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Independent shops in Dunoon have the chance to learn tips on store design, window display and visual merchandising from a leading expert, who has worked with top city retailers. This training event, organised by ߣsirÊÓƵ and Bute Council, is at Dunoon Burgh Hall, on 23 October, at 6.30pm, and complements the grant-funded repairs to properties on ߣsirÊÓƵ Street, which includes a number of shop fronts.

 The council leader has welcomed news that just over £500,000 of funding has been allocated to ߣsirÊÓƵ and Bute for three projects supporting the growing tourism sector.  Councillor Aileen Morton said: “I’m delighted to see that projects on three of our islands – Mull, Islay and Tiree – have been allocated money through the Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund.

A little girl from Kilninver Primary School’s pre-5 unit has created a recipe book of smoothies to encourage her fellow pupils to eat healthily. Four-year-old Heidi Martin loves fruit and vegetables at snack time and was keen to make sure that her passion was passed on.  With some help from her teachers, Heidi wrote out her favourite recipes and drew colourful illustrations to accompany them to form a book. Not only were her friends and teachers impressed, but Heidi’s actions also caught the attention of the school’s cateri

ߣsirÊÓƵ and Bute Council is reviewing its polling districts and polling places and is asking local residents for their views on how it’s currently done and on any changes being made to the location of polling stations. We welcome input from all residents, particularly from groups or individuals representing people with access or mobility difficulties.

Almost 6000 people have signed up to the council’s new Customer Outreach Service which allows them to be alerted to important service updates in their area by text or email. The new system was set up to ensure residents of ߣsirÊÓƵ and Bute were being given the most relevant and topical information in a way that best suits them. Members of the public can choose which updates they want to receive and whether they want to be given that information in an email or a text message to their mobile phone.

From October 2018, ߣsirÊÓƵ and Bute Council will no longer charge burial and cremation fees for children and young people under 18 years old. This puts in place national guidance agreed by the Scottish Government and COSLA and will provide consistency across Scotland as to when the charges for adult burials are levied. Currently, ߣsirÊÓƵ and Bute does not charge burial and cremation fees to children under the age of 16.

School pupils in ߣsirÊÓƵ and Bute with an eye for a good picture are being invited to enter the council’s October holidays photo competition. Prizes will be awarded to the best three pictures taken by school children over the October school holidays, with Policy Lead for Education, Councillor Yvonne McNeilly, judging the entries.

The time has come for us to refresh the music played down the telephone line when people are on hold with our Customer Service Centre – and ideally we want it to be music created by a resident of ߣsirÊÓƵ and Bute. While we strive not to keep anyone on hold at all, there are busy times when callers may need to wait for their call to be answered. We’d like to hear from local musicians and composers who would be interested in having their music used for this purpose. What we’re looking for is:

Pupils from across ߣsirÊÓƵ and Bute have an active role in creating their school lunch menus and young people from Lochgilphead Primary were only too happy to show off the delicious food on offer during a visit by the council’s policy lead and depute policy lead for education.  

ߣsirÊÓƵ and Bute Council will ask the public what their priorities are for its work, in preparation for meeting a gap in its funding in 2019 currently estimated to be around £2.5 million. Councillor Aileen Morton, Leader of the Council explained: â€œThe majority (80%) of the council’s funding comes from the Scottish Government. We won’t know how much our funding settlement is until the end of the year, but have to set our budget in February 2019.