Tha Comhairle Earra-Ghàidheal is Bhòid air ro-innleachd solarachaidh ùir fhoillseachadh a stiùireas na dòighean sam bi iad a’ ceannach bathar is sheirbheisean thairis air an ath bhliadhna, agus an ro-innleachd sin a’ cumail taic ri atharraichean is innleachdas aig àm nuair a tha a’ Chomhairle a’ cumail oirre le bhith toirt cruth-atharrachadh air cùisean. Thuirt an Ceann-Poileasaidh airson Seirbheisean Luchd-cleachdaidh, an Comhairliche Dick Walsh: “Tha an ro-innleachd ùr seo a’ cur prìomhachas air muinntir Earra-Ghàidheal is Bhòid – tha iad aig cridhe gach nì a nì sinn. Cha robh riamh uiread dhùbhlan ro ùghdarrasan ionadail nuair a thig e gu ionmhas. Fhad ’s a tha sinn a’ gluasad air adhart, bidh modhan-solarachaidh a’ sìor fhàs cudromach, agus feumaidh sinn dèanamh cinnteach gum faigh sinn an luach as fheàrr às a’ bhathar agus na seirbheisean a cheannaicheas sinn los gun urrainn dhuinn cumail oirnn a’ toirt nan seirbheisean do ar coimhearsnachdan a tha iad air innse dhuinn a nì an diofar as motha dhaibh. “Tha an sgrìobhainn seo a’ gabhail a-steach an còrr den bhliadhna ionmhais seo agus an ath thè – bidh sinn ga h-ùrachadh gach bliadhna às dèidh sin, agus beachdan luchd-cleachdaidh ar seirbheisean a’ cur gu mòr ris a’ phròiseas sin. “Tha an sgioba solarachaidh againn air airgead a chùmhnadh don Chomhairle far am b’ urrainn dhaibh, agus tha iad fhathast ga chùmhnadh, airgead a ghabhas a chosg air seirbheisean riatanach. Ma choimheadas sibh air carbadan – le bhith faighinn aontaidhean ionmhasail nas fheàrr airson ar carbadan is innealan mòra, tha sinn a’ sàbhaladh airgead a ghabhas cleachdadh airson seirbheisean eile, leithid ar luchd-gleidhidh na h-àrainneachd, ar seirbheisean taice do sgoiltean agus airson a bhith cumail taighean-beaga poblach fosgailte. “Bidh an sgioba cuideachd ag obair gu cruaidh gus taic a thoirt don eaconamaidh ionadail, agus iad air còrr is an treas cuid de chùmhnantan na Comhairle a thoirt do ghnothachasan ionadail an-uiridh. Sin 67 cùmhnantan fa leth, agus tha còrr is 100 gnothachas a-nis a’ gabhail pàirt sa phrògram leasachaidh againn do luchd-solair. Chaidh a stèidheachadh ann an 2013, agus tha an t-seirbheis-taice a dh’aona-ghnothach seo do luchd-solair a’ tabhann bhùithtean-obrach an-asgaidh le trèanadh air tairgsean dhaibhsan aig a bheil ùidh ann a bhith cur tairgse a-steach airson cùmhnant poblach de sheòrsa sam bith, chan e dìreach cùmhnantan na Comhairle. “Tha e san amharc leis an ro-innleachd ùir seo togail air an deagh obair seo – oir ged a bhios tu a’ dèanamh rudeigin gu math, chan eil sin a’ ciallachadh nach urrainn dhut a dhèanamh nas fheàrr. Tha an sgioba seo a’ dol a chumail orra a’ leudachadh air an taic aca do ghnothachasan ionadail agus do ghnothachasan beaga is meadhanach mòra, agus iad a’ dèanamh nam pròiseasan cho furasta ’s as urrainn dhaibh, agus nì iad cinnteach gu bheil cothrom nas fheàrr aig mion-bhuidhnean air na pròiseasan. “Cuideachd, chaidh clàr-chùmhnantan a chruthachadh a gheibhear air ar Clàr-ceannaiche air Cùmhnantan Poblach na h-Alba. Tha sin a’ sealltainn nan cùmhnantan a th’ ann an-dràsta agus cuidichidh e gnothachasan airson a bhith ag ullachadh gus tairgse a chur a-steach airson cùmhnantan na Comhairle a tha gu bhith tighinn gu crìch. “Cumaidh sinn oirnn a’ cur chumhachan ri cùmhnantan mòra far am feum buannachdan coimhearsnachd a bhith ann, nuair as urrainn dhuinn, a bhios a’ fàgail dleastanas air a’ chunnradair cothroman fo-chùmhnaint a thabhann do ghnothachasan ionadail agus cothroman trèanaidh a thoirt do dh’òigridh ionadail. Tha e na phrìomh amas dhuinn cur ris an eaconamaidh ionadail agus tha solarachadh na phàirt cudromach den amas fharsaing againn airson fàs.” Tha an sgrìobhainn ùr a’ cur na tha a’ Chomhairle a’ rùnachadh a thaobh solarachadh an cèill – gum bithear a’ gleidheadh an luach as fheàrr; gum bithear a’ cur sàr-mhathas air adhart san raon choimeirsealta; gum bi e air aithneachadh gu bheil sinn a’ cur sàr mhodhan-obrach an sàs san raon seo agus gum bi na daoine a tha fuireach ann an sgìre na Comhairle aig cridhe a’ phròiseis. Chithear an ro-innleachd an seo: https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/council-and-government/plans-policies-and.... Gheibhear clàr-chùmhnantan na Comhairle aig https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/business-and-trade/find-tender Argyll and Bute Council launches new procurement strategy to support transformational change and innovation Argyll and Bute Council has launched its new procurement strategy which will guide the way it buys goods and services over the next year, supporting change and innovation as the council continues with its ambitious transformation agenda. Councillor Dick Walsh, Policy Lead for Customer Services, said: “The new strategy puts people in Argyll and Bute first – they are at the heart of what we do. This is a time of unprecedented challenge for local government finances. As we move forward effective procurement will become even more important, making sure we can get the very best value for the goods and services we buy in so that we can continue to support the services our communities have told us matter most to them. “The document covers the rest of this financial year and the next one – thereafter we will be updating it annually, with feedback from our customers being crucial to that process. “Our procurement team has and continues to save the council money wherever possible, money that can then be used for frontline services. Take vehicles as an example – by getting better financial agreements on our vehicles and plant we save money which can be used in other areas, like our environmental warden service, our school support and to keep public conveniences open. “The team also works hard to support the local economy, awarding over a third of council contracts to local businesses last year, amounting to 67 individual contract awards, and there are now over 100 businesses on our supplier development programme. Established in 2013, this bespoke supplier support service offers a range of free tender training workshops which help those interested in bidding for any kind of public contract, not just council ones. “The new strategy seeks to build on this good work – just because you do something well doesn’t mean you can’t do it better. The team will continue to develop its support for local businesses and small and medium sized businesses by streamlining their processes as far as possible, and making them more accessible to minority groups. “A contracts register has also been developed and is available on our Buyer Profile on Public Contracts Scotland. This shows our current contracts and is another way of helping businesses prepare to make bids for council contracts that are coming to an end. “We will continue to have community benefit clauses in large contracts, wherever possible, which require the contractor to offer sub-contracting opportunities to local businesses and provide training opportunities to local young people. ‘’Our main focus is on boosting the local economy and procurement is a key arm in our wider growth strategy.” The new document sets out the council’s procurement vision – to provide best value; to embed commercial excellence; to be recognised as having sector leading practices and to have the residents of the council area at the heart of the process. The strategy is available to view at: https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/council-and-government/plans-policies-and... The register of council contracts is available at https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/business-and-trade/find-tender