Issue - meetings

UPDATE ON THE DEVELOPMENT AND SUGGESTED PROPOSALS FOR REPOPULATION ZONES FOR ARGYLL AND BUTE (to follow)

Meeting: 14/10/2021 - Policy and Resources Committee (Item 10)

10 ADDRESSING OUR POPULATION CHALLENGES pdf icon PDF 335 KB

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth

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Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee gave consideration to a report presenting two possible options in relation to responding to population challenges  in Argyll and Bute with the preferred option to pursue a themed approach focused on housing.

 

Decision

 

The Policy and Resources Committee –

 

1.    Agreed that a pilot project is taken forward based on taking a thematic approach to addressing our population challenges with a focus on addressing our overall housing needs across Argyll and Bute.  This pilot project will be resourced with a settlement officer post for a period of year jointly funded by HIE and Argyll and Bute Council from existing resources identified within the Development and Economic Growth Service.

 

2.    Agreed to advise the Convention of the Highlands and Islands (COHI) that the population zones identified for Argyll and Bute are:

·         Rosneath Peninsula (Helensburgh and Lomond)

·         Kintyre  (Tarbert to Southend) (Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands)

·         Tiree and Coll –(Oban, Lorn and the Isles)

·         Bute (Bute and Cowal)

 

3.    Noted that these population zones have been identified for research purposes looking at a full range of factors affecting population levels.  No additional funding has been identified as yet by the Scottish Government in relation to these zones but their identification will allow the council to continue to take an active part in developing this area of work working alongside the Western Isles, Highland and North Ayrshire Council who have also identified zones within their own respective Local Authority areas.

 

4.    Highlighted to COHI the urgent population issues across all of Argyll and Bute and not just in the population zones identified and look for more to be done at pace.

 

(Reference:  Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth dated 30 September 2021, submitted; and Notice of Motion by Councillor Robin Currie, seconded by Councillor Gary Mulvaney, tabled)

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