LOCAL NEWS JUNE 18 2024

School outcomes: gap between most and least deprived rises

New figures on positive destinations for school leavers across Scotland have shown that a gap of more than seven per cent between exists between students from the most and least deprived communities.

Scotland’s chief statistician today published the figures for for follow-leaver destinations for school levers for the 2022-23 has been published today.

The gap between the proportion of school leavers from our most and least deprived communities in positive follow-up destinations increased to 7.5 percentage points

Among 2022-23 school leavers, 92.8 per cent were in a positive follow-up destination – including higher education, further education, employment, training, personal skills development and voluntary work. The figure is down from 93.5 per cent of 2021-22 school leavers.

Higher education remains the most common destination despite a drop from 37.7 per cent in 2021-22 to 37.1 per cent for 2022-23 school leavers – the lowest level since 2014-15.

The proportion in employment has also decreased from 31.8 per cent in 2021-22 to 31.2 percent in 2022-23.

Follow-up destinations relate to outcomes recorded approximately nine months after the end of the school year and the figures for the 2022-23 school leaver statuses were recorded as of April 2024.

Scottish Parliament to vote on agriculture and rural communities bill

Rural Affairs secretary Mairi Guegon will today seeks a consensus from the Parliament for the passing of the Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Bill.

A debate is set to take place at Holyrood today on the bill which is currently at Stage 3 of the legislative process.

The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands secretary Mairi Guegon will be seeking a consensus from the Parliament that the bill passes following discussions on amendments on the bill.

However, the Scottish Crofting Federation has been arguing that the new agriculture will not truly support rural communities deeming the legislation as not fit for purpose.

The Scottish Crofting Federation are urging the Scottish Parliament to a mandatory redistribution of area-based payments to smaller producers including those with holdings under three hectares.

The federation is also pushing for an explicit commitment to promoting smaller-scale agricultural production, including horticulture and local food networks.

Council seeks input on local living initiative

The Highland Council is seeking input from communities and businesses to help assesses how well Highland places meet the principles of local living.

‘Local living’ aims to provide people the ability to meet the majority of their daily needs within a reasonable distance to their home.

The living local tool, being developed by The Highland Council, works by plotting the location of a variety of services including shops, greenspace, leisure, and learning.

It then measures the accessibility to these services within a ten-minute walking distance and presents the findings in an easy-to-use interactive map.

Local input is important to help the Council refine the method that the tool uses to assess local living and the tool’s accuracy, as well as informing the Council on potential approaches taken to rural areas.

The consultation will close on 16 August 2024.

The Dornie and District Trust are holding a summer solstice dook this Thursday to generate funds for a community enterprise.

The dook will take place at the Dornie slipway at 7pm on Thursday and all proceeds will go towards the Dornie Shop project.

A not-for profit community has been formed to take on the ownership of the Dornie Shop, and the funds raised from the dook will help towards secure the long-term future of the community asset.

Skye and Kinlochshiel’s under-17s sides are in action tonight with both teams facing away fixtures in the London Shield Section A

Shiel will take on table-topping Glenurquhart in a 7.30 throw up in Drumnadrochit, while Skye face Kilmallie at Canal Park in 6.30pm start.

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