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Specialist contractors are on site and work is well underway on the £200,000 project to upgrade the lighting, including additional performance lighting, around Dunoon bandstand. With completion just a few weeks away, ducts are in place and the lighting columns and cabling will installed by the end of this week. The next step will be to put finishing touches to the blockwork paving, including power washing and spraying for weeds. Work on the colour-selectable lighting for Castle Gardens will start on 31 August.

Owners are being urged to register their fishing vessels as food businesses, and have them inspected by 51�Թ����App and Bute Council, before 31 December 2020 so they can continue to export to the EU post Brexit. If vessel owners fail to meet this requirement, they will not be permitted to export their catch, either directly or indirectly, to the EU from 1 January 2021. This is becoming urgent, because of the 200 fishing vessels in 51�Թ����App and Bute, less than half have registered as food businesses to date.

Education staff, pupils and parents across 51�Թ����App and Bute were today praised for their commitment and ability to adapt to change during lockdown, when the council’s Community Services Committee approved the annual Education Plan for 2020/21. Prepared in line with the requirements of the Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc. Act 2000, the plan brings together a range of information about the work of the service for parents, pupils, staff, carers and communities.

A new procurement initiative from 51�Թ����App and Bute Council is set to benefit communities looking for help with projects in their local area. The new process enables contractors and suppliers appointed by the council to choose from a list of proposed community benefits, that community groups have identified, as part of the tender.

Positive progress has been made in achieving a number of the outcomes set out in the 2017-2020 51�Թ����App and Bute Children and Young People’s Service Plan (CYPSP). At today’s meeting of 51�Թ����App and Bute Council’s Community Services Committee, members approved the third annual review of the plan, and were updated on the good practice to date.

Following pressure from communities and 51�Թ����App and Bute Council, Scottish Government has committed to finding a permanent solution for the Rest and Be Thankful. This step in the right direction is welcomed and the council urges further commitment to the urgent delivery of a solution. Michael Matheson MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity, made the announcement at the A83 Taskforce group today, convened at the request of the council, with cross party support from local parliamentarians.

BT is running a consultation on the proposed removal of a number of public phone boxes across 51�Թ����App and Bute. As part of this process, the council is gathering feedback from the public on whether they would like the phone boxes to remain, be removed, or even be adopted by the community.

Economic recovery, following the impact of COVID-19, has started in 51�Թ����App and Bute.  This positive progress was highlighted in a report to the council’s Business Continuity Committee (BCC): in line with the Scottish Government’s road map to recovery, local businesses are starting to operate again across 51�Թ����App and Bute, construction has re-started on area regeneration, affordable housing and other projects, manufacturing has re-started, and visitors are returning to 51�Թ����App and Bute in good numbers.

51�Թ����App and Bute Council is now delivering 1140 hours of Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) across the area. The expansion is part of a national policy introduced by the Scottish Government to increase the number of funded childcare hours from 600 to 1140, for all three and four year olds, and eligible two year olds.

“The distilling industry – both whisky and gin – plays an increasingly important role in the rural economy and international reputation of 51�Թ����App and Bute. This new fund has the potential to help the industry play a key role in protecting our climate too.” These were words of Councillor Aileen Morton, chair of the council’s Climate Change Environmental Action Group, as the UK Government announced a new £10m Green Distillery Fund.