Work costing £1m for Kilcreggan’s ferry terminal is listed for the next financial year – but no details of what is planned are available. In March Argyll and Bute Council officials said £9.6m plans for Kilcreggan Harbour would have to be revised and the project relaunched - potentially with hydrofoils being used. And later this week councillors will be given a report saying that £1m for ‘works to be determined’ in Kilcreggan should be spent in 2027-28.

Planning applications in Arrochar and Balmaha were among those to be validated by Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority last week. The full list of applications is below - for details of an individual application, go to the national park's website and use the reference number. Reference number: 2026/0234/DET Community council: Buchanan Proposal: Alterations and extension and change of use of byre to dwellinghouse (for short term holiday let)

Communities and charities across CalMac's network are being encouraged to apply for the popular CalMac Community Fund. The fund will provide grants ranging from £1,000 to £10,000 to non-profit organisations working to support vulnerable and disadvantaged people in island and coastal communities. Applications opened this week and close on Monday November 16 The total funding is £175,000 and eligible organisations can apply for a grant of between £1,000 and £10,000.

Royal Navy submariners celebrating the 125th anniversary of the Submarine Service were at Windsor Castle last for a gala dinner to mark the occasion. A total of 200 submariners and guests were invited to the special event which was also attended by the Prince of Wales, who is Commodore-in-Chief of the Submarine Service. Also there was the First Sea Lord General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, Chief of Defence Nuclear Madeline McTernan, and Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Steve Moorhouse.

Plans for 65 new houses near Loch Lomond have been approved by the national park. Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority has granted approval for a major development on a 6.77-hectare area of land north of Gartness Road, Drymen. The planning and access committee unanimously approved plans by Springfield M&M Homes Limited for 65 new houses, 43 for open market and 22 affordable homes.

Event organisers across Argyll and Bute can apply for a share of funding to develop, strengthen and grow the area's vibrant programme of events and festivals. Applications for the council's strategic events and festivals fund opened today. The fund supports not-for-profit organisations delivering events and festivals of strategic importance across Argyll and Bute. Funding of up to 20% of total event costs is available to help organisers enhance their events, improve long-term sustainability and resilience, and maximise the economic benefits they bring to local communities.

Planning applications in Helensburgh and Kilcreggan are among those 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: 26/01710/PP and 26/01711/LIB Community council: Helensburgh Proposal: Replace existing single-glazed timber sash and case windows and internal timber front door with new hardwood slim double-glazed sash and case windows and front door which will replicate the appearance of the originals…

HMS Agamemnon, the sixth of the Royal Navy’s Astute-class hunter-killer submarines, arrived today at her home port of Faslane. The vessel sailed from BAE Systems in Barrow on September 25 “The arrival of HMS Agamemnon at HM Naval Base Clyde is a significant milestone for the Royal Navy,” said Rear Admiral Perks. “Her delivery reflects the dedication, skill and collaboration of thousands of people across our Defence Nuclear Enterprise, who have worked together to build one of the world’s most capable attack submarines and deliver a formidable warfighting capability for the United Kingdom.

Plans for a sound studio and accommodation unit on the Rosneath Peninsula have been given the go-ahead by council officials. Management at Cove Park, on the Peaton Hill, lodged the planning permission application with Argyll and Bute Council earlier this year. A statement submitted with the application at the time said: “Cove Park has attracted many musicians and sound artists, however, without a dedicated purpose designed sound studio the artists are limited in their method of working.

The Waverley paddle steamer is today celebrating the 80th anniversary of first being launched into the River Kelvin in Glasgow. The world’s last seagoing paddle steamer made a spectacular passage through London’s Tower Bridge shortly after 9.30am today, as part of a special anniversary sailing on the River Thames. Waverley was launched at Pointhouse Yard of A&J Inglis in Glasgow on October 2 1946 by Lady Matthews, wife of the chairman of the London & North Eastern Railway (LNER).

Plans for £85,000 worth of repairs and refurbishments to Inveraray’s public toilets have been given the go-ahead. Argyll and Bute Council proposed to make the upgrades at the facilities on Front Street, which include a new roof, doors and windows. The planned works have now been confirmed as a permitted development by the authority’s planning officials. An official said in a handling report: “The proposal is for the upgrade of the exterior of the public conveniences located at the entrance to the slipway at the waterfront.

Health and social care chiefs have agreed to redesign day care services in Argyll and Bute. A review into the future of the services found that the preferred option moving forward was “a structured redesign programme that develops a sustainable, outcome-based model”. A meeting of the area’s health and social care partnership’s (HSCP) integration joint board last month asked for a decision to be deferred for two weeks to allow further consideration.

A £1m pilot fund for Scotland’s historic places of worship opened for applications today – and more than 100 faith group representatives have already expressed interest. Scotland’s Places of Worship Fund will help listed places of worship across Scotland meet VAT costs associated with repair and conservation work. The pilot fund has been developed by Historic Environment Scotland (HES) in response to the closure of the previous UK-wide Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme.

Trespass, vandalism and cable theft on railways in Scotland cost almost £2m over the last year, new figures have revealed. A total of 1,231 incidents were recorded across the network, contributing to nearly 1,000 hours of delays for passengers. ScotRail says trespassing is one of the biggest causes of disruption and can have a significant impact on train performance, passengers, freight, railway staff and local communities.

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.