Weekly update, 25th June

Energy & Business Services:

• Delighted to see that Subsea 7 has secured a further multi-million pound contract for its site at Wester, north of Wick. Two pipeline bundles for Shell’s Penguins field will add to the previously-announced contract for Statoil, with both contracts providing work for up to 160 workers until 2020. https://www.subsea7.com/en/media-centre/press-releases/2018/subsea-7-awarded-contract-offshore-uk0.html  
• Following last week’s launch of a recruitment campaign in Caithness and Sutherland by global company Sykes, we held an update call this week with HIE colleagues, and heard that the company has been delighted with the level of enquiries so far in response to the opportunity for homeworking. There will be further opportunities for people who were not able to attend the recruitment event in Thurso to register an interest, and I will post details on that as soon as I have them.

Communications:

As part of an ongoing process of helping communicate progress with the delivery of aspects of our economic transition programme CNSRP’s partners work together to generate news stories for local, regional and national media. I also speak on a regular basis to individuals and organisations across the area to update on progress. This week:

• I was delighted to be invited last Sunday to a sun-drenched Dammies in Thurso for a consultation event run by Youth Highland in association with Thurso Community Development Trust and Thurso Town Improvements. The “Ideas Factory” in the organisation’s tent attracted a number of young people who talked about their hopes for themselves and their area, but also allowed youth leaders and Youth Highland staff to engage with them and signpost them toward some of the organisations present, as well as those were unable to be there. A great effort, and hopefully the first of many!
• Following last week’s meetings of the CNSRP Executive and Advisory Boards outgoing CNSRP Independent Chair Sir Anthony Cleaver spoke with Gordon Calder of the John O Groat Journal to reflect on his time as chairman. The results of that appeared in this week’s Caithness Courier. https://www.johnogroat-journal.co.uk/News/Sir-Anthony-Cleaver-very-pleased-to-see-progress-made-by-Caithness-and-North-Sutherland-Regeneration-Partnership-26062018.htm
• I met this week with CNSRP’s new Independent Chairman, Ian Ross, and have begun working with Ian on a programme of meetings with partners and key local, regional and national stakeholders.