Weeks commencing 4th and11th June 2018 Energy & Business Services: I'm looking forward next week to meeting with representatives of Sykes @ Home when they come to Caithness to begin a recruitment process for Homeworkers. CNSRP partner Highlands and Islands Enterprise has continued to work on attracting business services opportunities to the north, and this one will be of interest to many people in the area.
The National Audit Office (NAO) has published an investigation into the government's handling of the collapse of Carillion. The liquidation of Carillion will cost UK taxpayers an estimated £148 million, although this is subject to a range of uncertainties and it could take years to establish the final cost.
Two new funds have been announced to encourage more people to start using electric bicycles, particularly for shorter journeys. The Low Carbon Transport Loan Fund will have £500,000 available for interest-free loans of up to £3,000 to help individuals and businesses purchase e-bikes and e-cargo bikes.
There were 2,060 more deaths and 539 fewer births registered in Scotland between 1 January and 31 March 2018 than in the same period of 2017, according to provisional figures released today by National Records of Scotland. The publication, ‘Births, deaths and other vital events, 2018 Q1', shows that at 12,713, the number of births registered was 539 (4.1 per cent) fewer than in the same period of 2017 and the lowest quarter one total since 2002.
See the full report at- http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/uploads/docs/report/2018/as_annual_report_1718.pdf.
Public Sector Employment Statistics for Scotland, released this week by Scotland's Chief Statistician, show that there were 561,300 people employed in the public sector in Scotland in Q1 2018. In Q1 2018, public sector employment accounted for 21.5 per cent of total employment in the country and private sector employment accounted for 78.5 per cent of total employment in Scotland.
A National Statistics Publication for Scotland. Do you how many sheep there are in Scotland? Or how much milk is produced? Or the size of the food & drink industry? These and many other key agricultural statistics can be found in the handy pocket-sized Facts and Figures card for the Agriculture Sector published by the Scottish Government today.
The results of a recent car parking review requested by The Highland Council's Redesign Board have created a vision for car parking and a shift towards localism in the region. Members of the Redesign Board have agreed a common ground on recommendations for a new car parking policy and improvements to car parking processes in the local authority area.
After listening to feedback from communities across the Highlands, Highland Council's Administration have decided to take more time to rationalise toilet provision in the Highlands. Budget Leader and Chair of Corporate Resources Cllr Alister MacKinnon and Cllr Allan Henderson, Chair of Environment, Development and Infrastructure report: "In view of serious community proposals coming forward and being assessed, by groups such as North Coast 500 and others across the Highlands, through the Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund, it is prudent to allow extra time for the review.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (June, 12th) sold 9 prime cattle. Prime Bullocks (3) averaged 227.3p (-1.8p) and sold to 230.0p per kg and £1,265.60 gross.
Since the news came out in the John O'Groat Journal that Stage coach are to change bus services for Gills and John O'Groats protests have been getting louder. the proposed bus timetable changes from 20th August which effectively abolish the direct route from Wick to John o'Groats and Gills.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has appointed a new regional head of innovation and technology. Based in An Lòchran, Inverness, David Howie is responsible for a dynamic portfolio that includes all HIE activities on innovation, technology and advanced engineering.
Whether you're a school leaver looking to make the best of your qualifications; a job seeker looking for a new opportunity; a careerist looking for a change of direction, or maybe one of our work based qualifications is what you're after. Whatever it is, we have something for you.
A major new survey gets underway this week to track the changing attitudes and aspirations of young people in relation to the Highlands and Islands. Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has commissioned the work.
Highland Council's Trading Standards team will be supporting national Scams Awareness Month during June. The national campaign is being organised by Citizens Advice and is about creating a network of confident, alert consumers who ‘don't miss a trick’ when it comes to scams.
The Highland Council, in partnership with Enterprise Car Club an E-Car Club, have recently launched car clubs at multiple Council offices throughout the region. The scheme's newest location, Fort William, is being launched on 4th June 2018 and will form part of a 6-month pilot.
FORT WILLIAM now has access to free WiFi in and around the centre of the town thanks to a project led by the Highland Council and funded by the Inverness and Highland City-Region Deal. The free WiFi, called "High-Fi", is aimed at stimulating economic growth and will increase digital inclusion across the Highlands.
Tourism: Interesting to note that Whitbread have this week confirmed an intention to submit planning application to build a Premier Inn in Thurso. The proposal is for ground near Thurso railway station, and the news has been given a cautious welcome, with some questions about effects on existing hotel businesses.
An Entrepreneurial Academy is being rolled out across the Highlands and Islands to support the region's entrepreneurs accelerate their business growth. Originally launched by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) in 2017, the Entrepreneurial Academy will now provide a series of one day, practice-based workshops across the region.
The Entrepreneurial Sales workshop is part of the Entrepreneurial Academy workshop series being delivered across the Highlands and Islands region in 2018-20 This workshop gives you a structured six-point process to help understand the selling cycle from initial research to generate leads to post-sale management of the account. It provides you with practical tools and techniques to build rapport with potential customers, understand buyers' motivations, present the features and benefits of your product or service, handle objections and close the sale.