Pat Watters will be the first Chair of the new Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Community Safety Minister Roseanna Cunningham announced today. Mr Watters will work closely with Chief Officer Alasdair Hay to lead and shape the new service.
Vic Emery OBE has been appointed as the first Chair of the new Scottish Police Authority (SPA), Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill announced today. Mr Emery will lead and shape the SPA and hold the new Police Service of Scotland and the Chief Constable to account.
The number of new private sector houses started in 2011-12 showed a 23 per cent increase over the previous year, official statistics confirmed today. 10,732 new homes were started in the year to 31 March 2012 compared to 8,731 made in the year to 31 March 2011.
A system to give drivers up-to-the-minute information to plan their journeys and drive safely has gone live on the A9. This follows work by the A9 Safety Group to look at more ways of improving the safety of the road, building on the wider programme to dual Scotland's longest trunk road between Perth and Inverness.
Annemarie Monteforte from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), said: "The two facilities which the First Minister is opening today are key to building further on the skills and R&D required for the energy supply chain in Caithness and the wider North Highlands. "Through this Thurso campus, UHI and North Highland College now deliver the full range of Higher and Further Education services to provide the skills needed for the sector to flourish.
For many years there has been a trust in Caithness that makes awards to local people for educational purposes. Applications are straighforward and can be made to The area Education Culture and Sport manager.
A new company, dedicated to Careers in Science, Engineering and Technology (SET), has been formed as a result of Gradcracker's decision to launch two additional career websites. Crackergroup will comprise gocracker.com, gradcracker.com and procracker.com.
The charity which runs The Castle of Mey, the Caithness home of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, celebrated the Diamond Jubilee and commemorated the 10th anniversary of HM The Queen Mother's passing by officially opening a new rose garden on Saturday 25th August. The Diamond Jubilee Rose Garden, with flowers all specifically chosen by HRH The Prince Charles, Duke of Rothesay, is situated in the walled garden, which was a favourite place of Her Majesty The Queen Mother and her corgis.
Public agencies in the Highlands are leading the way in reducing carbon emissions from travel by using electric cars and vans for business use. In addition, the electric vehicles are expected to generate significant savings in both running costs when compared to hiring a regular car.
Work to upgrade and modernise Scotland's bull stud farm is now underway. The contract to undertake the building work and upgrade the bull stud facility at Knocknagael Farm, near Inverness, has been awarded to Robertson Construction Ltd.
Two tidal energy and two wave power developers have entered into the race for Scotland's £10 million Saltire Prize as the competition's Grand Challenge phase begins. Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon welcomed senior representatives of the four teams to a Grand Challenge launch event in Orkney, where MeyGen was unveiled as the fourth Saltire Prize competitor, joining Aquamarine Power, Pelamis Wave Power and ScottishPower Renewables.
The Highland Council is to support an option being considered by the Scottish Government to end the right that Council house tenants have to buy their homes. The Council believes that ending the right to buy will help it meet the growing demand for affordable rented accommodation as housing waiting lists grow.
School pupils are being invited to capture 'the power of the sea' in a junior photography competition aimed at highlighting the awesome force and natural resource of the waters around Scotland. Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon launched the competition, being run under the auspices of the Saltire Prize for marine energy technology, as she announced that two tidal energy and two wave power developers are challenging for the main £10 million Prize.
Help is at hand for Caithness businesses to supply The Highland Council. A free event aimed at helping Caithness-based businesses to supply The Highland Council will take place on Wednesday 5 September in Wick.
Farmers in Scotland are being offered free tests for the Schmallenberg virus (SBV) in animals imported from areas where the virus is circulating. The move is a result of a partnership involving the Scottish Government, the National Farmers Union of Scotland (NFUS), Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) and Moredun Research Institute (MRI).
A consultation on new EU rules to protect the welfare of animals at slaughter and killing was today launched by the Scottish Government. Domestic legislation will be introduced in Scotland to enforce and implement the new EU Regulation.
Five marine energy developers will benefit from £7.9 million funding to further develop testing of new wave and tidal prototypes in the seas around Scotland, Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced. The second round of WATERS (Wave & Tidal Energy: Research, Development & Demonstration Support) funding is to enable Scottish developers and supply chain firms to capture an increased share of the growing international marine energy market, which could be worth up to £4 billion to Scotland's economy by 2020.
Safe destruction of the highly hazardous liquid metal left over from the UK's first fast reactor experiment is a crucial part of the site decommissioning programme. DFR was the first fast reactor in the world to provide electricity to a national grid and work to dismantle the fifty year old plant is well underway.
The Highland Council has today (Monday) launched a budget blog on the home page of its web site: www.highland.gov.uk by asking the public if they think it is a good idea to save £3.2 million per year by shortening the school day of Primary 4 - 7 pupils by 30 minutes, bringing their day in line with Primary 1-3 pupils. Class hours for pupils in P 4-7 are currently 25 hours per week.
Energy: I took part in a meeting this week to help develop the marketing plan for the Pentland Firth & Orkney waters, together with colleagues from Orkney Islands Council, HIE and EMEC. As partners build on the recent announcement of Marine Energy Park status for the Pentland Firth/ Orkney waters area and the Enterprise Area status for Scrabster, our discussions focused on ensuring that the message to potential investors remains clear and attractive and that local communities and stakeholders are kept informed of progress.