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Pupils from Dunoon Grammar School attended an International Reception at the Scottish Parliament on Thursday, June 21, to mark the 30th anniversary of an exchange programme with a German school. The reception was sponsored by Maree Todd, Minister of Childcare and Early Years, and was arranged to honour the long-running exchange with the Hardenberg Gymnasium school in the Bavarian city of Fürth.

A group of eight S3 girls from Rothesay Academy showed they’ve for what it take to be fire fighters when they took part in the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s Fire Reach Training Scheme.   Funded by ����ֱ��’s Youth Services, the scheme provides training and development opportunities to young people through fire related activities.  

Members of ����ֱ�� will formally thank Islay’s WW100 committee for providing an inspirational and ambitious programme of events to commemorate the centenary of the sinking of SS Tuscania and the collision of HMS Otranto, which took place off the shores of Islay during the Great War.   At a meeting of the full council next week members will pay tribute to the group for their part in organising the national remembrance events, honouring those who lost their lives in the incidents, and providing a lasting legacy for the local community.  

The Helensburgh Waterfront Development project has taken a major step forward after councillors agreed to progress plans that will see a new leisure centre and swimming pool opened in 2021. At today’s (Thursday 21 June) meeting of the Helensburgh and Lomond Area committee, councillors approved a recommendation to allow a formal detailed planning application to be made, and also agreed that the project team should progress to the technical design stage of the process for core elements such as piling and foundation work.

Concerns have been raised with us about the availability of burial space on Mull. There is no need for concern. There are more than 600 lairs available across the various cemeteries on the island. At Beadoun in Tobermory, we have capacity for the next two years and are already in the process of investigating ways to expand that particular site.

The producer of a Hollywood film starring Craig Ferguson and Kathie Lee Gifford and being shot in ����ֱ�� and Bute says he has fallen head over heels in love with the area and praised the warmth of local people. Love Me To Death is currently being filmed in various locations across ����ֱ��, with Lochgilphead town centre, Inveraray and Cairndow among the areas featuring. The film’s 140 cast and crew have been accommodated at Drimsynie, Lochgoilhead, and producer Matthew T. Weiner is full of praise for the area and its people.

“Tha e deatamach gun gabh pàrantan pàirt is ùidh ann am foghlam an cuid chloinne. Tha fianais a’ sealltainn gu bheil sgoilearan gan giùlan nas fhèin ann an dòigh nas fheàrr, a’ coileanadh barrachd agus tha iad nas fheàrr air a bhith a’ frithealadh na sgoile nuair a tha na pàrantan aca an sàs san fhoghlam aca. Tha sinne ann an Earra-Ghàidheal is Bòd a’ faireachdainn gu bheil seo fìor chudromach, agus tha sinn air cur romhainn iomairtean a chur an sàs mar thaic dha.”  

����ֱ��’s website has been awarded four stars by SOCITM - the society for IT practitioners in the public sector. In the society’s annual Better Connected report, ����ֱ�� and Bute is one of only 39 local authorities in the UK to achieve four star status, out of a total of 418 councils.   SOCITM has been assessing local authorities’ online performance since 1999 and evaluates a wide range of digital performance by local public service providers.  

People in Oban are being asked for their views and experiences of flooding in an open consultation session to be held next week. ����ֱ�� is in the process of investigating flood risk in the area with the aim of finding sustainable solutions, and value input from local residents.

Pupil Equity Funding is being put to good use in schools across ����ֱ�� and Bute, helping children to realise their potential and improve literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing.   At a meeting of the council’s Community Services Committee today (Thursday) Caroline Armour, head teacher at Dalintober Primary School in Campbeltown, was joined by Rona Young, Physical Education Co-ordinator, and Kathryn Wilkie, Area Education Officer, to explain to members the different ways that PEF is being used to benefit pupils.