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A refreshed procurement strategy and policy which make it easier for small businesses to bid for work has been approved by 51�Թ����App and Bute Council. The updated Procurement Strategy 2020/21 and Sustainable Procurement Policy set out to ensure the council achieves best value in its procurement processes and that small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are supported to deliver improvements for the people and communities in 51�Թ����App and Bute.

Members of the public will be asked for their views on the council’s latest campaign to bring funding to 51�Թ����App and Bute, as part of a consultation on budget priorities. At its meeting today (17 October), council agreed to seek the views of local people on how best to bridge an estimated funding gap of £9.2million in 2020/21. The consultation highlights work the council has been doing to increase funding for local services through the potential transfer of four council-run ferries to Transport Scotland.

51�Թ����App and Bute Council has made significant progress in supporting and promoting the use of British Sign Language (BSL) over the last 12 months. At a meeting of today’s Policy and Resources Committee, members heard how six of the seven measures identified in its Joint British Sign Language Plan have either been completed or put in to practice since the plan was approved in October 2018.

Zero Waste Scotland is holding events on Islay and Bute to talk about the introduction of Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme. The organisation is keen to find out how people feel the scheme will work on islands and the impact it might have. The first event will be at the Machrie Hotel and Golf Links, Islay, on 22 October, between 10am and 1pm. The event on Bute will be held at the Victoria Hotel, Rothesay, from 10am to 1pm on 28 October.

44% of 51�Թ����App and Bute’s population spends more than 10% of their income to heat and light their homes.

51�Թ����App and Bute Council will have to make savings estimated at £9.2m in 2020/21. Reports to be considered by Council next week set out the challenge faced by the council. Council Leader, Councillor Aileen Morton said: “There are no easy options left for making more savings. We’ve delivered £57million in savings since 2010, we’ve had the third highest cut in funding of all of Scotland’s councils in recent years, and estimates show we will have to deliver another £9.2 million of savings next year.

51�Թ����App and Bute Council’s work in supporting refugees into employment has won a prestigious award at the 2019 COSLA Excellence Awards. The ‘Supporting our Refugees into Work’ programme landed COSLA’s ‘ Excellent People, Excellent Outcomes Award’ at last night’s (Thursday) ceremony in St Andrew’s.

Domestic violence and abuse can be a driver of poverty vulnerability for partners fleeing abuse. More than two-thirds of survivors of domestic abuse have reported their partners withheld money from them as a key method of controlling and mistreating them, according to the Women’s Aid report, The Economics of Abuse.

51�Թ����App and Bute’s popularity as a filming location is well established – and the council is working alongside residents and partner organisations to ensure that the trend continues. A number of productions have come to the area so far in 2019, including BBC drama The Nest – starring Martin Compston and Sophie Rundle. Documentaries, adverts and other productions have also filmed in 51�Թ����App and Bute in 2019. The area’s stunning landscape continues to attract fashion photoshoots too, with Urban Outfitters recently having visited the area.

  We want to make it easier for people to get education benefits for their children. By matching information held on our the council’s benefit system to that held in our education system, we have automated some payments of school clothing grants and free school meals this year. To date 190 individual payments of £100 have been issued to people that have an entitlement for school clothing grants but hadn’t submitted a claim.