District News, January 13 2023

Carradale

 

Wet weather causes flooding

 

Recent wet weather has caused parts of the Tosh's Park area of Carradale to flood.

 

Having been contacted by residents concerned about this, Kintyre and the Islands councillor Alastair Redman contacted Argyll and Bute Council's Roads and Amenity Services department about the issue.

 

'I continue to press the roads management to fix this section,' added Councillor Redman.

 

Tarbert, Islay and Jura

 

Tarbert and Argyll islands to benefit from rural funding

 

Tarbert, Islay and Jura projects are among more than 180 across rural Scotland which will receive grants from the Rural and Island Communities Ideas into Action (RICIA) Fund.

 

The £3 million Scottish Government fund encourages and supports not-for-profit community groups with innovative approaches to community-led local development.

 

This includes work towards net zero and just transition goals, tackling rural poverty and supporting rural communities through the cost of living crisis.

 

Tarbert's Templar Arts and Leisure Centre (TALC) Trust has been awarded £4,400 to appoint a short-term project worker to establish or strengthen creative and cultural collaborations with partner organisations and create an art pack which will be specifically designed to be used for these interactions.

 

Islay Energy Trust is to receive £31,451 to engage domestic households in energy efficiency improvements and decarbonisation through offering free/discounted energy performance certificate assessments, and train more local people in renewables installation to build a pool of skilled on-island contractors.

 

And Islay and Jura Community Enterprises Limited will get £6,030 to employ a project co-ordinator at Mactaggart Youth and Family Outreach Services to provide locally-based person-centred help for parents to address barriers to work, community learning and parent support sessions, financial capability training and digital connectivity sessions.

 

'We are working to ensure local communities are empowered to tackle local challenges,' said rural affairs secretary Mairi Gougeon MSP.

 

'This investment comes at a critical time for our rural and island communities, which are disproportionately impacted by the cost of living crisis compared to the rest of the country.

 

'I wish all the successful community groups well as they now look to take forward these projects and make a positive difference to their local areas.'

 

Celia Tennant, Inspiring Scotland chief executive officer, added: 'We’re delighted to continue to support the Scottish Government to deliver the Rural and Island Communities Ideas into Action Fund.

 

'We know local, grassroots groups are best placed to respond to the needs and opportunities most important to their communities. We look forward to working alongside successful applicants and will support them to make meaningful change in their local area.'