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A new £1.57 billion package of emergency grants and loans for the arts has been announced by the UK Government with an estimated share of £97M for Scotland. Under the new scheme, organisations from the performing arts and theatres, heritage, historic places, museums, galleries, live music and independent cinema will be able to apply for emergency grants and loans.

As it continues to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, ����ֱ�� is highlighting the importance of council tax in delivering council services, and thanks the vast majority of residents, who continue to pay their tax, for playing their part in keeping vital services going. The council is also highlighting that help is available in some circumstances if you are having difficulty paying your council tax. Councillor Gary Mulvaney, Policy Lead for Strategic Finance, said:

����ֱ�� and Bute Child Protection Committee (ABCPC) is urging families and communities to find out how to help children and young people stay safe on-line.  This messages comes on the back of increased concerns from Police Scotland about online child abuse crimes.  As children and young people spend more time online there is an increase in the chances they will see something which isn't intended for them, be targeted by cyberbullies or on-line criminal offenders. 

In line with Scottish Government guidance, ����ֱ�� will be resuming the Home Energy Efficiency Programme Scotland: Area Based Scheme insulation programme. BCA Insulation has been appointed the scheme contractor and will be resuming external works from Monday 6 July 2020. Works that will be given priority at the restart of operations are those partially started in March and that were programmed for the Kintyre and Mid ����ֱ�� areas before COVID-19.

The Leader of ����ֱ�� is encouraging local businesses to find out about funding support before the deadline of 10 July. The council has already secured more than £31 million of funding for local businesses, through the Scottish Government’s Business Support Fund. Grants are available to match different business circumstances. Funding awarded to date has included grants ranging from £7,500 to £25,000. The nationally-set deadline for applications has been moved from March 2021 to 10 July 2020.

Following on from national guidance and the easing of some lockdown restrictions, facilities across ����ֱ�� and Bute can now start to open.  

����ֱ�� has agreed an action plan that will progress improvement in key areas identified by the Accounts Commission’s Best Value Review.

Children and young people across ����ֱ�� and Bute have been doing their bit for the environment during lockdown, helping to offset global warming in the process.  Before the summer holidays started, schools were actively encouraging pupils to take part in outdoor learning activities as part of their home schooling, with many teachers giving pupils tasks to help raise awareness of climate change.

A strategy for helping ����ֱ�� and Bute move on from the impact of COVID-19 has been agreed by the council’s Business Continuity Committee (BCC). A report to the BCC outlined the ways in which COVID-19 was affecting council services as well as local people and businesses.

A group of pupils from Dunoon Grammar have won at the Apps for Good UK awards 2020 for the fourth year running – beating off stiff competition from schools from across the UK, Portugal and the USA. epicpen, a smart auto injection pen which contacts emergency services and loved ones if a user is taking an anaphylactic shock, scooped the Future Technologist category at this year’s Apps for Good awards final, which was hosted online due to the Covid-19 pandemic.