COUNCILLORS need to find millions of pounds to maintain fundamental services across Argyll and Bute.
Members are meeting today, Friday, to craft strategies to keep services running while rising costs and ongoing budget pressures mean they are increasingly challenging to provide.
One council source told this newspaper it is all about good housekeeping. “We need to ensure best value for money.”
The Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee will hear the council currently provides 57 public toilet facilities across Argyll and Bute at an annual operating cost of around half a million pounds. Public toilets are not a statutory council duty.
Managing the waste produced across Argyll and Bute alone requires a revenue budget of £19 million for 2026/27, alongside £3 million in capital investment and £1.5 million of Scottish Government support to meet new environmental requirements, including the ban on landfilling general black bag waste.
Public and school transport require around £12 million, which includes £9 million paid to external operators for 70 regional bus routes.
Each service delivered across Argyll and Bute needs more cash injected to operate at the current rate. But there is not enough money to maintain even the existing levels at today’s costs, so savings need to be found.
Councillor John Armour, the policy lead for roads, transport and amenity services, said the figures show the scale of services being delivered across the region.
“These services are vital to our communities, but rising costs and ongoing budget pressures mean they are increasingly challenging to provide.”
He called on people across Argyll and Bute to help by doing more recycling.
“Everyone can help reduce pressure on services. Processing a tonne of black bag waste costs more than £100 extra compared with processing a tonne of recycling, so please recycle as much as possible using the service available.”
He sent a message to residents across the region: “Thank you for what you already do, and remember, additional blue recycling bins are free.”
The committee will also receive an update today (Friday) on more than £100m of externally funded regeneration and economic development projects.
These include the Rural Growth Deal and Community Regeneration Partnership funding, supporting housing, business growth, infrastructure and community facilities.
