This morning I attended a meeting of Elevator (also known as Enterprise North East Trust, the organisation that runs Business Gateway in the North East). As you would expect, the downturn in the oil and gas sector is having an impact. There has been a 20% increase in people looking to start their own business, however fewer business units being let. Some tenants are shutting up shop due to a lack of orders and work. The business centres in Stonehaven and Portlethen for example are normally full, but not at the moment. The market is certainly fragile

A new analysis of settlements across Aberdeenshire shows that the average 2014 household income in Newtonhill was £44,087 and £37,685 in Portlethen. The Aberdeenshire figure was £32,870.

The population of Newtonhill was 3136 in 2014, and 9066 in Portlethen. The unemployment rate in both the two communities in 2015 was 0.6% compared to 0.8% in Aberdeenshire and 2.2% in Scotland. I suspect the local figures may have risen recently.

In 2013, the average house price in Newtonhill was £200,473 and £230,663 in Portlethen. The Aberdeenshire figure was £207,905.

Council officers are to inspect damage done by the recent floods to the path between Muchalls and Newtonhill where the Pheppie Burn has burst its banks.

The bridge over the burn was washed away in previous floods, and its replacement was placed higher above the water by the council. This has meant that the bridge itself was unscathed this time. However the path on the Muchalls side of the bridge took a severe battering with the surface layer being washed away and a gulley torn out of the underpinnings. It seems the deluge was too much for the adjoining fields, which were waterlogged, and so the water poured on to the path and scoured away part of the path.

About 60 people attended a lively meeting on North Kincardine Rural Community Council to discuss progress with the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route with representatives from Transport Scotland, the contractors, and the managing agent. Here are some points that caught my eye:

• The project is now moving into the bridge construction phase.
• In about six weeks a new roads diversion will be put in place north of Burnhead to allow work to proceed on the Charleston link.
• Repairs were taking place today on potholes and verges on side roads damaged by heavy traffic. The contractors repeatedly said they are working with Aberdeenshire Council to repair local roads which are so damaged. Any such damage should be reported to the council unless it is where the AWPR crosses local roads and then it should be reported to the AWPR.
• More inspections of local roads was promised, if required, as the contractors “do not want anyone hurt” during the construction period.
• The project is slightly behind schedule, but still on target to meet the due completion date.
• The advisory “No works traffic” signs apply in particular to vehicles over 3 tonnes.
• Not much damage was done to the AWPR construction sites by the recent heavy rains and flooding. However the sustainable drainage ponds (SUDS ponds) are still full of dirty water. The water is eventually released into the burns and rivers once cleaned.
• The completed road will have street lights at the junctions only.
• More applications for weekend working will be lodged with the council. Local householders will be informed directly.
• Concrete mixers will be travelling from the A90 along the Lairhillock road to the Rothnick site. The number will vary according to demand.
That part of the meeting lasted 40 minutes, and thereafter about half of those attending left the meeting.

Scottish Government ministers have confirm they have ditched their plans to build a high-speed rail link between Glasgow and Edinburgh. How about investing the money in improving rail services in the North East? Local stations? More trains? An Ellon-Peterhead-Fraserburgh link? Maybe even Banchory? Get folk off the roads and into trains.

It is worth remembering that in November 2012 Nicola Sturgeon announced the Scottish Government would be taking forward the plans for a high-speed rail link between Glasgow and Edinburgh by 2024, saying they ‘would not wait’ for Westminster to deliver HS2 north of the border and would be ‘firing ahead’ with its own plans. But transport minister Derek Mackay has now said it is not possible to progress planning for a high-speed rail link between the two cities until a cross-border high-speed route is identified.

Here is the final update for the moment from Aberdeenshire Council about the flooding. The last paragraph is important for those who were directly affected:

• Met Office advice: Pleased to report an improving picture. A few showers forecast for in the region tomorrow with some more persistent, but nothing expected to cause any significant impacts. The coming few days summarised as ‘drier and colder’.

• SEPA: Again, improving picture. No river levels causing any significant concern however all will continue to be monitored in the coming days. Any remaining flood warnings are anticipated to be lifted today.

The latest from Aberdeenshire Council about the worsening situation:

We have an escalating emergency response situation developing across multiple areas of Aberdeenshire, the following is intended to update you on the current position but please be aware that this is a moving picture and the situation is likely to change rapidly, and indeed has done so during the creation of this update.

There is a possibility both the Deveron and Banff Bridges may have to be closed for safety reasons and road conditions throughout the area are changing rapidly, with a significant number of road closures and difficult conditions in many places. Roads teams have been working flat out to minimise disruption in very difficult circumstances.

Police are advising people not to travel unless absolutely necessary and are reiterating messages about heeding road closures – these are in place for good reason.

Sandbags are being deployed to affected areas for collection. People are advised to stay away from flood water and not to take unnecessary risks.

Please see Aberdeenshire Council’s Facebook page or Twitter feed @aberdeenshire for regular updates.

You can get live information about flood alerts and warnings from Sepa at:http://floodline.sepa.org.uk/floodupdates/

In line with advice from colleagues at SEPA and the Met Office the following work is in progress:

The Rivers Don and Ury (affecting Inverurie, Port Elphinstone and Kintore)

Sepa has issued a severe flood warning for Kintore and Inverurie.

River levels will significantly exceed those experienced in 2002 and 2009 and are not expected to peak until the early hours of Friday morning. Be aware that flooding impacts will also extend up the River Ury where levels are expected to be the highest in recent history

Extensive flooding is expected to properties and businesses including those in Port Elphinstone, along Old Canal Road, and Inverurie Paper Mill. The Waste Water Treatment Works and railway line will also be significantly affected. Many roads, including the B993, will be impassable in and around Inverurie.

In Kintore extensive flooding is expected to properties and businesses including those in Castle Hill and Kingsfield Road. Many roads, including the B977, will be impassable.

Engineers are inspecting bridges on the Don, as some may have to be closed as a precaution.

Some evacuations have been advised; please follow any advice provided by the emergency services.

Rest centres have been set up at Inverurie Academy and at Kintore Community Hall.

Conditions in Kemnay are being monitored and teams are ready to respond if required.

The River Deveron (affecting Huntly and Turriff areas)

An evacuation of the Meadows area of Huntly has been instigated in light of information from Sepa and partner agencies. The Emergency Alert Plan has been put into action, leading to the evacuation of the Meadows Care Home.

The Linden Centre has been established as a Rest Centre.

A flood warning has been issued for Turriff. From late Thursday evening, there is a risk of flooding to the golf course, the waste water treatment works and low lying agricultural land adjacent to the River Deveron. There may also be a risk of flooding to low points of the B9025 to the west of the Deveron Bridge. Levels on the River Deveron will continue to rise throughout Thursday night into Friday morning.

Residents likely to be affected have been advised and a rest centre has been established at the Fife Arms Hotel.

Kincardine and Mearns

Flood barriers have been deployed in Stonehaven and Mackie Academy has been opened as a Rest Centre. Flooding is expected at Low Wood Road and on Carron Terrace, with a number of properties likely to be affected.

Due to the nature of the river catchment, flooding can take place extremely quickly and with minimal warning.

Sepa predictions indicate the next peak in river levels will be at 2.30am.

We continue to monitor the situation in Marykirk, Fettercairn and St Cyrus and are ready to respond should conditions worsen. A Rest Centre has been set up at Marykirk Primary School.

Deeside

River Dee levels are expected to be higher than those experienced on January 4 with a peak between 6pm and midnight.

Seven more homes have been hit by flooding in Ballater above those affected earlier in the week. An updated flood warning has been issued for the town. There have been reports of flooding to the lower end of Dee Street and water ingress onto the golf course.

Some river banks have been damaged during Storm Frank and may allow flooding at lower levels than in normal circumstances.

Aberdeenshire Council continues to work in the area to reduce further impacts from river flooding after the damage experienced on December 30.

A flood warning has been issued for Aboyne. There is a risk of flooding to low lying properties around river banks including Low Road.

This is a result of the heavy persistent rain across the area, increased impacts from ground saturation and surface water and smaller watercourses including the Tarland Burn.

The A980 bridge at Lumphanan is being closed due to structural concerns.

Conditions around Maryculter Bridge are being monitored and it is likely it may also have to close.

Road/bridge closures

Many roads are only passable with care and a significant number have been closed due to flooding, structural damage and landslips.

Trunk routes

In addition to very difficult conditions caused by standing water on the A96 and A90 north of Aberdeen, the A90 has been reduced to one lane each way at Stracathro and is severely flooded at Brechin.

Railways

Railway lines are currently impassable between Aberdeen and Dundee, Aberdeen and Inverurie, and Aberdeen and Inverness.

Anyone being affected by flooding should contact the emergency services on 999.

Here is the latest update from Aberdeenshire Council regarding the weather situation:

Latest forecasts by SEPA and the Met Office show the flood risk across the north-east is falling as river levels begin to drop, although rain is due to continue over the coming days.

Conditions are expected to be generally drier into Wednesday, although lighter rain and some hill snow will continue in south Aberdeenshire. A band of heavier and more persistent rain is expected into Wednesday night and Thursday morning, slowly clearing into the evening.

A yellow warning for rain is in place for areas including south Aberdeenshire throughout Wednesday and Thursday.

In terms of flood risk, no issues are expected over the next few days as river levels have now peaked and are slowly falling.

There has been some local flooding at the River Dee in Aberdeen but no significant issues have been reported.

Water continues to pose a challenge for a number of communities, with Kintore, Inverurie and St Cyrus affected by flooding overnight into Tuesday, leading to a small number of households making use of a rest centre at Inverurie Academy.

In Ballater, all remaining residents being accommodated at the Victoria Barracks are expected to be moved to alternative accommodation on Thursday.

And in Aboyne, the evacuated from Bonty Court sheltered housing and Allachburn care home will remain in alternative accommodation for the meantime until the impact of rainfall expected at the end of the week is known.

This afternoon, a rise in the level of the River Ythan at Ellon led to the closure of the riverside path but no properties are thought to be under threat. Pupils attending Ellon Academy may have to find an alternative route in the morning.

Officers from Police Scotland are continuing to support recovery efforts in the Deeside area, and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is also continuing to provide local support where required.

Plans are now in place for the repair of a number of key routes and structures damaged by the recent severe weather as communities across the north-east begin their recovery.

Chief executive of Aberdeenshire Council Jim Savege said: “Despite the ongoing weather challenges we’ve made good steps forward with our partners in terms of carrying out repairs to re-open key transport routes.

“We’ve also been speaking with local businesses in Aboyne and Ballater to look at how we can support their recovery.

“We’ve had positive discussions with the Scottish Government over access to funding to help us progress repairs, and we will be having ongoing conversations about how we can help minimise flood risk in a number of communities in the future.”

Community efforts to protect properties continue, with dozens of volunteers supporting council teams to make up and transport thousands of sandbags for affected communities in Aberdeenshire. This work will continue over the next few days.

All schools in Aberdeenshire are expected to open as normal at the start of the new school term tomorrow (Wednesday), but some school transport may be affected. Parents and guardians are asked to check the schools section of the Aberdeenshire Council website for local arrangements.

Aberdeenshire Council engineers have been working with the owners of Abergeldie Castle to look at options to help protect the historic building being claimed by the River Dee. The authority will also be providing advice to owners of other properties that lie close to the river.

Key road closures and diversions and timescales for repairs

• The A93 has been reduced to a single land route at Auchallater due to water damage to a section of the embankment. Repairs by Perth and Kinross Council are expected to be complete by the end of the week.

• The Invercauld Bridge on the A93 at Braemar remains closed to both vehicular and pedestrian traffic, following damage to the flood relief arch on the east of the structure.

A plan to repair the damage to the relief arch has been agreed and contractors began work today. It is expected the works will be complete in about a fortnight. For the meantime, vehicular access to Braemar will continue to be via the A93 from the south.

Following discussions with landowners and relevant agencies, the old Dee Bridge is now available to pedestrians, and is lit at night. Pedestrians are advised to take a torch and take additional care when using the bridge.

Emergency vehicles will be able to use the bridge as required, but there is no access to public vehicles.

• The A93 at Micras, east of Balmoral, remains impassable following the collapse of a large section of the road. Diversions are in place via the B979 South Deeside Road to the south, and via the A939 and B976 via Gairnshiel to the north.

Both routes are narrow in sections and extra care and time should be taken when using these routes.

Agreement has been reached with a local landowner to construct a temporary diversion at Micras, and it is hoped this will be in place within the next week to 10 days.

Here’s the latest about weather problems in Aberdeenshire:

The continuing rain continues to have an impact across Aberdeenshire, and tonight particular focus is being placed on Inverurie and Kintore, where flooding is likely tonight.

Weather and flood warnings remain at amber for Aberdeenshire as response and recovery efforts continue in communities across the area. Strong south-easterly winds are leading to waves of up to nine metres along the north-east coast, particularly around the Peterhead area.

Overnight into Sunday there were numerous local flooding incidents across Aberdeenshire, including at Inverurie, Oldmeldrum, Methlick and Newmachar.

Many hundreds of sandbags have been made available to communities at various locations across Aberdeenshire to allow residents to protect their properties.

As the day has progressed, concern has risen for both Inverurie and Kintore and the council has been preparing rest centres at Inverurie Academy and Kintore Public Hall for opening from 10pm as a precautionary measure.

At Kintore, there is a risk of flooding at the B977, surrounding agricultural land and low-lying areas near the river. Moving into tomorrow, there is a risk of flooding to Castle Hill and Kingsfield Road as river levels are expected to continue to rise.

At Inverurie, the River Don level is close to the top of the flood embankment at the football fields upstream of the B933. Low-lying areas near the River Urie and River Don are at risk of flooding overnight as water levels rise.

Council employees have already volunteered to support the running of the both rest centres.

As recovery continues in those communities already hit by flooding, British Telecom has been active in Braemar today and successfully re-established telephone connections to the town, which is a welcome relief for the community. Work was also being undertaken to repair sagging phone cables along the A93.

There is an increased presence by a number of agencies in Braemar, and a short, daily bulletin for residents is being shared locally.

The A93 south of Braemar remains open, providing access to Blairgowrie and beyond and a section of the road is currently under a single-lane restriction. Engineers form Perth and Kinross Council inspected the site yesterday and carried out some initial repair works, and further work will take place on Tuesday with the aim of re-opening two-way traffic.

The old Dee Bridge, through the Balmoral Estate, remains open to pedestrians and will be lit at night, and as of today the bridge will be open to emergency vehicles if required.

Engineers continue to assess the condition of the Invercauld road bridge on the A93, which is currently unsafe for use by vehicles or pedestrians. If there is no further damage, it is hoped that repairs can begin as soon as river levels drop, with the aim of reopening in around two to three weeks.

In Ballater, 18 people remained in the rest centre at the Victoria Barracks overnight into Sunday. Accommodation has been identified for all who need it, but some of this will not be available until Tuesday as carpeting and white goods needs to be installed in some cases. Some response staff have also been staying in the barracks overnight.

Significant efforts were made yesterday to bolster flood defences at Ballater through the use of around 850 one-tonne sandbags on the west side of the village, in anticipation of a possible rise in river levels.

Road closures

• A93 Invercauld Bridge: Long-term closure. Alternative for vehicular traffic is via Blairgowrie. Pedestrian and bicycle access will be established via the old Dee Bridge. There is NO ACCESS from Tomintoul into Braemar.

• A93, two miles east of Crathie: Road washed out 30 December 2015, resulting in long term closure. Alternative route between Ballater and Crathie via B976 South Deeside Road.

• Minor road between Mill of Steirn at Birkhall to Ballater: Closed long-term due to damage.

• B974 Cairn o Mount to Strachan; Feughside Inn to Cairn o’ Mount; B976 between Aboyne Bridge and Dinnet Bridge; and the Strachan to Slug Road: Closed due to flooding.

• B9077 South Deeside Road between Leggart Terrace and the junction with the B979.

• A937 at Marykirk: Closed.

• B977 Fintray to Kintore.

Aberdeen City Council has sandbags available from its West Tullos depot for residents who require them.

UPDATE FROM POLICE SCOTLAND

Chief Inspector Richard Craig said: “We continue to work with a number of agencies to prepare for further bad weather in addition to supporting the recovery from Storm Frank.

“It is vital that motorists adhere to road closure signs as these are there to protect the public. A number of roads have suffered structural damage and ignoring the closures is reckless and irresponsible and puts you at risk as well as the emergency services.

“We are also advising the public to stay away from flooded areas and river banks as water levels are expected to rise again as the rain continues over the next few days. River banks are also likely to be unstable due to the high levels of water and continued rain.

“Officers remain in Braemar and Crathie and the public are advised to speak to them or attend at the police station in Braemar if they need the emergency services.”

Here is the latest update from Aberdeenshire Council on the flooding.

Flood warnings and alerts are in place for the Grampian region as heavy rain is expected over the weekend into Monday and police are advising the public to stay away from already flooded areas.

Due to the weather warnings in place, Aberdeen City Council has closed Duthie Park car park to vehicles.

As further flood warnings are in place we are urging the public to plan ahead and to be prepared, including by parking your vehicle away from areas close to rivers and on higher ground if possible.

SEPA is keeping a particular focus on Tayside, Angus and Aberdeenshire and particularly those communities that have already been affected by flooding. Should new flooding incidents occur, they are not expected to be on the same scale as those caused by Storm Frank.

There are concerns over the River Don and the North Esk, particularly around the Kintore and Inverurie areas, and this will continue to be monitored.

It was expected that the River Feugh would burst its banks this afternoon, and road closure notices were put in place on the B974 at Cairn O’ Mount and at the Feughside Inn.

The Strachan to Blairdryne road flooded, and the low section of the B974 south of Strachan Bridge was also expected to flood, which would result in the complete closure of the B974 Strachan to Fettercairn Road.

The A93 between Ballater and Braemar remains closed until repairs can be carried out. The Invercauld Bridge is closed to vehicular traffic and this expected to be for some weeks.

The emergency services and other partner organisations continue to monitor the forecast weather to respond to any issues.

Aberdeenshire Council is leading the recovery response in Ballater following Storm Frank and work is ongoing to return residents to their homes.

Additionally, following the recent heavy rainfall police are urging people to think about their safety before going out on rivers.

Water levels remain high in many areas and it is likely that debris from the recent flooding is still within the water.

If you are going out on the water, make sure you have suitable safety equipment, including life jackets and a fully charged mobile phone or radio. Also ensure that you are suitably dressed for the conditions so you do not put yourself at risk.

Chief Inspector Richard Craig said: “We are continuing to work with other agencies following the impact of Storm Frank across the Grampian region, particularly in Ballater, Crathie and Braemar and are also preparing for further rain and potential flooding.

“Due to the warnings in place, we are asking people to stay away from rivers and already flooded areas so you don’t put yourself in danger or place further burden on communities that have been impacted by the flooding.

“Additionally, we are advising people to park their vehicles away from areas close to rivers and to park on higher ground where possible. We also ask that motorists do not ignore road closure signs and avoid driving through flood water as there will be unseen dangers, including lifted man-hole covers. The closures are there for a reason and are to protect your safety. By ignoring these closures you put yourself at risk as well as the emergency services.”

Aberdeenshire Council’s duty emergency response coordinator Ritchie Johnson said: “A concerted effort is taking place to respond to the weather situation in Deeside and across Aberdeenshire in light of warnings in place from SEPA and the Met Office and working closely with partners, colleagues and the community.

“There are access issues into Braemar and we are working with Police Scotland and neighbouring authorities to ensure access south remains in place with the aim of protecting the road.

“We are also working on remedial action across the area with sandbags and floodgates being issued to protect roads and properties as well as preparing responses to any rising river levels across Aberdeenshire.”