In this issue:
What's new?
Your Council Tax at work for you every day
People sometimes ask us what they get for their council tax. The Communications Team is running a campaign to help answer that question. We want to highlight the differences council services make in people’s lives, and show the amazing scale and range of support the council provides. We are doing that by producing videos – you can see what we’ve done already on the Council’s website and by promoting one-off facts – here’s one as an example:
Carrots vs sweetcorn – which is our pupils favourite?
Answer: Carrots!
If you have any facts and figures about your service that you would like to be included, we’d love to hear from you at workingtogether@argyll-bute.gov.uk
Label your bins
Argyll and Bute Council’s waste and recycling collection services are provided to almost every household in Argyll and Bute.
One of the challenges that we face is in making sure that the correct bins are emptied from the correct properties. This can be due to a number of issues such as remote properties, or the historic layouts of our towns or villages. One of the ways we can improve this is to ask residents to clearly mark their bins with their address details. Many residents already do this – thank you..
Please put your house name/number and street or road number underneath the handles of your bin. You can do this with paint, waterproof pens or stickers. Your can find more information about labeling your bin on our website and thank you for supporting colleagues in the bin collection teams.
Planning your special day?
Are you planning a wedding, renewing your vows, or celebrating a new arrival? Our lovely Registrars can help you with your special day. There’s a new guide to civil ceremonies that includes all the information you’ll need including ideas on locations across Argyll and Bute.
Are quality conversations working for you?
The aim of quality conversations is to make sure you have regular time with your manager to talk about goals, performance, objectives, and behaviours—whenever it’s needed throughout the year.
We want to know if quality conversations are working for you and if you are having regular time with your manager?
We would really appreciate you taking five minutes to let us know what you think via the anonymous survey link below. Please complete the survey even if you haven’t had a quality conversation or a performance discussion. Thanks to your feedback, we’ve developed a new Communication Skills toolkit which will help you feel more confident and prepared when having conversations.
Managers, please complete both surveys:
- Quality Conversations survey for employees 2026 – Fill in form
- Quality Conversations survey for Line Managers 2026 – Fill in form
The surveys are open until 12 June 2026.
To get the most from your quality conversations, find helpful hints and tips, and also find what you told us in the last survey, see Quality conversations – My Council Works.
Thank you for taking the time to share your views.
Human Resources and Organisational Development (HROD)
Sign up to the LGIU
The Council is an LGIU member. Start using your membership resources today.
What is the LGIU?
Local Government Information Unit is a not-for-profit membership organisation for local government
What does this mean for me?
You can access extensive local government resources and research covering a range of policy areas.
You can also access local government news, policy briefings, case studies, member only events and workshops and discounts on training.
How to sign up
Go to lgiu.org/sign-up and enter your work email address
Fill in your details and choose the topics you’re interested in.
Equality details
Thanks to everyone who has already updated their equality details on HROnline. If you haven’t done so already, please take a couple of minutes to complete this.
There are a number of reasons why it is important that the council has this information. These include:
- To understand our workforce and identify any barriers to inclusion.
- To develop targeted initiatives, such as those supporting employees at different life stages.
- To meet our legal obligations. These include reporting on our workforce as part of the Public Sector Equality Duty, carrying out Equal Pay Audits, and measuring our gender pay gaps.
- To check that workforce survey responses reflect our organisation accurately.
- To monitor progress on diversity and inclusion over time.
Coming up
Mental Health First Aiders
We are pleased to announce the upcoming launch of our Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs), a network of trained colleagues who will provide confidential, non‑judgemental support to employees experiencing stress, low mood, anxiety, or other mental health concerns.
MHFAs offer a safe space to talk, listen with empathy, provide reassurance, and signpost colleagues to appropriate internal or external support where needed. While MHFAs are not counsellors or therapists, they play an important role in offering initial support and helping colleagues feel safe and supported while accessing further help. This service forms part of our ongoing commitment to promoting positive mental wellbeing and creating a supportive, inclusive workplace culture. We’ll share more details in the coming months.
Look out for Men’s Health Week, 15-21 June and National Wellbeing Week 22-28 June. We’ll be posting more information and linking to helpful resources in June.
Clipper yacht tour
We’re proud to be playing host to the world-famous Clipper Round the World Yacht Race as it sails into Oban again from 10-19 July. Spanning over 40,000 nautical miles, the Race takes non-professional sailors on a challenging journey around the globe.
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like onboard for the Race Crew, who call the yachts home for eleven months, why not take part in a tour.
As a host partner, the Council has 50 free tickets available for Friday 17 July, 6-7pm for a half-hour tour on board one of the 70-foot ocean racing yachts.
Book your free Clipper Race Tour slot.
More information on Home – Clipper Ventures PLC and the Festival of the Sea Programme – Clipper Race comes to Oban 10th – 19th July.
Armed Forces Day – Saturday 27 June
Armed Forces Day takes place this year on Saturday 27 June 2026. It is a national opportunity to recognise and show support for the men and women who make up the Armed Forces community, including those currently serving, veterans, reservists and their families. Across the UK, communities and organisations come together to mark the day with local events, activities and celebrations. You can find out more about what’s happening and how to get involved by visiting the official website:
Find out more about Armed Forces Day and local events
At Argyll and Bute Council, we are proud to work alongside employees who are part of the Armed Forces community. This includes colleagues with family members serving in the Armed Forces, as well as a number of Cadet Force Volunteers and veterans who bring a wide range of valuable and transferable skills to their roles across the council. Their experience, resilience and teamwork make an important contribution to our organisation. Some of these veteran colleagues are part of our Veterans’ Employee‑led Community group, which provides a supportive space to connect, share experiences and raise awareness across the council. You can find out more about this group and other employee‑led communities on My Council Works:
Learn more about employee‑led communities
Congratulations
Golf day champs
Another great turn out for the Annual Council Golf Day which was held at Glencruitten Golf Club this year. Course was in good order and the weather was fine and sunny in the main with a few showers towards the end of the day.
The winning team this year was made up of – David Foreshaw, David Allan, Andrew McDonald and Alister MacArthur who played out of their skin and came in with a score of 49.3.
Thanks to Malcolm Cullen and the others at Glencruitten for giving us a great deal for the day and some fantastic food after the golf. We are hoping that next year we will be taking the event to Cardross but more information on that early 2027.
On the day £265 was raised for charity and the winning team chose ‘Oxygen Oban’ as the benefactors. A big thank you to everyone for their generosity.
Congratulations to Sam Ford
Congratulations to Sam Ford, from the Business Gateway service within Economic Growth, who recently won the ‘Innovation in Practice’ Award, amidst strong performance across the Business Gateway network within local authorities.
The ‘Innovation in Practice Award’ honours individuals who have introduced improvements—big or small—that enhance efficiency, save time, improve systems or communication, or elevate client experience.
Sam was nominated for the award by her manager Kate Fraser for always looking at new opportunities to improve how they work as a team and support clients. According to Kate, she’s always the first to embrace new technology. Sam is an early adopter of AI who ‘nudges us technophobes with patience and (mostly) a smile.’
Speaking about the award, Sam said:
“It’s really nice to be recognised, although I honestly just see it as part of my job.
I’m always looking for ways to improve how we work and how we support businesses, so it’s great that some of the ideas and changes introduced across the team have made a difference.
I’m also lucky to work with colleagues who are willing to embrace new approaches and technology… even if some of them need a little more convincing than others!”
Well done Sam.
Behind the nomination: hearing from our recognised colleagues
Recognition is usually about celebrating dedication, impact and the difference people make every day. Yet one of the most powerful perspectives comes from our nominees themselves — hearing, in their own words, what being recognised meant to them.
This month, we’re delighted to share reflections from Amy Caldwell – Primary Shool Teacher who received a nomination for going above and beyond to protect a pupil’s confidence by managing a difficult moment, creating inclusion and making alternative arrangements to remedy the situation.
“Receiving recognition through the council’s programme has been an incredibly uplifting experience, reinforcing the value and purpose behind my work as a teacher. It is so lovely that the parents of this child have taken the time to write to the council to highlight this work. It feels genuinely motivating to know that the effort, care, and commitment I put into supporting my students and contributing to the school community are seen and appreciated. This recognition not only boosts my confidence but also strengthens my sense of belonging and pride in the profession. It encourages me to continue striving for excellence, knowing that positive impact—no matter how small it may seem day to day—can make a meaningful difference and is acknowledged. Ultimately, it serves as a reminder of why I chose this path and inspires me to keep growing and giving my best.
Please help us spread the word and promote AB Recognition so we can continue to celebrate the fantastic contribution that our employees make every day.
We’re pleased to congratulate our employees and teams nominated in the last quarter. Colleagues and members of the public used AB Recognition to share their appreciation and highlight work that has made a positive difference. Your efforts do not go unnoticed and are greatly appreciated!
Here are a few highlights of the nominations received from January to March 2026. It’s great to be able to share some fantastic examples of the work you did:
- Covering multiple roles delivering high‑quality support, resolving complex issues, communicating clearly and supporting colleagues across departments.
- Clearing a backlog of direct payment reviews on time, enabling the service to exceed care package targets.
- Providing consistent, caring support throughout Primary School and the transition to High School, ensuring pupils always felt safe, listened to and supported.
- Going above and beyond on a day off to open a stadium, ensuring a community sporting event could go ahead, supporting players, young people and visiting teams.
- View all our nominations from January to March 2026 on MyCouncilWorks.
- If you have access to the Hub, you can read more about our nominees.
Education Services – Thriving Together
This final term has been full on. There’s no other way to put it.
As the countdown to summer finally begins, it’s worth taking a moment to look back at what has been achieved this term, because none of it happened by accident.
Across our schools, children and young people have sat exams, made the transition to secondary, taken their very first steps through a school gate, and started shaping their plans for the future. Every one of those moments has your fingerprints on it.
Whether you’re in the classroom, helping keep our hostels clean, working in ASN, supporting our early learners, or keeping our young people fed, your work is what makes those moments possible.
Across our mainland and island communities, where geography and distance shape how we deliver services, that commitment plays a vital role in ensuring all children and young people are supported to achieve, feel included, and move on to positive destinations.
There is clear progress across the service to build on. We are continuing to see the impact of that collective effort in improved outcomes, strengthened pathways, and the opportunities being created for our young people.
As we look ahead to the next session, there is real momentum to carry forward.
Before this term comes to a close, take some time with colleagues to recognise what you’ve achieved together, and consider how we continue to build on that progress to deliver the best possible outcomes for children and young people across Argyll and Bute.
Colleagues from across Argyll and Bute Council came together to support a highly successful STEM Fest event at Hermitage Academy, Helensburgh, demonstrating the wide range of careers and opportunities available within the Council.
Our Council teams embraced the ‘marektplace’ format, delivering engaging demonstrations, sharing equipment and visual displays, and speaking to pupils about career pathways and day-to-day roles.
By taking part, our teams demonstrated the Council’s commitment to supporting young people and investing in future talent. The enthusiasm shown by pupils throughout the day made it clear that events like STEM Fest play a valuable role in shaping aspirations and broadening horizons.
A big thank you to colleagues in IT, Digital Team, Waste Management and Biodiversity, for helping to make the event such a success.
If you or your team is interested in showcasing careers in your service to our young people, please get in touch with Felicity Conway (Felicity.Conway@argyll-bute.gov.uk) or Katy Grubb (Katy.Grubb@argyll-bute.gov.uk)
Out and about
Jane Fowler was with colleagues from the Communities and Partnership Team in Oban earlier this month for the 5th Gaelic Gathering, an event that brings together Gaelic partner organisations and Gaelic speakers and learners. The team did a great job preparing and running the event in partnership with colleagues from across council services including Education. A special mention to Mairi McLennan, our Gaelic Development Worker, and Duncan MacNeil, from the Furan Gaelic Centre. Duncan did a great job compering the event and Mairi played a pivotal role in organising proceedings.
Held every two years, this is a unique event in the Gaelic calendar and aims to strengthen connections between people who are passionate about supporting the Gaelic language and culture in Argyll and Bute.
Thanks to everyone who worked on the event. You can read more about it on our website.
Fergus Murray
I visited Oban Airport last week to have a tour of the site and speak to staff looking at the new temporary Bristow’s hanger that is in operation. I was back again at the airport to sign the new steel work of the Bristow’s permanent hanger. You can read more about that on our website.
I held a senior Economic Growth team event at Kilmory to look at the future of the Economic Strategy and how it relates to the new community wealth building legislation. This was a workshop event where we looked at ongoing priorities, resources and partner activity. This will inform key actions with a further meeting arranged.
Senior Planners came together with Development Management colleagues and representatives from policy planning to look at the introduction of a proposed planning review. We discussed various aspects of the planning service and the review that looks at processes and efficiencies in the delivery of development management.
Training opportunities and useful resources
Cyber security – action needed
Cyber threats don’t take days off and neither can we. If you haven’t already completed your mandatory LEON Stay Safe online course and the latest Mimecast cyber awareness video now’s the moment to jump in and get it done.
It’s quick, essential, and genuinely helps protect our entire organisation.
👉 Start (or revisit!) your LEON training here: LEON Stay safe online
👉 The Mimecast cyber‑awareness video links will land directly into your inbox from: security@security.argyll-bute.gov.uk Keep an eye out for them, they’re short, smart and surprisingly fun.
Already completed everything? Did you know you can revisit your Mimecast videos anytime at login.mimecast.com to refresh your cyber‑superpowers, log in using your email address and then click on Awareness Training.
Staying sharp keeps us all safer.
Community Consultation and Engagement Training opportunity
A new Engaging Communities training course is available to book on LEON. It has been developed with input from council officers across services and aims to develop skills and confidence to create and deliver community engagement and consultation activities. It includes tips and tools to maximise results and achieve quality engagement and consultation.
Please visit LEON for further details and to book your place on the next planned training session taking place this August: Engaging communities.
Participation techniques
Training on engagement techniques ‘Art of Hosting’ and ‘Open Space Technology’ is running on 10 June in Cairndow. This is open to council officers and partners. For more information and to book a place, see Eventbrite.co.uk (catering arrangements to be confirmed by 29th May so book soon).
Join the Community Engagement Practitioner Group
There is always an open invitation for any employee of the council and HSCP to join the Community Engagement Practitioner Group. It meets bi-monthly to share best practice and peer support on engaging and consulting our communities. You can contact Suzanne Mason Engagement and Communities Lead at suzanne.mason@argyll-bute.gov.uk to find out more or join.
