Businesses urged to find out if they can benefit from Highland Council Employment Grant. Highland businesses are being invited to find out if a Council funding scheme can help their business grow while assisting unemployed people to return to work.
Staff, parents and pupils in the Highlands are being reassured about the quality and safe consumption of the fresh meat and processed food used in school meals in the Highlands. Council Catering and Cleaning Manager Norma Murray has written to the head teachers of the Council's 177 primary schools, 29 secondary schools and three special schools in response to the national debate and general concerns surrounding the presence of horsemeat in some UK food products.
BICENTENARY OF THE SUTHERLAND CLEARANCES TO BE MARKED BY MAJOR IF CAMPAIGN EVENT A major seminar highlighting the parallels between the Highland Clearances and land grabs in developing countries is being held at Timespan, Sutherland by the IF campaign. Enough Food For Everyone IF is a coalition of more than 100 organisations across the UK which is calling for action to end the scandal of hunger.
Driving home the safer roads educational message and building on the success of their previous campaigns, NOSDAT – North Of Scotland Driver Awareness Team, set up by local MSP David Stewart, will launch their next campaign ‘ Switch onto Safer Roads’ on Monday 25 February 2013. Previously the Group set up and ran the ‘Sensible Driving – Always Arriving’ Deadly Mates campaign, after the tragic deaths of two local Inverness teenagers in a road collision in the city.
People in Caithness and Sutherland looking for new career opportunities in business services are being encouraged to attend an event in Thurso this Saturday (23 Feb). Experts from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) will be amongst exhibitors at the Caithness ‘Jobs and How to Get Them’ fair at the ETEC Building, North Highland College.
The Caithness and Sutherland Area Committee will take place at Timespan in Helmsdale next Monday and top of the agenda, is a Highland Council key Programme priority for the economy, tourism. Area Leader Councillor Deirdre Mackay said: “Tourism is one of the main sectors of employment in the Highlands and it is with this in mind that I felt it would be meaningful to hold the committee in Timespan.
People in the Highlands are being urged to enter local schools, nurseries or individuals into the Scottish Education Awards 2013 before the deadline for submissions on Friday 22 February 2013. The awards, which celebrate the achievements of schools and teachers across Scotland, have attracted hundreds of nominations so far but many more schools and individuals are worthy of acknowledgment.
Investment by the Scottish Government in schools, hospitals, roads and other infrastructure is set to support 40,000 jobs across Scotland this year, Nicola Sturgeon said today. The Deputy First Minister was speaking as the Scottish Government published an update to its multi-billion Infrastructure Investment Plan (IIP), first unveiled in December 2011.
Highland Council’s Trading Standards are warning all Highland businesses to be on their guard against rogue ‘charity’ publishers and operatives that use deliberately misleading sales talk to sell advertising space over the phone or by email or text. Publications may include advertising space in charity leaflets, wall-planners, crime prevention diaries and the old favourite of business directories.
Issued by Scotland Transerv Work starts on the major refurbishment of the A9 Kessock Bridge on Monday 11th February 2013 for 17 weeks. The installation of the traffic management will start at 10pm on Saturday 9th February to be in place for the commencement of the works.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has published a new guide providing advice to community organisations for managing funds generated from renewable energy projects. As an economic development agency with a particular and unique remit to strengthen communities, HIE recognises the importance of this opportunity.
The long-term viability of councils’ trading standards services is under threat, potentially leaving consumers without important protection from rogue traders, scams and unsafe goods, says the Accounts Commission. Protecting Consumers, a report published on Friday 1st February 2013, looks at trading standards and food safety services provided by Scotland’s 32 councils to protect the public in areas ranging from food poisoning to doorstep cons and internet fraud.
The Highland Council is being recommended to freeze the Council Tax for a sixth successive year and confirm a budget of £548.436 million for 2013-14 when it meets on Thursday 7 February. The Council Tax bands will remain: Band A: £775.33: Band B: £904.56; Band C: £1,033.78; Band D: £1,163.00: Band E: £1,421.44; Band F: £1,679.89; Band G: £1,938.33; Band H: £2,326.00.
Highland Councillors have agreed in principle to a “radical” new way of providing temporary accommodation for people who find themselves unintentionally homeless. The Council has a statutory duty in relation to homeless households and one of its key duties is to provide temporary accommodation until settled accommodation can be offered.
For the third year in succession, The Highland Council is recommending a council house rent increase below the rate of inflation. The Finance Housing and Resources Committee agreed to contain the average weekly rent increase to £1.35, the rent rising from £67.60 to £68.95.
Scotland has set a target to cut carbon emissions from electricity generation by more than four-fifths by 2030, underlining the huge market for offshore wind beyond 2020. First Minister Alex Salmond revealed the new target at the Scottish Renewables-Scottish Enterprise Offshore Wind & Supply Chain Conference, Aberdeen.
Vulnerable children will benefit from improved support from local services, following updated guidance from the Scottish Government. To further support practice the Scottish Government has recently completed work on three manifesto commitments on child protection.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has signed joint working agreements with four of the regions’ leading ports to support the development of the offshore wind sector. The partnership aims to help the Ports attract a potential £100m of investment to the Highlands.
Transport Minister Keith Brown has received reassurances from Transport Scotland that robust plans are in place to minimise disruption during the main Kessock Bridge repairs starting next month. Following unforeseen delays due to the Longman Roundabout advance works earlier this week, Mr Brown had requested assurances that sufficient plans were in place to ensure the situation would not be repeated during the main resurfacing works on the bridge.
The Highland Council has produced a proposed strategy for growth for the public and private sectors over the next five years to ensure Highland climbs out of recession with a stronger and more sustainable economic base and having the potential for growth. Following approval of the draft Plan at todays (Wednesday 16 January) Planning, Environment and Development Committee, it will now go out to key public and private sector partners for wider consultation before being adopted.
