Week Commencing 1st July 2013 Energy/ Business Services: CNSRP partners identified support for Wick Harbour Authority’s efforts to attract new business from offshore renewables as a priority, and we have been working with WHA to help deliver the first phase of this work. So it is particularly pleasing this week to see the first fruits of this joint effort, as both NDA and HIE have approved funding towards the establishment of a heavy-lift pad and associated dredging works on the commercial quay at Wick.
The only one north of Inverness! Pentland Energy Advice, which is based in Thurso, has just become a Green Deal Approved Organisation, and this following a lengthy technical assessment and approval process in order to meet the strict criteria the UK Government sets out for their scheme. This coveted achievement by Pentland Energy Advice also followers the success of two of its employees, Angela Craig and Gill Halliday, who both qualified as Green Deal advisors at the end of last year.
Cabinet Secretary given assurances over community partnership working. Left to right: Chief Superintendent, Julian Innes, Police Scotland (Highlands & Islands Division); Dr Ken Oates, Consultant, NHS Highland; Alistair Dodds, Chief Executive, The Highland Council; Jonathan Hart, Highlands & Islands Strategic Co-ordinating Group; Drew Hendry, Leader, The Highland Council; Kenny MacAskill, Cabinet Secretary for Justice; Scott Hay, Scottish Fire & Rescue Service (Highlands & Islands Area Manager).
The TA Centre in Wick is to close as part of the MOD reorganisation to save money. Although the TA is to be increased in numbers the range of bases will be reduced.
New evidence published today [Thursday 4 July 2013] shows the cost for householders in remote rural Scotland to achieve a minimum standard of living. The research will help inform public policy and highlight where it can make the biggest difference to alleviate higher costs.
The Highland Council Leader Councillor Drew Hendry has warmly welcomed the announcement by the Scottish Government that they are ending the right of Council house tenants to buy their Council homes. He said: “The Highland Council supported this proposal at the consultative stage, as we have welcomed previous changes that have restricted the Right to Buy.
Wick Harbour Authority's ambitious plans to attract new jobs to the area from the offshore wind industry have received a boost with the combined support of £450,000 from two partners in the Caithness & North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership (CNSRP). The Harbour Authority is positioning the port to attract business from the two large offshore wind developments in the Moray Firth, and is currently working on a multi-phase programme to ensure that its facilities meet the requirements of industry.
Council Leads the Charge on Green Energy Provision. The Highland Council is demonstrating its commitment to providing cleaner, greener energy for its sites with the award of a 4 year, £1.2M per annum contract for the servicing, maintenance and repair of biomass installations including the supply of woodfuel.
The Highland Council is introducing charging for concessionary places on school transport from the start of the new school session on 20 August. This charge will apply where there are seats available on school transport contracts for pupils who do not qualify for free transport on the grounds of distance, road safety or additional support needs.
IBM has come to the conclusion that all enterprise Tier 1 storage should be completely flash-based, and will be making the transition as fast as possible for the company. They have announced they will be investing $1 billion to integrate flash into all its servers and storage systems, and has also introduced its own flash-only storage appliance.
More consumers in Highland will now have a way to find out how well local food caterers and retailers are performing thanks to the complete roll-out of the Food Hygiene Information Scheme across the area. The Highland Council is one of the 32 Scottish local authorities taking part in the Scheme.
Your local Enterprise Europe Network Team is holding a European Information Clinic at the Business Gateway office in Castle St, Inverness on Wednesday 3 July. Businesses can book an appointment between 10am and 4pm to find out how the Network can help them to develop their business.
Youth employment opportunities, tourism initiatives, improved transport links and support for businesses came out top in a recent survey to find out what wind farm windfalls should be spent on in Caithness in the future. Not surprisingly, the Caithness Conversation Community Profile suggests that a high percentage of the funds should be spent on communities nearest the wind farm but the idea of setting aside a smaller pot of funds for county-wide initiatives was also supported.
Food and drink businesses in the Highlands and Islands are invited to attend a free workshop focusing on the development of new innovative products and packaging. The day-long event, Food and Drink Innovation Workshop - 2014 The Legacy Challenge, will be held at Cowan House in Inverness on Wednesday July 10 and will be hosted by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) in partnership with the 2014 Food and Drink Team.
The Highland Council is to create three new Area Committees to complement the two already operating successfully in Inverness and Caithness & Sutherland. The committees will cover Skye and Ross & Cromarty (23 members), Nairn and Badenoch & Strathspey (8 members) and Lochaber (7 members).
SSEPD launches ‘more for less’ business plan on the future of the local electricity network in Highland region. Scottish and Southern Energy Power Distribution (SSEPD), a subsidiary of SSE plc, has today published a detailed business plan that aims to deliver a 10% cut to the distribution network costs for customers in the Highland region.
IN HIGHLAND, 5,217 people met with Skills Development Scotland staff last year looking for help to get training or a job. SDS website My World of Work also proved a key point of support with more than 230,000 people across Scotland now registered to use the interactive service.
Croft-reared Highland beef and lamb served at the royal wedding reception of Prince William and Kate Middleton is now available nationwide and even across Europe, thanks to a brand new partnership between Mey Selections and Campbells Prime Meat Ltd. Eight Mey Selections cuts of beef are now available for sale direct to the public on Campbells Website and can be delivered fresh across the UK and Europe.
An unusual auction sale is to be held in July when Stirkoke Mil will go under the hammer. For sale by Auction Wilsons Auctions, Dalry on 18th July at 18.30hrs link http://www.wilsonsauctions.com/land-property-search-results/1329 or via Drever & Heddle http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-38140651.html See details also at http://www.caithness-business.co.uk/property.php?id=3566.
The UK Government announced its intention today (Thursday 27 June 2013) to consult in the summer on additional support for renewables projects located on islands (where these have clearly distinct characteristics to typical mainland projects). This is on a timetable to allow a differential strike price to be set for these projects in the final Delivery Plan in December.
