"Delight" as council u-turns on island hub cut

Argyll and Bute Council has reversed cuts to Tiree, Jura and Colonsay's customer service centres and registrars on those three islands plus Coll, following local "outrage", but their future is still uncertain.

 

At their budget meeting today (Thursday February 23), the full council passed a raft of savings to plug a £13 million shortfall in the next financial year.

 

But they rejected one plan to cut the council's customer engagement team, following concerns raised by islanders, in an impact assessment, and in The Oban Times. The savings option would have put 13 jobs under scrutiny, and saved £318,000, if approved.

 

It moved Argyll and Bute Council offices to digital-only receptions. Closing all customer service points (CSPs) to walk-in customers, and operating as appointment-only, meant losing one CSP post each in Oban, Islay, Lochgilphead and Campbeltown.

 

The closure of part-time CSPs meant shutting the facility on Tiree (saving £8,093), and withdrawing the funding for Jura and Colonsay Development Companies, which run the service on the council’s behalf (saving £18,745).

 

The three islands, plus Coll, would also lose four on-island registrars for births, deaths, and marriages, merging with larger districts, saving £4,200.

 

The savings had already been passed by councillors on the policy and resources committee on February 16, the day our paper published islanders' concerns.

 

"This is a red line for us," said Tiree Community Council secretary Dr John Holliday at its meeting on February 8. "It is a very important service to save, and we are going to strain every sinue to try to keep the pressure on. Our voice is very difficult to get heard in Argyll and Bute Council chamber.

 

"We're on the edge and we're a small community, and unless our councillors really shout from the rooftops, we get lost."

 

It appears councillors did listen, voting to scrap the unpopular plan, alongside cuts to school crossing patrollers and funding for parent and toddler groups.

 

Tiree Community Council convenor Phyl Meyer said: "We are delighted with the news that the vital nature of the on-island council service point in Tiree has been recognised and safeguarded from the proposed cuts.

 

"This result is a tribute to the efforts of members of the local community to speak up in support of our call to retain the service, and why local community democratic representation is so important."

 

Jura Development Trust said: "We're relieved to tell you that Argyll and Bute agreed to retain facilities on the island for people to access council services from the service point for another year.

 

"Thank you to everyone who helped with this (both in the community and in the council) - it was a huge piece of work.

 

"This is good news for people who would otherwise struggle to use online facilities and means the building can continue to be used by community groups, by people who need digital and printing services etc., and to produce the Jottings (amongst other things!), as well as securing the future of a job for another year.

 

"The future beyond 23/24 is still very uncertain. We're hoping that we can persuade the council to work with us on a more innovative solution for Jura."