Inverness Hogmanay Street Party cancelled
The Hogmanay Party scheduled to take place at the Northern Meeting Park Arena, Inverness this evening has been cancelled following advice from Northern Constabulary.
New recycling service for the New Year
Do you have an electrical item that’s lost its spark? By the end of January 2010 facilities will be in place at Recycling Centres across Highland to recycle all waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).
Council calls for patience during wintry weather
The Highland Council’s Convener Councillor Sandy Park is calling for patience when it comes to clearing Highland roads and pavements.
Inverness Winter Festival reaches climax
The 2009 Inverness Winter Festival reaches its climax on Thursday (December 31st) with Scotland’s biggest free Hogmanay concert, “The Red Hot Highland Fling” which will take place in Northern Meeting Park Arena.
School closures – Wednesday 23 December 2009
A total of 73 schools in Highland closed today (Wednesday) as a result of overnight snow and freezing conditions.
Highland Schools closed due to bad weather, Tuesday
A total of 72 schools in Highland closed today (Tuesday) as a result of heavy snow.
Council response to consultation on CNPA membership
The Highland Council is to seek greater representation than is proposed in a review of the membership of the Cairngorms National Park Authority.
UK General Election Count Consultation
The Returning Officer for the three UK parliamentary constituencies in the Highlands is consulting over the timing of the count for the Westminster General Election. Alistair Dodds, Chief Executive of The Highland Council, is asking political parties and the wider community for their views on the options of holding the count overnight or the following day. The deadline for responses is 25 January, next year.
Highland Schools closed due to bad weather
A total of 124 schools in Highland closed today (Mon) as a result of heavy snow.
Convener’s European Appointment
The Convener of The Highland Council Councillor Sandy Park has been appointed by the Prime Minister to serve on a prestigious European committee.
More successful LEADER funding applications for rural Inverness
Highland LEADER funding continues to have a positive impact on Rural Inverness, as two more community development projects have been awarded a total of just over twenty six thousand pounds.
Council consults on new parking arrangements for Walker Park
Local residents and road users of the Walker Park, Fraser Park area of Kingsmills, Inverness will be invited to comment on new parking restrictions that The Highland Council is proposing to introduce in the area in the New Year.
Formal opening of refurbished Fort Augustus care home
The Telford Centre in Fort Augustus, a care home for 10 older people, was officially reopened today (Friday 18th December) following a £1.2 million refurbishment. The centre is the eighth Council care home to be refurbished under the Council’s programme of improvements at a total cost of £4.1 million.
Ward business meetings – status quo
The Highland Council has reaffirmed its policy of holding in private business meetings held between ward members and their ward manager and other council officials.
Drivers warned to take extra care on the roads
Northern Constabulary is reminding drivers of the importance of road safety especially over the weekend with a combination of wintry weather, icy conditions, darkness and a higher number of drivers making journeys over the festive period.
New support launched by Business Gateway
Entrepreneurs throughout the Highlands and Moray will soon have the chance to access invaluable business support via a free online workshop.
Nominations open for Scottish Education Awards 2010
People in the Highlands are being urged to nominate their local schools, nurseries or individuals who have excelled in their field of education as part of the Scottish Education Awards 2010.
Care home tendering deferral
The Highland Council is to delay for three months progressing its care homes building programme, which features new homes being built at Fort William, Grantown, Inverness, Muir of Ord and Tain.
Budget challenges highlighted by Council
The significant budget challenges facing The Highland Council over the next few years were highlighted by the Council’s Budget Leader, Councillor David Alston when the first phase of savings for 2010-11 were agreed today (Thursday 17 Decemeber).
The Highland Council extends deadline for Framework Agreements to 22 January 2010
Consultants, contractors and skilled trades businesses are being advised they have until noon on Friday 22 January next year to submit an application to The Highland Council to be included on frameworks for construction work up to a value of £25,000, and for design consultancy services for projects of all values.
Registers of Scotland gifts historical plans of Highland Council headquarters
Convener of The Highland Council, Councillor Sandy Park has expressed his gratitude to the Registers of Scotland for a gift of five framed plans tracing the history of the development of the site of the Council’s Headquarters at Glenurquhart Road, Inverness.
Future Jobs Fund bid success for Highland
More than 200 temporary jobs for young jobless people are to be created in the Highlands as a result of a successful bid by The Highland Council to the UK Government’s Future Jobs Fund.
Support for Smithton Hall take over
Almost 30 people attended a public meeting on Wednesday 16 December at Smithton Hall, Inverness to voice their support for the community taking over it over from the Council.
Access Road to Lower Foyers reopens
The Highland Council can report that the access road to Lower Foyers, which has been closed to all traffic since the pipe burst on Sunday, is now fully operational and open for use by vehicles and pedestrians.
Free creative city car park event and artistic new look for shop windows
As part of a new city centre art project work is underway to give people the experience of window shopping with a difference and the chance to park and smile with a creative free car park event featuring local performers and the work of artists.
Streetscape improvements completed in time for Christmas shopping
The first phase of streetscape works at Dingwall High Street has been completed in time for local businesses to welcome people to enjoy their festive shopping, which has also been enhanced by the arrival of Christmas lights and the return of Dingwall Farmers’ Market.
Golspie office offers new services under one roof
A new public office has opened in Golspie, which offers a wide range of services under the one roof.
Hate Free Highland hailed a success
A multi-agency reporting system called Hate Free Highland, set-up to encourage the reporting of hate crime incidents across Highland, has been hailed a success.
Inverness Leisure prepares for its first ever shutdown to bring its 150 plus staff together for a two-day training session
The city’s largest leisure provider will be closed to the public on Monday 21st and Tuesday 22nd December in order to allow the many staff in the facility the opportunity to train on topics and areas that wouldn’t be wholly possible if there was public in the building.
Inverness City Vision 2010: Shaping the future of Inverness
Over the next six months, The Highland Council will be preparing a new City Vision for Inverness, to replace the one prepared in 2003 – and the public are being urged to get involved by suggesting their top priorities for action.
Closure of Newmore House Care Home
A private Easter Ross care home for people with mental health difficulties closed it doors for the last time on Monday 14th December.
Budding young cooks in Ullapool
Young people in Ullapool are still having fun learning to cook with 101 having taken part in the classes since they started three years ago. Open to all 12 to 25 year olds the cookery classes run one evening a week in the village for a seven week block.
New parking restrictions for Harbour Road
The Highland Council is proposing to introduce new parking restrictions next year at a busy location at the Longman Industrial Estate, Inverness.
New Roads and Community Works Manager
Richard Evans has taken up his new post of The Highland Council’s new Area Roads and Community Works Manager for Inverness Nairn and Badenoch and Strathspey.
Clean up continues at Lower Foyers
The Highland Council is continuing to assist Scottish and Southern Energy with the clean up of damage caused at Lower Foyers, Loch Ness-side, on Sunday 13 December by burst in a pipe transferring water to Foyers power station.
Council successful with bid to resume council house building
Council house building is to be reintroduced in the Highlands after a gap of 14 years.
Council warns be careful cyber shopping and beware of counterfeit goods
The Highland Council’s Trading Standards are advising consumers to buy from reputable websites and be wary of websites selling cheap designer goods, DVDs, CDs etc as they may turn out to by counterfeit.
Skye and Lochalsh Archive Centre - Ionad Tasglainn An Eilein Sgitheanaich agus Loch Aillse
People interested in the local and family history related to Skye and Lochalsh can now find out more at a new facility opened by The Highland Council’s Archive Service.
Refuse collection and kerbside collections over the festive period
In the Highland Council area over the festive period, there will be changes to the collection schedule for kerbside refuse and blue recycling boxes/bins.
Council awarded Cycle Friendly Employer Award
The Highland Council has been awarded a Cycle Friendly Employer Award and grant by Cycling Scotland in recognition of its efforts to enable staff at its Inverness headquarters to cycle to work and meetings during the working day.
Bumper crowds expected at Ness Islands Lights show
The Inverness Winter Festival organisers are looking forward to welcoming bumper crowds to this weekend's Ness Islands and Whin Park events.
Council Officer’s medals presented to Town House
Medals once belonging to the Council Officer, who gathered the signatures of members of the British Cabinet when it was held in Inverness in 1921, were received into the collection of artefacts in Inverness Town House today (Monday) by the Provost of Inverness, Councillor Jimmy Gray.
Savvy students are at the cutting edge in young consumer rights competition
Four pupils of Dingwall Academy have retained the North of Scotland Young Consumer of the Year Competition held on Friday 11th December at The Highland Council Chamber, Inverness.
Smithton community urged to consider hall purchase
A public meeting is being held at Smithton Hall, Inverness, at 7.30 pm on Wednesday 16 December when the local community will be asked to consider taking over the ownership and management of the hall.
New environmentally friendly system to deal with waste installed
H2Ology, recent winners of Scotland’s prestigious environmental Vibes Award has just completed the installation of its ATS-TARP-Static to receive and treat road gully and sweepings waste for Highland Council at their Lotland Street road’s depot in Inverness.
Wick High School feasibility study
Work is ongoing with stakeholders on the feasibility study to appraise the options open to the Council for the future of Wick High School.
Inverness schools mark Copenhagen Climate Change conference
A group of seven schools in the Inverness area are marking the Copenhagen Climate Change conference by raising awareness of their own efforts to tackle climate change.
Toy exhibition opening hours extended
The Inverness Winter Festival Organisers have announced that the opening hours of the Victorian Market’s Old Toy Exhibition are to be extended to cater for public demand. Organised by the members of the Inverness Local History Forum, the exhibition was originally scheduled to be open from noon to 3pm on Saturday and Sundays during the first three weeks in December.
Councillors urged to back Fest-aid
The Highland Council’s Inverness City Committee is being recommended to contribute £800 from the Inverness Winter Festival budget towards the costs of a concert to raise funds for the Friends of the Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre at Burnett Road, Inverness.
Wick student attains top Environmental Health grades
Alana MacDonald, a student Environmental Health Officer in Wick, gained her professional qualification as an Environmental Health Officer earlier this month. She also received the award for top student at the Environmental Health Officer professional exams in 2009 in addition to a number of individual awards for specific subject areas.
Switching on to electric vehicles
In a move to explore ways of reducing its carbon footprint, staff at the Highland Council have been test driving an electric vehicle around Inverness.
Tremendous tree planting effort by volunteers
On Saturday a squad of 43 volunteers turned up at Abriachan woods to take part in a tree planting world record attempt as part of the UK wide celebrations for National Tree Week.
Going for gold at Alness Swimming Pool
A new Olympian themed large pool inflatable at Alness Swimming Pool means young swimmers can now put themselves to the test as they slip, slide and splash their way to the medal podium.
Inverness Leisure staff choose to help Highland homeless
The “Green Team” from Inverness Leisure, which is made up primarily of front-line staff are inviting their many customers to ‘Celebrate and Give’ this Christmas by collecting essential gifts for the Highland Homeless Trust in Inverness.
Tough new laws could see drink drivers lose their vehicles and licences
Northern Constabulary and the Crown Office are warning drink drivers they could face losing their licences and their vehicles if they are caught drink driving with the introduction of strict new measures.
Developing a Highland Citizens’ Panel
The Highland Council is to form a Highland Citzens’ Panel to gauge representative views of the Highland population on Council services and spending priorities.
Highland Museum nominated for national award
The Highland Folk Museum in Newtonmore is the only museum on mainland Scotland to be nominated for the 2009 Guardian Family Friendly Museum Awards. The other Scottish finalist is the Shetland Museum in Lerwick.
Councillors highlight safety concerns at Easter Ross junctions
Highland Councillors representing Tain and Easter Ross and Cromarty Firth ave highlighted the need for improvements to the lay out of the Tomich junction, and the other junctions on the A 9, to improve road safety.
Success for two Highland Council staff
Two customer services staff with The Highland Council have received national recognition for representing the professional face of local government to the public.
Free school meals for more Highland pupils
The Highland Council is urging parents and carers in the Highlands not to waste their cash but to take advantage of the fact that more people are now entitled to free school meals.
Savvy shopper Catherine – knows her consumer rights
Inverness shopper, Catherine Mackie, won top prize in The Highland Council Trading Standards ‘Know Your Consumer Rights Quiz’.
Surprises in store for Inverness shoppers
The Inverness Winter Festival organisers have arranged a number of surprises for shoppers heading for Inverness this weekend as the countdown to Christmas gathers pace and two of the Festival’s latest attractions open for business in the Victorian Market.
Festival lantern launch “delight”
The Children’s Hospice Association of Scotland have announced that the fundraising activities organised by The Highland Council as part of the Inverness Winter Festival around the City’s Christmas Lights Switch On ceremony on 22 November has raised almost £1,600.
B9176 Struie Road reopens ahead of schedule
Motorists are being advised that the temporary traffic restriction on the B9176 Struie Road is lifted and that the works have been successfully completed ahead of schedule.
Proposals for major developments on the agenda
On Tuesday (8 December) Members of the Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey Planning Applications and Review Committee will be asked to determine two major developments that could have a significant impact on the future of the city.
Modernising Home Care Services
The Chairman of The Highland Council’s Housing and Social Work Committee, Councillor Margaret Davidson, has restated the Council’s commitment to the enhancement of care at home services across the authority. She has also acknowledged it will take a little more time for the full programme to be rolled out in all areas.
New Public Office Opens in Golspie
A new public office is opening in Golspie on Monday 14 December, which will see The Highland Council, Northern Constabulary and the Citizens Advice Bureau join forces to share premises.
Merkinch Primary School Closure
At around 8:45am this morning (02 December 2009) Merkinch Primary School was evacuated due to suspicions of a potential gas leak.
Highland Secondary small schools football final
Around 200 pupils will take part in the Highland Secondary small schools football final this Friday 4 December at Glen Urquhart High School, Drumnadrochit near Inverness.
City community centres welcome young people
Young people in the West of Inverness are being invited in out of the cold this winter as community centres open their doors to welcome them in for two evenings a week.
Multi-agency drive to keep Inverness city centre safe over the Festive season - Operation Respect
Northern Constabulary and its partner agencies are joining forces to increase safety in Inverness city centre throughout the festive season with the launch of the next phase of Operation Respect.
Volunteers wanted to take part in tree planting event
Glenurquhart Community Library and Abriachan Forest Trust are partners in the B.B.C. Breathing Places event which takes place on Saturday (5th December) and volunteers are being sought to help with a world record event.
Local member visits school to support “Don’t Litter Competition”
Black Isle Councillor Bill Barclay visited Fortrose Academy with Community Council member James Cornwell to see for themselves the excellent work of the school pupils in clearing litter in their community and to find out about progress of the school’s “Don’t Litter Competition” entry.
Young traditional musicians launch debut CD
‘snas and Còisir G, two of the seven Regional Music Groups which run as an extension to the tuition provided by The Highland Council’s Instrumental Tuition Service have launched their debut CD.
Switch your Bluetooth on at Inverness Leisure and Christmas could come early this year.
Inverness Leisure say they have achieved another first by becoming what they believe to be the first leisure centre of its kind in Scotland to using new ‘Bluetooth’ technology to offer visitors to the centre exclusive promotions and offers.
Skye children’s wildlife group celebrates a successful season
A group of children gathered in Breakish Hall recently (Saturday 28 November, 2009) for the last meeting of the year for ‘SkyeLarks’, the RSPB Wildlife Explorers group for Skye and Lochalsh.
Inverness Christmas Market postponed
The Inverness Winter Festival organisers have announced that the Christmas Market scheduled for Saturday 12 December and Sunday 13 December has been postponed following a lower than expected demand for places for free stalls at the riverside event.
Roll-out of the Scottish bowel screening programme across NHS Highland
NHS Highland have formally launched the roll-out of the Scottish Bowel Screening programme across Highland. The Programme has been implemented in a phased fashion across Scotland and will be rolled-out across NHS Highland from today (1st December 2009)