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Information from the National Adult Support and Protection Scotland Independent Convenors’ Group The pandemic has made vulnerable adults less visible. As part of National Adult Support and Protection Day 2022 (20 February), people are being asked to keep an eye out for things that don’t look right, and to report concerns as an adult protection referral.

“We must plan for ����ֱ�� and Bute’s long as well as short term future when we set the council’s budget next week.” These were the words of Council Leader, Councillor Robin Currie, following discussion of the council’s budget at the Policy and Resources Committee. Estimates show budget gaps for ����ֱ�� and Bute’s council services of £2.2 million in 2022/23, and as much as another £30 million+ in the three years after that. Councillor Currie said:

����ֱ�� and Bute’s Rural Growth Deal continues to progress towards the green light for £70 million of economic-growth initiatives across the area. At its recent meeting, the council’s Policy and Resources Committee agreed to invest £150,000 in supporting the development of rural growth deal (RGD) projects and business cases to the detail required to reach the next key milestone in the RGD process – signing the Full Deal with the Scottish and UK Governments. ����ֱ�� and Bute’s RGD focuses on the eight key themes, based on driving inclusive economic growth:-  

����ֱ�� will submit bids to the UK Government Levelling Up Fund, to bring up to £70 million to ����ֱ�� and Bute for two major regeneration and transport projects. One bid will be for an area regeneration/heritage town centre project, maximum £20 million, and the other a transport bid, for up to £50 million The regeneration/heritage bid – titled ����ֱ�� and Bute Western Seaboard Marine Gateways - involves proposals for Rothesay and Dunoon.

Funding to support events and festivals that will boost economic growth in ����ֱ�� and Bute has been approved by the Council’s Policy and Resources Committee. Eleven events across culture, sport and the arts will receive support totalling £95,300 from Round 4 of the Council’s Strategic Events and Festivals Fund (SEF). These are:

Improvements to bus services in Oban and Lorn are timetabled for the near future as the result of a successful bid made by a local partnership to the Scottish Government. The ����ֱ�� and Bute Bus Partnership have tapped into the Bus Partnership Fund to implement bus priority measures designed to make local services quicker, more reliable and more attractive as an alternative to the car.

Creating a vibrant community and repairing historic buildings in and around Helensburgh’s Waterfront and attracting further investment to the town are all part of a new £2 million pound heritage-led grant scheme. The Helensburgh Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme (CARS) 2021-2026 offers funding to help property owners repair buildings and shopfronts within a defined CARS Boundary within Helensburgh Town Centre Conservation Area, which can be found on the council website: 

Improved town centre access, a safer cycling and walking route and replacement play equipment, are just some of the works happening in Tarbert throughout February and March.   Tarbert is set to benefit from major regeneration works as part of the Councils ongoing commitment to economic recovery across ����ֱ�� and Bute.   Work is due to start from 14 February to widen a section of Tawny Trail, a popular walking and cycling path between School Road and Oakfield. The work also includes installing new lighting, drainage and an enlarged culvert on the route.  

Communities across ����ֱ�� and Bute are set to benefit from a host of active travel projects following the announcement of new Scottish Government funding.   ����ֱ�� has received an award of £771,900 from the Places for Everyone programme to deliver ambitious regeneration projects through design stage to construction.   Places for Everyone is a Scottish Government funded infrastructure programme, administered by Sustrans, which aims to create safe, attractive, healthier places by increasing the number of trips made by walking, cycling and wheeling.

Our schools, pavements, potholes, bins, grass cutting, community regeneration and many more everyday essential activity is affected by the annual Council budget process. In this podcast Chief Executive Pippa Milne and Executive Director Kirsty Flanagan discuss ����ֱ��’s budget, how it is funded, limitations on spending decisions, the budget development process and how decisions are made.