Agenda item

(a)        Report from the 3 Islands – reports from 3 Local Development Groups

(b)        Argyll Islands Steering Group – Development Plan – for discussion/approval

(a)        Report from the 3 Islands

Reports, copies having previously been circulated, were submitted by the Development Officers of the 3 Initiative at the Edge (IatE) areas, namely Colonsay, Coll and Jura.

The Development Officers briefly outlined progress made with their respective areas.  The water shortage problem on Coll was highlighted as a major obstacle to further development which needed urgent attention.  James McLellan commented that water and sewerage services were critical to local communities and that the Development Officers should involve Scottish Water in the IatE local areas.  It was noted that Hugh Donaldson would outline the particular difficulties being experienced with regard to Scottish Water as a separate item at the end of the meeting.

Josephine Stojak spoke of a possible study that would be commissioned regarding the provision of healthcare staff on remote islands and stressed that the study would be commissioned from a community perspective.

(b)        Argyll Islands Steering Group – Development Plan

Hugh Donaldson submitted a report from the Initiative at the Edge Steering Group for the Argyll Islands which outlined a reporting framework from the Iomairt areas back to the Community Planning Partnership, the need for which was evidenced within the evaluation carried out by Communities Scotland in 2005.

It was agreed that the Development Officers submit regular updates to the Management Committee and that a more detailed report/Development Plans be presented to the full Partnership on an annual basis.  It was agreed that the full Partnership should sign off the Development Plans as long as the timing of full Partnership meetings did not hamper progress with regard to implementing the Development Plans.

It was also agreed to stand down the small Steering Group for the IatE Argyll Islands.