Printed minutes
Argyll and Bute Council · 5 March 2026
Back to Community Services Committee — 5 March 2026 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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MINUTES of MEETING of COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE held ON A HYBRID BASIS IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, KILMORY, LOCHGILPHEAD AND BY MICROSOFT TEAMS on THURSDAY, 5 MARCH 2026 Present: Councillor Kieron Green (Chair) Councillor Jan Brown Councillor Maurice Corry Councillor Audrey Forrest Councillor Amanda Hampsey Councillor Graham Hardie Councillor Anne Horn Councillor Fiona Howard Councillor Jennifer Kean Councillor Paul Donald Kennedy Councillor Dougie McFadzean Councillor Yvonne McNeilly Councillor Gemma Penfold Daniel Semple Attending: Jen Crocket, Head of Education – Wellbeing, Inclusion and Achievement Wendy Brownlie, Head of Education – Performance and Improvement Stuart McLean, Committee Manager Graeme McMillan, Transformation Programme Manager Chief Superintendent Gary I’Anson, Police Scotland Superintendent Damian Kane, Police Scotland Chief Inspector James MacArthur, Police Scotland Chief Inspector Lee Page, Police Scotland Group Commander Kevin Rennie, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Watch Commander, Tony McGloin, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Kristin Gillies, Head of Planning, Performance and Technology, Argyll & Bute HSCP 1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Daniel Hampsey, Mark Irvine and Dougie Philand, and from Margaret Anderson, Church Representative, and Lorna Stewart, Teacher Representative. 2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST There were no declarations of interest. 3. MINUTE The Minute of the Community Services Committee held on 11 December 2025 was approved as a correct record. 4. POLICE SCOTLAND ARGYLL & BUTE PERFORMANCE SUMMARY REPORT - REPORTING PERIOD: APRIL - DECEMBER 2025 Chief Superintendent Gary I’Anson presented the Argyll and Bute Performance Summary Report of Police Scotland’s Policing Priorities for April – December 2025. With the aid of power point slides, a presentation on local activities was also given by Chief Inspector James MacArthur and Chief Inspector Lee Page and thereafter Officers responded to questions asked.
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Decision The Community Services Committee reviewed and noted the contents of the report. (Reference: Report for April – December 2025 by Divisional Commander for Argyll & Bute & West Dunbartonshire Division, Police Scotland, submitted) 5. SCOTTISH FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE - ARGYLL & BUTE PERFORMANCE AND SCRUTINY GROUP 2025-26 Q3 SCRUTINY REPORT With the aid of power point slides, Group Commander Kevin Rennie and Watch Commander Tony McGloin presented a report highlighting Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s review of local performance and partnership working within Argyll and Bute for Q3 (1 October – 31 December 2025) and responded to questions asked. Decision The Community Services Committee reviewed and noted the contents of the report. (Reference: Q3 2025/26 Report by Local Senior Officer, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, submitted) 6. ARGYLL & BUTE HSCP - PERFORMANCE REPORT - FQ2 2025/26 (JULY - SEPTEMBER) A reporting detailing performance for FQ2 (July – September 2025) 2025/26 for Argyll & Bute Health & Social Care Partnership was before the Committee for consideration. Decision The Community Services Committee: 1. acknowledged performance of FQ2 2025/26 (July – September 2025); 2. noted the Performance KPI's would be reviewed for Q3 with improved alignment to the Operational Improvement Plan indicators and National measures and the format of the A&B performance reports with Head of Service collaboration would be reviewed; 3. noted Delayed Discharge Sitrep as of 15 December 2025 (Appendix 1); 4. acknowledged performance update on the National Health & Wellbeing Outcomes and Ministerial Steering Group Integration Indicators (Appendix 2); and 5. noted supporting Service Feedback commentary from Heads of Service and Service Leads (Appendix 3). (Report by Senior Manager Performance & Improvement, Argyll & Bute HSCP dated 5 March 2026, submitted)
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7. ACHIEVEMENT OF CURRICULUM FOR EXCELLENCE LEVELS 2024/25 A reporting providing an update on pupil Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence levels (ACEL) at Primaries 1, 4 and 7 and Secondary 3rd year across Argyll and Bute primary and secondary schools was considered. Decision The Community Services Committee: 1. considered the information in this report, relating to the attainment performance of school pupils at Primaries 1/4/7 and Secondary 3rd year; 2. noted the progress that had been made by Argyll and Bute schools in closing the poverty related attainment gap between those residing in Quintile 1 and Quintile 5; and 3. noted the improvement that had been made in all measures when compared to attainment in session 2021/22. (Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education dated 29 January 2026, submitted) 8. FINAL ATTAINMENT AND ACHIEVEMENT REPORT - SESSION 2024-2025 A report updating Members on final attainment across all Argyll and Bute Secondary Schools was considered. Decision The Community Services Committee: 1. considered the information in this report, particularly as it related to the attainment performance of school leavers; 2. noted the increase in attainment brought about by successful appeals, at authority level and school-by-school; 3. noted that the information contained in this report constituted all attainment across both National Qualifications and Wider Achievement courses, the latter of which was described in the December report without the associated tariff points having been included in statistics; and 4. noted the difficulty in making meaningful comparisons with leavers cohorts over the last few sessions due to alterations in assessment methods and also shifting patterns of school leaving, which were not unique to Argyll and Bute and have occurred nationally. (Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education dated 5 March 2926, submitted) Councillor Amanda Hampsey left the meeting during consideration of the foregoing item.
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9. LUING PRIMARY SCHOOL - TEMPORARY CLOSURE REVIEW A report updating the Committee on the current situation of Luing Primary School and proposing a number of measures under which the Education Service can monitor the position of the school over the forthcoming year was considered. Decision The Community Services Committee agreed that: 1. Luing Primary School continues to be temporarily closed, and that the building be retained for one year on a care and maintenance basis; 2. Officers would conduct a further review of the school’s temporary closure ahead of the Committee’s March 2027 meeting; and 3. the community should have pre-arranged access to the building to promote any community functions during the period of continued temporary closure. (Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education dated 28 January 2026, submitted) 10. EXTERNAL EDUCATION ESTABLISHMENT INSPECTION REPORT A report providing details of all external establishment inspection reports received across Argyll and Bute Education Service during the period December 2025 to March 2026 was before the Committee for information. Decision The Committee noted: 1. the contents of this report; 2. this quarterly report would be presented on an ongoing basis to the Community Services Committee detailing all establishment inspections conducted and published by Education Scotland within that period; and 3. that Ward Members would receive copies of school inspection reports for schools within their area as published by Education Scotland. (Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education dated January 2026, submitted) 11. COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE WORK PLAN 2025 - 2026 The Community Services Committee work plan for 2025 - 2026 was before the Committee for information. Decision The Committee noted the contents of the work plan. (Reference: Community Services Committee Work Plan 2025 - 2026, submitted)