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Louise Morrison was a pupil at Dunoon Grammar School, when an opportunity arose for her to do a foundation apprenticeship at Clyde Cottage Nursery. Fast forward two years and she is now doing a Modern Apprenticeship, working with the nursery full time.

Works to create a new public square in the heart of Ardrishaig is due to start later this year. The square is a long held community aspiration and part of a wider transformation project that will see improved seating, access and redesigned car parking and gardens. ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ is investing £700,000 to help transform the area into a vibrant village centre with improved community and visitor facilities.  The work includes:

¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ and Bute’s future scientists, engineers and IT gurus are a step closer to making their career ambitions a reality with the announcement of plans to create a special STEM Hub in Dunoon.   The Council has appointed architects Anderson, Bell and Christie to lead the transformation of the former Hill Street office in Dunoon.  

A former Oban High School pupil’s career is off to a flying start after taking up the position of a modern apprentice at Oban Airport. Cameron Allen, aged 20, first visited the airport for work experience eight years ago while he was still attending school and loved it. Unfortunately, for Cameron, there were no job vacancies at the time so he went on to study computer science at the University of the Highlands and Islands.

The £1.5 million transformation of Lochgilphead’s Front Green is progressing well and nearing the planned completion date. ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ is delivering the long held community aspiration of a new public square to hold events in. The works also include a new play park, additional seating, drainage and landscaping to help ease the impact of flooding and new walking and cycling facilities.

Work is progressing well to set up a Harbour Authority that would manage key parts of Oban Bay. ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ has received backing overall from stakeholders CMAL (Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited) and Oban Bay Management Group for taking on the role of Statutory Harbour Authority (SHA), and is progressing action to meet legal requirements to do this. Setting up a SHA follows findings of an independent report into options for putting formal management arrangements in place for the unmanaged section of Oban Bay.  

Young people in ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ and Bute schools are having their say on ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥â€™s proposals for a new ‘collective’ model for school leadership in the authority. These proposals aim to empower the leadership of our schools to work more effectively together and share resources to enhance the education of all pupils. They have been developed with ongoing input from ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ and Bute’s Head Teachers and education experts.

Projects designed to transform ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ and Bute and boost the appeal of its towns and villages to investors and visitors are continuing to make good progress. At a meeting of the Environment, Development and Infrastructure committee, councillors were given an update on 18 projects that have attracted funding of £37 million to support the transformation of communities across the area.

¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥lors have renewed their calls for urgent action to tackle the ongoing issues affecting the Rest and Be Thankful and the main A83 road. The move forms part of a wide-ranging response from the Council on various transport issues affecting the region to the Scottish Government’s draft second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2).

¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ has confirmed plans to provide funding support for a range of community projects in the area. More than £800,000 from the Scottish Government’s Place Based Investment (PBI) Programme is being channelled into supporting eight new regeneration and restoration projects. In the first of five annual funding rounds from the programme, the Council received an allocation of £821,000 and has confirmed support for projects aimed at enhancing towns across ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ and Bute communities. These include: