Five focus farmers have been selected for a new "Live Lambs" project, facilitated by Scotland's Rural College and aimed at improving lamb survival. It brings together sheep farmers, advisers, researchers, and members of the supply chain into a group that will tackle the causes of lamb loss, monitor on-farm performance and introduce improvements aimed at raising lamb survival by 5%.
Wave Energy Scotland (WES) is running the most extensive technology programme of its kind to find a commercially viable method of harvesting Scotland's huge wave energy resource. WES is the national wave energy research and development body, funded by the Scottish Government and established as a subsidiary of Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).
The installation of four cable ducts through the rock beneath Noss Head, north of Wick, and almost 500 metres out to sea has been successfully completed as part of Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission's (SHE Transmission's) £1.1 billion Caithness-Moray project. While the ducts were being drilled around 20 metres beneath the base of the cliffs, a specialist member of the site team regularly monitored wildlife in the surrounding area to minimise any disturbance.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (July, 19th) sold 28 prime cattle. Prime bullocks (9) averaged 221.0p (+3.0p) and sold to 244p per kg and £1,451.80 gross.
Businesses, students and others who use enterprise and skills services are being asked for their views about the support on offer. Economy Secretary Keith Brown has issued a call for evidence as part of the end-to-end review he is leading of enterprise and skills support in Scotland.
Highland householders and small businesses urged to think twice about buying equipment from itinerant traders The Highland Council's Trading Standards team have seized over 20 items of machinery and equipment belonging to an itinerant trader. The seizure follows community safety action alongside Police Scotland in the Fort William area.
Week Commencing 11th July 2016 Enabling activities: · The "Ready, Steady, Work" programme developed by CNSRP partners DSRL and North Highland College began this week. The programme takes young people from 4th to 6th year and introduces them to a range of workshops and company visits designed to enhance their ability to move on from school into employment, training or further education.
Scottish Parliament to assume powers on social security and employability. Regulations laid at Westminster on 14th July 2016 will begin the transfer of powers to enable the Scottish Parliament to start legislating on social security and employability.
Employers will now be able to have their say on how Scotland should use its share of the funding from the UK Government's apprenticeship levy, Minister for Employability and Training Jamie Hepburn confirmed. The Scottish Government has committed to work with employers to develop a "distinctly Scottish approach", which will do more to support apprenticeships, widen skills development and drive closer engagement with industry.
The latest report from Audit Scotland turns its attention to Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. The report says the enterprise bodies are performing well but the government's economic strategy needs more development.
The next areas where fibre broadband is rolling out across Scotland have been announced by Digital Scotland partners today. See the release here http://bit.ly/fibrenext Local area and progress detail for Highlands and Islands areas are as below: Latest independent figures from Think Broadband confirm 75% coverage across the Highlands and Islands region.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (July, 12th) sold 12 prime cattle. Prime bullocks (1) averaged 218.0p (+2.7p) and sold to 218p per kg and £1,351.60 gross.
A thousand new paramedics will be trained to work in the ambulance service over the next five years, the Scottish Government has committed today. More paramedics will be trained to work with greater autonomy in the community, supporting local health teams to deliver better care to patients and prevent unnecessary hospital admissions.
After sitting pride of place in the foyer of Dounreay's Prototype Fast Reactor (PFR) for almost fifty years, the commemorative granite stone table has found a new home. On Sunday June 12, the inscribed stone table was lifted out of the former reactor building and taken through to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s (NDA) nuclear archive in Wick and placed in storage ready for the new building to be opened early next year.
Entrepreneurial Scotland, in association with Deloitte,has opened nominations for its annual Entrepreneur of the Year Awards. Celebrating Scotland's top entrepreneurial talent, the event focuses on two awards - ‘Entrepreneur of the Year' and ‘Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year’ - honouring those individuals who have excelled in business over the past 12 months.
Leader of the Highland Council, Councillor Margaret Davidson, gave a cautious welcome to the news. She said: "I am very pleased that the UK Government has recognised that there is an ongoing need to support a dedicated Emergency Towing Vessel (ETV) beyond 2016.
The Highland Council is to throw open the doors of 30 Princes Street on the corner with St John Square in Thurso on Saturday 16th July 2016 to give members of the public, councillors and community councillors the chance to see how it has restored and brought back into use this iconic Category B listed building which sits a prime position within the conservation area of the town. Originally constructed in the early 1800s, over a period of time, lack of maintenance led to the demolition of the chimney head and the rear stair tower.
Atlantis, a global leader in the tidal power sector, is pleased to announce a major technical milestone for its flagship MeyGen project in northern Scotland. The MeyGen project is now connected to the 33kV Ness of Quoys distribution network following the successful installation of one of the longest underground 33kV power export cables in the UK by the network operator, Scottish Hydro Electric Power Distribution plc ("SHEPD").
Atlantis, a global leader in the tidal power sector, is pleased to announce that an agreement has been reached between the Company's majority owned MeyGen project and a nearby wind farm development to facilitate access to the distribution grid for other renewable energy projects. The first phase of the MeyGen project was recently connected to the 33kV Ness of Quoys distribution network and is on track to deliver first power in the second half of 2016.
Argyll, Scotland, gets £27m South Korean investment. Work on the UK's first offshore wind tower factory will officially start in Argyll today (July 7) at a ground-breaking ceremony attended by Scotland's Energy Minister.
