Excerpts from issue 53/11 7 March 2026
Home sweet home
The vessel will spend an estimated two weeks on the Clyde as final fit-out and activities to deliver her to operations take place. Further updates will follow on preparations for entry to service on the Islay route later in March.
CalMac CEO Duncan Mackison said, "It's the end of the delivery voyage but the start of an exciting new chapter for CalMac.
"The crew, who have been putting the vessel through her paces on an epic voyage across the Mediterranean and North Atlantic in the depths of winter, are delighted to have reached Scotland.
“Over the next few weeks, we'll finalise preparations to get the vessel ready to enter passenger service for Islay and Jura."
Meanwhile, Transport Secretary, Fiona Hyslop announced the release of funding to CMAL to commence the £107 million upgrade of Port Ellen Pier. Work is expected to begin in June this year and end in the early part of 2029.
Photo: Brian Fulton
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A&B Council tax increased by 9.7%
Argyll and Bute Council set its budget on Wednesday 25 February to address a gap of more than £13 million in the council's 2026-27 finances for day-to-day services.
According to Council Leader, Jim Lynch, "Record investments in roads, vital social care support, lifeline for library and leisure services, investment for local areas, and valued local services protected, along with the jobs needed to deliver them. Our budget decisions avoid brutal losses of service and keep vital support there for our communities."
He continued, "This year has been one of the most challenging budgets this council has faced. Services and support that we know people rely on were going to be lost to the budget black hole.
"The council continues to deliver millions of pounds of efficiencies. But the scale of the budget gap meant that increasing council tax had to be part of budget decisions, to save vital services that many people have told us really matter to them. "This decision is easy to criticise, extremely difficult to take, but is the responsible choice, given what it makes possible. It saves services and investment that protect and develop the wellbeing and economy of Argyll and Bute.
Savings proposals rejected include the closure, sale or transfer of all public toilets, closure of walk-in customer service points, reduction in the roads winter maintenance (gritting) and street sweeping services, the loss of environmental wardens, and the reduction of funding for leisure and library services delivered through Live Argyll.
The budget gap had also included multi-million pound cost pressures from the growing demand for social care services for elderly and vulnerable people. The council claims that their decisions also saved 30 jobs.
With national funding, savings of £4.6 million, and a council tax increase of 9.7%, proposed spend included record investment of £24 million in the Roads Reconstruction Budget, over two years, 2026-2028, and a £6 million Weather Resilience Fund to restore and repair infrastructure on which day-to-day community life depends.
Increasing funding to the HSCP (Health and Social Care Partnership) by more than £4 million increased the total to £93.1 million in 2026/27, an investment that will provide support to the most vulnerable people.
The value of these investments is said to equal a 7% council tax increase, yet two weeks ago, the council was touting a council tax rise of only 6%.
School meal charges have been frozen and £72,000 has been provided to foodbanks across the region (£6,000 each to twelve foodbanks)
£220,000 of funding has also been dedicated to local areas, through area committees and community councils.
As well as continuing to fund the wide range of council services, the budget also provides support for leisure, tourism, and regeneration initiatives including increased funding in library and leisure services delivered through Live Argyll, an increase in 2026/27 of £154,000. Culture, heritage and the arts will benefit from £95,000, while Argyll and the Isles Tourism Co-operative receives £75,000 and Islay's Mactaggart Leisure Centre will benefit from £30,000 of annual funding. Community Sports payments for shinty and rugby development in 2026/27 amounted to £20,000.
Internally, the council expects to deliver £3.1 million of management and operational savings, plus £1.5 million saved in debt charges due to prudent management, and losing posts.
The charge for Band D Council Tax is now £1,783.33, an increase of 9.7%. (Information is available on the council's website about council tax reduction benefits for those in greatest need.)
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In this week's issue:
Islay and Jura Tourism Summit, A&B Council council tax rise, West Highland walk in memory of Jennifer Gillies, Fencing of Uiskentuie Strand, Bowmore to Bridgendd pathway approved, Craig Walker's Walk on the Wild-side, Fèis Òigridh Ìle is Dhiùra, JamDram's new stage, Islay Cancer Support Group, Islay Ales in pictures, Mactaggart Leisure price increases, Peter Roberts' new book, Birds of Islay and Jura, CalMac apprenticeships, Miners & football, Sustainability month, Foraging, Rhinns Hall update.
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JamDram's new stage
After three weeks of crowdfunding (and a LOT of sharing on social media, a necessity, but got the job done), we've raised £9,822.03 - £6,412.03 from the prize draw and a further £3,410 from donations. That's way over our £8,000 target, which means we can buy the stage and a weatherproof container to store it in. No more building stages out of wobbly pallets!
We have been utterly blown away by the support from Jura, Islay and all the connected friends of the islands. We would especially like to thank the anonymous individuals and businesses who directly contributed and we want to make an extra-special thank you to Kirsty Sligo and the team at Jura Distillery whose generous donation of £2000 helped us achieve our goal.
A final thank you to Pi and Lynton Davidson for their very special offering of the prize of a five night stay at Bothan Jura Retreat and for Pi's tireless efforts navigating the World of Crowdfunding and being our tech-support. We couldn't have done it without you!
We drew the prize winner at our rehearsal on 18 February - Kathleen Thomson, Stirlingshire has won five nights at Bothan Jura Retreat with hot tub and sauna.
The best bit? This isn't just for JamDram. The stage comes in one-metre sections that can be configured to any size, and it'll be available for anyone to hire - the Show, Fèis Ìle, weddings, ceilidhs, you name it. If you need a stage for an event on Jura or Islay, get in touch via www.jamdram.org
We look forward to welcoming all of you at our next performances on 27 and 28 March, where we will do our best to show-off our amazing new stage!
Thank you! Team JamDram
(Reprinted from Jura Jottings)
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This is Islay
2026 Podcast of the Year featuring individuals, personalities and features of Islay and Jura. Listen now at https://anchor.fm/thisisislay
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