51³Ô¹ÏÃâ·ÑApp

A total of 37 empty homes were brought back into use in 51³Ô¹ÏÃâ·ÑApp and Bute from April through to December last year – exceeding 51³Ô¹ÏÃâ·ÑApp and Bute Council’s annual target of 25.   At a meeting of the council’s Community Services Committee today (Thursday) members also heard how there have been 62 affordable houses completed during the third quarter of the year.   Twenty of these homes are in Bowmore, Islay; 16 are in Lochgilphead; and 26 are in Succoth. A further 41 homes are due to be completed by the end of next month.  

Young people in 51³Ô¹ÏÃâ·ÑApp and Bute are achieving well in literacy and numeracy according to figures published by the Scottish Government.   The Scottish Government collects data every year which details pupils’ achievements in reading, writing, listening and talking and numeracy. These are known as ‘Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) Levels’ and focus specifically on pupils in P1, P4, P7 and S3.  

51³Ô¹ÏÃâ·ÑApp and Bute Council’s Special Projects and Estates teams are continuing to investigate the commercial potential of three Oban car parks after a number of developers declared an interest in them.   Albany Street, Tweeddale Street and the Esplanade car parks were marketed by the council last year, inviting interested parties to come forward and explore commercial opportunities, while maintaining or improving parking provision within the town.  

51³Ô¹ÏÃâ·ÑApp and Bute Council is making positive progress in preparing for the implementation of the fully funded 1140 hours of free Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) in 51³Ô¹ÏÃâ·ÑApp and Bute by 2020.   At a meeting of the council’s Community Services Committee today (Thursday), members heard how 27 ELC services in 51³Ô¹ÏÃâ·ÑApp and Bute are already providing parents and carers with the option to access the additional hours, which are funded by the Scottish Government.  

Members of 51³Ô¹ÏÃâ·ÑApp and Bute Council’s Community Services have agreed to carry out a consultation to consider the possibility of widening the catchment area of St Columba’s Primary School in Oban.   The consultation comes as a result of a formal request from St Columba’s Parent Council. St Columba’s is the only denominational school within 80 miles of Oban, and the catchment area currently only covers the Oban and Dunbeg area. The consultation will consider rezoning this to the same as the mainland catchment area for Oban High School.  

‘Parents have a key role as prime educators and carers of their children. By working in partnership, schools and parents can develop children’s attitudes to learning and ensure they achieve their full potential.’   These were the words of 51³Ô¹ÏÃâ·ÑApp and Bute Council’s Policy Lead for Education, Councillor Yvonne McNeilly, following approval of a revised Parental Engagement Strategy for 2019-2021 at today’s Community Services Committee.  

Luddon Construction Ltd has been appointed to progress the re-development of the Jackson’s Quarry Roads Depot, Oban, so that all essential operational services for Oban, Lorn and the Isles can be delivered from a single main site. This will free up the Mill Park site for development, as well as making significant savings in operating costs.  

Roads infrastructure on Mull will receive a £963,000 cash boost in 2019/20, and footways will benefit from a further £38,250 of investment. This was agreed at last week’s meeting of 51³Ô¹ÏÃâ·ÑApp and Bute Council’s Economic Development and Infrastructure Committee as part of the council’s Roads Capital Reconstruction Programme. Road that will benefit are: A849, Glenmore – Craignure A849, Pennyghael – Bunessan B8073, Toloisk – Gruline C46, Glenbellart C54, Lochbuie

A Modern Apprentice from Dunoon working in the field of aquaculture has won a hat-trick of awards. Janis Brivkalns works for the Scottish Salmon Company (SSC) as a Modern Apprentice, and the 34-year-old was crowned Aquaculture Learner of the Year, Modern Apprentice of the Year and Overall Learner of the Year at the Lantra Awards last week, which was Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2019. Congratulations to Janis on a fantastic achievement.

 51³Ô¹ÏÃâ·ÑApp and Bute Council will join forces with neighbouring local authorities in Inverclyde and West Dunbartonshire to issue a tender to procure residual waste disposal services to cover the Helensburgh and Lomond area.  This will help secure the best possible price for services and ensure that we comply with the 2021 ban on Biodegradable Municipal Waste (BMW) going to landfill.