News Archive
30/5/2012
National recognition for beaches in Highland
Twelve Highland beaches have been given the coveted Seaside Award by the country's leading charity for the environment, Keep Scotland Beautiful. The award, given annually, recognises high standards of cleanliness, safety, and water quality.29/5/2012
Sutherland blue bins and calendars delivered for new service
Over the next few weeks new blue recycling wheelie bins are to be delivered to all households in Sutherland, along with details of the new refuse and recycling service. Households in parts of Sutherland which saw a four-weekly blue bin recycling service introduced in 2009 and so already have the bins, will be delivered new calendars and guides.28/5/2012
Caithness & North Sutherland Fund Awards over £100k!
The Caithness & North Sutherland Fund recently awarded its 2nd round of grants for 2012 to community projects totalling £101,342. Six groups in Caithness and two groups in the North Sutherland area have been awarded funding for projects that help to improve the attractiveness of their area as a place to live, work and invest.28/5/2012
Attention Contractors - Highland Council Renewing Its Contractors Framework
The Highland Council is currently in the process of renewing its Contractors Framework agreement which will be used by Highland Council Services for selecting contractors to carry out all construction works up to the value of £50,000. The Contractors Frame work is changing from £25k to £50k This new agreement, which will commence on the 3rd September 2012, will in effect cover a three year programme of work but will be re-opened and re-advertised at six monthly intervals to provide the opportunity for new contractors to apply.27/5/2012
Test Purchase Volunteers Sought
The Highland Council's Trading Standards are seeking young people to help them to check that businesses are not selling age-restricted products to those under the minimum age. Leaflets produced in association with NHS Highland are being sent out to all Highland Council secondary schools, encouraging young people aged between 15½ and 16½ years old to volunteer to visits shops in the Highlands and carry out test purchases of age-restricted products such as cigarettes, solvents, fireworks, DVD movies and games.15/5/2012
Farm Watch Scheme In Sutherland
Successful Farm Watch scheme is rolled out in Caithness, Sutherland and East Ross. Northern Constabulary is delighted to announce the roll out of the successful Farm Watch initiative to the Caithness, Sutherland and Ross-shire areas.14/5/2012
Norovirus Update 15th May - Caithness General
NHS Highland is again asking that members of the public restrict their visiting to two Highland hospitals and, in some cases, not visit at all if they, or a family member, have been affected by diarrhoea and vomiting. Raigmore Hospital currently has two wards closed to admissions, Ward 2A and Ward 7C, with restricted visiting to each.14/5/2012
Open days for £110m Caithness wind farm proposal
The commmunity in and around Reay will have a second opportunity to see revised proposals for the Limekiln wind farm proposal at open days organised by green energy developers Infinergy next week. The company is holding community open days at Reay Village Hall on Thursday 24th May and Friday 25th May, from 2pm to 8pm.11/5/2012
Windfarm would affect wild land - SNH
A proposed 22-turbine windfarm at Sallachy, north of Lairg in Sutherland, would result in the loss of a large area of wild land, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has advised. In objecting to the proposals, SNH has also highlighted the adverse effect the development would have on the Assynt and Coigach National Scenic Area (NSA), and the potential impacts on a range of other important sites for wild birds and habitats.11/5/2012
Engineering Open Day At North Highland College
A Chance for everyone to find out more about careers and opportunities in engineering at North Highland College with all its recently opened new facilities..11/5/2012
Highlands & Islands Fire & Rescue Service - Public Meetings
Message from Deputy Chief Fire Officers Friday 30th March marked the end of a series of Fire Board meetings which have allowed a clearer and more positive direction to be defined for the Service and the communities we serve. We are committed to keeping the communities of the Highlands and Islands up to date on the debate and outcome of these meetings.11/5/2012
Alleged Fraud - Hotels and B&Bs
POLICE in Northern Constabulary are keen to trace a female who has been travelling alone throughout the Highlands and is alleged to have committed Fraud at board & lodgings at hotels and bed & breakfast establishments. This female is believed to be using false names and addresses and leaving substantial unpaid bills.1/5/2012
Duncraig Educational Trust Open For 2012 Applications
The Duncraig Educational Trust is open now for funding applications for grants up to £1000. Councillor Bill Fernie, chairman of the Education, Culture and Sport Committee of Highland Council who also sat on the group making the awards said," The Duncraig Trust has already helped with funding for a wide range of young people and in 2012 the emphasis will be on young folk looking to improve their performances towards the Commonwelath Games but this will not preclude other areas completely so it is well worth looking at the criteria to see if you qualify to apply." The Duncraig Educational Trust Scheme can offer financial assistance to young Highland people who can meet the essential criteria for the scheme.1/5/2012
Polling Day Looms in Council Elections
Polling takes place tomorrow (Thursday 3rd May 2012) in elections to elect 80 councillors to serve on The Highland Council for the next five years. A total of 170 candidates are seeking election.7/4/2012
New Partnership For Out Of Hours Service
As of Tuesday 10 April 2012, The Highland Council's out of hours calls for emergencies relating to council housing repairs, property and homelessness, as well as roads, street lighting and environmental services will now be managed by Northern Constabulary working in partnership with The Highland Council. Calls will be dealt with by specialist staff from Northern Constabulary at the Force's Operations Centre, Old Perth Road in Inverness.2/4/2012
Cocoa Mountain Goes Global
A Sutherland based luxury chocolate manufacturer which started in a small kitchen has expanded into new international markets. Cocoa Mountain is based in Durness, the most north westerly village on mainland Britain where they produce a range of handmade, preservative-free chocolate products which are dispatched same-day direct to customers.2/4/2012
Police - Three Days Of Action Against Uninsured Drivers
Today Northern Constabulary joins Scotland's other Police forces for three days of action, coordinated by the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland, to target those who drive without suitable insurance. The campaign runs from Tuesday April 3 and concludes on Friday April 6, 2012.2/4/2012
Carbon Capture and Storage
Energy Minister Fergus Ewing today welcomed the launch of the Department for Energy and Climate Change's (DECC) Carbon Capture and Storage Competition. Energy Minister Fergus Ewing said:"I welcome the launch of DECC's Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Competition despite two previous false starts, and am keen to work with DECC as part of the competition process to ensure that it results in the development of CCS.2/4/2012
More Empowerment For Scotland's Tenants
Social housing in Scotland entered a new era today, as Housing and Transport Minister, Keith Brown MSP, launched Scotland's first Social Housing Charter. Affecting over 600,000 households, the Social Housing Charter sets 16 standards and outcomes that all social landlords should be achieving for the tenants and other customers.2/4/2012