Sutherland Map :: Links to Site Map Great value Unlimited Broadband from an award winning provider  

 

News Archive


20/2/2024
Potassium In Our Soil Is Running Low, Threatening Global Food Security - New Study Proposes A Way OutThumbnail for article : Potassium In Our Soil Is Running Low, Threatening Global Food Security - New Study Proposes A Way Out
Soils around the world are running low on potassium, a key nutrient needed for plants to grow.  This ultimately means we may not be able to grow enough food for everyone.  
20/2/2024
Zombie Deer Disease Is Spreading And Scientists Are Concerned That It Could Jump To Humans
In the tranquil expanses of North America's woodlands and grasslands, a silent but concerning phenomenon is unfolding: chronic wasting disease (CWD).  The condition, often dubbed "zombie deer disease", is stealthily spreading among deer populations, sparking concerns among scientists, conservationists and the public alike.  
15/2/2024
Home To Highland Programme For Young People Commended
Unanimous support by Highland Council members of the Health, Social Care and Wellbeing Committee has been given to the Council's Home to Highland Programme which works to return care experienced young people to the Highlands from out of authority residential placements.   Councillors have considered two evaluations of the ‘Home to Highland Programme' and the services being developed to prevent young people requiring moving out of the local authority area.  
15/2/2024
Company Shut Down After Consumers Hit By Direct Debit Scam
The company deceived consumers into signing up to a subscription charging them almost £30 a month.   Paragrim Ltd tricked consumers into signing up to the Mediacraze.net website Consumers were charged a monthly direct debit without their permission and which they were unable to easily unsubscribe from Insolvency Service investigations found no evidence the website provided any actual services or that the company was trading legitimately A company which tricked people into signing up for monthly direct debits has been shut down following an investigation by the Insolvency Service.  
15/2/2024
Supporting Sustainable Agriculture - Funding farming to help tackle climate change
Funding farming to help tackle climate change More than £7 million has been awarded to 517 rural businesses in 2023 from the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS).   Overall, £27m will be paid over the lifetime of the contracts to applicants, to help support land management activities that will benefit nature and mitigate against climate change.  
10/2/2024
Satellites Could Become More Sustainable, Thanks To New UK Space Agency FundingThumbnail for article : Satellites Could Become More Sustainable, Thanks To New UK Space Agency Funding
The UK Space Agency has announced funding for work which aims to prolong the life of satellites, as part of efforts to ensure space remains sustainable for future generations.   The package includes a £2 million upgrade to the Satellite Applications Catapult's In-Orbit Servicing and Manufacturing (IOSM) facility at the Westcott Space Cluster in Aylesbury.  
7/2/2024
Over 43,000 Automatic Payments To Help Families With Cost Of Living
Best Start Grants awarded without need for a separate application.   More than 43,000 payments have been paid automatically to help parents and carers with the cost of living and starting school, latest official figures show.  
5/2/2024
Unlocking The Potential Of Quantum: £45 Million Investment To Drive Breakthroughs In Brain Scanners, Navigation Systems, And Quantum ComputingThumbnail for article : Unlocking The Potential Of Quantum: £45 Million Investment To Drive Breakthroughs In Brain Scanners, Navigation Systems, And Quantum Computing
The government is today investing a total of £45 million in the UK's quantum sector.  It comes as part of its commitment to transforming into a quantum-enabled economy by 2033 - seizing this technology's potential to overhaul healthcare, energy, transport and more.  
5/2/2024
Ensuring Crime Doesn't Pay: New Economic Crime Unit To Tackle Money Laundering And Carry Out Financial InvestigationsThumbnail for article : Ensuring Crime Doesn't Pay: New Economic Crime Unit To Tackle Money Laundering And Carry Out Financial Investigations
The Environment Agency launches Economic Crime Unit to address serious financial offences in the waste sector.   The Environment Agency has launched a new Economic Crime Unit to boost its efforts to tackle money laundering and carry out financial investigations in the waste sector, ensuring crime doesn't pay.  
1/2/2024
New Guidance To Enhance E-bike And E-scooter SafetyThumbnail for article : New Guidance To Enhance E-bike And E-scooter Safety
information issued for users, owners and transport operators guidance designed to ensure public safety and mitigate fire risk Information around how to safely purchase, charge and use e-bikes and e-scooters has been published by the government today (1 February 2024) to improve consumer safety.   Following extensive consultation with industry, guidance on battery safety for both e-scooters and e-bikes will raise awareness for owners on how to safely purchase an e-cycle or e-scooter.  
1/2/2024
A Record 11.5 Million Tax Returns Filed By The DeadlineThumbnail for article : A Record 11.5 Million Tax Returns Filed By The Deadline
A record-breaking 11.5 million taxpayers submitted their Self Assessment tax returns for the 2022 to 2023 tax year by midnight on 31 January, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) reveals.   More than 12.1 million taxpayers were expected to file a tax return and pay any tax owed.  
31/1/2024
Nature Recovery To Be Accelerated As The Government Delivers On Measures To Protect Land And SeaThumbnail for article : Nature Recovery To Be Accelerated As The Government Delivers On Measures To Protect Land And Sea
One year on since the publication of the Environmental Improvement Plan, the government launches new measures to halt and reverse nature's decline.   Puffins, porpoises, and pine martens are just some of the species set to benefit from new measures set out by the Government today (31 January) to boost nature recovery on land and at sea.  
31/1/2024
Cyberflashing, Epilepsy-trolling And Fake News To Put Online Abusers Behind Bars From TodayThumbnail for article : Cyberflashing, Epilepsy-trolling And Fake News To Put Online Abusers Behind Bars From Today
New offences have been introduced to criminalise cyberflashing, fake news intended to cause non-trivial harm and other online abuse.   New offences introduced to criminalise cyberflashing, fake news intended to cause non-trivial harm and other online abuse.  
31/1/2024
Latest Measles Statistics PublishedThumbnail for article : Latest Measles Statistics Published
Regular measles statistics updates issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).   The latest number of laboratory confirmed measles cases in England have been published by the UKHSA in an updated epidemiological overview.  
30/1/2024
The Impact Of Winter Pressures On Different Population Groups In Great Britain: 18 October 2023 To 1 January 2024
In-depth analysis on how increases in the cost of living and difficulty accessing NHS services have impacted people's lives during the winter period.   The following results cover the latest pooled period (18 October 2023 to 1 January 2024).  
30/1/2024
Sutherland Area Committee Admits Sutherland Roads Will Deteriorate Further As Budget Cannot Meet Needs
The Sutherland area committee at it meeting on 23 January admitted the roads funding would not meet requirements to keep up even the poor standard already in place.   The capital budget for 2023/24 benefitted from an additional funding allocation, the previous baseline allocation of £7.2m was increased to £20m, however, this increase is not anticipated for the 2024/25 capital budget allocation.  
27/1/2024
Ensuring Adult Disability Payments Meet People's Needs
Edel Harris OBE, former chief executive of the charity Mencap, has been appointed to chair the Independent Review of Adult Disability Payment.   The Independent Review - a Programme For Government commitment – will consider people's experiences of the Scottish benefit to ensure it continues to meet the needs of disabled people.  
27/1/2024
Fuel Thefts Widespread - Take Action
Fuel thefts remain widespread within our area therefore please find below some tips to avoid becoming a victim of such a crime.   Report any suspicious activity to Police Scotland by calling 101.  
26/1/2024
Anti-drone No Fly Zones To Combat Prison SmugglingThumbnail for article : Anti-drone No Fly Zones To Combat Prison Smuggling
Criminal gangs who try to fly phones, drugs and weapons into prisons using drones face finding themselves there instead under tough new restrictions coming into force on 25 January 2024.   New 400m drone ‘no-fly zones' around prisons come into force Ten-year maximum prison sentence for criminals who breach restrictions.  
26/1/2024
What The Red Sea Crisis Could Mean For The Electric Vehicle Industry And The PlanetThumbnail for article : What The Red Sea Crisis Could Mean For The Electric Vehicle Industry And The Planet
Automotive giants Tesla and Volvo have announced pauses to the production of their electric vehicles (EVs) in Europe.  Electric vehicles are seeing record sales and demand worldwide, but a lack of parts means that factories cannot sustain their production.