ARGYLL and Bute Council has had a busy November, with its four community planning groups meeting, and a full council meeting at the end of the month.
Below is a roundup of some of the key decisions and events that have taken place at the authority as a busy month of meetings in December comes on to the horizon.
On Wednesday, November 5, the council’s Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands community planning group heard from police about their aim to have more information available for visitors on local driving conditions.
Concerns were raised at a meeting of community figures about tourists being unaware of road regulations when they visit Islay.
Inspector Roddy MacNeill said that work was ongoing to educate visitors, and to distribute resources among hotels and hire companies.
Assurance was also given that Islay High School pupils can expect the same presentation on road safety as other schools in the area.
On Tuesday, November 11, the authority’s Helensburgh and Lomond community planning group heard of plans for a parade to mark John Logie Baird’s bicentenary.
The committee of JLBTV100, a group set up to mark the milestone, are awaiting the result of a funding application which could net thousands of pounds towards the proposed event.
Fiona Baker, of the group, also told Argyll and Bute Council’s Helensburgh and Lomond community planning group of other events planned, including a cinema screening, sandwich board parade and book festival.
On Wednesday, November 19, members of the Argyll and Bute health and social care partnership’s integration joint board, including councillors, heard that the partnership had overspent by £1.4million halfway through the financial year.
Members of the partnership’s (HSCP) integration joint board (IJB) have also been warned that it “is not operating in a financially sustainable way”.
More than £1.1m of the gap to date has been attributed to an overspend on social work services, mainly to do with children and families. The £1.4m figure is also projected for the end of the financial year in April.
On Wednesday, November 26, a vote among the full council saw a savings option to withdraw the authority’s involvement in the running of public toilets remain on the table.
Reports had revealed that the authority was considering either closing, selling or handing over the 57 public conveniences it operates across the area in a bid to save £100,000 a year.
Two amendments were moved in a vote among the full council which would have seen the savings option removed immediately, ahead of the authority setting its budget in February.
But a motion moved by depute leader Councillor Ross Moreland (Liberal Democrat, Dunoon), to keep all savings options on the table as part of the budget-setting process, prevailed.
The same day, an opposition councillor’s motion to declare a health and social care emergency in Argyll and Bute failed.
Councillor Peter Wallace (Conservative, Isle of Bute) made the request at a full council meeting, saying that health and social care in the area was “at a crossroads”.
But an amendment by the council’s policy lead for care services, pledging to call on the Scottish Government to ensure fair funding for the services, was voted through instead.
The authority’s leader will also be asked to write to the cabinet secretary for health and social care, requesting a meeting on how it is intended to tackle issues.
