Printed minutes
Argyll and Bute Council · 5 December 2025
Back to Argyll and Bute Community Planning Partnership - Management Committee — 5 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 ARGYLL AND BUTE COMMUNITY PLANNING PARTNERSHIP - MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE held in the THREE VILLAGES HALL, ARROCHAR on FRIDAY, 5 DECEMBER 2025 Present: Gary I’Anson, Police Scotland (Co-Chair) Pippa Milne, Argyll and Bute Council (ABC) (Co-Chair) Fergus Murray, ABC Colin Buchanan, Chair OLI ACPG Rona Gold, ABC Gill Simpson, Chair HL ACPG Cllr Jim Lynch, ABC Liz Pryor, NatureScot Joe McKay, Scottish Fire and Rescue (SFRS) Susan McRae, Skills Development Scotland (SDS) Andy Macpherson, ACT Samantha Campbell, NHS Highland Ishabel Bremner, ABC Alex Edmonstone, LiveArgyll Kevin Rennie, SFRS John McLuckie, ABC Emma King-Venables, NHS Highland Lynsey Booth, Police Scotland Christine Downie, SSEN Graeme McMillan, ABC Laura Blackwood, ABC Maggie Clark, NHS Highland Mahailia Kateryna, Argyll TSI Jim McSorley, NHS Highland Aileen Cameron, ABC Lynsey Innes, ABC Nicola Reaney, ABC (Secretary) Apologies: Takki Sulaiman, Argyll and Bute TSI Mary Holt, ABC Kirsty Flanagan, ABC Iain MacInnes, ABC Douglas Whyte, Argyll and Bute Council Patricia Dowd, DWP Cllr Anne Horn, Chair MAKI ACPG Alison McGrory, NHS Highland Mo McKenna, University of the Highlands and Islands Morag Goodfellow, Highland and Island Enterprise (HIE) Ranald Robertson, HITRANS Graham Bell, NHS Highland Gillian Cay, Scottish Enterprise Mandy Sheridan, HSCP Fergus Walker, ABC Pauline Craig, DWP Morag Brown, ABC Linda Currie, NHS Highland Ashley MacKay, ABC 1. WELCOME (CHAIR) 1. WELCOME (CHAIR) Pippa welcomed all to the meeting, noting that today’s session would be on Community Wellbeing, focussing in on what our communities have told us wellbeing means to them, and considering how we collectively approach delivering the actions for wellbeing that were agreed earlier this year. Pippa has been acting as interim chair, since Joe McKay stood down after 4 years in the role, to see through the Local Outcomes Improvement Plan (LOIP). The actions for this are now well underway, and Pippa nominated Gary I’Anson as the new Chair of the CPP to take forward the delivery of the LOIP actions. The nomination of Gary as chair was approved by the Partners in attendance.
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CPP Improvement Plan Rona provided an update on the CPP Improvement Plan actions – agreed in March 2025 as part of a self-evaluation exercise with the Improvement Service. All actions are underway or complete. An action to set up a partner Engagement group, to discuss upcoming engagement and results from any engagement that partners have undertaken, is in progress and met for the first time on 1 December. Rona also noted the CPP monthly podcasts which are ongoing and the delivery of the CPP Welcome Pack refresh. ACTION – Partners are invited to review the Welcome Pack and provide any feedback to cppadmin@argyll-bute.gov.uk The Chairing of the next part of the meeting was then passed to Gary, who welcomed the update from Rona. Approval of last minutes The minutes from the last meeting in September, where housing was the focus, were approved. Review of previous actions Gary reviewed the previous actions, noting they are all in progress, and asked the Partners to consider: - Signing up to Fair Funding Guidance Fair Funding guidance was created by the CPP Planning Improvement Board and CPPs are asked to consider signing up to this. Some individual Partners have already signed up to this but as not all Partners could attend the meeting today this will be carried forward to the March 2026 meeting. Rona understood how busy Partners can be between now and March, although they have had several months already to consider this. Rona also noted that some Partners may prefer to wait until Fair Funding legislation is enacted by the Scottish Government. - Community Wealth Building (CWB) Charter The CPP Community Wealth Building working group created a Community Wealth Building Charter which Partners are asked to consider signing up to. ACTION – To enable as many Partners as possible to sign up to the Fair Funding Guidance and CWB Charter, separate sessions are to be set up with Partners to obtain sign up, or agree state of play, and report back to the March 2026 meeting. Colin asked if development trusts should be represented in these i.e. SCVO or DTAS. ACTION – Rona to consider the inclusion of those organisations in Fair Funding and CWB. - Climate Change Andy gave an update on the Climate Change Strategy and asked for views on the draft
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action plan which was distributed as part of the meeting pack. Andy said it was important to identify what is doable by Partners. Consultants are currently looking at the business case and he encouraged Partners to engage with the focus groups being set up. Andy felt it would be beneficial for the CPP to look at the actions at the same time. Andy advised there had been a good reception to resilience work which is ongoing and was thinking and how Argyll relevant carbon literacy and resilience training could be combined. ACTION – Rona and Andy to discuss is this can be brought to the March 2026 meeting, or have a sub-group look at this to agree what action the CPP Partners can pick up. Andy advised that any members of a subgroup should have decision making capacity to agree priorities and how they will fit in with the Partner organisations priorities. Joe McKay nominated Kevin Rennie, SFRS to sit on the sub-group. Andy noted that Brian Wardle, SFRS had also volunteered for this. ACTION – CP team to ask for volunteers to join a subgroup to bring Climate actions to the March CPP MC. Pippa is keen to look at how this can be moved forward in the Council, highlighting the resilience issues raised during Storm Eowyn around mobile connectivity and transport. Andy confirmed that the Council Climate Change Board would be bringing the consultants into their January meeting. Area Community Planning Group (ACPG) report John gave an update on the ACPG report which advised that the Bute and Cowal ACPG are still looking for a Vice Chair and this will be carried forward to the February 2026 meeting. Rona asked Partners to consider nominations for this role to prevent this post being vacant for too long. She also noted that any volunteer will be well supported in that role. Gary thanked all the ACPGs for the work they have been doing. ACTION – Partners to send nominations for Bute and Cowal ACPG Vice Chair vacancy to cppadmin@argyll-bute.gov.uk 2. OUTCOME FROM HOUSING SESSION IN SEPTEMBER (CPP TEAM) Rona gave an update on the September meeting with was attended by representatives from the housing sector. The CPP long-term objectives to deliver around housing, and actions, were discussed and the outcomes from that session will be sent out to all attendees.
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Rona highlighted the current Workforce Housing Survey, a QR code to the survey was included in the meeting pack. Partners were encouraged to compete the survey and circulate it through their networks. The survey closing date is 22 December. ACTION – CP Team to send survey link to Partners. 3. ARGYLL AND BUTE EMPLOYABILITY PARTNERSHIP & ECONOMIC STRATEGY (ISHABEL BREMNER) Ishabel, the Councils Economic Growth Manager and lead for Community Wealth Building, gave a presentation on the Argyll and Bute Council Employability Action Delivery Plan (ABEP) and the ABEP Annual Investment Plan. The ABEP looks to provide a stronger and more collaborative working, a place-based person-centred approach, opportunities to individuals of all ages and capabilities through tackling socio-economic disadvantage and inequalities and support the removal of barriers to securing secure employment. The Delivery Plan provides a platform for Partners and Stakeholders delivering employability services across Argyll and Bute to work together to identify opportunities, align priorities, learn from each other, develop valued services and add value to every engagement with support individuals. Ishabel noted that parts of this work are delivered through a third sector partnership co-ordinated by InspirAlba and advised that all economic development posts in the Council are externally funded. Following a facilitated workshop on 20 May 2025, the delivery plan was revised to focus on opportunities, challenges, enabling factors and details on future action-driven implementation (with a focus on community wellbeing) beyond 2025/26. This would include addressing challenges, building opportunities and learning from enabling factors. She added the core focus of the new action plan is to be inclusive and create a wellbeing economy through embedding a CWB approach that enables people of all abilities to reach their full potential Ishabel played a video showcasing the work of the ABEP during 2024/2025 by each strategic pillar – People, Place, Planet, Prosperity. The video can also be viewed on the Invest in Argyll website. ACTION – CP Team to send link to ABEP video to Partners, who are encouraged to share the video on their social media. Ishabel advised the ABEP Annual Investment Plan has been approved by the Scottish Government. The detail in the plan at provides a summary of delivery priorities, the overall 424 participants for the total funding of £1,568,587. Table 2 outlines the actual providers, broken down by priorities, participants and budget. Ishabel asked the CPP to endorse the implementation (retrospective) of the ABEP Delivery Plan Annual Update for 2025-2026. Retrospective approval was given by the CPP
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Gary noted the exciting opportunities for our local businesses and communities and praised the high quality of the video and the amazing work that has been achieved across Argyll and Bute. 4. ICEBREAKER John led the icebreaker sessions and Pippa thanked everyone for participating so fully in them. 5. PRIORITY: COMMUNITY WELLBEING (a) 1.1 Community Wellbeing as ABOIP Priority (CPP team) Rona gave an overview of the ABOIP consultation and how Community Wellbeing was identified as one of the top three priorities (with Housing and Transport) for our communities. 1978 participants completed the ABOIP survey so we have extensive data on the age group and localities which show Community Wellbeing is a priority across a large range of areas and age groups. Rona noted Community Wellbeing has sub themes of community facilities, community support, community aesthetics, care, activities, community empowerment, Community Wealth Building, gaelic language and community safety. National wellbeing research was also considered. Additionally, the ACPGs were asked about Community Wellbeing at the August meetings and outcomes from today will be taken back to the ACPGs. Rona thanked the ACPGs for their participation. The feedback from ACPGs were available at each breakout area. The CPP Partners defined Community Wellbeing as “the combination of social, economic, environmental, cultural, and political conditions identified by individuals and their communities as essential for them to flourish and fulfil their potential.” Rona gave an overview of the ABOIP long term objectives and actions on Community Wellbeing – noting it was the actions we would be looking at in the breakout areas today to see where CPP Partners can collectively add value to existing work or start work that isn’t already being looked at. Rona asked the Partners to consider a nominating a representative to join the CPP Engagement Group to support joined up approaches to engagement. ACTION – All Partners to consider nominating a representative to attend the CPP Engagement Group. Nominations to be sent to cpadmin@argyll- bute.gov.uk (b) 1.2 Community Wellbeing Actions in the pipeline - Community Benefit Rona noted a paper in the meeting pack with the contacts for the Council Officer for Community Benefit, Ashley Mackay (ashley.mackay@argyll-
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bute.gov.uk). - Population Health Sam gave a presentation on Living Well in Argyll and Bute. The Living Well Strategy (launched 2019) makes a commitment to support people living with long-term conditions and those at risk of developing them. The strategy focuses on supporting people to manage their own health and supporting communities to build groups and networks which can link people together enabling people to live well – but stressed that self- management is not a substitute for health services. The strategy, being refreshed for 2026 – 2031, will build upon the previous one supporting action to improve the health of the population and aligns to the newly released Population Health Framework. Improved population health is fundamental to making progress on Scotland’s National Performance Framework which is a joint framework between COSLA and the Scottish Government to improve wellbeing. Population health is defined as an approach aimed at improving the health of an entire population to improve physical and mental health outcomes and wellbeing of people across a defined local, regional or national population while reducing health inequalities. The Living Well Strategy (2026–2031) and Scotland’s Population Health Framework (2025–2035) align by both aiming to improve population health and wellbeing through prevention and early intervention, rather than focusing solely on treatment. They also emphasise asset-based, place-focused collaboration, prioritising community engagement and social connection as key determinants of wellbeing. Sam asked for Partners to use these principles to guide their thinking in the breakout sessions. - Communities Working Together Mahailia gave a presentation on the Living Well board, which has two strands - community rehabilitation and communities working together. It was formed because Partners recognised the need for a more joined up, preventative, community led response. It is a partnership between the TSI, LiveArgyll, the Council and the Public Health team. Its shared vision is to shift the focus to wellness (not illness) with people living locally, supported by a collaborative system with shared leadership. Progress to date includes refreshing governance structures, strengthening partnerships, new branding and a winter seminar series. Mahailia noted the work of the board matters as it wants communities to feel more connected, support to be easier to find and joined up, allow people to have a voice in what helps them live well and allow partners to engage effectively on complex challenges. Pippa thanked Sam and Mahailia for their presentations. Pippa advised
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there is also a paper in the pack by Mary Holt, Community Justice for further information. (c) 1.3 Breakout sessions to discuss agreed actions The breakout groups rotated around six actions: - Providing the community wellbeing pipeline – no wrong door approach - Look at funding mechanisms such as community benefit. - Consider options for ways of working that enable collaborative working on assets and services within a place. - Consider a CPP data group to support data sharing between partners and with the community. - Explore to what extent the Living Well programme maps community, social and volunteering opportunities, identify any gaps, and create partnership solutions to address these. - Engage with the community to better understand how communities achieve a sense of connection and belonging and identify actions to support this where there are gaps in support. At the end of the breakout sessions Pippa thanked everyone for their input to the actions. The outcomes and outputs will be finalised by the CP Team and Partners will be contacted for commitment of resources to deliver the actions and there will be continued engagement with the ACPGs. 6. SINGLE AUTHORITY MODEL (GRAEME MCMILLAN AND LAURA BLACKWOOD) Laura and Graeme gave a presentation on the work they have been doing on the Single Authority Model, which is being explored with the Scottish Government as part of public sector reform. Laura gave an overview of the background and drivers behind the potential benefits of alternative service delivery and governance arrangements, noting there has been a push at a national level in the last year to take work forward looking at Single Authority Models. CoSLA’s Plan 2022-2027 confirmed that local government reform remains a key priority. The focus is currently on Health and Social Care and the Council - but this could be expanded to other public sector areas. Work to drive forward reform is being driven nationally by quarterly meetings with the Minister for Public Finance. By end December, the Council are to submit a preferred model to take forward SAM. The senior officer working group and a council shirt life working group are modelling the potential options. Laura said SAM offers opportunity for greater coordination, integration and collaboration across Council, Health and Social care and the wider public service to deliver better outcomes for the people of Argyll and Bute. The team worked with Professor Linda Bauld to look at the potential outcomes of a SAM in the short, medium and longer terms. This work is still being developed and will inform the submission to Government by end December.
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Graeme then gave an overview of the concepts that have been explored for an Argyll and Bute context which are: (a) status quo remains, (b) community planning plus, (c) integrated authority model, (d) a fully empowered local board and (e) single authority partnership. He said it is important in any model that lines of accountability and responsibility to government need to be maintained. After high-level options appraisal, options (d) and (e) have been identified as the preferred models. The next steps after the submission to Government by end December, will be a formal consideration of the options at special council meeting on 29 January 2026 and at the Health Board on 27 January 2026. By the end of March 2026 parliament wish to report on the potential SAM for each locality with further consultations taking place during 2026 (national guidance is being developed to reflect engagement requirements for all local partners). The CPP were asked to give their feedback on SAM so this can be incorporated into submission to Government. Fergus said that when he started in the Council all the different bodies (social care, housing etc) were integrated under the Council, and it felt it was a bit like “history repeating itself.” He welcomed the model to improve collaboration, breaking down silos and sharing data but that needs to be done in a sensitive way. He also questioned where the capacity and resources for this work are. Pippa felt it was important to have integrated plans that work towards joint agreed outcomes across Council, NHS, HSCP but we need to create better outcomes for people, not just focus on structural change. Pippa noted there was existing good relationships with the NHS Board to we are in a good position to get an agreed way forward. Pippa said this is an ambitious piece of work and it was reassuring to see the Government putting time and effort behind it now. Rona asked what the deadline is for Partners to provide comments, including those that were unable to attend today. Laura advised comments should be received by 15 December to allow them to be incorporated into appraisal work with the external consultant. Laura and Graeme are happy to have a chat regarding SAM with anyone who could not attend today. ACTION – CPP team to circulate the SAM presentation to partners with contact details for Laura and Graeme. Partners to provide comments, opportunities, issues or ideas relating to SAM to cppadmin@argyll-bute.gov.uk by 12 December. Andy was keen to discuss how his work with the Scottish Government on Climate Ready Regions could align with this. Pippa thought that could be added to SAM benefits. ACTION – Andy to chat directly with Laura on how Climate Ready Regions work can align with SAM. Ishabel asked if, considering the elections in May, there was a sense of direction of public resource for this going forward. Pippa noted that public sector systems need to be reformed as they are not sustainable on the current model and hoped that would provide motivation for any government to take that forward.
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Colin noted the importance of ensuring that communities understand that this work has a benefit for them. 7. CLOSING REMARKS (CHAIR) Pippa thanked everyone for their contributions to the meeting, noting there has been a lot of work and energy put into today. The input from today and the last two session is invaluable to turn into an action plan, saying 2026 will be a year of action. Pippa also welcomed the opportunity to get together to build relationships with each other as this is essential to build a strong foundation on how we work together to deliver better outcomes for Argyll and Bute. Pippa also thanked Gary for taking over the role of Chair, and thanked Joe for his work during his tenure as Chair.