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The Caithness Partnership
Newsletters
July 2006
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Caithness Partnership – eBulletin July 2006 Welcome to another edition of the Caithness Partnership ebulletin. The bulletin both circulates information that has come in to the Partnership office, and is a tool for the Partners to share information. If you have anything you want included in the next issue please get in touch. If you have difficulty accessing any of the web links we can get you a paper copy. Please forward the bulletin within your organisation if appropriate. Inside this issue: A Strategy for Caithness & North Sutherland – for anyone who has not yet got their hands on a copy of the Strategy Document find it on www.hie.co.uk/cns-strategy-consultation.pdf and remember that the closing date for responses is 18 August 2006. A Review of Community Planning
Audit Scotland recommends that “In order to help community planning achieve the potential envisaged in the legislation partner organisations and the Scottish Executive need to agree priorities for community planning.” On a more positive note the review found that
“joint working amongst the organisations that deliver services in
Scotland is well-established and widespread – where they work well
together there can be real benefits to service users, communities and
the organisations themselves”. See the link below for the full report: Start-a-business is an online support page on the Highlands & Islands Enterprise website for people thinking about starting up a new business. It carries a range of advice to ensure that new entrepreneurs get their business off to the best possible start. See it at http://www.hie.co.uk/start-a-business The Scottish Consumer Council, as part of
its new forward workplan, is due to launch new national award for the
food service sector. Funded by the Scottish executive and managed by SCC
the Award will work with the food service industry across Scotland to
make it easier for people eating out to know where to go for healthier
food, rewarding establishments which are committed to providing and
supporting healthier eating. To view the SCC website go to
http://www.scotconsumer.org.uk/ The Highland Tourism Awards, the BAFTAs of the Highlands & Islands hospitality and tourism industry have been launched for the second year. Billed as the most exciting and prestigious awards event in the North the 2006 competition is open to all tourism businesses and individuals across the Highlands and Islands. From first-class customer care to promoting and preserving the region’s outstanding natural environment as well as its unique visitor attractions and indigenous produce, the awards seek to recognise industry players at the top of their game across a range of distinct categories. More information and application forms can be found at http://www.highland-tourism-awards.co.uk/ SCVO and the Carnegie Commission for Rural
Community Development are working together to explore the views of
people living in rural Scotland on a wide range of issues. They are
currently gathering information to assist the Carnegie Commission in its
aim of advocating for more effective public policies and programmes that
strengthen the voice and sustainability of rural communities. Similar
research has taken place in other parts of the United Kingdom. As part
of this research, there is a short survey on the rural Gateway website.
Everyone who responds can enter a prize draw with a prize SEPA Update is a weekly email service containing
information about : Envirowise - FastTrack Visits Envirowise is a government-funded programme that offers free practical advice on waste minimisation advice and support. The programme offers a free and confidential one-day on-site waste review for small businesses with less than 250 employees. Carefully selected independent consultants work with companies for a day to identify waste minimisation opportunities. See http://www.sepa.org.uk/wastemin/freeinfo/sites.htm The Waste Minimisation Initiative involves
the systematic identification and prevention / reduction of a company's
waste streams. All companies produce waste of one form or another, and
much of this can be reduced, re-used or recycled. As it becomes more
expensive to landfill such wastes, it becomes highly significant to the
company's bottom line profits to adopt waste minimisation techniques.
The BEP offer free waste minimisation audits, including, but not
restricted to: Reducing Scotland’s Ecological Footprint is one of the aims of Scottish Executive. An estimated £1.3 billion is lost to the Scottish economy every year through energy wastage. Scottish Executive feel there is huge scope for improvement in Scotland and is encouraging business and householders to do what they can to reduce the country’s ecological footprint. The Executive encourages businesses to take action to improve their productivity and competitiveness by using resources more efficiently. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/News-Extras/footprint Highland Energy Forum has been launched as soaring prices have pushed energy into the front line of public debate. Three questions are coming to the fore: how to save energy, how to help those who can’t afford it, and how to find new sources. To help provide information and encourage discussion, the Highland Energy Efficiency Advice Centre has opened up a new Highland Energy Forum, which they’re hosting on Think-Net. Check it out at the following link: http://www.think-net.org/forums.asp?ForumID=21 The Royal Society of Edinburgh has recently published an Inquiry into Energy Issues for Scotland which highlights the growing demand for energy, the need for energy efficiency and the potential for research and development in this country. Find the report on the bulletin board of the following site http://www.odac-info.org/ . See also Scottish Executive’s reponse to UK Energy Review published last month. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/129622/0030898.pdf FUNDING The Futurebuilders Learning Fund will
close to new applications on 31 August 2006. The guidance for the fund
has now changed so that some additional types of organisations –
Community Interest Companies (CICs), Credit Unions and some
Co-operatives – can now apply to the fund. The change enables these
types of organisations, which previously were ineligible as they are
technically able to distribute some profits, to apply where limited
profit distribution takes place. Applications must be for training or
learning that will directly help the organisation to deliver more or
better services. You must provide evidence for how the learning will
help your organisation to generate income by selling your services. All
applications will have clear, measurable, learning outcomes that fit
with your learning and development plan. Healthy Highland 2007 is a week long celebration of the Highlands as a healthy and vibrant place to live and will take place on 15 and 21 January 2007. It will provide an opportunity for health improvement groups or those carrying out health improvement activities in their communities to get publicity and to promote their activities. A small grant may be available from the Wellbeing Alliance to cover the cost of holding an event. For more information email manager@pfw.org.uk or phone 01643729997. TRAINING Do you need: EVENTS |