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Are you a business owner looking to undertake repairs to your shopfront? The Shopfront Improvement Grant is helping to transform businesses across ����ֱ�� and Bute, attracting more people and investment to the area. The Shopfront Improvement Grant is now available to smaller settlements and rural retail businesses. Grants can help with painting, joinery and masonry work.   Using Scottish Government Place Based Investment Funding, the grant aims to support place policy ambitions such as town centre revitalisation.

Have you ever wanted to have a go on an electric bike? Fancy taking a stroll around an outdoor market full of sustainable suppliers? Maybe you’d like to find out how you can make your home more energy efficient? These are just a few of the things that will be on offer at ����ֱ��’s family-friendly climate change event at the Helensburgh and Lomond Civic Centre between 12noon and 4pm this Saturday (6 November).

����ֱ�� is holding a by-election to elect one councillor in Ward 9, Lomond North, on Thursday 16 December. The Lomond North Ward includes the areas surrounding Helensburgh, from Luss to Rosneath, and has an electorate of just over 6,000 people.

����ֱ��’s education and property services teams have been shortlisted for two national Learning Places Scotland Awards for their work in delivering 1140 hours of Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) to all three and four year olds, and eligible two year olds, in the area.

The UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) is being held in Glasgow from 31 October until 12 November and, as a result, a number of roads in the city centre will be closed during this time. Alternative routes will be in place but, with travel disruptions likely, motorists are being urged to plan their journeys in advance and travel out with peak times. If you live in or near Glasgow, or intend to travel to the city during this time, please consider if your journey is essential before setting off.

A national care service, as proposed by the Scottish Government, is not the solution to social care service challenges, especially for rural communities – this is the view that ����ֱ�� will submit to the Scottish Government’s national consultation. The council convened a special full Council meeting today (Thursday 28 October) to consider proposals for creating a national care service for Scotland.

The new passenger ferry for the island of Lismore is nearing completion and preparing for delivery in December. The new 12 metre replacement vessel, Lady of Lismore, designed by Keel Marine, Petersfield, is being built by Mainstay Marine Solutions Ltd, Pembrokeshire. It will be launched on 15 November for sea trials and certification by Maritime and Coastguard Agency surveyors before steaming 302 nautical miles north to delivery at Port Appin on Loch Linnhe.

Attracting more people to the Isle of Bute and extending the tourism season will help with ongoing economic recovery from the impact of the pandemic. A new bespoke sculptural welcome sign is now located in the Winter Gardens with visitors encouraged to photograph and share the Bute welcome to the rest of the world.

“Cities come in all shapes and sizes.  Bidding for city status is one step in ensuring that Oban, and ����ֱ�� and Bute more widely, have as much chance for a successful future as other parts of Scotland.” With work continuing to enter Oban in the national competition for city status, part of the Queen’s platinum jubilee celebration in 2022, Councillor Robin Currie, Leader of ����ֱ��, outlined the potential benefits:

Campbeltown residents are invited to the Town Hall on 3 and 4 November to find out more about the proposed local flood protection scheme and the construction works planned for 2022. The Flood Protection Scheme (FPS) for Campbeltown is led by ����ֱ�� and comprises of catchment-wide flood mitigation works and property flood measures.