Council is called out over persistent Tarbert flooding

She said that she had sent several emails, dating back to October 2025, to Julien Greene at Argyll and Bute Council asking for solutions. She stressed her disappointment at not having received any response.

Ms Johnson spoke of not being able to park her car near to her home due to the worry of flood damage. She described having to wade through water to access her home, ruining shoes and clothing in the process.

Other Kingsway residents Marion Atkinson and Jim Stevenson spoke of being ‘trapped in their homes’ during some of the wettest days.

Mrs Atkinson said that she is regularly cleaning up stones and silt which she suspects is coming down from the park. She added that this is an activity she feels should be undertaken by council employees.

In addition to the flooding around the Kingsway homes, serious safety concerns regarding marshland and ditches at the edge of Tarbert park, where the football pitch, pavilion and Astro park are. These were all highlighted at the meeting and have been raised with the council by Argyll and Bute MSP Jenni Minto.

On Wednesday, the council responded to Ms Minto to confirm it had taken note of this.

In a statement it said: “The concerns raised regarding safety at the edge of the park, including the ditch, are noted and will be considered as part of the ongoing monitoring of the site.”

However, Tarbert resident Steven Purves was not satisfied with this response and stressed that urgent action is needed to tackle the danger.

“This is of serious concern,” he said in an email addressed to Ms Minto, as well as Brendan O’Hara MP for Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber.

Mr Purves added: “This area is extremely soft marshland ground, more so now that the council has been working the area with an excavator. A suitable fence should be erected soonest to prevent children accessing this area.”

In Ms Minto’s response from the council, she was told that flooding concerns in Tarbert are not a first priority for council staff.

“In relation to ongoing flooding concerns, any additional works identified as necessary will be undertaken as staff availability allows,” said the spokesperson who wrote to Ms Minto.

They added: “However, it is important to note that key service delivery areas such as waste collection, funerals, winter maintenance, and storm clearance, must continue to take priority.”

Councillor Horn has expressed her intention to call a follow-up meeting and will this time ask directly for council officials to attend.