Highland Council leader supports joint taskforce in opposition to Stornoway coastguard cuts
The Highland Council is proposing the establishment of a joint lobby group to respond to the UK Government's plans to close Stornoway Coastguard Station, leaving Aberdeen as the only 24-hour coastguard rescue centre in Scotland.
Caithness heat and Power identifies preferred bidder
Ignis Energy Ltd has been invited by The Highland Council to be its Preferred Bidder to take over the district heating scheme – Caithness Heat and Power Ltd.
Highland waste and recycling collections – winter conditions
Due to the continuing severe winter conditions, there have been disruptions to waste and recycling collections in some Highland Council areas. This is especially so in remote areas or where roads have considerable inclines and also cul-de-sacs with restricted access.
Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd fìor thoilichte le co-dhùnadh Urras a’ BhBC mu Freeview airson BBC ALBA
Tha Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd air fàilte a chur air an fhios a thàinig bho Urras a’ BhBC an-diugh gum bi BBC ALBA ri fhaotainn air Freeview do luchd-amhairc ann an Alba.
Highland Council delighted with BBC Trust decision on Freeview for BBC ALBA
The Highland Council has welcomed the BBC Trust’s announcement today that BBC ALBA will be available on Freeview to viewers in Scotland.
HMIe report - Duncan Forbes Primary School
Pupils, parents and staff at Duncan Forbes Primary School and Nursery in Inverness have received praise from Her Majesty’s Inspectors in their report which was published on 21 December.
Council appoints head teacher for Inverness primary
The new head teacher of Merkinch Primary School , Inverness, is Mrs Tracy Sinclair, who has been the school's acting head teacher for the past three months. She takes up her post with immediate effect.
Inverness Hogmanay party
The Highland Council has confirmed details of the programme for “The Red Hot Highland Fling – Take 2” the five hour long Hogmanay Party that will bring this year’s Inverness Winter Festival to a close in Northern Meeting Park Arena on Friday 31 December.
Corran Ferry returns to normal
Today (Friday 17 December, 2010), the MV Corran returned to its normal duties on the Nether Lochaber slipway.
Inverness artist’s work finds home in Town House
A Highland artist’s depiction of Inverness Town House has joined the collection of artwork held by The Highland Council at the city’s Town House.
Sandown Lands, Nairn
The Highland Council has agreed to rescind, without penalty, the missives it signed with Deveron Homes Ltd over the development of the Sandown Lands, Nairn.
Review of Highland education provision
A strategic review of Highland Council’s education provision and its school estate is to be brought before members of the Council’s Education, Culture and Sport Committee early in the New Year.
Status quo on display of election posters
The Highland Council has rejected a move to impose a complete ban on election posters on Council property, roadside verges and street furniture in the direct ownership of the Council.
Amenity grass cutting outsourcing agreed
The Highland Council has agreed savings proposals for grounds maintenance following a detailed discussion at a full council meeting today (Thursday).
Review of Customer Services
The Highland Council has agreed to introduce greater sharing of front counter services to avoid a duplication of running and maintenance costs.
Youth Convener
The Highland Council has agreed to further enhance the participation and involvement of young people, and specifically the Youth Convener, in the delivery of Council services.
Council agree savings to close budget gap
The Highland Council has agreed savings to close a £17.8 million gap in its budget for 2011/12 and 2012/13, leaving a further £17 million to be found over the next two financial years.
Health and Social Care Review in the Highlands
The Highland Council and the NHS Highland Board have unanimously agreed to progress far-reaching plans to integrate health and social care services in the Highlands.
Golspie group’s success in anti-smoking competition
A Golspie youth Group has won a £500 award in a national anti-smoking competition; “The Crofton Award for best newcomer.”
Operation Respect partners offering safety advice ahead of expected busy weekend
With the city centre expected to be busy this weekend with shoppers by day and revellers by night, partners of Operation Respect are asking members of the public to be mindful of their personal safety.
Tackling childhood obesity in the Highlands
The Highland Council is working with NHS Highland to adopta range of measures to tackle childhood obesity.
Grass cutting collective grievance rejected
The Appeals Sub-Committee of The Highland Council’s Resources Committee has dismissed a collective grievance by the GMB Union concerning a proposed transfer of grass cutting staff from the Council to a private contractor.
Are you prepared? Multi-agency partners gear up for severe weather
Multi-agency partners across the Highlands and Islands are preparing for the impact of a band of severe weather which has been forecast, moving across the region from midnight tonight. They are also asking members of the public to be prepared.
Young People in Highland are asked to stand up for what they believe in
Young people from the Highlands are being asked by the Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) to stand up for what they believe in and make a difference in their communities by standing as a candidate in the March 2011 Youth Parliament elections.
The Highland Council to develop serviced commercial plots in Inverness
The Council has awarded contracts worth £1.6m to develop 13 commercial plots at the Carsegate Industrial Estate and a further 8 on the Longman. Work will commence this month and will be complete in the spring of 2011.
Follow-through inspection of Wick High School
As part of the inspectorate’s ongoing strategy for evaluating the educational provision of local authorities, a report is issued today (14 December) on the inspection by HMIe of the quality of education at Wick High School. The report from a follow-through visit is based on an initial inspection from 2008 and subsequent visits and describes the improvements that have been made since that original inspection.
Bird box build day
Members of the Caithness Countryside Volunteers met last Sunday to build bird boxes. The volunteers produced a number of standard bird boxes which will be used in Caithness woodlands by local bird ringers.
Social dance festival brings Lochaber pupils together
Primary 4 and 5 pupils from 6 Lochaber Primary Schools came together recently for a Social Dance Festival held at Caol Primary School in Fort William.
Lochaber inter-schools badminton competition 2010
The annual Lochaber Primary Schools Badminton Competition was recently held at the Nevis Centre on Monday 13 December.
British Waterways Calls for Extra Vigilance On Frozen Canals
During the current cold weather, British Waterways Scotland reminds everyone to take care in and around the Scottish canals, particularly on icy or frosty days.
Work starts on radon testing programme
In January 2011 The Highland Council is to start testing properties in the Highlands at highest risk from radon gas. A programme has been developed following the publication last year of new radon maps for Scotland produced by the Health Protection Agency (HPA).
Service Centre remains open over festive holiday period
In light of the persistent wintry weather, The Highland Council is opening its Service Centre, which handles all telephony enquiries, over the festive period.
United front on campaign to retain emergency tug cover in Highlands and Islands
Local councils in the Highlands and Islands are working together to present a united front to retain the two emergency towing vessels, which provide cover in the Northern Isles, Western Isles and West Highlands and are threatened with withdrawal next year.
Inverness City - West Link Road Project
Two public meetings are being held this week to gauge opinion on the five options which are being presented by The Highland Council for providing a new transport link from the Southern Distributor Road at Dores Road to the A82 trunk road at Torvean via a fixed link across the River Ness and the Caledonian Canal.
Fusion at Hilton Community Centre
Young people from the Inverness Royal Academy catchment area are invited to Hilton Community Centre on Saturday 18 December, to attend Fusion, the new fun night out for young people in the Highlands.
Winter Solstice Celebration Walk
Highland Council Countryside Rangers are inviting you to walk back in time to an ancient ring cairn on the shortest day of the year between 2.30 and 4.30pm on Tuesday 21st December, just as the sun is going down.
Highland Eviction Figures
The Highland Council has issued a response to the publication of figures on evictions for rent arrears by Shelter Scotland
Resolution reached on water cascading at Inverness canal lock gates
In the interests of the local residents living near Muirtown Basin in Inverness, British Waterways Scotland has today agreed with The Highland Council to abate the noise created by the cascading of water over the lock gates.
A’ foillseachadh stòras eadar-lìn a ghleidheas dualchas ar dùthcha
Thig còrr is 15,000 clàraidhean-fuaim, bho eachdraidh na h-Alba, "beò" an diugh (Diardaoin 9mh Dùbhlachd) nuair theid tasglann-beoil air-loighne a chuir air bhog gu h-oifigeil. http://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/
Inverness Infirmary Bridge closure extended
The Infirmary Bridge, a footbridge which spans the River Ness in Inverness, will remain closed until Tuesday 21 December as the result of severe weather which has delayed essential maintenance work.
Health and Social Care Review in the Highlands
A joint meeting of the full membership of The Highland Council and the NHS Highland Board – the first of its kind - will be held next week to consider far-reaching plans to integrate health and social care services in the Highlands.
Council appoints three head teachers for Inverness Primaries
The Highland Council has appointed three head teachers for Milton of Leys, Raigmore and Strathdearn Primary Schools in the Inverness area.
Historic Oral Archives Website Launched
More than 15,000 recordings from Scotland’s past will officially “go live” with the launch today {Thursday 9 December} of an online oral archive. http://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/
Skye and Lochalsh Mink Monitoring Survey so far
Skye and Lochalsh Environment Forum’s Mink survey project, funded by Scottish Natural Heritage, The Highland Council and LEADER has come to the half way point.
Public invited to have their say on new Wick High School
A report on the proposal to build a new Wick High School on either the existing Wick High School playing field site or on Bignold Park, Wick is available today (Wed 8 December) for public consultation.
Users advised of day and community support service changes in Fort William
Users of day and community support services in the Fort William area are being advised of changes to service provision from the start of the new year.
Update on Highland Council Salt Supplies
The Highland Council’s Chairman of TEC Services, Councillor John Laing has given a reassurance that the Council is not running low on salt and all depots across the Highlands have supplies.
Emergency Services are calling on people to look out for their neighbours
Emergency Services in the Highlands and Islands are calling on neighbours to look out for each other during the severe weather we are currently experiencing.
Help sought as big freeze draws 20 million litres of water a day from Highland supplies
As Scottish Water staff battle the extreme weather conditions to maintain services to customers, an appeal is going out to people in the Dingwall, Black Isle and Drumnadrochit areas to double-check their properties and land for leaks or burst pipes.
Normal service to be resumed at Corran Ferry on 17 December
The Highland Council is on target to resume a normal service at the Corran Ferry in West Lochaber from Friday 17 December following a major refurbishment of the Nether Lochaber slipway.
Winter Wonderland set to light up Whin Park, Inverness
The Inverness Winter Festival’s favourite event for toddlers, Rudolph’s Winter Wonderland, will be staged in Whin Park between 4pm – 7pm on Saturday 11 December and Sunday 12 December.
Ward Forum throws light on Council Gritting
Tain and Easter Ross residents are invited to the last Ward Forum of 2010 being held next week (Wednesday 15 December) to hear about the Council’s response to the recent bad weather and its readiness for the remaining winter months.
Highland Council’s toilets come top in the UK
Cleaning staff responsible for looking after The Highland Council’s Education, Culture and Sport service toilets are celebrating after scooping 6 national category awards, 4 major national awards and taking home the top UK Trophy for the best Local Authority Entries.
The Highland Council goes Bats for Fairtrade
The Highland Council has enlisted the help of two “bats” taking part in the Eden Court pantomime Beauty and the Beast to launch their bid to make the Highlands a Fairtrade Zone.
Couple’s big day goes ahead
The Highland Council’s Registration Service has stepped in at short notice to ensure a young couple’s wedding could go ahead.
Offenders pay back Highland communities by clearing snow
Over the recent week of wintry weather, Community Service Teams have been clearing roads and paths across the Highlands to aid more vulnerable members of the community.
Nairn pupils receive Sports Leaders awards
Nineteen S4 Nairn Academy pupils were recently presented with the Level 1 Sports Leaders UK Certificate.
Temporary restrictions on the Craggie to Budgate Road
The Highland council has arranged for a temporary traffic restriction to be introduced on the C1052 Craggie to Daviot Station – Dalroy – Glacantray – Budgarte Road which will start at 8.00am on Monday 6 December.
Arboriculture works along city street
A temporary traffic restriction will be in operation on sections of Telford Road in Inverness on Monday (6 December) to allow for the safe removal of a dangerous Elm Tree which is situated next to the carriageway.
Operation Respect - Keeping Inverness Safe over the Festive Period
Partners have joined today (03 December 2010) to launch Operation Respect, the initiative aimed at keeping the streets of Inverness safer over the festive period.
Council approves £100,000 grant to Dornoch project
Highland Councillors have agreed to back a major new sports facility in Dornoch.
Councillors welcome launch new Hi-Scot Credit Union
Highland Councillors have welcomed the creation of the Hi-Scot Credit Union, which extends the work of the successful Western Isles Credit Union into the Highlands and Orkney. The Credit Union is working closely with The Highland Council, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and the Orkney Community Planning Partnership to ensure that this valuable service is widely taken up.
Employers thanked for supporting pupils
Businesses in the Inverness and Nairn areas are being invited to attend an award ceremony to receive thanks from The Highland Council for the ongoing and valuable contributions they make in supporting pupils through skills for work; work experience; and enterprise projects.
New head teacher for Pennyland Primary, Thurso
Morna O’Hagan has been appointed to the post of Head Teacher at Pennyland Primary School, Thurso.
Northern Constabulary welcome new voluntary group to assist in extreme weather
Northern Constabulary today formally signed a new memo of understanding with a voluntary group of 4x4 drivers who are prepared to assist officers during the winter months.
Inverness City: West Link Road Project
The public are being asked by The Highland Council to have their say on five pragmatic options for providing a new transport link to the west of Inverness.
Awards double "Whammy" for Inverness Leisure
The team at Inverness Leisure were jumping for joy twice over the last few days having received their results following two recent quality and service assessments.
Inverness public art programme assured three-year future
Members of the Highland Council’s Inverness City Committee have given their backing for the continued support of a public arts programme which was created through the urban regeneration Streetscape project.
Sgoil Chiùil na Gàidhealtachd - Christmas Concert
The Christmas Concert of the National Centre of Excellence in Traditional Music - Sgoil Chiùil na Gàidhealtachd will take place on Saturday 11 December.