Argyll and Bute Council today set a budget to address a £10 million+ gap in the council’s revenue budget for running services, and a nearly £30 million gap in its capital budget for infrastructure such as roads reconstruction programmes, harbour investment, regeneration projects, bridge maintenance, maintaining social care, education and Live Argyll properties, and weather recovery work.

The council is to appoint a new Housing Project Officer to help tackle the housing emergency affecting communities across Argyll and Bute.

“Councils can only spend what we can fund. We have to make choices that deliver the most benefit possible from the limited funding we have. Setting the council’s budget will be as simple and as complex as that.”

Projects in coastal communities across Argyll and Bute are set to benefit from new funding.

Fifteen arts, culture, and sports events will benefit from around £115,000 of support from the latest round of Argyll and Bute Council’s Strategic Events and Festivals Fund (SEF).

Tackling the threat of climate change and protecting local communities and services will remain a key priority for the council in the year ahead.

A new council partnership project with Scottish Futures Trust (SFT), to assess the quality of the digital signal across the region, will be launched as part of plans to improve mobile phone coverage across Argyll and Bute.

More opportunities to walk, cycle and wheel along Campbeltown Esplanade and Kinloch Park, is the aim of a proposed active travel route for the town centre.

“Council services need funding. The harsh reality is that Argyll and Bute is facing a budget gap of more than £10 million next year alone.”

Tayvallich Primary School and Early Learning Centre are celebrating after receiving a glowing report with ‘goods’ and ‘very goods’ across the board, from Education Scotland, following a recent inspection.