The Highland Council will issue invitations to tender for the construction of West Link Stage 1, (Dores Road to the A82) and Canal Parks Enhancement Project, to eight contractors tomorrow, Friday 20 November 2015. A number of contractors expressed an interest and the eight contractors have been selected to submit tenders following a pre-qualification process.
The Highland Council is inviting the public to submit written representations to the Council about proposed changes to public entertainment licensing activities. All representations should be made to the Council by Friday 18 December 2015.
Affordable homes to tackle housing shortage. Housing Minister Margaret Burgess has today pledged to invest £3 billion to deliver 50,000 new affordable homes over the next five years.
Review groups report recommends increases to wildlife crime penalties. Scotlands Environment Minister Aileen McLeod today welcomed the publication of a report examining the penalties available for wildlife crime offences.
Highland Council graduate research assistant Marcia Rae has been investigating the presence of amphibians in Inverness Sustainable Urban Drainage (SuDS) ponds and the results will be presented at the first ever Inverness SuDS Conference on Friday 27th November 2015. This Conference will be the first of its kind in the Highlands and aims to ensure that urban development is designed for maximum benefit to local residents and wildlife.
Scotlands business sector meet to debate bolstering cyber resilience. A new strategy providing a framework to help build a cyber-resilient Scotland has been launched by Deputy First Minister John Swinney at the National Economic Forum in Edinburgh today.
1.8 percentage points drop in gender pay gap over the year. Scotland has seen a drop of 1.8 percentage points in the gender pay gap over the year, with the figure for 2015 standing at 7.3 per cent.
Certainty needed on RHI. Scottish Energy Minister Fergus Ewing is campaigning for Scottish businesses who are losing out due UK Government indecision on the future of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI).
Proposals to make Porcine Epidemic Diarrhoea a notifiable disease in Scotland. Views are being sought on whether the pig disease Porcine Epidemic Diarrhoea (PED) should be classed as a notifiable disease in Scotland.
Leader of The Highland Council, Councillor Margaret Davidson has welcomed the level of public engagement that is helping the local authority plan to deliver its services through more localised decision making. The Highland Council approved a localism action plan at its meeting of the full Council on 29 October 2015 that will start to map out how to deliver decentralised decision making powers to local communities.
DINGWALL, Dingwall and Highland Marts Ltd., (November, 12th) sold 1,983 store sheep. Lambs (1,149) sold to £75 gross for Mule ewe lambs from Lower Gaich, Dulnain Bridge.
With the approach of winter householders are reminded that Garden Waste Collections will cease for a period of 3 months from the end of November. There will be no brown bin collections in December, January or February.
Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission (SHE Transmission) has completed its £94m project to refurbish the 275 kilovolt (kV) overhead line on the main west to east transmission route from Beauly via Blackhillock to Kintore. The 157km line was originally constructed in the early 1960s, spans the three local authority areas of Highland, Moray and Aberdeenshire, and is supported on 476 towers.
Highland Council has highlighted its successful joint working with BEAR Scotland and Transport Scotland. The Council's Head of Roads and Transport Richard Evans, BEAR Scotland's Operating Company Representative for the North West Eddie Ross and Transport Scotland’s Acting National Network Manager Jonny Moran delivered a joint presentation at last week’s Community Services Committee meeting.
Deputy First Minister to set out spending priorities for Scotland. Deputy First Minister and Finance Secretary John Swinney will publish financial plans for the Scottish Government on December 16, 2015.
NHS Highland has agreed that the Caithness General Hospital will be heated by energy delivered by the wood fuelled district heating scheme in Wick. Supply of low cost renewable energy will begin immediately.
A new survey into the attitudes and aspirations of young people indicates those taking part from Caithness and Sutherland are strongly connected and proud of their local community. The perceptions of 234 of the area's young people highlight a number of positive findings.
A new food company aims to make good use of a resource that Caithness has in abundance - seaweed. New Wave Foods has ambitions to become Scotlands leading processor of edible seaweed.
DINGWALL, Dingwall and Highland Marts (November, 7th) sold 2 cattle, 3 horses, 22 goats, 1007 sheep including 109 Zwartbles, and 508 lots of poultry, eggs and poultry equipment at their poultry, rare & traditional breeds of livestock sale. Cattle (2) sold to £480 gross for a Dexter cow with calf at foot from Achnahinich, Plockton.
Week commencing 2 November 2015 Energy Business Services: HIEs Michael Koetsier and June Love hosted a successful visit from a potential inward investor last week, as progress continues to be made on opportunities related to the energy sector in the north. Tourism, Food Drink Good to see coverage in todays press of the new business venture being established in Wick.
