Issue - meetings

Report by Chief Executive

The Council gave consideration to a report inviting Members to put in place arrangements to identify the Council priorities for the new 5 year terms, which were articulated in a manner that would allow officers to deliver them on an operational basis.

 

Decision

 

The Council –

 

1.    agreed the Priorities for Argyll and Bute Council 2022 to 2027 as set out below;

 

2.    noted that these Priorities would be developed and framed within the context of the Argyll and Bute Outcome Improvement Plan, the Council’s Corporate Plan, and in line with the requirements of Best Value; and

 

3.    requested that the Chief Executive develop a Delivery Plan which sets out how the Council would deliver the Priorities on an operational basis. 

 

 

Priorities for Argyll and Bute Council 2022 to 2027

OUR VISION

We have a vision for a successful, vibrant Argyll and Bute with a growing population and a thriving economy. A place where people want to come to live, to work and to do business as a result of action to combat and reverse decline. We see the potential for thriving local economies that support our rich mix of remote, rural and island communities. Communities which also benefit from services that work - where we make the best use of all of our resources so that our core business as a council is as effective as possible.

We want Argyll and Bute’s communities to be on a level playing field with others around the country - that is why we will campaign for equity for our communities on issues like fair funding, coping with challenges like the cost of living, and securing digital access and physical access to other opportunities. We will do our utmost to ensure that local voices and needs are taken into account in national decision-making.

We recognise that the cost of living crisis will affect countless households in Argyll and Bute. We want to play a part in responding to that and mitigating the impact on our communities’ overall wellbeing and future success. 

We see our council and our communities working together in playing our part and making our contributions to wider priorities like climate change, economic growth, strong local governance and more - using our strong track record in partnership working, at all levels, to secure the best possible outcomes.

Our Priorities for the Council Term 2022 to 2027 are shaped around delivering this vision for Argyll and Bute, our people, our success and our future.

 

 

PRIORITIES TO SUPPORT DELIVERY OF OUR VISION

People and Places - our core business as a council

 

EDUCATION:

 

Attaining and achieving at all stages:

 

We will improve outcomes for our children and young people by:

 

• Improving educational attainment, achievement and outcomes for young people within Argyll and Bute to Scotland’s upper-quartile.

 

• Educational Attainment and Wider Achievement – Developing the use of all the available data and intelligence on each of our educational establishments to focus on and drive improvement, achieving our stretch aims (goals to improve opportunities and outcomes for young people) as agreed with the Scottish Government.

 

• Developing a broader curriculum offer to augment current opportunities with a range of wider achievement awards and accreditations.  This will have a positive impact on leaver destinations through inclusive, skills - based programmes in each secondary school.

 

• Continuing to promote the teaching and use of Gaelic as set out in the council’s emerging Gaelic Plan for 2023.

 

Learning Estate - now and in the future:

 

We will ensure our schools are effective, sustainable learning environments by:

 

• Progressing a bid to the Scottish Government to establish a new campus on Mull.

 

• Develop the next generation of capital investment plan and priorities for our school estate.

 

Supporting children and young people with additional needs

 

Continuing to support all of our children and young people with additional support needs across Argyll and Bute, within our schools and other service areas by:-

 

• Reducing the number of children and young people who have to travel outwith the area to access services by enhancing provision where gaps currently exist.

 

• Working to improve and secure equity of specialist provision across Argyll and Bute by addressing gaps where they exist across the education estate.

 

• Maintaining the current staffing complement who support this work, in line with our nurture stretch aim agreed with Scottish Government.

 

ROADS, AMENITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE

 

Roads and pathways

Connections to, from and within Argyll and Bute will be supported by:

• Reviewing our approach to road repair prioritisation to make the most effective use of resources in the context of budget pressures and to achieve the best possible balance in terms of strategic, operational and member input.

• Creating a plan, by 2025, for further active travel routes across Argyll and Bute and completing the Helensburgh-Dumbarton cycle path by 2027.
• Initiating plans for a 20mph speed limit by working in partnership, and in line with national legislation, on the rollout and delivery of a 20mph limit where that will work best for our communities.
• Completing a review of parking and traffic management/enforcement to reshape arrangements that reflect community needs and ambitions.

 

Piers and Harbours:

In recognition of the importance of marine connections to and from our island and mainland communities, our role in maintaining these links will include:

• Upgrading the council’s harbour infrastructure to ensure it is capable of receiving existing and planned new ferries (including at Craignure, Fionnphort/Ruahaich, Port Askaig, Dunoon,  Kilcreggan and Campbeltown).
• Creating a new municipal harbour authority in Oban, ensuring that proposals are submitted to Scottish ministers as soon as possible following consideration by the Harbour Board in December 2022, and putting preparations in place to commence operations upon approval by ministers.

• Seeking funding for the procurement of new council-operated vessels including Islay/Jura, Luing and Easdale.
• Finalising the demand, economic impact and business case assessment for the Helensburgh Pier strategy in 2023.

 

Waste and recycling services:

Reduce our carbon emissions by:

• Delivering a solution that enables the council to divert its biodegradable waste from landfill, within 2026,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8