In this issue:
What's new?
2025 Employee Experience Survey feedback
A big thank you goes to everyone who completed the 2025 Employee Experience Survey. We got over 1000 responses, by the time the survey closed on 7 November, which is about 21% of our workforce. It was great to hear from you and get your feedback and we will consider everything you told us and report back on actions the council will take in response.
Meantime, we asked for your feedback (average out of 5) on the following areas – here are the overall ratings for each question compared to the 2024 survey.
We’ll share more about your feedback, including the wellbeing, digital skills and workload questions early in 2026.
If you have ideas for how we can make sure even more of you take part in the next Employee Experience Survey in 2026 please contact Margaret Bennett, Organisational Development Project Officer who would love to hear from you – margaret.bennett@argyll-bute.gov.uk
Updated secondment guidance
A secondment opportunity is a great way to grow your skills, broaden your experience, and explore new areas of the organisation. Our Secondment Policy is designed to support your development by offering temporary opportunities in different teams, departments, or roles.
The Secondment Policy Guidance has recently been reviewed and updated to reflect improvements identified including how we manage and monitor the process as well as supporting staff development across the council. It provides clear information for employees and managers on secondment arrangements, responsibilities and expectations.
In addition to the guidance, you can now submit secondment requests using the online SEC1 form. This offers a simpler and more efficient approval process. Managers can now complete secondment evaluation forms online.
When vacancies are advertised they may be identified as suitable for a secondment. If you are looking to apply as a secondment, please speak to your line manager and refer to the guidance and secondment application form (SEC1) on MyCouncilWorks
Coming up
Christmas e-card competition – reminder
A reminder to send in your entries for Pippa’s official Christmas e-card competition to chief.executive@argyll-bute.gov.uk. The deadline has been extended to Monday 8 December, so there is still plenty of time.
The competition is open to colleagues, friends, and families with two chances to win as the Leader will also choose one for his official card. The only criteria is that you need to have taken the photograph in Argyll and Bute.
Congratulations
Congratulations to Dominic Garvin who teaches at Rockfield Learning Centre, Oban. Dominic competed in the Metz Marathon last month. Here, he shares his experience. Well done Dominic, a great achievement. We hope you’ve recovered now!
Dominic said:
“During the 2025 October break I travelled to Metz in eastern France to compete in the Metz Marathon. I had been training for the marathon for four months. Training for a marathon can be a solitary activity, so I was looking forward to an event where I could meet up with other runners.
“The 42 kilometer route of the Metz Marathon took runners through the old town, past rivers and parks, through farmland and small towns, as well as an airport runway.
“Last year I ran the Lyon marathon in France and I helped to raise over £500 for the Rockfield PTA for extra activities at school. This year I decided to run the marathon without sponsorship.”
Class of 2025
As part of their career development, supported by both the Council and the HSCP, colleagues from Adult Services and Complex Care recently graduated from the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) after successfully completing their SVQs. Well done for all your hard work.
Sharon Straub – SVQ level 4 in and Social Services and Healthcare
Shirley Nicolson – SVQ level 4 in and Social Services and Healthcare
Clare McGarrie – SVQ level 4 in and Social Services and Healthcare
Helen Smith – SVQ level 4 in and Social Services and Healthcare
Katy Watson – SVQ level 4 in and Social Services and Healthcare
Alistair Sharp – SVQ level 3 in and Social Services and Healthcare
Fiona Brown – SVQ level 3 in and Social Services and Healthcare
Maria Del Lizar Fernandez – SVQ level 3 in and Social Services and Healthcare
Congratulations to Helen Smith, Senior Support Worker who was named by UHI as their Student of the Year.
“Completing my qualification (SVQ4 in Social Services and Healthcare) was a huge personal achievement as it has been many years since I was at school. This qualification has equipped me with the knowledge and confidence to drive positive change, lead by example and continue to deliver high-quality person-centred support to the people we support.
I was very pleased to have the opportunity through the Council, and to my colleagues who gave me great support. All seniors from our five services in adult complex care completed this which demonstrates a commitment to our own personal development and the growth of our services.”
Out and about
Focus on Taynuilt
This month Wendy Brownlie, Head of Education, Performance and Improvement, headed to Taynuilt where the local primary school and community marked the occasion of 80 years since the end of WW2. A pop-up museum was created in Taynuilt Village Hall to commemorate our local heroes.
This community project was led and presented by the children of Taynuilt Primary and showcased their research through visuals and stories that have been handed down through families. This included treasured artefacts, information boards, video interviews, large scale artworks, all accompanied by their own renditions of popular Scottish tunes including ‘Oh Ye canny shove yer granny aff a bus’!
Wendy said “it was wonderful to see the community come together to mark this anniversary and I was delighted to be part of it. Thanks to everyone involved, particularly our fantastic young people who have put so much thought and talent into all the activities. Well done!”.
Connect for Success
The Link
A huge thank you to our sounding board members who have been part of the first year of The Link and given their time, views, experiences and ideas to a broad range of topics that include ‘how we work together’ and ‘climate change’.
The group will meet next in February 2026, and then again in April, June, August and October to chat about topics that you put forward.
If you have a piece of work coming up next year that could benefit from some friendly impartial feedback or an idea you’d like to get views on then don’t hesitate in putting your topic forward.
To find out more about how to submit your topic simply head to The Link.
Boost your data skills to work smarter and make data-driven decisions with a variety of targeted e-learning options on LEON.
- Excel Essentials – work through our Excel e-learning courses with a range from level 1 -7.
- Power BI in Action – Watch quick video tutorials and turn your data into actionable insights.
- Deep Dive into M365 – Access the Skills Hub for in-depth training.
Take the next step and empower your work with data!
Training opportunities and career development
Growing our own – meet Ross Black
Ross Black joined the council recently as a trainee Mechanical Technician in Property Services. The two-year apprenticeship offers practical hands-on experience alongside gaining qualifications at college. Welcome on board Ross, we wish you all the best with your career.
Ross tells us more about why he chose an apprenticeship with the Council:
“I thought of an apprenticeship with the council as I know it is a good place to work and has many different benefits, there is also a lot of progression and growth opportunities within the council that interested me.
“It’s going well, I’m seeing a lot of new places I’ve never seen before, meeting new people along the way and learning valuable skills.
“The split between college and on the job training breaks up my week and due to being in a class with other students who work in different jobs that are similar to mine, I learn new things from them too.
“The course is two years once completed I’ll graduate. There is further progression through college that I can also look at in the future.
“Mechanical Technicians assess the property needs for every building in the Council portfolio in terms of planned mechanical maintenance programs e.g. gas boiler servicing, air conditioning servicing, pump servicing, etc. We then make sure maintenance programs are carried out by approved contractors, including instructing and managing necessary follow-up and remedial works, to ensure compliance with all statutory requirements and Health and Safety Legislation.
“We also deal with all reactive work relating to mechanical systems and are responsible for making recommendations on future investment and planned adaptations to mechanical services
“My advice for anyone thinking about an apprenticeship with the council would be to go for it! It’s been the best decision I have made within my career and I’m excited to see where else this role can take me later in life.”
Inspiring the next generation
It has been a busy few months for the Organisational Development Team. Every year we are invited by our Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) colleagues to attend a range of school engagement events within our schools across Argyll and Bute. So far, we have attended several school events namely careers fairs and employer workshops along with our colleagues from other council services. By doing so we have been able to promote the council and career opportunities with one of the largest employers in the region.
“Careers fairs and school workshops open doors for young people and give employers the chance to inspire the next generation—building futures and shaping communities together.” Katy Grubb, OD Officer, Resourcing
Do you know of any locations or events we can take part in next year? If so get in touch with Katy.Grubb@argyll-bute.gov.uk
Newsflashes from November
Good to know
Last week was National Self-Care week when we were all reminded of the benefits of prioritising our physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. What was great about it was that it put the focus firmly on making this a part of our everyday lives and some of the tips are very easy to incorporate. You can find lots more information on My Council Works as well as links to the Employee Assistance Programme, which has extra resources to help promote health and wellbeing.
If you’ve still got Christmas shopping to do, why not find out about our employee benefits, including discounts on things you might find useful at Christmas?