With the EU referendum fast approaching, The Highland Council is urging residents to make sure they are registered to vote by the 7 June deadline, and to check the Electoral Commission's voting guide for advice on how to take part. The referendum on the UK's membership of the European Union will take place on Thursday 23 June 2016.
Outlining clear focus on creating a competitive business environment. Cabinet Secretary for the Economy Keith Brown will meet key figures in the oil and gas industry in Aberdeen today as the Scottish Government continues to press for more support for the sector.
Celebrating one year of the Scottish Business Pledge. The Scottish Government will "listen carefully to business and search for constructive ideas about how it can support economic growth," an audience of around 70 businesses has heard in Edinburgh on Thursday 2nd June 2016.
Wildlife crime review, climate change and land reform action highlighted. A number of priorities to protect Scotland's natural environment have been outlined by the Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham.
Support package has improved resilience and supported workers. Cabinet Secretary for the Economy Keith Brown has restated the Scottish Government's commitment to the oil and gas industry on his first visit to Aberdeen since taking on the newly-created economy portfolio.
SgurrEnergy has won a three-year construction monitoring contract for the 588MW Beatrice offshore wind farm in Scotland's outer Moray Firth. The deal will include regular monitoring of construction and installation, checking progress and confirming consistency with the final design, reviewing permits and environmental requirements and undertaking site visits.
Anyone who wants to rent a council or housing association house in Thurso now has greater choice. This is because homes are now being allocated through ‘Choice Based Lettings'.
Local Wick Councillor Bill Fernie has welcomed Scotland's centre for procurement expertise for local government, gaining Living Wage accreditation. Scotland Excel's accreditation from the Living Wage Foundation affirms the organisation's commitment to leading by example on the issue of fair pay.
NHS Highland has appointed Ros Philip to be its new head of finance for North and West Highland. As part of her role Ros will also be a member of the N&W unit senior leadership team, and will be based at Larachan House, Dingwall.
If you will be in 4th, 5th or 6th year in 2016/17 and you are unsure what path to take when you leave school then this course may be for you. This course will provide you with the practical skills and information required to support your success in moving into employment.
Three ‘demonstration' projects that will improve the visual impact of approach roads to Inverness and provide a sense of place for visitors, residents, businesses and investors have met the approval of Members of The Highland Council's City of Inverness Area Committee. A city gateway structure will be created for the approach to Clachnaharry on the Beauly-Inverness road; and the A82 Telford roundabout and A82 Longman central reservation will be improved in partnership with Transport Scotland.
Rural Economy Secretary pledges to put system on ‘even keel'. Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing has pledged to make resolving the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) payment problems his first and foremost priority.
A consortium of twenty-six local authorities in Scotland are joining forces to improve council services using digital technology. The Local Government Digital Transformation Board are set to recruit a chief digital officer and team who will be expected 'to shape and lead a programme of change to radically improve how local services work and how the councils serve citizens.' The consortium represents most of the 32 Scottish councils including Glasgow, Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Highland Council.
Highlands & Islands (Labour) MSP Rhoda Grant who last month again raised her continued concerns about the Police Control Room closures, after she learned that the procurement process for the new Police IT system had been withdrawn, has written once more to the Cabinet Secretary for Justice, Michael Matheson, asking for certain reassurances. Rhoda Grant said "I have continually called for a halt to be called to the closure of our North Control Rooms until such a time as everyone is as reasonable reassured as they can be, that a more efficient and effective system is being introduced which places the safety of the public at the top of the list.
Recommendations include.- Highland council Reduced by 6 councillors including 2 in Caithness. Caithness to go from 3 wards to 2 and from 10 councillors down to 8.
Subsea 7 has teamed up with Seaway Heavy Lifting on an engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) contract for wind farm turbine foundations and array cables to be installed at the 558MW Beatrice offshore wind farm located in the Outer Moray Firth, Scotland. The value of the contract is over £896 million, according to Seaway Heavy Lifting.
The Highlands of Scotland has renewed its status as a Fairtrade Zone which was first achieved on 13 September 2012. Highland Councillor Hamish Wood and Fairtrade champion said: "Highland has now renewed its Fairtrade status - a process which takes place every 2 years - which is very good for the region.
Work to reinforce the overhead power line that forms the spine of the existing electricity transmission network in Caithness passed the half way mark this month (May 2016), with progress continuing apace in the good weather. The new 275 kilovolt line will link substations at Dounreay, Thurso and Spittal, where the underground and subsea cable to Moray is set to begin its 100 mile journey.
In the last six years, Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission (SHE Transmission) has seen a £1 billion investment in the infrastructure across the north of Scotland. The network itself is made up of more than 5,000km of high voltage overhead lines, underground and subsea cables and serves around 70% of the land mass of Scotland.
Businesses in the Highlands and Islands new to exporting or looking to move into new markets are invited to a ‘Doing Business in France' event in Inverness next week. Organised by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), the free information and advice event will be held at the Kingsmills Hotel from 9:30am to 1:30pm on Tuesday 7 June.