Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) is taking the first steps towards implementing a transformational project which will deliver access to superfast broadband for homes and businesses across the Highlands and Islands over the next few years. The agency, working in partnership on the project with the UK Government Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK), the Scottish Government and local authorities, has launched a procurement process to appoint a suitably experienced partner to co-invest in the provision of Next Generation Broadband (NGB) services throughout the region.
Homes of early Caithness fishermen saved A fundraising appeal to raise £600,000 to save a row of early fishermen's dwellings has been completed. The Landmark Trust, the building preservation charity behind the project, will now begin to restore the Shore Cottages at Berriedale, Caithness in order to give them a secure, new future.
The iconic John O'Groats hotel is set to have one final moment of glory before work begins to redevelop it as part of the regeneration of the well known tourist location later this year. It will form the centre piece of 'Transform', a weekend of community celebration at the start of July at John O'Groats featuring street art, video projections, ceramic firings, story-telling, and music.
The Highland Council has welcomed the high level of interest from members of the public applying for positions of directors of the board of High Life Highland, the new arms length company which will deliver community learning and leisure services on behalf of the Council. When the deadline closed on Friday 3 June, the Council had received 35 applications.
Employers in the Highlands are being encouraged to take on people with barriers to getting in to work through assistance from Skills Development Scotland (SDS). The Employer Recruitment Incentive (ERI) is delivered by SDS - Scotland's skills body - and offers businesses up to £2000 when they employ someone who has been out of work for some time or faced barriers in the past.
HIGHLAND Council's Independent Group held discussions aimed at removing the threat to classroom assistants. The main independent grouping are in coalition with the Lib Dems and Labour.
Council to consider impact of proposed moratorium on rural primary school closures The Highland Council is seeking a meeting with Scottish Cabinet Secretary, Mike Russell, to discuss his request that Scottish councils place a one-year moratorium on rural school closures. The Highland Council is currently reviewing its entire school estate with a view to maximising the educational benefit of all Highland pupils.
The Highland Council is seeking to fill three panel vacancies on the Social Work Complaints Review Committee, which gives impartial consideration to complaints raised by clients of the Social Work Service, their carers or representatives. Complaints may relate to assessments, to their outcomes or to the delivery of Social Work Services.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has launched an initiative which will call on high profile leaders to promote the advantages of doing business in Caithness and North Sutherland. A number of top executives working across the UK, who already have business or personal connections with the area, have pledged their support as ambassadors to encourage new inward investment opportunities.
Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch whisky is delighted to announce that its annual charity event, The Old Pulteney Prohibition Ball, raised over £4,600 for the local RNLI Station in Wick, Caithness. The ball, which took place on Friday, 27th May 2011, commemorates the repeal of Prohibition in Wick and was held for the fifth time after its inauguration in 2007.
A9 Kessock Bridge - Essential Bridge Joint Repairs Works start Sunday 19th June 2011 for 8 days The works involve essential major repairs to the north expansion joint on both carriageways of the Kessock Bridge and remedial works to the bridge deck surfacing. The works will start on Sunday 19th June 2011, for 8 days utilising a 24 hour contra flow working with a 30mph speed restriction.
If you want to lose weight in a controlled way. Maybe the Cambridge diet is for you.
Pioneering agreements between Highland Council and Historic Scotland paves the way for improved service delivery Following a successful pilot project, the Highland Council is to apply to Historic Scotland for the Removal of Duty to Notify for certain types of category B listed building consent applications. Previously applications for listed building consent for category A and B listed buildings had been formally notified to Historic Scotland who then had an opportunity to review and call in for determination if they disagreed with the council's decision.
'EMPLOYER NETWORKING' event . .
The Highland Council's Transport Environmental and Community Services Committee has confirmed a new scale of maximum taxi fares in the Highlands. If there are no appeals against the decision, the increases will take effect from Monday 27 June.
Members of the Halkirk Primary Eco-school committee together with P5 and P6 children, staff, the Highland Council Countryside rangers and local volunteers undertook a litter pick around the school grounds and Halkirk Village on Tuesday 17 May. Several plastic bags of litter were filled by everyone as part of the Keep Scotland Tidy Group's 'National Spring Clean' event.
Students at schools throughout the Highlands will have the chance to meet JLS or Olly Murs on Saturday 2 July by entering the "Your Choice to Healthy Living" competition. The X-Factor runners up will be playing at the Ross County Football Club, Victoria Stadium, in Dingwall this summer, with tickets still available.
Councillors praise Highland residents for success of new refuse and recycling collections The Highland Council says that the transition to the new refuse and recycling collection service introduced to Caithness, Lochaber and Skye at the beginning of April has run very smoothly, thanks in large part to the positive attitude of householders. The changes have seen the introduction to all residents of Skye and Lochalsh, Caithness and Lochaber of a fortnightly recycling collection for paper, cardboard, food tins, drink cans and plastic bottles, alternating with a fortnightly refuse collection.
In order to provide a better service to the businesses in Caithness we have upgraded our business listings. Businesses in Caithness are now able to add more contact information to their listing helping their customers reach the right person for their enquiry.
Highland Councillors have agreed to consult with tenants, residents and social landlords over a proposal to extend Highland's pressured area status from five years to the new maximum period of 10 years to ensure that social rented houses are available to rent in the future. The outcome of the consultation will be reported to the next meeting of the Council's Housing and Social Work Committee on Wednesday 10 August.
