The Year of Creative Scotland 2012 celebrates Scotland's cultural and creative vibrancy and provides a special opportunity for us all to work together to promote Scotland's cultural and creative uniqueness. VisitScotland has developed a toolkit to help businesses promote and capitalise on the opportunities this themed year offers - you can access the toolkit at www.visitscotland.org/yearofcreativescotland-toolkit.
Retailers in Caithness and Sutherland are being issued with guidance on the sale of solvents following an increase in the number of solvent abuse cases being reported among young people in the north. The Highland Council's Trading Standards campaign follows concerns raised by NHS Highland Youth Action Service and the Caithness and Sutherland Drug and Alcohol forums to an issue of solvent misuse reported in the area.
Planning Minister Derek Mackay has today outlined plans to improve efficiency and streamline the planning system, including linking increases in fees to improved performance by planning authorities. In a statement to Parliament, he launched a series of consultations and measures to take planning forward following the comprehensive reform of the Scottish Planning System in 2006.
Scotland's primary classes, implementing Curriculum for Excellence, are achieving and sustaining high performance in numeracy skills while more focussed action will be taken in secondary classes to raise standards, Education Secretary Michael Russell said today. The findings were published today as part of the Scottish Survey of Literacy and Numeracy (SSLN), the first ever national survey of primary and secondary pupils' numeracy skills.
Oscar-winning film director James Cameron is rightly celebrating his successful voyage to the bottom of the sea this week... but a Caithness engineering firm got there first.
The Territorial Army Wick Platoon is going to be recruiting in Wick town Centre this Friday and Saturday between 10am - 4pm in the Market Square. They are also running a drop in clinic in the Wick Job Centre Plus between 10am and 2pm on Friday.
Highland Council recently approved the purchase of 20 Energy Cabins that will make big savings in energy costs and supply an income from electricity being fed into the national grid. Many of the cabins are to be installed at schools across the region.
Caithnesss councillors and members of the ward managers team welcomed the members of the Prostate Cancer Lovetrain project aiming to raise £1,000,000 to save more people from deaths by prostate cancer - one of the biggest killers of men from cancer. A team of three is walking from John O'Groats to Lands End as one of a series of fund raisers to help set up more research facilities to finally get a break through to preventing and curing this disease that kills over 10,000 men each year in the UK alone.
Caithness Letting & Property Management will be rebranded in three weeks time as the Northern Property Group. We have a fully qualified estate agent, competitive rates with no advertising fees on our selected websites with advertising throughout the UK and not just in Caithness giving you better market coverage.
A great evening is ahead for the folk who attend this cocktail dinner at Mackays Hotel in Wick on 7th April 2012. .
First Minister unveiled a training boost for Scotland's energy industry Nigg Skills Academy to train thousands for renewables and oil and gas. First Minister Alex Salmond launched an industry-led energy skills academy, established with over £900,000 public funding, to deliver training for thousands of workers across key sectors including oil & gas and renewables.
A multi-agency initiative to protect the most vulnerable members of the Inverness Community from doorstep crime was launched on 22 March 2012 at Trading Standards offices, Harbour Road, Inverness. The joint campaign is the result of a partnership between The Highland Council Trading Standards, Northern Constabulary and NHS Highland.
Phew, what a long week! We've just finished checking every web site link contained within the Caithness Business Index. On top of that, we've added links to every Caithness Business Facebook page, Twitter feed and YouTube video we could find on those web sites.
Weekly update from CNSRP - week commencing 19th March Energy: The Leader of the Highland Council has welcomed this week's publication by the Scottish Affairs Committee of its report on the Crown Estate in Scotland. The Committee took evidence from a wide range of interests, and visited Caithness last year as part of its inquiry.
Tanker grounding once again highlights need for tug cover. Highland Councillor Michael Foxley has expressed his relief that Monday's grounding of the tanker, MV Flinterspirit, off North Uist did not result in a serious environmental incident in which lives were lost.
Partnership agreement breaks new ground for caring services in the Highlands. Today the Board of NHS Highland sealed a ground breaking partnership agreement with the Highland Council.
Partnership agreement seals integration of caring services in the Highlands. Highland Councillors have sealed a ground breaking partnership agreement with NHS Highland to improve outcomes for the people of Highland through the development of integrated services.
SSE plc is today confirming its ongoing commitment to the Highland region with the announcement that 50 new roles will be created at its Highland headquarters in Inverness. The new roles are being created to support SSE's renewable ambitions; its transmission business; and the establishment of a corporate presence in Inverness with a particular focus on continuing to build on its work with communities and stakeholders.
The timetable for the partial reopening of the A 890 Lochcarron - Kyle road at Stromeferry has been slightly amended following the first day's operation. There is a change to the Monday - Friday timetable.
The Leader of The Highland Council is delighted that the Scottish Affairs Committee reviewing the future of the Crown Estate Commissioners has unequivocally endorsed the submission of Highland and Islands local councils that Crown Estate powers should be devolved to local council and local community levels. Councillor Michael Foxley said: "The report is perfect.
