News Archive

Hi-Scot Credit Union Presentation Persuades More Councillors To Sign Up

Hi Scot Credit Union chairman and manager today gave a presentation to councillors of the Finance Housing and Resouce committee of Highland counmcil at their meeting in Inverness.   The notes of the presentation are in file Hi-Scot Presentation Slides and the' recording of the presentation and the following debate can be seeonline a thte highland council web site for 12 months at http://www.highland.public-i.tv/core/ It may be day unil the recording is available.  

Funding available for Highland Fishing Communities

The Highland Fisheries Local Action Group (FLAG) has recently been successful in securing further funding to support fishing communities in Highland under Axis 4 of the European Fisheries Fund.   Funding of £198,642 is available to help communities where fishing requires supporting measures to build skills and knowledge and increase the capacity of local fishing communities and business networks through innovation, collaboration and diversification.  

Highland Education stars sought for national awards

Nominations open for Scottish Education Awards 2014 The search is underway for the Highland’s brightest education stars as nominations open for the Scottish Education Awards 2014.   People are being urged to nominate the teaching professionals and local schools that go the extra mile, for recognition at the national awards ceremony which honours the hard work and innovation happening in classrooms across Scotland.  

Scottish insolvencies on the decrease

Demand for statutory debt solutions continues to decline.   Official statistics released this morning by The Accountant in Bankruptcy (AiB), Scotland’s insolvency service show that personal insolvencies have decreased by 2.2 per cent on the previous quarter and by 13.7 per cent on the same quarter of the previous year.  

Young people and transport on agenda of next Sutherland District Partnership

The next meeting of Sutherland District Partnership will take place at 3pm on Friday 24 January at The Highland Council Offices at Drummuie, Golspie The main items on the agenda include a presentation on the findings from the recent Highland Youth Conference by Scott Simpson, who represents Caithness, Sutherland and Ross on the Scottish Youth Parliament.   The challenges of integrated transport are also high on the agenda and, to help inform discussion, T4T (Transport for Tongue) Project have been invited to talk about their work.  

Highland MSP steps in to try and resolve Helmsdale mobile coverage

Highlands & Islands (Labour) MSP Rhoda Grant has stepped into a row over the breakdown of the O2 mobile service in the Helmsdale area.   Rhoda Grant said “ I was contacted on Monday 30th December 2013, by concerned and annoyed constituents in that area and also local Councillor Deirdre Mackay, who advised me that they had no O2 mobile service for the last week.  

Business Do Not Donate Cash to Cyber Bullying Programme

Currently firms are contacting businesses asking for support for an educational programme on cyber bullying.   The line is that councils have cut back on their funding and they can offer help to classes in your local school if you donate to the programme.  

Rhoda Grant MSP “Shocked” at Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch Pay Day Loan Debt

Highlands and Islands (Scottish Labour) MSP Rhoda Grant, has been leading the fight against pay day lenders across the region was “Shocked” to learn that the Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish Parliamentary area has the second highest level of Payday Loan debt in Scotland averaging at around £2418.50, whilst the Scotland wide average is £1398.07.   Rhoda Grant MSP last month launched her anti pay day loan campaign “Debtbusters” at the Citizens Advice Bureau in Wick.  

Work of local group to promote the North Highlands as a top tourism destination

At yesterday’s (Monday 18 November 2014) Caithness and Sutherland Area Committee, members heard about the work been done by the North Highland Initiative to develop tourism in the Area with Tom Campbell, Chief Executive outlining some of the exciting destination development projects planned over the next 12 months.   The North Highland Initiative (NHI) was launched in August 2005 to promote and develop the economy and to support the rural communities of the North Highlands bringing together the farming community, local businesses and the tourism industry to try to address some of the challenges facing rural communities in the far north of Scotland by creating a powerful regional identity for the area through marketing.  

Caithness and Sutherland prepared for winter

“The North Highlands are ready for winter” was the message given at the Caithness and Sutherland Area Committee yesterday (18 November 2014) with staff, vehicles and a plentiful supply of salt in place to treat roads and footpaths over the coming winter months.   The Highland Council has increased its winter maintenance budget to £5.6 million this year and has introducing an improved service with 45,500 tonnes of salt in storage in readiness for winter.