“Total disgust” over hostel
The children displaced by the closure of Dunoon Grammar School Hostel are fast losing hope that alternative accommodation will be found for them, amid growing fears about further delays in the eventual reopening of the facility.
Angry parents contacted the Observer in a week where additional developments have taken place - further exacerbating their frustration at the council’s handling of the situation.
Following the recent severe weather, which caused transport difficulties and missed school days, and dissatisfaction with the use of service buses, parents in Lochgoilhead received a letter from the council advising that a designated school bus would not be provided.
“Poor excuse”
One parent told the Observer: “We were told that we couldn’t have a bus which would let the kids leave later in the morning because it would affect the viability of the service bus which is timed to coincide with the ferry.
“However during school holidays, the service bus does not leave the village until 8.40am - so this is a very poor excuse.”
One issue that has been resolved is that of minibus transport for supported study and extra curricular activities, but one Kyles parent said: “Going to supported study means they are missing out on dinner in an already long day which starts at 6.30am.”
Expense
Parents were also disheartened to receive a letter advising that some of the commercial premises suggested as alternatives had withdrawn due to the extent - and expense - of works required to come up to the standards required for accommodating young people, meaning that the council now has only one other option under consideration.
Interim measure
Some pupils were being accommodated in Dunoon under a service supported by the council, but parents received notification last week that this would have to terminate. It is believed that at a meeting with Care Commission representatives on March 17, the legal responsibilities in respect of this interim measure were discussed, and the commission confirmed the view that the council was not operating legally in supporting the arrangement.
Parents of the students affected by this decision - believed to be those preparing for Higher exams - claimed that they had to vacate with two days’ notice, saying the children were “devastated” by a situation described as “extremely cruel.”
The council stated simply: “We are no longer providing a service at the premises in question.”
Delays
The final blow for the parents and students was the news that there have been delays in the works being carried out on the hostel building, which may postpone the eventual reopening. They have spoken before of their fears that the hostel would not reopen at all, although these have been allayed by a brief letter confirming the intention to reopen.
Parents are understandably furious at the series of setbacks in this highly emotive issue. “Why can’t they make sure all the boxes are ticked before taking a common sense approach to what is best for these youngsters’ health, safety, education and sanity?” one mother questioned.
“We are back at square one now - the kids have to travel every day and there is no hope of accommodation.”
Another father hit out: “The council keep promising everything and giving us nothing. It feels like we are still being fobbed off.
“Our kids face the prospect of another winter travelling in risky and treacherous road conditions.”
No advantage
In response to the points raised, the council issued the following statement: “The council has considered the suggestion of an additional vehicle. Given the closeness to the service bus running time, and the nature of the roads in the local area, there does not appear to be any advantage in operating two vehicles so closely together when one vehicle can carry all the passengers. Furthermore, any adjustment to the times of the regular local service journey would require notice to the Traffic Commissioner and would immediately invalidate information in timetable booklets and bus stop information panels.
“In respect of the alternative accommodation it is correct that a number of the possible options have been withdrawn due to the work involved in gaining approval. At the present time one option is currently being considered by the Care Commission.
“There has been some delay in the work at the hostel relating to contractors. It is uncertain at this stage whether this will have an impact on the date for reopening.”
No specific information about the nature of the delays was forthcoming.
Duty
The Care Commission’s Ronnie Hill, Director of Children’s Services, said: “We want to stress that we have worked exhaustively to resolve this issue.
“This is not a case of being over-bureaucratic or putting in place unnecessary obstacles to registration. Rather our one and only concern from day one has been the care and wellbeing of the children at the centre of this matter.
“The council is fully aware of the need to apply formally to register services which are to be used to accommodate children and young people, prior to placement. If a service is unregistered there is risk that children could be exposed to danger and harm. We appreciate parents’ concerns about inconvenience, but in raising this matter, we were undertaking our statutory duty to ensure that care services are safe for young people.
“The council’s own Health and Safety Report on the premises indicated that children should not be placed there without significant improvements being made first.”
He confirmed that the commission is continuing to liaise with the council on alternative accommodation.


A82 trunk road petition breaks all records
Massive support for the campaign to upgrade the A82 road between Tarbet and Inverness has resulted in an online petition, known as an e-petition to the Scottish Parliament, crashing through the previous record of 4187 signatures.
At the time of going to press the A82 petition had been signed by around 5300 people, and is anticipated to reach 7000 before it closes on Friday 4 April.
The campaign team is hopeful that this outstanding level of support from the community will result in an invitation to present its case to MSPs in Edinburgh.
A provisional date of 15 April has been set for a presentation to the e-petitions committee.
One person who has added their name to the petition is the church minister for Glencoe, Ballachulish and Duror, who commented: “I am deeply concerned about the number of accidents - especially when I have to help the families pick up the pieces afterwards. The scenery is beautiful, but the slow drivers enjoying the hills and sheep make life very frustrating, and so people take chances - through frustration. Sometimes they are lucky, but sometimes they are not.”
Support for the campaign has poured in from across the world with signatories from Russia, Japan and Europe together with expatriates signing up from Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Lochaber councillor, Brian Murphy, chair of the campaign group said: “The overwhelming support for our petition sends a very clear message to the parliament about the strength of feeling that exists among the people of the West Highlands and Islands on the importance of upgrading the A82. They are not prepared to put up with this sub-standard road any longer.”
Radio stations throughout the West Highlands and Islands have given their support to the campaign and have been running ongoing appeals for listeners to sign up.
The campaign to upgrade the A82 was launched at Inverarnan two weeks ago and the campaign group includes Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Highland Council, Argyll and Bute Council, Northern Constabulary, Chambers of Commerce and Community and business representatives.
Stewart Stevenson, the Transport Minister, has agreed to meet with the group early in May.
A campaign spokesperson said “It is not too late to sign up. If you haven’t already done so please go to www.a82.org, follow the links, and add your support to the campaign.”


Kilmun housing shortfall filled
Argyll and Bute Council is to provide almost £250K to meet a shortfall in funding for an affordable housing project currently in development at Kilmun.
The project - a pilot undertaken by Fyne Homes under the ‘Forest Land Scheme’ initiative - will consist of two four-bedroom detached homes and two three-bedroom semi-detached houses, sited on land purchased from the Forestry Commission in March 2006 for £40,000.
At a meeting of the council’s executive last Thursday, members were asked to agree an allocation of £242,246 from the Strategic Housing Fund to meet the anticipated total cost of £1,018.002. The remaining costs of almost £750K have been secured by Fyne Homes from other sources including a Homestake Grant and the private sector.
While supporting the project and recognising the need for affordable housing - especially in Kilmun where the last such provision was over twenty years ago - councillors expressed a number of concerns about the request, in particular the sense of “being used as a lender of last resort” and when the council had first been made aware that there would be a funding gap.
Other questions included the reasons for the apparent shortfall (given as “the high cost of delivering infrastructure to the site”) and what safeguards would be built in to ensure that the homes remain permanently affordable and cannot be subsequently sold for profit. Councillors also queried the overall cost of the project - asking if four affordable homes for £1m was an example of ‘best value’ or the most appropriate way to address the need for such housing provision.
In a statement to the Observer, Fyne Homes advised that discussions had been ongoing with funding bodies - including the council - since 2006 and that from the outset it was known that the project would be expensive. A full report was submitted to the council in November of last year, incorporating the contribution request.
The high infrastructure costs involved National Park planning stipulations and the requirement to pilot the use of locally-grown timber in the development (in both external cladding and woodburning stoves inside). Other works required included the provision of a new access road, ten car parking spaces, tree clearance, rock cutting and sewage treatment works - all of which, says the housing association, were discussed at various partner meetings before tenders were sought.
In relation to the land cost, Fyne Homes said: “On the face of it, £40,000 is a huge discount but when the aforementioned requirements are added, it is put into perspective.”
With regards to ensuring the long-term affordability of the homes, Fyne Homes confirmed: “They will be sold under the government’s “Homestake” initiative whereby first time buyers can purchase a share of the equity (usually between 60 and 80 per cent).
“The scheme’s rules are designed to target those groups excluded from the first rung of the home ownership ladder on the normal housing market.
“The seller will retain a “golden share” in the property which will form part of the title to ensure that the property must always be offered back to the registered social landlord so that it can remain available as affordable housing.”
On the issue of value for money, the housing association pointed out that on tender return, the project was assessed by Communities Scotland and approval was given to proceed with the lowest tender, submitted by local company Brown’s of Strone.
Commenting on the council’s decision, Alan McDougal, director of Fyne Homes, said: “Kilmun is going to benefit from four high quality affordable homes for sale to first time buyers who meet the Homestake criteria.
“Thanks to the subsidy received from Argyll and Bute Council and Communities Scotland this government initiative will ensure that affordable homes are made available to local people who have been forced out of the housing market due to a shortage of housing and rising house prices. The village has also gained a new public footpath, making walking in the area safer.
“With the contract to build the homes won by Browns of Strone, the majority of the investment will remain in the Cowal economy.”
The properties have been valued at £128,000 for the three-bed homes and £152,000 for four-bed properties, and construction work is ongoing.


Council decides on school site
Argyll and Bute Council has agreed to dispose of the site of the former Lochgilphead High School and Mid Argyll Sports Centre to Fyne Homes - to the disappointment of many in the community.
Following an open event where Fyne Homes displayed its plans for the provision of affordable housing, and a public meeting hosted by the council, the executive voted at its meeting last Thursday to proceed with the plans, having been advised that failure to proceed at this time may risk the deal falling through.
The anger of the community centres around comparisons of the new facilities provided at Lochgilphead Joint Campus with the amenities enjoyed at the old sports centre. Complaints include the positioning of lines for certain sports and inadequate spectator viewing facilities.
Council officers reporting to the meeting advised that the council simply could not afford to run two similar facilities in one area. The councillors then debated the issue in some depth before agreeing the deal, with the proviso that before the old facility is demolished, officers will meet with local members to discuss resolution of the contentious issues.
Fyne Homes plans a social housing development of 69 properties for the site in a mix of detached, semi-detached and terraced houses, flanking a landmark tower block up to seven storeys high containing 14 flats.
A spokesperson for Lochgilphead Community Council said of the council’s decision: “This is a fait accompli by the council.
“If the old school and particularly the sports centre had been properly secured, it could possibly have been retained, but lack of maintenance means that it would now be far too expensive for the community to take on.”
He continued: “Affordable housing is definitely required for the area, but the council has gone about it the wrong way. This is a great pity for the community - the feeling is one of anger.”