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A bright, contemporary and accessible gateway to Oban Town Centre, with more people choosing to shop local – that is the vision behind new improvement works due to take place in Gibraltar Street later this year. Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æ and Bute is leading on the £260, 0000 project using funding from the Scottish Government’s Place Based Investment Programme, including a £10k contribution from Bid4Oban. It is one of five projects taking place across Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æ and Bute to help support ongoing economic recovery from the pandemic.

Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æ and Bute Council is inviting people to have their say on where additional Electric Vehicle Charging (EVC) points should be located, in the event that funding becomes available to expand the scheme. There are currently 28 EVC sites situated across Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æ and Bute, however, the Council is consulting members of the public on a draft list of possible new sites as part of a medium to long-term future strategy for EVC infrastructure in the area. Any possible expansion will be strictly dependent on sourcing additional external funding.

Budding stonemasons, slaters, building surveyors and bricklayers all had the opportunity to try their hand at traditional building skills at a recent roadshow organised by Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æ and Bute Council.   Aimed at pupils thinking about a career path in the construction industry, S1-3 pupils gained hands on experience with practical activities.   The roadshow visited pupils at Lochgilphead High School, Dunoon Grammar, Rothesay Joint Campus and Hermitage Academy.  

Port Ellen Primary on Islay has received a silver award in the Pearson National Teaching Awards for ‘Making a Difference - Primary School of the Year’. The awards celebrate excellence in education and recognise the life-changing impact that an inspirational teacher can have on the lives of the young people they work with.

Three primary school head teachers from Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æ and Bute have received top marks after completing Education Scotland’s national ‘In Headship’ qualification. Linda MacBeath from Rhu, Karen Wheatley from St Mun’s, and Pauline Walsh from Colgrain all took part in the In Headship postgraduate programme, which is designed to enable new head teachers to develop and continue to build the necessary knowledge, skills and understanding required in their role.

Councillor Robin Currie, Leader of Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æ and Bute Council said:

Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æ and Bute Council’s Dunoon Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme (CARS) is working in partnership with the ‘We are building a beach hut’ project to deliver a series of free workshops. Boat builder Ben Neville will lead the workshops taking participants through traditional construction techniques using timber and a range of tools and finishes.

Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æ and Bute Council’s Early Years Team has received the General Teaching Council Scotland’s Quality Mark after gaining an Excellence in Professional Learning Award from the organisation.

Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æ and Bute’s councillors have met for the first Council meeting after the local government elections, and appointed key roles. The Leader is Councillor Robin Currie and the Depute Leader is Councillor Gary Mulvaney. The Provost is Councillor Maurice Corry and the Depute Provost is Councillor Liz McCabe. Council Leader Robin Currie said:

A reduction in fossil fuels and increased use of renewable energy sources – these are just some of the ambitions for Islay’s carbon neutral future.   Islay is one of six Scottish islands, announced by the Scottish Government to become fully carbon neutral by 2040. The initiative is part of the Carbon Neutral Islands project, aimed at supporting islands to achieve their carbon neutral ambitions.