Nwicker60
14-Sep-11, 14:47
Caithness Courier review: September 14,2011
A BID to provide a long-term, funding, lifeline to the cash-strapped community transport service in Caithness, has failed. An unexpected £8000 subsidy from Highland Council has helped secure its operation for the remainder of the financial year. But, hopes that users of Caithness Rural Transport could benefit from the national free travel scheme for over-60s have been dashed. Landward councillor David Flear proposed the idea to guarantee the long-time survival of the service. But council transport officials have made it clear, this week, that CRT and other similar groups in the North are ineligible for free bus passes.
ALSO featured on the front page is Wick’s double success at the Keep Scotland Beautiful competition. The flower baskets committee notched up their second, consecutive, silver award and lifted the award for the town that had made the greatest effort to promote tourism.
HIGHLAND COUNCIL must have a say in the new-look Scottish police and fire services to secure the best deal for the region, reports Will Clark in page two’s lead story. Council leader Michael Foxley said that it will “constructively engage” with the Scottish Government to ensure services reflect the needs of the Highlands. Councillors aim to actively consult on the specifics of national policing and fire services. They will also highlight the importance of local accountability and decision-making.
COUNCILLORS are set to meet with officials in Inverness tomorrow, to clarify arrangements for the construction of a new high school in Wick. Highland Council’s education, culture and sport committee will meet with representatives from Hub North and the Scottish Futures Trust to discuss contractual and financial arrangements for the new building. Hub North is a joint venture between the public sector private sector and the Scottish Futures Trust, made up of construction and development companies.
A CAMPAIGN group has launched an online petition to help save Thurso’s now defunct cinema, the All Star Factory. Cinema for Thurso Group has blamed the current economic slump for preventing the two-screen facility, which closed in September 2009, from reopening. The group’s Darren Manson said: “We have worked with numerous individuals and businessss over the last six years and they’ve all seen great potential in what has been clearly identified as a viable business, but no-one is following through to revive the complex.
AN exhibition by local artist Joanne B. Kaar, will give a new perspective to the work and life of the renowned Thurso botanist and baker Robert Dick. Kaar has been working with the curator of Caithness Horizons over the last few years to help document photographs and digitise the botanical specimens and paper wrappers contained within the Robert Dick Herbarium. Together, they selected 60 of the herbarium specimens which Kaar has printed on her own handmade papers. All 60 are on display at Caithness Horizons.
MORE than a 100 dancers from across the North of Scotland competed in the Elise Lyall 20th Festival of Highland dancing. Judges on the day were Jane Douglas from the Isle of Barra, and Alison Munro, from Buckie. Music was provided by local piping brothers Andrew and Craig Harvey, and drummer Grant Lyall. Over 30 brand new trophies had been donated to commemorate this 20th festival, many of which were designed by local craftsmen. A very high standard was seen during the competition at Wick High School.
THE long-mooted A9 bypass of Thurso is back on the agenda, as community representatives seek a “legacy” were spent fuel movements from Dounreay to get official sanction. The project has been championed by Thurso Community Council and chairman Bob Earnshaw believes it would fit the bill in terms of a community trade-off. The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority is due to decide before the end of the month, whether to support plans to haul the spent fuel from Dounreay to the reprocessing plant at Sellafield in Cumbria. Monthly movements are planned by rail from Georgemas Junction.
A BID to provide a long-term, funding, lifeline to the cash-strapped community transport service in Caithness, has failed. An unexpected £8000 subsidy from Highland Council has helped secure its operation for the remainder of the financial year. But, hopes that users of Caithness Rural Transport could benefit from the national free travel scheme for over-60s have been dashed. Landward councillor David Flear proposed the idea to guarantee the long-time survival of the service. But council transport officials have made it clear, this week, that CRT and other similar groups in the North are ineligible for free bus passes.
ALSO featured on the front page is Wick’s double success at the Keep Scotland Beautiful competition. The flower baskets committee notched up their second, consecutive, silver award and lifted the award for the town that had made the greatest effort to promote tourism.
HIGHLAND COUNCIL must have a say in the new-look Scottish police and fire services to secure the best deal for the region, reports Will Clark in page two’s lead story. Council leader Michael Foxley said that it will “constructively engage” with the Scottish Government to ensure services reflect the needs of the Highlands. Councillors aim to actively consult on the specifics of national policing and fire services. They will also highlight the importance of local accountability and decision-making.
COUNCILLORS are set to meet with officials in Inverness tomorrow, to clarify arrangements for the construction of a new high school in Wick. Highland Council’s education, culture and sport committee will meet with representatives from Hub North and the Scottish Futures Trust to discuss contractual and financial arrangements for the new building. Hub North is a joint venture between the public sector private sector and the Scottish Futures Trust, made up of construction and development companies.
A CAMPAIGN group has launched an online petition to help save Thurso’s now defunct cinema, the All Star Factory. Cinema for Thurso Group has blamed the current economic slump for preventing the two-screen facility, which closed in September 2009, from reopening. The group’s Darren Manson said: “We have worked with numerous individuals and businessss over the last six years and they’ve all seen great potential in what has been clearly identified as a viable business, but no-one is following through to revive the complex.
AN exhibition by local artist Joanne B. Kaar, will give a new perspective to the work and life of the renowned Thurso botanist and baker Robert Dick. Kaar has been working with the curator of Caithness Horizons over the last few years to help document photographs and digitise the botanical specimens and paper wrappers contained within the Robert Dick Herbarium. Together, they selected 60 of the herbarium specimens which Kaar has printed on her own handmade papers. All 60 are on display at Caithness Horizons.
MORE than a 100 dancers from across the North of Scotland competed in the Elise Lyall 20th Festival of Highland dancing. Judges on the day were Jane Douglas from the Isle of Barra, and Alison Munro, from Buckie. Music was provided by local piping brothers Andrew and Craig Harvey, and drummer Grant Lyall. Over 30 brand new trophies had been donated to commemorate this 20th festival, many of which were designed by local craftsmen. A very high standard was seen during the competition at Wick High School.
THE long-mooted A9 bypass of Thurso is back on the agenda, as community representatives seek a “legacy” were spent fuel movements from Dounreay to get official sanction. The project has been championed by Thurso Community Council and chairman Bob Earnshaw believes it would fit the bill in terms of a community trade-off. The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority is due to decide before the end of the month, whether to support plans to haul the spent fuel from Dounreay to the reprocessing plant at Sellafield in Cumbria. Monthly movements are planned by rail from Georgemas Junction.