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It would be good to hear from Matt Crilly to begin with on the broader issue of the response to the pandemic. What was the student experience during the pandemic and now, particularly with remote learning and the digital side? Did that throw up more gaps in opportunity and access for students and lecturers alike? Could you give us a flavour of what the experience has been?

A wider issue for us to pick up is whether that hybrid model will continue—it may well do—and whether we are equipping the students and lecturers with the right technology to enable them to take part in that.

I am interested in the skills issue as well, and maybe Audrey Cumberford and Shona Struthers could tell us a wee bit about that. You mentioned a good example where, I think, Edinburgh College managed to adapt very quickly to refocus students into the NHS sector, where there are many vacancies available. I am hearing that other members are hearing of vacancies in a number of sectors, particularly hospitality. Are the colleges adapting fast enough to the changing circumstances that have been brought about by a combination of Brexit and Covid to ensure that students are getting the opportunities that they need? Shona and Audrey, could you offer a comment or two about that, please?

Does Colin Wilson want to comment on that?

You are saying that whatever might have been done by way of an island communities impact assessment had, in effect, already been done. Is that correct?

But those wards have multiple members. The ward on Arran is a single-member ward, and the principle that I thought that we had embraced involves multimember wards. Why do we not have two members for Arran?

I have a more general question about the geographical size of some current and proposed wards. I will use Arran as an illustration, although North Ayrshire Council is happy with the proposal for Arran. The proposal is for a single-member ward that covers 167 square miles. Just across the water, on the mainland, the Saltcoats and Stevenston ward has five councillors and covers 15 square miles. That seems to be a huge difference. Why is no consideration given to the extent of the area that a councillor must get round in order to carry out their duties?

I can see that Paul O’Brien and Kim Fellows want to come in. Can I ask them to contribute, convener?

Good morning, everyone. Why were island communities impact assessments not carried out in relation to the proposals for Skye and Arran? Such assessments are required under the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018.

Thank you for those responses.

We have touched on some of the issues under this theme with regards to partnerships, outcomes and the relationship with the third sector. I want to develop that a bit more. I will start with Paul Bradley. Is this the time—during a pandemic—to reset and re-establish the relationship between the third sector and the formal sector? Do you think that third sector organisations feel that they are always on the outside looking in?

My experience as an MSP—and as a local councillor, which I was for many years—is that we always turn to the third sector in times of need and particularly during times of emergency, as is the case currently. However, the danger is that, following such periods, we revert to the same old relationship, where the third sector is basically chasing its tail and looking for funding year to year. Is it now time to get serious about the issue and readjust, or reset, that relationship and get the most out of it that we can?