Area Committee Meetings 2025-26
Argyll and Bute Council · 11 June 2025
Back to Oban Lorn & The Isles Area Committee — 11 June 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL OBAN, LORN & THE ISLES AREA COMMITTEE LEGAL & REGULATORY SUPPORT 11 JUNE 2025 AREA COMMITTEE MEETING VENUES – 2025/26 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 At the Oban, Lorn and the Isles Area Committee on 11 December 2024 it was agreed that meetings of the Area Committee should take place in venues around Wards 4 & 5 in line with the council’s updated priorities and that a report should be brought forward suggesting venues for meetings once the Council had set its programme of meetings for 2025/26. This report takes forward that decision. 2.0 RECOMMENDATIONS 2.1 The Area Committee is asked to agree that: A. Meetings of the Oban, Lorn and the Isles Area Committee as set out in the approved Programme of Meetings 2025/26 will be held as follows: 10 September 2025 – Dalavich 10 December – Oban 11 March – Taynuilt 10 June - Tiree B. prioritisation is given to scheduling the next round of meetings to venues suggested in paragraph 3.3 3.0 DETAIL 3.1 Currently meetings of the Area Committee are held on a Hybrid basis. To facilitate this, the council has portable meeting equipment which can be used subject to a reliable and robust Wi-Fi connection. Hybrid meetings would allow the committee to meet in local communities throughout the Oban, Lorn & the Isles area and is consistent with the Council’s priority to build stronger connections and collaborations with communities to increase empowerment. 3.2 The option to provide Hybrid means to attend meetings is consistent with council policy, will provide the opportunity for members of the committee and appropriate officers to attend via Microsoft Teams, and ensure that members of the public can either engage by those remote means, or attend meetings in
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person, that they may not otherwise have been able to attend. 3.3 The Council agreed the Programme of Meetings for 2025/26 on 27 February 2025 and engagement with local communities, via the community councils in Wards 4 and 5, has taken place to seek assistance in identifying suitable meeting locations, capable of hosting hybrid meetings. In addition to those locations suggested for the 2025/26 Programme, Appin and Luing have also been identified as having capability of hosting hybrid meetings and it is suggested that these locations be prioritised for any future meetings held. 3.4 It is recognised that there will be other suitable venues for hosting remoting meetings and Council Officers will continue to work with communities to identify other potential venues which will inform any future report on meeting venues. 4.0 CONCLUSION 4.1 Members are asked to give consideration to the options for holding the OLI Area Committee meetings at venues across the 2 ward areas which the area committee members represent. 5.0 IMPLICATIONS 5.1 Policy – Proposals are consistent with the Council Priorities 5.2 Financial - While it is not anticipated that there will be any increase in costs of hiring venues, there is a potential for additional costs incurred in terms of Members attending these meetings although it is clear that a number of the committee members prefer the option for remote attendance so increases may be negligible. 5.3 Legal – none, proposals remain consistent with the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 which requires meetings of councils to be held in public. 5.4 HR – none, meetings will continue to be supporting using existing staff resources. 5.5 Fairer Scotland Duty 5.5.1 Equalities – protect characteristics – venues proposed are accessible and meetings are open to all members of the public. 5.5.2 Socio-economic Duty – remote access to meetings should continue to have a positive impact on those without transport, or who have care responsibilities and cannot be away from home 5.5.3 Islands – Proposals include one suggested island visit, but are otherwise equally split between locations in Ward 4 and Ward 5. There will be implications in terms of weather as to when travel to and from island locations might be accommodated within the Programme of
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Meetings, given there are Spring and Winter meeting dates when travel may be disrupted due to inclement weather, and reduced options for travel are available. Recommendations take those type of considerations into account. 5.6 Climate Change – there may be some additional travel depending on the location of the meeting but with remote means being a popular way to engage at this particular meetings, it is not anticipated that emissions associated with travel will necessarily increase. 5.7 Risk – there are risks in terms of use of non-council buildings for meetings. Those risks are managed by committee staff when setting up the meeting space. Also, weather disruption or loss of venue are risks which will be monitored in the lead up to meetings taking place. 5.8 Customer Service – proposals to meet in the communities served by the members of the Area Committee will widen opportunities for customers to engage with the committee. 5.9 The Rights of the Child (UNCRC) – no impact Douglas Hendry Executive Director with responsibility for Legal and Regulatory Support 1 May 2025 Councillor Mark Irvine – Policy Lead for Community Planning and Corporate Services For further information contact: Melissa Stewart, Democratic Services Manager (01546) 604331