Council tax will rise by 3% in April in Aberdeenshire.

The below-inflation increase will see a 75p a week rise for those in Band D properties, or £39.02p a year.
Councillors agreed this morning to the rise on a 57 – 3 vote (with four councillors declining to vote).

The proposal was backed by the administration (Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and independents) and the opposition (SNP, Labour and independents), but was opposed by Alba councillors who wanted a tax freeze. The Green group of two councillors proposed a 5.4% rise, which gained no other support.

The administration group pledged that 0.5% of the council tax rise will be earmarked for an infrastructure fund to improve roads, bridges and buildings.

Council tax equates to 20% of the local authority’s budget, with the balance coming from government grants and charges.

A cost of living payment of £150 will be made to households with a council tax band of A to D, previously announced by Westminster and passed to the Scottish Government in recognition of the rising cost of living, in particular on food and energy.

Full council also heard that there are no plans to introduce a workplace parking levy, new powers which are being given to councils by the Scottish Government.

A detail budget on how council funds will be spent in the coming financial year will presented to the next full council meeting on 9 March.

Councillors also agreed – without the need for a vote – to increase council house average weekly rents by 1.5% from 1 April, with an annual review thereafter for 2023/24.

The new average weekly rent will rise by £1.26 to £85.37.

A notional rent increase of 2.5% for 2023/24 and 3% for 2024/25 was also agreed, subject to tenant consultation and further consideration and approval by the Communities Committee.

The number of mainstream houses held in 2022/23 is expected to increase from 13,070 to 13,272 by 31 March 2023. These additional units, together with the rental rise of 1.5%, will result in an overall budgeted rental income for 2022/23 of £58.8m.

The graphic comes from the council.

Communities across Aberdeenshire are being asked to nominate their heroes for the 2022 Inspiring Aberdeenshire awards.

The council-run awards have been taking place for 10 years and seek to celebrate unsung community heroes across Aberdeenshire.

The winners are often people who get little other recognition for their tremendous efforts.

The nominations opened today (22 February until 1 April) and there are eight categories against which anyone can make a nomination. The full list of categories is here along with a short description of each: https://engage.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/inspiring-aberdeenshire-2022

North Kincardine Rural Community Council met on line tonight. As usual a wide range of issues were discussed. Here are few items that caught my eye.

PC Marc Camus provided his monthly report, mentioning the theft of a £30,000 caravan and drivers speeding through Riverside of Blairs (a 30mph zone) at about 50mph.

Broadband provision was discussed with the differing offers available. Consideration is being given to inviting a speaker from Aberdeenshire Council’s new digital engagement team.

The provision of wreath frames at war memorials and other work would need grants from outside bodies. A long-term solution needs to be found, in particular at Banchory Devenick.

Planning applications were given due attention, including plans for houses at the Old Mill at Maryculter. This was followed by a discussion on complaints about building standards at some Riverside of Blairs houses.

A grant is being given to Corbie Hall at Maryculter for the replacement of pads and a battery at the defibrillator.

The community council is to consider names for more streets in Chapelton.

The next meeting is on 21 March, starting at 7.30pm.

A diversion is in place if you are heading to Stonehaven this week.

David Street and Belmont Brae are both closed from today (21 February) until Friday 25 February while resurfacing works are undertaken on David Street and repairs are undertaken on Belmont Brae as well.

Emergency, pedestrian and vehicular access to affected properties will be maintained whenever possible.

NO CAR ACCESS TO MINERAL WELL PARK
During this time there will be no vehicular access to Mineral Well Park from David Street.

STILL ACCESS TO COOP ON DAVID STREET
These works will start just after the junction with the Coop so access to the David Street Coop will not be affected. You may remember that the Turners’ Court junction was done a few years ago so where that work ended on David Street, the resurfacing now will begin.

IMPLICATIONS FOR THE 7, X7, 26, 107 BUS ROUTES
Stagecoach will be re-routing the 7, X7, 26, 107 south from the Barclay Street terminus and out on the A957 south to the A92 and A90 then north from there. This means three bus stops will not be operating during this time.

Aberdeenshire Council staff will be handing out lateral flow test kits this week for people who do not have covid-19 symptoms. The schedule includes local venues:

• Today (Monday):
Stonehaven, Market Square (collect only) 10am – 3.30pm
• Tuesday 22 February:
Portlethen, Asda (collect only), 10am – 3.30pm
• Wednesday 23 February:
Stonehaven, Market Square (collect only) 10am – 3.30pm
• Thursday 24 February:
Portlethen, Asda (collect only), 10am – 3.30pm.

You can book a PCR test via the gov.uk website – https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test – or by calling 0300 303 2713.

Storm Eunice continues to make its presence felt today with much of Aberdeenshire experiencing heavy snowfall – and there is a new yellow warning for ice from 6pm till 9am tomorrow.

The weather has had a considerable affect on Aberdeenshire schools with a number closed today (including Banchory Devenick) and others closing around lunchtime (such as Lairhillock). Services were working across the network to assist in specific situations where schools had opened this morning but were having to close early with buses unable to run. For the full list of closures visit https://online.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/Apps/schools-closures/

The council’s Waste Service vehicles operating out of Inverurie and Banchory depots have had to be taken off routes due to the deteriorating conditions. They will look to include missed routes into Monday collections where possible.

The household recycling centres at Westhill, Banchory, Alford, Inverurie and Ellon are closed and sites at Huntly and Turriff closed at 2pm. Other sites are managing to stay open.

A2B and Ready2Go bus services were also cancelled and passengers contacted.

The Community Testing provision in Westhill and Inverurie was cancelled today due to the weather and road conditions. Council staff are still on site at Asda in Fraserburgh and will continue to monitor the situation.

The council’s winter maintenance operations are in full swing with around 150 staff involved in ploughing, gritting and footway clearing across the region. Despite efforts by the council and BEAR Scotland, some routes are closed owing to heavy snowfall and vehicles becoming stuck. The A90 Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route was closed northbound this morning from its junction with the A956 at Cleanhill due to jackknifed lorries at the A93 junction. Currently the A93 Glenshee and the B974 Cairn O’Mount are closed to all traffic. To see the council’s planned gritting for each day and a host of other roads information visit: https://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/roads-and-travel

Emergency services were called to Newtonhill last night after a villager aged 72 fell from a cliff path.

The alarm was raised at 8.30pm by someone walking their dog, with a rescue helicopter coming from Inverness, and coastguard, police, ambulance and lifeboat all in attendance.

The man was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for observation. He had not broken any bones.

Here is the BBC report this morning: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-60427874

Stonehaven bus services will be affected by a road closure which will have a knock-on impact on services through Portlethen and Newtonhill, including the X7.

David Street is to be closed from Monday 21 February to Friday 25 February. That is the street just south of the Cowie Bridge and leads into the town. Resurfacing works are being undertaken on David Street and repairs are undertaken on Belmont Brae as well.

The diversion route from Barclay Street terminus will be a turn right south to follow the road through Dunnottar woods to rejoin the A90 dual carriageway. Services will operate the same diversion in reverse.

Stagecoach services will operate later than scheduled but this is the only option being considered by the bus companies. Notices will be posted at the relevant bus stops and Stagecoach will advise passengers of the enforced changes via their website and social media.

Newtonhill, Muchalls and Cammachmore Community Council tonight with Tim Stephen, Aberdeenshire Council’s operations service manager with Live Life Aberdeenshire. This brought good news about the library and the tennis courts.

Mr Stephen was asked about developer obligation – there is £10,000 that can be used for sports and recreation in the Newtonhill area, though that will increase as new houses are built. That could be spent on the tennis courts or at the primary, but not on maintenance or repairs.

For maintenance or repairs, such as at the tennis courts, that would come via Landscape Services. Their priority currently is making sure such spaces are safe, he said. Quotes are in place for re-lining, repairing the fence and new posts, totalling about £10,000. He invited the community council to press for this.

There was also discussion about provision of a multi-use games area at the primary school. Sarah Chew, the new chair of Friends of Newtonhill, said they are keen to press ahead and fund-raise for this.

The existing library building is past its sell-by date, almost at the unsafe stage. It was a temporary building in 1996, when built. He said that in the short term they are working with the Bettridge Centre to deliver a basic service, possibly towards the end of next month. They have longer-term aims about the co-location of a library service in community buildings.

One comment was made that more hours would be better in order to attract more customers. Another comment was that access to books was being restricted which particularly impacts on children.

The meeting also discussed the state of the roads, and noted the repairs which were carried out today. Questions were asked about why there was no forewarning of the work.

At the next meeting a representative of Stonehaven Rugby Club will be invited to talk to the community council on their quest for a new pitch. Many youngsters from this area use the facility. The next meeting is on Wednesday 16 March at 7.30pm (hopefully in the Skateraw Hall), and will be open to the public.

Aberdeenshire Council’s Trading Standards service has received reports of cold callers attending at people’s homes in Peterhead, claiming to be contractors working for Aberdeenshire Council and that they are there to measure up the kitchen for a new kitchen suite. After measuring up these cold callers have then asked householders for payments towards the new kitchen. In one instance, a householder has handed over cash, believing it was genuine.

The truth is that these cold callers do not work for Aberdeenshire Council; they are scammers.

When Aberdeenshire Council Housing staff or their contractors are due to attend at people’s homes:
• Aberdeenshire Council Housing office will write to the householder in advance, advising when the staff member or contractor will be attending and who they are.
• Any staff member or contractor should have their official council identity badges with them, on open display. Contractors’ ID badges will bear the council logo and their own company’s logo.
• Aberdeenshire Council employees or contractors working on behalf of the council will never ask for money for this type of work. The finance side of things is handled by the council ‘behind the scenes’.

If anyone comes to your door claiming to be from the council or a contractor for the council and they are not wearing an official ID badge, ask to see it. If they cannot produce it, DO NOT let them in, DO NOT give them any money but report them to Police Scotland on the non-emergency number of 101 or 999 if it is an emergency.”

SCAMS
One resident in south Aberdeenshire recently saw a car for sale on a popular auction site. Noting that the price was just under £9000, well below what she expected for a car of that type, she made some enquiries with the seller, despite some misgivings, but also did some enquiries of her own. The seller advised that
he was now living abroad and the car sale was being managed by a company on his behalf.

The resident then made some enquiries with the company managing the sale.

She also noted that their website did not appear in her internet searches. The managing company gave the resident the company website address, which only then became traceable over the internet and advised that if she wished to buy the car she would have to pay the selling price to a different company, an escrow company, by direct bank transfer. The escrow company would then hold the funds until the car had been delivered. An invoice was sent to the resident to that effect.

By making some enquiries about both companies on the government website, Companies House (https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/) she was able to establish that the managing company was not registered at all with Companies House and the escrow company had only been registered for a matter of weeks. The resident’s misgivings grew to the point where she abandoned any further enquiries but not before noting that the sales advert had disappeared from the auction website, the managing company had changed their business address according to their website (both old and new addresses were poorly covered by street mapping services), and that the website was later suspended.

This situation highlights the importance of doing your own homework when considering large purchases from unknown sellers. This resident was also contacted by a young couple who had paid the price for the car and had heard nothing since.

FIRE SAFETY
New regulations covering smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and heat sensors in the home came into force on 1 February.

Trading Standards was recently advised by a partner agency about a householder who had been quoted £2000 to have detectors fitted within her home according to these regulations. This was considered to be far in excess of what it should have cost.

In an effort to try to avoid this, when arranging to have detectors etc. fitted, Trading Standards suggest that you should consider getting at least three quotes from reputable fire safety companies, according to your needs and your budget, then fine tune the results until you are satisfied that you have the right products you need to keep your home safe.

A good place to start the process of searching for reputable companies is with the National Security Inspectorate (https://www.nsi.org.uk/), which is the national certification body in the security and fire safety sector. The NSI have a searchable national database for accredited traders on their home page

CONTACT INFORMATION
For urgent Trading Standards matters, contact Aberdeenshire Council’s Trading Standards at 01467 537222. For non-urgent enquiries, contact Consumer Advice Scotland at https://www.consumeradvice.scot/ or on 0808 164 6000.

Contact Police Scotland on 999 if you need urgent police assistance or 101 for non-urgent matters.