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Argyll and Bute Council is asking members of the public about their priorities for council services, as it prepares to bridge an estimated £9.2m funding gap in 2020/21. Councillor Aileen Morton, Leader of the Council explained: “Unfortunately, it has become the norm to speak every year about how much of a funding gap the council has.

Imagine working as a teacher and being able to do physical education classes on an unspoilt beach instead of a school gym? Well, for Jonathan Pye, the principal teacher at Small Isles Primary on Jura, this is a reality. Jonathan started out his teaching career in Burnley, before moving to Jura in April this year to take up the principal teacher post. “I love Scotland.” He said, “I’m not Scottish but, growing up, whenever I reached the border I always felt I was coming home.

Staff and pupils at Lochgilphead Joint Campus have been getting into the spirit of Halloween, whilst also doing their bit to keep Argyll and Bute’s food banks stocked up. Science Technician, Caroline Waterhouse, came up with the novel idea of growing pumpkins at the school and inviting staff to pay to carve them.

Argyll and Bute Integrated Joint Board (IJB) is the Governance Board of Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) and has responsibility for the planning, resourcing and overseeing of the operational delivery of integrated services. Membership of the IJB comprises elected councillors from Argyll and Bute Council, NHS Highland Board members and individuals from a range of sectors and stakeholder groups including the Third Sector, Independent Sector, patients/service users, Trade Unions, staff and carers.

Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) is committed to ensuring that members of the local community are involved in the planning of Health and Social Care services within Argyll and Bute. One of the ways of achieving this is through Locality Planning Groups (LPGs) which bring together NHS and Council staff, community members, carers, representatives from the third and independent sectors and community-based groups who work together to improve the health and wellbeing of the community in which they live. The HSCP has four LPGs and these are:

Do you know a young person in Argyll and Bute aged between 11 and 25 who is truly inspirational?

Councillors have represented the transport needs of Argyll and Bute in an official response to the Scottish Government’s National Transport Strategy. Responding to a public consultation on the draft National Transport Strategy, known as NTS2, Argyll and Bute Council has supported the Strategy’s commitment to an inclusive and accessible transport system that results in a fairer and more prosperous Scotland, while calling for guarantees that there is no adverse impact on rural areas.

Argyll and Bute Council has made significant progress in supporting and promoting the use of British Sign Language (BSL) over the last 12 months. At a meeting of today’s Policy and Resources Committee, members heard how six of the seven measures identified in its Joint British Sign Language Plan have either been completed or put in to practice since the plan was approved in October 2018.

Members of the public will be asked for their views on the council’s latest campaign to bring funding to Argyll and Bute, as part of a consultation on budget priorities. At its meeting today (17 October), council agreed to seek the views of local people on how best to bridge an estimated funding gap of £9.2million in 2020/21. The consultation highlights work the council has been doing to increase funding for local services through the potential transfer of four council-run ferries to Transport Scotland.

A refreshed procurement strategy and policy which make it easier for small businesses to bid for work has been approved by Argyll and Bute Council. The updated Procurement Strategy 2020/21 and Sustainable Procurement Policy set out to ensure the council achieves best value in its procurement processes and that small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are supported to deliver improvements for the people and communities in Argyll and Bute.