On Thursday, March 20 elected members will meet in Kilmory Council Chambers where they will also be asked to release £25,000 funding to NVA at the beginning of the financial year 2014/15 for an Audience Development Strategy relating to the Kilmahew/ St Peter’s Project near Cardross.

The project – which will cost more than £7m in total – aims to transform the derelict site of the former St Peter’s Seminary buildings and the surrounding woodlands of Kilmahew which has lain abandoned for more than thirty years.

Situated on the edge of the village of Cardross, the site covers approximately 40 hectares and is predominately wooded. Each of the structures from medieval to modern is now in a ruinous state.

Funding to the tune of £140,000 is also expected to be released by councillors for the Scottish Submarine Trust specifically towards the development of The Submarine Museum in Helensburgh. The condition of the funding mean the cash must be split evenly and released in two instalments of £70,000 when the following milestones are achieved; proof of legal ownership of the building; and receipt of Listed Building Consent. The museum aims to tell the history of the Royal Navy’s Submarine Service will be told using new media and immersive 3D projected imagery and exhibits.

A 39 tonne ‘X’ Craft – or mini submarine – will be displayed as the centrepiece to the museum, which will also house an interactive electronic memorial in Remembrance of the 5,329 submariners who have given their lives in the Royal Navy Submarine Service.

The project, which aims to attract 10,000 visitors to the Burgh, is spearheaded by Visit Helensburgh.

The museum will be within the hall of the former St Columba’s Church, and the company will take formal ownership of the property on March 28 of this year.

At today’s meeting, councillors will also discuss changes to childcare provision following the The Children and Young People Bill, which was published on April 18, 2013.

Under the Bill, local authorities will be required to increase provision from the 475 hours of funded pre-school education currently delivered, to 600 hours of free early learning and childcare.

See next week’s Advertiser for a full report.