Argyll and Bute Council is further improving its green credentials and reducing its carbon footprint by investing in four hybrid vehicles.
The vehicles, three 17 seater minibuses and a transit van, are replacing older diesel vehicles and were bought as part of the effort to tackle climate change. This is an important first step in reducing transport emissions and it is predicted that fuel savings and carbon release will be reduced by between 15 – 25 percent.
The council invested in hybrid technology because it is an ideal solution for the geography of Argyll and Bute. This is because hybrid vehicles don’t have the same range restrictions as all-electric vehicles.
The minibuses are based in Dunoon, and as well as taking children in the area to and from school during the week will be available for community group use at weekends.
Council Leader Dick Walsh said, “I am delighted that the council, as part of the Community Planning Partnership is taking a leading role in reducing road transport carbon emissions. This is a great opportunity for the council to introduce and evaluate low carbon vehicles in a wide range of working environments. The feedback from the drivers will help us respond to the Scottish Government on their use and suitability.”
Wednesday, 25 January 2012
Tuesday, 24 January 2012
Argyll and Bute Council budget proposals to be published
Argyll and Bute’s 2012/13 draft budget papers will be published later this week.
The proposals have been drawn up following a lengthy period of public consultation, during which the council sought to engage the maximum possible number of individuals and groups.
The aim of the consultation was to alert people to the budget process and to the need for the council to make significant savings, and give residents the opportunity to make suggestions as to what they think the council’s spending priorities should be.
The consultation ran from October 13 to December 6 2011, and residents were encouraged to participate in events and activities across the region, as well as online. Among them were:
Publication of budget information on the council’s website, with a brief survey. The budget consultation web pages recorded more than 1,200 unique hits during the consultation period.
Inclusion of the same survey questions in the Autumn 2011 Citizens’ Panel survey
An online budget simulator, which allowed respondents to devise budget scenarios and leave comments. The simulator provided an interactive way for the public to view some of the consequences of budget decisions and highlighted the difficulties faced by the council in presenting a balanced budget
Use of a ‘budget@argyll-bute.gov.uk’ email address for submission of comments and questions
A programme of 10 meetings across the region involving budget consultation sessions
Provision of postcards and comment boxes in public areas of 63 council-run facilities
Webchats with the council leader and the senior management team
Emails to 54 community councils
The council commissioned Argyll Voluntary Action (AVA) to carry out a consultation on the budget with ‘hard to reach’ groups.
Information sent to all local press, generating articles in all of the main local papers
Sending out three tweets every day of the six-week consultation period, aimed at the council’s 1,500+ Twitter followers
Council leader, Councillor Dick Walsh, said: “This was one of the most comprehensive consultations we have ever undertaken. Our aim was to engage with the widest possible cross section of the Argyll and Bute community, and we took on board people’s suggestions as to how we might reach the maximum number of residents.
“The consultation set out the overall context for our budget, and showed how funds are currently divided between service areas.
“We also clearly set out the financial challenges we face as a result of the reduction in overall public sector finance, and asked our residents for their views and responses to various questions.”
From the beginning of the consultation exercise, comments received were passed to the Budget Working Group, Heads of Service and the Strategic Management Team on a weekly basis.
Councillor Walsh said: “The responses we received covered a huge range of issues – some high level and strategic, and others focusing on local or, in some cases, personal matters.
“However, a common thread throughout was a widespread recognition among respondents that cuts to council services are inevitable.
“Our job is to ensure that – wherever possible – we safeguard and invest in the areas which people have told us they most want to protect, while at the same time identifying the necessary savings to ensure we can balance our budget.
“I believe the draft proposals published later this week will provide a solid basis on which to achieve that. We have listened to what people have said to us, and will continue to consider how best to take account of their views.
“I would like to thank all those who took the time to feed into in the very challenging task of drawing up the draft 2012/2013 budget. The feedback on the consultation from those who took part was positive, and we will continue to look for ways in which we can further engage our residents and communities on the best way forward for Argyll and Bute Council in the future.”
The budget papers will be published on Thursday (January 26 2012).
The proposals have been drawn up following a lengthy period of public consultation, during which the council sought to engage the maximum possible number of individuals and groups.
The aim of the consultation was to alert people to the budget process and to the need for the council to make significant savings, and give residents the opportunity to make suggestions as to what they think the council’s spending priorities should be.
The consultation ran from October 13 to December 6 2011, and residents were encouraged to participate in events and activities across the region, as well as online. Among them were:
Publication of budget information on the council’s website, with a brief survey. The budget consultation web pages recorded more than 1,200 unique hits during the consultation period.
Inclusion of the same survey questions in the Autumn 2011 Citizens’ Panel survey
An online budget simulator, which allowed respondents to devise budget scenarios and leave comments. The simulator provided an interactive way for the public to view some of the consequences of budget decisions and highlighted the difficulties faced by the council in presenting a balanced budget
Use of a ‘budget@argyll-bute.gov.uk’ email address for submission of comments and questions
A programme of 10 meetings across the region involving budget consultation sessions
Provision of postcards and comment boxes in public areas of 63 council-run facilities
Webchats with the council leader and the senior management team
Emails to 54 community councils
The council commissioned Argyll Voluntary Action (AVA) to carry out a consultation on the budget with ‘hard to reach’ groups.
Information sent to all local press, generating articles in all of the main local papers
Sending out three tweets every day of the six-week consultation period, aimed at the council’s 1,500+ Twitter followers
Council leader, Councillor Dick Walsh, said: “This was one of the most comprehensive consultations we have ever undertaken. Our aim was to engage with the widest possible cross section of the Argyll and Bute community, and we took on board people’s suggestions as to how we might reach the maximum number of residents.
“The consultation set out the overall context for our budget, and showed how funds are currently divided between service areas.
“We also clearly set out the financial challenges we face as a result of the reduction in overall public sector finance, and asked our residents for their views and responses to various questions.”
From the beginning of the consultation exercise, comments received were passed to the Budget Working Group, Heads of Service and the Strategic Management Team on a weekly basis.
Councillor Walsh said: “The responses we received covered a huge range of issues – some high level and strategic, and others focusing on local or, in some cases, personal matters.
“However, a common thread throughout was a widespread recognition among respondents that cuts to council services are inevitable.
“Our job is to ensure that – wherever possible – we safeguard and invest in the areas which people have told us they most want to protect, while at the same time identifying the necessary savings to ensure we can balance our budget.
“I believe the draft proposals published later this week will provide a solid basis on which to achieve that. We have listened to what people have said to us, and will continue to consider how best to take account of their views.
“I would like to thank all those who took the time to feed into in the very challenging task of drawing up the draft 2012/2013 budget. The feedback on the consultation from those who took part was positive, and we will continue to look for ways in which we can further engage our residents and communities on the best way forward for Argyll and Bute Council in the future.”
The budget papers will be published on Thursday (January 26 2012).
New Council arrangements for handling initial planning enquiries
A new ‘golden number’ is being introduced to make it easier for members of the public with planning enquiries to contact Argyll and Bute Council.
The number – 01546 605518 – will go live tomorrow (Tuesday, January 24) and will replace planning services’ previous reception numbers in the various council areas.
Anyone dialling one of the old numbers will hear a message telling them about the new golden number before being automatically transferred to it.
Chair of the planning, protective services and licensing committee, Councillor Daniel Kelly, said it was all part of making the council more customer-friendly.
“We wanted to ensure that the system for handling initial customer enquiries regarding planning made the best use of our significant investment in the Customer Service Centre and Customer Service Points,” he added.
“From tomorrow, customers will be able to dial this one single number and have all their queries dealt with from there.
“This will not affect people’s ability to contact planning officers directly, which they will still be able to do in the same way as before. It will simply make it easier and quicker for those with a general enquiry to reach someone who can answer it for them.
“At the same time, of course, it will also make the council more efficient by reducing the duplication of reception functions and minimising the various numbers which customers currently call to find help.”
The new number – which has 20 lines available at any one time - will handle all initial customer contacts for planning services, including building standards and planning policy.
The customer services advisors who will answer the calls will:
Answer any planning and general building enquiries where possible
Pass calls to planning services officers where requested, or pass on messages by email
Take payments for any planning related fees
Advise customers of the progress of a particular planning application
Deal with requests for copy documents, planning policy documents and/or CDs
Deal with requests for planning application forms
Where a customer is seeking an appointment ,advisors will pass on details of their requirements to the relevant officer to arrange a call back
The customer service points in each of Argyll and Bute’s main towns will still be able to take face to face enquiries relating to planning, along with the full range of council and payment services they already offer.
Posters advertising the new golden number have already been put up in the customer service points and in planning office receptions.
The number – 01546 605518 – will go live tomorrow (Tuesday, January 24) and will replace planning services’ previous reception numbers in the various council areas.
Anyone dialling one of the old numbers will hear a message telling them about the new golden number before being automatically transferred to it.
Chair of the planning, protective services and licensing committee, Councillor Daniel Kelly, said it was all part of making the council more customer-friendly.
“We wanted to ensure that the system for handling initial customer enquiries regarding planning made the best use of our significant investment in the Customer Service Centre and Customer Service Points,” he added.
“From tomorrow, customers will be able to dial this one single number and have all their queries dealt with from there.
“This will not affect people’s ability to contact planning officers directly, which they will still be able to do in the same way as before. It will simply make it easier and quicker for those with a general enquiry to reach someone who can answer it for them.
“At the same time, of course, it will also make the council more efficient by reducing the duplication of reception functions and minimising the various numbers which customers currently call to find help.”
The new number – which has 20 lines available at any one time - will handle all initial customer contacts for planning services, including building standards and planning policy.
The customer services advisors who will answer the calls will:
Answer any planning and general building enquiries where possible
Pass calls to planning services officers where requested, or pass on messages by email
Take payments for any planning related fees
Advise customers of the progress of a particular planning application
Deal with requests for copy documents, planning policy documents and/or CDs
Deal with requests for planning application forms
Where a customer is seeking an appointment ,advisors will pass on details of their requirements to the relevant officer to arrange a call back
The customer service points in each of Argyll and Bute’s main towns will still be able to take face to face enquiries relating to planning, along with the full range of council and payment services they already offer.
Posters advertising the new golden number have already been put up in the customer service points and in planning office receptions.
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