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Economic recovery, following the impact of COVID-19, has started in �۲�ӰԺ.  This positive progress was highlighted in a report to the council’s Business Continuity Committee (BCC): in line with the Scottish Government’s road map to recovery, local businesses are starting to operate again across �۲�ӰԺ, construction has re-started on area regeneration, affordable housing and other projects, manufacturing has re-started, and visitors are returning to �۲�ӰԺ in good numbers.

BT is running a consultation on the proposed removal of a number of public phone boxes across �۲�ӰԺ. As part of this process, the council is gathering feedback from the public on whether they would like the phone boxes to remain, be removed, or even be adopted by the community.

“The distilling industry – both whisky and gin – plays an increasingly important role in the rural economy and international reputation of �۲�ӰԺ. This new fund has the potential to help the industry play a key role in protecting our climate too.” These were words of Councillor Aileen Morton, chair of the council’s Climate Change Environmental Action Group, as the UK Government announced a new £10m Green Distillery Fund.

�۲�ӰԺ Council is now delivering 1140 hours of Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) across the area. The expansion is part of a national �۲�ӰԺ introduced by the Scottish Government to increase the number of funded childcare hours from 600 to 1140, for all three and four year olds, and eligible two year olds.

In response to today’s announcement by the Scottish Government, that down-graded results will be revised to match schools’ assessments, Policy Lead for Education, Councillor Yvonne McNeilly said:   “We want all our young people to have the chance to succeed. Getting results that match their hard work is the least that pupils can expect, especially this year.

Service back to normal from w/b 17th August The glass bin collection service on Mull and Tiree will restart from week beginning Monday 17th August. You can check your glass bin collection dates on the council website at /planning-and-environment/bin-collection

Responding to COVID-19 is expected to cost �۲�ӰԺ Council more than £12 million. A report going to the Business Continuity Committee (BCC) on Thursday 13th August shows that costs are a mixture primarily of increased expenditure and loss of income: 

Estimates show that �۲�ӰԺ Council will have a funding gap of more than £42 million between 2021 and 2026. Its funding gap for next year alone, 2021/22, is estimated at nearly £6.7 million. This is before considering the financial pressures of responding to COVID-19, currently estimated at £4.0 million in 2020/21 after already identifying internal savings of £1.3 million. 

As pupils and staff prepare to return to schools in �۲�ӰԺ next week, the Policy Lead for Education has thanked staff for their unfaltering dedication to get plans in place for schools re-opening, and praised young people for their continued commitment to learning.

LOCAL residents are being warned that traders are cold calling at homes offering to carry out improvement work to the exterior of houses. �۲�ӰԺ Council’s Trading Standards team has had recent reports of tradesmen in the area offering to do the work and insisting that householders sign a contract there and then. The advice is you could end up badly out of pocket, paying over the odds for work. Policy Lead for Planning Services, Councillor David Kinniburgh, said: “Take our advice and also be aware of the law.