Concerns over waste ground

I had a couple of complaints about the state of the open ground at the east end of Hillside Road, opposite Coull Cars. Langstane Housing Association have planning permission for houses there but meanwhile the land is untended. Leaves and weed seeds are a nuisance for neighbours.

Langstane tell me that “the grass on site will die back soon as winter comes in but we will certainly take on board comments regarding the general maintenance of the site when the growing season starts again next spring. We haven’t received complaints directly from residents – if residents could get in touch with us directly to raise issues we are happy to meet with them on site and discuss solutions directly with them.”

I also asked about their plans to develop the site. They have asked a contractor to look at pricing the site but apparently it is challenging to make the development work financially. I am assured they are keen to see the site developed.

Council owed £31m in unpaid tax

The Press and Journal reports today that Aberdeenshire Council is owed more than £31m in unpaid council taxes.
The paper says that new figures show Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray and Highland councils are attempting to recoup a total of £130m in unpaid taxes. The arrears mean some public services face cutbacks.
The outstanding balance for Highland Council has increased from just above £30m at the end of the 2013-14 financial year to more than £32m at the end of the 2015-16 period. Moray Council is chasing £13.5m, while Aberdeen is owed almost £52m and people in Aberdeenshire are £31m in arrears. However, the newspaper reports that both Aberdeenshire and Moray councils have confirmed that they have a council tax collection rate of around 96%.
To put that in a context, the £31m is almost twice the budget for the planned flood prevention scheme in Stonehaven. Or build three primary schools.

However Aberdeenshire Council officers tell me that the report does not give a full picture. Of the total amount billed for all tax years ranging from 2016/17 back to 1993/94 less the total amount paid for the same years, the council has collected 98.80%.

So the balance outstanding represents 1.2% of the total amount billed, a very good collection rate. All of these factors need to be taken into consideration when looking at the total amount due as the above gives a completely different meaning when looking at all of the facts instead of looking at one figure in isolation.

The council continues to collect all amounts outstanding using all avenues available taking into consideration different customer profiles ranging from vulnerable customers who cannot afford high repayments to those customers who can pay but won’t pay.

Rural area in the spotlight

Tonight’s meeting of North Kincardine Rural Community Council covered a wide range of interesting topics as usual, with about a dozen members of the public attending and contributing.

Some headlines: Will a remembrance service be reinstated at Banchory Devenick cemetery? A place-making event may be held in the Corbie Hall. Former secretary Sharon Park has stepped down from the community council. Could there be an opportunity for the public to walk along the AWPR before it opens?

Community councillors and Aberdeenshire councillors have been invited to the opening of the refurbished Maryculter Trinity Church on 7 November.

Road to close again

Owing to AWPR works the C24K country road will be closed at the new Cookney bridge over the bypass. This closure starts on Wednesday 27 September, lasting for five days.

Site notices will be erected in due course indicating the temporary restriction to traffic and the diversion route via C25K, C12K, B979 and C13K (see the map).

Funding workshops reminder

Aberdeenshire Council’s Sport and Physical Activity Service will be providing workshops giving advice on accessing funding.

Bookings are now being taken for the free workshops, including one in Portlethen.

They will involve presentations from the council, sportscotland and the Federation of Rural Partnerships, giving clubs the chance to learn about the latest funding opportunities and receive tips on how to apply.

The sessions, which all start at 7pm and last for 2 1/2 hours, will take place at:

• Fraserburgh Community Sports Centre on Monday, September 25.
• Portlethen Academy on Tuesday, October 3.
• Inverurie Academy on Thursday, October 12.

There are workshops on volunteering and resources, which are also part of the Support 4 Clubs Series, coming soon.

To sign up or for more information contact the council’s Sport and Physical Activity Service on activecommunities@aberdeenshire.gov.uk or 01467 539231.

Councillors visit Newtonhill

On Tuesday morning councillors on the Kincardine and Mearns Area Committee will undertake a site visit in Newtonhill.
We will be looking at the area to the south of the village where Barratts hope to build houses and flats.
Barratts have put forward a masterplan – which is what we are considering, not the actual planning application – and the visit will give councillors a better understanding of what the company has in mind.
A decision will be made at a future meeting of the area committee.

New bridge opens

The new bridge over the Aberdeen bypass at Cookney is now open!

It is not 100% finished yet, but it straightens out the route from Newtonhill to Netherley and also means we avoid one dangerous junction.

I hear though that the C24K will be closed for a few days (6am on Wednesday 27 September to 10pm on Sunday 1 October) for the completion of the new side road tie-in points at either end.

Hillside parents plan year ahead

More than two dozen people attended tonight’s Hillside Parents’ Group annual general meeting in the new school.

There was a great enthusiasm among everyone, with plans being laid for the coming year, including fundraising to provide extras for the children. This Sunday there is a bag pack at Asda, and there are 14 one-hour slots waiting to be filled. Other plans were discussed including a Portlethen-wide Santa run on 5, 6, and 7 December, and a family fun day on 15 September next year.

In the last year the HPG raised a remarkable £12,500, with just under £6000 being spent.

Head teacher Lesley-Anne Munro told parents about the school’s ambitious culture, the improvement priorities, and her aim to raise literacy attainment.

There was also a lengthy discussion about parking problems at the school, with Miss Munro saying they just can’t cope with the volume of cars. It’s down to parents to encourage their children to walk to school, if appropriate. Police officers were in attendance last week.

Thanks were paid to Sankesh Sundareshwar who stepped down –
for work reasons – as the chairman of the group.

There are 305 pupils on the school roll.

Car park work completed

Great news – the car park at the Rowanbank Road shops in Portlethen has been repaired! The potholes have gone.

It has been a long haul with many voices being raised in support of the campaign.

And just in case anyone is wondering, it is a private car park and not the council’s responsibility.