lmost 3,000 people from Highland signed up to tackle nations litter problem - will you join them? A campaign to support communities in their effort to tackle litter - one of the most commonly perceived problems affecting Scottish neighbourhoods and communities - gets underway this weekend. Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment Richard Lochhead praised the efforts of almost 3,000 people from Highland who have already committed to taking part in the National Spring Clean, which runs from 1 April to 31 May, as he launched it at Portobello near Edinburgh (Thursday 29 March).
Nominations Closed Thursday 29th March. 5 pm Wednesday 18 April: Deadline for receipt of new requests to vote by post or postal proxy, or to change or cancel an existing postal or proxy vote arrangement 5 pm Wednesday 25 April: Deadline for new applications to vote by proxy (not postal proxy) except for medical emergencies.
The Highland Council has warmly welcomed today's news that global investment management group, Aberdeen Asset Management plc is the new title sponsor of the Scottish Golf Open, being held at Castle Stuart, near Inverness, between 12-15 July 2012. The Convener of the Highland Council, Councillor Sandy Park was at Edinburgh Castle for the announcement by European Tour Chief Executive George O'Grady CBE, Aberdeen Asset Management Chief Executive Martin Gilbert and the Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP, Scotland's First Minister.
New deer management rules coming into effect this weekend (1 April) will give more protection to Scotland's wild deer, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has advised. Changes to the Deer Scotland Act (1996) mean deer can no longer be culled during the close season without authorisation from SNH.
Week commencing 26th March Energy: Understanding and responding to the skills required to support jobs in the energy sector was the subject of a meeting this week. Organised by Skills Development Scotland, the event brought together representatives from public sector bodies (SDS, JobCentre Plus, Highland Council, HIE, SQA) to hear from key energy/ power sector employers (Scottish & Southern Energy, Global Energy Group) and sector skills councils EU Skills (energy & utilities sectors) and OPITO (oil & gas).
More than 80 developers, consultants and planners involved in windfarm development will gather in Battleby, near Perth on Tuesday (3 April 2012) to share information on assessing the impacts of windfarms on birds. The event is part of the themed Sharing Good Practice programme organised by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) in partnership with the Scottish Windfarm Bird Steering Group (see Notes).
Following the publication of the nominations for the Highland Council elections the Independent Group are delighted to see 54 individuals standing as independents. The present Independent Councillors have been working together and have produced a Charter of priorities and aims for the group in the next Council.
THE SENTENCING of Louis MacLean earlier this week (26 March 2012) at the High Court in Edinburgh is the culmination of a long term covert drugs investigation by Northern Constabulary, called Operation Asteroid. Louis MacLean was sentenced to four years and nine months for supplying Cocaine.
Homecoming Scotland 2014 will welcome visitors from around the world to join the inspirational year-long celebration. A £3miliion event fund has been announced for Homecoming Scotland 2014.
A multi-agency initiative to protect the most vulnerable members of the Inverness Community from doorstep crime was launched recently at Trading Standards offices, Harbour Road, Inverness. The joint campaign is the result of a partnership between Highland Council Trading Standards, Northern Constabulary and NHS Highland.
Business Gateway Highland has created two new services for businesses in the Highlands with the aim of creating new jobs and helping businesses to grow. One of the new services offered by Business Gateway Highland will help create new jobs in some of the region's most remote, rural areas.
Scotland's food and drink industry is continuing to boom, with all-time high exports of £5.4 billion last year, underpinned by strong performance from the whisky industry. The full-year figures for the food and drink exports reveal that industry growth has exceeded all expectations - with the target to increase exports to £5.1 billion by 2017 surpassed six years early.
Force detection rate at record level and one of the highest in the UK. Northern Constabulary can reveal that its detection rate for the first 11 months of the current financial year is the highest ever achieved by the Force and one of the highest in the UK.
The First Minister today announced that the Scottish Government has successfully delivered its commitment to support 25,000 new apprenticeship starts in 2011/12. This is a record number of new Modern Apprenticeships starts in a single year and confirms delivery of the first year of the commitment to provide 25,000 apprenticeship opportunities in each year of the current Parliament.
The £23.7 million Coastal Communities Fund is supporting the development of coastal areas, promoting sustainable economic growth and jobs, so that people are better able to respond to changing economic needs and opportunities. The Fund is UK-wide, however, different levels of funding have been allocated to England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland on the basis of revenue generated, as detailed below.
A Scotland led large-scale safety study into some of the most widely used medicines has reached a significant milestone by recruiting its 6,000th patient volunteer. The SCOT study is comparing the safety of commonly prescribed, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which include ibuprofen (Brufen®) and diclofenac (Voltarol®).
Scotland's Chief Statistician this week released information on Gross Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD) Scotland 2010. The publication includes the latest statistics to 2010 on Gross Expenditure on R&D (GERD), which comprises that undertaken by business, higher education and government sectors.
From mid April, VisitScotland will be contacting business customers to renew their marketing opportunities for the coming year. If you are an existing customer, you will be contacted by email, letter or by your Quality and Tourism Advisor to make you aware of the products and services which are now due for renewal.
The Year of Creative Scotland 2012 celebrates Scotland's cultural and creative vibrancy and provides a special opportunity for us all to work together to promote Scotland's cultural and creative uniqueness. VisitScotland has developed a toolkit to help businesses promote and capitalise on the opportunities this themed year offers - you can access the toolkit at www.visitscotland.org/yearofcreativescotland-toolkit.
Retailers in Caithness and Sutherland are being issued with guidance on the sale of solvents following an increase in the number of solvent abuse cases being reported among young people in the north. The Highland Council's Trading Standards campaign follows concerns raised by NHS Highland Youth Action Service and the Caithness and Sutherland Drug and Alcohol forums to an issue of solvent misuse reported in the area.