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There’s just a few days left to register to vote for people living in the Isle of Bute or Helensburgh and Lomond South council wards, where by-elections will take place on 18 March. It’s never too early to register to vote, but the deadline for these local elections is Tuesday 2 March – so, if you want to have your say in who represents your community, it’s worth taking a few minutes to make sure you can take part.

  The fund is open to any small businesses and the self-employed based in ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ and Bute who have suffered from the impacts of the pandemic and who have been ineligible for any COVID-19 related business support funds launched since 1 October 2020.   Applicants must:

Campbeltown has won Scotland’s most improved place in the 2020 SURF Awards. The award recognises best practice in community regeneration and is the result of an extensive regeneration programme by ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ and its key partners.  The appearance and vibrancy of Campbeltown’s town centre has been significantly improved with investment of £13 million to repair over 40 buildings, improve shopfronts and deliver parallel projects. They include: 

A replacement road must be agreed, planned, contracted, constructed and opened by May 2026 at the latest. This is the joint message sent by ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ and Bute’s Council Leader, and MSP, to the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Islands and Connectivity, Michael Matheson, in response to the publication of an update to the Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) earlier this month. Cllr Robin Currie, Leader of ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥, and Michael Russell, the region’s MSP have written to the Cabinet Secretary reiterating the need for key actions to be progressed swiftly:

Candidates standing for election in Bute and Helensburgh and Lomond South have now been confirmed. ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ is holding by-elections in two wards – Ward 8, Isle of Bute and Ward 11, Helensburgh and Lomond South – which each have a vacancy for one councillor. In Ward 8, Isle of Bute, the candidates are (in alphabetical order):

The impact of the covid pandemic features in budget planning reports that will be considered by the council’s Policy and Resources Committee this week. The cost to the council of responding to the pandemic is estimated to be more than £7 million in 2021/22, given for example lost income and increased contract costs for regeneration projects. Reports to the Policy and Resources Committee set out different options open to the council for making savings or raising income, and touch on the need to fund both the response to, and recovery from, the pandemic.

¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥â€™s Leader, Councillor Robin Currie, and Chief Executive, Pippa Milne, have formally signed up to the Scottish Government’s Household Recycling Charter and Code of Practice on behalf of the council. This continues the council’s strong commitment to reducing its carbon emissions and tackling climate change. ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ and Bute already complies with the majority of the essential requirements outlined in the charter’s Code of Practice.

Home testing will be available for staff and senior pupils required to return to school when restrictions are relaxed, with plans progressing for test kits to be freely available. With a return to school for some pupils being considered at a national level, ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ is working with the Scottish Government to put in place a testing programme for staff and pupils without the symptoms of coronavirus. This is to enable those affected to self-isolate as quickly as possible and reduce the risk of passing on the virus.

¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ will carry out essential maintenance works to the Craignure linkspan over the weekend of Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 March 2021 as part of its cylinder refurbishment programme. Ferry sailings over the weekend will be limited to a restricted passenger only service and those that will be running are: 13.15/17.00 departing Craignure on Saturday 6March; and09.15/13.15/17.00 departing Craignure on Sunday 7 March.Please check the CalMac website for up-to-date information.

A £70 million investment in economic growth for ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ and Bute was agreed today (11 Feb), with the formal signing of the area’s rural growth deal. The rural growth deal (RGD) brings together £25 million each from the Scottish and UK Governments, and at least £20 million via ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ and partners, creating opportunities for people living in the region and attracting future investment. With the signing, ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥, the UK Government and Scottish Government will agree the themes for the 10 – 15 year RGD programme of investment.