Strike Action – Wednesday 24 September
Services provided by The Highland Council will be disrupted on Wednesday 24 September as the result of industrial action, which is part of nationwide action by Unite the Union, GMB and Unison members in respect of the National Pay Award.
The Council’s headquarters at Glenurquhart Road, Inverness, and all area offices will be open and the Council will endeavour to keep disruption to a minimum.
However, a number of Council services will be affected. More information regarding likely impact on services and contingency arrangements will be available as soon as they are known.
The known disruption is –
Service Points:
Closed: Ardersier, Aviemore, Broadford, Church Street, Inverness; Dingwall, Fort Augustus; Fortrose; Fort William; Golspie; Grantown; Hilton, Inverness; Kingussie; Kyle; Nairn; Tain; Thurso; Ullapool.
Alness open 9am-12.30 then closed over lunch, reopening 1.30pm-5pm
Invergordon open 9am–2 pm only
HQ Cash Office: Closed
Registrars: Inverness Registration Office – open for advice and information only. Dedicated offices at Wick, Thurso, Dingwall, Fort William, Kyle, Portree are closed. Although Dornoch Service Point will be open there will be no Registration.
Refuse Collection/bulky uplifts: There will be no refuse collection, kerbside recycling or bulky uplifts on Wednesday. Residents should NOT put their bins out that day. Normal refuse collection will be the following Wednesday. The public is urged to use recycling centres to dispose of surplus waste when they reopen on Thursday 25 September.
Recycling Centres: These will be closed.
Burials/Cremations: There will be no burials or cremations on Wednesday.
Ferry: The Corran Ferry linking Nether Lochaber to Ardgour will not operate on Wednesday.
Schools:
Teaching unions are not on strike on Wednesday. All primary and secondary schools are expected to be open. However, the industrial action taken by ancillary staff, such as janitors, catering and cleaning staff, and classroom assistants and drivers will impact on the level of service provided at schools.
Secondary Schools Closed:
Alness Academy; Golspie High; Grantown Grammar; Kingussie High School; Kinlochbervie High School Plockton High; Portree High; Tain Royal Academy; Ullapool High; Wick High School; Kilchuimen;
Secondary schools partially closed:
Charleston Academy open for S5 & S6 only
Culloden Academy open to S4, S5 & S6 pupils only
Dornoch Academy closed for pupils with additional special needs
Fortrose Academy will be open for 5th & 6th year only
Gairloch High will be open for S3-S6 only
Lochaber High open to 4th, 5th & 6th year pupils only
Millburn Academy open for S5 & S6 only
Nairn Academy open for S5 & S6 only
Thurso High School open to 4th, 5th & 6th year only.
There will be no Additional Support Needs pupils attending Lochaber High, while St Clement's, Dingwall, St Duthus, Tain, and Drummond School in Inverness iare closed.
Primary Schools Closed: Acharacle; Ardross; Aviemore; Avoch; Beauly; Bridgend, Alness; Bunsgoil Ghaidhlig Inbhir Nis; Cauldeen, Inverness; Central, Inverness; Conon Bridge; Coulhill, Alness; Cradlehall, Inverness; Craighill, Tain; Dalneigh, Inverness; Dingwall; Golspie; Grantown; Halkirk; Hillhead, Wick; Hilton, Easter Ross; Holm, Inverness; Inver; Inverlochy; Kilchumein; Kinmylies; Inverness; Knockbreck, Skye; Knockbreak, Tain; Lairg; Millbank, Nairn; Mallaig; Park, Invergordon; Miller Academy, Thurso; Milton; Mount Pleasant, Thurso; Newmore; North, Wick; Obsdale, Alness; Pennyland; Thurso; Rosebank, Nairn; Smithton, Inverness; South Lodge; Invergordon; South, Wick; St Josephs, Inverness; Tarradale; Ullapool
Partial closures: Ardersier from 12 noon onwards
Central open to P4, P5 & P6 pupils only
Nursery Schools Closed: Arisaig; Auchtertyre; Ballachullish; Banavie; Bonar Bridge; Canisbay; Caol; Carbost, Cradlehall; Cauldeen; Central; Dornoch; Drakies; Duncan Forbes, Inverness; Fort William RC PS; Gledfield; Hilton, Inverness; Inverlochy; Inshes, Inverness; Keiss, North Kessock; Kilmuir; Kiltearn; Kyle; Kyleakin; Macdiarmid; Marybank; Newtonmore; North, Wick; Poolewe; Pultneytown, Wick; Raigmore; Spean Bridge; St Brides; St Josephs’; Tomnacross; Strathdearn; Struan; Tarbat Old; Upper Achintore, Fort William.
Other ECS Facilities Closed:
Libraries: Alness; Bettyhill; Fort William; Invergordon, Thurso; Gairloch; Portree; Mallaig; Broadford; Kyle; Fortrose; South Lodge; Invergordon; South, Wick; St Josephs, Inverness; Tarradale; Ullapool.
Inshes open to P1-3 only
• Mobile Libraries: There will be no mobile library service in: Dingwall; Far North; Fort William; Lochaber; Skye and Lochalsh; West Ross.
• Swimming Pools/Leisure Centres: Fort William; Gairloch Leisure Centre; Portree Swimming Pool (morning and lunch time closed. Open from 1530-2130); Lochaber Leisure, Sutherland pool (closed in the morning, opens at 4pm); Thurso; Wick; Nairn
• Community Facilities: Caol Youth Centre, Fort William; Culloden Community Complex, Inverness (Closed from 4.30 pm); Charleston Community Complex, Inverness; Floral Hall, Inverness
Social Work: Residential care will be maintained and home care will be provided to the most vulnerable but it is likely that home care and day care services will be affected on Wednesday. Some offices normally open to the public may also be affected.
Day Care
Corbett Centre, Inverness – no service
Wade Centre, Kingussie – no service
Isobel Rhind, Invergordon – open but no clients in today
Mackenzie Centre, Inveness – open for limited service
Tigh Na Drochaid, Portree – closed
Angus Centre, Fort William - closed
Caol Day Centre – closed
Glen Centre, Aviemore – closed
Housing: Enquiries regarding emergency repairs to council houses and emergency homelessness should be directed to 0845 700 2005.