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The impact of the covid pandemic features in budget planning reports that will be considered by the council’s Policy and Resources Committee this week. The cost to the council of responding to the pandemic is estimated to be more than £7 million in 2021/22, given for example lost income and increased contract costs for regeneration projects. Reports to the Policy and Resources Committee set out different options open to the council for making savings or raising income, and touch on the need to fund both the response to, and recovery from, the pandemic.

A £70 million investment in economic growth for PվɫÇéƬ and Bute was agreed today (11 Feb), with the formal signing of the area’s rural growth deal. The rural growth deal (RGD) brings together £25 million each from the Scottish and UK Governments, and at least £20 million via PվɫÇéƬ and partners, creating opportunities for people living in the region and attracting future investment. With the signing, PվɫÇéƬ, the UK Government and Scottish Government will agree the themes for the 10 – 15 year RGD programme of investment.

A small number of properties in Campbeltown are eligible to receive grant support to help make them more resilient to flood damage. Owners and occupiers were contacted at the end of last year. However, in order to take advantage of the funds and improvements on offer, anyone who has not been in touch must do so by 28 February 2021. This offer, jointly funded by PվɫÇéƬ and the Scottish Government, is only available now.

The final design proposals for the public realm improvements to Ardrishaig North are now ready to view. An on-line consultation will run from Friday 12 February until Friday 26 February at . This project is part of the Tarbert and Lochgilphead Regeneration Fund that was set up by PվɫÇéƬ to make important public spaces in Mid PվɫÇéƬ more attractive and easier to use.

PվɫÇéƬ is holding by-elections in two council wards on Thursday 18th March. Voters will be asked to elect one councillor in each ward where there are currently vacant seats – Ward 8, Isle of Bute and Ward 11, Helensburgh and Lomond South.

Do you live in the Isle of Bute/Helensburgh and Lomond South area? Are you passionate about your local community as well as the wider PվɫÇéƬ and Bute area? You may well be interested in standing for election to PվɫÇéƬ. The council currently has vacancies in two of its wards – Ward 8, Isle of Bute and Ward 11, Helensburgh and Lomond South. Following publication of the official Notice of Election on 8th February, nominations are now open for people who want to stand for election in either ward.

The Scottish Government Minister for Local Government and Housing, Kevin Stewart, has thanked the council’s planning service for continuing to operate during the Covid-19 pandemic and has noted the role that the planning services will play in Scotland’s green recovery. His comments came as part of feedback on PվɫÇéƬ and Bute’s 2019-2020 Planning Performance Framework (PPF), the annual performance scorecard that all local authorities submit to the Scottish Government. Across the 13 performance indicators assessed, 10 were rated ‘green’ and three ‘amber’.

Parents and carers across PվɫÇéƬ and Bute are being thanked by the Council for their home learning efforts during lockdown. The Council’s Policy Lead for Education, Councillor Yvonne McNeilly, said: “As we approach the February break, I want to take a moment to thank parents and carers for all their patience, huge effort and understanding while our schools have been closed during lockdown.

Scottish Government funding is now available to island businesses currently living under level 3 restrictions. The Island Equivalent Payment recognises that while some islands are facing lower restrictions, there is still a significant impact as a result of COVID-19.  

PվɫÇéƬ has secured a major boost for the local economy that will help support regeneration and employment projects. The money from the Scottish Government’s Regeneration Capital Grant Fund (RCGF) will help deliver three key initiatives: