Campbeltown Community Council
Minutes of Meeting 11/02/25
held in Campbeltown Town Hall
Present: V Nimmo (Chair), C Dobbie (Minutes), A Baker, J Martin, C McCulloch, E Grabowska, D Allen, E Glendinning
In attendance: Cllr J Armour, Argyll and Bute Council
Cllr T MacPherson, Argyll and Bute Council
G Neal, NHS
S Andrew, member of public
- Welcome: V Nimmo welcomed everyone to the meeting.
- Declaration of Interest: None
- Apologies: A Gallacher, K Gillies
- Minutes of last meeting 14/01/25
The minute of the last meeting gave the wrong date – should have read 14/01/25. To be amended.
The minutes were then agreed as accurate and proposed by C McCulloch, seconded by A Baker.
Matters arising
- Meeting with Southworth Development re Campbeltown airport and runway was attended by V Nimmo and C Dobbie. Report was circulated by email and attached to minutes.
Subject was discussed and it was agreed that investment is required and should be led by Southworth Development.
- Shortage of NHS staff at C’town Hospital: email received and circulated from Cllr Kean. See below.
- Speed warning signs – no further update.
- Public Questions
S Andrew introduced himself as Secretary of a newly formed local group, Kintyre Veterans. There are approx 40 members whose aim is to support ex service or partners of ex service personnel. They meet monthly and have a private Facebook page. Hope Strang is helping to highlight issue of homeless veterans. V Nimmo to send contact info for local Homeless Group in Kintyre.
- Police Report
Report received by email. Community Councils throughout MAKI not happy with non attendance at meetings.
- NHS Update
G Neal gave the following report:
Radiography – construction has started on new X ray dept and a new radiographer’s post has been offered.
Physiotherapy – one vacancy to be advertised
Community Nursing posts – 2 vacancies have been advertised but there hasn’t been much interest.
A and E – 2 staff have recently been recruited, looking more stable.
Dialysis – there is one staff member trained but they are off work at present. Nursing agency staff could provide service but this is against Scot Gov policy. There is currently one patient requiring dialysis. A review of this service across Argyll and Bute is to be held soon. If equipment funded locally were to be removed, this would require local consultation.
Wards staff – Senior Charge Nurse post hopefully will be filled soon
- 12 FTE Band 5 or above nurses are required to staff current number of beds (12 + 2 contingency). Bank and agency staff are being used and delayed discharge is still a problem. At the end of this month there will be 10 FTE vacancies. A meeting of SLT and Councillors is to be held on 14/02/25 to discuss temporarily reducing the number of beds to 6 so that care can be safely provided. Today there are 8 patients in the wards, the average occupancy over past 5 years has been 10.6 patients.
G Neal stressed that this was not a decision to shrink the service but was a response to the drop in staffing. Mid Argyll Hospital had their number of beds cut from 15 to 8 temporarily due to a staff shortage and she is hopeful that with student nurses qualifying and the Comms team and HSCP working together to attract new staff, this reduction in number of beds will be temporary. The provision of key housing would help.
CCC members expressed their concerns re the reduction in beds and asked that a return to the current provision of beds is guaranteed as soon as possible.
- Councillors’ Reports
Cllrs MacPherson and Armour raised the following:
Visitor Levy – Local drop in consultation event is on Monday, 17th March in Campbeltown Community Centre 4pm-7pm. There are 4 online webinars available which can be booked on Council’s website:
Monday 24th Feb 5:30-6:30pm
Thursday, 6th March 10am-11am
Tuesday, 25th March 5:30-6:30pm
Thursday, 3rd April 9am-10am
Housing – Cllr MacPherson meeting ACHA officers tomorrow to discuss various issues re quality of accommodation, lack of maintenance. He is keen to get more residents involved and to promote the services provided by the Home Energy Efficiency Project Officer, J Westerman.
Cllr Armour informed CCC that a new planning application has been submitted for 36 new mixed homes including bungalows, flats, 3 wheelchair accessible homes, 12 shared equity homes in the Dalintober area.
Council Budget –Council has been awarded more funding from Scot Gov but this will be needed to fund nationally agreed pay awards. Online survey asking for public’s priorities closes on 14Feb. Council Tax will be increasing.
HCSP – both Cllrs are attending meeting on Friday to discuss C’town Hospital staffing
- Treasurer’s Report
Received after meeting – see attached.
- Correspondence
All correspondence circulated to CCC members. The following items were discussed:
Peatland restoration at Meal Buidhe and Sgreadan Hill – feedback by 15Feb
Visitor Levy Consultation – please participate
Tin Roof Diner license application – no objections
Argyll&Bute Resilience and Transformation Fund – info was sent 23Jan, applications closed 3Feb so not enough time. Need to improve planning for an emergency.
- AOCB
Campbeltown Pharmacy – works are progressing well and hope to open 1st April.
Jubilee Path upkeep – path has been damaged during recent storm. Advert for maintenance to go on Fbook page.
Playgrounds refurbishment – C Dobbie represented CCC and scored 3 tenders received. Hopefully works will be undertaken in 5 parks this summer.
Local Place Planning – E Glendinning representing CCC
DATE OF NEXT MEETING: TUESDAY 11TH MARCH 7:30PM in CAMPBELTOWN TOWN HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS