Here is the latest on Bruntland Road, Portlethen, from area roads manager Philip Leiper. This should answer a few questions.

“Following a site visit, which I attended with Alan Burns, it was decided that the main sections of Bruntland Road would be patched and surface dressed – this has now been done – and the major junctions of Muirend Road and Old Portlethen Road being resurfaced with asphalt due to the stresses involved with turning traffic.

“Funding has now been secured for the asphalt works, but due to the short timescale it has not been possible to carry out the second phase during the summer holiday period, so the plans are to carry out phase two at the end of September and the beginning of October to coincide with the Tattie Holidays, so as to reduce the impact on the travelling public.”

A plan setting out the future direction of Aberdeenshire Council’s Education and Children’s Services over the next three years is now open for public comment.

The plan sets out the council’s priorities on the delivery of a wide range of services including schools, nurseries, cultural services, family centres, leisure facilities and community learning.

The council is asking for feedback on seven priority areas that have been identified to help shape the wider aims of the service, including:

NHS Grampian is conducting a review of six dispensing GP practices, and this includes the pharmacy in Portlethen Medical Centre (not Michie’s next door). Here is information from NHS Grampian which has more details …

The review includes a public consultation which runs from today (4 July) to 1 October. The other GP practices affected are Auchenblae, Gardenstown, Rhynie, Skene and Udny Station.

Following the review of dispensing by the Haddo Medical Group completed in 2015, the Grampian NHS Board accepted a recommendation to conduct a review of general practice dispensing across Grampian. This review would assure the Board that, where a medical practice has been required to dispense, this is in line with existing regulations.

Approval was granted today for the first large-scale supermarket in Stonehaven. It took us councillors on Aberdeenshire Council three hours and 40 minutes to consider applications for four different stores in the town.

In the end proposals for a supermarket, hotel and restaurant between the Slug Road and the A90 on the Ury Estate were approved, by 27 votes to 18. Local councillors Raymond Christie and Graeme Clark moved the motion for a delegated grant, against officer recommendations.

I supported the application.

Today I put forward a motion at a full meeting of Aberdeenshire Council condemning the spread of racism across the country. I was delighted to receive the backing of all councillors.

I felt it important to say this at this time, when – sadly – intolerance is surfacing around the UK. People should be judged as individuals and not labelled by race, religion or nationality. We should be welcoming of those who have chosen to join us. What a compliment that is to us.

I told councillors that the moment incomers decided to make this area their home in my eyes they became a Scot. I urge those who are settled here not listen to those who say “you can leave” – as happened to a friend this week. No matter the result of the referendum, the new Scots, the new residents of Aberdeenshire, are welcome.

Portlethen Community Council tonight covered a lot of topics, watched by three members of the public. Here are some of the issues that caught my attention in particular:

– There was much discussion about the opening of the new Hillside primary school and the impact on Portlethen Primary and Fishermoss Primary. Seven teachers from Portlethen will transfer to Hillside. There is still a vacancy for a teacher at Hillside. The new head teacher is Lesley-Anne Munro, from Walker Road School in Aberdeen.

– Kincardine and Mearns councillors today approved plans to spend £200,000 on providing a cycle/footway along Old Wellington Road to connect Marywell with Cove. I pressed the case at the committee meeting today and was assured that discussions are underway with Aberdeen City Council to ensure that the link is completed as part of the route lies with the city. The proposals also include spending £12,000 on passing places on the road from the Mains of Portlethen to the Neuk in Old Portlethen. The plans now go to the council’s infrastructure services committee.

The community council also was assured that the Shire still has ambitions for a cycle/footpath between Portlethen and Cammachmore (one landowner will not co-operate) and between Muchalls and Stonehaven.

– A sign has gone up for Domino Pizza at the new shops at Hillside. The unit which was earmarked for a pharmacy by Dickie’s (the application was turned down by the NHS) will be opened by the company though as something else yet to be determined. The main store will be a Co-op.

– Plans lodged with Marine Scotland for eight wind turbines some 10 miles off Portlethen were discussed. Strong views were expressed on the merits or otherwise of wind turbines. However there was consensus that the community council should express its concern that it had not been asked by Marine Scotland to comment, The lack of consultation – and information – was condemned.

Earlier in the day Kincardine and Mearns area committee had been given details of the proposals, and this information was passed on by the two councillors present. The landfall from the turbines would be on the south side of the city.

One community councillor quipped that given the rain and haar in this area most of the time we won’t see the turbines anyway.

– The progress, or at the moment lack of progress, with the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route came under the spotlight, focussing in particular on the changes at the Charleston flyover and the imminent closure of the Duffshill road. Diversions and delays might be ahead as the flyover is replaced.

– Plans for the gala on 13 August were briefly discussed with community councillors volunteering to assist in the beer tent.

– Helen Sleeth, who is also active in the Portlethen allotments group, was unanimously co-opted on to the community council.

– A volunteer has come forward to set up a website for the community council, and to maintain it.

– Balquharn Drive, Way and Circle are being adopted by Aberdeenshire Council. This means the council will be responsible for the maintenance of the roads, pavements and street lights. Kincardine and Mearns councillors approved the proposal today.

– The community council’s suggestion of School Brae for the name of the road leading west from Cookston Road towards Hillside primary school was accepted by Kincardine and Mearns councillors today.

– The community council is giving a grant of £625 towards a summer scheme which helps some youngsters prepare for the transition to Portlethen Academy.

– An administration grant of £1342 from Aberdeenshire Council has been received by the community council.

There were many other topics, but that’s enough for tonight! If you would like to find out more, come along to the next meeting in the academy on Tuesday 26 July, starting at 7pm.

I was delighted to propose today that a grant of £8000 be made to Newtonhill Bowling Club towards the cost of replacing the bowling surface. My colleagues on the Kincardine and Mearns Area Committee supported the proposal.

Councillors heard that the club – established in 1982 – has raised £23,000 towards the cost of £40,680. The shortfall will be bridged by further fund-raising and an application to the Meikle Carewe wind farm fund. The playing surface has reached its sell-by date and would at most last another year or two. The club is confident that the replacement work can be completed by March 2017.

We also agreed to grant Maryculter Hall Users Association £2000 to cover the cost of repairing their lawn mower which is used to cut the sports field. The mower was damaged in the flooding at the beginning of the year.

This week’s Mearns Leader carries adverts on page 35 for traffic orders for the Causey Mouth at the new Hillside primary school. This consultation period for public comment runs until 22 July. During this time members of the public will have an opportunity to submit representations to either, or both, traffic orders.

One option is for a 20mph limit and speed tables, the other is for closure.

Further information should be available from tomorrow (24 June) atwww.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/…/traffic-managem…/traffic-measures.

A majority of people of Aberdeenshire voted to remain in the European Union.

A total of 76,445 (54.99%) voted to remain in the EU, while 62,516 (44.97%) voted to leave.

The turnout for Aberdeenshire was 70.6%, with 139,014 taking part out of an electorate of 196,809.