A96 Corridor Study
The Council is worked with partners and stakeholders to prepare a long term Masterplan for the A96 Corridor between Inverness and Auldearn. This study is known as the A96 Growth Corridor Development Framework and was adopted in 2007. The work helped to inform the production of the Highland-wide Local Development Plan. Further details on the A96 Corridor Growth Development Framework can be found on the A96 Corridor Masterplan page.
Business Development
Highland Opportunity Ltd is the Enterprise Trust for the Highlands. It is wholly owned by the Highland Council and offers a wide range of financial assistance, business support, youth services, and European Consultancy to Small and medium–sized businesses. The Trust manages all Highland Council Business Support Services, including the Highland Business Growth Fund and the Business Start Up Grant.
For more details, visit the Highland Opportunity web-site at http://www.highland-opportunity.com/.
Business Gateway
Highland Opportunity is managing the Business Gateway in the Highlands on behalf of the Council. The Business Gateway is the first point of access for information and advice on all services to business and social enterprises in the Highlands.
The new service can be accessed on-line:www.bgateway.com or by telephone:0845 609 6611 or walk in to the Business Gateway office, 81 Castle Street, Inverness, or if outwith Inverness, at one of the Council's network of 37 Service Points.
European Business Game
The European Business Game is an opportunity for senior school pupils, assisted by their teachers, to experience running their own businesses. There is no need to produce an actual product, what is important is that participants show an understanding of the business processes needed. These range from generating ideas and creating joint ventures with schools from a wide range of European Countries, to producing marketing strategies that ultimately go towards the completion of a formal business plan.
Inner Moray Firth Ports and Sites Strategy
In the wake of the demise of the oil platform fabrication industry in the Highlands, which saw more than 5,000 highly skilled jobs and an estimated £100 million of local income vanish, the council is leading an initiative to identify how the major marine and industrial assets of the Inner Moray Firth can best be harnessed in coming years. Further information is available on our Inner Moray Firth Ports and Sites Strategy page.
Highland Economic Forum
The Highland Economic Forum has been established by the Council to ensure that the business community in the Highlands is fully consulted on economic development matters in the Highlands. A wide range of public and private sector organisations attend, and the Forum is in the process of delivering an action plan aimed at ensuring long term sustainable economic growth in the Highlands.
The Forum has prepared the Highland Economic Forum Action Plan and a number of working groups are currently being established to deliver the key High Priority Actions agreed by the Forum. The Forum's action plan has recently been updated HEF Action Plan May 2011 to take into account the impact upon the Highland Economy, of public sector budget constraints.
For further details contact Kenny Macinnes 01463 702553 kenny.macinnes@highland.gov.uk