Temporary traffic lights will be installed at the Rest and Be Thankful next month as new fencing is installed. The work will focus on lower slope stabilisation above the A83 trunk road and the installation of stock-proof fencing. Traffic lights will be in place from Monday October 12 until Wednesday December 23, when all temporary traffic management will be removed to allow the A83 to fully reopen over the festive break, subject to weather and hillside conditions.

A Royal Navy robot submarine has successfully fired a torpedo for the first time. The trial was said to be a milestone, pushing the boundaries of undersea warfare off Scotland. XV Excalibur, an Extra-Large Uncrewed Underwater Vessel or XLUUV, was adapted with a specialist management system to successfully fire and control US Navy Mk48 Mod 4 heavyweight torpedo at the British Underwater Test and Evaluation Centre  near the Kyle of Lochalsh.

Members of the recently rejuvenated Helensburgh Men’s Shed got together to tidy up ground in preparation for the development of raised beds in Hermitage Park last Saturday. The work was undertaken in collaboration with the New Way charity, which is based in Helensburgh and helps those in difficulty with their own or another person’s use of drugs or alcohol.

Seven candidates have been confirmed for the by-election to be held by Argyll and Bute Council in the Mid Argyll ward next month. The poll will take place on Thursday, October 29, and was arranged after the passing of the area’s late provost, Douglas Philand. The list of candidates, published by the authority and in alphabetical order of surname as they will appear ont he ballot paper, is:

A planning application for a new house in Luss was among those to be validated by Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority last week. The full list is of applications is below - for details of an individual application, go to the national park's website and use the reference number. Reference number: 2026/0181/DETCommunity council: CallanderProposal: Change of use of retail unit to one bed residential unit…

Council officials have been asked to apologise over claims that short-term lets are contributing to housing pressures in Argyll and Bute. The Association of Scotland’s Self Caterers (ASSC) has hit out at communication by the authority to short-term let licence holders and applicants as part of a short-term let control area consultation. It is stated in the communication that “up to 42% of housing is unavailable for use as a permanent home”, which the ASSC says does not relate solely to short-term lets.

The last of this season's Friends of Geilston's Sunday events will see a celebration of autumn this weekend. The volunteers have linked up with the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) to organise the event at the garden near Cardross, which will see the winners of next year’s calendar unveiled. Helensburgh’s Ginger Breadman has kindly donated soup and bread which will be served from 12 noon until it’s finished, while the Friends of Geilston Tea and homemade cake stall will be open again.

New floating docks at Faslane will be built in the UK, John Healey is expected to confirm today. The Chancellor of the Exchequer will announce that foreign firms will be blocked from bidding for contracts to build the docks over national security concerns. Earlier this year the GMB union said the contract for the docks would be worth £1.9bn and had to go to Scottish firms.

Concerns have been expressed about how much time children in Argyll and Bute’s primary schools are spending brushing their teeth. A councillor responded after a report revealed that little more than half of primary schools in the areas covered by NHS Highland were registered with the Childsmile programme. Gary Mulvaney raised the statistic during a presentation by NHS Highland’s deputy director of public health, and called for more schools to become involved.

In the latest of our monthly features written by antiques expert and television presenter Roo Irvine, she looks at an autumn tradition which dates back for centuries. As we approach my favourite time of the year, we transition from flip-flops to boots, salads to stews, and from late night barbecues, to early evening log-fires. There truly is a magical, mystical haze that colours October and the inevitability of All Hallows Eve.

Businesses across Argyll and Bute are being encouraged to find out about grant funding to support their development and growth. The council offers a range of grants for eligible businesses based in Argyll and Bute. To make it easier for businesses to access the right support, they now only need to complete one business funding enquiry form to register their interest.

Housing, hydro schemes and tourism developments are all potential proposals for Scotland’s first national park over the next ten years. Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority issued a call for sites as part of its new Local Development and Land Use Plan. And sites which were put forward have now been revealed by planners, who say these are early suggestions for potential future development and there will be local drop-in sessions to discuss them.

A new ‘community play’ theatre and film project is being planned for Garelochhead. The project, led by Bafta-winning director Kenny Glennan, aims to involve everyone in the village – all ages, any ability, everyone is welcome. The project is part of Cove Park's Collective Home initiative which seeks to find out what ‘collective home’ means for people in Argyll.

The Peninsula Choir is inviting young singers and pianists to join its autumn term, with places fully sponsored by the choir. The Cove and Kilcreggan-based community choir is looking for people aged 16 and over who want to develop their musical skills and gain experience performing as part of an ensemble. Young singers can experience singing soprano, alto, tenor and bass together in a four-part choir, with help to find the voice part which suits them.

Only one planning application in the Helensburgh and Lomond area was validated by Argyll and Bute Council this week. For details of an individual application, go to the council's website and use the reference number. Reference number: 26/01719/TPO Community council: Rhu and Shandon Proposal: Proposed crown reduction/pollarding of 1 x Hornbeam Tree Location: 7 Gareloch Brae, Shandon, Argyll and Bute G84 8PJ Applicant: Mr A Hughes Agent: Jackie McBurney National grid co-ordinates: NA

Social care budgets in Argyll and Bute will be hit by the need for agency staff to cover care at home hours, it was warned this week. Dougie McFadzean said in a report that a total of 1,019.75 hours of care per week, for 102 people, needed alternative arrangements made after Carers Direct went out of business and Oban Community Carers withdrew.

The Royal Navy’s latest hunter-killer submarine, HMS Agamemnon has sailed from the BAE Systems shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness. The newest Royal Navy conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarine, HMS Agamemnon will now begin sea trials - a period of testing ahead of joining active service with the Royal Navy. The Astute Class are the largest, most advanced and most powerful attack submarines ever operated by the Royal Navy.

Acclaimed folk singer Ainsley Hammill and her band will be performing in Rhu next month. With appearances at Glastonbury, Celtic Connections and the Cambridge Folk Festival , this is a rare local gig for Ainsley, who is from Cardross. Performing with her trio line-up, she promises an intimate afternoon of song, where Gaelic, Scots, and original music weave together stories of Scotland’s people, places, and folklore.

Letters of claim have been submitted against parties involved in the design, supervision and construction of Helensburgh’s £23m leisure centre, a councillor has reported. Cllr Ross Moreland had already reported that internal works at the leisure centre were set to continue until spring 2027. In an update to councillors, he then said that Argyll and Bute Council’s insurers had lodged claims against unnamed parties involved in the construction while exploring “every appropriate avenue” to recover costs.

Only one planning application was validated by Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority last week. Details are below – to comment, go to the national park's website and use the reference number. Reference number: 2026/0232/HAE Community council: Drymen Proposal: Erection of single storey side extension Location: 25 Muirpark Way Drymen Stirling Applicant: Mrs Karen McKechnie Agent: Scott Brown, Thomas Robinson Architects National grid co-ordinates: 247255 E 688896 N

The Holy Loch Nature Reserve was referenced in a debate at the Scottish Parliament this week. Argyll and Bute MSP Jenni Minto led a members' business debate last week stressing  the importance of Scotland’s rainforest and associated natural habitats. “There are 30,000 hectares of Scottish rainforest,” she said. “And we can’t forget the real engine room of the rainforest which lies with its insect diversity which the Holy Loch Nature Reserve is now mapping.”

A total of 68 artists and makers from across the peninsula will be showcasing their creative skills in many genres in the biggest Cowal Open Studios weekend yet. The well-established and ever popular four-day event takes place at 46 separate studios and venues from tomorrow to Monday September 28. The event is organised along four distinct geographical routes around the Cowal peninsula.

A former Kilcreggan man met the King at an event highlighting transformation of the energy sector yesterday. King Charles III flew into Peterhead on a Chinook helicopter to learn about latest updates at the port. And among those he met was Andrew Walker, who was brought up in Kilcreggan, attending the village primary and Hermitage Academy. Andrew is now director and head of marine infrastructure UK for engineering consultancy firm…

The SNP’s Jan Brown is the new provost of Argyll and Bute, with a bid to appoint a Conservative from Helensburgh to the role being defeated. Cllr Brown, who covers the Mid-Argyll ward, had been depute provost of the area since April 2024. Douglas Philand, who passed away last month, had been provost A roll call vote at a full council meeting today saw a motion moved by administration councillors prevail with 18 votes.

Health and social care staff in Argyll and Bute have faced “unprecedented pressure” in delivering day care recently, a councillor has said. Carers Direct suddenly closed in June, while Oban Community Carers (OCC) made a planned withdrawal in August, leaving alternative arrangements needing to be identified for over 100 people. But Cllr Dougie McFadzean has highlighted the work done by the area’s health and social care partnership (HSCP) to ensure continuity of care services.

The A82 near Loch Lomond will be closed overnight when work to remove diseased trees starts on Monday. The larch trees at Arnburn, south of Luss, are being tackled following the issue of a statutory plant health notice for phytophthora ramorum by Scottish Forestry. Contractors BEAR Scotland will carry out the work on behalf of Transport Scotland and it is due to run  until the morning of Saturday October 17.

Forces families in Helensburgh and Lomond who are balancing military life with caring responsibilities will have access to dedicated support through a new project. Helensburgh & Lomond Carers SCIO has been awarded £28,700 by Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity to deliver its Forces Family Resilience project. This is a preventative programme designed to support serving and ex-serving forces families who are also caring for a loved one.

Plans for the decades-overdue Helensburgh to Dumbarton cycle path have made “good progress” in recent times, a councillor has reported. The project first received official backing in the early 2000s from the Labour-led Scottish Executive, when Sarah Boyack was the country’s transport minister. Now it is expected that it will not be complete until 2032. with the route recently planned to be changed to run directly alongside the A814 road between Helensburgh and Cardross.

A new local development and land use plan, the first of its kind in Scotland, is being piloted in Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park. The ne document aims to set out not just where development should and shouldn't happen, but also how land across the national park could be used, managed and protected. As a statutory planning authority, the national park authority has a legal duty to prepare a development plan guiding what happens where, including housing, business and tourism, while working to build and strengthen nature connections.

A community park on the Rosneath Peninsula and a carers service covering Hlensburgh and Lomond are among groups across Argyll and Bute sharing £500,000 in funding. The Scottish Government's Community-Led Local Development (CLLD) fund has awarded a total of £504,000 to 19 groups in the area. £35,000 was awarded to Rosneath Peninsula West Community Development Trust for detailed design of the Craigrownie Park community recreation hub in Cove.

A review of day care services in Argyll and Bute is set to return to the agenda in two weeks’ time after councillors and officials agreed to defer a decision. A report by the area’s health and social care partnership (HSCP) to its integration joint board (IJB) recommended a programme to make day services more sustainable. The deputy leader of Argyll and Bute Council then moved a motion asking the IJB to call on the Scottish Government to work with the HSCP and council on public sector reform.

Community groups, organisations and individuals across Argyll and Bute can now apply for new funding to help bring local projects and ideas to life. Applications are now open for the council’s new area committee priority fund, with £200,000 available across Argyll and Bute during 2026/27. Each of the council’s four area committees has been allocated £50,000 to support projects that respond to local priorities and make a positive difference to communities.

The Ministry of Defence has no plans to upgrade a narrow lochside road which links two of its key facilities, a meeting heard last week. The A814 is the main access road for the Glen Mallan jetty, which is used by aircraft carriers following a £63m upgrade and in future will also be used by submarines. And it is also the only road link for the Finnart Oil Deport, which was bought by MoD in July – more details of the plans for that site were revealed here on Friday.

An online consultation event is being held next month to look at the future of care homes in Argyll and Bute. The area’s health and social care partnership (HSCP) is holding the event on Monday October 5 at 6.30pm, with a presentation on the existing care home provision and services for older people and explore future options. James Gow, the HSCP’s head of finance, said: “We have been really encouraged by the number of people who have already attended one of our in-person events or who have contacted us directly with their views.

The public has been invited to say how council officials should tackle an expected £9m black hole in Argyll and Bute’s budget. The council has again launched an on-line budget calculator on its website. Its funding gap next year is estimated to be around £9.4 million, increasing to £64m by 2032. The majority of the council's income comes from the Scottish Government.

Helensburgh Sailing Club has been given lottery funding to help buy the site where its clubhouse is based. The club, which will soon mark its 75th anniversary was given £80,000 this week by Sportscotland's Sport Facilities Fund this week. It was as one of 16 projects across Scotland which benefited from £2.4m of new investment. “Securing our grounds marks a massive milestone—guaranteeing that HSC remains a vibrant home for local sailing, training, and community sport for generations to come,” said a spokesperson.

‘Transformation’ of the Finnart oil terminal by the Ministry of Defence will take two to three years, a meeting has heard. An estimated 50 people will work at the site on Loch Long, which the MoD bought for £29.5m this summer. But the move will mean the closure of the Garelochhead Oil Fuel Depot (below), with the future of that site currently unknown.

A scoping request for a large housing development in Helensburgh is among the planning applications to be validated by Argyll and Bute Council this week. The full list of applications in the Helensburgh and Lomond area is below - for details of an individual application, go to the council's website and use the reference number. Reference number: 26/01590/SCRSCO Community council: Helensburgh…

More details have been revealed in the latest instalment of plans for a major housing development  in Helensburgh. Helensburgh Golf Club, Cala Management Ltd. and Dunbritton Housing Association want to build 145 new houses off East Abercromby Street in the town. Taylor Wimpey and the golf club had previously sought permission from the council for over 300 homes on part of the golf club’s land, including an affordable element.

A man has been charged with culpable and reckless conduct following reports relating to the use of a jet ski on Loch Lomond. The incidents happened on June 21, 23, and 24 near Luss pier. Police Scotland say that a report has been sent to the Procurator Fiscal. Inspector Colin Cameron said: “Loch Lomond is a shared space for everyone to enjoy respectfully.

Councillors are set to consider a report outlining the future for public toilets which are operated by Argyll and Bute Council. The authority’s policy lead for roads, transport and amenity services insists that the document will not propose closure of any facilities. Instead, it will present “an opportunity to work with communities and partners” to keep public toilets open for use.

Drivers faced an 18-mile diversion today as public roads were again closed because an aircraft carrier was on Loch Long. The A814 between Arrochar and Whistlefield has regularly been closed in recent years when the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carriers take on munitions at Glen Mallan. Usually traffic is diverted along the A817 Haul Road through Glen Fruin – but that road is also closed currently because of resurfacing, meaning traffic was rerouted via Helensburgh.

A new business opened on the Rosneath Peninsula today, bringing former bank premises back to life. Kilcreggan Hardware was opened by Vinuraj Kumar and his family, who have made the nearby village shop a popular success in recent years. The Bank of Scotland branch in the centre of Kilcreggan closed in 2024 but today there were bright balloons, a ribbon-cutting and a warm welcome for new customers.

Internal repairs at Helensburgh Leisure Centre are set to take until spring 2027 to complete, a councillor has said. But Argyll and Bute Council can only say that the £23m facility will open “as soon as practicable in 2027”, while “potential issues” have been found inside the building. The leisure centre has been closed since January 2025, when Storm Eowyn ripped off parts of its roof.

Refurbishment work is about to start on play parks in Tarbet and Arrochar. The facilities will receive £60,000 share of funding allocated to Argyll and Bute, by the Scottish Government and in addition Arrochar and Tarbet Community Development Trust has donated a further £16,000 to the project to support its local play areas, children and young people. Kompan Play has been awarded the contract to refurbish the play parks and work will commence these dates in Arrochar in the week commencing 28 September 28.

Helensburgh will be lit up for Christmas again this year – and there could be historic additions to the display. The announcement was made last week by Vivien Dance of the volunteer-run Helensburgh Festive Lighting Charitable Trust. She said the group was still hoping for a few more injections of cash from community groups in the next few weeks and that the spectacle which had been provided for the last 17 years would be repeated - the volunteers light up the town centre with 160 festive lights, 16 sparkling trees and a large Christmas tree.

The dangerous building which has led to the closure of the main road through Helensburgh was discussed in court yesterday. East Clyde Street in the town centre has now been closed for more than three months after dangerous buildings notices were served on the owners of numbers 3-7 and 9-13. Owners lodged appeals at Dumbarton Sheriff Court against the notices and the first of these appeal hearings took place yesterday.

A planning application to convert a former church into a house is among those to be validated by Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority this week. The full list is of applications is below - for details of an individual application, go to the national park's website and use the reference number. Reference number: 2026/0196/DET Community council: Callander…

Young people from communities across Scotland's west coast have embarked on the first stage of their maritime careers after securing places on CalMac's Modern Apprenticeship programme. The latest intake of 16 joins one of the UK's most respected seagoing apprenticeship schemes, with CalMac having trained more than 190 apprentices since launching the programme in 2013. CalMac says the scheme continues to attract strong interest from aspiring maritime professionals, offering a direct route into a career at sea while supporting future generations of ferry services across Scotland's island and coastal communities.

Helensburgh Winter Festival will mark its 15th anniversary this year with a weekend of festive entertainment, markets and family attractions in the town centre. The popular event is set to take place in Colquhoun Square on Saturday and Sunday November 28 and 29, running from 10am to 5pm on both days. Organisers are promising a packed programme featuring a festive market, live performances on the festival stage, funfair rides and a range of children's entertainment – as well as the ever-popular Santa Dash.