TEN YEARS AGO
Friday, April 25, 2014
The proposed size of the new Campbeltown Grammar School shows a “lack of real ambition” for the town, it was claimed this week.
Plans for a school to cater for 500 pupils revealed that Argyll and Bute Council was not serious about reversing population decline and attracting more jobs to Kintyre, said Councillor John Semple.
He argued that the school should be built to cater for 550 students – a number which would proportionately reflect school proposals for Oban.
Councillor Semple told the Courier: “What the proposals suggest is that decisions about reversing population decline have already been made and that the Campbeltown area will not benefit from the council’s economic development focus as much as the Oban area.
“The proposed school roll does not reflect the council’s claim that it has real ambitions for Campbeltown.”
He said that when he left the grammar school in 1979, the school had a roll of around 700 compared to 470 today.
“That is a measure of the depopulation that has occurred in Kintyre,” he said.
“It is important the council and its partners take meaningful and measured steps if they are serious about reversing population decline.
“They must set real targets about the number of new jobs they will create and the number of new residents each community needs to attract.”
Councillor Semple was due to make these points at a council meeting to decide the size of the new grammar school.
He recently stated that the council had to “raise its game” in its aims to boost the Argyll and Bute economy and reverse population decline.
He said the present administration’s plans looked much like previous ones which had failed.
Last week, Councillor Dick Walsh, the council leader, hit back, stating that unlocking the potential at Machrihanish Airbase and finishing the Campbeltown CHORD seafront project were among a raft of measures designed to lift the economy.
He said a Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Isles (MAKI) think tank would also be established to consider how significant employment opportunities could be brought to the area.
This week, Councillor Semple said that CHORD was only upgraded from a £10 million project covering some communities to a £30 million project covering five main towns when criticised by members of Councillor Walsh’s own administration for its lack of ambition.
He added: “The think tank was proposed by me to counter the lack of ambition shown in the proposed plans. It is not a construct of the current administration – it took a motion at the area committee to have it included and was accepted by all members of the area committee.
“Communities in east, west and south Kintyre are also set to miss out in the roll out of superfast broadband.”
Councillor Aileen Morton, the council’s policy lead for education, said on Tuesday: “The proposal for the new grammar school will give the people of Campbeltown a fabulous modern facility.
“Funding available from the Scottish Government is around £43.5 million – leaving a £6.5 million short-fall. I expect the council to agree to find the extra money we need to ensure that Campbeltown gets the school it deserves.”
TWENTY FIVE YEARS AGO
Friday, April 23, 1999
Rumours that one of Kintyre’s biggest employers was facing difficulties and that jobs were under threat were laid firmly to rest this week.
Well-known fashion retailer Jaeger has announced that it plans to invest more than £1.5 million in its Campbeltown factory.
For months, rumours have been circulating that the factory was facing difficulties as a result of the state of the pound and its effect on export markets.
There have been fears that jobs could go and some rumours even said the factory could close.
However, the massive investment indicates a much brighter future for Campbeltown’s biggest employer and the 230 people who work in the factory.
Jaeger will spend the money upgrading machinery and on further training and development for its already highly-skilled staff.
The company’s objective is to further improve the quality of men’s suits produced and to enhance the factory’s ability to respond swiftly to its customers.
In addition, the company’s computer systems will be made Millennium compliant.
The two-year project should safeguard the employment of the 230 staff and has received financial backing from Argyll and the Islands Enterprise, part of the Highlands and Islands network.
Richard Organ, managing director of Jaeger Manufacturing, said: “A funding package worth half-a-million-pounds from the UK Government and the European Union provides a welcome addition to the £1 million that Coats Viyella has earmarked for the project.”
Mr Organ went on to stress the importance of the Campbeltown factory in Coats Viyella’s manufacturing operation.
He said: “The Campbeltown operation is very important to Jaeger in the supply of high-quality men’s suits and tailoring. This major modernisation demonstrates our commitment to the area.”
FIFTY YEARS AGO
Thursday, April 25, 1974
Hudson’s Bay Company is looking for self-reliant ambitious young men aged 18, (by 30 June 1974), and under 23 who are interested in working in small communities in Northern Canada.
Applicants must be physically fit, unmarried and educated to normal standard at school-leaving age.
The company offers a challenging career with the opportunity to learn merchandising, store operating and fur trading.
Starting salary is $5,200, (app. £2,310), per annum, good food and comfortable accommodation is provided for $75, (app. £33), per month and there are generous employee benefit schemes.
Applicants will be expected to pay the first $50, (app. £22) of their airfare to Canada.
The balance will be advanced and then recovered over the first twelve months of employment by deductions from salary. When they have completed their initial two-year contract, they will be repaid the cost of air fare.
For further particulars, apply to any employment office of the Department of Employment or Careers Office.
Editor’s note: Does anyone remember a member of their family going to work for the Hudson’s Bay Company? Let us know if you do!
ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO
Saturday, April 26, 1924
The Finance Committee, which is responsible for the administration of the Town Hall, reported having considered further complaints regarding the shouting and yelling that is alleged to go on when dances are held in the Town Hall.
The residents in the neighbourhood of the Town Hall were stated to be very much annoyed and disturbed by this practice.
The Committee considered the complaints to be well-founded, and resolved to instruct the Town Chamberlain to make it a condition of let that “hooching” should be discontinued after midnight.
Hon. Treasurer Smith said he regretted that complaints regarding the noise created by dancing assemblies in the Town Hall were becoming increasingly numerous. The residents in the neighbourhood had certainly the sympathy of the Finance Committee.
The unseemly conduct of dancers was really causing the Committee a considerable amount of thought, and it had actually been discussed whether the Town Hall should continue to be let for dances at all in view of the persistence in yelling and unnecessary noise that had characterised assemblies this winter.
The Committee hoped that this warning would be attended to by those using the hall.
In any case, the Committee were determined that unseemly noise must stop after midnight.
Mr M’Grory thought that instructions should be given to the hall-keeper to turn down the lights in the event of the conditions of let not being observed. That used to be done by the former hall-keeper.
Mr Hutcheon said it would be a great mistake to instruct the hall-keeper to turn out the lights.
Mr M’Grory retorted that he was not aware of suggesting that the lights should be turned out. If he had, he did not mean it. The turning down of the lights was a warning to the dancers that decorum was not being observed.
The Council approved of the Committee taking whatever action was necessary to put a stop to the grievance.
Yes! I would like to be sent emails from West Coast Today
I understand that my personal information will not be shared with any third parties, and will only be used to provide me with useful targeted articles as indicated.
I'm also aware that I can un-subscribe at any point either from each email notification or on My Account screen.