The Chancellor and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury today visited Nigg on the Cromarty Firth, where they announced around £100 million of additional funding for Scottish renewable energy, including marine renewables. This announcement is additional to the existing budget and spending plans of the Scottish Government.
Hundreds of primary and secondary school pupils from the Highlands and Islands will this week take part in an online event designed to encourage young people to make positive decisions around substance misuse. Choices for Life online will be broadcast on Glow, Scotland's intranet for schools, on Monday 14 and Tuesday 15 November and will be available to over 2,600 primary and secondary schools across Scotland.
In order to understand the extent of the problem of Internet delivery charges, The Highland Council's Trading Standards team are looking to gather evidence from Highland consumers and small businesses about any malpractice they have experienced and to trace and tackle those businesses that fall foul of internet trading law. They are launching a web survey from The Highland Council's web site: www.highland.gov.uk/deliverycharges to gauge the experiences of Highland consumers and small businesses about what often seems like excessive delivery charging for goods bought online.
Caithness Members of The Highland Council have pledged to support this year's "DA DOONIE DAY" Viking Festival which will take place in Wick on Friday 25 November. The event, which is run by Thurso Rotary Club, will receive financial support of up to £3,000 from each of the three ward discretionary budgets to assist with the cost of staging the event.
DINGWALL,Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (November, 10th) sold 2,881 store sheep. Lambs (2,106) sold to £82 gross for Texel ewe lamb from Barnyards, Beauly.
High Life Highland, established on the 1st October to deliver Community Learning and Leisure services on behalf of The Highland Council, launches its first Highland-wide community event this month. The 6 week "MOVE IT TO LOSE IT" Christmas Challenge begins on the 14th November at all participating High Life Highland leisure centres.
The Caithness Countryside Volunteers recently turned out in force on Sunday 30 October, tools in hand to tackle the overgrown and wild path to General Patrick Sinclair's Grave, Lybster. The Sinclairs of Lybster have a long history, going back to the Sinclair Earls who ruled Caithness, and played a significant role in the once booming herring fishing village of Lybster.
Almost 100 delegates from voluntary groups, carer support groups, independent care providers, NHS Highland and The Highland Council met last week (2nd November) in Inverness to plan how older people can be better cared for in their communities in the future. The event had been arranged by the Highland Third Sector Partnership, a group of local organisations funded by the Scottish Government to support voluntary activity and volunteering.
Organisers of the Highland's first apple day have heralded the event as a blossoming success that has sown the seed for future annual celebrations. Over 200 people recently attended the inaugural apple day at Inverness Floral Hall on 22 October.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (November, 8th ) sold 70 prime cattle. Prime bullocks (10) averaged 198.4p (-6.5p) and sold to 208p per kg and £1,445.30 gross.
Trading Standards of The Highland Council are praising the vigilence of Highland retailers following a recent test-purchasing exercise in which no sales of fireworks were made to an under-age volunteer. The 15-year-old volunteer attempted to buy rockets when he visited over a third of retailers registered with the local authority to store and sell fireworks.
The Highland Council welcomes award of contract for world's first low-emission hybrid ferries. The Highland Council has welcomed the award of preferred bidder status to Ferguson Shipbuilders, Port Glasgow, for the contract to build the world's first two sea going Roll On Roll Off vehicle and passenger diesel electric hybrid ferries.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts (November, 5th) sold 124 cattle, 344 sheep, 6 goats, 9 ponies, 532 lots of poultry, 7 lots of eggs and 11 lots of poultry equipment at their poultry and rare breeds of livestock sale. Cattle (124) sold to £780 gross for British Shorthorn bull from 38 Sangomore, Durness.
Arts & Business Scotland (A&B Scotland) is celebrating 25 years of successful partnerships sparked between commerce and culture, and at this important milestone the Arts & Business UK Board has agreed to devolve the Scottish operation and set up A&B Scotland as an independent Scottish charity from 1 November 2011. Jane Ryder, until last month Chief Executive of the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, will Chair the new Board.
Business and Enterprise Minister Mark Prisk today called for a more mature relationship between business and regulators. He also talked about the need for a more accountable and transparent system of local regulation and a simpler regulatory landscape.
With the clocks going back and the nights drawing in, Scottish Water is advising communities throughout the Highlands and Islands to beat Bogus Callers by using 3 C's: CARD, CHECK and CALL. * Card - You can ask callers to pass their ID card or letter through the letter box in order to verify their identity.
FOLLOWING a report of an alleged dishonesty in Shetland, Northern Constabulary are reminding householder's about some simple steps that can be taken to prevent opportunity crime in the run up to Christmas. Chief Inspector Angus MacInnes said, "In the run up to Christmas people will have high value items in their house and may well have additional cash in their possession as they prepare to buy presents.
Results of a new YouGov survey for Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) show that the Scottish public have a deep affection for nature. While this is true across Scotland, priorities vary slightly from area to area.
Organisations and community groups across Scotland, who are running projects to do with managing and enjoying nature, are to benefit from a new online grants service. The service, launched this week, is available on the Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) website where customers can apply for a grant and access grant information and advice.
Council seeks contractor for replacement footbridge at Highland beauty spot. The Highland Council is inviting contractors to express their interest in a contract for replacement of the suspension footbridge at Rogie Falls near Contin.