News

Argyll and Bute’s councillors have met for the first Council meeting after the local government elections, and appointed key roles. The Leader is Councillor Robin Currie and the Depute Leader is Councillor Gary Mulvaney. The Provost is Councillor Maurice Corry and the Depute Provost is Councillor Liz McCabe. Council Leader Robin Currie said:

A reduction in fossil fuels and increased use of renewable energy sources – these are just some of the ambitions for Islay’s carbon neutral future.   Islay is one of six Scottish islands, announced by the Scottish Government to become fully carbon neutral by 2040. The initiative is part of the Carbon Neutral Islands project, aimed at supporting islands to achieve their carbon neutral ambitions.  

The council is holding open drop-in sessions for members of the public to have their say on the future of Luing and Minard Primary Schools. Minard Primary School - Thursday 19 May 2022, at Minard Primary School, 9.30am – 6pm. Luing Primary School - Thursday 26 May 2022, at The Atlantic Islands, Centre, Cullipool, 10am – 7pm. Arange of information will be available and your opinions welcomed. An options appraisals report will be collated following these sessions.  

Hermitage Park is hosting a series of free workshops in May and June for anyone with an interest in horticulture and floristry.   Angela Smith will deliver the interactive workshops. Angela brings a wealth of experience in community and tabletop gardening and floristry.   All workshops take place in the Community Room, part of the new Pavilion.  

Dunoon Grammar has been shortlisted for the Gaelic Education Award at this year’s Scottish Education Awards. The education awards celebrate the hard work and success that takes place in Scottish education. Dunoon Grammar has been shortlisted in the Gaelic category for the school’s work in developing a positive culture of continuous improvement in Gaelic Medium and Gaelic Learner Education.

Are you looking for a rewarding career? Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership’s Learning Disability Team has launched a campaign to recruit casual workers and bank staff to work in a number of registered locations throughout the area. Working within Learning Disability Support is an opportunity to enable people with learning/physical disabilities and complex conditions to access education, live in their own homes, find paid employment opportunities, develop life skills and become more involved in their local community.

As a result of the continued investigation into an outbreak of salmonella cases linked to Kinder products, Ferrero has extended its recall to include all Kinder products manufactured at their Arlon site in Belgium between June and the present date. On behalf of Food Standards Scotland, Argyll and Bute Council is asking all retailers to remove the following products from their shelves. Product details: Product names Sizes

Hermitage Academy has become the first secondary school in Argyll and Bute to receive gold accreditation in UNICEF UK’s Rights Respecting School programme.

New proposals, which would see major investment in a host of ambitious projects across Argyll and Bute’s island communities, are in development. Councillors approved a range of options for possible inclusion in a funding bid to the Scottish Government’s Islands Programme (IP). The initiative is a five-year, £30 million investment to help the delivery of the National Islands Plan (NIP). It supports projects that encourage population growth, deliver on Scottish Government net-zero ambitions and support a green economic recovery from the impact of the pandemic.

Argyll and Bute Council will invest £1.5 million of funding to further support local economic recovery from the impact of Covid. A series of measures, approved by Councillors will provide ongoing support as communities across the region cope with the challenges of the current cost of living crisis. Argyll and Bute will receive £1.449 million from the Scottish Government’s £80 million Local Authority COVID Economic Recovery (LACER) Fund. A number of initiatives will benefit from the funding. They include: