There was cross-party support for progressing with improvements to the A90 north of Ellon to Toll of Birness and pursuing whether it is feasible to reopen a railway line to Ellon. The recommendations now go the transport partnership Nestrans to discuss with the Scottish Government.

I pressed the case for better cycling route provision between Portlethen and Aberdeen, particularly in the Wellington Road area at Marywell.

The much-publicised report on “festive lights and attachments to street lighting columns” is to be given further consideration. An engagement working group will review the proposals, with a new report coming to the committee on 10 May. In particular, the officers’ proposal to charge communities for electricity did not gain support.

We agreed not to decriminalise parking enforcement in Aberdeenshire. This means there will be no traffic wardens patrolling the streets, and the issuing of parking tickets will remain a police responsibility. The very high set-up costs (£287,000) would have resulted in more pressure on council budgets until it a break-even point in five years, at best.

A review is to be carried out of charges in council-operated car parks. The free tariff introduced three years ago has resulted in a £274,000 drop in income per year. In future meters will not have a credit card option – either cash in the slot or use a mobile phone. Parking meters on streets received little support as a meter machine costs between £4000 and £5000. A working group of councillors and officers will meet to make further recommendations to the committee.