The Highland Council has agreed a capital programme of £482m over the next 5 years. The Highland Council serves the largest geographical area in Scotland (over 30%) and has just under £2bn of assets on its balance sheet comprising, amongst other things, 203 operational schools, over 6,700km of roads and over 2,000 properties.
Amazon execs are talking to JP Morgan about creating a bank service aimed at young consumers, says the e-commerce delivery expert ParcelHero. The e-commerce fulfilment specialist ParcelHero says Amazon is pressing ahead with plans to open a banking service.
The Highland Council's Enforcement Officers have stepped up patrols in Caithness in a move to tackle the problem of littering, fly tipping and dog fouling. A number of fixed penalty notices have been issued recently including an £80 fine for dog fouling in the Stafford Lane and Back Bridge area of Wick, a £200 fine for fly-tipping on Ackergill Street and another £80 fine for dog fouling in Lybster.
Thurso Baptist Church were successful in their planning application on Tuesday 6th March 2018 to convert James Traill House at Thurso Business Park to a church from an office. Thurso Baptist Church needed to find new premises submitted plans to move into James Traill House at Thurso Business Park but Highland Council planners said it was not in keeping with the local and Highland policies to keep business premises in place.
The £48.5m Wick Community Campus built by Morrison Construction has been announced as a finalist at the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) Awards for Planning Excellence 2018. The project is entered in the category for "Excellence in Planning for a Successful Economy" against eight other finalists from across the UK with the winner to be announced during a ceremony at Milton Court Concert Hall on 24 May 2018.
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.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts, (March, 7th) sold 1,668 sheep of all classes. Lambs (1,016) averaged £49.28 and sold to £88 gross for a pen of Cheviot's from Muirton, Munlochy. Ewes (518) averaged £58.09 and sold to £134 gross for a Suffolk cross from Ospisdale, Dornoch.
Highland Council is to make a special case for extra capital investment in the road infrastructure after a winter period which has seen the Highlands battered by some 57 days of severe weather. Highland Council area is particularly subject to severe winter weather, which has a significant impact on the roads and other infrastructure.
Speaking ahead of today's Council meeting to agree the Council's Capital Programme for 2018/19 to 2022/23, Cllr Margaret Davidson, Leader of the Highland Council said:- "This programme delivers significant investment in a range of key projects across the Highlands. We are investing in schools, roads, bridges, harbours and flood prevention schemes that will benefit our communities.
An award of £21,014 from the Highland LEADER Programme is the last piece of the financial jigsaw required for a project which aims to conserve Dunbeath Broch in Caithness. Neil Buchanan, Chair of Berriedale & Dunbeath Community Council said: "Dunbeath Strath provides a walk with a variety of interest and is popular with local people, the wider Caithness community and visitors to the area.
UNISON Fight Council Cuts, Defend Vital Services, Protect Jobs. On Thursday the 8th of March, Elected Members at Clackmannanshire Council will vote on proposals which have the potential to decimate local services and will force the removal of staff terms and conditions, like overtime and unsocial hour rates.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (March 6th) sold 11 prime cattle. Prime bullocks (2) averaged 219.0p (+2.6p) and sold to 220.0p and £1,276.00 gross.
A Partnership for Procurement event was held in Inverness today (Thursday 6 March) to raise awareness and the capability of the third sector to successfully bid, supply and deliver services for the public sector. Partnership for Procurement (P4P) is a new initiative funded through the Scottish Government's 10 Year Social Enterprise Strategy; supporting social enterprises and third sector organisations to better access public contracts and build partnerships.
Across the Northern Alliance local authorities an exciting project has been rolled out to raise attainment in literacy, language and communication. The programme is being delivered in around 50% of primary schools across the Northern Alliance and is aimed at supporting practitioners to take a developmental approach to supporting early literacy development.
There is still a yellow weather warning in place until tomorrow for snow and ice across areas of the Highlands 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 Council's proposed capital programme includes a significant investment of £346m over the next 5 years. This could amount to as much as £481m gross depending on assumptions for grant and funding.
Following incidents in Inverness retails parks where glazed walkway panels have failed, Highland Council is recommending as a precaution that all building owners with glazed canopy type arrangements check that they have adequate inspection and maintenance arrangements in place. Such maintenance checks should ensure that the glazing, including the method of fixing and support, has been properly maintained in accordance with the manufacturers recommendations.
Following the landslip on the Knoydart Peninsula last Autumn work is progressing well and every effort is being made to get the affected section of single tracked road open to traffic for the Easter weekend. Following the failure immediate steps were taken to re-establish pedestrian and quad bike access, and this has been maintained throughout the works.
Ministers will consider financial assistance for local councils under the Bellwin Scheme following recent heavy snowfalls. Scottish Borders Council requested the scheme was triggered and it is now open for applications from all councils severely impacted by recent weather events, or those at risk from flooding as the snow melts.
Conditions across the Highland region vary considerably and you are advised to consider the forecast, Police advice and local conditions before travelling. If travelling, make sure you are prepared for delays and difficult conditions.