Policy Leads Report
Argyll and Bute Council · 26 September 2024
Back to Argyll and Bute Council — 26 September 2024 and its agenda
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL COUNCIL 26th September 2024 POLICY LEADS REPORT 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 This report provides members with an update on key areas of activity for each Policy Lead Councillor. This aims to provide updates from all Policy Leads as regularly as possible, so that all members are informed, up-to-date and able to engage with current issues. 2. RECOMMENDATIONS 2.1 Members are asked to consider the report. 3. POLICY LEAD FOR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT – Cllr Math Campbell- Sturgess 3.1 Introduction: This report provides an overview of the key activities and developments within the Business Development portfolio during the period from July to August 2024. It highlights significant progress in various projects and initiatives aimed at enhancing economic growth and business support in Argyll and Bute. Thanks are due to the Policy Leads who previously covered these areas, Cllrs Liz McCabe and Alastair Redman, for all of their work and focus. 3.2 Projects and Regeneration: Carbon Neutral Islands (CNI): Continued collaboration with the Islay Energy Trust (IET) on the Carbon Neutral Islands initiative. The Scottish Government announced a £1 million Capital Fund for 2024/25 to support the program. Efforts are focused on preparing applications for this fund, with a submission deadline of 30th August 2024. Regeneration Capital Grant Fund (RCGF): While the 2024/25 RCGF was paused, ongoing projects from previous years continue, including Port Ellen Community Hub, Scalasaig business units, Kilmory Business Park, and others across Argyll and Bute.
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CARS/THI Programmes: The Lochgilphead CARS project, a £2.2 million initiative, is progressing well with several buildings nearing completion and additional projects in development. The Helensburgh CARS program also continues, with priority buildings set to begin construction in August 2024. 3.3 Film and Creative Industries: Film Production: I had a productive meeting with council officers regarding the film industry in Argyll and how we can increase the number of productions that film here. We are keen to maximize the economic benefits that hosting film crews brings to the area. I have also asked officers to explore how we can better share information across the council, such as leveraging our existing lists of wedding suppliers and the register of short-term lets to provide film crews with information on catering and accommodation options. Events and Festivals: Round 7 of the Strategic Events and Festivals (SEF) funding will launch in October 2024. The Royal National Mòd in Oban is set to take place in October, with competitor numbers almost reaching an all-time high. Preparations are underway to ensure a successful event. 3.4 Business Gateway: UK Shared Prosperity Fund: The Business Gateway team has received 148 applications for support, with nearly £370k committed, representing 81% of the target program spend. The Small Business Development Grant and Start-up Grant programs continue to perform well, with numerous businesses receiving support. Clipper Round the World Race – Oban: Business Gateway supported 18 local businesses to showcase their products at the Food and Drink village during the event. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with significant press coverage highlighting the success. Scotland Loves Local: I had productive meetings with the Scotland Loves Local team, who have just completed the Scotland Loves Local Week. I’d like to thank the council’s Communications team for their efforts in publicizing the event on social media, which helped to highlight local producers and retailers. We will continue to review the use of the Scotland Loves Local card to ensure it provides good value for money for the council and supports local businesses effectively. Digital Reviews: A total of 21 digital reviews have been approved, with ongoing follow-up surveys to monitor impact. The reviews are funded by the remainder of the DigitalBoost funding and LACER business support funding.
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3.5 Economic Growth: University of Stirling Campus at Machrihanish Airbase: Discussions are ongoing to explore the possibility of establishing a University of Stirling campus at the Machrihanish Airbase. This initiative could significantly enhance educational opportunities and economic growth in the region. Seaweed Industry: The Economic Growth team continues to engage with stakeholders in the seaweed industry, supporting local and international initiatives. This sector presents a valuable opportunity for job creation and sustainable development in the area. Distilleries: The team is closely involved in the development of several new distilleries across Argyll and Bute, including projects in Campbeltown, Portavadie, and Ardrishaig. Bank Branch Closures: I have had discussions with officers regarding the threat to our rural economy posed by bank branch closures following the announcement that several branches of high street banks are set to close across Argyll and Bute. Officers will be undertaking a survey of local businesses in various parts of Argyll to identify the areas likely to be most impacted. The council will then look at possible mitigations. 3.6 Digital Infrastructure: Rural Connectivity: I held several productive meetings with the digital infrastructure team, focusing on the upcoming switchover from PSTN to digital networks. I remain concerned about the potential impact on our more isolated rural communities, particularly in the event of power outages where digital phone lines and mobile signals could fail simultaneously. I will continue to liaise with officers to address these concerns. Rural Connectivity Initiatives: Continued efforts to improve digital connectivity in remote areas, including the deployment of fibre networks and the exploration of mobile mapping projects. The rollout of these initiatives is crucial to ensuring that all residents and businesses have access to high-speed internet. 3.7 Future Priorities: Moving forward, our focus will be on maximizing the impact of available funding, supporting sustainable business growth, and enhancing infrastructure to meet the needs of our communities. We will continue to advocate for additional resources and support from national programs to ensure the long-term prosperity of Argyll and Bute.
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4. POLICY LEAD FOR CARE SERVICES – Cllr Dougie McFadzean 4.1 Introduction: This is my first report as Policy Lead for Care Services. Before the main body of the report, I would like to take this opportunity to thank my predecessor Councillor Amanda Hampsey for her two years of dedication to the role. She undertook her responsibilities with upmost professionalism and made a very positive impact on all involved in the Integrated Joint Board and the wider Health and Social Care Partnership whom she came across. I would hope that I could continue the good work that Councillor Hampsey was engaged in. 4.2 Islands Strategy: Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) is about to start engagement on its first Island Strategy. This was produced by a short life working group which was established in late 2023 to deliver on our previously stated ambition to develop a high level strategic plan to inform the delivery of health and social care services for our island communities. It reflects our overall strategic ambitions for the whole of Argyll and Bute and takes account of the Scottish Government’s National Island Plan (2019) and the updated Implementation Road Map (2023). Delivering health and social care services to remote communities is operationally complex. We acknowledge that the ambitions of this strategy have to be realised within a challenging financial framework. There are other drivers for change, such as demographics and workforce as well as evolving professional practice to which health and social care services have to respond. It is therefore even more relevant to employ asset-based approaches so that communities and the people within them can be empowered to work with the HSCP to develop innovative solutions that deliver good outcomes. Over the next couple of months the HSCP will be engaging with all island community councils, who will be sent a briefing presentation with their asset map and the draft strategy. The HSCP Planning Team will present at Locality Planning Groups and our Area Managers will present to community groups and to their staff. We will work with Argyll and Bute Community Development Team and the Community Link workers will also distribute the draft strategy. An engagement report will be presented to the Short Term Working Group and the Island Strategy will be updated and presented to the Integration Joint Board.
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4.3 Primary Care: Jura OOHs Review: The Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) previously had a contract with Jura Medical Practice to provide out-of- hours (OOH) primary care services on the island of Jura, which ended on 31st March 2023. Currently, a locum rota is temporarily handling the OOH care while a new, sustainable model is developed. A collaborative working group, including representatives from various local entities such as the community council, local GPs, local elected members, Council officers and the Coastguard, was formed to design this model. They met monthly to assess the current situation, conduct SWOT analyses, review previous care models, and plan for a first responder scheme. Additionally, a reference group of experts was established to provide advisory support, and an engagement specification was developed to ensure proper community and stakeholder involvement. To address challenges associated with this project, an options appraisal was developed, with the working group collectively evaluating and selecting the most feasible model. An implementation group has now been established to oversee the design, implementation, communication, and review of the new healthcare model. This group includes diverse representation to ensure the model meets the community's needs effectively. Dental Services: There is continued demand for access to NHS dental registration within many communities throughout the Argyll and Bute HSCP area where individuals are unable to register with a General Dental Practitioner. Oral Health Improvement and Prevention - the Oral Health Improvement teams continue to deliver national programmes throughout the Argyll and Bute HSCP area and these include: Childsmile - a preventive programme for school and pre- school children, including one-to-one assistance as required. School tooth brushing programmes and targeted fluoride varnish programmes in schools have started, coinciding with the new academic year. Childsmile Sustainability programme - Recycle and Smile. The NHSH Oral Health Improvement teams continue to collect used toothbrushes and toothpaste tubes from nurseries and schools which are then recycled. The recycled materials are then used for the construction of fire engine parts, plant pots and children’s climbing frames, etc. Caring for Smiles - online oral health raising awareness training has been successfully delivered to NHS and health care partner staff including those undertaking Modern
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Apprenticeships, Care@Home teams and Adult Social Care Fundamental Skills at induction. Student Outreach Clinic, Campbeltown - the Student Outreach Centre has reopened for the new Academic Year, welcoming four final year students from Glasgow University Dental School each week to provide dental care for adults in the local community. The students are supported in their final year of learning by a team of dedicated PDS Dental support staff and a PDS Student Outreach Tutor. The clinic runs from August to the end of April, following the University calendar. General Practice: Furnace/Inveraray Medical Practice – following a successful advertisement and recruitment process, a new General Practice contractor was appointed from 1st August 2024.The new practice is working well. 4.4 Health and Community Care: Budget and resource: Budget and staff resource challenges remain the biggest concern for services in health and community care. Focus must be maintained on staff recruitment and retention in adult social care given the impact on meeting local needs and sustaining services. Dedicated work is being carried out to reduce the reliance on agency staff and spend across health and social care. Care at Home: The Care at Home tender is currently being progressed after extensive work by the service and procurement team over the past year. The new contract is expected to be in place in November 2024. Stakeholder forums for care at home and care home providers will be established by October 2024. Discharge without Delay: Working as part of the improvement process by the Scottish Government and COSLA, a discharge without delay improvement plan is in place with key highlighted actions. This work sits under the Unscheduled Care agenda. Older Adult Strategy: The strategy is near completion, however key actions and structures are already in place, for example, progress against standardising the A+E function in Community Hospitals, Care Homes and Housing strategic planning and care at home governance, redesign and training. Inspections: There is a strategic inspection of social work governance, assurance and workforce underway across Scotland. The internal care at home service was inspected and received grades of ‘good’. Kintyre Care Centre was inspected, and confirmation of grades is awaited.
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4.5 Children, Families and Justice: Work on the development of Bairn’s Hoose has continued. Police, Health, Education and Social Work are key partners in these efforts. A Scottish Government grant has been secured to develop the concept of a Bairn’s Hoose model in Argyll and Bute. bairnshoosescotland.com | Providing children and young people across Scotland with access to trauma-informed recovery, support and justice These developments will be ongoing over the coming two or three years. Self-evaluation and quality assurance work in relation to child protection processes within Argyll and Bute is continuing apace. We are currently investing in bringing managers from across the wider children’s partnership together for a series of face to face meetings. The initial aim is to examine and strengthen consistency and standardisation of processes and approaches. At a national level there are currently consultations on social work governance, being carried out by the Care Inspectorate as noted previously, and developments in children’s hearings. Service reviews: A programme of service reviews are being undertaken in response to future demands, recognising demographic changes and financial challenges. The first is a formal review of maternity services which has been launched already, however all other children’s services will be reviewed over the coming year. Review of models of care: It is clear that since the lockdown period there is increasing and changing need. On a practical level we know there are increasing, although still small, numbers of children in external placements. There is a need to review our internal resources of fostering, adoption, kinship and residential. There is a need to invest in preventative services. Both planning, reviewing and implementing models of care inherently must be done jointly with the education service. 4.6 Finance: Budget preparation commenced in April 2024 in light of the significant challenges forecast over the next few years within Health and Social Care. This is a reflection in the changing nature of public sector financing and increased need. The HSCP is forecasting small variances in spend resulting in a 1.6% overspend in social work and a 0.2% overspend in health services. The main drivers of overspending are Children’s Services, primarily out of area placements and older adults residential placements and agency working. The new Care at Home contract is on track for implementation in October 2024. This is expected to result in reduced costs later in the year. The focus on reducing delayed discharges from acute services continues,
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adding to the pressure to ensure people are placed in residential care or provided with care at home packages as quickly as possible, which in turn is adding to the cost of provide services beyond existing staffing levels and available budget. 4.7 Appointment of Chief Officer: Evan Beswick has been appointed as Chief Officer of the Health and Social Care Partnership following the Recruitment process carried out earlier this month. Evan took over as Interim Chief Officer following Fiona Davies’ appointment to NHS Highland. I am delighted that we have been able to make this appointment and look forward to working with Evan over the coming period. 5. POLICY LEAD FOR CLIMATE CHANGE, RENEWABLES AND NET ZERO – Cllr Luna Martin 5.1 Introduction: Over the last few months I have been introduced to several boards and groups such as The Climate Change Board and ACT (Argyll and the Isles Coast and Countryside Trust). In Addition to meeting with several groups and boards I have attended some site visits and met with members of the local community. I would like also to thank Cllr Ross Moreland who previously held this role. In May I attended the ACT AGM and met with teams from various sectors within ACT such as the ACT Peatland Initiative Steering Group. Banner from the ACT AGM
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During June I was invited to Carraig Gheal Wind Farm to meet the team and learn more about the operation of the windfarm. I met with the Director of Development George Baxter and Project Development Officers Nick Fennell and Sam Layton. During August myself and Councillor Shonny Paterson were invited to meet with members of the local community and Community Development Trust in Arrochar to discuss the shoreline and visit the Community Hydro. Pictured above Brian Dornan - Arrochar, Tarbet and Ardlui Community Council, Duncan Maclachlan –Arrochar, Tarbet Community Development Trust and Jackie Willis - Grab Trust During the month of September I will attend the KIMO AGM. KIMO stands for Kommuners International Miljøorganisation (Local Authorities International Environmental Organisation) and is a network of local governments who work together with the aim of promoting healthy seas. 5.2 Climate Change Board Update: In my role as Policy Lead for Climate Change, I attend meetings of the Climate Change Board and have regular discussions with the Head of Commercial Services, who has climate change within his remit. The Climate Change Board reports progress to the Policy and Resources Committee on a regular basis. These reports
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outlines overarching activities of the Climate Change Board to the Council and are useful to provide updates of key contributors to the Council's climate actions. 5.3 Scottish Government Nature Restoration Fund: The Policy and Resources Committee previously agreed to allocate this fund against three different activities including the School Biodiversity Fund (£68,000), Tree Planting Fund (£75,000) and School Food Waste Composting Fund (£60,000). There has been a high level of interest in the funds, particularly the School Biodiversity Fund, which has seen 28 education establishments bid for funds to buy equipment and materials that will enhance biodiversity and tackle school food waste, creating new opportunities for children and young people to learn and take action on nature restoration and climate change. 5.4 Council Carbon Emissions 2022/23: The Council has reported a 6% decrease in its carbon emissions during 2022/23. The Council’s carbon footprint is measured in ‘tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent’ (tCO2e) - the footprint reduced by 1,705 tCO2e, from 28,217 tCO2e in 2021/22 to 26,512 tCO2e in 2022/23. 5.5 Sustainable Scotland Network Leaders’ Climate Emergency Checklist: The Sustainable Scotland Network Leaders' Climate Emergency Checklist is designed to enable senior leaders in the public sector to assess their organisation's maturity and capability in tackling the climate and nature emergencies. The Sustainable Scotland Network (SSN) developed this Checklist in partnership with the SSN Steering Group, SOLACE, COSLA and the Improvement Service. The Checklist has seven themes: Strategy; Targets; Governance; Delivery; Finance; Performance; Skills. Three levels of grading can be allocated against each of the seven themes: Foundation, Advanced and Exemplary. The Checklist also provides a prompt for bodies to identify ‘Improvement Actions’. The Policy and Resources Committee have endorsed the use of the Checklist as a valuable tool to support the Council’s self-assessment of climate change capabilities. 5.6 Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES): In collaboration with the LHEES Focus Group, the Climate Change Board, and the Argyll and Bute Energy Efficiency Forum, Argyll and Bute Council’s Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy draft strategy is complete. In Autumn, the draft Strategy and delivery plan will be presented to committee in order to seek approval to publish a consultative draft and
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undertake a one month consultation and engagement process. Following this, the final draft will come to full Council to be endorsed. 5.7 Carbon Neutral Islands Programme: Following the publication of the Community Climate Action Plan for Islay, the selected island within Argyll and Bute, the Scottish Government has now announced a £1m capital challenge fund aimed at supporting the objectives of the Carbon Neutral Islands work. Applications are due for submission by 30th August 2024. The Council is working with Islay Energy Trust, as the key local organisation involved in creating the Islay Community Climate Action Plan, to identify project proposals which may suitable for submission. 5.8 Argyll and Bute Climate Action: Argyll and Bute Council, alongside other Community Planning Partnership partners, have provided funding for a Project Manager for two years, employed by ACT, to undertake a climate risk assessment for Argyll and Bute as a whole and to develop a Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan. A Steering Group has been drawn from the Climate Working Group of the Community Planning Partnership, to work closely with ABCAN (Argyll and Bute Climate Action Network), taking a collaborative approach to grassroots climate change mitigation, adaptation and engagement in Argyll and Bute. 6. POLICY LEAD FOR COMMUNITY PLANNING AND CORPORATE SERVICES – Cllr Mark Irvine 6.1 Introduction: It has been a busy few months getting stuck into the new role as Policy Lead for Community Planning and Corporate Services. The support from officers has been excellent in helping me navigate through the many projects and initiatives that had been undertaken by the previous administration and that the various services have been working on. I look forward to continuing the good work of my predecessor, Cllr Alastair Redman, as we set out our priorities in the weeks and months ahead. 6.2 HR and Payroll: The HR and Payroll teams launched the new HR and Payroll system HROnline (MHR iTrent) in August. This has been a team effort between HROD ICT and Payroll and is the largest ICT project in which these teams have been involved and one which affects all employees and members of the Council. The new system, which is cloud- based, provides a much improved and simpler user interface, and will allow for more automation and greater efficiencies in HR and payroll processing.
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6.3 Connectivity: Many of the Council’s remote buildings would benefit from improved broadband connections. This includes some of our primary schools, where increasingly the curriculum uses online content. Conventional fibre connections are often extremely expensive, so the ICT team are now running a pilot to test Starlink connections. These are in place for Easdale Primary School and the Council’s data centres in Kilmory and Helensburgh. These pilots will be assessed for performance and cost and, if successful, will be added to our network options. 6.4 Communications: Our social media channels continue to perform well with our Facebook followers increasing by 28% this month and our reach increasing by 39%. We continue to promote a range of topics from good news, campaigns and council achievements to consultations, job vacancies and public information posts. We are adopting a themed approach to external communications: Standing up for Argyll and Bute, Making Good Things Happen Together, Making a Better Future and Attracting Investment. These will be used with appropriate posts regularly to embed our message. 6.5 Customer Services: Our Customer Service Centre continues to grow its digital transactions and in July, overall customer contacts were up 6.2% although the number dealt with by a customer service agent were almost the same as previous months. Website views were up to 1.1 million – an increase of 100k. There were 440k visits, 35k searchers and £31.5m was taken in online payments. We also saw the Customer Service Centre digital team deliver and launch the Oban Pontoons online berth booking and payment service, which was online in time for the Clipper Event in July. This has provided a much more efficient and customer friendly way for marine visitors and businesses to book and pay for berthing. We are also expanding our use of bots and these were used for processing educational attainment statistics at the end of FQ1. There is now a new HR bot on the Hub and the automated decision element of the online Large Events Management System went live in July. I have seen the way this platform transforms and simplifies the way in which applications are managed for local events and it offers a much simpler and more straightforward process for applicants and organisers to get their events staged. Well done to the team. 6.6 Elections: It has been a very busy period for the Elections Team, who successfully delivered the General Election held on 4th July 2024. This was the first time that Voter ID was required for a UK Parliamentary
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election in Scotland, and on the whole this was a positive experience with no major issues encountered. The count took place overnight, with all ballot boxes being received in good time and a final declaration made at 6.30am. The team will be undertaking a debrief and lessons learned exercise to establish any improvement actions for future elections. The team also successfully delivered the Ward 2 By-Election on 18th July, with the Count taking place the following day. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate and welcome Councillor Anne Horn back to the Council. 6.7 Child-Friendly Complaints: To ensure compliance with the United Nation Convention on the Rights of Children (UNCRC) (Incorporation)(Scotland) Act 2024, the Council has put in place arrangements to implement the Child Friendly Complaints Principles and Process, as developed by the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO). The principles underpin how to handle and investigate complaints from or involving children, in a way that respects their rights under the UNCRC, and the process will sit alongside the existing Model Complaints Handling Procedure that has been in place for a number of years. This has meant a busy time for everyone involved and my thanks to all our colleagues for their hard work and effort across the services. 7. POLICY LEAD FOR EDUCATION – Cllr Audrey Forrest 7.1 Introduction: I am pleased to bring forward my first Policy Lead report. Thanks are due to my predecessor, Councillor Yvonne McNeilly, for her work in this role and to the Executive Director and the Heads of Education and their team for being so supportive in helping me with the huge learning curve which comes with this role. 7.2 I attend the COSLA Children and Young People’s Board and it is good to hear from Councillors from all over Scotland on a wide variety of topics. The next meeting is at the beginning of October. 7.3 Developing the Young Workforce Conference: I was delighted to receive an invitation to the Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) conference in Oban where we heard from the young people themselves about how they have been supported. They shared their experiences of engaging with the MCR Pathways initiative and we were able to hear from Care Experienced Young people about their journeys, and much more.
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There was also an uplifting presentation from some of our young people who came as refugees and have had really positive experiences. It was fantastic to hear what DYW is doing for our Young People in Argyll and Bute helping them to obtain and sustain positive destinations. I was privileged to be asked to deliver the closing remarks. 7.4 STARS day, Campbeltown: Another exciting event was the STARS day in Campbeltown which was to encourage young people to consider STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths). This is a potential area of growth in educational opportunities and in future employment. The day was fascinating and included a fully trained astronaut who shared some videos of her training and also brought along a spacesuit. The event was for Primary Schools and was well attended. 7.5 Probationers Day, Inveraray: Inveraray was the venue for the Probationers’ Day which was a welcome opportunity to meet with those teachers who will be with us for their first, vital year of teaching. We hope
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they will all have a really positive experience and that some will decide to stay with us once the year has ended. I will have the opportunity to meet with them again at the end of their year with us. 7.6 School Visits: I have embarked on a series of visits to our schools and nurseries and hope to get around as many as possible. I enjoyed seeing the facilities, as well as meeting the children and the staff. Some of the children were our ‘Tour Guides’ in one of the Primary Schools and it was great to see their knowledge and confidence. 7.7 Results: Our exam results were higher than the national average in National 5 and Advanced Highers for A to D passes and we maintained our 100% pass rate at National 4. Whilst marginally below the national average for Higher, a fuller picture of this cohort’s overall performance will be available following the Insight release in a few weeks’ time. Congratulations to our young people who did so well and to staff and partners for their efforts throughout the year. The #NoWrongPath day where many people shared the different paths they have taken to get to where they are today was a great reminder that there are lots of different ways to achieve things. 7.8 Learning Centres progress: I am happy to report that excellent progress has been made in respect of the two new Learning Centres at Castlehill Primary and Islay High School, with the former fully operational and ready to welcome and accommodate pupils. The final touches for Islay will be completed over the coming weeks. 7.9 Argyll Art Collection App: A new App has been developed to showcase and explore the Argyll Art Collection and it is available here. This collection, which was established by Jim Tyre and Naomi Mitchison during 1970 to 1990s as a learning resource for the young people of Argyll and Bute, is made up of 179 paintings, drawings, prints, ceramics, and textiles.
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In respect of the African collection, we have recently had the news that Dr Kate Cowcher, University of St Andrews, has been given an RSE (The Royal Society of Edinburgh) personal research award to collate all the research material she holds about the collection. The title of her one year research period is From Dar to Dunoon: Rural Scotland and the global reach of African modernist art. 7.10 Gaelic: In my new role as Policy Lead for Gaelic, I report that we have acted in fulfilment of action 2.11 of the Council’s Gaelic Language Plan. A report detailing the outcome of the recent 10 week consultation that was carried out to determine the demand for an all Gaelic School in Argyll and Bute, is included as part of today’s Council agenda. The headline result of the survey is that of the 673 respondents 55% are not in favour of pursing an all Gaelic School in Argyll and Bute, with 45% in favour. I am also pleased to say that a button has been added to the Council website so that anyone who wishes can interact with the council in Gaelic. This is a really welcome development. 8. POLICY LEAD FOR FINANCE AND COMMERCIAL SERVICES – Cllr Ross Moreland 8.1 Financial Services: I would like to thank Cllr Gary Mulvaney for all of his work during his time as Policy Lead with responsibility for this portfolio. The budget outlook continues to be monitored on an ongoing basis and reported through Policy and Resources Committee. The latest update presented to Policy and Resources Committee showed a budget gap of £9.484m in 2025-26, rising to £26.504m by 2029-30 in the mid-range. This is a continually changing picture and the settlement of the 2024-25 pay award could have a significant impact on that position. The Cross Party Budget Working Group held its first meeting on 27th August 2024 and officers had already undertaken a large amount of work in advance of that to identify possible options to help bridge the budget gap, but the position remains challenging. The audit of the 2023-24 financial statements is progressing well and on schedule with no areas of concern identified to date. Financial Services meet weekly with Mazars to minimise any risk of delays. The processing of Payroll has now been moved from the old Resourcelink system on to i-Trent. This has been a huge amount of work for the payroll and HR teams who should be commended for their commitment to what has been a significant and challenging project.
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8.2 Local Tax Collections: Council Tax: As of 31st July 2024, current year collections are at 38.52%, slightly down by 0.13% compared to the same period last year. This decrease is linked to additional Council Tax billing from second homes, following summer student-led cleansing works. Productivity in Council Tax administration has increased by 38% over the last year due to our new performance monitoring process. Second Homes: Recovery of additional Council Tax from Second Home Owners stands at 42.91%, with anticipated collections of £4.067 million, exceeding the £3.739 million budget target. Non-Domestic Rates (NDR): As at 31st July 2024 we had collected 46.29%, which is significantly higher (9.46%) than the same time last year. This is mainly due to increased payments by direct debit as more businesses sign up for payment using this method as a result in the new instalment plans being introduced. 8.3 Benefits Processing: As of 31st July 2024, the average processing time for new claims is 13.81 days, with a cumulative average of 13.82 days, well within the 21-day target. The processing time for changes in circumstances has improved to 5.41 days following the resolution of issues with files transmitted to the Council by the DWP. We are actively working on further process improvements, particularly through a new Service Level Agreement (SLA) with Housing Services to enhance clarity and performance. 8.4 Flexible Food and Fuel Fund: Since January 2021, this project has supported 2,824 households in Argyll and Bute, resulting in a combined client gain of £4,053,777, averaging £1,436 per household. However, we face challenges in securing funding to extend the project beyond 31st March 2025. We are awaiting the UK Government's announcement on the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and considering an application to the Big Lottery Fund, though there is a risk of discontinuation due to funding uncertainty which would have a significant impact on the Scottish Welfare Fund and Crisis grant applications in particular. 8.5 Helensburgh Waterfront Development (Commercial Area): The development of Helensburgh Waterfront has been a long-term project and, following completion of the construction of the leisure centre, focus moves to the site of the old swimming pool, which is proposed primarily for commercial development.
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A two-stage marketing process for the commercial area was agreed with members of the Helensburgh and Lomond Area Committee and, at the closing date on 6th December 2023, five bids were submitted. This two-stage process allowed a public engagement exercise to be undertaken and shortlisting of the most economically beneficial and deliverable propositions prior to financial proposals being received. Two selected developers were then interviewed to provide further detail on their proposals. As per the report to the Policy and Resources Committee on 15th August, a preferred bidder has now been selected following assessment by the Property Development Working Group on a range of criteria and has been approved by members. 8.6 Mull Campus: Following the decision by Council on 25th April to proceed with Outline Business Case (OBC) development, the project governance structure has now been approved and being put in place, including experienced Project Manager resource to support the Senior Responsible Officer - Head of Commercial Services. The core project delivery team has also been formed and meeting on a regular basis. A meeting of the initial Strategic Board took place on 16th August and the first of the Community Sounding Boards was held in Craignure on 21st August. Monthly meetings and community updates are now in place to progress with the project and keep interested parties informed. 8.7 Property Services: During the summer holidays there has been a significant amount of work undertaken across many of our schools as part of the Education Capital Programme. I would like to thank the hard working team for all their efforts during this particularly busy period. A whole range of works have been completed in time for pupils returning, including:- toilet upgrades, ASN adaptations, window and door replacements, internal upgrades, kitchen and electrical upgrades, roof and structural upgrades, and landscaping improvements. 8.8 One Council Approach: The One Council property approach has been operating since February 2018, with the aim of making the most positive and efficient use of our property for the benefit of the Council and our communities. Over the last few months there have been a number of examples of the approach in action, including:-
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Kirkmichael Centre, Helensburgh - working with UHI Argyll, terms were agreed for a new lease of the centre which generated a significant new rental for the council, allowed the college to continue to provide its services and also secured an investment in the property by the college of over £200k. Sandbank Site, Dunoon - The site of the former Holy Loch community centre had been vacant for a number of years with limited interest despite ongoing marketing. Scenic Sandbank, a local community group, approached the council seeking to acquire the site for use as a community garden. Using the Expression of Interest process along with funding from the Land Fund, the group acquired the site and are now progressing with their project: 43 Chalmers Street, Ardrishaig – Following the administration of Martin McColl Ltd there was a risk that this important store in Ardrishaig would close. However part of the Morrisons Group were proposing to take over the property but were seeking substantially reduced lease terms. Following negotiation officers secured a lease with no rent reduction and a significant investment in the property on a longer lease, which was a great outcome both financially, and for the local community.
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Housing Delivery Group – As part of the wider housing delivery group, Estates have been working on some properties which could be delivered quickly while the medium term projects are progressing. Using HRA funding a pipeline of refurbishment projects have been commenced leading to a number of quick wins, including:- Tobermory County Buildings flat, Isle of Mull – This property was refurbished and has been leased to employees of the Education Department. Fionnphort house 2, Isle of Mull – This property was leased to MICT to allow them to sub-lease to employees of Historic Environment Scotland and National Trust for Scotland in a pilot scheme. It is intended to continue this in 2024. Flats at 52 Sinclair Street, Helensburgh – These 2 flats were significantly refurbished externally and internally and were then allocated to HSCP to use as accommodation for young asylum seekers. Sites on Tiree and Coll – Three small sites have been identified as potential housing locations and site investigations have commenced to assess their suitability for development. 8.9 Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 – Asset Transfer and Participation Requests Update: Community asset transfer involves the transfer of responsibility for an asset from Argyll and Bute Council to any suitable community, voluntary or social enterprise group/community controlled body. There are three options to progress interest in Council assets:- 1. Commercial offers for sale or lease can be made using the Expressions of Interest (EOI) process – there are currently 20 active EOIs, as reported to the Policy and Resources Committee on 15th August. These range from requests to lease ground for rugby facilities to licences for undertaking gardening and environmental improvement programmes. A full list of the current EOIs can be found here. Since Part 5 of the Act came into force in January 2017 there has been 88 EOIs, of which 68 have been resolved or withdrawn. 2. Enact the Asset Transfer Request (ATR) Process – there are currently no active ATRs, and to date there have only been 3 submitted since the implementation of the Act. 3. Develop an arrangement by working in partnership with the Council to achieve mutual goals and better serve local communities – in the first instance the Council would suggest use of the EOI process, prior to submitting a formal ATR.
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Participation Requests – Part 3 of the Act provides a framework for the use of participation requests by community bodies, with the intention of enabling communities to have more influence over services and decisions which affect them. During the last financial year, 2 participation requests were received. These related to (i) a request for improvements to the ferry service for Luing and (ii) improved bus routes for area covered by postcode PA21. 9. POLICY LEAD FOR PLANNING AND REGULATORY SERVICES – Cllr Kieron Green 9.1 Introduction: I would like to thank Cllr Amanda Hampsey who was previously my deputy Policy Lead, and am delighted to have Cllr Gordon Blair in the role now to support me going forward. 9.2 Meetings and Site Visits: In the time since my resuming of duties as Policy Lead for Planning and Regulatory Services in April, I have chaired the regular PPSL meetings and civic government hearings on the 22nd May, 19th June and 21st August, as well as hearings for planning and short term lets on 28th May, 17th June, 26th June, 7th August and 29th August. A number of Local Review Bodies also took place during this period. I also chaired the Argyll and Bute Licensing Board on 14th May and 25th June. I attended COSLA meetings of the Environment and Economy Board on 3rd May and 6th September, and the Clyde Marine Planning Partnership on 7th May and 20th August. To develop my knowledge of wind farm operations within the landscape, along with Cllr Martin I visited the operational Carraig Gheal Wind Farm on 12th June. On 9th August along with Planning Service officers and fellow elected members I visited Barcaldine Hatchery and Charlotte’s Bay Fish Farm near Oban. I greatly appreciated the opportunity given to us by Scottish Sea Farms in touring their facilities and the cooperation given by their staff to help further our understanding of the activities of this sector.
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9.3 Development Management: Due to substantial income from major applications, including some delayed from years where COVID affected progress, fee income is £100k over budget. With all planning officer positions filled, and additional resource still in place at present, this is allowing continued reductions to the backlog to be made. This is now at around 150 cases compared to a maximum of 375 that was experienced in early 2023. As a result, while some legacy applications are still being determined well outwith expected timescales, most current cases are being determined in line with the target of 12 weeks. Work on improving the Pre-Application service and developing the Planning Enforcement Charter continues. With the situation for statutory determinations improving, more resource will be available to support these areas of work. 9.4 Development Policy: Approval was given by Policy and Resources Committee in August to close the Simplified Planning Zone (SPZ) pilot which had been taking place in Lochgilphead, with unspent funds being returned to the Scottish Government. Regulations concerning Masterplan Consent Areas, which also have the objective of reducing the burden on
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developing locations have been introduced. Should a proposal be brought forward that would seek to utilise these then further work can be undertaken to explore their use in Argyll and Bute. Whilst the Local Development Plan 2 (LDP2) Action Programme was approved by Council in June, due to changes in approach by the Scottish Government this will have to be reapproved as a Delivery Programme. A formal invitation for Community Councils to submit Local Place Plans has been issued. These will assist the production of an LDP3 across Argyll and Bute that reflects the priorities of our communities. The Oban and Helensburgh Strategic Development Frameworks are due to go out to tender in October, to be completed by 2026 in order that they can inform the draft LDP3 consultation that will take place then. Although there has been a desire for integration of accommodation for naval personnel within surrounding settlements as part of the ‘Strategic Delivery and Development Framework’ for the Faslane Maritime Change Programme, currently consent is being sought for additional blocks within the base. 9.5 Building Standards: Nationally there has been a downturn in applications for Building Warrants which has been reflected in Argyll and Bute. However due to increases in fees, income remains as forecast. The Scottish Governments aims to strengthen building standard regulation and has developed a three- year funding model (2024-2027) to increase fees, with the additional monies used to create a new Scottish Building Standards Hub, and for local authorities to invest in building standards services to increase inspections during construction, enhance regulation and meet revised national Performance standards. An investment plan is in place for the Councils building standards which will include the creation of a new Building Standards Inspector role. The service is exceeding performance targets, with completion certificates being issued in an average of 2 days and 96.2% of building warrants issued or otherwise determined in six days. 9.6 Regulatory Services: A service redesign has resulted in changes to the staffing structure which sees minor changes to management remits, the creation of a career pathway for environmental health and focus on staff development. It also includes a range of other actions including the re- prioritisation of all statutory work.
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To aid in control of future outbreaks of avian flu all keepers of outdoor birds will be required to register these on the Scottish Kept Bird Register before December 1st. Previously only keepers of 50 or more poultry had to do so, and this change will allow information on keeping birds safe and secure to be distributed to owners more quickly. Eric Dearie, the Council’s first Licensing Standards Officer retired in August. Eric had been with Argyll and Bute Council for 15 years, during which time he worked with the trade and provided valuable insights to assist members of the Licensing Board in their consideration of applications, and I thank him for his contributions. 9.7 Short Term Lets: There are currently 8.5 full time equivalent staff in Regulatory Services working on application checks, property inspections, objections, and enquiries. Progress is still being made through applications from existing operators received last year, with a degree of priority being given to new operators who require a licence before trading commences. Overall as of August, 3,213 applications have been received and 1,013 licences granted. A review of the Council’s Short Term Lets policy is underway which will detail the Councils “deemed grant” policy. For existing operators where it has not been possible to determine an application within the 12 month deadline, a licence is deemed to be granted and legal advice has been sought, in the absence of any specific guidance from the Scottish Government, to determine the process. The review will also consider the impact of new legislation changes, and other issues and will be presented to Council for consideration in due course. 9.8 Biodiversity: Over the course of 2023 there has been a response to 82 applications regarding biodiversity, including Helensburgh Golf Course and the associated Housing Development, Machrihanish Golf Couse and Hotel and Holiday Accommodation, Fish Farms, and Wind Farms. The Biodiversity Technical Note has been updated to reflect LDP2 and NPF4 policies, and a resource has been provided to Building Control Officers to assist with assessment of bats in buildings. A new biodiversity officer has been appointed to replace Marina Curran- Colthart who retired in February and I would like to thank her for her years of service to the Council.
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10. POLICY LEAD FOR ROADS, TRANSPORT AND AMENITY SERVICES – Cllr John Armour 10.1 Introduction: I was appointed to the role of Policy Lead for Roads, Transport and Amenity Services at the Council meeting in April, and since taking on this role, I have worked closely to build relationships with various officers to gain a broader insight into the services undertaken within this role across the whole of Argyll and Bute. I have set meetings on a monthly basis with the Executive Director and Heads of Service as well as the Depute Policy Lead to ensure that I am kept informed and updated as Policy Lead. It is also important at this point to pay tribute to the work of the previous Policy Lead, Cllr Andrew Kain. This role has a wide and varied remit and there is a lot of really great work being done across the Council and our area. Below is just some of the work which I have engaged with officers on in my short time in this role thus far and I look forward to continuing engaging with officers over the months to come. 10.2 Active Travel: Active travel is the term used to describe physically active journeys and includes walking, wheeling, cycling and scooting as a means to get out and about. There are many benefits to active travel such as improve your health and wellbeing, help reduce your carbon footprint and save you money. The Council has developed a series of interactive active travel apps for a number of our towns, providing interactive travel self-guided trails to help you explore each town and discover some of the history and hidden treasures. Our active travel apps are a fun and interactive way to get out and discover some of the special places and hidden history to be found in and around Argyll and Bute. These new apps are part of our ongoing commitment to promote Argyll and Bute as a great visitor destination. We also hope they encourage more people to get out and about, become more active and discover what’s on their own doorsteps. They are a great way to discover new walking and cycling routes while leaving the car behind to enjoy being outdoors, whatever the weather.
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You can download the walking and cycling maps here: Walking and cycling maps There are a number of projects officers are working on with partners and communities to improve and expand the active travel network. It is important to note that all new routes are required to meet the criteria set by our funding partners and officers continue to engage with those funding partners to discuss the specific requirements for our area. I would encourage you to have a read about some of the projects that are in the pipeline here: Active Travel | Argyll and Bute Council (argyll- bute.gov.uk) 10.3 Drones: For a number of years now the Council has worked with drone specialists exploring how drones can benefit our more remote communities and businesses. The Council has been working with Skyports, who officers previously worked with in 2022 when we became the first Local Authority in the UK to trial the feasibility of school meal delivery via drone. Over the last few weeks, officers and Skyports have been using Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAVs) to undertake trials for various operations that are vital to the Local Authority and the communities it serves. These trials include river inspections, food sample collections, and samples from private water supplies. The Council, in collaboration with Skyports, is supporting other organisations like Royal Mail, NHS, Network Rail, and Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks in improving the provision of critical services in the area. This collaborative effort aims to demonstrate how these organisations can improve the safety, efficiency and sustainability of their operations and better serve customers by implementing electric drone services. The Council were awarded £250,000 from the UK Government in November 2022 via the Regulators’ Pioneer Fund (RPF) to work in partnership with leading industry experts and conduct a series of trials that will serve as a building block to showcase the potential of drones in enhancing vital public services and without this kind of funding we would not be able to look at how to transform vital services delivered to people in our more rural communities.
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10.4 Waste: After months of lobbying from our former Leader Councillor Robin Currie and our current Leader Councillor Jim Lynch, the Council has secured £1.5million of funding from the Scottish Government to help make the changes required to meet new waste regulations that come into force in December 2025. In Argyll and Bute we are in a unique situation which makes it difficult to meet the requirements of the Biodegradable Municipal Waste ban by the deadline set by the Scottish Government and I am pleased that this has been recognised by the Scottish Government. The new legislation bans almost all biodegradable material (food, card, paper, garden waste etc) from landfill. The treatment processes used at the sites operated as part of a PPP (public-private partnership) contract the Council has with its waste contractor will not be compliant with the BMW ban. That contract runs until 2026, nearly a year after the ban comes into place and to end the contract would have financial implications. The new funding will allow the Council to switch from Mechanical Biological Treatment Plants (MBTs) to Waste Transfer Stations in Oban, Lochgilphead and Dunoon. General waste will then be taken from the Waste Transfer Stations to Energy from Waste plants, rather than being processed with residual waste for landfill, making it compliant with the new government legislation. MBT plants reduce the amount of material which goes to landfill through processing, separation of materials and the production of compost- like output (CLO) which is used in landfill restoration. Waste is something that we all play a part in in our everyday lives and is something that we should all be conscious of when we are managing waste at home or even in our workplace. Argyll and Bute recorded Waste is something that we all play a part in in our everyday lives and is something that we should all be conscious of when we are managing our waste at home or even in our workplace. Argyll and Bute recorded municipal waste tonnes to landfill in 2023 at a staggering 30,872 tonnes – that is the equivalent to over 4000 African elephants. If you are unsure on what waste goes where, head over to the Council’s website where you can find a range of information to help your household do its bit in reducing the amount of waste that goes to landfill Household Waste 10.5 Pavement Parking Ban: The pavement parking ban will come into effect in Argyll and Bute by the end of 2024, to improve road safety for vulnerable people, and more resources will be in place to support its
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enforcement. The Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 bans pavement parking, double parking and parking at dropped kerbs. The Regulations received Parliamentary assent and came into force on 11th December 2023. This type of parking can be dangerous - it forces vulnerable pedestrians, for example people with a visual impairment, wheelchair users, and parents and carers with children, off the pavement and into the road amongst vehicles. Cars parked on pavements, or at dropped kerbs, can prevent people from getting out and about safely and independently. I would encourage everyone to park considerately and to do their bit in ensuring that no one is prohibited from walking safely on our pavements. It is worthy of noting that there is also a financial cost to this too - pavements are not designed to take the weight of vehicles and inconsiderate parking can contribute to the repairs required on our footways. The Council has a small team of wardens carrying out enforcement on roads and in car parks. At the June Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee, the Committee agreed to two new warden posts being created to enhance the capacity of the team for enforcing the pavement parking ban and wider parking restrictions – these posts will be based in Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands and Helensburgh and Lomond. You can read more about this in the report that was presented to the Committee in June this year: Transport Scotland Act 2019 - Pavement Double Dropped Kerb Report 10.6 Transport Scotland – Rest and Be Thankful: Over the last few months I have been discussing with officers the need to engage more with Transport Scotland on the options for the R&BT as well as other road works which affect our communities – one aspect we raised at the A83 Taskforce Meeting was the issues relating to simultaneous road closures and the length of time people are waiting between amnesties. Some of these issues raised relate to Inveraray, Arrochar, Kilchenzie and Tullochgorm – these need better planned to ensure that people are inconvenienced as little as possible while still ensuring that the maintenance work on our roads is carried out. We need more engagement with our communities to ensure that they are informed about upcoming works and that these are planned appropriately with as little impact on people as possible. The Executive Director Kirsty Flanagan and myself had a very positive meeting with John Gurr Chair RABT Campaign Group and two of its members – Duncan McAlister and Peter McKerral – where we agreed that
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the Director, officers and myself would meet with Transport Scotland and BEAR to try to get resolution to the issues raised by the Group. John Gurr of the Rest and Be Thankful Campaign Group subsequently wrote to Fiona Hyslop, the Minister for Transport to set out these concerns – Ms Hyslop advised that in light of the comments raised, BEAR Scotland have advised that it will look at their lines of communication and liaise with Traffic Scotland to ensure that relevant information is provided to road users in good time to inform travel plans. 10.7 Roads, Infrastructure and Amenity Services: In rounding off my report, there are a couple of other items of business I would want to highlight as follows:- Clipper Round the World Yacht Race: this took place in Oban during July – a lot of planning and time went into this wonderful event by officers who should be congratulated for all of their efforts in making this such a success. A particular thank you should also be given to our staff on the ground in Road and Infrastructure Services who ensured that the town looked its best on a daily basis. Public Conveniences: During my monthly meetings with senior officers, I have asked for a review of all public conveniences throughout Argyll and Bute to be commissioned – this will allow the Council to look at our estate and what options might be open to us. Highlands and Islands Airport Limited (HIAL) and HiTRANS: I am having regular meetings with HIAL and HiTRANS in my role as Policy Lead – I am on a learning curve in terms of learning more about the great services that they deliver and have been enjoying the journey so far. RIS Review: At the last Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee meeting in June, the Committee were presented with a report which presented the Consultant’s findings from stage 1 of the review. Officers are ready to move onto the next stages of the Change Process; however, the day-to-day work of the Service must continue and the Committee agreed to seek external support for the delivery of stages 2, 3 and 4. That external support will provide challenge and direction to ensure that the planned change is delivered in terms of both actions and overall long term approaches to working that supports effective service delivery. You can read more about the Review here: Review of Roads and Infrastructure Services B8001 Claonaig: While out on Council business, I travelled the B8001 and have been impressed with the work being carried out at this site - the contractor mobilised on site on Monday 20th May in order to start work,
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which is expected to last until late September. The works are ongoing to a 120m length of the B8001 and adjacent slopes, that have been historically affected by land-slip activity; notably during 2020 after which part of the carriageway has been closed. SEPA notifications for reducing the import / export of material has concluded i.e. in order to reduce the environmental impact of the works, excavated material will be re-used to improve a nearby borrow pit, re-used in the strengthened embankment where possible, or exported off site as a last resort. Difficult ground conditions for major excavations are being overcome in order to deliver the following:- Re-profiled / strengthened up slope embankment. Realigned / lowered new road construction through the site Scour Protection including rock armour at the base of the slope. Associated improved drainage, passing place, verges etc. and diversion of utilities.
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Ground investigation and modelling took place of course prior to the works during the design phase, however the geological nature of the site requires careful assessment of the condition/stability of the underlying soils, along with management of ground/surface water. The Contractor is working towards a Works Completion Date at the end of September - this is also a requirement of the landowner who has commercial activities taking place from October (shooting season). You can keep up to date and read about all planned road works on the Council’s website Roadworks Luing Ferry Crew: Well done to the crew of the Belnahua (Luing Ferry), who came to the aid of a small motorboat that had lost steering and was drifting towards the rocks. Thanks to the swift response of our staff, they were able to keep the boat from the rocks until a nearby fishing boat could tow it to safety – what a great effort from our crew. 11. CONCLUSION 11.1 This report provides members with an update on each of the Policy Lead portfolios. Policy Lead Councillors will be happy to discuss any particular issues with colleagues as required. Argyll and Bute Council – Policy Lead Councillors Report – 13th September 2024 For further information please contact Aileen McNicol, Leadership Support and Member Services Manager, telephone 01546 604014 or email aileen.mcnicol@argyll-bute.gov.uk