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‘This will bring benefits for everyone’ - that was the message for the UK Government at the latest ����ֱ�� and Bute Rural Growth Deal talks.  ����ֱ�� Leader, Councillor Aileen Morton, met with the Secretary of State for Scotland, David Mundell MP, in Edinburgh on 27th June, to discuss progressing the potentially transformational Deal for ����ֱ�� and Bute.

Helensburgh Pier could play a key part in delivering the town’s waterfront development successfully. The contractor appointed to deliver the £18million project will, if required, have access to the pier for project-related uses such as receiving supplies. Progress has been made in raising understanding in the construction industry of the project’s requirements, with a number of potential bidders responding to the initial tender issued by ����ֱ��.

����ֱ�� reaffirmed its commitment to tackling child poverty when members approved a draft Child Poverty Action Plan at 27 June's full council. The plan sets out what steps the council will take to tackle and raise awareness of child poverty and its intended outcomes. 

����ֱ�� agreed at its June meeting to provide additional funding to Kintyre Recycling Ltd (KRL) and Fyne Futures. This will enable the companies to continue to deliver kerbside recycling services in South Kintyre and Bute until their contracts come to a natural end in March 2020. KRL will receive around £32, 662, while Fyne Futures has been allocated £37,500.

����ֱ�� has agreed on eight distinct projects, across the area, that will benefit from an allocation of £1,242,000 from the Scottish Government’s Town Centre Fund. The decision was taken at the meeting of full council on 27 June 2019. The projects identified to receive the funding are:

Council Modern Apprentice, Ashleigh Connor, has just passed her “blue light” training to allow her to drive Campbeltown’s fire engines in emergency situations. Twenty-year-old Ashleigh has been a retained firefighter for two years. As the crew was short of drivers, and Ashleigh as an apprentice HGV mechanic already held a Class 2 Licence, she decided to go for it. Training involved a week-long intensive course in Glasgow, comprising classroom and on-road work. Studies covered hazard awareness, motorway driving and understanding different types of roads.

����ֱ�� is inviting people to have their say on the area’s housing needs. Over the next few months a survey will be carried out to give people the opportunity to help shape future planning for housing in ����ֱ�� and Bute, and help the council meet their current and future needs. The survey will be conducted by an independent company called Research Resource, on the council’s behalf.

Education staff from across ����ֱ�� and Bute recently attended a special awards ceremony in Inveraray to receive their SQA Professional Development Award (PDA) in Education Support. Louise Lawson, ����ֱ��’s Manager for Inclusion and Equality, presented the certificates on behalf of the council to 18 classroom and additional support needs assistants before congratulating the candidates on their hard work and commitment.

A group of young people were treated to a VIP tour of Dunoon Primary School’s new East Wing, after winning a hard-fought competition. Primary seven pupils from schools across Cowal, recently attended Dunoon Grammar School for their induction into the secondary school. As part of this, the children took part in a STEM showcase event (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).

In order to ensure public safety, a decision has been made to close Duchess Wood in Helensburgh until further notice. Part of the on-going management and maintenance of Duchess Wood includes undertaking a survey of the condition of the woodland. Unfortunately, the most recent survey has highlighted a number of safety issues which need to be addressed, including urgent remedial works to trees.