John O' Groat Journal headlines for July 12, 2013


BENEFIT claimants in Caithness are worried they will be turfed out of their homes as the bedroom tax begins to bite. Caithness Citizens Advice Bureau say enquiries relating to housing benefit have inc reased by 45% compared to the same period a year ago. The rise has been attributed to welfare reform which will see tenants in council or housing association homes penalised, if it is deemed they have more bedrooms than they need.

POSTAL services look set to be disrupted later this year as union officials confirmed they would take part in any strike action as a result of the privatisation of Royal Mail. The Communication Workers' Union expects members to be balloted by the end of Septermber on whether to take strike action. If approved, Royal Mail staff in Caithness will take part in strikes and mail services will not run.

STRICTER rules will be introduced to counter the threat of "phantom" objections to new developments in the Highlands after fears about the legitimacy of opposition to a wind turbine near Prince Charles's summer holiday home at the Castle of Mey. The region's local authority, which receives thousands of planning objections every year to controversial projects like new wind farms, housings schemes and retail developments, will now demand everybody supplies their home addresses when submitting their views on applications.

QUALITY seafood landed at Scrabster harbour is being served on the plates of the Hollywood rich and famous because of a local firm's export drive. Crabs lobster, mussels and oysters caught by fishermen at the north coast port, are being served up at restaurants in Beverly Hills as well as upmarket eateries in Hong Kong and Singapore.

THE waters in the Pentland Firth may only produce a tenth of the electricity previously estimated, but will still create hundreds of jobs and give a boost to the local economy. That was the assessment made yesterday by Eann Sinclair, the programme manager for the Caithness and North Sutherland Regeneration Partnership.

THE community should be given full responsibility for control and operation of Old St Peter's Church in Thurso. That is the view of Landward Caithness Highland Councillor Alex MacLeod who is calling for the local authority to allow a locally-based group to take over the running of the 12-century kirk.

A LIMOUSIN bullock from Donnie Budge, Brae-edge, Castletown, was champion at Aberdeen and Northern Marts' July cattle show at its Caithness Livestock Centre at Quoybrae, on Monday. The 646kg bullock was sold for £1,600 to D & V Buchan Savoch, Longside, Peterhead.

A THURSO-based renewable energy consultancy this week clinched a contract to help diversify a Borders' harbour. Caithness Renewables Ltd is to develop a marketing plan for Eyemouth Harbour Trust to identify fresh business for the port in sectors both within and outside its traditional remit, in particular the tourism and offshore renewables sectors.