The Highland Council's Education Culture and Sport Committee has agreed that the initial phase of the strategic review of the entire Council school estate will examine the Associated School Groupings for Wick High School and Thurso High School. A pilot review has already been carried out in the Lochaber area.
The first council houses to be built in the Highlands since1996 are now completed and tenants have moved in to start the New Year in their new homes. As part of a £12.8m project supported by grant funding from the Scottish Government, the 9 houses in Tain and the 13 in Invergordon are the first of 107 mainstream homes that will be built by The Highland Council across the Highlands over the coming year.
Zero Waste Scotland announce sale of 250,000 compost bins in Scotland Zero Waste Scotland has announced that 250,000 subsidised compost bins have been sold through its Compost at Home campaign since it launched in 2004. Over 27,000 of these bins have been distributed to householders in the Highlands.
The calling of the election for five community representatives to serve on the board of the Cairngorms National Park Authority begins on Wednesday 19 January 2011 with a mail drop to all households within the park boundary. One community member will represent each of the five Wards within the expanded park area, which stretches to 4,528 sq km and represents 17,000 people.
A report being presented to The Highland Council's Education Culture and Sport Committee on Thursday 13 January proposes that the initial phase of the strategic review of the entire Council school estate should feature the Associated School Groupings for Wick High School and Thurso High School. Highland Councillors are being recommended to begin the review by focusing on the 11 primary schools which feed into Wick High School and the 7 primary schools associated to Thurso High School.
The Highland Council has reassured the public that it has sufficient salt supplies to cope with a return of wintry conditions over the next week. Repeated treatments are required by the Council's gritting fleet as the Highlands experience a mixture of rain, sleet and snow, with ice forming and melting again on a regular basis in freezing conditions.
£10.3m fund offers increased opportunity to promote community carbon reduction The Scottish Government's innovative and popular Climate Challenge Fund (CCF) has been extended and as of this week is open to applications for the 2011/2012 round. Already the CCF scheme has invested 27.4 million pounds in 331 community projects between in 2008 and 2011 helping reduce carbon emissions by an estimated 696,212 tonnes - the equivalent of taking 225,000 cars off Scotland's roads.
Scottish Water is appealing to businesses and homeowners to check properties left empty during the festive holiday for burst or leaking pipes. Scottish Water is continuing to tackle burst pipes and leaks across the country to help ensure normal water supplies are maintained.
DINGWALL, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., (December, 28th) sold 61 prime cattle. Prime bullocks (31) averaged 172.5p (+1.1p) and sold to 183p per kg and £1,311.40 gross.
Noel Donaldson reports - THE Wick registrars office where births, deaths and marriages have been recorded, for several decades, is on the move...back to its original home in the Market Square. The transfer was revealed at this month's meeting of the Royal Burgh of Wick Community Council, by area manager, David Sutherland after councillors had heard a letter from registrar, Margaret Woods, and her assistant, Jennifer Gunn.
THE CROWN ESTATE REAPPOINTS CHRIS BARTRAM, AND APPOINTS DIPESH SHAH OBE AND ANTHONY WHITE AS NON-EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS The Crown Estate has announced yesterday, 22 December 2010, the re-appointment of Chris Bartram and the appointment of Dipesh Shah and Anthony White as Non-Executive Board Members. Chris Bartram, who has held the appointment as Crown Estate Board Member for four years has been reappointed for a further four year term with effect from 1 January 2011.
Water quality engineering firm Panton McLeod has completed another high profile cleaning project that will keep drinking water supplies at their purest levels in the Highlands. The firm - which is the UK's leading expert in cleaning, repairing and inspecting structures used to store drinking water - successfully cleaned one of the main storage tanks at a water treatment works in Caithness in order to maintain purity levels for customers in the region.
The Highland Council is taking a range of necessary measures to safeguard services and essential supplies, should the severe weather continue over the holiday period. These measures take account of the advice provided by the Scottish Government, and the unprecedented early severe weather that has been experienced in recent weeks, which may continue.
Scottish Affairs Committee Announces New Inquiry The Scottish Affairs Committee has agreed to conduct an inquiry on: Supporting Scotland's Economy This inquiry will examine the current economic situation in Scotland and the role of the UK Government, Scottish Government, other agencies and the banks in supporting Scotland's economy. Terms of reference The Committee will be looking at: * The current economic situation in Scotland, including: current levels of employment in both the public and private sectors, and predictions for future employment patterns; * the role of the UK Government in supporting small business, creating jobs and promoting growth in the private sector in Scotland; * the current levels of inward investment and exports; * the role and effectiveness of Government agencies in promoting Scotland as a location for overseas investors; * the role and effectiveness of Government agencies in supporting businesses in Scotland to increase their exports; * co-operation between the UK Government and the Scottish Government in supporting the economy in Scotland; * co-ordination between the Scotland Office and UK Government departments in supporting the economy in Scotland; * the role of UK banks in providing finance and support for businesses in Scotland.
Highland Council leader, Michael Foxley supports joint taskforce in opposition to Stornoway coastguard cuts. The Highland Council is proposing the establishment of a joint lobby group to respond to the UK government plans to close Stornoway coastguard station.
Ignis Energy Ltd has been invited by The Highland Council to be its Preferred Bidder to take over the district heating scheme - Caithness Heat and Power Ltd. The Board of Caithness Heat and Power Ltd (CHAP) has written to 260 householders who receive their heat and hot water through CHAP informing them of plans to work with the Council and Ignis aiming to agree a contract by 31 March 2011.
Due to the continuing severe winter conditions, there have been disruptions to waste and recycling collections in some Highland Council areas. This is especially so in remote areas or where roads have considerable inclines and also cul-de-sacs with restricted access.
Weeks commencing 13th & 20th December The Partnership's Executive Board met last week, and discussed the draft 2011-2014 Caithness & North Sutherland Action Plan. I will be making revisions to the Plan based on our discussions, and circulating a revised version aimed at honing down even further our priority activities.
The Gaelic-language service BBC ALBA will be available to viewers in Scotland on Freeview, following approval by the BBC Trust on Tuesday 21st December 2010, as part of a review of the service. The review looked at how well the channel is serving Gaelic speakers, how well it is attracting new and non-speakers, and how it should be made available to audiences in the future.
This article from the Scotts Contracting web site in the United States caught our eye as it refers to the Caithness Flat Project. It also may suggest that the United States is now heavily committing to wind farm projects rather than withdrawing.