News Archive

19/7/2016

Enterprise and skills review - Consultation

Businesses, students and others who use enterprise and skills services are being asked for their views about the support on offer.   Economy Secretary Keith Brown has issued a call for evidence as part of the end-to-end review he is leading of enterprise and skills support in Scotland.  

18/7/2016 : Local Authority

Beware Buying Cheap Electrical Equipment From Roaming Traders

Highland householders and small businesses urged to think twice about buying equipment from itinerant traders The Highland Council's Trading Standards team have seized over 20 items of machinery and equipment belonging to an itinerant trader.   The seizure follows community safety action alongside Police Scotland in the Fort William area.  

15/7/2016 : Advisory / Counseling Services

Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership Update

Week Commencing 11th July 2016 Enabling activities: · The "Ready, Steady, Work" programme developed by CNSRP partners DSRL and North Highland College began this week.  The programme takes young people from 4th to 6th year and introduces them to a range of workshops and company visits designed to enhance their ability to move on from school into employment, training or further education.  

15/7/2016

Transfer of new powers to Scotland

Scottish Parliament to assume powers on social security and employability.   Regulations laid at Westminster on 14th July 2016 will begin the transfer of powers to enable the Scottish Parliament to start legislating on social security and employability.  

15/7/2016

Apprenticeship levy - Consultation open for employers to have their say

Employers will now be able to have their say on how Scotland should use its share of the funding from the UK Government's apprenticeship levy, Minister for Employability and Training Jamie Hepburn confirmed.   The Scottish Government has committed to work with employers to develop a "distinctly Scottish approach", which will do more to support apprenticeships, widen skills development and drive closer engagement with industry.  

14/7/2016

 
Audit Scotland turns its attention to Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise

The latest report from Audit Scotland turns its attention to Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.   The report says the enterprise bodies are performing well but the government's economic strategy needs more development.  

13/7/2016 : Advisory / Counseling Services

 
Next fibre broadband areas for Highlands and Islands

The next areas where fibre broadband is rolling out across Scotland have been announced by Digital Scotland partners today.  See the release here http://bit.ly/fibrenext Local area and progress detail for Highlands and Islands areas are as below: Latest independent figures from Think Broadband confirm 75% coverage across the Highlands and Islands region.  

13/7/2016 : Auctioneers

Dingwall and Highland Marts Ltd - Sale 12 July 2016

DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (July, 12th) sold 12 prime cattle.   Prime bullocks (1) averaged 218.0p (+2.7p) and sold to 218p per kg and £1,351.60 gross.  

13/7/2016

1,000 new paramedics to be trained

A thousand new paramedics will be trained to work in the ambulance service over the next five years, the Scottish Government has committed today.   More paramedics will be trained to work with greater autonomy in the community, supporting local health teams to deliver better care to patients and prevent unnecessary hospital admissions.  

13/7/2016

 
Monumental move for reactor relic

After sitting pride of place in the foyer of Dounreay's Prototype Fast Reactor (PFR) for almost fifty years, the commemorative granite stone table has found a new home.   On Sunday June 12, the inscribed stone table was lifted out of the former reactor building and taken through to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s (NDA) nuclear archive in Wick and placed in storage ready for the new building to be opened early next year.  

13/7/2016

Nominations open for Scotland's top entrepreneurial talent

Entrepreneurial Scotland, in association with Deloitte,has opened nominations for its annual Entrepreneur of the Year Awards.   Celebrating Scotland's top entrepreneurial talent, the event focuses on two awards - ‘Entrepreneur of the Year' and ‘Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year’ - honouring those individuals who have excelled in business over the past 12 months.  

13/7/2016

Emergency Towing Vessel - Contract Extension

Leader of the Highland Council, Councillor Margaret Davidson, gave a cautious welcome to the news.  She said: "I am very pleased that the UK Government has recognised that there is an ongoing need to support a dedicated Emergency Towing Vessel (ETV) beyond 2016.  

11/7/2016 : Local Authority

 
Restored Thurso building to throw open its doors

The Highland Council is to throw open the doors of 30 Princes Street on the corner with St John Square in Thurso on Saturday 16th July 2016 to give members of the public, councillors and community councillors the chance to see how it has restored and brought back into use this iconic Category B listed building which sits a prime position within the conservation area of the town.   Originally constructed in the early 1800s, over a period of time, lack of maintenance led to the demolition of the chimney head and the rear stair tower.  

7/7/2016

 
MeyGen project energised at Ness of Quoys

Atlantis, a global leader in the tidal power sector, is pleased to announce a major technical milestone for its flagship MeyGen project in northern Scotland.  The MeyGen project is now connected to the 33kV Ness of Quoys distribution network following the successful installation of one of the longest underground 33kV power export cables in the UK by the network operator, Scottish Hydro Electric Power Distribution plc ("SHEPD").  

7/7/2016

 
MeyGen signs ground-breaking deal to combine wind and tidal power output

Atlantis, a global leader in the tidal power sector, is pleased to announce that an agreement has been reached between the Company's majority owned MeyGen project and a nearby wind farm development to facilitate access to the distribution grid for other renewable energy projects.   The first phase of the MeyGen project was recently connected to the 33kV Ness of Quoys distribution network and is on track to deliver first power in the second half of 2016.  

7/7/2016

Work starts on first UK offshore wind tower factory

Argyll, Scotland, gets £27m South Korean investment.   Work on the UK's first offshore wind tower factory will officially start in Argyll today (July 7) at a ground-breaking ceremony attended by Scotland's Energy Minister.  

6/7/2016 : Auctioneers

Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd - Sale 5 July 2016

DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (July, 5th) sold 22 prime cattle.   Prime bullocks (8) averaged 215.3p (+13.3p) and sold to 230p per kg and £1,371.50 gross.  

5/7/2016 : Food & Drink Products

 
Wave of optimism for Wick seaweed firm

The first batches of seaweed have been harvested and processed by a new food and drink business in Wick.   New Wave Foods has invested £240,000 at its newly fitted out premises on the Wick Industrial Estate with support of £60,000 from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).  

5/7/2016 : Local Authority

Take a stand against scams urges Highland Council Trading Standards

As part of the Highland Consumer Partnership, The Highland Council's Trading Standards team and Highland Citizens Advice Bureaux want to encourage everyone to take a stand against Scams this July and to raise awareness of this debilitating crime.   Every year UK consumers lose millions of pounds through scams, not to mention the devastating psychological effects on the victims they leave behind.  

5/7/2016

 
Reassurance following EU referendum

Scottish Government to issue open letter to EU nationals and work with businesses.   First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will send a message of reassurance to EU nationals living in Scotland that they are welcome here.