Youth Voice Representatives Given Guarantees Over Advanced Higher Provision
Representatives of Highland Youth Voice were given a categorical assurance this week that pupils wishing to take Advanced Higher courses will still be able to do so. Paul MacDonald, Nairn Academy, and Christopher Oughton, Millburn Academy were given this good news at a meeting with Convener of The Highland Council, Councillor Alison Magee, Councillor Andy Anderson, Chairman of the Council’s Education Culture and Sport Committee and Director of Education Culture and Sport, Bruce Robertson, at the meeting at Inverness.
Tradespark Wood Welcomes Wildlife
Volunteers and Highland Council’s Ranger have been working together to improve Tradespark Woods in Nairn for wildlife. A number of bird boxes have been constructed and put up in trees around the woods to encourage birds to nest there this coming spring.
Skye Bridge Approach
The Convener of the Highland Council is to write to the Lord Advocate to ask him to reconsider the validity of the convictions in respect of non-payment of the Skye Bridge tolls.
Sharing Ideas To Tackle Highland Energy Problems
A new forum is being launched this week to help share ideas on tackling energy problems. The Highland Energy Forum is going online, hosted by The Highland Council’s Think-Net discussion site, www.think-net.org.
Scots Urged To Install Energy Saving Measures As Energy Prices Continue To Rise
With cold weather set to continue next week, the Energy Saving Trust is urging householders in Scotland to embrace energy efficiency in a bid to keep their homes warm and save money as energy prices increase.
Roadworks On Millburn Road, Inverness
Drivers in Inverness are warned to be prepared for delays leaving the city via Millburn Road for ten days while Network Rail carry out work to repair the railway boundary wall.
Road Closure During Bridge And Culvert Replacement Work In Inverness
Bridge and culvert replacement works are about to start on Culduthel Avenue in Inverness and drivers are warned that a temporary road closure will be in place whilst the work is carried out.
Riverside Path Now Complete
A ‘missing’ link in the riverside path in Wick has been completed and now locals and visitors can fully and safely enjoy walking along this popular route.
Public Urged To Be On Guard Against Rogue Itinerant Traders
Householders in the Highlands are being warned to be on their guard against workmen and itinerant traders known to be operating door-to-door offering to carry out house maintenance and repairs.
Landlords Reminded To Register With Councils
Private landlords in The Highlands were today reminded to register with the council as part of the drive to improve standards in private rented housing.
Independent Review Into The Circumstances Surrounding The Death Of Danielle Reid
THE Highland Child Protection Committee today (Tuesday) published the long-awaited report by Dr Jean Herbison, consultant paediatrician and lead clinician for child protection, Glasgow NHS Board, into the circumstances surrounding the death of 5 year old Danielle Mary Louise Reid in Inverness in November 2002.
HMIe Report On Portree High School Pupil Residence
Portree High School’s Pupil Residence has received an excellent report from HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) and the Care Commission, who visited the residence in October and November 2005 as part of a programme of integrated inspections of mainstream school care accommodation services.
Highland Tenants Invited To Have Their Say
Tenants in Highland Council houses will this week receive copies of a newsletter "Highland Tenant Update" updating them on the proposed transfer of Council homes to a new ‘not for profit’ organisation called Highland Housing Association and informing them of a roadshow, which gets underway on Monday 13th March.
Highland Teacher Receives Headship Award
The Depute Head Teacher at Ardnamurchan High School, Christopher Miller-Criag is heading for the top after receiving his Scottish Qualification for Headship (SQH) award.
Grounds For Action
Kirkhill Primary School will be the venue for a conference next Saturday (11 March) looking at sustainable development for school grounds and community spaces.
Further Plans For Newtonhill Community Woodland
Newtonhill Community Woodland in Wick has seen dramatic improvements over the last couple of years thanks to the combined efforts of the Highland Council’s Planning and Development Service and Friends of Newtonhill Woodland community group. The upgrading works have boosted the visitor numbers to the site and have been well used by school groups and community groups. Last year, the woodland attracted over 21,000 visitors.
Focus On Paths In Ross And Cromarty
The Highland Council is undertaking consultations with communities to help decide its Core Paths Plan. The first consultation in Ross and Cromarty will take place in Invergordon on the 13th and 14th March. This will be followed by work in Easter Ross and South West Ross between April and June and the rest of the area over the next two years.
Early Years Service - Time Needed To Reach A Sustainable Model Of Provision
A senior Highland Councillor today (Friday) highlighted the Council’s commitment to meeting the aspirations of parents, who want day care alongside pre-school education provided in the one centre.
Council Puts The Brakes On Drivers
Motorists in Ross and Cromarty are being warned that part time 20mph speed restrictions will be introduced at another school in the area, for children’s safety.
Council Backs Major Facelift For Lochaber High
Plans to fund a £10.2 million major refurbishment of Lochaber High School have been approved by Highland Councillors. The major facelift is scheduled to be phased between 2007-2011. It follows the recently-completed science accommodation upgrade. The go ahead follows detailed discussions between the Council, the school and school board representatives over the past 18 months, with advice provided by independent consultants. One of the elements in a recent critical HMIe report concerned the unsatisfactory state of the accommodation.
Conservation Project Supports Caithness Wading Birds
Wading birds in the Brough area of Caithness will now have a better chance at nesting at St John’s Pool thanks to the efforts of a group of local countryside volunteers, Highland Council Countryside Rangers and Army Cadets.
"Comprehensive" Win For Lochaber High In Hockey Cup Final
Lochaber High School’s Under 18 boys’ hockey team made history on Thursday by being the first Highland school and only the second state school ever to lift the Scottish Schoolboys’ Hockey Cup. In a nailbiting final at Edinburgh, Lochaber High won a dramatic penalty shoot out after their match with George Watson’s, Edinburgh, ended 2-2 at full time.
Castletown Landfill Site Caithness
Residents in Castletown are being advised that works on the former landfill site in the village will commence on Tuesday (14 March). The works are being carried out under The Highland Council’s duty to investigate land which may be contaminated and ensure that any necessary remediation is carried out.
Care Home Fall Back Options
Highland Councillors will be asked to consider three fall back options if there is insufficient interest from the independent sector in providing 160 bed spaces currently provided at seven Council-owned residential homes or if the costs are not affordable.
Boost For Mallaig Sporting Community
The sporting community of Mallaig received a welcome boost today (Monday 11 March) with the official opening of a £600,000 all-weather pitch adjacent to Mallaig High School, which will ensure that a wide variety of outdoor team sports can be played throughout the year. The project has involved the complete re-construction of an existing playing field which had become unusable due to subsidence. The Highland Council was awarded £127,342 from the sportscotland Lottery Fund to help create a multi-use all-weather playing field that is a joint school and community facility.
Alness Riverside Path Re-opens
The gentle 1 kilometre walk, running alongside the Averon River, is the latest path to be completed as part of the Alness Path Network.
A Grand Design
A competition to design a logo for the new Highland Housing Association has been won by a 3rd year pupil, Eti Stanoeva, from Charleston Academy, Inverness. Eti, who has won her school £500 and an individual prize of £25, in vouchers, was today presented with her prize by the chairman of Highland Housing Association, Angus Maclean.