Category Archives: Argyll & Bute

Hustings on Tiree

It’s election time!
Tiree Community Council will be holding a virtual hustings on Friday 29 April at 7pm.
Eight of the eleven candidates for our ward in Argyll and Bute Council have told us they will be there, and we hope we will be able to confirm more over the coming week.
This will be an opportunity to ask questions about things you feel are important, although, with so many candidates, time will be limited!
We will post the joining details for the virtual meeting in the next few days.

Consultation on future of Argyll and Bute air services

The Argyll and Bute Council is consulting on local air transport services on the West Coast area, linking Oban, Tiree, Coll, Colonsay and Islay. This consultation will inform the next contract for the service and shall consider issues including:

•            Current use of the air service
•            Preferred flight times and days
•            The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to deliver services

The last item is under active consideration following successful trials of UAVs to deliver supplies during the pandemic, resulting in significant savings for the NHS. Active work is in development to create a UAV Hub at Oban airport, with Royal Mail also interested in the possible applications.

If you would like to respond to the consultation directly, or just find out more, you can do so here: https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/consultations/argyll-and-bute-council-west-coast-air-services-pso

TCC will be happy to make a submission on behalf of Tiree constituents, so if you would like to feed in your views to that, please email TCC member Phyl Meyer at phyl@tireecommunitycouncil.co.uk

Take part in survey on the future of schools leadership in Argyll and Bute

We are currently running a survey to gather views from the community on proposed changes to the way schools are led in our Council area – proposals which are quite similar in many ways to the temporary arrangement that our own school has been operating under with Oban High School for the past two years.
Please follow this link to take part in the Community Council’s survey on Argyll and Bute’s Collective Leadership Model for schools.
 
You will find more information about the survey within the survey introduction. Please note that all submissions are anonymous. We will ask about what group you belong to within the community, but individual responses cannot be linked back to a named individual.
You will find links to information about the Council’s proposal and the school’s latest HMIE report in the introduction, or you can follow the links below.
 
To search for the HMIE Report: https://education.gov.scot/education-scotland/inspection-reports/?orderBy=dateDescending
 
The Council’s ‘Empowering Our Educators’ information page: https://empoweringoureducators.co.uk/

Boundary Commission Review publishes final proposal for Argyll and Bute Council

The Boundary Commission has this morning published it’s final recommendations for the review of the Argyll and Bute Council ward boundaries.

TCC took part in the public consultations for this last year, including running our own survey to consult with the community – the outcome of which supported a call for a single member ward for Tiree and Coll, with the second most popular option being a two member ward with Coll, Mull and Iona – which is the option in the final proposal.

You can read the news release on the final recommendations here: https://boundaries.scot/sites/default/files/News_Release_100621.pdf

and review the full report on the recommendations relating to Argyll and Bute here: https://boundaries.scot/sites/default/files/Argyll_and_Bute_Final_Report_Low%20Res.pdf

These proposals are now subject to approval by Scottish Parliament, and although it is unlikely could still be amended – however if approved without amendment Tiree will be voting as part of a two councillor ward with Mull, Coll and Iona in next year’s Local Council elections, rather than the current arrangements of a four member ward for Oban South and the Isles.

Outcome of our recent survey on Tiree’s timetable out of lockdown

Earlier today we sent the following letter to Argyll and Bute Council following our rapid-response survey announced on Friday:

Choice of Level for Tiree

Dear Robin and Pippa,

Following our useful meeting on Friday, Tiree Community Council wanted to gauge the opinion of the community on this matter as best we could in 36 hours. We therefore set up an online poll using SurveyMonkey.

We laid out our understanding of the situation laid out by the Scottish Government, and asked respondents to choose:

  • For Tiree to remain in Level 3, which would allow travel to and from the island, subject to restrictions on indoor meetings, or
  • For Tiree to move to Level 2, which would keep travel restrictions in place for an additional 3 weeks but allow for indoor meetings amongst island residents

Although we used the labels ‘Level 3’ and ‘Level 2’ for ease of reference, we acknowledge that those labels are not quite accurate, that the new arrangements proposed in the new route map are different. This was noted on the web post promoting the survey.

The survey was put together at great speed and using only our own resources. There are obvious methodological weaknesses: for example, a bias towards those using social media and the possibility that respondents could make inaccurate declarations of their place of residence.

However, we are confident it broadly represents the spread and balance of opinion in our community.

Summary:

  • 322 responses, including 273 residents, approximately 50% of the electoral roll
  • Of the residents, 41% want to remain in Level 3 with travel restrictions lifted, while 59% want to move to Level 2 with travel restrictions maintained
  • Even the majority of resident owners of tourism businesses want to move to Level 2 with travel restrictions maintained, albeit the split is more evenly balanced in this group

Many thanks for asking our opinion,

Dr John Holliday, on behalf of Tiree Community Council

You will note that we refer to the fact that what seems to be the likely options on offer to us do not correspond exactly to the former “Level 2” and “Level 3” – but rather that we used those labels as a way of simplifying the survey for people by using familiar terms – it seems we are now moving away from the previous versions of the Levels/Tiers with this new timetable, so the old versions of those levels/tiers do not really apply and things are still very subject to change.

The web post explaining the survey made this clear, although we understand some may (with the benefit of time and hindsight) feel things could have been worded better. All that can be said is that we did the best we could within the speed we felt we had to act and with which the survey was put together – and felt it best to prioritise a simple, intuitive approach.

We are given to understand that there may be further opportunity for (hopefully more thorough, less rushed) consultation on this soon. The results of this survey may not therefore be the final conclusion reached on this issue and we will continue to do our best to engage the community to ensure a representative position is taken going forward.

On a positive note – for the survey to have achieved 322 responses, of which 273 are from island residents (representing about half of the entire electoral roll on the island) in the space of just over 2 days is a remarkable response, of which we should all be proud. Thank you for participating if you were able to.

Thanks to some excellent work by TCC councillor Iona Campbell, please see below a write-up of the full results of the survey.

Result of Urgent Public Consultation on the Isle of Tiree copy

Latest advice leaflet from Argyll + Bute Council on Shielding and Money Worries

We received the following information to pass on:

Good morning,

Following recent updates, please see the FAQs below which offer some useful information for those in the shielded group.

The shielding information is national guidance, for further information please visit the Scottish Government’s Coronavirus (COVID-19): stay at home guidance webpage.

Argyll and Bute Council’s website has a range of help and advice for those affected by Coronavirus, this includes information about financial support.  The leaflet attached gives details about help for those who may be worrying about money.

Are people in the shielded group able to get their own shopping or prescriptions?

  • Yes. The guidance for the level 4 restrictions are that those who are in the shielded group can go out to get shopping and / or prescriptions. These are classed as essential purposes to leave the home for.

What are the essential purposes and reasons that those in the shielded group can go out of the house for?

  • Exercise
  • Essential shopping
  • Medicines
  • Education
  • Caring responsibilities
  • Visiting someone you are in an extended household with. (you can only be in an extended household where one of the households is a single person household)

What other restrictions apply to those in the shielding group?

  • You should not use public transport (including taxis) while these additional measures are in place.
  • There are also additional restrictions around work, see below.

If I am part of the shielding group do I have to go to work?

  • You should work from home. Everyone who is able to work from home should do so.
  • If you cannot work from home then you must stay at home. Your letter is a FIT note. This applies to all in level 4 restrictions.

I am in a level 3 restriction area (Coll, Colonsay, Erraid, Gometra, Iona, Islay, Jura, Mull, Oronsay, Tiree and Ulva) do I go to work?

  • The advice on not going to work does not apply to areas that are in level 3.
  • If you live or work in a level 3 area, you can continue to go to work if your workplace can be made safe.

Who is eligible for support through the Test and Protect Helpline?

  • If you have to self-isolate due to testing positive and you have no other sources of support for food, medication, or other needs, you can contact the Council’s Test and Protect helpline to request help.
  • If you have been asked to self-isolate by a Test and Protect contact tracer, and you have no other sources of support for food, medication, or other needs, you can contact the council’s Test and Protect helpline to request help

What kind of help can I expect?

  • The Council can put you in touch with local community groups offering support in your local area.
  • The Council may request directly for a volunteer to assist with your needs.
  • The Council can direct you to sources of support to help with money worries
  • The Council can direct you to sources of support to help with other needs that you are worried about due to having to self-isolate.

What are the new rules about meeting outdoors?

  • A maximum of two people are able to meet from up from two households, outside. There is more advice at www.gov.scot/coronavirus.

Will food boxes be introduced again?

We are not currently planning to re-introduce food boxes. This is because we are not asking you to stop going to shops, though we are advising you to limit the number of times you visit shops, consider shopping at quieter times, and where possible shop on-line.

Since the first lockdown last year, supermarkets have put in place a number of measures to make them safer.  They have also increased their capacity to provide a wide range of ways to shop, including on-line delivery, click and collect, home deliveries, phone ordering, grocery boxes, and gift cards so someone else can shop for you.

We have also offered everyone on the shielding list priority access to on-line supermarket delivery slots and this offer will remain open.  As before, it is important to ask family, friends, and neighbours for support.

Can I still attend my usual medical appointments?

Yes

I have been vaccinated against covid-19 – do I still need to follow the advice?

Yes. You should follow all advice for those on the shielding list, even if you have had a coronavirus vaccination. This includes the advice about work. While a full course of the vaccine (two doses) will help prevent you from becoming seriously ill from coronavirus, we do not yet know if it will keep you from catching and spreading the virus.

Many thanks,

Community Development

Download the full leaflet here: Worrying about Money A4 Argyll and Bute 28.07.20