Agenda and minutes

Having noted the commitments of those in attendance, the Chair agreed to vary the order of business.  This Minute reflects the order in which discussions took place.

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The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and general introductions were made.

Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of:-

Heather Smith, Argyll and the Isles Tourism Co-operative (AITC)

John McLuckie, Partnership Lead, Community Planning, Argyll and Bute Council

Sgt Matthew Shaw, Police Scotland

Inspector Lee Page, Police Scotland

Jim Porteous, Islay Community Council

Valerie Nimmo, Campbeltown Community Council

Iona MacPhail, Fyne Homes

Caitlin Quinn, Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE)

Jeni West, Forestry and Land Scotland

There were no declarations of interest intimated.

The Minutes of the Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands Area Community Planning Group meeting held on 3 May 2023 were approved as a correct record subject to the following amendments:-

Item 4 – Improving Lives in Argyll and Bute

The theme transport and infrastructure be amended to read transport infrastructure (removal of the word and) and that the 2023-2033 iteration of the Argyll and Bute Outcome Improvement Plan (ABOIP) be amended to read the 2024-2034 iteration of the Argyll and Bute Outcome Improvement Plan (ABOIP).

Update/Presentation by Tarbert Arts and Leisure Centre

Consideration was given to a report and a short presentation by Tarbert Arts and Leisure Centre (TALC) on their Creative Arts, Technology and Education Programme, which was founded in 2014.  The group heard from both Anna Dawton and Nicole Heidtke who advised that the group had recently received funding from Argyll and Bute Council to assist with the running of the programmes provided by the Centre.  Ms Heidtke provided an overview of the timeline of the programme and advised that TALC delivers workshops in areas of art, design, technology, media and interdisciplinary projects, which are not offered at school, in a number of locations throughout Argyll and outlined the courses offered in other areas such as Edinburgh, London and Devon.  Ms Heidtke outlined the collaborative partners who have provided assistance with the delivery of the Creative Arts, Technology and Education programme since the conception of the Centre and advised that they also deliver CPD training for teachers. She also advised that TALC offer a number of opportunities across the world with it being noted that TALC is the only organisation who is not a top-ranked Art School who was invited to send young people to the Professional Development Programme of Scotland and Venice. 

Discussion was had in relation to the advertisement of exhibitions throughout the area; the courses offered to older people; the difficulties faced by the Centre since the decision of the Council to remove the Cultural Co-ordinator post and the links with local career advisors in schools across Argyll and Bute. 

Decision

The Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands Area Community Planning Group considered and noted the information provided.

(Reference:  Report and Presentation by Tarbert Arts and Leisure Centre, submitted)

Presentation by Community Development Officer

Consideration was given to a presentation by the Community Development Officer from Argyll and Bute Council.  Ms Baird gave an overview of community planning in Argyll and Bute and provided information on the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015; the roles and responsibilities of the Community Planning Team; where the Area Community Planning Groups fit into the Community Planning Partnership and their relationship with the Management Committee. 

Further information on the Argyll and Bute Outcome Improvement Plan (ABOIP) which includes a number of cross cutting themes; the action plans for each of the Area Community Planning Groups and the development day which is held annually, was also provided. 

Decision

The Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands Area Community Planning Group considered and noted the information provided.

(Reference:  Presentation by Community Development Officer, Argyll and Bute Council)

Report by Committee Manager, Argyll and Bute Council

The group gave consideration to a report which outlined matters discussed during a meeting of the Community Planning Partnership (CPP) Management Committee held on 22 June 2023.  The Committee Manager outlined a number of key highlights from the meeting, which included information on a number of cross cutting themes such as Climate Change, Financial Inclusion, Community Wealth Building and Digital Communities.  Mr McLean also outlined the progress made on the development of the new Argyll and Bute Outcome Improvement Plan (ABOIP) and advised of the Argyll and Bute housing emergency.

Decision

The Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands Area Community Planning Group agreed to note the contents of the report. 

(Reference:  Report by Committee Manager, dated 30 August 2023, submitted)

Report by Contract Officer, Argyll and Bute Council

The group gave consideration to a report which provided an update on a number of Council run transport contracts, which included the provision of school transport for nearly 3,000 pupils across Argyll and Bute and the Carradale bus service.  Further information was provided in relation to social media campaigns to encourage responsible parking in the Longrow area of Campbeltown particularly around school times. 

Decision

The Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands Area Community Planning Group considered and noted the contents of the report. 

(Reference:  Report by Contract Officer, Argyll and Bute Council, dated 30 August 2023, submitted)

Verbal update from Transport Scotland

Consideration was given to a presentation by Transport Scotland and Atkins WSP Joint Ventures on the permanent solution for the A83.  The presentation included information that had been delivered at both virtual and face-to-face  public exhibitions within the locality, specifically key features and benefits of the preferred route; the preferred route plan; the scheme assessment process and the next stages of the assessment and construction phases.

Discussion was had in relation to ensuring that future public engagement sessions are delivered in the Campbeltown area; the medium-term solutions affecting the Old Military Road particularly in relation to the convoy system and the possibility that larger vehicles could use the forestry road on the opposite side of the Rest and Be Thankful as a means of addressing heavy use of the Old Military Road until such time as the permanent solution has been effected.  

Decision

The Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands Area Community Planning Group considered and noted the information provided.

(Reference:  Presentation by Transport Scotland and Atkins WSP Joint Ventures)  

Presentation by Area Service Manager, West Region, Scottish Ambulance Service

The group gave consideration to a presentation from the Area Service Manager for the West Region.  Mr Benton provided an overview of the increasing demand for the Scottish Ambulance Service.  He outlined the different services provided and gave a breakdown of calls received in 2021 which were dealt with by 7,000 staff and 1,200 volunteers.  Mr Benton outlined the new triage system in place for responding to calls, together with hospital turnaround times.  He advised of the next steps in ensuring investment in staff to improve wellbeing; enabling people to receive the highest quality of care; working alongside communities to improve population health; making shared decisions with people to support self-management and embracing data and technology to add value to the services already provided. 

Discussion took place in respect of ambulance provision on the islands; difficulties in dealing with the call centre and multi-agency working.

Decision

The Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands Area Community Planning Group considered and noted the information provided.

(Reference:  Presentation by Area Service Manager, West Region, Scottish Ambulance Service, submitted)

Presentation by CLES

Consideration was given to a presentation on community wealth building by Charlie Murphy from the Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES).  Mr Murphy advised that CLES is the lead organisation for community wealth building in the UK, whose mission is to develop local communities which work for people, planet and place.    He further advised that CLES had been commissioned by the Argyll and Bute Third Sector Interface (TSI) on behalf of the Community Planning Partnership (CPP) to conduct research on community wealth building in Argyll and Bute and that they would be running a workshop in the Tarbert Art and Leisure Centre at 1:30pm on 4 September 2023 exploring this topic. 

Decision

The Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands Area Community Planning Group considered and noted the information provided. 

(Reference:  Presentation by Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES))

Consideration was given to a report which provided an update on the recent work and activities of Police Scotland within the MAKI area.  The report included information on the expansion of the use of the Partners Intelligence Portal (PIP); youth engagement; fraud prevention and a recent spike in doorstep selling, which is a contravention of the Pedlars Act 1871. 

Decision

The Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands Area Community Planning Group considered and noted the information provided.

(Reference:  Report by Police Scotland, submitted)

The group gave consideration to a report which highlighted the performance and activity of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service within the Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands area during financial quarter 1 of 2023/24.  The report also included information on the local firefighter training plan; unwanted fire alarm signals; road and water safety campaigns; community engagement activities; East and West Dunbartonshire Argyll and Bute Local Senior Officer activities and home fire safety. 

Decision

The Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands Area Community Planning Group considered and noted the information provided.

(Reference:  Report by Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, submitted)

Having noted that Mr McFarlane from Transport Scotland had left the meeting to attend to a prior commitment, the Committee Manager read out a short update which outlined the recent and ongoing resurfacing works at a number of locations on the A83 and the repair of walls at three bridges in Inveraray, North of Furnace and Lochgilphead.  It was also noted that a technical solution had been identified in respect of the Hall Street footway in Campbeltown with the commitment to have the footway recoloured before the winter change in weather. 

Decision

The Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands Area Community Planning Group considered and noted the information provided. 

Consideration was given to a report which provided an update on ongoing wellbeing and prevention activity overseen and delivered by the HSCP Public Health Team in Argyll and Bute.  The report contained information in relation to public health intelligence; the Money Counts Level 1 awareness raising sessions being delivered remotely; the new model of delivery for the Living Well Networks and the merger of the Living Well Strategy and Prevention Board. 

Decision

The Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands Area Community Planning Group considered and noted the information provided.

(Reference:  Report by Health Improvement Principal, Argyll and Bute HSCP, submitted)

The group gave consideration to a report which provided an update on the ongoing works of the Skills Development Scotland (SDS) team.  The report included information on the provision of career guidance to young people from S1-S6 at Campbeltown Grammar, Islay High School, Lochgilphead Joint Campus and Tarbert Academy; the school leaver destination follow up; the post school service offer; Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE); the Annual Participation Measure (APM) which reports on the education and employment activity of 16 to 19 year olds in Scotland and local partnership support provided by the SDS teams.

Decision

The Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands Area Community Planning Group considered and noted the information provided.

(Reference:  Report by Skills Development Scotland, submitted) 

·         Kintyre Youth Action Group

·         Kintyre Conversation Café

·         Mid Argyll Youth Update

·         Adult Team

Consideration was given to reports from Live Argyll’s Community Learning Service, which included updates from the Kintyre Youth Action Group; Kintyre Conversation Café; Mid Argyll Youth Team and the Adult Team.  The Chair noted that Ashley Glenn and Eilidh Robinson were in attendance to provide a verbal update on the Kintyre Youth Action Group’s recent and ongoing activities, however due to connection issues, agreed that the following update by circulated on their behalf:-

Since the last meeting our group has been involved in a few different activities.

During our Easter GIVE project, where we did volunteering in our community, we managed to raise money that we donated to the Marie Semple Cancer Trust and Glasgow Children’s Hospital.

In June and July we then helped to set up the first Rainbowfest event in Ardrishaig – an event to help promote diversity and celebrate inclusion. We helped to plan this event, make decorations, and then helped with stalls on the day.

Over the summer holidays we took part in a summer exchange programme with another Action Group from Bute. This involved us visiting them on Bute, getting to know them and taking part in overnight activities. We then hosted the Bute group in Kintyre. We hope this will be the start of Action Group’s from across Argyll and Bute starting to work together to enhance youth voice across the region.

We have also been taking part in writing and music group’s which we helped to set up. Our music project has just finished, and the group will be releasing a charity single soon to again raise money for the Marie Semple Cancer Trust.

We are now looking at planning new projects for the new school year. We will be hosting fundraising coffee mornings over the October holidays to raise money for our group trips and projects. We are also going to help set up a youth LGBT Forum in the community so that LGBT young people and their allies have somewhere safe to be themselves and to help organise LGBT events. We are also helping to plan a youth film making project, and a skateboarding project.

We hope that part of the skateboarding project can include installing a clean box at the Campbeltown skate park so that young people who use it are able to safely remove glass and other rubbish so that they can use the park safely, as this is currently an issue at the park. This would be a permanent fixture which would contain materials such as gloves, litter pickers, dustpan and brushes etc. If anyone is able to help with organising this part of the project, please let us know by contacting Jamie. We would very much appreciate it.

The Chair took the opportunity to thank both Ashley and Eilidh for their participation. 

Decision

The Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands Area Community Planning Group considered and noted the information provided. 

(Reference:  Reports by Live Argyll – Community Learning Service, submitted)

Consideration was given to a report which highlighted the ongoing work of Argyll and Bute Third Sector Interface (TSI) in the Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands area.  The report included information on the response to the cost-of-living crisis; the joint campaign to highlight the importance of the third sector and to advocate for fair funding; the ongoing work to move the local community wealth building agenda forward; the commission of research into the health of social enterprises in Argyll and Bute; the recruitment of an Argyll based Poverty Alliance-led project officer to combat the rural poverty premium; progress on Inveraray Hub; the upgrade of the platform built to administer and award funds for the Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund and the project management tool to accurately administer the costs and performance data for the Positive Destinations Programme which will support community engagement. 

Decision

The Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands Area Community Planning Group considered and noted the information provided.

(Reference:  Report by Argyll and Bute Third Sector Interface (TSI), submitted)

Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB)

Jen Broadhurst highlighted that Argyll and Bute Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) have been very busy and have supported just under 800 clients in the last 3 months with 370 of those being new to the bureau with the majority being in relation to welfare rights. Of those clients 218 were provided with welfare rights support, 41 were supported to access digital, food or fuel crisis funding.

Jen added that the overall client financial gain, generated from the advice provided was just under £360,000 with 78% of the funding being generated by Welfare Rights.

Jen also provided information on other areas such as the new data hub which provides statistical data on the range of clients that they support across the region; debt advice; the Armed Services advice project which has been extended until the end of the year; energy advice; the adviser training programme; the cost of care research; the updating of the Bureau’s business plan and the wellbeing networking event which is to be held on the 13^th September.

Campbeltown Community Council

Elise Glendinning provided a short verbal update on the progress of the town centre maintenance, which has received compliments from visitors to the area over the summer months.  She outlined the progress of the Flood Prevention Scheme and spoke of a number of complaints in respect of the extent of the road closure at Witchburn Road.  Ms Glendinning also advised that despite a number of emails to the Councils Roads and Infrastructure Services no response had been received to outstanding issues at Burnside Square. 

Report by Chair of the Climate Change Working Group

Consideration was given to a report which highlighted the ongoing work of the Climate Change Working Group.  The report outlined the proposal to produce a strategic Action Plan as a means to address the climate emergency in Argyll and Bute; the approved governance arrangements to support the Climate Change Project Manager post and the ongoing work on the recruitment of a Project Manager.

Decision

The Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands Area Community Planning Group:

1.    considered and noted the information provided; and

2.    noted that in the absence of a representative from the Climate Change Working Group, any questions could be forwarded to them following the meeting and any responses circulated to the group. 

(Reference:  Report by Chair of the Community Planning Partnership Climate Change Working Group, dated 30 August 2023, submitted)

Written update by Argyll and Bute TSI

The group gave consideration to a report which outlined the proposal by Argyll and Bute Third Sector Interface (TSI) to set up a Climate Action Hub that will draw together a range of community actors to coordinate, map and network build for the purpose of increasing community awareness about climate action.  Information on the possible form the Climate Action Hub could take; how a consortium model would function in terms of governance and an indicative project timeline was also provided.

Decision

The Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands Area Community Planning Group:-

1.    considered and noted the information provided; and

2.    noted that in the absence of the Chief Executive Officer of Argyll and Bute Third Sector Interface (TSI), any questions could be forwarded to him following the meeting and any responses circulated to the group.

(Reference:  Report by Chief Executive Officer, Argyll and Bute TSI, dated 30 August 2023, submitted)

Report by Governance Officer, Argyll and Bute Council

Consideration was given to a report which provided information which related to the appointment of a Chair and Vice-Chair for the Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands Area Community Planning Group.  The report outlined the expected time commitment and provided information on the roles.

Decision

The Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands Area Community Planning Group appointed Councillor John Armour to the role of Chair and Ian Brodie to the role of Vice-Chair of the Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands Area Community Planning Group to serve for a term of 2 years.

(Reference:  Report by Governance Officer, dated 30 August 2023, submitted)  

Wednesday, 1 November 2023

The Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands Area Community Planning Group noted that their next meeting was scheduled to take place on Wednesday, 1 November 2023 at 10:30am on a hybrid basis, with the venue in Campbeltown to be confirmed in due course. 

The Chair took the opportunity to thank everyone in attendance, and thanked all the partners for their support during his two terms as Chair to the Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands Area Community Planning Group.