Responses and analysis to two consultations on plans to introduce a tax replacing Air Passenger Duty (APD) in Scotland have been published. A majority of respondents to the policy consultation supported the Scottish Government's strategic and policy objectives for improving Scotland's air connectivity.
Week Commencing 25 July 2016 Energy and Business Services: · Recruitment firm ERSG has been appointed by SSE to help recruit contract workers for its Beatrice Offshore Windfarm development in the Moray Firth, just off the Caithness coast. As previously reported here, Wick Harbour is to be the operations and maintenance base for the project, and the CNSRP Delivery Group hopes to work with SSE and its supply chain to help deliver economic benefits from the Beatrice project.
SSE has chosen UK energy recruitment outfits ERSG and Taylor Hopkinson Associates (THA) to source contract professionals for the 588MW Beatrice offshore wind farm off the Caithness and Moray Coasts. The duo will start delivering workers over the coming months.
The events will be held in Helmsdale Community Centre (Tuesday 2nd August, 12-8pm) and Mackay's Hotel, Wick (Wednesday 3rd August, 12-8pm). Moray Offshore Renewables Ltd (MORL) announced intention to open consultation on the development of offshore wind on the remainder of its zone in the Outer Moray Firth.
Accountant in Bankruptcy (AiB) today released official statistics reporting personal and company insolvencies in Scotland for the first quarter of 2016-17. The figures show that personal insolvencies, which include both bankruptcies and protected trust deeds (PTDs), totalled 2,405.
Payments under the new Scottish Upland Sheep Support Scheme (SUSSS) are about to start, Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing has confirmed. The Scottish Government expects to pay out up to £5.6 million over the next few days to around 1,100 farmers and crofters with the majority being made a payment by the end of this week.
Repeat offender sentenced after Trading Standards take action against sales of designer goods on Facebook Following a Trading Standards investigation, a 37 year old woman appeared in Inverness Sheriff court for sentencing today after having been found guilty of 15 charges of selling fake designer labelled goods from two addresses in the Highlands. This is the second time the individual involved had been investigated by Trading Standards and found guilty in court of such offences.
· The average Scottish household had a weekly disposable income of £200 a week last quarter, an average of £10 more than in Q2 2015. · Scotland's spending power grew 5.1% on the same period last year, with discretionary income reaching £200 per week · In comparison to the rest of the UK, Scotland still remains at the bottom of the regions in terms of the rate of spending power growth.
Visitors to the Black Isle Show on the 3rd and 4th August will once again be assured of getting the ‘Real Deal'. Last year Highland Council and the Black Isle Farmers Society made a commitment to keep the show free of fake goods by signing up to the Real Deal markets' charter.
Orion Group, the UK's leading provider to the energy and engineering industry, have agreed an exclusive link with Moray headquartered fabrication and manufacturing business Forsyth's to supply labour to their recently acquired fabrication yard in Caithness and other projects. The jobs boost for the region comes after Rothes based Forsyth's stepped into acquire the Caithness Fabrication yard after previous owners Enterprise Engineering Service Limited (EESL) entered administration last month.
Highland Councillor John Ford who represented the Culloden and Ardersier Ward in Inverness has died suddenly while on holiday. Councillor Ford, a member of the Council's Labour group, has served on The Highland Council since becoming elected in May 2003, attending committee meetings at Glenurquhart Road and Inverness Town House.
Amenity grass cutting is carried out by both contracted staff and in-house staff. The contracted work is carried out through various contracts and the current contracts expire next year.
Businesses in the Highlands and Islands are being encouraged to apply to the next round of Scottish EDGE funding and the chance to win up to £100,000 each in grants and loans. The Scottish Government funded competition supports and encourages business growth in Scotland.
BEAR Scotland will carry out works between Monday 22nd August and Saturday 27th August 2016. Work will be carried out between 7.00pm and 7.00am to reduce disruption.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd, (July, 20th) sold 1,585 store cattle and 9 adult head of breeding cattle at their 13th anniversary show and sale. The Judge, Mr N.
Highlands & Islands (Labour) MSP and road safety campaigner, David Stewart has intervened with regards to the divided opinions in relation to the so called NC500 route. The North Coast 500 (NC500) is deemed by many to be Scotland's answer to the legendary Route 66.
Five focus farmers have been selected for a new "Live Lambs" project, facilitated by Scotland's Rural College and aimed at improving lamb survival. It brings together sheep farmers, advisers, researchers, and members of the supply chain into a group that will tackle the causes of lamb loss, monitor on-farm performance and introduce improvements aimed at raising lamb survival by 5%.
Wave Energy Scotland (WES) is running the most extensive technology programme of its kind to find a commercially viable method of harvesting Scotland's huge wave energy resource. WES is the national wave energy research and development body, funded by the Scottish Government and established as a subsidiary of Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).
The installation of four cable ducts through the rock beneath Noss Head, north of Wick, and almost 500 metres out to sea has been successfully completed as part of Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission's (SHE Transmission's) £1.1 billion Caithness-Moray project. While the ducts were being drilled around 20 metres beneath the base of the cliffs, a specialist member of the site team regularly monitored wildlife in the surrounding area to minimise any disturbance.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (July, 19th) sold 28 prime cattle. Prime bullocks (9) averaged 221.0p (+3.0p) and sold to 244p per kg and £1,451.80 gross.