Printed minutes
Argyll and Bute Council · 15 December 2025
Back to Oban Common Good Fund — 15 December 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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MINUTES of MEETING of OBAN COMMON GOOD FUND held BY MICROSOFT TEAMS on WEDNESDAY, 15 DECEMBER 2025 Present: Councillor Kieron Green Attending: Melissa Stewart, Democratic Services Manager The Democratic Services Manager advised that due to apologies being received from Councillors McKenzie, Kain and Hampsey the meeting was inquorate. It was therefore, agreed to adjourn and reconvene at a date yet to be confirmed. The meeting of the Oban Common Good Fund was reconvened at 10am on 20 January 2026. Present: Councillor Kieron Green Councillor Andrew Kain Also Present: Mairi Malloy, Observer Rev. Margi Campbell, Observer Apologies: Rev. Alec MacCallum, Observer The Democratic Services Manager advised as only two Trustees were in attendance the meeting was inquorate. Trustees were asked whether they had any questions or feedback on the applications that might be clarified with applicants, in effort to ensure trustees could determine applications when it was possible to reconvene. The Democratic Services Manager was invited to contact Bid4Oban for further information on their application, given concerns about how the project fulfilled the criteria. The meeting was then adjourned to be reconvened at a date to be confirmed. The meeting reconvened on 11 February 2026 at 1pm Present: Councillor Julie McKenzie (Chair) Councillor Kieron Green Councillor Amanda Hampsey Councillor Andrew Kain Attending: Stuart McLean, Committee Manager 1. WELCOME AND APOLOGIES The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and there were no apologies for absence.
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2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST There were no declarations of interest intimated. 3. MINUTES (a) Minutes of Oban Common Good Fund Meeting held on 11 August and 3 September 2025 The minutes of the Oban Common Good Meetings held on 11 August and 3 September 2025 were approved as a correct record. (b) Minutes of Special Oban Common Good Fund Meeting held on 10 October 2025 The minutes of the Special Oban Common Good Fund meeting held on 10 October 2025 were approved as a correct record. 4. ANNUAL ACCOUNTS The annual accounts were presented detailing the current position of investment transaction for period 1st April 2024 to 31st March 2025. Decision The Trustees:- 1. noted the final annual accounts as presented; and 2. requested that the Democratic Services Manager explore the possibility of moving to online banking and report back to a future meeting. (Reference: Annual Accounts for 2024/25 prepared by Simmers and Co, submitted) The Trustees resolved in terms of Section 50(A)(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 to exclude the press and public for the following items of business on the grounds that it was likely to involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 6 respectively of Part 1 of Schedule 7A to the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973. E1 5. INCOME AND EXPENDITURE A financial statement detailing the current position of investment transactions for the period up to 30 November 2025 was considered. Decision The Trustees noted the income and expenditure report. (Reference: Report by Simmers & Co for period ending 30 November 2025, submitted)
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E1 6. END OF PROJECT MONITORING (a) Grab Trust The Trustees were invited to consider the End of Project Monitoring Form from Grab Trust. Decision The Trustees noted the end of project monitoring form. (Reference: End of Project Monitoring Form, submitted) (b) Nevis Radio The Trustees were invited to consider the End of Project Monitoring Form from Nevis Radio. Decision The Trustees noted the end of project monitoring form. (Reference: End of Project Monitoring Form, submitted) (c) Oban Winter Festival The Trustees were invited to consider the End of Project Monitoring Form from Oban Winter Festival. Decision The Trustees noted the end of project monitoring form. (Reference: End of Project Monitoring Form, submitted) E1 7. CONSIDERATION OF NEW APPLICATIONS (a) Anam Cara Fasgadh The Trustees considered the application from Anam Cara Fasgadh for memorial events to be held throughout 2026 and a nature-based nurture group for bereaved families. Decision The Trustees agreed:- 1. to award £2,310 to support the introduction of nature-based nurture group for bereaved families; and 2. to request that the applicant submit further information on the planned memorial events, specifically how these would be supported in subsequent years.
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(Reference: Application from Anam Cara Fasgadh, submitted) (b) Argyll Wellbeing Hub The application from the Argyll Wellbeing Hub was withdrawn, prior to the meeting. (c) Oban High School Parent Council The Trustees considered the application from the Oban High School Parent Council for a grant towards the cost of buying a new 17 seater second minibus for the use of the pupils of our Support Department and across the school. Decision The Trustees agreed to continue this application in order that further information could be obtained from the applicant regarding the total amount of match-funding applied for and the amount secured. (Reference: Application from the Oban High School Parent Council, submitted) E1 8. CONTINUED APPLICATION (a) Bid4Oban (Pages 7 - 16) The Trustees considered the updated information received from Bid4Oban to support the Clipper Event in 2026. Decision It was unanimously agreed that application did not meet the Fund’s criteria and was therefore refused. (Reference: Application from Bid4Oban, submitted) E1 9. UPDATE ON FUNDING APPLICATION BY OBAN BOWLING CLUB The Committee Manager reminded Trustees that criterion 5 specifies that ‘Applications will not normally be accepted in respect of projects on which work has already started, or in aid of expenditure towards which applicants have already made a commitment or paid’. It was noted that Oban Bowling Club may have purchased some equipment prior to their application being considered at the Common Good Fund meeting in May 2025. Trustees were invited to consider whether they would have approved the same award, had they been aware that some equipment had already been purchased. Decision
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The trustees noted with concern the new information provided in relation to this application and agreed to invite the applicants to the next meeting to confirm the purchasing timelines of the equipment referenced within the application. (Reference: Verbal update by Committee Manager, submitted) 10. DATE OF NEXT MEETING The date of the next meeting will take place on Monday, 16th March 2026 at 2pm by TEAMS.