PվɫÇéƬ

An event will be held in Oban next week to enable graduates in PվɫÇéƬ and Bute to find out more about the opportunity to become fully qualified secondary school teachers without the need to move away from the area. PվɫÇéƬ has been working in partnership with the Universities of Dundee and the Highlands and Islands to agree a programme, recently approved by the General Teaching Council of Scotland, which will see student teachers based in local schools over an 18 month period.

School pupils in PվɫÇéƬ and Bute are celebrating exam success today − with 100% of National 3 and 4 students passing and more Higher and Advanced Higher pupils achieving pass marks than last year.

PվɫÇéƬ’s Trading Standards team is warning people to be aware of doorstep cold-callers, after receiving reports of traders turning up unplanned at peoples’ homes in the area to offer household maintenance, repairs and general improvement work. Before carrying out any work at your property, traders must provide you with written details that include the name and address of the trader, the price and details of the work involved.

People living in conservation areas or listed buildings in PվɫÇéƬ and Bute are being encouraged to check with the council before carrying out any changes to their property. PվɫÇéƬ and Bute has a total of 32 designated conservation areas, from Campbeltown to Tobermory.

Applications are being invited for PվɫÇéƬ’s Strategic Events and Festivals Fund for 2019-20. The Fund has a £113,000 budget for the 2019-20 period and is open for online applications now for a period of six weeks, closing at 12noon on Friday, September 14. Two grant pots will make up the Fund, one of which will allow applicants to apply for a grant of £5000 or less. The other is for grants of more than £5000. Applicants can only seek funding from one of the pots per event.

Campbeltown’s B-Listed Old Courthouse building is in the hands of a new owner who hopes to bring it back into use for the first time in more than 30 years.

Landlords in PվɫÇéƬ and Bute are being offered free advice on how the transition from Housing Benefit to Universal Credit will affect them.   With support from PվɫÇéƬ’s benefit unit, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will be hosting advice sessions at the end of August to give landlords information about how tenants will manage their Universal Credit accounts and payment of rent; how to avoid rent arrears; and what can be done when arrears do occur.

Strong leadership, customised support for schools, and staff committed to improvement are all recognised in a progress report on PվɫÇéƬ’s Education Service. HM Inspectors of Education (HM Inspectors) published their findings today (Tuesday 31 July) of a follow-up inspection of the steps the council is taking to improve its education functions.

Contractors working on the £12million Dunoon Queen’s Hall project have completed their official ‘handover’ of the building to PվɫÇéƬ. This important step in the process means the fantastic new facility remains on track to host its first public event on Friday, July 27 – a concert by Skipinnish, swiftly followed by ABBA Mania on Saturday, July 28, and a sold-out performance by The Proclaimers on Friday, August 3.

It has been confirmed today that Andrew Griffiths (Head of Education with Aberdeenshire Council) will be joining the Northern Alliance as Regional Improvement Lead.   His move will be on a seconded basis, and will begin in September 2018.