Caithness Courier headlines for March 12, 2014

A SCOTTISH cabinet minister yesterday claimed the public and politicians had been “kept in the dark” about a radiation leak at Vulcan. Environment Minister Richard Lochhead hit out at the two-year delay in divulging the information when he raised the matter at Holyrood. The pubic, the Scottish Government and the Scottish Parliament had not been told about the incident at the Ministry of Defence water-cooled reactor, in January 2012.

CRUISE liners sailing to Caithness could be the answer to boosting the county’s tourism sector as representatives from Scrabster Harbour Trust attempt to sell the port to the world. This week, trust manager Sandy Mackie is at the Seatrade Cruise Shipping convention in Miami, the biggest international exhibition of its kind.

A MUCH-VAUNTED financial policy which urges companies behind mutli-million-pound developments in the Highlands, such as wind farms, to pay grants to communities has been dubbed “a spectacular flop”. Highland Council’s community benefit fund was launched amidst much fanfare in 2012 with a high-profile conference in Inverness and several public workshops across the region.

A WAR of words has broken out in amateur football after a club announced it wants to change which pitch it plays home games on. Staxigoe United want to move to Upper Bignold in Wick, as the side is unhappy with the condition of Lower Bignold, saying it is an inferior pitch to play on. But the Wick Amateur Football Association is opposed to having another team playing its home matches on Upper Bignold as it wants to protect the quality of the surface. However, Highland Council says there is nothing to stop Staxigoe playing its home matches at Upper Bignold and if they apply for its use they would be granted permission.

A NEW group has been launched to provide help and support to young carers in Caithness. Caithness KLICS (Kids, Living In Caring Situations) is the only dedicated project of its kind in the county aimed at people under 18 who have a caring role at home.

NETWORK RAIL has neglected level crossing safety since it took over the structure 12 years ago, according to a man whose parents were killed in a rail collision at Halkirk. Donald Mackay said last week’s apology was “forced” after the government criticised how the quango dealt with bereaved families. The Transport Select Committee blasted the organisation for the way it has handled tragedies, saying it had showed a “callous disrespect” to those who had lost relatives in level crossing incidents.