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Paths for All assisted some time ago with advice, but we could still do nothing without a community group.  A discussion with Paths for All on 4th July indicated that there were no developments on paths from community groups in the North but that was from the Ian Findlay fund only.  Yvonne may not know of anything else.  She has the specification though. Wondered why we did not have funding.  I said they did not want me to succeed as I am a woman, possibly more than that.  Anyway, she wanted me to look at the energy created at John O Groats and out West.  I said no.  I only collect information.  I only help the Friends.  I do no voluntary work.  HIE are the showstoppers, but Dounreay do not help either.

On 3rd July Dounreay were contacted again.... all I get is "noted" for over a month now.  £250 for the North Highland Way was not looked at at the meeting.  HIE continue to try to block the project.

Tina Irving <tinadirving@gmail.com>   09:36 (2 minutes ago)   to Douglas, NORTH, Graham, HarperHiThank you for your response.  You are indeed very helpful.  My thoughts are thus, and I am copying Douglas Chisholm of the Highland Council, as I spoke to him last week and he is looking at the matter of the North Highland Way.1.  Your project is an excellent initiative. EIAs are dealt with within the planning system, but I just found a floating windfarm off Dounreay which it would appear Nature Scot knew nothing about.  (Graham Neville - he is on holiday at the moment)2.  It does not "fit" with the Highlands and Islands Climate Change Hub well, as they do not understand economics.  I had a long discussion with the Scottish Government about this last week.3.  There are the Local Place Plans which THC are looking at at the moment.  I emailed Douglas about it this morning.  This cannot be done on voluntary effort.4.  There is no holistic view of the whole situation in Northern Scotland but there is on Orkney.5.  There is the matter of the EU Directives on Climate Change and Sustainable Tourism not being met, as they sit with SEPA.  I had a discussion with planning about that some time ago.6.  There are insufficient resources both within the Highland Council and Highland Adapts, therefore the whole project of NetZero, Adaptation, Zero Waste etc will fail.As an economist, that is my view.  I have refused to do any further voluntary work.  It is unsustainable.No doubt Mr. Chisholm will deal with this.  He, like the Access Officer, is a very capable and experienced Council Officer, and, like his predecessor Colin Simpson very approachable.Meanwhile, the Global Climate Change Week goes ahead. www.tinagostravelling.wordpress.

MacKenzie Sutherland (Community Support & Ward Management)13:33 (15 minutes ago)to Matt, meTina, this seems like a massive piece of work that I know very little about. I have an extensive workstream with competing priorities across the county. I am supportive of the idea (from what I have gathered thus far) but have not committed to undertaking any work on the project.I will support if/when I can but cannot be relied upon to take on actions, due to the reason given previously in the email.Other HC Officers are aware of the project and have a better understanding.All that said I will try and familiarise myself in the coming weeks and perhaps be able to assist in due courseMack  From: Tina Irving <tinadirving@gmail.com>Sent: 23 June 2023 13:04To: Matt Dent (Environment - Dev & Active Travel) <matt.dent@highland.gov.uk>; MacKenzie Sutherland (Community Support & Ward Management) <Mackenzie.Sutherland@highland.gov.uk>Subject: Fwd: North Highland WayCAUTION: This email was sent from outside of the organisation. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognise the sender and know the content is safe.Hi bothCan you deal with this please .. maybe the Dunnet and Canisbay Community Council, or Durness, who are still not responding.I will put it on the forum.Kind regards.Tina Irving BSc PgDipBTEC Education and Training, Diploma in Freelance Journalism  Irish Writers UnionPlease note:  I will only be logging on periodically after 30th June 2023 until 1st September 2023.  I will not be working during that period.Matters relating to the North Highland Way are being forwarded to another email address for dealing with in September.Good Travel GuideAuthor CentralHow Green are you?Teaching Environmental StudiesSign up to Patreon and get access to our researchNorthern Ireland Environment Link - energy and environmental newsWorking hours:  Monday 10:00 to 13:00                          Wednesday 10:00 to 14:00                          Thursday 10:00 to 14:00"You can never be a prophet in your own home town"Creative People must be stopped - David A. OwensImage removed by sender.Legal notice: This e-mail is confidential and is intended solely for the person or organisation to whom it is addressed. It may contain privileged and confidential information and if you are not the intended recipient, you must not copy, distribute or take any action in reliance on it.  Image removed by sender.If you have received this communication in error, please advise us by e-mail and delete the file from your system. If you contact us by e-mail, we will store your name and address to facilitate communications.Any opinions in this email are my personal views, not those of the organisations I am connected with unless expressly stated with their permission.Personal emails should be sent to  tinadawnmarshall780@gmail.com. ---------- Forwarded message ---------From: Local Place Plans <LPP@highland.gov.uk>Date: Fri, 23 Jun 2023 at 12:50Subject: RE: North Highland WayTo: Tina Irving <tinadirving@gmail.com>Dear TinaThank you for your email and my apologies for our delay in replying to you.I can confirm that we do not have a Local Place Plan either registered or going through the validation process that involves the North Highland Way.Should you wish to start preparing a Local Place Plan for the North Highland Way, there are legal requirements set by Scottish Government, which need to be met to ensure that a Local Place Plan is valid and permitted to be registered by our team at The Highland Council.One of the key legal requirements is that a Local Place Plan must be prepared by a “community-controlled body”, as defined in section 19 of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015. You can use our Local Place Plan information sheet to help you decide if the North Highland Way steering group or any of the community groups you mentioned in your email could meet the requirements to be classed as a community-controlled body. If it doesn’t appear possible for any of the groups you mentioned to meet the requirements of a community-controlled body, you may wish to consider working with an existing Community Body, e.g. your local Community Council.You can find out about the legal requirements, which must be taken into account when preparing Local Place Plans, in the Scottish Government’s guide for communities: Planning circular 1/2022: Local Place Plans) and on The Highland Council Local Place Plans webpage.However, please bear in mind that alternatively, you can promote ideas for land use without it being part of a Local Place Plan process. One of the groups you mentioned could still promote ideas on the North Highland Way through submissions to The Highland Council at one of the key points for ideas to be put forward in the preparation of the new Highland Local Development Plan (the timing of these key points will be widely advertised nearer to the time). Additionally, if a Local Place Plan were being prepared by one of the communities along the route of the North Highland Way, you could seek to influence that plan and have it reflect and promote the North Highland Way.I hope you find this reply helpful.Kind regardsHelen BaileyGraduate Planner – Development Plans TeamFrom: Tina Irving <tinadirving@gmail.com>Sent: 23 May 2023 15:55To: Local Place Plans <LPP@highland.gov.uk>Subject: North Highland WayCAUTION: This email was sent from outside of the organisation. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognise the sender and know the content is safe.Dear Sirs,The North Highland Way is a multi use route which stretches from John o Groats to Durness and 10 miles inland.  The Highland Council (Access Officer) has the specification for the project which was agreed in 2014.I am not sure if Local Place Plans are being developed, but as the NHW is not a community project in itself, but made up of a number of community groups, with a steering committee (hopefully, after 14th June 2023 at The Climate Fringe Festival - see programme at www.tinagostravelling.wordpress.com), I wonder if the steering group itself would qualify, or would one of the community groups at Borgie, Thurso, Dunnet, Durness, the NW Geopark  or John o Groats be able to take things forward.I look forward to hearing from you in due course.Kind regards.Tina Irving BSc PgDipBTEC Education and Training, Diploma in Freelance Journalism  Irish Writers UnionGood Travel GuideAuthor CentralHow Green are you?Teaching Environmental StudiesSign up to Patreon and get access to our researchNorthern Ireland Environment Link - energy and environmental newsImage removed by sender.Legal notice: This e-mail is confidential and is intended solely for the person or organisation to whom it is addressed. It may contain privileged and confidential information and if you are not the intended recipient, you must not copy, distribute or take any action in reliance on it.  Image removed by sender.

North Highland WayTina Irving <tinadirving@gmail.com>   Tue, 23 May, 15:55   to lppDear Sirs,The North Highland Way is a multi use route which stretches from John o Groats to Durness and 10 miles inland.  The Highland Council (Access Officer) has the specification for the project which was agreed in 2014.I am not sure if Local Place Plans are being developed, but as the NHW is not a community project in itself, but made up of a number of community groups, with a steering committee (hopefully, after 14th June 2023 at The Climate Fringe Festival - see programme at www.tinagostravelling.wordpress.com), I wonder if the steering group itself would qualify, or would one of the community groups at Borgie, Thurso, Dunnet, Durness, the NW Geopark  or John o Groats be able to take things forward.I look forward to hearing from you in due course.Kind regards.Tina Irving BSc PgDip BTEC Education and Training, Diploma in Freelance Journalism  Irish Writers UnionGood Travel GuideAuthor CentralHow Green are you?Teaching Environmental StudiesSign up to Patreon and get access to our researchNorthern Ireland Environment Link - energy and environmental newsLegal notice: This e-mail is confidential and is intended solely for the person or organisation to whom it is addressed. It may contain privileged and confidential information and if you are not the intended recipient, you must not copy, distribute or take any action in reliance on it.  If you have received this communication in error, please advise us by e-mail and delete the file from your system. If you contact us by e-mail, we will store your name and address to facilitate communications.Personal emails should be sent to  tinadawnmarshall780@gmail.com. Local Place Plans   12:50 (35 minutes ago)   to meDear TinaThank you for your email and my apologies for our delay in replying to you.I can confirm that we do not have a Local Place Plan either registered or going through the validation process that involves the North Highland Way.Should you wish to start preparing a Local Place Plan for the North Highland Way, there are legal requirements set by Scottish Government, which need to be met to ensure that a Local Place Plan is valid and permitted to be registered by our team at The Highland Council.One of the key legal requirements is that a Local Place Plan must be prepared by a “community-controlled body”, as defined in section 19 of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015. You can use our Local Place Plan information sheet to help you decide if the North Highland Way steering group or any of the community groups you mentioned in your email could meet the requirements to be classed as a community-controlled body. If it doesn’t appear possible for any of the groups you mentioned to meet the requirements of a community-controlled body, you may wish to consider working with an existing Community Body, e.g. your local Community Council.You can find out about the legal requirements, which must be taken into account when preparing Local Place Plans, in the Scottish Government’s guide for communities: Planning circular 1/2022: Local Place Plans) and on The Highland Council Local Place Plans webpage.However, please bear in mind that alternatively, you can promote ideas for land use without it being part of a Local Place Plan process. One of the groups you mentioned could still promote ideas on the North Highland Way through submissions to The Highland Council at one of the key points for ideas to be put forward in the preparation of the new Highland Local Development Plan (the timing of these key points will be widely advertised nearer to the time). Additionally, if a Local Place Plan were being prepared by one of the communities along the route of the North Highland Way, you could seek to influence that plan and have it reflect and promote the North Highland Way.I hope you find this reply helpful.Kind regardsHelen BaileyGraduate Planner – Development Plans TeamFrom: Tina Irving <tinadirving@gmail.com>Sent: 23 May 2023 15:55To: Local Place Plans <LPP@highland.gov.uk>Subject: North Highland Way CAUTION: This email was sent from outside of the organisation. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognise the sender and know the content is safe.Unless related to the business of The Highland Council, the views or opinions expressed within this e-mail are those of the sender and do not necessarily reflect those of The Highland Council, or associated bodies, nor does this e-mail form part of any contract unless so stated.Mura h-eil na beachdan a tha air an cur an cèill sa phost-d seo a' buntainn ri gnothachas Chomhairle na Gàidhealtachd, 's ann leis an neach fhèin a chuir air falbh e a tha iad, is chan eil iad an-còmhnaidh a' riochdachadh beachdan na Comhairle, no buidhnean buntainneach, agus chan eil am post-d seo na phàirt de chunnradh sam bith mura h-eil sin air innse.Tina Irving <tinadirving@gmail.com>   13:04 (20 minutes ago)   to Matt, MacKenzieHi bothCan you deal with this please .. maybe the Dunnet and Canisbay Community Council, or Durness, who are still not responding.I will put it on the forum.Kind regards.Tina Irving BSc PgDip BTEC Education and Training, Diploma in Freelance Journalism  Irish Writers UnionPlease note:  I will only be logging on periodically after 30th June 2023 until 1st September 2023.  I will not be working during that period.Matters relating to the North Highland Way are being forwarded to another email address for dealing with in September.Good Travel GuideAuthor CentralHow Green are you?Teaching Environmental StudiesSign up to Patreon and get access to our researchNorthern Ireland Environment Link - energy and environmental newsWorking hours:  Monday 10:00 to 13:00                          Wednesday 10:00 to 14:00                           Thursday 10:00 to 14:00"You can never be a prophet in your own home town"Creative People must be stopped - David A. OwensLegal notice: This e-mail is confidential and is intended solely for the person or organisation to whom it is addressed. It may contain privileged and confidential information and if you are not the intended recipient, you must not copy, distribute or take any action in reliance on it.  If you have received this communication in error, please advise us by e-mail and delete the file from your system. If you contact us by e-mail, we will store your name and address to facilitate communications.Any opinions in this email are my personal views, not those of the organisations I am connected with unless expressly stated with their permission.Personal emails should be sent to  tinadawnmarshall780@gmail.com.Tina Irving   13:25 (0 minutes ago)   to Local, Matt, MacKenzieHi there,I am copying my contacts in the Highland Council, and hope they can facilitate, as I am undertaking no further voluntary work until the North Highland Way project is funded. The groups mentioned are already at capacity.Kind regards.Tina Irving BSc PgDip BTEC Education and Training, Diploma in Freelance Journalism  Irish Writers Union

Tina Irving <tinadirving@gmail.com>   11:47 (0 minutes ago)   to GrantGrant,Re your event in April, I could come to Shetland if I was funded.  We could go to the Fair Isle, or at least invite them as they too have links with Spain through the Spanish Armada.  Not on my web site as yet.  They were awarded levelling up funding from the UK Government.Westray of course has Spanish connections. As has Durness in Balnakiel House.  The folk at MacKays Hotel would know if its open.  That hotel is promoted as the base for the Climate Fringe Festival... see my web site.Food for thought.

Grant's actionsThanks for the chat.  The next OREF board is on 18th July.  I can get it on the agenda about our chat if you want to send me your actions.courseevent in Autumn to fit with GCCW and Climate Fringe FestivalDr. Sandy Kerr - ICIT director.  If I ask him, he will tell me to get on with my work!  He is a Director of OREF as well.Dr. Steve Taylor - UHI Fort WilliamSNP going to HIE re NHW and lack of fundingLiberal Democrats going to Dounreay.NDA -  no problem.All of this as I have no Ltd. Company any more and don't intend launching another one.THC have put in £30,000, SNH / Nature Scot £50,000, Businesses £85,000 and NI business plan £5,000.  I have suggested that HIE match it.  They are resisting, although they have all the information they will ever need.Ill remind you nearer the time, but perhaps you would like to contribute 500 words and a picture to the Environmental News in September.  This issue is due out on Sunday.

Matt Actions:  David WhitefordTalk to the C&S RangersUpdate MacTalk to Stewart Fraser re access round the space hub.  HIE say they have passed it to private sector and they are not responsible.

A further proposal was put to the Highland Council, but they have no money.  Tina Irving <tinadirving@gmail.com>   02:13 (8 hours ago)   to Matt, Philip, KarlMattSee web site for courses... If people want to learn about the North Highland Way, and the underlying science, they can attend one of my courses.  Keep an eye on the web site for updates.  It may well be that we have workshops as well.  If we do, I will post them on line and put in the forum.  These will also be dealt with on the OREF board, as one of the other Directors is actually my supervisor on the course I am doing.  OREF is not a voluntary sector organisation, but a Company Limited by Guarantee.Output from my meeting with Douglas will be fed to the Board as they have questions for him as well. I will put it on the forum where it relates to the North Highland Way.Cheers.Proposal -Tina Irving <tinadirving@gmail.com>   Attachments02:06 (8 hours ago)   to MattMattSee attached. If you would like to discuss next week, send me a TEAMS invitation.  Not 28 or 29 June as am already busy . As with Green Destinations, all communications now go through the OREF board.  It is not their project, but is the only way I can manage things. They have monthly meetings.   I will continue to use the forum for the minutae.  OREF minutes are not put in there.  They are only for OREF Directors.Maree Todd is dealing with matters relating to HIE, so suggest that you contact her or she may well contact you.Jamie Stone is communicating with Dounreay.We both know why it is so difficult to get this project off the ground but I will not permit anyone else to take over.  HIE has made their bed, they must lie in it.Kind regards.Tina Irving BSc PgDip BTEC Education and Training, Diploma in Freelance Journalism  Irish Writers UnionPlease note:  I will only be logging on periodically after 30th June 2023 until 1st September 2023.  I will not be working during that period.Matters relating to the North Highland Way are being forwarded to another email address for dealing with in September.Good Travel GuideAuthor CentralHow Green are you?Teaching Environmental StudiesSign up to Patreon and get access to our researchNorthern Ireland Environment Link - energy and environmental newsWorking hours:  Monday 10:00 to 13:00                          Wednesday 10:00 to 14:00                           Thursday 10:00 to 14:00"You can never be a prophet in your own home town"Creative People must be stopped - David A. OwensLegal notice: This e-mail is confidential and is intended solely for the person or organisation to whom it is addressed. It may contain privileged and confidential information and if you are not the intended recipient, you must not copy, distribute or take any action in reliance on it.  If you have received this communication in error, please advise us by e-mail and delete the file from your system. If you contact us by e-mail, we will store your name and address to facilitate communications.Any opinions in this email are my personal views, not those of the organisations I am connected with unless expressly stated with their permission.Personal emails should be sent to  tinadawnmarshall780@gmail.com.    Virus-free.www.avg.com One attachment  • Scanned by GmailTina Irving      Attachments02:16 (8 hours ago)Already sent to Matt. As you can see, everything must be fed through the OREF Board, not directly through me. https://www.oref.co.uk/ No doubt Alistair CarmichaMatt Dent (Environment - Dev & Active Travel)      Attachments09:52 (33 minutes ago)Good Morning Tina Nicole Wallace has already replied to you that we do not have funds to engage contractors for access work/North Highland Way development and ITina Irving <tinadirving@gmail.com>   10:19 (6 minutes ago)   to Stewart, Matt, PhilipDear both,I have just had a very interesting discussion with SCDI about this project and they will be speaking to HIE as will Maree Todd and Jamie Stone, and, no doubt Alistair Carmichael Orkney MP.  However, if you would like to discuss with the Caithness and Sutherland Rangers that would be great.  It is, after all, within their interests, unless they want the Orcadians to have the work.We will catch up in September.  You will be invited to SCDI workshops in October, on Orkney, as I could not get a venue in Caithness. See my web site.I am not available for further voluntary work except the Local Access Forum if you co opt me on. Then we can catch up as to what Mac has done, and the situation with the Caithness and Sutherland Rangers.  I think Paul Castle is on the LAF for Caithness. as mentioned, all documentation, including my discussion this morning with SCDI is on the Forum, and I will put the proposal there as well as my discussion with Douglas next week.It is ludicrous that HIE refuse to fund when THC and Nature Scot have.  If they don't want to get investigated further, and they are complaining, they will fund.  No North Highland Way, no space hub.  It looks as though they expect Orbex to set the bye law with no consultation as they say Stewart has responded, which he has, but I still don't have the dates.  You may want to touch base with Stewart, copied here.  I have done my bit.   

Sutherland Space HubTina Irving <tinadirving@gmail.com>   Fri, 26 May, 18:51   to chief.executiveDear Ms Lakie,I note that the Highland Council are to put a byelaw into the matters of access around the Sutherland Space Hub.  I am a journalist, and I do not recall seeing a consultation on this matter.I look forward to hearing from you shortly.Kind regards.Tina Irving BSc PgDip BTEC Education and Training, Diploma in Freelance Journalism  Irish Writers UnionLegal notice: This e-mail is confidential and is intended solely for the person or organisation to whom it is addressed. It may contain privileged and confidential information and if you are not the intended recipient, you must not copy, distribute or take any action in reliance on it.  If you have received this communication in error, please advise us by e-mail and delete the file from your system. If you contact us by e-mail, we will store your name and address to facilitate communications.Personal emails should be sent to  tinadawnmarshall780@gmail.com. Chief Executive - HQ   Mon, 29 May, 09:31   to meGood morning, Thank you for your email which I have forwarded to our customer resolution and improvement team for logging; they will contact you direct with a reference number for your enquiry.  Kind regards,MirellaMirella Czechowicz | Chief Executive’s Office| The Highland Council | Glenurquhart Road, Inverness, IV3 5PB   From: Tina Irving <tinadirving@gmail.com>Sent: 26 May 2023 18:52To: Chief Executive - HQ <chief.executive@highland.gov.uk>Subject: Sutherland Space Hub CAUTION: This email was sent from outside of the organisation. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognise the sender and know the content is safe. Dear Ms Lakie, I note that the Highland Council are to put a byelaw into the matters of access around the Sutherland Space Hub.  I am a journalist, and I do not recall seeing a consultation on this matter. I look forward to hearing from you shortly.PS Police Scotland have been informed.