Week Commencing 5 January 2015 Tourism, Food & Drink: This month marks the start of Scotland's Year of Food & Drink. Local companies had a year of encouraging activities in 2014, with products from businesses such as Reid's of Caithness, Caithness Biscuits, Annie’s Bakery, JPL Shellfish, Scrabster Seafoods, Caithness Chocolate, Berry Good, Dunnet Bay Distillers, Pulteney Distillery and Wolfburn Distillery all making progress in local, national and international markets.
Highlands and Islands (Scottish Labour) MSP, David Stewart has said that the recent storms which have battered the Highlands and Islands and have caused damage to buildings and led to major travel disruption across Scotland highlights the importance of the introduction of new legislation that will give Local Authorities the necessary powers to tackle dangerous and defective buildings. Mrs Stewarts Member's Bill, Buildings (Recovery of Expenses) (Scotland), passed in the Scottish Parliament in June 2014 and will be available for use by Local Authorities across Scotland from next month.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) is celebrating the Year of Food and Drink 2015 at the London Boat Show today (9 January 2015) with a local produce tasting. The showcase offers event visitors the chance to sample a range of Scottish favourites from whisky and craft beer, to salmon and smoked mussels.
Smart Scottish hotels get the tartan touch thanks to Stevens & Graham, the world's biggest tartan carpet supplier. Stevens & Graham, the world's biggest tartan carpet designer and manufacturer, has brought a splash of contemporary colour to two of Scotland's best-loved hotels as part of a series of new contract wins.
Following reports of an amber weather alert (be prepared) for the Highlands, the Western Isles and Orkney along with a yellow weather alert (be aware) for Shetland, the Highlands and Islands Local Resilience Partnership (HILRP), is seeking to remind the public to be vigilant of severe gales and storm force winds, with gusts in excess of 100mph which are expected to occur from 22:00 hours on Thursday 08 January 2015 until 10:00 hours on Friday (09 January 2015). The winds are predicted to be strong enough to cause interference to the transport network along with wave and spray overtopping in exposed coastal areas throughout North West Scotland, the Western Isles and into Orkney and along the west coast.
Cleaning staff responsible for looking after The Highland Council's Care and Learning services' toilets are been praised after scooping 7 national category awards, and 2 major national awards in the annual Loo of the Year Awards. With 20 facilities receiving platinum certificates and a further 23 gold, the Council has also been awarded a Champions League Standards of Excellence Certificate.
James Fisher Marine Services Booths Park House Chelford Road Knutsford Cheshire WA16 8WZ Stan Groundwater s.groundwater[AT]james-fisher.co.uk tel 01856831380 mob 07747843712 Work shall be undertaken by: Leask Marine Limited Tel No. 01856 874 725 Mob No.
North MSP and Shadow Transport Minister warns of consequences of using mobile devices whilst driving. Highlands & Islands (including Moray),Shadow Islands and Transport Minister and road safety campaigner, David Stewart, has called for drivers to refrain from using their mobile phones whilst driving.
Each month our Multi-asset team provide their insights on current market trends and latest asset allocation views. This month Alastair Baker based in London and Patrick Brenner based in Hong Kong, both Fund Managers in Multi-asset Investments, focus on Oil and the US Dollar.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (January, 6th) sold 64 prime cattle. Prime bullocks (29) averaged 211.4p (-2.0p) and sold to 223p per kg and £1,562.40 gross.
Communities are being reminded that the consultation on the Caithness and Sutherland Local Development Plan (CaSPlan) Main Issues Report continues, with any comments needing to be received by The Highland Council no later than 12 noon on Thursday 29 January 2015. A number of consultation events have already been held across Caithness and Sutherland, where people have been able to speak to planners about development options in their settlements and the important issues relevant to their communities.
97 Patient Deaths on Delayed Discharge Lists in NHS Highland Since 2012. Figures revealed by NHS Highland to Rhoda Grant MSP, the Shadow Minister for Sport, Health Improvement & Mental Health, following a freedom of information request show that nearly 100 patients have died whilst on delayed discharge lists.
Highland MSP and Scottish Labour Shadow Sport, Health & Mental Minister, Rhoda Grant is to write to NHS Highland to ask for figures relating to the number of patient's across the health board that are dying in hospitals whilst waiting on a delayed discharge list. Mrs Grant is seeking figures after the Scottish Labour Party revealed at the weekend that across Scotland more than 400 patients a year died in hospitals whilst on a delayed discharge list in the previous two years, however, NHS Highland has failed to produce figures.
The starting gun on the UK election has sounded, as MP's return to Parliament today. David Cameron has come out of the starting blocks by flagging the prospect of an early referendum on EU membership, while Ed Miliband kicks off his campaign in a speech in Manchester later today.
Will Population Growth End in This Century? The human population nearly tripled from 2.5 billion people in 1950 to 7.3 billion today and will continue growing through 2070, according to two recent demographic projections. After that, demographers disagree on whether populations will begin to shrink or continue to rise into the next century, write Worldwatch Institute Senior Fellow Robert Engelman and Research Assistant Yeneneh Terefe in the Institute's latest Vital Signs Online article (www.worldwatch.org).
John Erskine, Scottish Labour candidate for the upcoming General Election, has slammed the local Liberal Democratic MP John Thurso for voting in favour of keeping the unfair and unworkable Bedroom Tax. The vote was held after a debate called for by the Labour Party.
New Worldwatch Institute analysis explores trends in coal consumption and global energy policies. Global coal consumption rose 3 percent from 2012 to 2013, reaching over 3,800 million tons of oil equivalent (mtoe) in 2013.
Worldwatch Institute's State of the World 2014 explores the benefits and challenges that digital technologies offer for sustainability Washington, D.C.—With resource-saving notions like "the paperless office" and “telecommuting,” the digital age holds great environmental promise. But have digital technologies really helped to improve global sustainability? In the Worldwatch Institute’s State of the World 2014: Governing for Sustainability, Richard Worthington, professor of politics at Pomona College, posits that a dose of healthy skepticism regarding emerging digital systems may safeguard our environment and our democracy (bit.ly/SoW2014).
New Worldwatch Institute analysis examines global trends in renewable and nuclear power. Advocates of nuclear energy have long been predicting its renaissance, yet this mode of producing electricity has been stalled for years.
Highland Council welcomes the New Year's Honour that has been awarded to a long serving former manager. Harriet Dempster has received an OBE for services to child welfare.
