Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Daniel Hampsey and Fiona Howard.

There were no declarations of interest.

Community Services Committee held on 5 June 2025

The Minute of the Community Services Committee held on 5 June 2025 was approved as a correct record.

Report by Divisional Commander for Argyll and Bute, West Dunbartonshire Division, Police Scotland

Chief Superintendent Gary I’Anson presented the Argyll and Bute Performance Summary Report of Police Scotland’s Policing Priorities for April – June 2025.  

With the aid of power point slides a presentation on localised activities was also given by Chief Inspector Lee Page and Inspector Bart Simonis and thereafter Officers responded questions asked.

Decision

The Community Services Committee reviewed and noted the contents of the report.

(Reference: Report for April – June 2025 by Divisional Commander for Argyll and Bute, West Dunbartonshire Division, Police Scotland, submitted)

Councillor Graham Hardie joined the meeting during consideration of the foregoing item.

Report by Local Senior Officer, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

With the aid of power point slides, Group Commander Brian Wardle and Watch Commander Tony McGloin presented a report highlighting Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s review of local performance and partnership working within Argyll and Bute for Q1 (1 April – 30 June 2025) and responded to a number of questions asked.

Decision

The Community Services Committee reviewed and noted the contents of the report.

(Reference: Q1 2025/26 Report by Local Senior Officer, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, submitted)

Report by Senior Manager, Performance and Improvement, Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership

A report detailing performance for FQ3 (October – December) 2024/25 for Argyll & Bute Health & Social Care Partnership along with a presentation on Annual Performance for 2024/25 was before the Committee for consideration.

Decision

The Community Services Committee:

1.    acknowledged performance for FQ3 2024/25 (October - December);

2.    acknowledged performance update on the National Health & Wellbeing Outcomes and Ministerial Steering Group Integration Indicators (Appendix 1); and

3.    noted Delayed Discharge Sitrep as of 06 January 2025 (Appendix 2)

(Reference: Report by Senior Manager, Performance and Improvement, Argyll & Bute HSCP dated 28 August 2025, submitted)

Councillor Paul Kennedy joined the meeting during consideration of the foregoing item.

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education

A report updating the Committee on the progress made by the Education Service in achieving the priorities included in the Argyll and Bute Strategic Plan for 2024/26 (2024/25 update) presented at Community Services Committee in August 2024, and outlining priority actions for 2025-2026, was considered.

Decision

The Community Services Committee:

1.      noted the progress made with respect to priority actions within the 2024-2026 Education Strategic Plan (2024-2025 update) outlined in the Education Service Progress and Impact Report 2024-2026);

2.      approved the Education Service Progress and Impact Report 2024-2025 and Strategic Plan 2024-2026 (Appendix 1);

3.      approved the publishing of the Education Strategic Plan 2024-2026 and The Education Service Progress and Impact Report 2024-2025 on the Council Website; and

4.      approved the submission of the Education Strategic Plan 2024-2026 and The Education Service Progress and Impact Report 2024-2025 to Scottish Government.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education dated 17 July 2025, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education

A report providing and update to the Committee on the initial outcome of the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) 2025 examination diet for young people in Argyll and Bute was considered.

Decision

The Community Services Committee:

1.    noted the guidance from the SQA, detailed below at 4.3 of the report, about qualitative comparisons of data over the last four years, with reference to ‘pre-pandemic’ data in 2018/19;

2.    noted the outcome of the initial SQA examination results for pupils in academic year 2024/25, and that the performance of Argyll and Bute Schools in 2025 is above the current national performance of local authority run schools in SQA examinations in one measure at A-C (Adv Higher), and above in two measures at A-D (National 5 and Higher).  Within the authority, performance against 2024 improved in four of six pass rate measures (National 5 and Higher at both A-C and A-D).  Presentation rates for both National 5 and Higher levels increased.  Twinned with increased pass rates, this year’s diet saw an overall increase in the number of awards per presenting pupil; and

3.    requested that the Executive Director provide further reports to the Community Services Committee to allow the consideration of updated statistical school and national information, scheduled to be released by Insight (school data analysis tool) in September 2025 and February 2026.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education dated 28 August 2025, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education

A report summarising work and progress across Argyll and Bute relating to Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) was considered.

The report covered all aspects of DYW work and activities across the local authority and case studies of DYW events, activities and programmes were also provided.

Decision

The Community Services Committee:

1.    noted the scope, variety and impact of DYW initiatives and activities across Argyll and Bute;

2.    acknowledged the importance of the Scottish Government’s continued policy commitment to DYW, and associated funding for regional DYW Groups;

3.    recognised the contribution of the DYW team and its work towards securing and sustaining Argyll and Bute a position in the leading 10 Scottish Local Authorities with regards to the Annual Participation Measure, in which we place 9^th out of 32 in the period April 2023 – March 2024; and

4.    accepted the requirement to make the roles of DYW Lead and DYW Coordinators in Argyll and Bute permanent and non-dependent on DYW funding from the Scottish Government.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education dated 28 August 2025, submitted)

The Chair ruled and the Committee agreed to adjourn the meeting at 1.45 pm for lunch.

The meeting reconvened at 2.15 pm with all those present as per the sederunt, apart from Lorna Stewart, Teacher representative.

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education

A report updating the Committee on the current situation of Strone Primary School and proposing a number of measures under which the Education Service can monitor the position of the school over the forthcoming year, was considered.

Decision

The Community Services Committee agreed that:

1.    Strone Primary School be mothballed on a temporary basis and that the building be retained for one year on a care and maintenance basis;

2.    officers would conduct a review of the school’s mothballing ahead of the Committee’s August 2026 meeting, at which members could decide on a continued period of mothballing; or request that officers commence a preliminary exercise to examine the future options for Strone Primary School; and

3.    if requested, the community would have pre-arranged access to the building to promote community functions during the period of mothballing.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education dated 5 August 2025, submitted)

At the previous Community Services Committee held on 5 June 2025, the Committee considered a report detailing a draft Proposal to relocate the current Tobermory 2-18 Campus to a new purpose-built Campus on the site that had been previously selected by the Council.  After considering that report, the Committee agreed to adopt the draft Proposal as a “relevant proposal” in terms of the 2010 Act, which would proceed to a statutory public consultation exercise – commencing on 18th August 2025 and ending on 26th September 2025.

Standing order 16 states that ‘No motion which seeks to alter or revoke a decision of the Council or has that effect will be considered within a period of 6 months of the original decision’. However, it will be competent to review a decision before the end of the 6 month period, provided that notice has been given on the agenda (the report meets that provision) and that a material change of circumstances has occurred.

Given that a Petition for Judicial Review in the Court of Session challenging the Council’s decision of 7 March 2025 to locate the new campus on the Tobermory South site has been lodged; the Chair considered this to be a material change of circumstances and therefore under the provision of standing order 16 agreed that this report could be considered at this meeting.

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education, Legal and Regulatory Support and Commercial Services

In terms of Standing Order 11.10 the Depute Leader of the SNP Group advised that the Whip had been applied to the Group to vote in favour of an amendment to the recommendations in the report by the Executive Director which the Committee considered at this item.

A report providing update on recent decisions and developments in relation to the project for a new 2-18 School Campus in Tobermory was considered.

Following questions, the Chair ruled and the Committee agreed to adjourn the meeting from 2.35 pm – 2.55 pm to allow Officers to consider the competency of a proposed amendment to the Chair’s motion.  The meeting reconvened with all those present as per the sederunt, apart from Lorna Stewart, Teacher representative.

Following consideration, the Executive Director with responsibility for Legal and Regulatory Support advised that the amendment was not competent.

The Chair ruled, and the Committee agreed to adjourn the meeting from 3.05 pm – 3.25 pm, to allow a Member of the Committee to seek advice on the preparation of a competent amendment.  After consideration, it was confirmed there would be no amendment to the Chair’s motion.

Decision

The Community Services Committee:

1.    considered the information contained within this report;

2.    agreed to endorse officers’ actions not to commence the statutory relocation consultation exercise on 18 August 2025, given that the Judicial Review proceedings are ongoing;

3.    agreed to endorse the decision of the Strategic Board, dated 4 August 2025, to pause all other work on the Project (including design work and development of the Outline Business Case) whilst the Judicial Review proceedings are ongoing; and

4.    agreed that all further reports should be brought to Members whilst the ongoing Court proceedings progress.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education, Legal and Regulatory Support and Commercial Services dated 1 August 2025, submitted)

Councillor Jennifer Kean and Reverend Dorothy Wallace, Church Representative, left the meeting during consideration of the foregoing item.

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education and Executive Director with responsibility for Customer Support Services

A report advising of the Scottish Languages Act 2025 and reporting on the themes included in this piece of legislation was considered.

The Act give the Gaelic and Scots languages official status in Scotland and makes changes to the support for the Gaelic and Scots languages in Scotland, including changes in relation to Gaelic and Scots education.

Decision

The Community Services Committee:

1.      noted the key points contained within the report regarding the Act;

2.      recognised the obligations which would be incumbent on the Council in areas of linguistic significance; and

3.      agreed that further reports are presented to members in relation to both the general impact on the Council and specifically to the Education Service following statutory guidance and explanatory notes being published by the Scottish Government.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education and Executive Director with responsibility for Customer Support Services dated 1 August 2025, submitted)

Councillor Yvonne McNeilly and Councillor Shonny Paterson left the meeting during consideration of the foregoing item.

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Customer Support Services

A report updating Members on progress that the Council is making on the delivery of its statutory Gaelic Language Plan was considered.

Decision

The Community Services Committee considered the good progress that was being made in relation to the Council’s Gaelic Language Plan.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Customer Support Services dated June 2025, submitted)

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education

A report providing Members with an update on the performance of liveArgyll’s Community Learning Services and specifically the provision of Adult Learning and Youth Services in session 2024/25, was considered.

Decision

The Community Services Committee recognised:

1.      the significant improvements and strengths achieved by Community Learning since the transfer of the service to liveArgyll in 2021, and specifically those outlined by HMIe in the January 2024 HMIe Progress Visit and the subsequent review in February 2025; and

2.      the positive outcomes for young people and adult learners in Argyll and Bute resulting from Community Learning’s understanding of the needs of individuals, groups and communities, and its subsequent provision to learners.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education dated 28 August 2025, submitted)

Councillor Julie McKenzie left the meeting during consideration of the foregoing item.

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education

A report providing details of all external education establishment inspection reports received across Argyll and Bute Education Service during the period June to August 2025, was before the Committee for information.

Decision

The Community Services Committee noted:

1.    the contents of the report;

2.    this quarterly report would be presented on an ongoing basis to the Community Services Committee detailing all establishment inspections conducted and published by Education Scotland within that period, and

3.    that Ward members would receive copies of school inspection reports for schools within their area as published by Education Scotland.

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education dated July 2025, submitted)

The Community Services Committee work plan for 2025/2026 was before the Committee for information.

Decision

The Community Services Committee noted the contents of the work plan.

(Reference: Community Services Committee Work Plan 2025/2026, submitted)