ice free and drivers must be aware that conditions can change rapidly and make their own assessment of conditions for travelling.
The Commission on Highland Democracy has this week launched its report at the meeting of The Highland Council. The Commission, which was supported in its work by The Highland Council, but is independent, has produced a comprehensive analysis of the state of democratic participation in Highland.
Police Scotland is reminding our communities to be on their guard, in both the actual and virtual worlds, against the risk of online fraud over the festive season. In the Highlands and Islands alone there has unfortunately been a number of incidents targetting individuals and businesses online with scams.
The Highland Council is reassuring people in the region that since Storm Caroline and the arrival of winter weather to the region, the Council's Community Services has been deploying all of its available resources to tackle the condition of Highland Council pavements and roads. The Council's gritting fleet includes 105 gritters, 42 footpath tractors and over 200 staff providing winter maintenance services.
