News

Almost 6000 people have signed up to the council’s new Customer Outreach Service which allows them to be alerted to important service updates in their area by text or email. The new system was set up to ensure residents of Argyll and Bute were being given the most relevant and topical information in a way that best suits them. Members of the public can choose which updates they want to receive and whether they want to be given that information in an email or a text message to their mobile phone.

From October 2018, Argyll and Bute Council will no longer charge burial and cremation fees for children and young people under 18 years old. This puts in place national guidance agreed by the Scottish Government and COSLA and will provide consistency across Scotland as to when the charges for adult burials are levied. Currently, Argyll and Bute does not charge burial and cremation fees to children under the age of 16.

School pupils in Argyll and Bute with an eye for a good picture are being invited to enter the council’s October holidays photo competition. Prizes will be awarded to the best three pictures taken by school children over the October school holidays, with Policy Lead for Education, Councillor Yvonne McNeilly, judging the entries.

The time has come for us to refresh the music played down the telephone line when people are on hold with our Customer Service Centre – and ideally we want it to be music created by a resident of Argyll and Bute. While we strive not to keep anyone on hold at all, there are busy times when callers may need to wait for their call to be answered. We’d like to hear from local musicians and composers who would be interested in having their music used for this purpose. What we’re looking for is:

Pupils from across Argyll and Bute have an active role in creating their school lunch menus and young people from Lochgilphead Primary were only too happy to show off the delicious food on offer during a visit by the council’s policy lead and depute policy lead for education.  

Argyll and Bute Council will ask the public what their priorities are for its work, in preparation for meeting a gap in its funding in 2019 currently estimated to be around £2.5 million. Councillor Aileen Morton, Leader of the Council explained: “The majority (80%) of the council’s funding comes from the Scottish Government. We won’t know how much our funding settlement is until the end of the year, but have to set our budget in February 2019.

Work on the £14million refurbishment of Rothesay Pavilion is ramping up, with the building on track for a 2019 opening. Progress is being made on construction of a new main roof for the building, while internally main contractor CBC have installed elements of the new café and the Pavilion’s new ground floor exhibition space. Also on the ground floor, the new club and venue areas are being created. Full details on progress at the site can be found in a report presented to the Bute and Cowal Area Committee this month.

The new bin collection day calendars are being sent out to households across Argyll and Bute. There is no change to the days bins are emptied, or how often. The new calendars are to replace the existing ones, which are due to run out.

Oban High has teamed up with a secondary school from Norway to look at what can be learned from the sharing of best practice across education systems for pupils aged 16 years and over. The school’s head teacher, Peter Bain, has also been selected to lead an international project on behalf of The Scottish College for Educational Leadership (SCEL).

Argyll and Bute Council’s Policy Lead for Housing has welcomed the news that people in Scotland who want to build their own homes will now be able to apply to a £4 million self-build loan fund. The scheme is funded by the Scottish Government and was established following a successful pilot project by the Highland Small Communities Housing Trust.   Councillor Robin Currie said: “The launch of this fund is fantastic news for people living in Argyll and Bute.