Update on Staycation Proposals
Argyll and Bute Council · 2 June 2022
Back to Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee — 2 June 2022 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 & INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC GROWTH 2 JUNE 2022 UPDATE ON STAYCATION PROPOSALS 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.1 The council allocated two funding pots to support staycations in Argyll and Bute. £500,000 was allocated from the 2021/2022 budget and supplemented by a further £100,000 from the 2022/2023 budget to support the delivery of a range of facilities across Argyll and Bute necessary to support camping and motorhome staycations. A new Staycation Graduate Project Officer was employed in April 2022, until the end of March 2023, to help administer the council’s investment. Four council wardens are in the process of being appointed for the period April to October 2022 to raise awareness in respect of visiting responsibly. In addition to this, £20,000 has been set aside from the Staycation budget to support four community groups/trusts to employ temporary wardens. 1.2 The majority of the staycation facilities approved at the December 2021 Environment, Development and Infrastructure (EDI) report, for 2022 have been set up and running. There is an ongoing process of developing new waste disposal points and supporting local business/community groups in upgrading and developing existing and new campsites. 1.3 It is recommended that the Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee: Note and consider the content of this paper; and Note that Staycation is an evolving process with key milestones identified throughout the year and beyond.
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL ENVIRONMENT, DEVELOPMENT & INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC GROWTH 2 JUNE 2022 UPDATE ON STAYCATION PROPOSALS 2.0 INTRODUCTION 2.1 The council allocated two funding pots to support staycations in Argyll and Bute. £500,000 was allocated from the 2021/2022 budget and supplemented by a further £100,000 from the 2022/2023 budget to support the delivery of a range of facilities across Argyll and Bute necessary to support camping and caravan staycations. A new Staycation Graduate Project Officer was employed in April 2022, until the end of March 2023, to help administer the council’s investment. Four wardens are in the process of being appointed for the period April to October 2022 to raise awareness in respect of camping responsibly. 2.2 The majority of the staycation facilities approved at the December 2021 EDI report, for 2022 have been set up and are operational. There is an ongoing process of developing new waste disposal points and supporting local business/community groups in upgrading and developing existing and new campsites. 3.0 RECOMMENDATIONS 3.1 It is recommended that the Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee: Note and consider the content of this paper; and Note that Staycation is an evolving process with key milestones identified throughout the year and beyond. 4.0 DETAIL 4.1 The council is working closely with a number of agencies, including the National Park, Police Scotland, Transport Scotland etc. to help mitigate against the surge in domestic visitor numbers. Officers continue to work with these agencies to build on the successes of interventions set up in 2021. 4.2 It is worth pointing out that whilst there were literally thousands of campervans and campers across Argyll and Bute in 2021, the vast majority of these were responsible and respectful to our environment and communities. This was no
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doubt as a result of the communication and physical interventions put in place in 2021 and the fact that the vast majority of tourist facilities are now fully operational albeit hampered by staff shortages. It was therefore imperative that we revisited these interventions for 2022/23. Many of the interventions are already in place for 2022/23. Staycation Interventions 4.3 Economic Growth initiatives, through close engagement with Environmental Health, Planning and Roads and Infrastructure, resulted in number of activities mitigating negative effects on our countryside and tourism sector. Appendix 1 gives an overview of the interventions/actions to be taken forward in 2022/23. 4.4 Waste disposal facilities for camping/campervans. Officers are continuing to engage with campsite providers across Argyll and Bute in an attempt to encourage usage of existing waste disposal facilities by non-resident campervans and motorhomes. Officers continue to follow up with a number local businesses through providing an expression of Interest form. 4.5 Public Toilets. All public toilets are open. In 2021 stickers were designed and rolled out for all public toilets offering a link to the waste water disposal facilities map on our website to prevent irresponsible disposal in public toilets which are still in use. Through funding from the staycation budget, eleven temporary toilets have again been deployed by contractor at five locations (Westport, Bridge of Orchy, Glen Orchy, Kilchurn Castle and Victoria Bridge). This includes maintenance checks on a daily basis. 4.6 Council officers hold regular staycation meetings to discuss issues with a wide range of partners some of whom have taken forward their own initiatives. 4.7 General Waste. To promote responsible behaviour about 200 bin stickers have been put up on council bins at some hot spots by wardens and due to their durability they will remain throughout 2022. Local Amenity Officers have fed back that it seems to have some influence on behaviour and resulted in visibly reduced bin overflow. 4.8 Additional Warden Posts and Staycation Officer. Four wardens are being recruited to cover the whole council area. The wardens will cover the 120 car parks that the council is responsible for together with a number of other sites that appear to be a subject to littering. Positive comments have been received from the public on the work of the wardens. The Staycation Project officer was also recruited and started on 4th April 2022 until the end of March 2023. The officer will manage a variety of projects, engaging with communities, partners and businesses on littering, signage, provision of toilets, parking for motorhomes, and waste disposal development funding applications. 4.9 Community Wardens. £20,000 of the Staycation budget was set aside to support 4 x community wardens in 2022/23. As of 21/4/22 £5,000 of funding has been granted to support a community warden, employed by the Mount
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Stuart Trust to cover all of Bute and £5,000 grant to Appin Community Development Trust for a community warden. Two opportunities remain. 4.10 Web pages and Social media posts. To mitigate the impact on the environment an interactive map of locations of PC and caravan touring sites with information about waste disposal facilities available across Argyll and Bute was created - Touring sites and filling stations (argyll-bute.gov.uk). These pages are updated on a regular basis. Partnership Working 4.11 Friends of Loch Lomond were provided £3,500 funding for Portaloos at Arrochar and Luss for 2021 with a further £12,500 committed for 2022. 4.12 Alongside these activities, officers have been working closely with the tourism industry via the Argyll and the Isles Strategic Tourism Partnership (AISTP) to develop a robust new tourism for Argyll and Bute strategy that will alleviate any bottlenecks and encourage new audiences to our area. It should be noted that this is an industry led strategy. 4.13 Agreement has been reached with Police Scotland to conduct additional patrols in hot spot areas repeating what happened in 2021. 4.14 Agreement has been reached with the GRAB Trust to conduct anti-litter activities across Argyll and Bute working with local businesses and communities. 4.15 It should be noted that communities and private businesses continue to improve their facilities to deal with the staycation economic opportunity. This is the preference of the council and we are providing grant assistance when possible i.e. Colonsay camp site, Sandbank Marina Motor Home site. Finance 4.16 The total for actual spend to date is £242,512 and funds committed are £183,540 giving a total staycation spend of £426,052. This leaves £173,948 remaining budget that can be used for other interventions as and when identified. Appendix 2 provides further information on the expenditure. 5.0 CONCLUSION 5.1 The staycation fund has been welcomed by local communities and has greatly helped in addressing a surge in visitor numbers due to the reopening of the visitor economy. Officers have received positive feedback from interventions from communities, businesses and individuals and this is being collated and analysed by the Staycation Officer. 5.2 Officers continue to work with partners to respond to the challenges and
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opportunities that have arisen from staycationers and the situation will be monitored closely. 6.0 IMPLICATIONS 6.1 Policy – The council supports a strong economy with tourism identified as a priority sector. 6.2 Financial - The council has an approved budget for staycation activities to be spent over a number of financial years. 6.3 Legal - All appropriate legal implications will be taken into consideration. 6.4 HR - The council has approved the temporary employment of 4 additional wardens and 1 staycation officer. 6.5 Fairer Scotland Duty 6.5.1 Equalities - All activities will comply with all Equal Opportunities/Fairer Scotland Duty policies and obligations. 6.5.2 Socio-Economic Duty - Council services focus on removing socio-economic disadvantage for vulnerable residents across Argyll and Bute. 6.5.3 Islands - Staycation interventions are being delivered across the whole of Argyll and Bute, including the island communities. 6.6 Risk - Littering and health and safety issues arising from informal toilet waste disposal. Any staycation activity has potential to impact our ability to meet Climate Change target obligations. 6.7 Climate Change – All activities will comply with the Decarbonisation Plan. 6.8 Customer Service – Information is being communicated in different formats to our customers. Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth: Kirsty Flanagan Policy Lead for Economy and Rural Growth: Councillor Robin Currie For further information contact: Fergus Murray, Head of Development and Economic Growth Fergus.Murray@argyll-bute.gov.uk Nathan Gallogley, Staycation Officer nathan.gallogley@argyll-bute.gov.uk
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Appendix 1: List of actions being taken forward Action Point Date of Implementation and activity Responsible Officer Action to date – 4th April 2022 Web pages; social media posts and communication plan Content continually reviewed and now available Jane Jarvie Ongoing Identification of private waste water disposal sites Sites identified in Appin; Tarbet; Holy Loch Marina; Lochgilphead Caravan Site; Portavadie Fergus Murray All potential sites contacted with a mixed response– some facilities are on-site and but communication continues with others around possibilities. Identification of Portaloos site (confirmed not needing planning consent). Sites already identified Duck Bay; Arrochar car park; Bridge of Orchy, Victoria Bridge, West Port, Kilchurn Castle Jim Smith/Fergus Murray On site from 14th April until mid-October Community Hotspots identified via community councils/individuals and members Continued contact Jim Paterson Action so far –portaloos in place, review of activities Recruitment of wardens Underway and advertised hoping to get in post asap. Operational plans being pulled together to ensure supervision and support is in place for out of hours and weekends. In addition we will look to carry out joint patrols with Police Scotland and council wardens where it is considered necessary and police have available resource to commit to this. Jim Smith/Tom Murphy As of 14th April 2022 two wardens are now in place - Bute and Cowal and Helensburgh and Loch Lomond.
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LGE 9 post to assist Economic Growth Tourism Officer Staycation project Officer is in post since 4th April 22 Jim Paterson No further update Community wardens 4 grants of £5,000 allocated for Community wardens Jim Paterson Funding granted to the Mount Stuart Trust; grant to Appin Community Development Trust There are a number of larger scale interventions planned at Tobermory, Arrochar Car Park; Duck Bay etc. Completed for 2023 Jim Paterson, Hugh O’Neill Completed for 2023
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Appendix 2 – Staycation Expenditure 2021/22 Headline Detail Spent or Committed Actual Expenditure £ Committed Expenditure £ Comments Staycation Officer 2021/22 Temporary post for 1 year to progress Staycation proposals. recruited Spent 14,741 Only part year Staycation Officer 2022/23 Temporary post for 1 year to progress Staycation proposals. recruited Committed 35,000 Additional Staycation Wardens 2021 Four additional wardens for a period of 5/6 months to October Spent 41,386 Additional Staycation Wardens 2022 Four additional wardens for a period of 5/6 months to October Committed 56,000 Additional street sweeping/uplifts etc 2021 Extra street sweeping and uplifts, includes car park maintenance Spent 19,816 Grab Trust 2021 Anti-littering campaign staffing Spent 18,830 Grab Trust 2022 Anti-littering campaign staffing Committed 17,000
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Additional Police 2021 To provide additional Police Services to assist in promoting responsible camping – across Argyll and Bute, for a 12 week Period. Spent 23,040 Additional Police 2022 To provide additional Police Services to assist in promoting responsible camping – across Argyll and Bute, for a 12 week Period. Committed 23,040 Waste Water disposal points Grants 2021 Holy Loch Marina, Bunessan, Lochabie, Kilbride Farm, Pucks Glen, Gigha, South Islay Development, Portavadie, South Kintyre Development Trust Spent 57,393 Waste Water disposal points Grants 2022 Secret Glen, Dunoon Spent 9,254 Portaloos 2021 Installing 11 portable toilet facilities in places including Westport, Bridge of Orchy, Glen Orchy and Victoria Bridge plus support to Friends of Loch Lomond (£3,500) Spent 5,833 Actual is low as this was part funded by Nature Scott Portaloos 2022 Installing 11 portable toilet facilities in places including Westport, Bridge of Orchy, Glen Orchy, Kilchurn castle and Victoria Bridge plus support to Friends of Loch Lomond (£12,500) Committed 42,500
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Temporary Campsite 2021 Colonsay - contribution to overall project costs Committed 4,778 Publicity 2021 information - leaflets etc Spent 13,131 Staycation car park improvements (17 locations) 2021 lining and information Committed 24,310 Community Staycation Wardens 2022 To support local communities and inform visitors Committed 10,000 10,000 Total 242,512 183,540 Overall Total – Actuals and Committed 426,052 Budget 600,000 Remaining 173,948