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Achaleven Primary has been awarded its eighth Green Flag by Ecoschools Scotland. Pupils have been working hard to incorporate environmental matters into everyday life, not only in the school, but also in the local community and beyond.

The council is developing new policies on the best way to manage cemeteries throughout the area in the coming years and we would like to hear your views. It is really important to take steps now to ensure that options are available for people when they need them in the future. ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ and Bute has 131 Cemeteries spread throughout its communities, however 67 cemeteries are now closed to the sale of spaces. Community volunteers, in a small number of areas, support council services by maintaining local burial grounds. Similar initiatives would be welcomed elsewhere.

A group of creative pupils from Hermitage Academy received a top award for their skills in building an underwater vehicle. Hermitage was one of 15 schools selected to take part in SUBS in Schools – a new initiative run by Engineering in Motion (EIM), and backed by the Royal Navy, based around the four STEM subjects - Science, Technology, Engineering and Technology.

¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ has awarded an art gallery, delicatessen, museum and fabric shop with Shopfront Improvement Grants in the latest round of funding.

Work will start on 24 January to provide a safer and more attractive environment for people walking and cycling to Lochgilphead. The £500, 000 investment includes improvements to Colchester Square and ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ Street, and will help support local businesses by encouraging more people to visit the town centre.  Footways will be widened and resurfaced using Achnaba greenstone, sourced from a local quarry. Other improvements include:                                       

¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ continues to support businesses in dealing with the impact of Covid-19. To date the council has supported around four thousand businesses and has paid out over £38 million across all the Scottish Government grant schemes including the Strategic Framework Business Fund. The council has a dedicated webpage with information and support for businesses including access to a range of grants. Please visit the website in the first place for details and to check you are eligible to apply.

Parents of children in ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ and Bute who were born between 1 March 2018 and 28 February 2019, are being invited to register them for a funded Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) place next week. This year’s registration will take place online via the council website, due to Covid-19 restrictions, and registration will be open from Monday 25 January until Friday 28 January. If you are unable to access the online registration form please call the Early Years helpline on 01369 708503.

¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ is considering options to secure the future of Craignure ferry terminal and anyone interested, whether a Mull resident, business or visitor, is being encouraged to give their thoughts through a consultation. Plans being developed will cover not just the long-term future of the pier, but also what needs to be done now to make sure it can continue to operate in the medium term.

Councillor Rory Colville, Policy Lead for Roads and Infrastructure Services, is urging us all to join in the drive to create a Climate Friendly ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ and Bute by pledging to reuse or recycle. He says: “For those of us having an early year clear out, remember that a lot of what we plan to throw away won’t have reached the end of its useful life. “And although we don’t want it, someone else might. “Reusing unwanted items, by donating or selling them, is much better for the environment. It cuts down on waste, the associated carbon impacts and can create jobs.

Congratulations to the people of Bute who recently won the TSB Community Heroes Award at the Pride of Scotland Awards. The Awards celebrate ordinary people doing extraordinary things. The Award was presented to the Bute community for opening their doors and hearts to families fleeing the war in Syria. Tune in tonight on STV at 8pm #abplace2b