Practical and useful ideas and time-saving tips to help you make strong applications for Business Awards The Federation of Small Businesses, in association with the Highlands & Islands Tourism Awards, is to pilot a workshop for all businesses in Caithness and Sutherland, knowing that winning awards, or being shortlisted, increases business. Businesses that win awards do better! Sponsored by Dounreay Communities Fund the event will take place on: Tuesday 16th April at dounreay.com Traill House, 7 Olrig Street, Thurso KW14 7BJ.
Members of The Highland Council’s South Planning Applications Committee have voted to raise no objections to an application by Scottish & Southern Energy Renewables to erect a wind farm at Stronelairg on the Garrogie Estate, subject to additional conditions on top of the amendments and conditions listed in the committee report. The vote was carried 11 votes to 3 after a site visit and debate today (Monday 8 April 2013).
UP TO 15,000 DEFENCE INDUSTRY JOBS COULD GO IN A SEPARATE SCOTLAND, SAYS COMMITTEE. In a report published today, Monday 8 April 2013, the Commons Scottish Affairs Committee says the many thousands of people whose jobs depend on the defence industry in Scotland need to be told, before the referendum, what their real prospects for future employment would be in a Separate Scotland.
JGC was founded in Thurso by the current Chairman Jock Campbell, who began supplying welding services to the NDA’s Dounreay site and the neighbouring Vulcan naval test base back in 1972. The company has since expanded into other sectors including oil and gas, becoming more specialised in the process, and now has an annual turnover of £10 million-plus, together with a workforce of 130 people.
The Scottish Government has increased fees for planning applications by 20 per cent from 6 April 2013. This is the first increase in planning fees since 2010.
The Highland Council has provided information and advice to more than 600 Council house tenants affected by the reduction in their Housing Benefit due to the implementation of the Bedroom Tax. This new legislation from the UK Government, that came into effect from 1 April, means a deduction is being imposed on working age housing benefit claimants who live in council or housing association homes where it has been deemed that they are under occupying their home.
Exciting plans for the future development of the Torvean/Ness-side areas of Inverness, together with the timetable for proceeding with the £27.2 million Inverness West Link Road were revealed today (Friday 5th April 2013) by senior members of The Highland Council. Council Leader Drew Hendry was joined by Depute Leader David Alston, Convener Jimmy Gray, and Leader of the City of Inverness Area Committee Ian Brown and Planning and Development Chairman Thomas Prag in highlighting the huge potential to make Inverness a better connected city, provide much-needed affordable housing and create a recreational/sporting hub in the west of the city, the equal of any in Scotland.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (April, 3rd) sold 1105 store cattle and 29 OTM cattle. Bullocks (701) averaged 233.7p and sold to 303.8p per kg for a 260kg a Blonde d'Aquitaine cross from Udale, Poyntzfield, and £1,340 gross for a 640kg Limousin cross from Feabuie, Inverness.
SSE is committed to maximising the benefits and opportunities for local businesses and communities in the Highlands and Islands, and is inviting businesses to register on the SSE Open4Business Highlands & Islands Portal. SSE have a long history of working in partnership with, and in, communities in the Highlands and Islands and are committed to making sure that local businesses benefit from, and have a real part in, what they believe is a very exciting time for the region.
A pipeline for Elf Exploration UK Limited in the West Franklin Field is well underway at Subsea 7 site at Wester in Caithness. A one off pipeline bundle 6.24km long due to be completed in November 2013.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (April, 2nd) sold 82 prime cattle. Prime bullocks (51) averaged 228.8p (+4.4p) and sold to 253p per kg and £1,622.60 gross.
A new package of business IT support for organisations and individuals across the Highlands and Islands is now available. Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), in partnership with Business Gateway and with support from the Scottish Government, have launched an IT engagement programme, offering online IT guides and group workshops.
Local roots of lead installations engineer for first tidal-stream turbies to enter Inner Sound. A Caithness-descended sub-sea engineer, who is proud of his Canisbay parish roots, is to take charge of the installation of the very first electricity-generating tidal turbine in the Pentland Firth's Inner Sound next year (2014).
The first graduate to come through The Underwater Centre’s Fort William-based subsea training facility as a result of a Caithness Chamber of Commerce-led funding initiative has already secured a job in the industry. Kevin Macleod (30), of Caithness, who was working as an instrument technician with Johnson Controls at Dounreay until recently, has been taken on as an apprentice ROV pilot technician with Fugro, one of the world’s largest ROV operators.
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) has this week published its 2013-16 Business Plan which sets out its delivery priorities for the period as it continues to focus on accelerating hazard reduction across its 19-site estate. The focus at Sellafield will remain on driving forward further progress across the site including a programme of major projects required to decommission the high hazard legacy ponds and silos, while also working towards the completion of the contracts at both the Magnox and Thorp reprocessing plants by the end of the decade.
Action is being taken to deal with the difficulties owner-occupier crofters are facing when decrofting their croft land. The Environment Minister Paul Wheelhouse announced that the Scottish Government will bring forward a Bill as soon as possible after the Easter recess to address this issue which will require amending crofting legislation.
Compensation is available to help farmers meet the costs of disposing of animals lost due to the current severe weather. The Scottish Government has made available £500,000 to help meet costs incurred.
Notice of Poll Four candidates will contest the forthcoming by-election to elect one councillor to serve The Highland Council’s Ward 4 – Landward Caithness. The candidates are: David Baron, Scottish Labour Party Gillian Coghill Hanna Miedema, Scottish National Party (SNP) Barbara Anne Watson, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Candidate The by-election will be held on Thursday 2 May and voting will take place at 14 polling stations between 7.00 am – 10.00 pm.
Farmers have been urged to remain vigilant after the first evidence emerged that Schmallenberg Virus (SBV) was circulating in Scotland in 2012. Eight cows in a dairy herd at the Barony campus of Scotland’s Rural College in Dumfries and Galloway have tested positive for SBV antibodies, indicating exposure to the virus in 2012, although at a low prevalence.
After the first round of the Scottish EDGE competition, where over £500,000 was given to help 17 of Scotland’s brightest entrepreneurs, they are ready to start all over again! This next round will award in the region of £750,000 to young Scottish businesses. The closing date for round two applications is 5pm Tuesday 16 April 2013.
