I was impressed by the strong support being offered by Hillside Parent Council last night at their meeting. Such a positive and helpful outlook. Refreshing.
Interesting to hear that the school will be welcoming around 70 new pupils next term.
I was impressed by the strong support being offered by Hillside Parent Council last night at their meeting. Such a positive and helpful outlook. Refreshing.
Interesting to hear that the school will be welcoming around 70 new pupils next term.
What a great job has been done by those involved in setting up the Men’s Shed in Portlethen. They have transformed their premises. Inspiring.
From Wednesday 30 May, the Shed will open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10am until 1pm, for members to use the facilities.
They plan to open in the afternoon and hopefully at the weekend or in the evening if there is the demand and they can recruit enough supervisors. They are still open to new members.
Newtonhill, Muchalls and Cammachmore Community Council is looking for new members, and nominations are now open.
Nominations are being sought to fill the following vacancies:
• Newtonhill – 5
• Muchalls – 1
• Cammachmore – 2
Forms must be returned by 5pm on Wednesday, 30 May, and an election will take place on Wednesday, 6 June, if the nominees outnumber the roles available, in the Bettridge Centre, Newtonhill, and in Muchalls Village Hall, from 6pm until 9pm.
The community council’s annual general meeting will take place on Wednesday 20 June in the Skateraw Hall, Newtonhill, at 7.30pm.
Nomination forms are available from:
• Returning officer: William Munro, Kincardine and Mearns Area Manager, Viewmount, Arduthie Road, Stonehaven, AB39 2DQ.
• Community council chairman Michael Morgan, 64 St Michael’s Road, Newtonhill.
• Community council secretary Edith Stephen, 17 Dunnyfell Road, Muchalls.
If you would like further information phone 01569 690541 or email kincardineandmearns@aberdeenshire.gov.uk. I can also provide a nomination form.
The average speed cameras on the A90 at Charleston are to be decommissioned. They have been in place for more than a year to enforce the 50 mph speed limit while AWPR construction work has been taking place. The temporary speed limit is also to be removed.
https://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/…/average-speed-cameras-o…/
Meanwhile BBC Scotland is reporting today that Aberdeenshire Council is pursuing compensation which could run into millions of pounds for damage caused to its roads by AWPR construction traffic.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/…/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetla…
Aberdeenshire Council’s Head of Roads, Landscape and Waste Services, Philip McKay, said: “The AWPR is a massive civil engineering project that has required many thousands of tonnes of materials to be moved around the vicinity of the route. Unfortunately, the volume and weight of this traffic has been extraordinary and far outwith the normal traffic loading that our more minor roads are accustomed to.
“This has led to significant damage to some routes and the maintenance costs are greatly above what would be expected for the average cost to maintain these type of rural roads. Therefore Aberdeenshire Council is in discussion with Aberdeen Roads Limited with a view to agreeing appropriate recompense for the repair of these damaged roads.
“A list of the roads which have been damaged will be used to ascertain which bridges are on those routes and inspect for damage over and above normal deterioration since the last condition inspection.”
Police Scotland are appealing for information after a number of cars were stolen this week.
In Stonehaven a black Audi A4 Avant (SK61 UHN) was stolen from Brickfield Road and a white BMW X5 (LG61 ZMY) from Riverside Drive.
In Aberdeen a blue Audi Q7 (M11 BDY) was stolen from the Craigden area, Queens Road, and a black BMW X3 (SV66 ZLO) was stolen from The Meadows area of Milltimber.
If anyone has any information on the whereabouts of these vehicles call 101.
Inspector Chris Kerr said, “We are keeping an open mind as to whether all four thefts are linked and I would ask anyone who has seen any of these vehicles to get in touch with us as soon as possible.
“All of these vehicles have been stolen either because the keys were left in the ignition or because the key was kept close to an unlocked property door.
“Please lock the front AND back doors to your homes and store car keys AWAY from these doors. With the better weather there is a temptation to leave windows open overnight but where possible I would ask that windows, certainly on ground floors, are kept closed and locked.
“Also, if you notice ANY suspicious behaviour on ANY occasion please call police immediately on 999 so that we can respond and detect those responsible. We have received a number of calls from householders reporting suspicious behaviour several hours after the event. Please do phone us at the time, do not delay, you will not be wasting our time.
“If anyone has any information I would ask them to call Police Scotland on 101, or to remain anonymous contact the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, and quote the reference number ‘0492 of 26 April 2018’.”
In response to a Parliamentary Question tabled by North East MSP Mike Rumbles, the Scottish Government’s finance secretary has confirmed that Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire are two of the three worst funded local authorities in Scotland.
Per head of population, Aberdeen gets £350 less from its block grant than the average council in Scotland. With only Edinburgh receiving less.
Aberdeen drops to bottom, however, once the total funding is calculated, nearing £400 less than the average local authority, per person. While Aberdeenshire receives almost £200 less than the average, making it the third worst funded council in Scotland.
Mr Rumbles said: “It is clear from these figures that the Scottish Government sees the North East as nothing more than a cash cow. That means less money for our local schools, less for our roads, and less for our local services. The disparity between councils of a similar size, with similar needs and geography, is appalling.”
Local Authority | Population | 2018-19 Block Grant
£m |
Block Grant Per Head
£ |
2018-19 Total Funding
£m |
Total Funding Per Head
£ |
Aberdeen City | 229,840 | 320.6 | 1395 | 352.9 | 1536 |
Aberdeenshire | 262,190 | 408.1 | 1557 | 453.0 | 1728 |
Angus | 116,520 | 196.2 | 1684 | 213.4 | 1832 |
Argyll & Bute | 87,130 | 191.7 | 2200 | 208.0 | 2388 |
Clackmannanshire | 51,350 | 92.2 | 1795 | 100.8 | 1963 |
Dumfries & Galloway | 149,520 | 278.7 | 1864 | 307.2 | 2055 |
Dundee City | 148,270 | 286.6 | 1933 | 317.4 | 2141 |
East Ayrshire | 122,200 | 220.0 | 1801 | 240.0 | 1964 |
East Dunbartonshire | 107,540 | 180.5 | 1678 | 193.2 | 1796 |
East Lothian | 104,090 | 167.9 | 1613 | 183.5 | 1762 |
East Renfrewshire | 93,810 | 174.8 | 1863 | 184.6 | 1968 |
City of Edinburgh | 507,170 | 701.3 | 1383 | 798.7 | 1575 |
Eilean Siar | 26,900 | 93.9 | 3491 | 103.8 | 3860 |
Falkirk | 159,380 | 271.1 | 1701 | 293.3 | 1840 |
Fife | 370,330 | 617.7 | 1668 | 671.7 | 1814 |
Glasgow City | 615,070 | 1205.6 | 1960 | 1384.3 | 2251 |
Highland | 234,770 | 434.8 | 1852 | 485.9 | 2070 |
Inverclyde | 79,160 | 160.0 | 2022 | 173.0 | 2185 |
Midlothian | 88,610 | 153.6 | 1734 | 167.7 | 1893 |
Moray | 96,070 | 154.9 | 1613 | 169.0 | 1759 |
North Ayrshire | 135,890 | 265.4 | 1953 | 276.2 | 2033 |
North Lanarkshire | 339,390 | 596.0 | 1756 | 646.8 | 1906 |
Orkney Islands | 21,850 | 68.4 | 3132 | 81.0 | 3709 |
Perth & Kinross | 150,680 | 242.4 | 1609 | 263.9 | 1751 |
Renfrewshire | 175,930 | 301.4 | 1713 | 326.7 | 1857 |
Scottish Borders | 114,350 | 201.1 | 1756 | 231.2 | 2019 |
Shetland Islands | 23,200 | 80.3 | 3462 | 92.7 | 3996 |
South Ayrshire | 112,470 | 195.9 | 1742 | 212.2 | 1886 |
South Lanarkshire | 317,100 | 544.2 | 1716 | 587.9 | 1854 |
Stirling | 93,750 | 162.9 | 1738 | 177.4 | 1893 |
West Dunbartonshire | 89,860 | 182.5 | 2031 | 203.3 | 2262 |
West Lothian | 180,130 | 306.1 | 1699 | 330.8 | 1837 |
Scotland Total | 5,404,700 | 9456.7 | 1750 | 10431.6 | 1930 |
In Stonehaven we would refurbish offices in Viewmount, while releasing Carlton House and office space in Arduthie School, while providing a public-facing service point at Allardice Street. Plans are progressing at pace and work is likely to begin in the second half of 2018.
At Ellon, the council will release all existing offices and consolidate in a new office to be built on the site of the former academy in the town.
In Inverurie, the town hall will be refurbished and extended to provide offices for staff as well as a service point. Gordon House will then be released. This will bring 450 staff from Blackhall Road directly into the town centre.
Council office staff can work flexibly, depending on the needs of the service they deliver and the community they serve. Part of the plans include wider dispersal of staff across Aberdeenshire who can utilise office space and hot desks in offices and locations in all towns across the area.
Now that this option has been chosen, a move to Harlaw in Inverurie has been taken off the table. The SNP/Labour opposition had wanted the move to Inverurie to be kept on the table and Woodhill House to be released – but they lost the vote.
The plans will see the following number of staff in each location:
• Inverurie – 450
• Woodhill – 800
• Stonehaven – 245
• Ellon – 163
• Peterhead – 183
The office space strategy is based on a sustainable financial model i.e. this is not new money as savings will be generated from the disposal of old properties, and through the modern, cost efficiency of new buildings – saving on large repairs and maintenance, in particular on Gordon House in Inverurie. The preferred option retains Woodhill House with a large income stream of both existing and potential new tenants.
This was a milestone in the journey to have offices suitable for council staff, and gives certainty as officers seek to turn the plans into a reality.
By the way, one councillor “no voted”, which means he did not agree with either the motion from the administration (Liberal Democrats / Conservatives / independents) or the amendment from the official opposition (SNP / Labour). In our North Kincardine ward, Councillor Pike and I voted with the administration while Councillor Bews (SNP) and Councillor Evison (Labour) voted to dispose of Woodhill House and continue with efforts to move to Inverurie.