Since the start of this week I have been crisscrossing my council ward speaking to constituents, local business and contacting our council on their behalf.

On the 21st I travelled across West Kintyre and heard from numerous local residents about the ongoing problems with our wrecked trunk roads across Argyll.

There is clear anger at the Scottish Government for their apparent lack of investment and indifference to BEAR Scotland's shear incompetence in allowing our trunk road to make it to such a state.

While attending West Kintyre Community Council's latest meeting the same subject was rightfully brought up by it's members. There is a general feeling that we as a council should be doing much more to pressure both the Scottish Government and Bear Scotland to get a move on and sort out our trunk roads.

The following day I was delighted to travel back to Islay and got a chance to see first hand the Islay Development Initiative's latest recycling program turning Islay's world famous whisky casks into chairs, beaches, tables and much much more. This is yet another example of my ward's dynamic and industrious entrepreneurial spirit and this is something that needs to be encouraged.

On the 23rd I held surgeries in Port Ellen and Bowmore and was inundated with my fellow Ileach's justifiable complaints about the roads on Islay and Jura and I was asked what it will take before something is finally done about our crumbling roads?

It will likely take tens of millions of pounds to fix Islay and Jura's roads properly which means huge investment from central government. I as your Councillor will continue to campaign relentlessly for investment in our roads at both a local and national level.

I also visited The Ileach office to see how our local papers are printed and how my articles and letters make their way on to your Ileach's pages. It was great to meet the Ileach's front line staff and listen to the local issues that are concerning them.

Later on that evening I attended Islay's latest Community Council meeting and spoke of the importance that young people on our Island are given a voice at a community council level and that health and social care desperately needs to be properly funded by the Scottish Government.

I hope to continue to meet as many of my constituents as I can over this next year as I continue my work for the people of the Kintyre and Island's ward.

Cllr Alastair Redman