I have been asking council officers what is happening about the Murray Road landslip in Newtonhill … and today I received an update. Work is going on in the background.

I was told that there are a range of potential options that can be considered for this location. Colleagues in the Kincardine & Mearns Roads Service are looking to procure the services of specialist geotechnical engineering consultants to do an investigation and prepare a design, depending on which option they would prefer to go with.

The Roads Services team is the lead for landslips affecting the road network. Various pieces of information are being collated, including an outline brief.

It was in August 2020 that the landslip occurred, due to heavy rains. Part of the cliff face slipped towards the beach, taking parts of gardens with it. There were concerns that the public road could also be at risk, and as a precaution barriers and cones were placed along the road. Unfortunately high winds has blown the barriers over the cliff.

So that a BT engineer can work safely on an overhead structure it will be necessary for the U61K Portlethen/Findon road to close.

This closure from the railway bridge until Mains of Findon will take place on Tuesday 29 March and Wednesday 30 March between 9am and 4pm. Site notices showing the diversion route will be erected in due course.

Pedestrian access is to be maintained, as is vehicular access to affected properties whenever possible.

Council houses rent charges could be limited to 1.5% this year, to take account of covid-19 pandemic and the rising cost of living for tenants.

The proposal will go to a meeting of all 70 councillors of Aberdeenshire Council 23 February after being unanimously supported by members of the council’s communities committee last Thursday.

This follows an extensive review of the authority’s housing rent strategy by a working group involving officers, councillors and tenants.

There is more here: https://online.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/apps/news/release.aspx?newsid=8449

Kincardine and Mearns Area Committee met via Skype today. Here are some of the highlights, with the most interesting one last – will Stonehaven continue to have a vaccination centre …

CHILD POVERTY – There are 4289 children and young people living in absolute poverty in Aberdeenshire. This is where a household income is below a necessary level to cover basic living costs such as food, fuel and housing. The data shows that not all families living in poverty live in deprived areas.

Councillors were updated on progress in tackling these issues through a local child poverty action plan.

GRANTS – Three grants were awarded via the Coastal Communities Fund from Crown Estates Scotland.

A project to improve the path from Castle Street up to the Bervie Braes in Stonehaven was awarded £22,975,75. This will be spent cleaning drains, installing a handrail, laying a concrete path, and new stone steps.

The Merchant Coastal Heritage Trail group was awarded £50,000 to protect the trail from coastal erosion and storm damage with 720 tons of rock at Seagreens cottages between Johnshaven and St Cyrus.

Catterline Braes Action Group was awarded £25,000 towards the cost of engaging a consultant to undertake a feasibility study on protecting the braes from landslides triggered by marine erosion and soil saturation.

SUPPORT – Four good causes were given grants from the area committee’s top-up budget. They are Dickson Memorial Hall, Laurencekirk (£5205.60 for the replacement of a fire alarm control panel, Bervie Caledonian Football Club (£3600 to replace lighting units at Gourdon), Durris Kirkton Hall (£1800 for the removal of five large conifers), and St James Episcopal Church, Stonehaven, (£2000 towards improvement and repairs works).

Some £7,263.39 remains to be spent this financial year. So far in 2021/22 two projects in the North Kincardine ward have received grants – Skateraw Hall (£8000) and Maryculter Driving for the Disabled (£2000).

PROJECTS – Councillors were presented with a chunky progress report on projects in the area. A number of comments were made, and questions asked. These included provision of a primary school at Chapelton, the future of Newtonhill Library (currently closed), and investment in the customer-facing aspect of Portlethen Pool. Answers will follow in due course. I also challenged the use of jargon in the report.

PROPERTY – Councillors were asked for comments on a refresh of the surplus property policy. This includes a general presumption against the disposal of playing fields, open space and amenity land.

We heard that the Property & Facilities Management Service will consult with ward councillors, the area manager, other services and partner organisations to determine whether there is an alternative use for the property, including, if appropriate, future strategic requirements. If no alternative use is identified, the property disposal procedure will be followed.

PUZZLE – As well as lots of jargon, sometimes reports present me with a word or phrase I haven’t come across before. I have found out that “a concatenated process” refers to the linking or joining of two things to achieve a certain result. Another school day.

VACCINATIONS – The area committee decided, on the casting vote of chair Wendy Agnew, that £75,000 should not be spent on converting the Invercarron Resource Centre into a vaccination centre for Kincardine and Mearns.

Currently the vaccination centre is based in Stonehaven Town Hall, on a temporary basis. The Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership is setting up seven such centres, with Banchory and Inverurie already operational.

However, five councillors objected to the recommendation from officers to proceed, and five (including me) were in favour. I told the meeting we need somewhere for vaccinations and this apparently was the only suitable site in Stonehaven. I also asked if anywhere in Portlethen had been considered – “no”.

It would take six weeks to complete the work and it has to be done within this financial year. Accordingly we heard that emergency measures could be taken by officers in consultation with senior councillors on the Aberdeenshire-wide communities committee. Another option is have a special meeting of the communities committee.

WANT MORE? All the reports can be found here: https://committees.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/committees.aspx?commid=8&meetid=19925

Police Scotland’s report on January for Kincardine and Mearns was published today.

ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOUR, VIOLENCE AND DISORDER:

There has been an increase in the number of anti-social behaviour, with 66 calls received. There were 13 calls received that related to youth specific disturbances.

There were eight assault crime reports; six have been reported to the procurator fiscal. Meanwhile, two are still being investigated. Three of the assaults were domestic related.

ACQUISITIVE CRIME:

There have been seven. Six are still being investigated. One of the thefts relate to shoplifting at Aldi in Portlethen. A theft of note was that of a caravan valued at £30,000 which is still being actively investigated.

A theft by housebreaking has taken place that resulted in a theft of quadbike. This enquiry is still ongoing.

ROAD SAFETY:

In January three drivers were found to be under the influence of alcohol. They have been charged and reported to the procurator fiscal.   

There was one reported incident of dangerous driving, which is still under enquiry.

The local police team continues to prioritise safe driving, and officers have undertaken numerous road safety checks using the Unipar laser device. Several new locations have been provided as areas of concern, which will be visited in future operations. Please use the email address below to forward areas of concern.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:

Three drug search warrants were executed. All were positive and quantities of illegal drugs seized. All persons concerned were cautioned and charged with recorded police warnings issued. All instances of illegal drug use should be reported to the police. Any report will be treated in confidence and be completely anonymous. 

CONTACTS:

• 101 – Non emergency
• Email – StonehavenLowerDeesideCPT@Scotland.pnn.police.uk
• Twitter – @NorthEPolice
• Facebook – www.Facebook.com/NorthEastPoliceDivision
• Web – www.scotland.police.uk
• 999 – Emergency;
• 0800 555 111 – Crimestoppers.

There will be a temporary ban on parking part of Newtonhill Road, Newtonhill, while main replacement work takes place for Scottish Water.

The work is edging its way west along Newtonhill Road and these restrictions will be in place from 9 February for nearly 10 weeks, as shown below.

Here is an update on road repairs within Newtonhill. I’m disappointed that it will take slightly longer than expected to repair Old Mill Road and potholes in the village. Most folk have been very patient, but patience can grow thin …

The statement from the Roads Service about the works programme for financial year 2021/22 covers four projects planned for Newtonhill:

• The resurfacing of Old Mill Road.
• The reapplication of high friction surfacing at Newtonhill Road zebra crossing.
• The reapplication of high friction surfacing at Tesco roundabout.
• The carriageway patching contract for Portlethen, Newtonhill and Muchalls.

Officers write: “During preparation for the works in Newtonhill we had meetings with Caledonia Water Alliance (CWA) to discuss their plans to replace the water main on Newtonhill Road and following completion of that, Muirend Road, Portlethen.

“At that time, we were expecting the CWA works to take place in the summer of 2021, so the decision was made to hold off on any of our own work until this was complete.

“Unfortunately the delays with the CWA programme has had a knock on effect to our programme and it’s now highly unlikely that we will be in a position to complete any of the above works until CWA works are off site.

“On a positive note, our plan for next year is to prepare a patching contract solely for Newtonhill, thereby allowing us to repair more defects than we would have been able to through the current contract; this in turn has also meant we have been able to realign the budget and repair more defects in Portlethen and Muchalls.

“We will be marking up the extents of the proposed works on site, and preparing the documents for the contract, in the coming weeks, so it will be ready to go out to tender at the beginning of financial year 2022/23. We will therefore be in a position to appoint a contractor to start the works on site, hopefully in early May.

“We already have a specialised contractor appointed to carry out the high friction surfacing at the two locations in Newtonhill and will have them programmed to carry out the works as soon as CWA have left Newtonhill, which will be around mid to late April.

“As regard the resurfacing of Old Mill Road, with an expectation of increased budgets next year, we are now proposing to extend this resurfacing scheme, to include the junctions of Elsick Place and Park Place.”

I have asked officers if temporary repairs can be carried out in Old Mill Road, as a minimum. This has been promised previously, but I will keep trying.

The following new application in the North Kincardine ward can be viewed on the Aberdeenshire Council planning register: https://upa.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/online-applications/.

Site address: Mains of Altries, Maryculter, AB12 5GN.
Applicant: Mr M Campbell c/o Mark Urquhart, Raymond Simpson Associates Ltd, 7 Mid Stocket Road, Aberdeen, AB15 5JL.
Application: Full planning permission for extension and alterations to dwellinghouse.
Public comment expiry date: 17 February 2022.

Scottish Water says household water and waste water charges will rise by 4.2% for the next financial year, in line with CPI inflation as of October 2021.

The public company has also warned that prices are likely to increase further in future years.

Scottish Water chief executive Douglas Millican said: “Higher levels of investment are needed to protect services now and over the long term, particularly in meeting the challenges of more intense rainfall, flooding, and drought, and reducing carbon emissions.”

Water charges are collected by local authorities along with council tax.

A reminder for folk in Newtonhill that St Crispin’s Road is scheduled to be closed from Monday 7 February for 10 weeks at its junction with Newtonhill Road.

The Roads Service says the temporary restriction is necessary while water main renewal work takes place.

This is part of the Caledonia Water Alliance’s plan to move the works on Newtonhill Road westward for phase 2 on 9 February.