Democracy Spraffa

Supplementary Pack 2

Argyll and Bute Council · 11 February 2025
Back to Helensburgh and Lomond Area Community Planning Group — 11 February 2025 and its agenda

Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.

Original council PDF · Download plain text

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Kilmory, Lochgilphead, PA31 8RT
Tel:  01546 602127  Fax:  01546 604435
DX 599700 LOCHGILPHEAD 
6 February 2025 
SUPPLEMENTARY PACK 
HELENSBURGH AND LOMOND AREA COMMUNITY PLANNING GROUP - ON A HYBRID
BASIS BY MICROSOFT TEAMS AND IN THE MARRIAGE SUITE IN THE HELENSBURGH
AND LOMOND CIVIC CENTRE on TUESDAY, 11 FEBRUARY 2025 at 10:00 AM 
I enclose herewith item7 (ASPIRING PLACES – COMMUNITY PROJECTS IN ARGYLL AND
BUTE) which was not included on the Agenda for the above meeting. 
Douglas Hendry
Executive Director 
ADDITIONAL ITEM 
7. ASPIRING PLACES - COMMUNITY PROJECTS IN ARGYLL AND BUTE (Pages 3 -
12)  
Presentation by Project Manager and Project Officers, Argyll and Bute Council 
Helensburgh and Lomond Area Community Planning Group 
Sarah Davies (Chair) Gill Simpson (Vice-Chair)   
Contact: Joanne Gaughan, Member Services and Committee Assistant - 01436 658812
Public Document Pack

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Bute • Helensburgh • Islay • Oban • Mull • Campbeltown • Iona • Dunoon • Tiree • Lochgilphead • Seil …
Classification: OFFICIAL
Aspiring Places;
Community Projects in
Argyll and Bute
Community Planning Partnership Groups FQ4 2024/25
Lucy Dunbar – Project Officer
Milly Leggett – Project Officer
Stuart Green – Project Manager
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Agenda Item
7

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Bute • Helensburgh • Islay • Oban • Mull • Campbeltown • Iona • Dunoon • Tiree • Lochgilphead • Seil …
Classification: OFFICIAL
Previous project approach - Area Plans
 Council Agreed Priorities – November 2022
 Corporate Plan 2023 - 2027;
 Agreed by Policy and Resources Committee – October 2023
 Number of locality plans - 8
 Purpose & Principles
 Approach - 3 phases
 Resourcing and timescales
 In addition; agreed to reflect any relevant outcomes from the Community
Planning Partnership Community Wealth Building Review relevant to the
Council in the approach to producing area plans.
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Bute • Helensburgh • Islay • Oban • Mull • Campbeltown • Iona • Dunoon • Tiree • Lochgilphead • Seil …
Classification: OFFICIAL
Project review
April – September 2024
 April 2024 – Project officers appointed.
 April 2024 - Change of Administration.
 CEO request for pause and review of project.
 ELT appointed as project board.
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Bute • Helensburgh • Islay • Oban • Mull • Campbeltown • Iona • Dunoon • Tiree • Lochgilphead • Seil …
Classification: OFFICIAL
Council Agreed Priorities 2024 – 2027
New priorities agreed September 2024
 Includes implementation of Aspiring
Places; Community Projects in Argyll
and Bute.
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Bute • Helensburgh • Islay • Oban • Mull • Campbeltown • Iona • Dunoon • Tiree • Lochgilphead • Seil …
Classification: OFFICIAL
Council Decision – September 2024
Council agreed to;
1. Rename the initiative as ‘Aspiring Places: Community Projects in Argyll and Bute.
2. Adopt Consul Democracy (a digital tool for citizen participation)
3. Engage with all community groups over the same period of time rather than a
phased approach on an area basis;
4. Provide guidance to inform community groups of potential funding opportunities.
5. No longer create the publication of 8 ‘Area Plan’ documents and subject to a trial
period, alternatively report to members on;
a) the outcomes of the initiative through a formal evaluation and
b) future recommendations on the long term viability and retention of the Aspiring
Places – Community Projects in Argyll and Bute initiative.
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Bute • Helensburgh • Islay • Oban • Mull • Campbeltown • Iona • Dunoon • Tiree • Lochgilphead • Seil …
Classification: OFFICIAL
Revised Project Vision
To create in one place, a comprehensive picture of all
community projects to increase the likelihood of
collaboration, securing external funding and
implementation of projects in a planned approach to
place.
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Bute • Helensburgh • Islay • Oban • Mull • Campbeltown • Iona • Dunoon • Tiree • Lochgilphead • Seil …
Classification: OFFICIAL
Aspiring Places: One Digital Space for
Community Projects in Argyll and Bute
 Single engagement phase using an existing and established community a digital tool
for citizen participation, CONSUL Democracy .
 An intuitive and easy to use platform designed for communities to create and share
their proposals. 
 A tried and tested platform used by 23 Scottish Local Authorities.
 Pioneered in Argyll and Bute by Community Development team as part of emergency
COVID 19 response, Building Back Better initiative.
 Currently funded by Scottish Government and supported by COSLA.
 Open access.
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Bute • Helensburgh • Islay • Oban • Mull • Campbeltown • Iona • Dunoon • Tiree • Lochgilphead • Seil …
Classification: OFFICIAL
Project Scope
Aspiring Places will be... Aspiring Places will not...
A place to help raise awareness of the range of projects
community groups and organisations would like to or are
planning to carry out
Directly administer funding for projects.
However, it will provide signposting to existing information
about funding opportunities.
One single place that community groups, council officers
and elected members can go to, to be able to gain
knowledge of all the potential and existing projects within
an area.
Directly support groups to develop projects and/or create
business plans.
However, it will include signposting to self-help resources
A place for groups who want to carry out similar projects to
find each other
Be a delivery plan for the council or groups taking part
An information source that will help the Council link
community projects with funding opportunities when they
arise
Supersede Council plans and priorities
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Bute • Helensburgh • Islay • Oban • Mull • Campbeltown • Iona • Dunoon • Tiree • Lochgilphead • Seil …
Classification: OFFICIAL
Next steps
 Pilot Online Platform (December 2024 – February 2025)
 Pilot with selected community groups
 Development of Support Resources
 Launch (March 2025)
 Evaluation (August to December 2025)
 Business Case for Future Retention of Site (January to April 2026)
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