The Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Sport, Shona Robison, has announced the appointment of the new Chair of Highland NHS Board. Highland NHS Board is responsible for the strategic planning of health services and the development of measures to improve the health of the communities in the Highland region.
Highlands and Islands (Labour) MSP Rhoda Grant is becoming increasing worried about the financial state of NHS Highland and the effect on staff and patients. Yesterday continuing concerns were raised by some MSPs at the Scottish Parliaments public audit committee, commenting on the decrease in locums and the local authoritys policy over not filling some staff vacancies.
NorthLink Ferries has been named as the joint winner of a national award in recognition of the company's commitment to Fair Trade. The award was presented at the Scottish Fair Trade Awards to the Northern Isles ferry service for its partnership with Aberdeen Fairtrade Steering Group and Orkney Fair Trade Group.
Almost two thirds of residents in the Highland Council area believe that climate change is an immediate and urgent problem according to a survey of the Councils Citizens Panel. 66.4% of 989 respondents expressed this attitude towards climate change.
The first ever Sustainable Drainage (SuDS) Conference in the Highlands has been a great success. The Conference was held at the Highland Council Chambers on Friday (27 November) with over 60 people attending from The Highland Council, Scottish Natural Heritage, Moray Council and Aberdeenshire Council, as well as individuals involved in the local community and development.
John Erskine, a Policy and Parliamentary Researcher to Scottish Labour Party leader Kezia Dugdale MSP and the Scottish Labour Candidate for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross at this years UK General Election is launching his campaign to become a Scottish Labour MSP for the Highlands and Islands at next Mays Scottish Parliament elections. John Erskine who was born in Inverness and grew up in Ross Shire, attending both Maryburgh Primary School and Dingwall Academy first sought election at the Highland Council elections in 2012, before going on to work for the Highlands and Islands Scottish Labour MSPs for three years based in Inverness.
Chief Medical Officer launches campaign to show children why literacy, maths and science matters. Scotlands Chief Medical Officer Dr Catherine Calderwood today visited Sciennes Primary School in Edinburgh to launch the Primary Futures ‘Who is in Health?' campaign; to help young children understand how people in the health sector use literacy, maths and science in their jobs.
Legislation to bring certainty for pupils, parents and teachers. Primary school pupils across Scotland will be guaranteed at least 950 hours a year (equivalent to 25 hours a week) of teaching time the Scottish Government has announced.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (December, 1st) sold 54 prime cattle. Prime bullocks (12) averaged 203.1p (-13.8p) and sold to 212p per kg and £1,289.05 gross.
FOLLOWING the COSLA Leaders meeting last Friday, the Leader of Highland Council has warned staff that Local Government could be facing a cash reduction in its Grant of 4-5% for 2016-17. Current assumptions for the budget were based on a cut of 1.6% and a 4 or 5% cut would be a significantly worse position.
Highland Council Trading Standards are warning consumers to be on their guard against phishing emails purporting to be from Apple iTunes following an increase in enquiries. The unsolicited email from fraudsters informs the recipient that they if they did not make the purchase in question, that they should click on the link provided to obtain a refund.
A contractor working on the Shaft and Silo project has been recognised by the prestigious NDA estate Supply Chain Awards. Oxford Technologies Ltd (OTL) won the Ministers Award for their innovative idea to clean out the shaft stub tunnel.
Week Commencing 23 November 2015 Energy and Business Services: There was an event in Wick this week for local companies interested in opportunities in the offshore wind market. Representatives from DEME Group outlined its companies roles in the development, construction and maintenance of offshore wind farms, and in the rapidly expanding UK offshore wind market.
Members of the Highland Council Resources Committee have noted research showing the benefits of being online and the work being done by the Council to promote digital inclusion. Research shows that across the UK 89% of adults have access to the internet at home, however 17.9% of people in the Highlands never use the internet.
Two projects have been approved for capital discretionary funding by the Councils Resources Committee. Members approved a contribution of £100,000 over 2 years towards the Falls of Shin Community Project, subject to full a funding package being in place.
The Highland Council has approved funding of over £250,000 for projects across the region that will improve transport links, reduce carbon emissions and save the Council money. The funding comes from Highland Councils Carbon CLEVER capital budget, which has supported a wide range of projects over the past 18 months, including the upgrading of streetlights in Highland to LEDs, improved cycling facilities, the installation of biomass boilers, and a grant fund which has allocated funding to more than ten community projects which reduce carbon emissions.
A new store for higher activity waste at Dounreay is making progress with the award of three contracts. AMEC Foster Wheel has been awarded a 12 month contract for the design and safety case of the store, developing the concept into a fully detailed manufacturing design with a combined safety case submission.
Weeks Commencing 9th and 16th November 2015 Energy and Business Services: Later this month there will be an event in Wick for local companies interested in opportunities in the offshore wind market. As a leading company in the development, construction and maintenance of offshore wind farms, DEME Group is preparing new projects and contracts in the rapidly expanding UK offshore wind market.
Hand-crafted in the far North of Scotland, Holy Grass Vodka, is the latest release from the multi-award winning Dunnet Bay Distillery in Caithness. It features the unusual botanical Holy Grass (or Anthoxanthum nitens ), once discovered on the banks of the nearby Thurso River by Robert Dick.
The UK Governments ongoing changes to welfare, which began in 2010, will substantially reduce the amount of benefits paid to households and families. The Council continues to voice concerns about the impact that Universal Credit, and in particular the payment of housing costs, is having on Highland tenants and landlords alike.
