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Estimates show that there will be £33 million less for council services in ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ and Bute over the next five years, with the council having to make another £2.5 million of savings in 2022/23 alone. Council has agreed its approach for identifying ways in which to meet these challenges. This will involve:

Ever wondered what it would be like to be a childminder? Here, husband and wife duo, Dee and Brian Pennock from Taynuilt, share their experience... In the summer of 2008 my husband and I became registered childminders in ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ and Bute. We both came from backgrounds which had no connection whatsoever to do with children or childminding but were both looking for a different challenge……. we found it!

¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ has approved a package of funding support for a range of community-based projects to help the area’s recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. The council has received £537,000 from the Scottish Government’s Flexible Fund scheme. The Fund enables councils and their partners, including ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership, to provide additional support, as communities across Scotland emerge from lockdown, with a particular emphasis on people at risk through health or social inequalities.

¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ will deliver additional regeneration projects as part of the Scottish Government’s Place Based Investment Programme (PBIP).   The council today, approved an initial first phase of £260,000 to support a range of major improvement projects in the area. The overall PBIP council allocation for 2021/2022 is £821,000. A report highlighting the next phase of funding will be presented at the Policy and Resources Committee in August.  

¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ has given the go-ahead for a ballot on the proposal to establish a Business Improvement District (BID) on the Isle of Bute. A BID is part of a town, tourism and visitor area in which businesses work together to invest in local improvements to help enhance their communities. BIDs can only exist if they get support from a clear majority of local businesses in a vote.

ISSUED ON BEHALF OF THE ARGYLL AND BUTE CHILD PROTECTION COMMITTEE

S1 pupils at Campbeltown Grammar School marked the end of their year-old interdisciplinary programme last week when they hosted a mini Olympic games. Interdisciplinary classes combine lessons in different subjects around a common theme. Young people worked with specialist teachers in various subjects over the last 12 months to explore gender stereotypes and produce a script and storyboard for an advert which went against this.

¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ is running a campaign to recruit new childminders, particularly for children aged 0 to 3 years in rural areas. Full support is available and the council’s early years team will help guide potential candidates through the whole process, from the initial enquiry, to registering with the Care Inspectorate. Financial assistance is also available for equipment such as pushchairs and stairgates, as well as small home adaptations. Dee and Brian Pennock are a husband and wife duo from Taynuilt, who started childminding in 2008.

Information issued by NHS Highland 17 June 2021  Following our communication on the 16 June, there has been a further increase in cases of COVID-19 across ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ and Bute with 32 cases identified since yesterday. Multiple schools have been affected and businesses have had to close.

Information from NHS Highland