News

We're now into the second week of our A to Z of council services. F is for Family Milestones Our registrars work hard to deliver a personal service. Responsible for registering births, deaths and marriages, their job can be emotional. “I really love my job,” said Registrar Shona Brechin, “No two days are ever the same and I like the fact that we get to help people at both the happiest and most difficult times of their life.” Since 2002 people have been able to get married anywhere.

A total of 933 vessel berth nights were spent at Argyll and Bute Council’s North Pier Pontoons, Oban, during June 2019. That’s more than three times higher than the total number of berth nights clocked up at the pontoons during the same month in 2018. The leap in the number of visitors, spending time in shops and restaurants, is great news for the Oban economy and cements its place as a ‘must visit’ location for sailors.

People living in Argyll and Bute are being given the opportunity to make their homes more energy efficient thanks to the Scottish Government’s Home Energy Efficiency Programmes for Scotland: Area Based Scheme (HEEPS: ABS). The Scottish Government has awarded Argyll and Bute Council a grant of £1,745,908 to help residents make energy efficiency improvements to their properties. These include external/internal wall insulation, underfloor insulation, cavity wall insulation and loft insulation.

The council has developed an Economic Strategy and associated Action Plan to focus its resources on economic development activities that will have the greatest benefit on the sustainable economic growth of its communities and Scotland as a whole. This new strategy demonstrates the council’s corporate priorities for developing the Argyll and Bute’s economy, thereby facilitating focus, effective resource planning and partnership working at local, national, European and international levels.

The council’s building standards team is responsible for ensuring members of the public are kept safe. Tony Casci works as an Area Team Leader and part of his remit involves dealing with dangerous buildings. “Buildings can become dangerous for a number of reasons,” he said, “Storm damage, fire damage, vandalism, ground subsidence and neglect are just some of these. Whilst property owners are responsible for maintaining their buildings, this doesn’t always happen and these buildings can often fall into disrepair.

C is for Community Group Support Did you know that the council has a department dedicated to providing support and advice to community groups? Kirsty Moyes works as a Community Development Officer with the council, helping community groups to access funding, increase volunteer numbers, improve their skills and knowledge, become more sustainable, create community action plans, increase in confidence… the list goes on!

Pupils at Dunoon Grammar recently took part in the school’s 31st German exchange visit. Thirty-five pupils returned to Dunoon Grammar School from a 10-day trip to Germany, laden with not only gifts and dirty washing for parents - but with many magical memories that will last a lifetime. The pupils, accompanied by six staff, visited Hardenberg Gymnasium in Furth, Bavaria.

B is for Benefits Meet Kerry Gillespie. Kerry is a Welfare Rights Assistant with the council, and provides members of the public with advice on benefits. “One of the most rewarding parts of my job is helping people,” Kerry said. “There are so many people out there who are entitled to claim benefits but aren’t doing so. I help them find out what they are eligible for and, if needed, I assist them with filling in any forms or paperwork. All our services are free, impartial and confidential.

Businesses in Argyll and Bute will benefit from digital skills training and one-to-one expert help thanks to £48,000 in Scottish Government funding. Business Gateway Argyll and Bute will deliver 19 DigitalBoost workshops and up to 20 one-to-one expert sessions with the funding, which is part of a Scotland-wide fund to continue the successful training until at least 2020.

Gheibh gnothachasan ann an Earra-Ghàidheal is Bòd cothroman air trèanadh ann an sgilean didseatach agus comhairle bho eòlaichean mar thoradh air maoineachadh luach £48,000 bho Riaghaltas na h-Alba. Bheir Fosglan Gnothachais Earra-Ghàidheal is Bhòid 19 bùithtean-obrach DigitalBoost seachad agus suas ri 20 seisean bho eòlaichean far am bi iad a’ toirt comhairle seachad do ghnothachasan fa leth, agus tha sin mar phàirt de sgeama maoineachaidh nàiseanta gus trèanadh a lìbhrigeadh gu co-dhiù 2020.