South West Inverness Flood Relief Channel - Fourth and Final Phase Highland Councillors have given the go ahead for the fourth and final phase of a £16 million scheme to protect 600 houses, which are at risk of flooding on the south side of Inverness. The final phase of the South-West Inverness flood relief channel lies between Old town of Leys and the Alt na Skiah Burn to the south of Fairways Golf course.
Entrepreneurs from across Ross and Cromarty will be able to tap into the knowledge of an Internet wizard and a business expert when Business Gateway takes a stall at this year's Black Isle Gathering and A Grand Day Out which is being part financed by the Scottish Government and the European Community Highland LEADER 2007-2013 Programme with support from The Highland Council. It is the first time that the local office of Scotland's national business advisory service will be present at the gathering which takes place on Saturday September 24th at Fortrose Academy.
Councillor Thomas Prag, Inverness South, has been elected as a Director of the Board of High Life Highland, the new arms length company which will deliver community learning and leisure services on behalf of the Council from 1 October. Councillor Prag replaces Councillor David Fallows, Badenoch and Strathspey, who resigned his membership due to a conflict of interest with his role as Chairman of the Council's Audit and Standards Committee.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highlands Marts Ltd, (September, 12th) sold 4,216 ewe lambs and gimmers at the Highland Mule Breeders Association annual show and sale. The gimmer judge, Mr J.
Natural Retreats begins development work to transform and revitalise John O'Groats Following a £1.8 million funding boost from Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Natural Retreats in partnership with Heritage Great Britain, have started work on redeveloping the historic hotel and adjacent land in an ambitious plan to rejuvenate John O'Groats as a premium tourist destination. This event marks the start of the first phase of work for this unique development that includes the creation of a number of luxurious apartments and stand alone holiday residences, using environmentally sustainable construction methods and cutting-edge design.
The Highland Council is to constructively engage with the Scottish Government as a matter of urgency to ensure that a single police service and a single fire service in Scotland reflects the distinctive needs of the Highlands. Councillors are eager to protect staffing levels in local communities.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (September, 9th) sold 7,187 store lambs including 1,896 from Lewis Livestock Producers. Cheviot wedder lambs (1,541) averaged £44.60 and sold to £69 gross from Park Farm, Strathpeffer (Mrs R Mackenzie).
First Minister Alex Salmond has announced that the Scottish Government will bring forward legislation to establish a single service for police and a single service for fire and rescue. In response, Councillor Ian Ross, Vice-Convener of the Northern Joint Police Board, said: "The Northern Joint Police Board presented a well argued case for a regional Police solution as part of the consultation process, but we must now respect the Scottish Government's right to take forward a single force structure in Scotland.
The Highland Council has appointed a new Depute Chief Executive. He is Steve Barron, the Council's Director of Housing and Property.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (September, 8th) sold 13,338 store lambs sponsored by Agri-Lloyd. Cheviot lambs (12,682) averaged £48.61 and sold to £85 gross for A pen of Cheviot ewe lambs from the Isle of Pabbay.
From Eann Sinclair, Programme Manager Week commencing 29th August: Energy: I met this week with representatives of Energy Hunt, the Caithness-based company that has recently won the contract to maintain the Met Mast being installed as part of the proposed Moray Offshore Renewables Ltd offshore wind site off the Caithness coast. Energy Hunt is also working for Scottish Power Renewables facilitating community engagement related to its tidal site at the Ness of Duncansby.
Pure, which is a UK based carbon offset charity, has announced that charities, community groups and not-for-profit organisations that are interested in installing renewable energy systems on their premises can apply for cost effective loan financing. The PURE Community Energy Fund provides low-interest loans (currently 4% APR) for smallscale renewable energy projects.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (September, 6th) sold 59 prime cattle. Prime bullocks (23) averaged 192.5p (+2.4p) and sold to 206p per kg and £1,298.80 gross.
VILLAGE SOS COMPETITION Village SOS has announced that the next funding round of the Village SOS Competition opened for entry on the 24th August 2011. A total of £5.3 million in funding will be available to support the setting up of 250 community businesses with awards of between £10,000 and £30,000.
The Emergency Towing Vessel (ETV) Task Group met in Inverness on Friday 2 September to agree urgent action to convince the UK Government to extend the contract for the 2 ETVs in the Highlands and Islands for 6 months. The current contract for the ETVs runs out in only 4 weeks time.
Seven food and drink producers from across the Highlands and Islands are preparing to take their places at one of the biggest exhibitions of the year this weekend Scotland Food and Drink are running the Scottish Pavilion at the Speciality and Fine Food Fair at London's Olympia Exhibition Centre from 4-6 September. The North's businesses will be amongst those displaying their products within the themed 'Scotland Land of Food and Drink' area, showcasing some of the country's wonderful natural larder products and fantastic producers.
Dingwall is to become home to an emergency response team which will provide round the clock help to people over 500 miles away. Internationally renowned outsourcing firm Vertex, which has bases in both Dingwall and Forres, is expanding its Ross-shire based contract with Westminster City Council to provide 24 hour services for social services and its environmental action line.
Throughout September, Skills Development Scotland advisers will be carrying out the School Leaver Destination follow up. Throughout September, Skills Development Scotland advisers will be carrying out the School Leaver Destination follow up.
A new company has been established to distribute £4m funding from the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) for community projects in the Dounreay travel to work area. The Community Benefit Fund has been provided in association with the construction of a low level waste facility soon to be built at Dounreay.
The latest batch of Dounreay's newly qualified skilled workers were encouraged to make the most of the exciting opportunities and challenges ahead. Giving her keynote speech at the annual prize giving ceremony on Friday, Lord Lieutenant of Caithness, Anne Dunnett, talked about her own ambitions to succeed as a solicitor when she too completed her apprenticeship against the odds.