Scotland’s First Minister, John Swinney, has confirmed that 67 projects will share a total of £14 million pounds from the latest round of grant funding by Marine Fund Scotland.
Among the grants is a payment to Vonin Scotland to help establish a net service station for the aquaculture sector at Kyleakin, initially creating 15 new jobs. This project means nets will now only need to be transported a short distance by boat rather than via an extended road journey to the Central Belt, thereby reducing CO2 emissions, and improving recycling rates of nets preventing material ending up in landfill or incineration.
Bed blocking or more correctly, delayed discharge, is a major problem in Highland hospitals. Since 2016, patients have spent over 350,000 additional days in hospital when they were medically fit to be released.
According to MSP Edward Mountain, usually a lack of social care packages or care home spaces are the reasons given but every one of those cases represents a bed which could have been used for other people needing care. In the Highlands, the problem is believed to be three times worse than the national average with Highland Council’s area having the highest level of all Councils in Scotland.
The Highland Council’s Early Learning and Childcare Consultation is open from now till Monday 28thOctober. The Council would like to hear from families who are currently using Early Learning and Childcare services, those who have used them in the past and those who are not currently using the services. The survey can be filled out on the Council website.
The 20,000 acre Inverbroom Estate lying to the south of Ullapool has been put on the market for sale. It includes a traditional style lodge, cottages, stalking and fishing. It also has potential for native woodland and peatland restoration.
The farm is currently managed on a contract farming arrangement, unusually with no agricultural tenancies or crofts. The estate is on the market for sale as a whole at offers over £15,950,000.
