Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

There were no declarations of interest intimated.

Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee held on 19 June 2025

The Minutes of the meeting of the Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee held on 19 June 2025 were approved as a correct record.

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure

The Committee gave consideration to a report presenting the Winter Service Policy 2025/26.

Decision

The Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee:

1.    approved the 2025/26 Winter Maintenance Policy Document detailed at Appendix 1 to the submitted report;

2.    endorsed that a further review of the winter maintenance policy is undertaken prior to the 2026/27 winter maintenance season which includes a review of the total percentage of the road network that is currently treated and, recognising this is 10% higher than the average for the rural group authorities, whether efficiencies on this can be achieved. With a report to Committee during early summer 2026;

3.    approved the Salt Use Reduction and Preservation of Stocks Protocol detailed at Appendix 2 to the submitted report;

4.    noted the Advisory signing, routes unsuitable in severe conditions detailed at Appendix 3 to the submitted report;

5.    noted the Frontline Treatment Vehicle Fleet 2025/26 detailed at Appendix 4 to the submitted report;

6.    noted the Salt Stocks monitoring and resilience record at detailed Appendix 5 to the submitted report; and

7.    noted the weather summary from season 2024-25 detailed at Appendix 6 to the submitted report.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure Services dated August 2025, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure

The Committee gave consideration to a report providing an overview of the Pavement Parking Prohibition, which primarily focused on footway parking.

Decision

The Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee:

1.      approved the Service Procedure document attached under Appendix 1 to the submitted report;

2.      approved the application form which requests an assessment, attached under Appendix 2 to the submitted report and subject to style changes required for the website; and

3.      noted that prior to the making of any Exemption Order, they would be presented to the Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee for approval or otherwise.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure Services dated July 2025, submitted)

Councillor Kain joined the meeting during consideration of the following item of business.

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure

The Committee gave consideration to a report which was drafted following receipt of correspondence from East Lothian Council seeking support from COSLA and other local authorities with truck roads within their areas for a national review of trunk road litter management responsibilities.

Decision

The Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee:

1.    agreed that the Chief Executive writes to Scottish Ministers requesting a review of litter management responsibilities for the trunk roads within Argyll and Bute (A82, A83, A85, A828); and

2.    agreed that the Chief Executive confirms to those other local authorities with trunk road litter management responsibilities and COSLA that Argyll and Bute Council support the proposal initially raised by East Lothian Council that there should be a review of litter management responsibilities for trunk roads across Scotland.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure Services dated June 2025, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure

The Committee gave consideration to a report which provided information on the current Temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TTRO) charges and set out two options as the basis for engagement with event organisers, following a decision taken at the Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee, at its meeting held on 19 June 2025 to review event application costs associated with TTRO charges and advertising.

Decision

The Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee:

1.      agreed to the outline options as the basis for consultation with event organisers and community councils;

2.      agreed that the questionnaire attached in Appendix 2 to the submitted report is used to gather the organisers and community councils views on these options;

3.      agreed that the consultation period is a minimum of six weeks;

4.      noted that the results were expected to be reported to the Committee by March 2026; however, subject to analysis being completed sooner, may be reported to the Committee by December 2025;

5.      agreed that the minimum timescales for application for TTROs or Temporary Restriction by Traffic Notice are those listed in the end columns of Appendix 3 to the submitted report;

6.      agreed that the list below are the newspapers which will be used to advertise the notice of TTROs:

a. Argyllshire Advertiser

b. Dunoon Observer

c. Helensburgh Advertiser

d. Oban Times

e. Campbeltown Courier; and

7.      noted that the means of advertising the notice of TTROs are determined by the Road Traffic (Temporary Restrictions) Procedure Regulations 1992 and The Local Authorities' Traffic Orders (Procedure) (Scotland) Regulations 1999.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure Services dated July 2025, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure

The Committee gave consideration to an update regarding the Route Optimisation, Second Domestic Bin Review, and Assisted Bin Uplift Review projects. The report also sought agreement of revised policies in relation to the approval of second domestic waste bins and assisted bin uplifts and the renaming of the route optimisation project.

Decision

The Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee:

1.      approved the revised Second Domestic Waste Bin Policy set out at paragraph 4.4 of the submitted report subject to the following amendment ‘There are 5 or more people resident in the household for whom this is their home address.’;

2.      approved the revised Assisted Bin Uplift Policy set out at 4.10 of the submitted report;

3.      endorsed that officers commence the activity outlined at 4.12 – 4.14 of the submitted report to ensure full implementation of the agreed policy that all household waste and recycling bins are clearly marked to identify the house name / number to which they belong including endorsing that following a suitable period of pro-active communication bins would no longer be uplifted where they are not identified with the house name / number; and

4.      agreed to rename the Route Optimisation Project as the Digitally Enabled Operational Services Project and noted the changes in anticipated project benefits and project timeline set out at 4.15 to 4.18 of the submitted report.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure Services dated May 2025, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure

The Committee gave consideration to a report providing an update on the progress and next steps in relation to the Roads and Infrastructure Service (RIS) Review.

Decision

The Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee:

1.      noted the progress made in relation to the priority improvement actions, including the financial impacts of these; and

2.      agreed to receive a further report on progress of the RIS Review in December 2025.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure Services dated June 2025, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure

The Committee gave consideration to a report providing an update on how the delivery of the Council's duties under the Local Flood Risk Management Plans are progressing.

Decision

The Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee:

1.      endorsed the report;

2.      approved the content of the report and appendices to be provided to the Lead Authorities to allow the Section 37 Interim Reports to be prepared; and

3.      agreed that the Section 37 Interim Reports are brought back to Committee later in the year for approval.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure Services dated September 2025, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure

The Committee gave consideration to a report providing an update on the progress towards a permanent repair of the A816 at Ardfern which was damaged during the severe weather event in October 2023.

Decision

The Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee:

1.      agreed that the existing budget allocation of £1.1m be used to progress the next phase of detailed business case development required to provide a recommended option with a further and more highly developed budget estimate and outline delivery programme; and

2.      noted the difference in the current cost estimate and that originally produced and reported to Members in February 2024 and the reasons for this set out in the body of the report.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure Services dated September 2025, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth

The Committee gave consideration to a report which provided an update on the current progress of the large-scale, externally funded project work of the Transformational Projects and Regeneration Team and key issues that may impact on the successful delivery of projects.

Decision

The Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee noted:

1.      the current progress contained within the report; and

2.      that further updates relating to pending funding bids would be brought back to the Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee in due course.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth, dated August 2025, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth

The Committee gave consideration to report which provided an updated Economic Strategy Action Plan (ESAP) to implement and deliver of the Argyll and Bute Council Economic Strategy, 2024-2034, covering the short-term period 2025-2028.

Decision

The Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee:

1.      noted the progress on actions during 2024-2025 and appropriate outcomes for 2034, as outlined in Appendix 1 to the submitted report; and

2.      approved the ESAP, 2025-2028.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth, dated 14 August 2025, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth

The Committee gave consideration to report providing an update on the delivery of services and associated outcomes by the overarching Economic Growth Team, within the Development and Economic Growth Service, during 2024/25.

Decision

The Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee noted the update on the delivery of services in 2024/25 by the Economic Growth Team.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth, dated 27 August 2025, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth

The Committee gave consideration to report seeking approval for the registration of a subsidy scheme to facilitate the delivery of economic development projects and ensure legal compliance with subsidy control legislation.

Decision

The Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee:

1.      noted the Argyll and Bute Economic Development Subsidy Scheme document and the associated Principles Assessment document, contained with Appendix 1 and 2 of the submitted report; and

2.      endorsed that a subsidy control scheme be registered with the Competition and Markets Authority called the ‘Argyll and Bute Council’s Economic Development Scheme’.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Development and Economic Growth, dated 23 July 2025, submitted)

The Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee workplan was before the Committee for noting.

Decision

The Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee noted the content of the workplan.

(Reference: Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee workplan dated September 2025, submitted)