Four areas of Argyll and Bute will form a key part of a campaign to boost the area’s population after a unanimous decision by councillors.
The Rosneath Peninsula, Bute, Kintyre from Tarbert to Southend, and Tiree and Coll, have all been identified as ‘repopulation zones’ as part of a programme of work.
The proposed programme, including the appointment of a settlement officer, was revealed in a report ahead of a meeting of the council’s policy and resources committee yesterday.
That report made no mention of the Rosneath Peninsula and contained no population figures for any of the areas discussed.
No members of the committee represent the ward which includes the Rosneath Peninsula.
It was decided that part of each of Argyll and Bute’s four administrative areas should be defined as a ‘repopulation zone’.
Read more: Council in Rosneath Peninsula ‘regeneration’ talks with MoD
This is defined in a council report as an area which should show boldness in economic transformation, and a person-centred approach. It should also ‘consider the impact on vulnerable families’ in order to attract young working age people to the area.
Councillors also unanimously agreed to take forward a pilot project which takes a thematic approach to addressing population challenges. It will include the settlement officer post for a year, funded by the council and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).
Executive director Kirsty Flanagan said: “Following the writing of the report, (chief executive) Pippa Milne had engagement with HIE, who confirmed they were happy for officers to work on housing, but we should identify zones for further activity.
“We have given this further consideration and are of the view we should pick up an area within each administrative area.
“We feel this provides a good mix. The feeling was that if we did not identify repopulation zones we could be left behind, and we do not want to miss out.
“We recommend that members support taking forward a pilot project, resourced by a settlement officer, and also focus on repopulation zones for further research.”
Council leader Robin Currie, said: “Addressing the population is a high priority for this council, if not the priority, and we should be doing all we can.
“We started this campaign a few years back for the Government to look at depopulation.”
He then moved a motion which asked for the pilot project to be agreed, along with the four repopulation zones.
He also asked the committee to note that the repopulation zones had been decided after looking at a full range of factors affecting population levels.
He added: “No additional funding has been identified as yet by the Scottish Government in relation to these zones.
“But their identification will allow the council to continue to take an active part in developing this area of work alongside the Western Isles, Highland and North Ayrshire Councils who have also identified zones.”
He also asked that population issues across all of Argyll and Bute were highlighted to the Convention of the Highlands and Islands (COHI) and that more was sought to be done at pace.
His motion seconded by his deputy as leader, Gary Mulvaney, and was unanimously backed by the committee.
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