Skills Development Scotland - Exam Results Helpline. Young people from the Highlands' schools and colleges will be among 160,000 students in Scotland who will get their exam results on Tuesday, 7th August 2012.
With the rollout of superfast broadband across the Highlands and Islands looking set to begin next year, the region's development agency is launching a public consultation on current levels of service. Highlands and Islands Enterprise is asking broadband providers to confirm any plans they may have to upgrade to superfast, and seeking information from local people and businesses about the quality of their current service.
Scotland is building five times as many council houses than the UK Government, official statistics reveal. Last year, council housing building amounted to 19.4 homes per 100,000 population compared with 3.5 homes per 100,000 in England.
Deadline extended for local contractors to apply for construction works opportunities with Highland Council. Local contractors in the Highlands have been given an extra week within which to apply to The Highland Council to join its new Contractors Framework Agreement.
Rural communities to benefit from increase in Empty Homes Loan Fund. More affordable homes are expected to be created in Scotland's rural communities with the launch today of the Scottish Government's Empty Homes Loan Fund.
The Highland Council is gearing up to play its part in the latest big event to take place in the area - the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open - to be played at the Castle Stuart Golf Links, near Inverness, from Thursday 12 July until Sunday 15 July. The Council has been working closely with the European Tour, the owners of the golf links, the police, Stagecoach, HIE and Event Scotland to ensure that the organisation of the event runs smoothly.
With many people facing increasing challenges in finding jobs and career opportunities The Highland Council, in partnership with the European Social Fund, has taken positive steps to help by launching an Employment Grants Scheme that will encourage and support businesses in the creation of additional posts for unemployed people. Targeted at small and medium sized businesses employing fewer than 250 people, a wage subsidy of up to £150 per week is available for 6 months to create additional and permanent posts.
As part of a wider commitment to promoting youth employment, The Highland Council, with support from Europe, has launched a project which aims to be a springboard to full-time employment or future study or training for young people who have difficulty in securing work. The Youth Trainee Project has funding of £440,000 until March 2014 to provide 66 young people (16-24 years) with 6 months of paid work placements within Council Services.
Scotland's Biodiversity strategy is set for a refresh to ensure it meets with new international requirements. Environment Minister Stewart Stevenson launched the consultation last Friday during a visit to the Linn of Dee as part of his three day visit to the Cairngorms National Park.
Scotland's Chief Statistician 0n 5th July 2012 published statistics on Local Area Labour Markets in Scotland from the Annual Population Survey (APS). This publication presents annual estimates for a wide range of labour market indicators across local authority areas in Scotland.
Education Secretary Michael Russell has appointed the Chief Scientific Adviser Professor Muffy Calder to convene an ICT Excellence Group to consider the future development of the schools' intranet 'Glow'. The new ICT excellence group will draw on the experience and expertise of end-users, and educational technology experts to scope the long-term user-centred future of Glow.
If a voluntary agreement cannot be reached to tackle plummeting milk prices then the option of legislation should be explored according Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead in a letter to DEFRA Agriculture Minister Jim Paice. The letter, which follows another round of price cuts imposed on Scotland's hard pressed milk producers, comes ahead of a meeting between Mr Paice and milk industry representatives on Wednesday, which will also be attended by Scotland's Chief Agricultural Officer Drew Sloan.
UK Government underspend of £6.7 billion last year should be used to grow the economy, the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Secretary said today. New statistics published by HM Treasury show that UK Government departmental spending was £6.7 billion lower than planned in the year to March.
Week ended 2 July 2012 This is a short message to update you on activities relating to the Caithness & North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership. Energy: The Marine Energy Group, which is co-chaired by Scottish Government and industry body Scottish Renewables, has published its Marine Action Plan, which updates on progress since the launch of the Marine Energy Roadmap in 2009 and highlights ongoing activities required of governments, agencies and private sector in five key areas to further development the marine energy industry.
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority says significant acceleration in the clean-up and shutdown of Dounreay will bring real value to the taxpayer who funds the work. Its chief executive John Clarke, writing in the organisation's annual report published today, says the award of the site closure contract earlier this year was a milestone in the NDA's mission to clean up the UK's nuclear legacy and bring down the cost.
Figures released by The Highland Council to coincide with National Recycle Week show that the new refuse and recycling service introduced in Caithness in April 2011 has been a great success. This saw the introduction of a fortnightly refuse collection alternating with a fortnightly mixed recycling collection for paper, cardboard, food tins, drink cans and plastic bottles.
Following a huge £6 million regeneration project of the area, luxury self-catering experts Natural Retreats are delighted to announce the opening of 23 standalone Residences, plus a brand new Outfitters activity service and co-operative Storehouse in the stunning wilderness of John O'Groats opening this August. With British patriotism at an all-time high and such a unique natural environment waiting to be discovered right here on our door-step, there's never been a better time to holiday at home in the UK.
Serco Sets Sail - NorthLink Ferries Service Handover Complete Today, Thursday 5 July 2012, at 3pm Serco NorthLink Ferries officially began operating the Scottish Government contract for ferry services from the Scottish mainland to the Orkney Islands and the Shetland Islands. In Caithness the ferry "Hamnavoe" sets sail from Scrabster each day and gives great views of the west of Orkney including the Old Man Of Hoy.
Giant Hogweed is an impressive plant from the Caucasus region of far eastern Europe which can grow up to 12 feet tall and can have a flower head up to a foot across. These impressive statistics made it a plant that was sought after for Victorian estate gardens.
The Shard opens to visitors: first tickets for 'The View from The Shard' go on sale 6 July 2012. Will you be the first Caithness person to go up to the visitors gallery?.