Councils across Scotland are under considerable financial pressure. Rising wages, energy bills, borrowing costs and increasing demand for essential services are leaving local authorities searching for ways to balance their budgets.
When people discuss the future of Caithness, attention often turns to major employers, government investment, renewable energy developments and the search for new industries. All of these matter.
Caithness has become accustomed to reading about economic difficulties, declining public services, empty shops, rising costs and the challenges facing rural communities. These are important issues and should not be ignored.
Britain and Europe are investing billions in renewable energy as they seek to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. But building wind farms and solar parks is only part of the challenge.
Members of the public are being urged to share their views on local governance reform and help shape next steps. The Scottish Government has launched an online questionnaire seeking views on: how local government is currently organised the most important features of local governance reform.
Highland's Countryside Ranger Service performs an important role in protecting the natural environment, helping people understand local wildlife and encouraging greater appreciation of the countryside. Its work with schools, communities, visitors and landowners is valuable, and at a time when environmental pressures are increasing, the contribution of Rangers should not be underestimated.
Britain may be approaching another industrial revolution, but this time the factories are not producing cars, steel or textiles. They are producing something less visible but increasingly important: computing power.
Caithness has long been associated with energy production. From the nuclear industry at Dounreay to the development of onshore wind farms, the area has played an important role in Britain's changing energy requirements.
Every eligible 18 to 24 year old in Great Britain claiming Universal Credit and looking for work will be guaranteed a fully-funded, six-month job matched to their skills from the end of November as the Government drives forward fundamental change in the way it supports young people. Guaranteed jobs for young people on Universal Credit will be rolled out across all areas of Great Britain, after successful trial, to support over 90,000 young people furthest from work into a role.
Workers can join schemes where a proportion of their salary, chosen by them, automatically goes into their own savings pot. Major employers like BT, M&S, Veolia and Home Bargains have joined the government-backed National Coalition of Workplace Savings to offer new savings schemes to their employees.
Caithness finds itself in an interesting position. There are opportunities emerging across energy, infrastructure, harbour development, education and construction.
Britain is facing a growing problem that reaches far beyond unemployment figures. Almost one million young people aged 16 to 24 are neither in education, employment nor training.
Christmas is coming and many books will be bought so here are two lists for people interested in economics. The first concentrates on economists who challenge conventional thinking.
The Microsoft services outage that began on Nov. 12, 2026, is not like other internet outages.
The Scottish Government is tightening its rules on working from home, requiring most civil servants in hybrid-working roles to spend at least 40% of their contracted working time working in person. For senior civil servants, the expectation rises to 60%.
The recent Microsoft 365 outage should serve as a warning to households, businesses and public organisations about just how dependent everyday life has become on technology. Email stopped working properly for many users.
The American political landscape has changed following the November 2026 midterm elections. The Democrats have won control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, delivering a major setback to President Donald Trump and giving the opposition party an opportunity to challenge his policies during the final two years of his presidency.
The debate over Medicare for All in the United States raises an interesting question. If America finds it so difficult to provide affordable healthcare for its population, how do Britain, Germany, France, the Netherlands and other developed countries manage to provide universal or near-universal coverage? The United States spends more money on healthcare than any other developed country, yet millions of Americans remain uninsured or struggle with the cost of medical treatment.
The idea of Medicare for All is returning to the centre of American political debate. With healthcare costs continuing to rise, millions of Americans struggling with insurance premiums and medical bills, and Democrats looking for policies that distinguish them from Republicans, universal healthcare is once again attracting attention.
Britain is experiencing a rapid expansion in solar power. More households, businesses and public buildings are installing panels, encouraged by falling equipment costs, concerns about electricity prices and the desire to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
Highland Council's ambitious 20-year investment programme was designed to modernise schools, roads and public buildings. But higher borrowing costs, construction inflation and rising energy prices are raising questions about whether the original financial assumptions will still stand up.
When I arrived at work to discover that Outlook had vanished from my computer, I wondered how I was supposed to get through my working day. No emails.
The trade dispute between the United States and Canada is beginning to produce consequences that could extend well beyond the two countries. Canadian aluminium producers are increasingly looking towards Europe for customers, while American manufacturers face the possibility that supplies they once took for granted may become more expensive or harder to secure.
The Scottish Budget on 3 December will reveal how much financial room the Scottish Government really has. Despite an additional £600 million from Westminster, falling capital funding, inflation and a substantial tax adjustment leave ministers facing difficult choices.
The global Microsoft outage on 12 and 13 November has provided another uncomfortable reminder of just how dependent modern businesses have become on a relatively small number of technology companies. For thousands of organisations, the working day depends on services such as Outlook, Microsoft 365, Teams, SharePoint and OneDrive.
Co-Chairs Frances Gunn and Ian Ross are delighted to announce the new members of the Neighbourhood Board for the Pride in Place Programme. The Neighbourhood Board brings together an exceptional range of skills, experience and local knowledge from across Sutherland.
There is an old saying that a problem ignored does not go away. Unfortunately, when that problem is debt, it tends to grow teeth, acquire a credit card and start charging interest.
Developments over the past week raise some important questions about its economic future, public services and the prospects for its communities. From the future of the Sutherland Spaceport to Highland Council's financial difficulties, there are several issues worth watching.
A US space company is exploring the potential to establish regular launch operations from Sutherland Spaceport in the north Highlands. Colorado-based LEAP has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) to explore opportunities at the site.
Imenco Future Technologies is an innovation led company specialising in high-quality vision systems, subsea sensors and acoustic solutions. Working in partnership with customers across the offshore energy, defence and maritime industries, we deliver innovative, engineered solutions designed to enhance safety, protect asset integrity and maximise operational efficiency.
Scotland could be heading for the biggest reorganisation of its public services in more than two decades. The Scottish Government is looking at reducing the number of NHS health boards from 14 to just two, while also proposing a major restructuring of local government.
Sutherland faces some difficult questions about its future. The latest developments include a substantial financial challenge for Highland Council, proposals for a new Highland Growth Deal and the continuing debate over how to attract investment and employment to rural communities.
This beautiful five-bedroom, stone-built, large family home is C-Listed and situated in the sought-after Sinclair Terrace. The accommodation comprises a hallway, kitchen/diner, lounge, dining room, utility room and shower room on the ground floor.
This beautiful four-bedroom, mid-terraced home sits in walk-in condition having been finished to a high standard. There is Upvc double glazing throughout and the heating system is oil-fired.
Set in the countryside and facing directly onto the open sea, a lovely detached two-bedroom bungalow with two garages and a stone-built store, sitting on a large plot of garden grounds and surrounded by 3.5 acres of croft land which is available separately. A driveway leads up to the home which consists of vestibule, conservatory, hallway, kitchen/diner, utility room, lounge, two double bedrooms and a family bathroom.
Artificial intelligence may transform customer service, reducing the need for large teams of telephone operators. For communities that once attracted call centres to replace lost industries, the consequences could be particularly significant.
A college + university like no other With 19 campuses and centres across the North and West Highlands, Skye, and Outer Hebrides, we cover a geographic area larger than Wales, comprising 40% of Scotland’s coastline. Our campuses and centres are located within historic towns and villages, set amongst the shorelines, mountains, and moors, with local staff working across our region to support our students and communities.
Private Client Paralegal – BBM Solicitors, Wick BBM Solicitors is recruiting a Private Client Paralegal for our Wick office. The role involves supporting our solicitors with executry administration, wills, powers of attorney, guardianship and trust matters.
We have a rare opportunity become available of a confectioner within the heart of our bustling bakehouse. This role entails all of the daily finishing details of our freshly baked pastries, doughnuts, scones etc.
With Christmas approaching, households across Britain face an important question: should they be more cautious about borrowing, credit card spending and taking on new financial commitments? There are good reasons to think carefully before spending money that has not yet been earned. Inflation has risen again, energy prices are volatile and the Bank of England has warned that interest rates may need to rise if inflationary pressures persist.
UK retail sales fall 0.4% as cautious consumers rein in spending ahead of the crucial Christmas shopping period. Brent crude surges to $114 a barrel amid escalating Middle East tensions and mounting fears over energy supplies.
International tensions are rising, oil prices are volatile and governments are increasingly concerned about security. Against this background, should British holidaymakers be thinking more carefully before booking a trip abroad? The answer is yes, but that does not mean cancelling every holiday or treating the world as too dangerous to visit.
Scottish Government puts environmental protection ahead of promised jobs and tourism investment near Dornoch. The Scottish Government has rejected plans for a new championship golf course at Coul Links, near Embo and Dornoch, bringing another chapter to a long-running dispute over the future of one of Sutherland's most environmentally sensitive coastal areas.
Position: We are seeking a Laboratory Technician, to be based at our Thurso campus. Responsibilities: The post holder will be responsible for providing high-quality laboratory technical support for Research and Knowledge Exchange and its commercial, research and teaching activities.
Port Strategy Manager Wick Harbour Authority · Wick, Caithness Salary £60,000–£65,000 Applications and enquiries recruitment@wickharbour.co.uk Benefits 6% employer pension contribution, 34 days' annual leave including public holidays, and company sick pay. What the job involves The successful candidate will work with the harbour's board and team to: - Lead the harbour's masterplan and long-term development strategy.
There are some plants that stop you in your tracks because they’re beautiful. Others because they’re unusual, and then there’s giant hogweed.
This beautiful, detached, stone-built, three-bedroom, two reception room, family home is situated somewhat hidden away on Louisburgh Street, in Wick and is situated not far up from the High Street. With large rooms throughout, the home retains some of the original features.
RDI Renewables is a local renewables installer at Ormlie Industrial Estate in Thurso. We fit heat pumps, solar panels and battery storage in homes, businesses and community buildings across Caithness and Sutherland, and we look after those systems for years afterwards.
The Highland Council has today 15 October 2026 launched a statutory Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 consultation. Dornoch residents have until 10 December 2026 to respond to a proposal affecting Common Good land.
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