A MOTION to increase the number of area committee meetings in Argyll and Bute has been defeated – but plans to support the committees are in the pipeline.
Councillor Jennifer Kean (Independent, South Kintyre) put forward a motion at a meeting of local councillors asking that the authority considered area committee meetings every two months instead of the usual three.
But Councillor John Armour (SNP, South Kintyre) said that a piece of work was ongoing to support area committees, with the results to be revealed in due course.
Had the motion succeeded, it would then have gone to the full council, where a similar proposal was defeated in 2019 after being backed by Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands area committee.
The same area committee held its latest meeting on Wednesday, March 4.
Councillor Kean said: “The quarterly cycle restricts our ability to maintain oversight. A timeline of every two months is not excessive; it is proportionate and strengthens transparency, and gives constituents regular access to the decision makers.
“This is not a new proposal. In 2019, this committee supported a very similar proposal, and members who are here today were on that committee then.”
The motion, seconded by Councillor Tommy MacPherson (Independent, South Kintyre), asked that the area committee “Proposes that, subject to approval of the constitutional amendment by the council, meetings of area committees would take place in February, April, June, August, October and December each year.”
In June 2019, the area committee voted by five votes to four to take a motion to the full council for meetings every two months. However, the full council rejected the motion by 16 votes to 14.
Responding to the latest motion, Councillor John Armour (SNP, South Kintyre) said he was “not totally against” the proposal but added: “One of the council administration’s priorities was to take forward a piece of work to support area committees. It is not the time to put forward this change.
“Area chairs and vice chairs have had meetings, on our own and with officers, and a paper has been sent to the leader (Councillor Jim Lynch, SNP, Oban South and the Isles) before going to full council for discussion.”
Among the points in his amendment, he asked that the area committee “Notes that as part of the 2026/27 budget, it has been agreed to allocate £50,000 to each area committee as part of the priority commitment to support reshaping of business, decision making and overall activities to align with existing and emerging local plans and issues, with a report to be brought forward on the delivery and implementation options.”
Councillor Dougie McFadzean (SNP, Kintyre and the Islands) seconded the amendment, which prevailed on a roll call vote by five votes to four.
