Newtonhill, Muchalls and Cammachmore Community Council held their monthly meeting by Teams tonight for the first time. A packed agenda.

LIBRARY – Tim Stephen from Live Life Aberdeenshire attend the next meeting to speak on a variety of issues including library provision and developer obligations.

POTHOLES – Contractors are working in Portlethen and are expected to turn their attention to repairs in Newtonhill in two or three weeks. I told the meeting that resurfacing of Old Mill Road should take place before the end of the financial year. The road surface on the approaches to the zebra crossing should be resurfaced and new markings, also in March.

PARKING – Concerns were expressed about inconsiderate parking by people attending Saturday’s football match in Newtonhill. Traffic jams were the result, and contact has been made with Aberdeenshire Council to expand the number of no-parking cones. The community council was asked to write to Police Scotland with a freedom of information request asking how many motorists had been fined for parking offences in the village in the last six months.

PLANNING – A replacement mobile phone mast south of the Bettridge Centre has been approved by council planners.

DRAINAGE WORK – This is due to take place in Monduff Road, Muchalls, from 24 January.

SCOTTISH WATER – Community councillors were concerned about the implications of the mains replacement when work starts at the top of Newtonhill Road at the junction with the A92 in Newtonhill. The access from the dual carriageway will have to close. Members are worried that the diversion will be via the Stonehaven junction. What will this mean for bus services, not only the service buses but the school buses too. The community council is to contact Aberdeenshire Council.

BROADBAND – Aberdeenshire Council is to be contacted to ask for an update on fibre roll-out in Newtonhill. A report before the local authority’s infrastructure services committee tomorrow says that “Builds within Aberdeenshire commenced in November 2021, starting with the Portlethen & Newtonhill areas. At the time of writing this report, no properties have gone live on full-fibre within Aberdeenshire as part of the R100 build-outs.” R100 is the Scottish Government’s “Reaching 100%” programme providing superfast broadband to every premises in Scotland.

FANS – Community councillors agreed that the police should be contacted after football fans heading to Pittodrie last night were seen to be alighting from supporters’ buses on the A92 at Newtonhill to relieve themselves. This was unacceptable.

WANT MORE? The next meeting is on Wednesday 16 February, but whether that is in person in the Skateraw Hall or via Teams will depend on covid-19 restrictions, among other factors. No members of the public asked to join tonight’s meeting.