Adminstration Partnership Group Priorities Sept 2024
Argyll and Bute Council · 26 September 2024
Back to Argyll and Bute Council — 26 September 2024 and its agenda
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ADMINISTRATION PARTNERSHIP ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL PRIORITIES 2024 TO 2027 Our overarching aim is clear: Argyll and Bute’s economy and population need to grow. Each of our Priorities contributes to that overall goal, and all are interconnected. The need to consider these in an integrated way will remain at the forefront as we progress these Priorities. The key themes and principles which influence and underpin all of our Priorities are:
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COMMUNITIES Why this is a priority: Empowered and resilient communities Our communities are as diverse as our geography and have varying needs, challenges, and opportunities – all of which they are well placed to identify. We want to harness that local knowledge with confidence and work together to develop shared priorities. To strengthen our collaboration with and support for our communities, we will: Priority Next Steps/Action Build stronger connections and collaborations with communities to increase empowerment and make the best use of local knowledge to help shape delivery of local solutions. Meeting people where they live – progressing an engagement programme for senior leadership across and around local communities. Enhance and deepen our understanding of local issues and improve opportunities for collaboration – including launch of the Aspiring Places: Community Projects programme in Argyll and Bute Use online tools/digital platforms to find ways to reach those not in established groups and start ongoing conversations about local issues. Take forward a piece of work to support Area Committees to reshape their business, decision-making and overall activities to align with existing/emerging local plans and issues, following agreement of Priorities. Once Priorities agreed by Council – Area Committee Chairs to have initial discussion and feed back views to political leadership as first action. Reaffirm our commitment to refugee resettlement, valuing the contribution that new families and residents make to life in Argyll and Bute. Ensure that our approach to refugee resettlement has regard to the availability of housing, employment and skills locally while being delivered through national funding scheme.
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CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE Why this is a priority: Making Argyll and Bute an attractive choice for families Giving young people the best start in life, and ensuring we have the right skills for a prosperous future, are key elements of making Argyll and Bute an ideal choice for families to stay or to relocate. The Argyll and Bute lifestyle already has much to offer and, to play our part in making that even more attractive, we will: Priority Next Steps/Action Develop our school curriculums with the jobs of the future in mind, to build up a strong local skills base and help create more opportunities for young people to stay and grow in their own communities. Look at data from across the Council to identify skills, service delivery and employment needs locally – to shape learning opportunities for the short and medium term which contribute to overall population and economic growth. Enabling as many young people as possible go from school to positive destinations of all kinds. Work with partners on local further and higher education provision and apprenticeship opportunities that meet identified skills, service delivery and employment needs. Explore ways to enhance Argyll and Bute’s early learning and childcare offer to support employment and business needs of local families alongside its role in nurture and contribution to access to better life chances for young people. Identify measures to increase provision with partners. Enable learners to take full advantage of emerging technology and to be ready for the ‘jobs of the future’ here in Argyll and Bute. Pursue opportunities for investment in schools digital network – 21st century digital network for schools and wider education infrastructure. United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) – ensuring that views of children and young people are considered in decision- making. Developing our organisational culture to be receptive to the views of children and young people in our decision-making Continue the programme of improvement in our schools so that they are a compelling choice for families, providing good educational attainment and supporting the wellbeing of young people. Explore options for Education Review.
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HOUSING, ECONOMIC GROWTH AND POPULATION Why this is a priority: Working to ensure that everyone who needs a home can find one that they can afford, in the right place, and at the right time Access to housing is a factor in almost every aspect of Argyll and Bute’s crucial growth agenda. It contributes to the success of economic development, recruitment, employment opportunities, service delivery and much more. Argyll and Bute was the first Council in Scotland to declare a Housing Emergency. We must increase pace and be agile, ready to innovate and prepared to do things differently in order to see swift progress. Shared prosperity and sustainable business growth in Argyll and Bute We value the impact and return on investment that effective, targeted economic development can have. We recognise that all kinds of resources are increasingly limited and must be used to deliver shared prosperity, sustainable business growth and the best possible outcomes for Argyll and Bute People are Argyll and Bute’s most important asset in driving forward opportunities for growth and vibrant local economies Population growth is crucial to our economic success. Decline impacts on our ability to sustain and deliver services in the future. There is a predicted drop of 14.8% between 2018 and 2043, mainly in the 25 to 44 age group. We have a relatively tight labour market, arising from consistently higher levels of participation and low unemployment, with critical gaps in public services and key business sectors like hospitality and construction. This has been exacerbated in recent years by a decline in working-age population, migration limitations and higher levels of economic inactivity particularly in the over-50s age group. We will: Priority Next Steps/Action Sharpen focus on the Housing Emergency Action Plan and other plans/delivery bodies as appropriate in line with the pace required in emergency. Refresh and update our Local Housing Strategy. Use policy and fiscal levers at our disposal to speed up delivery – lobby other agencies where required. Seek reform or flexibility on use of Resource Planning Assumption (RPA). Looking at overarching plans – - Argyll and Bute Local Housing Strategy - Strategic Housing Investment Plan - Local Development Plan - Oban and Helensburgh Development Masterplans Using latest data to reframe and target activities and resources to the right places at the right times. Revisit Strategic Housing Fund. Examine scope to reduce time spent in temporary accommodation. Lobbying work Drive forward in partnership across all sectors to deliver on vital areas like key worker accommodation, mid-market rentals, private Engagement and partnership working across all sectors.
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sector development in addition to activity on affordable homes. Local Housing Strategy review to open up greater opportunities for partnership working and securing additional resources to support swifter delivery. Housing Emergency Action Plan. Explore scope for greater commercialisation of Council assets and otherwise attract external investment for the Council and communities. Build on the existing foundations to derive further commercial income from Council assets. Explore opportunities for Community Partnerships to divest/operate Council assets. Further develop the approach to community Benefits and the opportunities from planning gain for communities to augment Council funding. Take a clear ‘return on investment’ approach to allocations of resources at all levels – prioritise action that brings people, jobs and business to Argyll and Bute through Maximising community benefit opportunities from local development and promote community wealth building. Agree refreshed Economic Strategies. Development Masterplans. Critical evaluation of activities, financial allocations and requests and how those will translate into employment or growth. Use policy and fiscal levers in our power to stimulate, attract and incentivise growth – for example exploring creation of enterprise zones. Where power to drive growth sits with other agencies, lobby for support to complement the actions we are taking and investments we are making (e.g. fuel, transport costs in rural areas) Engage with Argyll and Bute’s key sectors and major employers in food and drink, tourism, construction, energy and social care to progress shared priorities and work in partnership where possible. Continue to lead on bringing depopulation to national government attention. Bringing together group of depopulating local authorities to act together as collective voice. Engage with Scottish Ministers and Ministerial Taskforce.
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TRANSPORT, INFRASTRUCTURE AND DIGITAL CONNECTIVITY Why this is a priority: Keeping people, businesses, goods and services moving through Argyll and Bute Argyll and Bute’s geographic mix of rural and island communities mean that transport, infrastructure and digital connectivity are crucial jigsaw pieces in the drive for growth. At the most basic level, we need effective and reliable ways to bring people, goods and services to Argyll and Bute – and to carry our own products. Like transport connectivity, reliable, resilient digital links have a highly significant contribution to make to growing the population and the economy. They can add considerable value to Argyll and Bute’s position as an ideal choice to locate, offering an attractive lifestyle and opportunities to learn, work and do business. In the same context we need to consider the impact of climate change on that essential infrastructure. This particular area is complex given our geography and the range of agencies who have responsibility for maintaining the resilience of lifeline connections of all kinds. Our principles of return on investment, partnership working, and speaking up for Argyll and Bute and its people will all come into play here. We will: Priority Next Steps/Action Lobbying for national infrastructure investment and interventions where responsibility lies with other agencies – maintaining pressure for delivery at pace of the permanent solution for the A83 Rest and Be Thankful. Political lobbying for urgent action on ferry services which brings the capacity and timetabling needed to support lifeline links and routes to market. Representing to industry and national governments on disproportionate transport, fuel and energy costs which contribute to higher rural poverty/deprivation levels and impact on growth. Establish political lobbying group (which will tackle a variety of issues), agree membership and scope. Agree themes/focus of political lobbying activity – including A83, Rest and Be Thankful, A82 upgrade, A85 improvements. Constructive engagement with Scottish and UK Government Ministers. Find ways to join our voice with those of communities who tell us this is a priority for them too. Seek full funding for delivery of internal ferry services, given that responsibility for these sits with Transport Scotland. Pursue formal request for full funding, noting previous shortfall. Use strong data to develop a Transport Strategy which recognises the significance of connectivity to population and economic growth. Explore options for full transport study (which can include looking at integration, organisation options) following RIS Review.
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ENVIRONMENT Why this is a priority: The Council has already declared a climate emergency and must continue to keep this issue as a primary consideration Recognising the importance of climate change is a key factor when we consider how we do business as well as the impact of our geography. The Council has already committed to achieving 75% carbon reduction by 2030 and net zero before 2045. We will: Priority Next Steps/Action Reduce carbon emissions generated by the Council. Agree policies in relation to waste, recycling and other environmental issues, which will inform next steps. Evaluate Council targets for deliverability and improvement. After agreement of policies, agree and implement SMART measures. Harness opportunities from expansion of renewable energy sector in the area Explore potential community/Council benefits from renewables projects. Revisit exploration of renewables projects on Council land.
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SUSTAINABLE SERVICE DELIVERY Why this is a priority: We want to provide the best services we can for the money and resources available – and make clear the standards that our communities can expect. We know that this is really important to local people. Over the remainder of this Council term, local government finances and resources of all kinds will be under more pressure than they’ve ever been. Resource levels will inevitably inform service standards and delivery. We need to be more vigilant than ever before about alignment of investment and action to our priorities. Identifying clear returns and outcomes for Argyll and Bute, from allocations of resources, must the starting point of action or investment.
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Fiscal constraints have put pressure on services and limit what we can deliver. It is important that our models of service delivery are more efficient and more effective, with clear and achievable standards. We want to transform services efficiently and at pace, and in ways that align with the resources we have – a Council fit for the future. We will: Priority Next Steps/Action Provide the best services we can with the money available. Expand the RIS Review approach to other service areas to ensure we have the most effective and efficient delivery models possible. Develop proposals to expand and make the most of digital/technology, including further exploration of AI. Make clear the service standards that communities can expect with the resources available. Review, update, communicate clear quality service standards that match with local needs as well as available resources. Completion and implementation of the Roads and Infrastructure Services (RIS) Review, particularly creation of robust, reliable data to inform decisions. Progress and implement RIS Review. Play our part in calling for a fair deal for councils – including asks for greater flexibilities at local level which helps better serve community needs. Part of work of political lobbying group.
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SPEAKING UP FOR ARGYLL AND BUTE, ITS PEOPLE AND ITS COMMUNITIES Why this is a priority: Collective, as well as collaborative, action is necessary to deliver growth on the scale that Argyll and Bute needs No single agency alone can deliver on Argyll and Bute’s overarching aim of significant, vital population and economic growth. We will work in partnership with communities, with all sectors, and at all levels as far as possible to progress Argyll and Bute’s priorities. This will include using our voice as the local authority to call for action where responsibility lies outwith our control or influence. We will: Priority Next Steps/Action Call for policy, investment, flexibility, action - wherever there is a key issue impacting on Argyll and Bute’s chances of growth and success and where responsibility sits outwith the control of the Council. Establish political lobbying group, agree membership, themes, areas for focus as set out throughout the Priorities. Add our voice as the local authority to those of our communities when they are speaking out on issues that are important to them and where external action is needed. Identify needs and opportunities through engagement programme and planned online/digital democracy activities. Lobby for more investment in digital connectivity to boost Argyll and Bute’s status as an attractive place to live. Lobby for digital connectivity improvements to fill the gap in terms of other opportunities which are available and funded elsewhere in Scotland, but which are not practical here due to geography (e.g. active travel).