Scottish Water today 15 Dec 08 revealed the progress being made in Caithness & Sutherland with its 2010 Vision for the Highlands, the £200million campaign of improvements across the region. By 2010 Scottish Water expects to have invested around £20million in Caithness & Sutherland since 2006.
Pupils from across the Highlands and Islands are being encouraged to think green in a Schools Sustainability Competition which is being organised by the Aberdeen Business School at Robert Gordon University. Teams from the Highlands and Islands to Tayside have been invited to devise a policy to encourage behavioural change in some aspect of sustainable practice such as recycling, energy efficiency, fair trade or transportation.
Elections took place for Highland Youth Voice- the Highland's Youth Parliament, last month. Approximately one-hundred young people were elected to represent their schools and local youth forums in the youth parliament.
As a result of two late developments, The Highland Council's Modernising Employment Sub Committee has agreed to postpone the issue of the job evaluation letters, advising of new pay and grading structures, to its 10,000 non-teaching employees. Employees had been advised that letters would be posted today (Friday).
Highland Councillors are being advised that the Council's Administration is making good progress in identifying savings that require to be made to bridge a gap in the budget caused by rising fuel and energy costs, the freeze on Council tax and other pressures. A report to the full council on Thursday 18 December advises councillors how the Council's Administration will manage the budget of four of its seven Services over the next two years.
STORNOWAY, Dingwall & Highland Marts., (December, 11th) sold 27 cattle and 309 sheep of all classes at its Christmas show and sale. The prime cattle champion judged by Mr I.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (December, 10th) sold 1,280 store lambs, breeding and feeding sheep. Lambs (607) averaged £29.70 and sold to £55 gross for Texel crosses from Blargie Farm, Laggan, Newtonmore.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (December, 9th) sold 92 prime cattle. Prime bullocks (36) averaged 162.5p (N/C) and sold to 174p per kg and £1,145.70 gross.
Enterprising solutions are urgently needed if more locally-grown food is to reach local dinner plates, according to delegates at the Highlands and Islands Local Food Network's 3rd annual conference. Some 34 producers from across the Highlands and Islands attended the two-day HILFN event at Loch Insh, Kincraig near Aviemore.
Wick, on the east coast of Caithness, received a major confidence boost this week, following news that a £576,000 funding package (loan and grant) has been secured to install a marina development in the town's harbour. The deal has required complex negotiations between the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) which is providing the vital funding conduit.
NFU Scotland and the Northern Constabulary have worked together to launch a new initiative "The Caithness & Sutherland Farm Watch Scheme", and details of this scheme have already been circulated to NFU Scotland members in the area. If you have not received any information, or you are not a member of NFU Scotland, then please may I take this opportunity to introduce it to you.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) today announced some newly available initiatives, with others soon to be put in place, to help the region's businesses through the current economic difficulties. Chair Willy Roe explained: "The economic situation is extremely challenging and businesses in the region are facing very difficult times.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (December, 3rd) sold 212 weaned calves and store cattle, 93 adult head of breeding cattle, and 113 OTM cattle. Bullocks (100) averaged 158.4p and sold to 193p per kg and £660 gross.
On Monday 1st December 2008 Caithness Horizons reopened the magnificently restored Thurso Town Hall and Carnegie Library to the public. The new museum and community facility has not only captured the past and brought it to life through displays and interpretation, it also provides a real flavour of Caithness today to tempt visitors to find out more about this diverse county.
Mey Selections won the Best Retail Initiative award last week at the NEC in Birmingham. The award, given by Radio 4's food and farming programme is seen as the Oscar of the food and farming world and it acknowledges Mey Selections outstanding achievement with customers on a national scale.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (December, 2nd) sold 77 prime cattle. Prime bullocks (40) averaged 162.5p (-15.7p) and sold to 171p per kg and £1,164.40 gross.
Monday 1 December is a significant date in the local calendar, as it marks the reopening of the Thurso Town Hall and Carnegie Library. Magnificently restored, it now houses Caithness Horizons, an outstanding new museum and community facility for Scotland's most northerly county.
An 11-week period of public consultation begins on Monday 1 December to agree a development masterplan for the Nigg oil complex, Easter Ross. The public has until 16 February, next year, to have their say on options for the future of the site as a multi-user facility.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (November, 27th) sold 2,292 store lambs, breeding and feeding sheep. Lambs (1,482) averaged £30.26 and sold to £51 gross for Crosses from Shop Farm, Scotscalder, Thurso.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has developed, with Government, a 10-point Plan to support economic activity during the current difficulties. The aim is to help the economy whilst also protecting the environment and the health and well being of communities across Scotland.
