News Archive

31/5/2025

A summer payment to around 90,000 carers

Around 90,000 carers are set to receive Carer's Allowance Supplement this June - an additional payment of £293.50.   The payment is extra money for people who receive Carer Support Payment or Carer's Allowance on a particular date.  

31/5/2025

Government completes exit from NatWest - Final share sale ends nearly 17 years of public ownership

Final share sale ends nearly 17 years of public ownership Millions of savers and businesses protected during the financial crisis Taxpayers prioritised through value-for-money sales at market price since this government came to office The government has sold its remaining shares in NatWest Group (formerly Royal Bank of Scotland, RBS) — ending public ownership that began when it stepped in to protect millions of savers and businesses during the financial crisis.   That intervention prevented the UK economy and financial system from going over the edge - protecting millions of savers, businesses and jobs.  

31/5/2025

 
FURIOUS India SMACKS DOWN Trump who NEVER SAW IT COMING

MeidasTouch host Ben Meiselas reports on how pissed off India is at Donald Trump and they are now mocking him for being pathetic and weak.  .  

31/5/2025

 
Report indicates £100bn potential of ‘transformational' projects

ekosgen, part of GC Insight, was commissioned by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) on behalf of the Highlands and Islands Regional Economic Partnership (HIREP) to undertake research to better understand the breadth of economic opportunities across the Highlands and Islands.   The dual purpose of the study is to better understand the breadth of economic opportunities with the greatest potential to bring transformational change to the region's economy and society.  

31/5/2025

 
Is Buy To Let Really Over in 2025?

Plenty to think about before letting..  

30/5/2025

ScotRail confirms travel plan during Far North Line improvement works - Bus replacements but see the WARNING

ScotRail is urging customers to plan ahead as essential improvement works are set to take place on the Far North Line this June 2025.   Network Rail is investing £11.5million to refurbish and replace key sections of the line, helping to improve the long-term reliability of rail services in the north of Scotland.  

30/5/2025

Transport & storage sector shrugs off the turmoil of ‘Awful April'

For months, UK businesses had been fearing the impact of April's staffing cost rises.  However, the latest ONS survey reveals transportation & storage sector companies kept their calm in the face of employer National Insurance and National Living Wage increases.  

30/5/2025 : Local Authority

2025/26 UK Shared Prosperity Fund Delivery Plan Approved - Highland Events To Benefit From New Grant Fund

Members of The Highland Council's Economy and Infrastructure Committee have agreed a delivery plan that will see £3 million of funding from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).   This is invested to support Highland communities, businesses, employment and tourism.  

30/5/2025

Battery energy storage system (BESS) under construction at Dounray

Battery energy storage system (BESS) developer Root-Power has announced that it has broken ground on a new BESS project in Scotland.   Dounreay BESS, located at Dounreay near to the Dounreay nuclear site, Thurso KW14 7RE, is a large-scale project with a 34MW capacity and 68MWh of storage, sufficient to power 80,000 homes for two hours.  

30/5/2025 : Local Authority

20mph scheme in Highlands - final traffic order approved

Members of The Highland Council's Economy and Infrastructure Committee (Thursday 29 May) approved the final step to formalise all 20mph schemes in the Highlands and a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) will now be actioned.   All the roads included in the final TRO follow the outcome of technical assessments, discussions with Members, Community Councils and the public.  

30/5/2025 : Local Authority

Cruise ship levy will mitigate tourism pressures and support infrastructure

The Highland Council has issued its support to a Scottish Government proposal to give local authorities the power to create a cruise ship levy in the area.   A meeting of the council's Economy and Infrastructure Committee on Thursday (29 May) heard that such a levy could provide additional funds to mitigate the impacts of tourism and ensure the area remains a world leading and sustainable tourism destination.  

30/5/2025 : Local Authority

Focus on Planning Enforcement with new charter adopted

Members of the Economy and Infrastructure Committee have agreed to adopt the 2025 Planning Enforcement Charter that captures all planning enforcement policy and procedures.  It explains how the enforcement process works, the Council's roles and responsibilities and the service standard that have been set.  

30/5/2025 : Local Authority

 
Highland Council Showcases Regional Strengths at UKREiiF 2025

The Highland Council has taken part in the UK Real Estate Investment & Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) 2025 in Leeds, joining forces with the Scottish Cities Alliance to spotlight Scotland's collective strengths in sustainable development and innovation.   This year marked the Council's most proactive engagement yet, presenting the Highlands as a region of strategic opportunity within a united national vision.  

30/5/2025 : Local Authority

 
North of Scotland Councils announce multi-million-pound EV charging infrastructure partnership

Highland, Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray Councils are today announcing that EasyGo has been awarded a 20-year contract to provide EV charging infrastructure for the north of Scotland.  The contract is estimated to be worth £300 million, with Highland Council acting as the lead authority.  

30/5/2025

Abolishing the two-child benefit limit would be a great investment

From a blog at the London School of Economics.   Thirty per cent of children in the UK live in poverty - Nicholas Barr argues that abolishing the Two-Child Benefit limit and overall Benefit Cap is good policy not just for ethical reasons but - less widely realised - because investment in children has a very high payoff and should therefore be a part of the Government's growth agenda.  

30/5/2025 : Local Authority

Highland Council agrees environmental scheme endorsement for major developers

Members of Highland Council's Economy and Infrastructure Committee have today agreed to the principle of the Council endorsing proposed environmental scheme sites in advance for new infrastructure projects.   Economy and Infrastructure Committee Chair, Councillor Ken Gowans said: "Developers delivering major infrastructure projects often find it challenging to quickly secure sufficient land for their environmental scheme obligations.  

30/5/2025

Scotland's Economic and Fiscal Forecasts - May 2025

MODEST GROWTH IN FUNDING SINCE LAST SCOTTISH BUDGET, BUT SIGNIFICANT PRESSURES ON SPENDING.   The Scottish Fiscal Commission has today published its latest economic and fiscal forecasts.  

30/5/2025 : Local Authority

Committee Discusses Social Value Charter Aimed To Ensure Communities Get Fair Share

At a meeting of the Economy and Infrastructure Committee, (Thursday 29 May 2025), members gave their support to the progress being made in taking a Social Value Charter forward that aims to maximises economic benefits from the natural environment and resources and ensure communities receive tangible benefits from renewable energy developments.   Members agreed that representations continue to be made to both the Scottish and UK Governments on the need of mandatory benefit and that the Council continues to engage with renewable developers to sign up to the Charter.  

30/5/2025

Scottish Child Payment

Michelle, a mother of three from Edinburgh has shared the impact Scottish Child Payment is having in her daughter's life.   Michelle, a mother of three from Edinburgh has shared the impact Scottish Child Payment is having in her daughter's life.  

30/5/2025 : Local Authority

Committee Chair appointed to represent the Council at two European Maritime networks

Committee Chair appointed to represent the Council at two European Maritime networks.   The Chair of The Highland Council's Economy and Infrastructure Committee, Councillor Ken Gowans has been appointed to the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions of Europe (CPMR) and the North Sea Commission (NSC.