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The Northern Alliance regional improvement collaborative is preparing for an ‘Include Me Week’ in May, providing opportunities for teachers and practitioners across its eight local authorities to take part in 30-minute ‘bitesize’ sessions on how best to engage children and young people in the planning and decisions that directly affect them.

Polling stations are safe places to vote and while there are options like postal or proxy votes, some people will still prefer to cast their vote in person. People will see some changes at polling stations – all designed to ensure that voters can comply with Covid-19 restrictions like social distancing. There may be separate doors to enter and leave the polling place, and a one-way system marked out to follow once inside. As is the case when using other public buildings like shops and supermarkets, face coverings should be worn while inside unless exempt.

School pupils across Argyll and Bute will be getting up close and personal with nature this summer as a result of a kind donation of flower seeds from the directors of Slange Var, an award-winning non- alcoholic drink. Company founder, Sarah Dougan, lives in Argyll and offered the seeds to schools in the area to encourage and enhance biodiversity in school grounds. The bee, bird and butterfly and wet meadow mixes were sent out by Scotia Seeds Ltd and will be sown by pupils over the next few weeks.

Work to transform Lochgilphead’s Front Green into a community and recreation space will start in June with the contract awarded to Hawthorn Heights Ltd. The development includes: -          A new play park -          A new public square -          Increased seating -          Improved cycling and walking facilities -          Enhanced drainage and land raising Councillor Alastair Redman, Policy Lead for Business, Regeneration and Commercial Development:

The Discretionary Fund phase 2 is now open and available to small businesses and the self-employed based in Argyll and Bute. The fund is open to businesses who have suffered from the impact of the pandemic and who have not been in receipt of any COVID-19 related business support funds since 1 October 2020.  

The island of Lismore will have a new ferry running to Port Appin by the end of this year. Argyll and Bute Council has awarded the contract to build the new 12 metre replacement ferry to Welsh marine engineers and workboat builders Mainstay Marine Solutions. The new ferry will be built to meet the specifications set out in new regulations being introduced by the Maritime Coastguard Agency.

Members of the public will be able to watch key council committee meetings on-line when its initiative to develop digital meetings completes later this year. The Council agreed when it met yesterday (15 April) to continue holding committee meetings virtually, as part of working covid-safely. It also agreed to move to using digital software that makes it possible to stream and record meetings as they take place.

Talented knitters from across the globe came together to assist Hermitage Primary when the school’s parent council made an appeal for people to help them pay tribute to the achievements of pupils during lockdown. The school’s values are ‘Bees’: Be Kind, Be Respectful, Be Responsible and Be the Best You Can Be. So, the parent council invited people to knit a unique bee for every member of the schools – 450 pupils and staff!

Plans to transfer Argyll and Bute Council’s Community Learning and Development service over to liveArgyll were formally approved at today’s meeting of the full council. The arrangement comes as part of a Leisure Theme review that formed the council’s budget planning process for 2021-22. Argyll and Bute Council’s Policy Lead for Education, Councillor Yvonne McNeilly, said: “As part of the Leisure Theme Review, the council and liveArgyll mutually agreed that it would be beneficial to transfer Community Learning and Development over to liveArgyll.

Do you want to have your say in the Scottish Parliamentary Elections? Take five minutes to register to vote and make sure you are able to take part. There is still time to register before the deadline of Monday 19 April. The Scottish Parliamentary Election takes place on Thursday 6 May 2021. Everyone in Scotland is represented by eight Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) - one constituency MSP and seven MSPs for the larger region in which they live.