Argyll and Bute Council
Argyll and Bute Council is the unitary local government authority for Scotland's Argyll and Bute council area, delivering statutory public services including education, social care, housing, waste management, roads, planning, and council tax administration to approximately 90,000 residents and local businesses.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersLochgilphead, United Kingdom
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Argyll and Bute Council does
Argyll and Bute Council is the unitary local government authority for the Argyll and Bute council area in western Scotland, headquartered in Lochgilphead with regional offices in Campbeltown and Helensburgh. The council delivers statutory public services across a large and geographically dispersed jurisdiction that spans the mainland and multiple islands, including Helensburgh and Lomond, Bute and Cowal, Mid Argyll, Kintyre and Islay, and Oban, Lorn and the Isles. Services span Council Tax administration, Education and Learning, Planning and Building Standards, Roads and Travel, Waste and Recycling, Housing, Social Care and Health, Business and Licensing, and Environment. The council serves approximately 90,000 residents plus local businesses and visitors; its primary customer base is the resident population, with secondary segments comprising local business ratepayers, developers, property owners, and tourists.
The council operates a digital service delivery platform consisting of multiple interconnected portals rather than a unified product. Core systems include the online planning application portal (publicaccess.argyll-bute.gov.uk), the Civica ePay online payment portal for council tax, business rates, planning fees, parking fines, and invoices, the iPay cashless catering system for school meals, and the mygovscot myaccount single sign-on service for citizen authentication operated by the Improvement Service. GIS mapping is integrated into the planning and schools directory systems. Partnerships extend delivery capacity: Argyll Community Housing Association (ACHA) manages all council housing stock following transfer, LiveArgyll is a joint venture for leisure and library facilities, and NHS Highland is integrated through a Health and Social Care Partnership. The catering service holds ISO 9001:2015 certification.
Revenue is generated through four principal streams: Council Tax on residential properties, Non-Domestic Rates (business rates) on commercial properties — moved to 10 monthly instalments from April 2022 — central government grants and funding, and transactional service fees covering planning applications, licensing, school meals, parking, and waste collection. Pricing is unit-based for service consumption (e.g., £2.30 per primary school meal, £119 per minibus day hire) and multi-year subscription for licences (e.g., £285.30–£398.95 for short-term let licences). The council reaches residents through a multi-channel model combining online self-service, telephone, in-person customer service points, community consultations, local media, and a "Keep in the Loop" email newsletter. As a public sector entity it is owned and governed through democratic processes and is not subject to equity funding or acquisition.
Argyll and Bute Council firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Argyll and Bute Council
- Legal name
- Argyll and Bute Council
- Website
- https://argyll-bute.gov.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- Argyll and Bute Council is the unitary local government authority for Scotland's Argyll and Bute council area, delivering statutory public services including education, social care, housing, waste management, roads, planning, and council tax administration to approximately 90,000 residents and local businesses.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Argyll and Bute Council industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Local Government Public Services
- NAICS
- Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support (921), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (9251), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241)
- SIC
- Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744), Refuse Systems (4953)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Housing & Neighborhood Services (Local Housing Programs) (BPAIACAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- State/Provincial Human Services & Benefits Administration (Welfare, Disability, Child & Family) (BPAIABAI)
Keywords
Where Argyll and Bute Council is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lochgilphead
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Argyll and Bute Council business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Council Tax: Property-based tax levied on residential properties in the council area
- Non-Domestic Rates (Business Rates): Property-based tax on business properties, with payment shifting from twice yearly to 10 monthly instalments from April 2022
- Government Funding: Central government funding and grants to support local authority operations
- Service Fees and Charges: Various fees for services including planning applications, licensing, school meals, parking, waste collection
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Primary school meals - two course menu |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Secondary school meals - two course set meal |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Short Term Let Licence (Home Sharing, up to 4 guests) |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Short Term Let Licence (Secondary Letting, up to 4 guests) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Minibus hire - per day |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Minibus hire - up to 4 hours |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Grass pitch hire - no changing rooms, 2 hours |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Argyll and Bute Council product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Argyll and Bute Council is the unitary local government authority for the Argyll and Bute council area in western Scotland, delivering statutory public services to approximately 5,000 employees' worth of residents, businesses and visitors. Core services include Council Tax and Non-Domestic Rates administration, education (schools, meals, transport), planning and building standards, roads and travel infrastructure, waste collection and a 12-site recycling centre network, housing support, social care, business and civic licensing (including short-term lets), and environmental health services. The council also operates digital transactional portals (Civica ePay, iPay, publicaccess planning) and integrates with the Scottish government's mygovscot myaccount for citizen sign-on.
Product overview
Argyll and Bute Council operates as a local government authority providing a comprehensive portfolio of public services to residents across Scotland's west coast. The council's digital offering consists of multiple interconnected service platforms rather than a unified product: core services span Council Tax administration, Education and Learning (including schools directory and meals), Planning and Building Standards (with an online application portal), Roads and Travel infrastructure, Waste and Recycling collection and facilities, Housing support, Social Care and Health, Business and Licensing, and Environmental services. Key digital sub-services include the mygovscot myaccount integration for citizen authentication, the Civica ePay payment portal for multiple service types, the publicaccess.argyll-bute.gov.uk planning system, the LiveArgyll leisure facilities platform, and the short-term let licensing portal. The council also provides specialized services like Crisis Grants through the Scottish Welfare Fund, Bin Collection scheduling by geographic area, and the Invest in Argyll business development portal.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Council Tax Services Property-based tax administration service covering billing, payments, discounts, exemptions, and debt management for residents of Argyll and Bute.
- Education and Learning Services Comprehensive education service including school directory, holidays, meals, additional support needs, early years childcare, school transport, and grants for pupils.
- Planning and Building Standards Planning permission, building standards applications, Local Development Plan access, weekly application lists, and public commenting system for development proposals.
- Roads and Travel Services Transportation infrastructure services including public transport timetables, road maintenance, car parks, EV charging, piers and harbours, and winter gritting.
- Waste and Recycling Services Household and commercial waste collection, recycling centres network, bin ordering, and bulky waste collection services across Argyll and Bute.
- Housing Services Housing assistance including applications, homelessness advice, housing benefit applications, private landlord support, and Ukraine sponsorship scheme. Note: all council houses transferred to Argyll Community Housing Association.
- Social Care and Health Services Social work services, care homes, carers support, children and young people services, adult social care, and addictions support.
- Business and Licensing Services Business support, trading standards, health and safety, licensing services, short-term let licensing, and business rates administration.
- Environment Services Environmental health, countryside management, animal welfare, renewables and climate change initiatives, and flood advice services.
- Short-Term Let Licensing Mandatory licensing scheme for short-term let operators in Scotland, with tiered fees based on guest capacity and licence type (home sharing, home letting, secondary letting).
- Civic Government Licences Licensing services for animals, alcohol, commercial activities, entertainment, explosives, food, gambling, housing, and streets/transport.
- Crisis Grants Scottish Welfare Fund emergency payments for essentials like food, heating, nappies, and toiletries in crisis situations, provided as tax-free grants.
- Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction Financial assistance for low-income residents to pay rent or council tax, with online calculator and application processing.
- LiveArgyll Leisure and Library Services Joint venture for leisure and fitness facilities, library services, and community letting bookings across Argyll and Bute.
Quantifiable outcome
- 20 bins collected over 2.5 years between Arden and Tarbet, collecting over 20 tonnes of litter (97% recycled)
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Argyll and Bute Council
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Argyll and Bute Council technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration8 records
Feature1 record
Argyll and Bute Council partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Argyll Community Housing Association (ACHA)coreAll council houses have been transferred to Argyll Community Housing Association (ACHA), which manages housing services for residents in the council area.
- Improvement ServicecoreOperates and manages mygovscot myaccount, the single sign-on service for accessing online public services in Scotland, including Argyll and Bute Council services.
- Ministry of Defence (MoD)minorMoD is developing infrastructure near Loch Long and Glen Mallan to support nuclear submarines at Glen Douglas munitions depot and Coulport armaments depot. Council has ruled on their EIA screening request.
- Haskoning UK LtdminorEngineering consultancy acting as agent for the Ministry of Defence on the proposed security development site near Glen Mallan jetty.
- Friends of Loch Lomond & The TrossachsminorConservation charity that previously partnered with the council on the 'Keep the Banks Bonnie' litter bin scheme along the A82 tourist corridor.
- NHS HighlandcoreHealth and Social Care Partnership collaboration between the council and NHS for integrated health and social care services.
- Business Gateway Argyll and ButecoreBusiness support services provided through Business Gateway, helping businesses in Argyll and Bute with advice and support.
- LiveArgyllcoreJoint venture for leisure and fitness facilities, libraries and archives services, managing community facilities across the council area.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Argyll and Bute Council competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Scottish Borders Council: Rural Scottish council providing equivalent statutory services across a dispersed population, with similar dependence on council tax, business rates, and central government grants.
- North Ayrshire Council: West-coast Scottish council with island communities (Arran) in its area, providing comparable statutory services including waste, education, social care, and short-term let licensing.
- Perth and Kinross Council: Scottish local authority with a similarly mixed urban-rural and tourism-heavy geography, delivering the same comprehensive range of statutory services including education, social care, and planning.
- Dumfries and Galloway Council: Large rural Scottish council with comparable service mix including education, social care, roads, waste, and planning, serving a dispersed population in the south of Scotland.
- Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles): Scottish island council providing the same statutory local government services but almost entirely across island communities (Outer Hebrides), making it a direct operational peer in terms of island service delivery economics.
- Highland Council: Largest Scottish local authority by area, also serving a vast mainland-and-islands geography with comparable service portfolios including education, social care, roads, waste, and planning. Most direct peer given similar scale and dispersed population.
- Stirling Council: Mid-sized Scottish local authority offering the same core local government services and comparable use of digital channels including mygovscot myaccount integration.
- West Dunbartonshire Council: Adjacent Scottish local authority covering the Helensburgh-adjacent Clydebank/Dumbarton area, with closely overlapping service portfolios and shared regional infrastructure including transport links.
- Inverclyde Council: Small Scottish local authority on the Clyde coast providing the same statutory services, comparable in scale and demographic profile to parts of Argyll and Bute.
- East Ayrshire Council: Scottish local authority with comparable rural-urban mix delivering equivalent statutory services including education, social work, roads, waste, and planning.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Argyll and Bute Council social profiles
Digital presenceArgyll and Bute Council compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Argyll and Bute Council financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Argyll and Bute Council leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Argyll and Bute Council funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Argyll and Bute Council M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Argyll and Bute Council
What does Argyll and Bute Council do?
Argyll and Bute Council is the unitary local government authority for the Argyll and Bute council area in western Scotland, delivering statutory public services to approximately 5,000 employees' worth of residents, businesses and visitors. Core services include Council Tax and Non-Domestic Rates administration, education (schools, meals, transport), planning and building standards, roads and travel infrastructure, waste collection and a 12-site recycling centre network, housing support, social care, business and civic licensing (including short-term lets), and environmental health services. The council also operates digital transactional portals (Civica ePay, iPay, publicaccess planning) and integrates with the Scottish government's mygovscot myaccount for citizen sign-on.
Is Argyll and Bute Council a public or private company?
Argyll and Bute Council is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Argyll and Bute Council founded?
Argyll and Bute Council was founded in 2006. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is Argyll and Bute Council based?
Argyll and Bute Council is headquartered in Lochgilphead, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Argyll and Bute Council make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Council Tax is the primary driver. The others are non-Domestic Rates (Business Rates), government Funding and service Fees and Charges.
Who are Argyll and Bute Council's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Scottish Borders Council, North Ayrshire Council, Perth and Kinross Council, Dumfries and Galloway Council, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles), Highland Council, Stirling Council, West Dunbartonshire Council, Inverclyde Council and East Ayrshire Council.
Does Argyll and Bute Council have an API?
No public API is recorded for Argyll and Bute Council.
What industry is Argyll and Bute Council in?
Argyll and Bute Council's product category is Local Government Public Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIACAJ, Housing & Neighborhood Services (Local Housing Programs), with a secondary code of BPAIABAI, State/Provincial Human Services & Benefits Administration (Welfare, Disability, Child & Family). Its NAICS code is 921 and its SIC code is 8744.