Nine members of North Highland Young Engineers recently made the 1500 mile round trip to compete in the Grand Final of the Greenpower Challenge at Goodwood circuit in West Sussex. The Greenpower Challenge is a rapidly growing competition in which young engineers design, build, then race electric cars; with the top teams producing cars that are amongst the most efficient vehicles to be found anywhere in the world.
Up to 10,000 extra Scottish households will be given free help to cut their energy bills this winter, Nicola Sturgeon said today. The Deputy First Minister has allocated a further £6 million to install vital energy efficiency measures, such as loft and cavity insulation into Scottish homes.
Tourism Minister Fergus Ewing has today visited one of the thousands of Highland businesses hoping to benefit from the Year of Natural Scotland in 2013. Mr Ewing toured The Scottish Dolphin Centre in Moray where visitors have some of the best land based opportunities in the world to see dolphins in their natural habitat.
Northern Constabulary take part in ACPOS led campaign to keep us moving this winter. Northern Constabulary will be working closely with Scottish Government, road operating companies and other transport providers to ensure that the Highlands and Islands keeps moving throughout the winter.
A networking event at Moray Arts Centre on Friday 2 November aims to bring together cultural organisations from across the Highlands and Islands to meet with Creative support organisations working across Scotland. The HISEZ Cultural Networking lunch, organized in conjunction with Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), is open to any creative Social Enterprise keen to hear from the extensive range of speakers.
Talks in London during the past week aiming to secure a 2013 Coastal States mackerel agreement have failed to bring about a new international agreement. Following the repeated failure in recent years of annual negotiations between the EU, Norway, Iceland and the Faroe Islands to achieve an international mackerel fishing deal, negotiations for a 2013 deal took place this week, with the aim of finally putting in place a four-party agreement.
AmbITion Scotland is delighted to launch the winter training series, offered FREE for those in the cultural sector in return for a fully refundable deposit. Join us on Wednesdays in November and December to learn about: Search Engine Optimisation (beginner/intermediate) 7 Nov, ½ day Recent research from Culture Sparks and Culture24 has shown that the majority of traffic to organisations websites is driven by search.
Scotland's Chief Statistician today published Non-Domestic Rates Relief Statistics for Small Businesses in Scotland 2012. The publication provides statistics on the Small Business Bonus Scheme, (which provides non-domestic business rates relief for small businesses in Scotland), including number of recipients and the amount of relief received.
Helping Social Enterprises grow and develop across the Highlands & Islands. Highlands and Islands Social Enterprise Zone (HISEZ) delivers support for new start and established Social Enterprises from across the Highlands and Islands.
Starter for 6 is Scotland's premier start-up and investment programme for creative industry entrepreneurs. The Inverness Road Show is an opportunity to come and meet a member of the team from Starter for 6, to hear about the programme and discuss the application process and the criteria for selection.
Just Enterprise are pleased to announce their 2 day "Finance for Practitioners" course in central Inverness during November 2012. Specifically developed for a third sector audience, this 2-day course is designed around practical financial solutions that can be employed in your organisation.
More and more people in the third sector are seeing social enterprise as a way forward. Taking a day or two out of your work routine to think about social enterprise and learn from your peers and practitioners is a great way of developing ideas.
The Highland Council has completed a comprehensive risk assessment of wind turbines located in school grounds which confirms safe operation and gives the go ahead for the turbines, which have proved effective, to restart soon. It believes it has broken new ground in assessing and managing the risks associated with wind turbines in schools following a detailed review of school locations by independent consultants Building Research Establishment (BRE).
Finance Secretary John Swinney today outlined the Scottish Government plans for a replacement tax relating to the disposal of waste to landfill including proposals for communities in Scotland to benefit more from Landfill tax than elsewhere in the UK. The passage of the Scotland Act 2012 means that from April 2015 the Scottish Parliament will be empowered to introduce and manage taxes on the disposal of waste to landfill along with the purchase or leasing of land and buildings.
Serco NorthLink Ferries has opened bookings for its services linking Orkney and Shetland with the mainland in 2013. As previously announced Serco's contract with the Scottish Government will next year see some changes to the Pentland Firth timetable.
Aon Hewitt, the global human resource solutions business of Aon plc (NSYE:AON), has today announced the acquisition, for an undisclosed amount, of Babcock International Group plc's Pensions Administration Office (PAO) at Brims House, Forss, in Caithness, Scotland. The PAO is an established provider of high quality pensions administration services.
Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead saw a little bit of history being made during a recent visit to Wick's Pulteney Distillery. A 40 year old single malt has been launched by the distillery - the oldest whisky the company has ever released.
The latest topic for discussion on The Highland Council's budget consultation blog asks the public for ideas on the recycling and disposal of waste. The questions are posed by Councillor Dave Fallows, Chairman of the Council's Finance Resources and Housing Committee, who is encouraging comment on his budget blog on proposals to deliver Council services more efficiently and effectively.
Issued by the Highlands and Islands Strategic Co-ordinating Group. Members of the Highlands and Islands Strategic Co-ordinating Group (HISCG) are directly involving the public for the first time in their preparations for winter.
The first members of the new Scottish Police Authority (SPA) were announced today by Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill. The SPA, which will go live on April 1, 2013, will support the Chief Constable and the new Police Service of Scotland as well as holding them to account.