Newtonhill Library is to close by the end of the year, along with 12 others across Aberdeenshire.

Low footfall has been a challenge for the library over the last few years, not helped by the pandemic closure and the poor state of the former building in the Coastal Park. The Portakabins had come to the end of their useful life, and face demolition.

I have been an occasional patron over the years for audio books when I travelled to work in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Ellon. Once I retired, I borrowed real books which the service would source for me. Further back, when I was studying for my diplomas in PR, marketing and advertising they helped by getting me research books.

So I will be sad to see it shut up shop in the Bettridge Centre, its home for some months now.

More here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9qlp357pyeo

The Bettridge Centre in Newtonhill needs votes to help secure grants to pay for solar panels.

These solar panels would cut the centre’s electricity bill dramatically, easing the pressure on what hall users have to pay. And it would mean that should there be a power cut in the village, there would still be somewhere warm and lit we could all go.

It only takes a moment or two to vote, but it will make a difference. Ask your family, friends and neighbours to vote too.

Please follow this link to vote: https://ava.tfaforms.net/f/AberdeenshireJTPBYear3VotingForm. The vote is open until 27 November.

We need over 2,000 people to vote for us to be in with a chance of getting the funding, so we really need everyone’s help to hit this target.

A new bus service from Aberdeen to Dundee and Edinburgh (including the airport) is starting soon. Ember will also drop off and pick up at Portlethen, on the A92.

Unfortunately according to the map on their website, no pick-ups in Newtonhill, only drop-offs northbound. However I am told that if you try to book tickets from Newtonhill to Edinburgh it comes up! Maybe it is their way of describing the Park and Choose? Strange. Maybe just teething problems.

The full launch will be on 22 October 2024, with 20 services per day running 24/7, but they are “soft launching” some limited stop services ahead of this.

It’s £15.50 for an adult single from Aberdeen to Edinburgh if you book online. Bus passes are valid too.

More here: https://www.ember.to/news/…

A very interesting community council meeting last night in Newtonhill.

First up was a presentation by Paul Finch from Nestrans, the regional transport partnership for Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.

He spoke about the possibility of a station being re-opened in the village. If it were to go ahead, it would need to be where the original station was.

One major issue to consider is parking. Could there be spaces provided in the Coastal Park or the wee park north of the Courts? I asked if there could be room at the old sidings. Maybe for disabled drivers, he said, but that would all have to be considered in a detailed assessment.

I also asked him to comment on the much repeated rumour that there would have to be compulsory purchase of properties. He was surprised by that as he had never heard that discussed.

There was much discussion with the pros and cons being aired. One other concern was the impact on the local bus service.

Paul said he is planning to hold a public drop-in session in the coming weeks to hear what villagers have to say. It would be in the Skateraw Hall or the Bettridge Centre, and would run into the evening.

Other topics included progressing a pedestrian/cycling route from Stonehaven to Aberdeen. Perhaps this could be provided alongside the A92 with, say, a 10ft buffer between it and the live traffic.

Among the many other issues discussed last night were the on-going work on rebuilding the Elsick Burn bridge, the opening of a primary school at Chapelton in 2026/27, the current bother caused by some youngsters in the village, Japanese knotweed at Cammachmore, the state of the tennis courts, and the A92 underpass.

I have been reflecting on the election results overnight. It is no secret I am a Liberal Democrat. So you would expect me to be over the moon with the results overall. To a certain extent yes. But in the main I am disappointed.

Not that we didn’t top the 71 seats total (so far; news awaited from Dingwall tomorrow). No, the seat where I live … we had a good long campaign but it didn’t fire the imagination of the voters in West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine.

So congratulations to Andrew Bowie, re-elected as our MP. I didn’t see that coming. We will see if he can deliver on his seven promises (buses, investment, roads and bridges, fair share of funding for our council, stopping the pylons, protecting oil and gas jobs, and defending the union).

My consolation is that our share of the vote went up. We must await another day to take back the seat we held for 18 years.

You can find the Aberdeenshire results here: https://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/elections/results/uk-general-election-2024

Westminster hopeful Michael Turvey flanked by former Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie, North Kincardine LD councillor Mel Sullivan and supporters.

I wonder if Aberdeenshire Council will “fine” people for putting the wrong stuff in the wrong bin?

The Circular Economy Bill was passed this week by the Scottish Parliament giving local authorities new powers to improve recycling regulations, including the issuing of fixed-penalty notices.

So please no more plastic wrapping in the food waste bin, food in the general waste, nappies or plastic bags in the recycling bin.

More here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1rrwqx9ez1o?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1U_cfd57Sf-Xr0UGb9NMwWtLpf95wDcXRcLghZgxtFBo9D1qRW-P__aFY_aem_kBrB17ddTetfpcB9MzE9JA

It is now two years since I stepped down as a local councillor. I should leave the stage and let Councillor Mel Sullivan get on with things. But I can’t help it.

Here I am looking up council policies and manuals on Christmas lights in support of Mel’s campaign to complete the festive lights on Newtonhill Road. For some reason council officers don’t think Newtonhill Road meets the definition of being the area of main footfall in the village.

And I have just volunteered to join the Bettridge Centre committee.

Did I say I wanted a quiet life?

I’m sorry to see that Newtonhill Pipe Band is no more. They have changed their name to Dunnottar Pipes and Drums.

Announcing the change this morning, the pipe band said: “Originally named Craigmarroinn Pipe Band and practising in Muchalls, the band changed its name when it moved its practices to Newtonhill. Now, having a strong association with Stonehaven and district due to active participation at local events, the band is enhancing these connections through the name change.”

Oh well, it was good while it lasted, and spread the name of our village far and wide. Thank you for that, and best wishes for the future.

You can read more here: https://www.facebook.com/dunnottarpipesanddrums?notif_id=1714542632466254&notif_t=page_name_change&ref=notif

North East Conservative MSP Liam Kerr led a members’ business debate in the Scottish Parliament on Thursday 25 April about the possibility of re-opening railways stations at Newtonhill and Cove.

Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Transport, told parliament: “Even if the detailed appraisal concludes that one or both of the stations may have a strong case to move forward, there are a number of hurdles that need to be cleared before it can progress.”

North East transport partnership Nestrans is carrying out the detailed appraisal, which should be completed by the end of this year.

Mt Kerr’s motion achieved cross-party support and follows a petition which gained more than 1,500 responses.

The motion read: “That the Parliament welcomes the recent Nestrans report that recommends that the potential new railway stations at Cove and Newtonhill should undergo a detailed appraisal; notes the view that there is a desperate need for these communities to be linked up with the rail network after, it considers, years of transport funding being directed to the Central Belt; understands that over 1,550 people have signed a petition calling on the stations to be opened, and thanks the Campaign for North East Rail and local residents for their tireless campaigning on this issue.”

More here: https://www.aberdeenlive.news/news/aberdeen-news/new-north-east-stations-should-9246331

Today was the funeral of former Evening Express colleague Alastair Robertson, who died suddenly on 23 February, 2024, aged 75.

Alastair was an old Etonian, with a presence to match. A character in the newsroom whose copy was a delight to edit. Colleagues described him as “a colourful character to work alongside, and such a fund of memorable tales”, “wonderful company”, and a “true professional”.

His copy went on to grace the pages of grander publications than the EE.

The funeral was taking place this afternoon in Strathbogie Church, Huntly.