Supporting Our Pollinators
Argyll and Bute Council · 18 December 2025
Back to Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee — 18 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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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL ENVIRONMENT, DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES 18 DECEMBER 2025 SUPPORTING OUR POLLINATORS 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.1 This report is to advise the members of the Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee on the proposed areas for Roads and Infrastructure engaging with the request for participating to support our pollinators. 1.2 The goal is to create a more wildlife friendly environment by allowing the grassland lawn areas to host wildflowers and other plants, therefore, providing a feast of pollinators and retaining carbon in the ground.
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL ENVIRONMENT, DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES 18 DECEMBER 2025 SUPPORTING OUR POLLINATORS 2.0 INTRODUCTION 2.1 This report is to advise the members of the Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee on the proposed areas for Roads and Infrastructure engaging with the request for participating to support our pollinators. 3.0 RECOMMENDATIONS 3.1 It is recommended that members of the Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee: a) Agree to the locations proposed for supporting our pollinators, for the 2026 maintenance season. b) Instruct the Amenity team to further explore more permanent areas going forward to encourage pollinators, via wildflower areas and exploring the “Beds for Bees Scheme”. c) Agree to a report being brought back to this committee in September 2026, evaluating the campaign and presenting proposals going forward for more permanent locations.
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4.0 DETAIL 4.1 Supporting our pollinators is a campaign founded by Plantlife in 2019, calling all gardeners and green space managers not to mow their lawns during the month of May. Plantlife is an international conservation charity working to enhance, protect and restore wild plants essential for pollinators. The campaign is designed to create a more wildlife-friendly environment by allowing lawns to host wildflowers and other plants to provide a feat for pollinators and tackle pollution. 4.2 Roads and Infrastructure have selected a number of areas across Argyll and Bute for members consideration for participation in supporting our pollinators for 2026. The areas are: Helensburgh and Lomond • Burns Park, Cardross • Rhu Churchyard • Gare Road, Rosneath • Walker’s Rest, Garelochhead Bute • Rhubodach • The Serpentine • Far end of Shinty Park Cowal • Bullwood Road on seaward side past the old quarry • Grass area behind the Queen’s Hall • Lazaretto Point, Sandbank on the seaward side Mid-Argyll • Wilson Road, Lochgilphead • Sinclair Avenue, Inveraray • Tarbert bus turning circle Islay • Front of Bruichladdich • Portnahaven road verges
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• Front of Islay High school Kintyre • Hillside verge • Bengullion road • Old paddling pool area Lorn • Frews Park • Glengallon Road • Ganavan car park • Dunbeg cycle path Mull • Calgary cemetery 4.3 Long term, the Operations team is in discussions with the Council’s biodiversity officer to identify permanent areas for wildflower projects and other workstreams to encourage pollinators. These projects will involve the service working in partnership with, for example, the Friends of Hermitage Park and schools to participate in the introduction and maintenance of these projects, bringing an educational factor to this project and to our communities. 4.4 One of the primary challenges has been to identify locations for the 2026 campaign. For example, officers have identified areas that can be easily recovered following the campaign if required, given that following May the service is responsible for the delivery of annual summer bedding displays and other non-scheduled works. 4.5 Going forward from May 2026, in discussions with the Council’s biodiversity officer and local groups, more strategic and effective locations will be identified for permanent areas to assist pollinators. These proposals may include the replacement of a number of annual beds to include herbaceous planting to encourage more permanent planting displays and further encourage pollinators. This will be in addition to supporting our pollinator locations. This will also be a reduction in the Council’s carbon footprint, including the reduction of unnecessary miles driven to and from the Council’s nursery set-ups transporting summer bedding plants.
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4. 6 Prior to participating in supporting our pollinators during 2026, it is important that the project is communicated for public awareness and communities do not see this as the Council stepping back from maintenance and service cuts being implemented. Community partnership meetings will be used to promote the scheme and engage for future options and potential partners.  5.0 CONCLUSION 5.1 The proposals contained in this report should be regarded as a pilot project to identify the operational, financial and reputational challenges that supporting our pollinators may present. Anecdotal evidence from colleagues at other councils that have introduced this approach have advised that managing expectations and perceptions of the scheme is critical to its success, and that savings will not be generated through its introduction. 5.2 In conjunction with the supporting our pollinators campaign and the locations suggested for May 2026, the service will look to formalise these or other locations going forward for more permanent locations for pollinators. 5.3 The service will look to include local groups and schools in the future projects to encourage pollinators. 6.0 IMPLICATIONS 6.1 Policy – To reduce maintenance and encourage pollinators. 6.2 Financial – There is a risk that there is a small increase in maintenance costs to recover from the proposed areas for 2026 and this will be monitored and met from within existing resources. It is expected there could be savings from this initiative in future years. 6.3 Legal – None known. 6.4 HR – None known. 6.5 Customer Service – Ensure that a communication campaign is rolled out ahead of supporting our pollinators 2026 and alongside future proposals. In future, also communicate the positives around groups working in partnership with the Council. 6.6 Risk – Representation from individuals and groups who are not aware of the campaign or do not agree with the locations chosen. 6.7 Climate Change – Reduction in the carbon footprint. 6.8 Fairer Scotland Duty – None known. 6.9 Equalities - protected characteristics – None known.
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6.10 Consumer Duty – None known. 6.11 Island Communities – None known. 6.12 Children’s Rights and Wellbeing – None known. Kirsty Flanagan Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure Services Policy Lead, Councillor John Armour Policy Lead, Councillor Luna Martin November 2025 For further information contact: Andrew Summers Head of Roads & Infrastructure Andrew.summers@argyll-bute.gov.uk Tom Murphy Operations Manager Tom.murphy@argyll-bute.gov.uk APPENDIX 1: Maps of Proposed Locations