Young Musicians Prepare for Auditions
Over 300 young musicians from across the Highlands are busy rehearsing for the Regional Music Groups Audition Day which is held in Inverness tomorrow (Saturday 30 May).
Trading Standards Warn of £3million Bogus Car Buyer Scam
Highland Council’s Trading Standards team is participating in an Office of Fair Trading (OFT) campaign to warn consumers about bogus car buyer scams which cost UK consumers nearly £3 million every year.
Council to Lobby for More Affordable Housing
The Highland Council is to step up its lobbying of both the Scottish and UK Governments for increased investment in new affordable housing.
Flying High For Fostering In The Highlands
Fostering in the Highlands was flying high today with the premiere of a new DVD encouraging more carers to come forward.
New Energy Homes – Tarbat Park, Kildary
A new housing development in Easter Ross is the first of a number of developments delivering “New Energy Homes” across the Highlands.
Fort William Waterfront – Conclusion of Missives
Missives have been concluded between The Highland Council and Fort William Waterfront Ltd, the Council’s preferred developers of the Waterfront project in the West Highland town.
Tain CCTV
A community consultation carried out in Tain recently gave locals the opportunity to comment on what improvements the community think should be made to the CCTV camera system in Tain.
New Bridge for Fairy Glen
Walkers in the Black Isle will be able to enjoy full access to the popular waterfalls of Fairy Glen nature reserve once again, with the completion of a new bridge across the Rosemarkie burn.
Ness-side looks ahead
Residents of the Inverness Ness-side Ward of The Highland Council are invited to focus on planning at the latest Inverness Ness-side Ward Forum being held on Thursday 28 May at Bun-Sgoil Gàidhlig, Inbhir Nis, Inverness’s Gaelic Primary School, Slackbuie. The meeting starts at 7.30 p.m.
Teacher Entitlements at Highland Secondary Schools
The Highland Council has moved quickly to assure parents and teaching staff that it is not cutting teaching posts to achieve budget savings.
“X” Marks the Vote in Euro Elections
The Local Returning Officer in the Highlands for the forthcoming European Parliamentary Elections, Alistair Dodds, wants voters to be aware of what they need to do to cast their vote on Thursday 4 June.
Inspection of Dornoch Academy and the learning community surrounding the school.
As part of the inspectorate’s new joined-up strategy for evaluating all of the educational provision of local authorities, separate reports are issued today on the inspection by HMIe of the quality of education at Dornoch Academy and community learning and development in the surrounding area.
Highland Pupils Brassed Off!
This week hundreds of pupils across the Highlands will be enjoying musical workshops led by Pure Brass, a quintet of talented students from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Dance.
Tenant Groups Help To Shape New Strategy For Housing in the Highlands
Tenant housing group representatives from across the Highlands have been working with The Highland Council to produce a new strategy that puts tenant involvement and communication very much at the centre of future housing service delivery and development.
Council Ranger leads walk on Nairn riverside.
Members of the public are invited to join John Orr Highland Council Ranger as he leads a walk along the banks of the river Nairn on Sunday 31st May.
New head teacher for Auldearn
The new head teacher of Auldearn Primary School is to be Angela Cryans, the depute head teacher at Inshes Primary, Inverness.
Winning pupils capture Highland Environment in photography competition
Highland pupils from Rosebank Primary and Millburn Academy are winners of The Highland Council’s 2009 ‘Highland Environment’ photograph competition.
Highland Bakery provides bite-sized support to conference for Highland Homecoming
A partnership which will provide support for the Highland Homecoming Conference – ‘Scotland’s Global Impact’ – has been announced between The Highland Council and Nairn-based Asher’s Bakery.
Rok support for Highland Culture Programme
A national building company has entered into a commercial sponsorship partnership with The Highland Council to support the Highland Culture Programme.
Committee Confirms Conon Bridge Site for new School
The Highland Council’s Education Culture and Sport Committee has agreed that a new amalgamated primary school for Conon Bridge and Maryburgh should be built on the site of the existing Conon Bridge Primary School.
Regenerating Wick’s Pulteneytown
Funding to transform a derelict site in Pulteneytown, Wick, into high quality houses has been awarded today (Wednesday) by The Highland Council’s Planning, Environmental and Development Committee.
Inverness Clan Village Welcomes Famous Author
The Inverness Highland Games Committee has announced that award-winning US novelist Diana Gabaldon, author of the New York Times best -selling Outlander series, will be a guest of honour at the 2009 Tulloch Homes Clan Village at the Masters World Championships on Saturday July 18th.
Identification of site for new homeless facility in Inverness and disposal of Huntly House
A potential site has been identified in Burnett Road, Inverness for the development of a new Housing and Health Advice Centre and associated housing.
Focusing On The Future Of Rural Petrol Stations
Following a presentation to The Highland Council’s Planning, Environment and Development Committee today (Wednesday 20 May) Members have given their full support for the Council to work with its partners HIE and HITRANS to raise awareness of the economic problems facing rural petrol stations and look at ways of securing a sustainable and accessible network of fuel supply throughout the Highland area.
Enterprise Trust Reports On A Successful Year Supporting Highland Businesses
At its annual report to The Highland Council’s Planning, Environment and Development Committee on 20 May, Highland Opportunity Limited (HOL) was able to describe another year of solid support to Highland businesses, together with recent major developments in enterprise support.
Fun Run at Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig Inbhir Nis
Primary school and nursery-aged children are taking part in a fundraising Fun Run at Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig Inbhir Nis on Friday 22nd May.
Locals urged to stand for Boat of Garten Community Council
People in the Boat of Garten area are being urged to stand for election onto Boat of Garten Community Council.
Sgoil Shamhraidh Drama 2009 Team Announced
Fèisean nan Gàidheal is delighted to announce the tutor team for Sgoil Shamhraidh Dràma 2009 which is set to take place in Portree 6 – 16 July. The Drama Summer School is supported by the Scottish Arts Council, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Bòrd na Gàidhlig, The Highland Council and Eden Court Theatre and is aimed at fluent Gaelic speakers in the 14 – 18 age range.
Mid-summer In service days for Highland secondary schools
Secondary schools - and primary schools within their catchment areas - will be closed to pupils for one day soon for in-service training. This is one of three extra days in this and the next two academic sessions that the Scottish Government has allocated to support the implementation of the Curriculum for Excellence.
One-Tenth of Highland Electorate Seek a Postal Vote
A total of 18,340 Highland residents have asked to vote by post at the forthcoming European Parliamentary elections. The electorate in Highland is 171,601.
Tannahill Weavers Visit The Sunart Centre
Scotland’s Tannahill Weavers will bring their dynamic, traditional Celtic music to the Sunart Centre in Strontian, Lochaber on Saturday 6th June.
Highland Pupils Put Their Feet Forward To Support Walk To School Week
Over 12,000 pupils in 94 primary schools across The Highland Council area are taking part in National Walk to School Week (18 22 May) which raises awareness of road safety amongst young people and encourages more children to walk to and from school.
Highlanders urged to take part in Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly survey
Butterflies are once again coming under the spotlight in a postcard survey to find out what has happened to the Small Tortoiseshell.
Health specialists bust breastfeeding myths
Children at an Inverness primary school have been busting myths about breastfeeding with help from NHS Highland.
Blas Festival Creates ‘Scottish Embassy’ To Mark Programme Launch
The UK’s fastest growing festival is to launch its own ‘Scottish Embassy’. The Blas festival will have an ‘embassy’ agreement with the Celtic Colours International Festival in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. People attending both events will be able to get ‘visa’ rights which include information, advice and ticket price incentives.
Consultants Recommend Conon Site for new School
Consultants appointed by The Highland Council to carry out an option appraisal exercise in relation to the future provision of pre-school and primary school education at Conon Bridge and Maryburgh have recommended that a new amalgamated school should be built on the site of the existing Conon Bridge Primary School.
Operation Respect is extended to Merkinch
Following on from the success of the multi-agency "Operation Respect" in the city centre, the idea is to be rolled out to the community of Merkinch.
Highland Council local transport strategy
Locals are being invited to have their say at a City Wide Forum to discuss the development of the Highland Council Local Transport Strategy on Monday 18th May at 7:30pm in the Town House.
Sustainable heating system installed at Lochaber School
Pupils and staff at a Lochaber Primary school will tomorrow celebrate the installation of a wood chip heating system into their school with Leader of The Highland Council, Councillor Michael Foxley.
Thurso Precinct Refurbishment
Work on the refurbishment contract in the Thurso Pedestrian Precinct has now been been completed apart from the laying of coloured bitumen over the tarmac area running through the centre of the precinct and a few other minor works.
Funding Fair To Launch Community Projects
Following the announcement that £393,378 of Leader funding will be available for projects in The Highland Council's Dingwall and Seaforth Ward over the next three years, a special Funding Fair will take place in Dingwall Town Hall on Friday 22 May to give people the chance to come along and find out how they can get support and money for their community projects.
Highland Director of Social Work is New ADSW President
Harriet Dempster, Director of Social Work Services, The Highland Council, today (Wednesday) took up her post as President of the Association of Directors of Social Work.
Glenelg Primary School – Fit for the 21st Century
A £460,000 upgrade and extension has brought Glenelg Primary School in Lochalsh up to standards required for a 21st Century teaching establishment.
‘Alien’ sightings in the Loch Ness area
People are being invited to join The Highland Council Countryside Rangers to discover more about ‘aliens’ or non native, invasive species - and the harm they cause to our wildlife.
Council Warns Residents To Be Alert
Trading Standards officers of The Highland Council have issued a warning to the public to take great care before agreeing to any work on their house or garden by any itinerant businesses.
Black Isle Teenager Nominated For National Award
A teenager from the Black isle who volunteers 15 hours of his spare time each week to help improve life for young people where he lives has been nominated for a Buchanan¹s of Scotland Young People of the Year (YOPEY) award.
Partner agencies not complacent despite successes in reduction of youth crime
A MULTI-AGENCY approach to youth diversion and the promotion of pro-social behaviour has led to reductions in the levels of youth crime across the Highlands and Islands.
Caithness Heat and Power: Update
The Highland Council, through Caithness Heat and Power Ltd, is to seek a partner from the private sector to provide a new sustainable biomass district heating system in Wick for existing CHaP customers.
Inverness Road Works
Work is scheduled to commence on surface water and sewer connections on Tower Road, Inverness on Thursday 14th May, with the work programmed to take 2 weeks to complete.
Works to start on Brora environmental improvements
Works are due to begin on a £138,000 environmental improvement project beginning with the up-grade of Fountain Square, Brora at the end of this month.
Encouraging Participation in Euro Elections
New residents in the Highlands from European Union countries are being encouraged to register to vote in the forthcoming European Parliamentary elections to choose the six MEPs, who will represent Scotland.
Inverness Highland Games Programme Unveiled
The Highland Council has announced details of this year’s Inverness Highland Games following confirmation that Tulloch Homes are to sponsor the Masters World Championships, which will be staged in Bught Park Arena on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 July 2009.
Partners Join Forces to Reduce Hate Incidents in the Highlands
Multi agency partners have launched the ‘Hate Free Highland’ website which aims to generate awareness of prejudice and discrimination and encourage more people to report these hate incidents via the online reporting system.
Call For New Foster Carers To Come Forward
The Highland Council is joining in with the UK-wide campaign Foster Care Fortnight which starts today (Monday 11 May), to attract more local people into fostering. The fortnight is co-ordinated by fostering charity Fostering Network, to raise the awareness of fostering and highlight the shortage of foster carers across the whole of the UK.
National Spring Clean success strengthened by Council Enforcement
57,639 enthusiastic and passionate volunteers blitzed litter across Scotland in April as part of Keep Scotland Beautiful’s National Spring Clean 2009 – and 2,768 of those volunteers carried out clean ups in the Highland council area. To honour and support this immense achievement, Highland Council officers will be out on 12th May to enforce the message that dropping litter is a crime.
Pioneering Acharacle School Opens
The staff and pupils of Acharacle Primary School, Lochaber, today (Thursday) moved into their state of the art timber school, which promises to be the most energy efficient in Scotland.
European Award for Council's Action on Energy
The Highland Council has won a top European Award in recognition of the work it has done to raise awareness amongst staff of energy and water consumption in its buildings and for championing the need to cut CO2 emissions.
Highland student secures Geographical study trip of a lifetime
A Dornoch Academy student is heading off around the world to help her studies after winning £4000 of support from the Royal Geographical Society-IBG’s Learning and Leading Gap Year Programme.
Safe Highlanders
More than 2,000 Primary 7 pupils from schools within the Inverness area will be heading to the Cameron Barracks, Inverness, at different times over an eight-day period to take part in a community safety project aimed at making them Safe Highlanders.
Asset Management
The Highland Council welcomes the report published today (Thursday) by Audit Scotland on Asset Management in local government.
Greater Fort William Pre School and Primary School Review
A major review of pre-school and primary school provision in Greater Fort William will take place over the summer.
Minister for Children Celebrates Highland Pathfinder Project
Adam Ingram, the Scottish Government’s Minister for Children and Early Years, visited Inverness today (Tuesday) to mark the implementation of the Government programme, Getting it right for every child in The Highland Council area. In a unique partnership with the Scottish Government, The Highland Council is the first Scottish local authority and community planning partnership to implement Getting it right for every child, which is a programme to reform assessment and planning processes, reduce bureaucracy and achieve better outcomes for children and families.
Compost Awareness Week 2009
The Highland Council is urging householders across Highland to help reduce waste during Compost Awareness Week by taking up composting as a greener way of disposing of garden and kitchen waste.
Make your mark in “Register to Vote Week”.
People in the Highlands could be missing out on their right to vote in the European Parliamentary elections without even knowing it, according to Douglas Gillespie, Electoral Registration Officer for the Highland and Western Isles area.
Ainm is Aite - Name and Place
Children for Dalwhinnie and Newtonmore Primaries have been working with local ‘tradition bearers’ in the community to learn about Gaelic Placenames.
Council clamps down on irresponsible dog owners
The Highland Council has issued a clear warning to irresponsible dog owners that it will not tolerate owners allowing their dogs to foul public areas without clearing up after them.
Tain CCTV Review
Residents in Tain are reminded that they only have until next Tuesday (12 May) to comment on proposals to improve the town’s CCTV system.
Council reduces speeds at three more Highland Schools
From Tuesday 5 May, 2009, three more schools in the Highlands will have part time 20 mph speed limits in operation for children’s’ safety.
Inverness Streetscape works
The north end of Church Street, Inverness will be closed from 7am on Tuesday 5th May until 7pm on Friday 8th May to allow carriageway re-surfacing works.
Council publishes lasting written record of Cromarty Dialect
A booklet will be published tomorrow – ‘The Cromarty Fisherfolk Dialect’ - by The Highland Council’s award winning history and culture website Am Baile.
Road Closures During City Race For Life Event
Drivers in Inverness are being advised that temporary road closures will be in place during the Inverness Race For Life event which takes place on Sunday 10 May.