Weekly update, 12th and 19th November

Energy & Business Services:

My colleague Keith  Muir and I met up last week with the directors of JGC Engineering Services Ltd to catch up on current and future plans, which have been boosted by the news I shared recently that JGC has been awarded a contract by Siemens Transmission and Distribution relating to the Triton Knoll offshore windfarm project of the east coast of England. Siemens is also the turbine provider for the Beatrice Offshore Windfarm off the Caithness coast. JGC is account-managed by Keith for Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).  https://renews.biz/49957/smulders-fabricom-takes-triton-otm-double/

It has been Offshore Wind Week this week, and the Offshore Wind Industry Council has launched a website (Offshore Wind Careers) which aims to attract new entrants to the sector in the UK by showcasing job opportunities for graduates, apprentices and people seeking to transfer from other sectors. https://renews.biz/50188/uk-portal-opens-offshore-jobs-doors/

Enabling activities:

The Caithness Community Planning Partnership met this week in Thurso, and I took the chair for the first time following previous Chair Roy Kirk’s move to become director for the UKVL Sutherland project. It was great to see a range of partners represented at the meeting, and particularly good to see consensus on the way forward for the four Localities in our area (Wick, Thurso, Castletown, Lybster/ Dunbeath/ Berriedale) in tackling inequalities. As I highlighted last time, Allan Tait at Caithness Voluntary Group (CVG) was able to update the meeting on CVG’s successful application to the Aspiring Communities Fund to engage three new development officers to support plans to tackle social and economic inequalities in the area. The first step in getting this initiative off the ground is recruitment, which is already underway. Keith Moncur (HighLife Highland) also updated us on a successful consultation event held last week for young people to support the current review of health services in Caithness. That same day I also attended the annual meeting of the Highland Community Planning Partnerships, where it was particularly useful to be able to talk to members of other CPPs across the area. You can find out more about the work of the Highland Community Planning Partnerships at http://www.highlandcpp.org.uk/

Today (Friday) is the final day of the NHS Highland consultation on proposals for the redesign of health and social care services in Caithness, and I caught up with colleagues from NHS Highland and Highland Council to hear feedback on the consultation process, and the way ahead once the large volume of responses has been collated. The home page for information on the consultation is at  http://www.nhshighland.scot.nhs.uk/News/PublicConsultation/CaithnessRedesign/Pages/Consultation2018.aspx

Tourism Food & Drink

It was good to catch up with John Murray this week in Golspie. John works with Scotland Food & Drink as Business Development Manager for the Highlands and Islands, and we talked about some of the current opportunities around the north mainland, particularly where the food & drink and tourism sectors cross each other. We have a range of existing areas (and organisations) where good things are happening, such as Kyle of Sutherland Development Trust, Dornoch Action Group, Venture North. Scotland Food & Drink is working with Scottish Tourism Alliance, HIE and other partners to deliver a “Food Tourism Scotland” plan which aims to deliver an additional £1 billion to Scotland’s economy by 2030. http://scottishtourismalliance.co.uk/page/foodtourism/

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:

• Following on from our discussions at the Caithness Community Planning Partnership this week, it’s good to note that the Area Committee of the Highland Council also met, and approved investment of £4.2M in improving the housing stock in Caithness, including support for adapting housing to reflect the changing needs of tenants:  https://www.highland.gov.uk/news/article/11464/funding_for_improvements_to_caithness_homes and the Committee also approved the Council’s winter roads maintenance schedule for the area, which can be viewed at http://www.highland.gov.uk/gritting