Councillor’s column
ALASTAIR REDMAN - KINTYRE AND THE ISLANDS
In every corner of the Kintyre and the Islands through my role as a councillor I am helping deliver huge investment in our local ward.
£200k investment for Tarbert town centre
The council is working with Tarbert Harbour Authority to invest £200k into Tarbert town centre, creating a new public realm feature in the village centre that can be accessed by local residents and visitors.
This funding has been made available through the Crown Estates funding that is distributed to the council by the Scottish Government following the collection of marine licences monies.
£225k investment in Bowmore Hall
There has been an extensive refurbishment of Bowmore Hall on Islay using £225k of Crown Estates funding.
This project is reaching the final stages of delivery which will involve improvements to the roof of the building once a contractor has been secured.
The council is investing £100k in improving access to the Jura ferry by creating a new pontoon, gangway and securing system, replacing a vertical ladder access when the smaller replacement ferry is in use.
This project is at the design stage.
£50k upgrade for Jura fuel station
The council contributed £50k
Councillor Alastair Redman in Tarbert.
to help Jura Community Business upgrade the fuel station on the island.
This project is nearing completion and will help safeguard a fuel supply for vehicles on the island. In addition, the council has committed £50k in funding for Jura to improve digital connectivity.
Multi-million investment in Port Ellen
South Islay Development is making good progress with
£60k match funding for Tarbert Heritage Regeneration Scheme Development Phase
The council has committed £60k match funding for following a successful Historic Environment Scotland and National Heritage Lottery Fund award of £60k in 23/24.
The design phase for this project is now well under way with the intention to submit a further bid for capital funding to deliver heritage improvements to a number of Tarbert’s town centre buildings.
£300k for Colonsay road network
The council invested £300k in the Colonsay road network last
The SNP have no clear vision for the future of our health service
Recently, at FMQs, Douglas Ross criticised Humza Yousaf for having “no vision for Scotland’s NHS” following a damning report from Audit Scotland on healthcare.
This report exposes the monumental failings of the SNP’s management of Scotland’s NHS, with the number of patients waiting over a year for treatment increasing 11-fold since 2019.
The SNP Government should look towards opposition proposals for tackling NHS waiting times as set out in our policy paper on a modern, efficient, and local health service.