News / In brief for 4 October 2011
New head for Whalsay
ANDERSON High School teacher Robin Calder has been appointed as the new head of Whalsay junior high school.
Mr Calder joined the Anderson High in 2001 as a history teacher, becoming principal teacher of pupil support in 2007.
He is expected to take up his new post replacing Jim Johnston, who has taken early retirement, on 28 November.
Rural Priorities to open again
RURAL businesses are being invited to submit Axis 2 agri-environment applications for the next round of Scottish government Rural Priorities funding, due to take place in September next year.
Rural affairs secretary Richard Lochhead applications should be submitted no later than 30 March, and suggested a further round could be held in 2013.
Mr Lochhead said he would be consulting on Axis 1 business development and Axis 3 diversification funding next week.
More information can be found at
www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/farmingrural/SRDP/RuralPriorities/KeyFacts/RPACDates
TORY MEP Struan Stevenson has said reform of the Common Fisheries Policy will boost opportunities for UK fish farmers to export more fish.
Opening the UK Aquaculture Forum on Tuesday, the senior vice president of the European Parliament’s fisheries committee said the industry Europe-wide the industry would have to grow up to more than seven times its current size to meet demand by 2025.
He also called on Scotland to grasp the opportunity to become the headquarters for the EU’s first Aquaculture Advisory Council and reduction in red tape and regulations.
“At a time when demand for healthy fish products is rising internationally, while marine fish stocks continue to decline, the opportunities for EU aquaculture are boundless,” he said.
“But if European aquaculture is going to contribute strongly to the consumption demands from our 500 million citizens, never mind the huge opportunities of overseas markets, the sector still has work to do. It will have to grow between 2.3 and 7.5 fold by 2025.”
Free help for carers
PEOPLE in receipt of the carers’ allowance are to be eligible for free assistance to reduce their power bills from 30 November.
Scottish infrastructure secretary Alex Neil said on Tuesday that the government’s energy assistance package would be extended to up to 7,000 people across Scotland in receipt of the allowance.
The package offers help with installing new heating systems, including air source heat pumps, insulation and draught proofing.
Fuel poverty charity Energy Action Scotland is urging anyone who is or knows a carer to contact the government’s helpline on 0800 512 012.
Groove metal
SHETLAND groove metal band Ten Tonne Dozer start a nine date through Scotland and northern Britain on 20 October, starting at Bannerman’s, in Edinburgh.
The “Mad As A Snake In A Hat” tour takes the band to Perth, Whitehaven, Carlisle, Newcastle, Glasgow, Dundee, Inverness and Elgin.
More information can be found at http://www.myspace.com/tentonnedozer
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