Council should become more business-friendly?
Sir, On June 6 I attended the Mid Argyll Kintyre and the Islands area committee meeting in Bowmore. At the meeting, my fellow councillors and I listened to members of the public from both Islay and Jura about numerous concerns including the need for pavements and footpaths at some of the newly-built housing schemes on Islay, speeding through our villages, dog fouling, and bus links to Keills Primary School. The following day I joined my fellow Conservative and Unionist councillors at the Environment Development and Infrastructure Committee. I spoke about the need to see our council become more business-friendly, welcoming and promoting competition, supporting economic growth and getting off the backs of the growing numbers of local entrepreneurs. I also pointed out the importance of promoting our growing film industry with blockbusters such as Jurassic World being filmed right here in Argyll. This industry offers huge opportunities for our local economy and should not be ignored. Later that day I travelled to Tarbert to visit and speak to local residents and businesses. It was great to see so many Islay and Jura whiskies in Tarbert’s Whisky West Coast re-
tailer. It is enjoying a boost in trade due largely to the huge growth in our island’s whisky industry. As your councillor, I have and will continue
to do all that I can to promote economic growth in my ward and across Argyll.
Councillor Alastair Redman, Islay.