Parents and carers will benefit from a new childcare offer aimed at bringing down the cost of living, tackling child poverty and boosting family incomes, First Minister John Swinney has said. As part of the newly-published Programme for Government, the Scottish Government is transforming its childcare offer to ensure greater childcare support is available to families with children from nine months old through to the end of primary school.
A period of intense engagement is underway to ensure streamlined public services are delivered for Scotland, Public Service Reform Secretary Ivan McKee has said. This week’s Programme for Government set out how the Scottish Government plans to deliver stronger and efficient public services that are sustainable for generations to come.
Sometimes the most interesting way of looking at a week's local news is not to examine each story separately, but to stand back and ask what it is telling us about the place. And this week, Caithness has produced a mixture of politics, fishing, employment, community issues and questions about the future which are rather more connected than they might first appear.
Highland Council has been given a powerful new weapon in its attempt to tackle the shortage of housing. It can now make owning a second home considerably more expensive.
October has an extraordinary history of sudden financial crashes. Six of the eight largest falls in Dow Jones history happened in October, including 1929, 1987, 1997 and 2008.
Why has buying a home become so difficult for young people in Britain? In this Funding the Future podcast, I talk to my son James about the extraordinary generational divide in housing. When I was 25, I bought a three-bedroom flat in London for £28,500 with a deposit of just £250.
£2.1 billion is a difficult number for most people to comprehend. It is so large that it can make almost any announcement sound impressive.
Scotland has an energy problem that sounds almost impossible. It produces far more electricity than it needs and it has some of the greatest renewable-energy resources in Europe.
There is a new nuclear race developing around the world, but Britain could be forgiven for not noticing. For years, nuclear power in Britain has seemed like an argument about one enormous project at a time.
Capital Gains Tax is one of those taxes that can produce an argument almost before the first sentence has been completed. For some people, it is an obvious loophole in the tax system.
John Swinney has made it clear that Scotland's public sector cannot continue operating in quite the same way it has for decades. There are too many organisations, too many overlapping responsibilities and, in some cases, too many layers of management.
Living standards in Aberdeen are now below the UK average for the first time since 2003, with the city’s wage premium having fallen by three quarters since the early 2010s. Debates about extracting the final oil and gas reserves therefore risk missing the bigger picture on where the city’s future employment will come from, the Resolution Foundation said on Thursday 3 Sepember 2026.
I think the public should take much more interest in government budgets, precisely because the idea that ordinary people "cannot affect them" is one of the reasons governments can make decisions with relatively little public scrutiny. The important point is that an individual cannot normally change a budget on their own.
John Swinney has set out perhaps the most ambitious programme of public-sector restructuring Scotland has seen for many years. The direction of travel is clear.
No Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Developme (OECD) rich country with a higher tax-to-GDP ratio than the UK in 2025 was able to achieve this without placing a heavier burden on middle earners, suggesting it is unrealistic to say we can have higher defence spending without higher taxes on such workers, the Resolution Foundation said this week. Thin end of the wedge looks at how workers’ ‘tax wedge’ – total taxes on earnings minus cash benefits – has changed as a result of decisions taken in Autumn Budget 2024.
A new Bill progressing through Parliament could change the way businesses are paid, giving smaller companies greater protection against long payment terms and persistent late payers. For many small business owners, there is a frustrating contradiction at the heart of running a successful business: You can have plenty of work, plenty of customers and plenty of profit on paper—and still run out of cash.
There is a quiet revolution taking place in British farming, although you might not have noticed it yet. For generations, farming was something you inherited.
Britain has one of the most efficient food distribution systems in the world. Walk into almost any supermarket and it is easy to take that efficiency for granted.
With household budgets still under pressure, making a few simple changes around the home could help reduce the amount of electricity being wasted every day. One of the easiest places to start is with appliances and electronic devices that are left switched on or sitting in standby mode when they are not being used.
There is one thing that British and American motorists can agree on at the moment. Filling the car is becoming painful.
This two-bedroom semi-detached property is a doer-upper at a fantastic price. Uncared for by a long-term tenant, it is again in need of decoration, new floor coverings and would also benefit from having the small kitchen replaced.
Why should pensioners and people dependent on social security pay the price when bond investors demand higher returns?. That is the question raised by the latest turmoil in government bond markets.
For decades, central bankers have had to make decisions about the British economy using information that is inevitably looking backwards. Inflation figures arrive after prices have already changed.
America is the world's richest major economy, its currency dominates international finance and its companies lead the world in everything from technology to entertainment. Yet year after year, America buys vastly more from the rest of the world than it sells back in physical goods.
For decades, there was something reassuring about knowing that some of Europe's most valuable national assets were sitting safely in American vaults. Now that assumption is beginning to change.
The Highlands has a new young people’s champion after confirmation that Eilidh Primrose has taken up the role of Highland Youth Convener for 2026-27. Twenty-two-year-old Eilidh, who lives in Inverness, is the 18th person appointed to the position and has taken over from Leah McBain.
This large family home is a five-bedroom B-Listed terraced property with garden to rear, located in the sought-after residential area of the tree-lined Argyle Square. Accommodation comprises two lounges, kitchen/diner, utility area and modern shower room on ground floor.
A&D Sutherland Ltd have a vacancy for a qualified second Plant Mechanic. This is based at our main quarry site in Spittal.
See poster for details..
CLEANER WANTED – LATHERON Cleaner wanted to service Airbnb. 2 bedrooms, lounge, kitchen/dining area and bathroom.
We are seeking enthusiastic and dedicated Front of House Staff to join our team. This role is crucial in ensuring that our customers receive exceptional service and a memorable experience.
Here at Riverside house care home we are looking to employ a domestic assistant to join our team working four shifts per week 8am-2pm to ensure all areas are maintained to the highest standards of cleanliness, in this role you will perform cleaning tasks including dusting, hoovering, mopping and sanitizing surfaces. Previous experience is an advantage but not essential as full training will be given.
An exciting opportunity to join a lovely team help support a young man in his own home in Wick. If you are someone who likes to make a difference in someone's life and is caring compassionate and reliable this could be for you.
Specsavers in Wick are looking for an enthusiastic person to join our store due to continued growth. This is an exciting opportunity to join a small, hard-working team.
Volunteer with Children's Hearings Scotland (CHS) and make a lasting difference in your community. Children's Hearings Scotland (CHS) is currently recruiting volunteer Panel Members across Scotland, including the Western Isles.
Pupils, parents and teachers are among those being encouraged to share their views about restricting phones in schools with the launch of a public consultation today. The Scottish Government’s consultation will inform the development of legislation to restrict phone use in schools, given concerns about the harmful effect on pupils’ education and wellbeing.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has acquired the assets of Sutherland Spaceport Ltd (SSL) from the joint liquidators, Chad Griffin and Graham Smith of FRP Advisory. SSL was established in 2020 by Moray-based space launch company Orbital Express Ltd (Orbex), which entered administration in February this year.
Over a third of children talk or play online with people they have never met. 91% of parents use monitoring tools — but 41% of children have tried to get around them.
There is something rather odd about the way we treat sunscreen in Britain. We know that exposure to ultraviolet radiation can cause skin cancer.
The Highland Council’s Justice Service teams will be hosting open days in Inverness and Golspie this September. The public are invited to open day sessions on Wednesday 9 September at Inverness Justice Centre and Thursday 10 September at Golspie Justice Services.
Britain is adopting artificial intelligence at remarkable speed. But there is an intriguing problem developing beneath the headline figures.
We are looking for part-time / relief bar staff to join our team. * Casual, part time work as and when needed * Must be able to work evenings and weekends * Must be over 18 * Full bar training can be provided If you would like to join our team, and for more info on this post, please contact our Head Steward Donna by messaging our Facebook page or pop in to the Seaforth Club and see her.
No booking required. Get ready to create..
Waiting Staff – Full & Part Time We’re looking for friendly, enthusiastic and reliable Waiting Staff to join our team. We have full-time and part-time positions available, with shifts covering breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Chef de Partie – Full Time We’re looking for a passionate and reliable Chef de Partie to join our kitchen team. You’ll work alongside our Head Chef and wider kitchen team to deliver high-quality food across breakfast, lunch and dinner service.
A lovely two-bedroom cottage with two sun rooms, located on the roadside in Bilbster with enclosed mature garden grounds and views across the open countryside. Accommodation comprises vestibule, hallway, lounge, kitchen/diner, two double bedrooms, newly fitted modern shower room and two sun rooms, one to the rear and another to the side.
Set in a prominent location on the popular NC500 route is this well established 8-bedroom hotel (all ensuite), with public bar, lounge bar, dining room, owners’ accommodation, covered beer garden, detached garage and large commercial tarmacadam carpark. Originally a church manse, dating back to the 19th century, this impressive and substantial property boasts many original features throughout including a beautiful feature staircase, ornate cornicing, high skirtings and ceilings, and decorative internal archways.
Here at Riverside house care home in Wick we are looking to employ full or part time care assistants to join our team. SVQ level 2 in care would be an advantage but not essential full training will be provided.
Hugh Simpson (Contractors) Ltd. is the largest crane hire and heavy lifting services company based in Caithness.
Here at Riverside house care home we are looking to employ a dedicated and reliable domestic assistant to join our team. Hours to be worked are 8am-2pm covering four days including some weekends.
Gingerbread House is a beautifully presented detached cottage situated in the peaceful village of Mey, close to the Castle of Mey and on the world-famous NC500 route. Currently operating as a highly successful Airbnb holiday let, the property offers an excellent opportunity as either a lifestyle business or a charming private home.
A&D Sutherland Ltd have vacancies for general labourers. The positions are based on the main Quarry site in Spittal.
Patti Bremner, the Countryside Ranger for East Caithness explains why dune systems need our protection and why recreational fires pose a real risk to these habitats. Working in an office alongside the Dunnet Bay sand dunes I have come to appreciate and respect them more and more each working day.
Some medicines can make you more sensitive to the sun or increase the risk of dehydration without you realising it. The MHRA is encouraging people to know the risks and stay protected this summer.
We are looking for a cook in our busy pub kitchen to cook pub grub. Hours are 4.30 to finish.
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