Argyll and Bute Community Planning Partnership Welcome Pack - Membership of the Community Planning Partnership

Pippa Milne, Argyll and Bute Council

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Pippa Milne was appointed as Chief Executive of Argyll and Bute Council in November 2019. Prior to that Pippa was Executive Director of Development and Infrastructure. With experience working for councils across the UK, Pippa brings with her wide-ranging experience to take forward the organisation’s vision that Argyll and Bute is a place people choose to live, learn work and do business. As Chief Executive Pippa is responsible for providing a diverse range of public services with a dedicated team of about 4000 people and her focus is on working in partnership to deliver the best possible outcomes for our communities. Pippa is passionate about Argyll and Bute’s potential and promotes the many and varied opportunities there are here whenever possible.

TBC

Councillor Jim Lynch, Argyll and Bute Council 

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Councillor Jim Lynch is the Chair of the CPP Full Partnership. Councillor Jim Lynch has served on Argyll and Bute Council since 2017, representing the Oban South and the Isles Ward. During the 2017 to 2022 term, he took on the role of Leader of the Council’s SNP Group and continued in that position following the Scottish local government elections in May 2022. He became Leader of the Council in April 2024. He also holds the Economic Development, Islands, Rural Communities and Housing Policy Lead portfolio and sits on a number of council committees and external organisations. He lives in Oban and, as well as his council activities, takes a keen interest in a wide variety of local issues including traditional sports such as shinty. Prior to joining Argyll and Bute Council, Councillor Lynch had given 43 years to the civil service and retired as manager of the Oban and Campbeltown Jobcentreplus.

Outcome Lead 1 - Transport and Infrastructure: TBC

Outcome Lead 2 - Housing: TBC

Outcome Lead 3 - Community Wellbeing: TBC

Chair of Bute and Cowal Area Community Planning Group: Councillor Jean Moffat

Chair of Helensburgh and Lomond Area Community Planning Group: Gill Simpson

Chair of Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands Area Community Planning Group: Councillor Anne Horn

Chair of Oban, Lorn and the Isles Area Community Planning Group: Colin Buchanan

Fergus Murray

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Fergus Murray is currently the Head of Development and Economic Growth at Argyll and Bute Council with a responsibility for delivering a range of council services including the delivery of Argyll’s Rural Growth Deal. A town planner to trade and member of the RTPI and also SLAED, Fergus moved to Argyll and Bute in 2004 to take up the role as Development Policy Manager before starting as a Chief Officer of the council in January 2013. 

Takki Sulaiman

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Takki Sulaiman is the Chief Executive of Argyll and Bute Third Sector Interface. Since 2006 he has worked for the English family court service and 3 local authorities as a Chief Officer.  In Greenwich he steered a new approach to working with the voluntary sector through ensuring co-production with the third sector was at the heart of commissioning local services.  In addition, he was responsible for tourism, culture and heritage and was project owner for development of a £41m Creative District. Latterly he led the multi-agency task group for Greenwich’s Community Hub response to Covid-19. In Aberdeen City Council he was responsible for work with stakeholders to deliver the City Centre Masterplan, City Region Deal and a new events and culture strategy, Aberdeen365. He is a trustee of the Friends of St.Conan’s Kirk, Lochawe and a trustee with SafeLives, a domestic violence prevention and training charity. He has an MSc. in Social Policy and Planning from the London School of Economics and a BA(Hons) in Politics from the University of Warwick.

Mo McKenna

Pauline Craig

Evan Beswick

Morag Goodfellow

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Morag Goodfellow is Highlands and Islands Enterprise Area Manager for Argyll and the Islands. Her role is focused on driving regional economic and community growth across the diverse geography of Argyll and its many islands. Prior to taking up this role in October 2019, Morag was Head of Regional Development within the Argyll and the Islands Team for a number of years. With a professional background in property and development, Morag is passionate about creating the economic conditions to make Argyll a thriving place to live, work, study and invest. 

Liz Prior

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Elizabeth is the Operations Manager for NatureScot in Argyll and Bute. Liz`s career with SNH/NatureScot has spanned over 20 years. Liz`s key areas of expertise include protected site management, planning and development (particularly renewables and aquaculture), engagement with land managers and communities on land management practices involving forestry and agriculture. Liz is a qualified zoologist and runs a busy family farm on Cowal with its fold of highland cows to benefit nature.

Samantha Campbell

Graham Bell

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Graham was appointed to the NHS Highland Board in January 2021 and has lived in Argyll for the past 35 years. Originally from Glasgow his early career included working as a hospital porter, youth and community worker and night care officer with older people. Qualifying as a social worker he spent most of his career in working with young people at risk, initially in the local authority and latterly as Chief Executive of Kibble, a third sector organisation. Now semi-retired he continues to work in cross-sectoral leadership development. He is also a board member of Community Justice Scotland and Cove Burgh Hall. He has extensive international experience in social and economic development and in 2019 was awarded an OBE for services to residential care, education, and social enterprise.

Gary L'Anson

Gillian Cay

Joe McKay

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Joe joined the Fire Service in 1997 and has worked in various strategic roles including the role as deputy commander for the City of Glasgow. In July 2020 he was transferred to Argyll and Bute and East and West Dunbartonshire as SFRS Local Senior Officer. He is a MCR Pathways mentor for disadvantaged young people. Joe has a BA from Glasgow Caledonian University and an MSc. He also enjoys sports and is a keen golfer.

Rachel McGruer

Sophie Bennie and Mariska Silkowski 

The Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament occupy two seats on the management committee and attend meetings on rotation.

Susan McRae

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Susan MacRae is the Area Manager for Skills Development Scotland covering Argyll and Bute and Eilean Siar. Her role involves overseeing local authority wide service delivery, delivery of high-quality career interventions, promoting work based learning opportunities and fostering partnerships with local businesses, educational institutions and community organisations to support workforce development and economic growth. A qualified careers adviser, with over 26 years experience, she believes in the transformative power of informed career choices and is committed to providing the resources and support needed for people to reach their full potential. From the Isle of Lewis, Susan has a personal and professional understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities that face rural communities and is dedicated to the principles of community planning and working collaboratively with stakeholders to create a vibrant, inclusive and sustainable future for our people to reach their full potential.

TBC

Rona Gold

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Rona Gold joined Local Government over 16 years ago and has enjoyed a wide range of experiences through varied roles, from waste management to regeneration, primarily focussed on leading change. Prior to her role at Argyll and Bute, Rona was Policy Manager for the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) helping to shape Scottish Government policy on Waste, Carbon and Climate Change. Rona also manages the Community Planning Partnership of Argyll and Bute Council and Community Development work across the Council’s four administrative areas. Rona has an MSc in Urban and Regional Planning from Heriot Watt University and is a member of the RTPI.

John McLuckie

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John McLuckie is the Partnerships Lead, providing comprehensive support to the work of the Community Planning Partnership, having previously worked for Argyll and Bute Council’s Development Planning team for 18 months. Prior to joining the Local Authority, John worked for 18 years within the UHI partnership in a variety of project management, equality and diversity, curriculum management/development and employer engagement roles with a focus on STEM subject areas. John was educated at the Universities of Glasgow, Ulster and the Highlands and Islands.

Nicola Reaney

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Nicola Reaney provides organisational and administrative support to the Community Planning Team and CPP. Nicola has over 25 years’ experience supporting executive boards and senior managers across public and private sector. Nicola spent 15 years in the Ministry of Defence, culminating in a 5 year appointment to the British High Commission, Ottawa, Canada and was a Regional Support Manager for the global accountancy firm, Ernst and Young before joining the Council in 2014.