Kincardine and Mearns Area Committee met via Skype today. Here are some of the highlights, with the most interesting one last – will Stonehaven continue to have a vaccination centre …

CHILD POVERTY – There are 4289 children and young people living in absolute poverty in Aberdeenshire. This is where a household income is below a necessary level to cover basic living costs such as food, fuel and housing. The data shows that not all families living in poverty live in deprived areas.

Councillors were updated on progress in tackling these issues through a local child poverty action plan.

GRANTS – Three grants were awarded via the Coastal Communities Fund from Crown Estates Scotland.

A project to improve the path from Castle Street up to the Bervie Braes in Stonehaven was awarded £22,975,75. This will be spent cleaning drains, installing a handrail, laying a concrete path, and new stone steps.

The Merchant Coastal Heritage Trail group was awarded £50,000 to protect the trail from coastal erosion and storm damage with 720 tons of rock at Seagreens cottages between Johnshaven and St Cyrus.

Catterline Braes Action Group was awarded £25,000 towards the cost of engaging a consultant to undertake a feasibility study on protecting the braes from landslides triggered by marine erosion and soil saturation.

SUPPORT – Four good causes were given grants from the area committee’s top-up budget. They are Dickson Memorial Hall, Laurencekirk (£5205.60 for the replacement of a fire alarm control panel, Bervie Caledonian Football Club (£3600 to replace lighting units at Gourdon), Durris Kirkton Hall (£1800 for the removal of five large conifers), and St James Episcopal Church, Stonehaven, (£2000 towards improvement and repairs works).

Some £7,263.39 remains to be spent this financial year. So far in 2021/22 two projects in the North Kincardine ward have received grants – Skateraw Hall (£8000) and Maryculter Driving for the Disabled (£2000).

PROJECTS – Councillors were presented with a chunky progress report on projects in the area. A number of comments were made, and questions asked. These included provision of a primary school at Chapelton, the future of Newtonhill Library (currently closed), and investment in the customer-facing aspect of Portlethen Pool. Answers will follow in due course. I also challenged the use of jargon in the report.

PROPERTY – Councillors were asked for comments on a refresh of the surplus property policy. This includes a general presumption against the disposal of playing fields, open space and amenity land.

We heard that the Property & Facilities Management Service will consult with ward councillors, the area manager, other services and partner organisations to determine whether there is an alternative use for the property, including, if appropriate, future strategic requirements. If no alternative use is identified, the property disposal procedure will be followed.

PUZZLE – As well as lots of jargon, sometimes reports present me with a word or phrase I haven’t come across before. I have found out that “a concatenated process” refers to the linking or joining of two things to achieve a certain result. Another school day.

VACCINATIONS – The area committee decided, on the casting vote of chair Wendy Agnew, that £75,000 should not be spent on converting the Invercarron Resource Centre into a vaccination centre for Kincardine and Mearns.

Currently the vaccination centre is based in Stonehaven Town Hall, on a temporary basis. The Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership is setting up seven such centres, with Banchory and Inverurie already operational.

However, five councillors objected to the recommendation from officers to proceed, and five (including me) were in favour. I told the meeting we need somewhere for vaccinations and this apparently was the only suitable site in Stonehaven. I also asked if anywhere in Portlethen had been considered – “no”.

It would take six weeks to complete the work and it has to be done within this financial year. Accordingly we heard that emergency measures could be taken by officers in consultation with senior councillors on the Aberdeenshire-wide communities committee. Another option is have a special meeting of the communities committee.

WANT MORE? All the reports can be found here: https://committees.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/committees.aspx?commid=8&meetid=19925