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Argyll and Bute Council’s annual Early Years Conference is being held in Dunoon this week.   The event will provide an opportunity for education professionals to come together to discuss examples of best practice and explore ideas.  

A new quick, simple way to pay for parking, wherever you are, has been launched throughout Argyll and Bute. PaySmarti is a fully digital, modern way to pay for parking through a simple phone call, using a debit or credit card, and give your car registration and location. Each purchase of parking time is automatically updated on the warden’s handheld computer leading to reduced errors, fewer appeals and lower costs.

The winners have been named in our October holidays photo competition – although picking the best pictures was no easy task thanks to the quality of shots submitted. Policy Lead for Education, Councillor Yvonne McNeilly, judged the entries and after much thought was finally able to pick a top three. We asked school pupils in Argyll and Bute to send us photographs they took over the October break to be in with a chance of winning one of three prizes.

Young people from across Argyll and Bute will be given the opportunity to have their say on how the area is run, when they meet with some of the area’s key decision makers next week.   ‘The Big Conversation’ is being organised by Argyll and Bute Council’s Youth Services Team, and will provide a platform for young people to talk to the Council Leader; members of the Scottish Youth Parliament; and community planning representatives, including Skills Development Scotland and the police.  

A group of education professionals from a school in Norway made a second visit to Oban High School this week as part of an international exchange programme which looks at ways of sharing best practice and explores opportunities for young people aged 16 years and over. The Norwegian Head Teachers: Wenche Rudshaug Kavali and Olav Wennemo were welcomed to the school by Head Teacher Peter Bain; Argyll and Bute Council’s Policy Lead for Education, Councillor Yvonne McNeilly; Depute Policy Lead, Councillor Kieron Green; and Executive Director of Community Services, Douglas Hendry.

A site with a stunning view, next to Oban Airport, is available for development. The Council is making a final call for offers from partners with the vision to help assist in developing this new strategic site to its full potential. The closing date for offers is 12 noon on 23 November 2018. The 3.5ha site, earmarked for business and industry, is six miles north of Oban and sits adjacent to the airport and the A828.

Dunoon Grammar School has launched an initiative to encourage young people to make their voice heard and get involved in making important decisions about their learning experiences. The ‘Wee How Good is Our School’ (Wee HGIOS) initiative has been launched as part of Education Scotland’s HGIOS 4 - a framework designed to support self-evaluation in schools.

Speaking ahead of the Chancellor’s Budget statement next week, the Resources Spokesperson for COSLA (Convention of Scottish Local Authorities), Councillor Gail Macgregor said: “Through delivery of essential services – children’s services, housing, transport, social care, environmental protection, and more - Local Government is the life blood of Scotland. These essential services create opportunities for individuals and communities to thrive.

Two heritage projects from Argyll and Bute are toasting success as the winners of the Scottish Heritage Angel Awards 2018 were revealed. Scooping the awards for Best Rescue of a Historic Building or Place (under £2m and over £2m respectively) were the project to rescue Dunoon Burgh Halls, which reopened in June 2017 as a community arts hub following major refurbishment, and Campbeltown Community Business Ltd, who led the project to restore the category A listed Campbeltown Picture House.

  An Empty Homes Officer from Argyll and Bute Council has been short-listed for two prestigious awards for her work in trying to combat the problem of empty homes.    Kelly Ferns is a finalist in both the Outstanding Individual and Best Before and After Photography categories at the Howdens Scottish Empty Homes Champions of the Year Awards.    Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony which takes place alongside the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership annual conference on Monday 26 November in Stirling.