Pitch to be replaced

The synthetic pitch surface at Portlethen Academy is to be replaced this summer as it is coming to the end of its life.

Portlethen and District Community Council heard tonight that Aberdeenshire Council officers have taken the decision to replace the existing surface with a new multi-use one, one that can accommodate hockey. The meeting was told that it became clear that losing the ability to host hockey would lead to a significant under-provision of hockey pitches in Aberdeenshire as a whole.

If it were replaced with an all-weather football pitch, there would be nowhere in the south of Aberdeenshire to play competitive hockey.

Replacing like-for-like means that nothing will change. This decision has been taken in the interests of the clubs that exist in the academy network.

The alternative was an all-weather football pitch, however officers are confident that the community wanting to play football have existing facilities available to them, and this keeps hockey on the list of opportunities as well. This surface can be used for recreational football.

The meeting heard that the academy offers a range of sports to pupils including hockey.

  • The community council also awarded £600 to the ATC for new tents, and £500 to Hillside Baby and Toddler group, to help them with start-up costs.

Concerns over masterplan

The masterplan for housing to the south of Newtonhill came before the Kincardine and Mearns Area Committee this afternoon.

A decision was deferred so that the developers could address continuing concerns about the proposals impinging on the green belt and about how farm vehicles would safely pass through the development to access the farm to the south.

The deferral was won on an seven to three vote, with the minority happy with the proposals as they stand. All four North Kincardine ward councillors supported the deferral.

Last call for recycling comments

Tomorrow is the last day for Aberdeenshire residents to give their views on how the council can shape recycling and waste services so that less goes to landfill.
There have already been more than 2,800 responses to a survey asking the public for opinions on how Aberdeenshire can recycle more as a community. The survey closes tomorrow (28 February).
Responses will inform recommendations by the recycling and waste service to be presented to councillors.
Residents are asked how services could be improved to help them to recycle more. Possible changes could include smaller landfill waste bins, less frequent collections of the landfill waste bin, or both.
Garden waste is currently collected at recycling centres and at additional seasonal recycling points. Residents are asked to consider whether alternative arrangements would help them recycle more garden waste.
This could be a paid-for kerbside collection or reduced frequency of landfill bin collections to allow garden waste to be lifted from households using the same bin lorries.
It is thought the cost of a paid-for garden waste collection could be in the region of £40-£50 per household per year.
Currently the council provides alternate weekly collections of mixed dry recycling and landfill waste, with food waste collected for recycling every week.
A network of recycling centres, glass and textile recycling points and seasonal garden waste points is also available to help residents recycle as much as possible.
Despite the availability of these services, Aberdeenshire’s recycling rate is only 43.5%. However, a recent analysis of landfill bins from households across the region shows the recycling rate could be more than 70% if the current recycling services were used effectively.
To take part in the online survey see: http://bit.ly/AbshireRecyclingSurvey
Hard copies can also be completed at libraries and service points.

Update on AWPR progress

An interesting briefing in the Aberdeen Town House for parliamentarians and councillors this afternoon about the Aberdeen bypass. The end is in sight, but as to when that will be …

The joint venture building the road say they are now laying the top surface, 35mm of tar on a base including concrete. However the temperature needs to above 3C to 5C to do that. Thicker tar, such as on side roads, can be laid in temperatures as low as zero, apparently.

That’s why there is such hesitancy about saying how long it will take to finish the road and open it to traffic. It all depends on the weather. And the cold blast heading our way from Siberia does not help.

In the meanwhile other works are progressing, such as the planting of 1.8 million trees and installing street lights where required.

Currently there is a workforce of about 1600, down from the peak for roughly 2500. It is currently the longest road building project in the UK.

Once it opens the new road will become the A90 and the existing road will be the A92. Responsibility for the current A90 from Charleston to Blackdog will transfer in due course from Transport Scotland to Aberdeen City Council. The Stonehaven to Charleston road will remain a trunk road (i.e. Transport Scotland).

I also raised two local issues – the hammering taken by our country roads from AWPR traffic and pollution of our burns and streams. Agreement has still to be finalised with the councils over repairs to the country roads. In the meantime Aberdeenshire Council is trying to keep these roads safe. They are certainly not in the state anyone would want them to be. Regarding pollution, the contractors are confident that they have resolved that issue. They work closely with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Finally, their safety record has overall been good, with one million man hours (that’s how it was described) completed without an injury accident. However last week there was a minor accident which is still be investigated.

By the way, we heard from a former transport minister that it was in 2003 that the project was announced by the then first minister. Fifteen years later it will be a reality.

Grants available

The Aberdeenshire Council Excel Fund supports individuals or groups to develop skills, or to take part at national or international sporting or cultural events such as dance competitions, sports events and training.

A total fund of £12,000 is available in 2018/19, with awards to individuals to a maximum amount of £500, and awards to groups up to a maximum of £1,000. First round deadline is 23 March.

There is more information at http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/leisure-sport-and-culture/capacity-grants/capacity-grants-excel-fund/

Boost for ambulance

Portlethen and District Community Ambulance Association’s application to the Tesco Bags of Help Grant Scheme in Newtonhill has been successful.

The project will be put forward to a customer vote during March and April 2018.

They will be one of three groups who have reached this stage as they push to raise funds for a new ambulance. The more people who vote the bigger the grant they shall receive.

Country road to close for 20 days

Owing to BT replacing a telegraph pole it will be necessary in the interests of public safety to close the C25K country road near Cookney on Monday 19 March.

The following day, as AWPR contractors will be removing a temporary barrier and verge, and carrying out carriageway tie-in works, it will be necessary in the interests of public safety to close the C25K country road at North Cookney for 15 days.

This closure will be commencing on Tuesday 20 March.

In both cases emergency and pedestrian access to be maintained. Vehicular access to affected properties to be maintained whenever possible.

More Bookbug sessions

Good news about Bookbug sessions in the Portlethen and Newtonhill library network.

Librarian Carol Mitchell tells me there will be even more sessions, once a new member of staff is trained up.

Carol is a huge advocate of the Bookbug sessions: from two weekly at present in Portlethen up to three weekly when a new rota starts on 5 March and then four weekly when her new colleague is Bookbug-trained in April. The new rota will see the library offer a new weekly Saturday session, which she hopes is an opportunity for working mums and dads to participate for maybe the first time.

Come April – coupled with two weekly Bookbug sessions at Newtonhill Library – this will bring the total number of Bookbug sessions being delivered in the network to six per week.

I know how valued these sessions are to parents – and their children

Minor injury units being reviewed

Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership is reviewing the minor injury units across the county.
As part of this process there will be public information events held in each town that has a unit. The local event will take place in Stonehaven Community Centre in Bath Street on 14 March from 2pm to 4pm and from 6pm to 7.30pm.
 
More details can be found on the AHSCP Facebook page and   https://www.facebook.com/events/1849823285316020/

Primary to be inspected

Hillside Primary School and nursery class are to be inspected during the week beginning 12 March by Education Scotland and the Care Inspectorate.

More information for parents/carers, staff and pupils will follow from the school, including invitations to take part in an online survey prior to the inspection.