TYPICAL LOCAL NEWS STORIES BROADCAST ON
TWO LOCHS RADIO
A typical
day's news bulletin will have 3 or 4 stories of local relevance plus local
sporting fixtures/results.
The shortlist comprises developments
that the judges regard as pioneering initiatives across nine award categories,
showcasing excellence in regenerating, enhancing and transforming the built
environment.
Ferry operating statistics are now
available online
Ferry operator CalMac has launched
what it claims is the
Current data for the Ullapool to
Stornoway route show that it carried 10,529 passengers in January this year,
with 4,184 cars, 1,007 commercial vehicles and just four coaches. CalMac’s
managing director Robbie Drummond says the company is the first to offer this
level of transparency across all routes.
Public toilets on the A832 are to be
transferred to community ownership
Councillors on the Highland
Council’s Communities and Place Committee have approved a community asset
transfer request from the Community Out West Trust to
take ownership of the Kinlochewe public toilets and adjoining picnic area with
parking space for about ten cars. Following the Council’s closure of a number
of public toilets in 2018, the Trust took on year-round operation of the
toilets under licence from the council, but then sought full ownership to
improve local community amenity and to develop tourist facilities.
Councillor Alan Henderson, Chair of
the Communities & Place Committee said that the application was strong in
its evidence on the proposed benefits to the local community and committee
members were very happy to support the application. He added that he was really
pleased to hear that other community groups are looking to the example being
offered by Community Out West running their local public toilets, and it was
also good to see that some community councils are getting involved and showing an
interest in such developments. Among these are Gairloch Community Council’s
development company’s plans for new public toilets and other amenities at
Plans for another tall radio pole in
Gairloch have been withdrawn
Radio network operator Arqiva applied last month for planning consent to install a
12-metre tall pole with radio antennas on top at the corner of Pier Road
Gairloch and the A832 in Gairloch for connection to smart meters in the
locality. The application received more than a dozen public representations
objecting to the proposal with none in support, plus objections from two
statutory consultees.
Highland Council’s area planning
manager Daffyd Jones wrote yesterday to all objectors
advising them that Arqiva had withdrawn the
application, and that the planning case has been closed. However, Mr Jones also
advised that if a similar proposal were submitted in future any continuing
concerns would have to be resubmitted as they could not be transferred from the
abandoned application.
Council funding cuts could mean
increased leisure service charges
Highland Council budget proposals
suggest that Highlife Highland, the ‘arms length’ body that operates leisure
services, adult learning and libraries, should be asked to plan for a future
cut of just over a million pounds from its £16.2 million-pound budget. As well
as cutting its costs through efficiency savings, the proposal could mean the
organization making a substantial increase in the price of the Highlife
Highland membership card in order to meet such a budget reduction. It’s
estimated that a 5 per cent increase in card charges would bring in around
£400,000 of extra income towards meeting the proposed budget cuts. Other areas
thought likely to be targeted are increases in catering and event charges, and
cuts to mobile library and adult learning services.
A preferred option has emerged for
the Stromeferry bypass
Highland Council has announced its
plan for a solution to A890 Stromeferry bypass rockfalls;
It proposes a new 14km/ 9mile detour which would
bypass the notoriously unstable troublespot where
rock falls have been an issue ever since the road opened in 1970 causing
significant disruption to road users. In recent years, a series of cliff
stabilisation works and ongoing exploration of alternative routes, have raised
hopes that a more permanent solution can be found. The proposed new section of
road would deviate from the current A890 and follow the route of a forestry
track up through Glen Udalain before descending through Glen Attadale and
rejoining the current A890 at Attadale. No timeframe for the works has been
announced and the local authority has confirmed that "funding and
programme still remains an issue for the delivery of any option". A
consultation has opened with various stakeholders and meetings are planned with
local communities to gather comment and opinion. Details will be made available
on Highland Council’s web page.
A local fundraising event was a
great success last week
The first Highland Hospice Coffee
Morning of 2020 took place last week. Promoted by the Loch Ewe Area Group
(LEAG) with Michael and Connie, the Artists formerly known as Bridge Cottage
Café, the event raised just under £1,750 pounds for the Highland Hospice. The
organisers commented that the weather calmed down on the day of the event and
the community, again, came out in numbers to give their support. They thanked
those involved with preparation and baking for the event and everyone who made
the event such a success. In 2019, the LEAG Fundraisers raised a total of
£17,300 for Highland Hospice and are looking to build on that sum in 2020.
A hillwalker
died in a fall on the Torridons during the week
A 37-year-old man is understood to
have been on a summit of Liathach on Thursday when he had a fatal fall. Police
say the alarm was raised at 16:25, and Torridon Mountain Rescue Team assisted
at the scene.
The nursery extension to
Highland Council’s Area Care and
Learning Manager, Norma Young, attended an official opening day at the school
yesterday. The nursery extension includes two new classrooms, one for English
medium with a capacity of 15 and the other for Gaelic medium with a capacity of
30. There is also a new reception area, a work area for staff, a new staff
room, and a new Additional Support Needs room.
Three new secure outdoor play areas
have also been created, with free access from the classrooms, plus a shared
play park. The £1 million-pound project’s construction work took six months to
complete. Chairman of the Highland Council Education Committee, Councillor John
Finlayson, said he was sure everyone in the area will be happy to see the
completion of the project, which will be of great benefit to the community.
Expansion work is planned for Gairloch Primary this summer to accommodate
additional early years provision.
The norovirus-hit ward at Raigmore
will remain closed over the weekend
Ward 5C at Raigmore Hospital halted new
admissions on Wednesday after an outbreak of diarrhoea and vomit among its
patients, and will remain closed over the weekend after an increase in the
number of patients suffering with symptoms of diarrhoea and vomiting. The
hospital continues to appeal to members of the public that if they, or anyone
they live with, has had symptoms in the preceding 48 hours they should refrain
from attending any hospital or care home.
Ferry services continue to be
disrupted by the weather
The 7 o’clock Stornoway to Ullapool
ferry departed early at 6 o’clock this morning to cross before anticipated
rough seas, but the 10.30 departing Ullapool and 14.30 departing Stornoway are
cancelled due to the adverse weather. This evening's 18.30 scheduled departure
from Ullapool is liable to delay or cancellation.