School visits are a highlight
What a busy past four weeks I’ve had in ward 2, Kintyre and the Islands.
I’ve been involved in all sorts of things from families in crisis regarding their housing, industrial-sized litter bins, events planning, timber haulage concerns, projects for those with additional support needs and swimming pools.
It’s a very varied role being a councillor in beautiful Argyll and Bute.
A highlight of the past four weeks has been my visits to three of the four high schools in the MAKI (Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands) area prior to their head teachers providing the council with their annual performance data.
My first visit was to Tarbert Academy where the head teacher gave me a very impressive presentation on the school’s performance and aspirations, followed by a brilliant tour.
Then a week later it was on to Lochgilphead High School where the head teacher gave me a tour of his school and we met a number of pupils, one of whom had just completed an amazing piece of video work which he was proud to show.
It was absolutely fantastic and very professional, as was the school.
Then, during last week, I went to Islay High School, where I was warmly greeted and shown the school’s performance details and future plans.
I also welcomed Mid Argyll councillor Jan Brown to Islay as she wanted to visit as well.
It was also explained to us the unique issues being faced by Islay HS with it being on an island; a perspective I totally get.
This is another very impressive school with a caring ethos.
All three of these visits left me with the impression that they are well led, forward thinking and a credit to our communities.
I am looking forward to working with them all in the coming years.
Here on Islay we have just experienced the annual feis, or whisky festival.
It was a typically manic week where thousands of tourists from all over the world descended on Islay and Jura for a week of culture, music and, of course, our amazing whiskies, gins, rums and beers.
The weather helped with sunshine almost every day and the atmosphere on the island was great.
I had the opportunity to meet visitors and to gain their perspective about Argyll.
Needless to say they love the place! I am a member of the council’s Corporate Parenting Board and I attended a meeting of this group in Inveraray Primary School recently.
The board is a multi-agency organisation whose members get together regularly to discuss ways to support and nurture the lives of young people in Argyll and Bute.
The board was informed that the council has now employed a “virtual head teacher” who is an experienced head teacher and will support the educational experience of those with additional support needs.
This is a new role for our council and is very much welcomed.
That’s just a wee flavour of some of the things I’ve been up to. In the coming weeks I will be visiting loads of constituents and attending various committee meetings, culminating in the full council meeting on the Thursday June 29.
Remember, most council committee meetings are available for you to watch, either live or after the meetings as they are all recorded. Have a look at the council’s website for details.
As ever, if you think I can help, please email me at dougie.mcfadzean@argyll-bute.gov.uk.