Leanne’s legacy continues to grow

Next month’s Oban Community Council will focus on proposed changes for schools in Argyll.

Oban High School headteacher Peter Bain, whose executive headship takes in Tiree School, will be invited to attend the meeting on Zoom to take questions from community councillors and the public - including parents and parent council representatives from across Oban.

A consultation, giving people a chance to have their say on the re-structuring plans that could see schools put in clusters under one executive headteacher, ends on Friday March 4.

The community council meeting will be on Monday February 28 at 7pm and a link will appear on the Oban Community Council discussion group’s Facebook page.

Last month’s community council meeting heard concerns from parents that they had received lots of ‘conflicting answers’ to their questions at designated consultation sessions.

Parents told the meeting there was a feeling they were ‘not being listened to’ and that answers they had been given were from a ‘defensive stance.’

There was also annoyance the Gaelic medium had been ‘ignored’.

Parent Ailsa Craig said she had two children in the Gaelic unit in Oban but the Gaelic medium had ‘not been mentioned once’ in the new structure model.

‘Gaelic is part of our culture and way of life,’ she said, adding: ‘Argyll and Bute Council is riding roughshod over it.’

Community councillors agreed the ‘sizeable topic’ would be included on February’s agenda and that Mr Bain and Argyll and Bute education boss Louise Connor would be invited to attend.

Oban’s war memorial will be 100 years old in 2023 and talks are ongoing to try to get a group together to look at what work needs doing on it and whose responsibility it is.

Oban’s housing crisis is ‘writhing’, community councillors heard from Councillor Elaine Robertson and others.

Flats that were built for social housing in the town are now being hired out as Airbnb which is having a major impact on getting people in to town to work in hotels, schools and other establishments.

Councillor Jim Lynch said: ‘I’m hearing of people who have been given notice to quit by landlords because they are becoming Airbnb.’

It was suggested the community council needed to take a stand on Airbnb; there are moves in some towns that Airbnbs should be capped at only being available 60 days of the year.

Plans for a garden centre and craft beer bar in Oban on a vacant site in Lochside Street have been given the go-ahead by council chiefs but concern was expressed at the community council meeting that steel storage containers could become the new kind of architecture in town.

Other plans include five new houses on Pulpit Hill.

Oban-based quizmaster Kenneth McElroy is offering his services to local charities in a new series of monthly quizzes at The View in Oban.

Kenneth, who works full-time at Kilmartin Museum as the education officer, previously held a successful annual quiz in his hometown of Thurso prior to the pandemic.

A relative new arrival to Oban, Kenneth says he decided to host a monthly quiz for the next year in aid of various charities in the region to raise money for worthy causes and because he misses the buzz of a busy pub quiz.

He told The Oban Times: ‘I always enjoy the craic at a quiz. I used to host a yearly quiz in my hometown in Caithness and it was always a good laugh and an opportunity for people to come together.

‘I thought in doing this I could give something back into the community, whilst having fun.’

The first quiz will be a Stupid Cupid Quiz at The View on Friday February 11 at 7.30pm, open to those aged 18 and over. There will be plenty raffle prizes on offer as well as the chance for quizzers to win £100, first place; £50, second; and a round of free drinks, third place.

The first charities to benefit from Kenny’s quiz-mastering are Kilmartin Museum (SC022744) and Dunollie Castle (SC028091), two organisations in Argyll which promote, develop and care for the region’s archaeology and heritage.

Kenneth says he is happy to raise funds for any charity in the community. He can be contacted by emailing kennethmcelroy1@gmail.com.

Roadworks were due to have started on the A85 near Loch Awe this week.

The £300,000 resurfacing project was scheduled to start on Monday February 7 on a 1.5km section of the road just east of Cruachan Power Station.

It is being carried out over eight days with Wednesday February 16 the expected end date although this is dependant on weather conditions.

To keep roadworkers and motorists safe, one lane will be closed and a 10mph convoy system will be in operation between 7am and 7pm.

A temporary 30mph speed limit will be place outwith working hours.

Consultation has been carried out with emergency services and relevant stakeholders to make them aware of the plans and share information about the project in advance.

Eddie Ross, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative, said: ‘This surfacing project on the A85 between Loch Awe and Taynuilt will greatly improve the surface for motorists.

‘The convoy is essential to ensure the safety of roadworkers and motorists, however, our teams will do all they can to complete the project as quickly and as safely as possible.

‘The road will be operated under a temporary 30mph speed limit when works are not taking place.’

Roadworks on the Saturday and Sunday will be avoided to help minimise disruption.

Mr Ross added: ‘We thank motorists for their patience in advance and would also encourage them to plan their journeys ahead by checking in the Traffic Scotland website for up-to-date travel information.’

You can find real-time journey planning information at www.trafficscotland.org, twitter at @trafficscotland or the mobile site my.trafficscotland.org.

Have you considered standing for election in May this year to represent your community on Argyll and Bute Council?

Becoming a councillor is challenging but highly rewarding, offering opportunities to represent the people who live in your area as well as involvement in decisions about issues of local and national significance.

If you want to find out more about what is involved in becoming a councillor in Argyll and Bute and the election process, you can get more information on the council’s dedicated Standing for Election web page.

You can download a guide to becoming an Argyll and Bute councillor as well as other resources for people considering standing for election.

The council’s web page will be updated regularly with new information and you will also be able to access candidate packs and other details when the nomination process opens later this year.

Find out more at Standing for Election in Argyll and Bute (argyll-bute.gov.uk) or contact Argyll and Bute Council’s Elections Team on 01546 603264.

The parents of a young Lewis lady who died from cystic fibrosis in 2009 aged just 21 have thanked supporters of a charity set up in their daughter’s name 12 years ago, writes Mark Entwistle.

Hundreds of people and their families across Scotland who suffer from the condition have now benefited from the unique and targeted