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Budget planning will be on the agenda when the council’s Policy and Resources Committee meets next week. Councillors will consider reports that set out the scale of financial challenge, and work being done to prepare for the council setting its budget in February next year. Councillor Gary Mulvaney, Policy Lead for Financial Services said:

Regeneration work on Lochgilphead Front Green and Colchester Square, Lochgilphead, is now expected to begin in 2021. Councillor Alastair Redman, Policy Lead for Economic Development, said: “I want to reassure everyone that we are working really hard to deliver the projects successfully. Our goal is for construction to begin in 2021 with the majority of works being completed during the summer.

Communities across ����ֱ�� and Bute continue to play a significant part in the response to COVID-19. ����ֱ�� and partner organisations are looking to understand the strengths and challenges experienced during lockdown and to better understand how to work together moving forward in this time of resilience and recovery.  Following a series of conversations with community groups, an online forum is now available to collate all feedback and gather views on a number of issues. They include: What were the challenges communities faced during Covid-19?

Work is underway to create a multi-million pound swimming pool, leisure centre and enhanced flood defences for Helensburgh. In only a month, the Waterfront Development is taking shape with rock armour in place for the sea defences, foundation piles and ground beams prepared for steel works arriving in November.

Two pupils from Oban High School have won this year’s Poppy Scotland Learning Competition. Archie Malloch and Ruaridh Blackadder designed a football strip and came up with the idea of organising a charity football match to raise funds for the charity.

Following an extensive regeneration programme by ����ֱ�� with key partners, Campbeltown is shortlisted for Scotland’s most improved place in the 2020 SURF Awards. Each year, SURF, Scotland’s Independent Regeneration Network, and the Scottish Government team up to deliver the national SURF Awards for Best Practice in Community Regeneration.

Tributes have been paid to Councillor Ellen Morton, who passed away at the weekend. Councillor Robin Currie, Leader of ����ֱ��, said:

����ֱ�� and Bute’s council has to identify options to meet a projected budget gap of £6.7 million in 2021/2022, and as part of that, is asking for your views on amenity services. Savings can only come from a relatively small proportion of the council’s budget (32%), because of national priorities and other factors outside council control: Teacher posts are protected nationally Social work costs are managed by the Health and Social Care Partnership Utility, loan and other costs depend on external factors.

����ֱ�� is benefiting from Scottish Government funding, delivered through Scotland’s Town’s Partnership, to support eight towns across ����ֱ�� and Bute to promote a shop local message. The council will work with Community Links to talk to local communities and businesses in eight towns to generate shop local artwork and messaging ideas that represent the distinct characteristics and offering of each town. The towns involved are those currently without Business Improvement Districts (BIDS):

Kilcreggan Primary School has been awarded the prestigious Silver Rights Respecting School Award by Unicef – the first school in the UK to receive a virtual accreditation this term.