News Archive

7/11/2019

The Living Wage Is Spreading But Some Are Not Yet There

UNISON says Glasgow colleges are ‘bottom of the class' when it comes to paying the Living Wage UNISON has called for the Scottish Government to intervene to force two rogue colleges to pay their low paid workers the Living Wage.   Glasgow Kelvin and Glasgow Clyde colleges are the last of Scotland's twenty national bargaining colleges where workers are paid less than the living wage of £9 per hour.  

7/11/2019

General Election 2019: Spending Free-for-all Policies Comes At A Price

In 2010 Labour and the Conservatives were offering austerity.  In 2015 the offer of another serious dose of public spending cuts won the day.  

7/11/2019

Highland Visitor Levy Consultation generates huge response

The Convener of The Highland Council has expressed his thanks to everyone who contributed to the Council's recent visitor levy consultation which attracted more than 6,500 responses.   The Council's consultation on a potential Highland Transient Visitor Levy (TVL) was launched on the 15 August following detailed research into other regions’ and countries’ Visitor Levy schemes and the Council’s Pre-Consultation meetings with tourism industry stakeholders across Highland.  

6/11/2019 : Auctioneers

Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd - Sale 6 November 2019

DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (November, 6th) sold 127 weaned calves and store cattle and 2 breeding cattle.   Store bullocks (57) averaged 211.2p and sold to 252.1p per kilo for 242kg Simmental crosses from Brenachie, Kildary and £1,270 for a 730kg Limousin cross from Inshes Farm, Inverness.  

5/11/2019

 
NHS Highland Urgently Needs To Redesign Services - Report From Audit Scotland

The latest report by Audit Scotland on NHS Highland is possibly one of the worst you will ever read and certainly the worst for many years.   NHS Highland must focus on making significant and long-term changes in order to deal with its complex and ongoing problems.  

5/11/2019 : Auctioneers

Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd - Sale 5 November 2019

DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (November, 5th) sold 22 prime cattle.   Prime Heifers (19) averaged 192.6p (-2.1p) and sold to 196.0p per kg five times and £1,299.30 gross.  

5/11/2019

The Plastic Bag Charge Has Caused A Huge Increase In Single Use Plastic Bags. Yes Increase

The Plastic bag charge has caused a huge increase in single use plastic bags.  Yes INCREASE How the law of unintended consequences hits the plastic carrier bag tax An unforeseen factor behind the supermarket plastic bag charge means that people are buying more single-use plastic bags.  

5/11/2019

Consultation Launched On The Replacement For European Structural Funds

A consultation has been launched on a potential replacement to a £780 million European funding programme, if Brexit goes ahead.   The current funding programme has invested in key areas such as modern apprenticeship schemes and the Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme.  

4/11/2019

 
Bear Scotland - Resurfacing Work At Brora

4TH GENERATION TERM CONTRACT FOR MANAGEMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF THE SCOTTISH TRUNK ROAD NETWORK - NORTH WEST UNIT.   A9 BRORA - CARRIAGEWAY RESURFACING.  

2/11/2019 : Auctioneers

Dingwall & Highland Marts - Lochmaddy - Sale 1 November 2019

LOCHMADDY, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (November, 1st) sold 314 weaned calves and store cattle, 6 adult head of breeding cattle & 30 OTM cattle.   Prior to the sale the judge Mr K.  

2/11/2019 : Local Authority

Placement Services Change Programme Helping Region's Most Vulnerable Young People

Highland Council's Placement Services Change Programme (PSCP) is helping make a real difference for the region’s most vulnerable young people.   The Placements Team in Children’s Services has developed a creative, courageous and dedicated programme to work with multi-disciplinary professionals to identify children out with Highland whose needs can be met back in the local area.  

2/11/2019 : Local Authority

Update following Community Council nominations withdrawal period

Following the close of the Community Council Nominations on Tuesday, 29 October 2019, 20 community councils received more nominations than their maximum membership.  After the withdrawal period where candidates had the opportunity to withdraw their nomination, The Highland Council has confirmed that 16 Community Councils will be contested.  

1/11/2019 : Plant / Skip Hire

 
Hugh Simpson Contractors Ltd Launches A New Service - Lifting Equipment Examination

Report of Thorough examination Thorough examination in accordance to the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) 1998.   Owners and users of lifting equipment must certify that all components which have a bearing on safety have been formally inspected and assessed as being in a safe condition.  

1/11/2019 : Local Authority

 
BT Public Payphone Consultation - 55 To Be Objected To By Highland Council

BT are proposing to remove 110 payphones across The Highland Council area.   Under Ofcom guidelines, the Local Authorities are responsible for co-ordinating consultation responses on behalf of their local community for any proposed removal of public payphones.  

31/10/2019 : Local Authority

Highland Council's Citizen's Panel have their say

Feedback from Highland Council's annual citizen's panel survey has highlighted the welcoming nature of people living in our communities.   This was just one of many findings included in the latest Citizens' Panel 2019 Performance and Attitude Survey which was considered at the Council meeting on 31 October 2019.  

31/10/2019 : Local Authority

Dingwall & Highland Marts - Sale 31 October 2019

DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (October, 31st) sold 3,675 store sheep.   Lambs (2,603) averaged £48.91 and sold to £85 gross for a Texel tup lamb from Wester Raddery, Fortrose. Ewes (890) sold to £79 gross for a pen of Texel crosses from Kinnahaird Farm, Contin. Feeding Sheep (182) sold to £170 gross for a Cheviot ram from Keppoch Farm, Dundonnell.  

30/10/2019 : Local Authority

Caithness West and Tannach and District Community Councils Fail To Get Enough Nominations

Following the recent call for candidates wishing to serve on Highland Community Councils to come forward a total of 120 Councils attracted sufficient interest to allow them to form from 12 noon on Friday 1 November.   20 Community Councils received more nominations than their maximum membership, and elections will take place for these Community Councils using a postal ballot.  

30/10/2019 : Banks & Finance

 
Hi-Scot Credit Union Is 13 Years Old And Still Growing

The number thirteen might be unlucky for some, but not HI-Scot credit union who are celebrating thirteen years of serving their members across the Highlands and Islands of Scotland.   From humble beginnings as an idea conceived by hard-working volunteers determined to bring an ethical, community-minded option for saving and borrowing to the islands, Western Isles credit union (HI-Scot's original incarnation) opened its doors in 2006.  

30/10/2019 : Auctioneers

Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd - Sale 29 October 2019

DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (October, 29th) sold 22 prime cattle.   Prime Bullocks (3) averaged 194.9p (+5.4p) and sold to 199.0p per kg and £1,200.15 gross.  

30/10/2019

 
Employees' Earnings Since The Great Recession: The Latest Picture

The Office for National Statistics have released the latest data on the distribution of employees' earnings in the UK, based on the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), the highest quality source of data on employees' pay in the UK.  The survey, of around 180,000 employees, is undertaken in April of each year and the latest data is available for 2019.