Community council seeks members

Newtonhill, Muchalls and Cammachmore Community Council is looking for new members, and nominations are now open.

Nominations are being sought to fill the following vacancies:
• Newtonhill – 5
• Muchalls – 1
• Cammachmore – 2

Forms must be returned by 5pm on Wednesday, 30 May, and an election will take place on Wednesday, 6 June, if the nominees outnumber the roles available, in the Bettridge Centre, Newtonhill, and in Muchalls Village Hall, from 6pm until 9pm.

The community council’s annual general meeting will take place on Wednesday 20 June in the Skateraw Hall, Newtonhill, at 7.30pm.

Nomination forms are available from:
• Returning officer: William Munro, Kincardine and Mearns Area Manager, Viewmount, Arduthie Road, Stonehaven, AB39 2DQ.
• Community council chairman Michael Morgan, 64 St Michael’s Road, Newtonhill.
• Community council secretary Edith Stephen, 17 Dunnyfell Road, Muchalls.

If you would like further information phone 01569 690541 or email kincardineandmearns@aberdeenshire.gov.uk. I can also provide a nomination form.

Speed cameras being switched off

The average speed cameras on the A90 at Charleston are to be decommissioned. They have been in place for more than a year to enforce the 50 mph speed limit while AWPR construction work has been taking place. The temporary speed limit is also to be removed.
https://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/…/average-speed-cameras-o…/

Meanwhile BBC Scotland is reporting today that Aberdeenshire Council is pursuing compensation which could run into millions of pounds for damage caused to its roads by AWPR construction traffic.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/…/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetla…

Aberdeenshire Council’s Head of Roads, Landscape and Waste Services, Philip McKay, said: “The AWPR is a massive civil engineering project that has required many thousands of tonnes of materials to be moved around the vicinity of the route. Unfortunately, the volume and weight of this traffic has been extraordinary and far outwith the normal traffic loading that our more minor roads are accustomed to.

“This has led to significant damage to some routes and the maintenance costs are greatly above what would be expected for the average cost to maintain these type of rural roads. Therefore Aberdeenshire Council is in discussion with Aberdeen Roads Limited with a view to agreeing appropriate recompense for the repair of these damaged roads.

“A list of the roads which have been damaged will be used to ascertain which bridges are on those routes and inspect for damage over and above normal deterioration since the last condition inspection.”

Meeting calls for pitch decision to be reversed

More than 70 adults – and a number of youngsters – attended a public meeting tonight to discuss plans for a like-for-like replacement of the synthetic sports pitch at Portlethen Academy.
 
A petition from residents had been presented to the community council calling for the meeting with a view to reversing the decision taken by Aberdeenshire Council officers and Robertsons (who own the academy) to provide a replacement 2G pitch this summer. Instead the pitch should be to a 3G standard.
 
The difference would be that 3G is more suitable for football, rugby and other sports whereas 2G is best for hockey.
 
It was accepted that changing the decision could delay the replacement of the pitch, but it was felt “this would not cause too much heartache”. There would be no added cost to the council.
 
Comments made included:
 
“Portlethen is a centre of excellence for a minority sport.”
 
“We are living in a dictatorship.”
 
“We don’t want to put the hockey club out of business but it is a niche activity.”
 
“There is no school hockey team.”
 
“The current pitch is unused 95% of the time at weekends.”
 
“Aberdeenshire Council have not done themselves any favours.”
 
“Robertsons offering to upgrade to 3G is as if we had won the lottery.”
 
“A 2G pitch will not benefit the community.”
 
As the meeting drew to a close former Scotland and Aberdeen manager Craig Brown said there seems to be be something dysfunctional here, with officers working against the electorate. He was unquestionably in favour of 3G, and described the current situation as “looking a gift horse in the mouth.”
 
Council officers had declined an invitation to attend the meeting, though all four ward councillors were present and spoke about the issues.
 
Community council chairman Ron Sharp urged those present to “make some noise”. It was suggested that a petition be sent to Aberdeenshire Council, which would take the issue before councillors. Residents were also recommended to contact the chief executive of the council to make their views plain (jim.savege@aberdeenshire.gov.uk).
 
The community council also reversed its previous decision and agreed unanimously to support the call for a 3G pitch.
 
The meeting was held in Hillside School.

Bids lodged for development

About 600 bids for developing land in Aberdeenshire have been received as the council goes through the process of reviewing the local development plan.
This is undertaken every five years and includes the opportunity for anyone to put forward suggestions about which areas should have more houses, business and so on. The closing deadline was 31 March.
There will be public consultation in due course once the bids have been analysed by council officers. These are not planning applications but bids to have the principle of development accepted. There are some major proposals to be considered, particularly in the Portlethen area, and further north at Banchory Devenick, as well as south of Newtonhill, in Muchalls, and in the rural area.
Councillors will eventually be asked to decide which bids are included in the new plan.
You can read about all the bids in the North Kincardine ward by following this link: https://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/planning/plans-and-policies/ldp-2021/?area=Kincardine+and+Mearns#list 
It is well worth spending a few minutes following the link to see what impact these proposals could have on your area. Just scroll down the list until you see a placename which is of interest. Click on the link to seek what developers would like to see included in the plan.

Cars stolen locally

Police Scotland are appealing for information after a number of cars were stolen this week.

In Stonehaven a black Audi A4 Avant (SK61 UHN) was stolen from Brickfield Road and a white BMW X5 (LG61 ZMY) from Riverside Drive.

In Aberdeen a blue Audi Q7 (M11 BDY) was stolen from the Craigden area, Queens Road, and a black BMW X3 (SV66 ZLO) was stolen from The Meadows area of Milltimber.

If anyone has any information on the whereabouts of these vehicles call 101.

Inspector Chris Kerr said, “We are keeping an open mind as to whether all four thefts are linked and I would ask anyone who has seen any of these vehicles to get in touch with us as soon as possible.

“All of these vehicles have been stolen either because the keys were left in the ignition or because the key was kept close to an unlocked property door.

“Please lock the front AND back doors to your homes and store car keys AWAY from these doors. With the better weather there is a temptation to leave windows open overnight but where possible I would ask that windows, certainly on ground floors, are kept closed and locked.

“Also, if you notice ANY suspicious behaviour on ANY occasion please call police immediately on 999 so that we can respond and detect those responsible. We have received a number of calls from householders reporting suspicious behaviour several hours after the event. Please do phone us at the time, do not delay, you will not be wasting our time.

“If anyone has any information I would ask them to call Police Scotland on 101, or to remain anonymous contact the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, and quote the reference number ‘0492 of 26 April 2018’.”

New structure for sport and culture services

Councillors also agreed to establish a new Culture and Sport Business Unit at yesterday’s meeting of Full Council. This is about managing a group of customer-facing services in a more innovative way which will allow for faster decision-making while promoting good health and well-being for residents, with increased participation in services.
 
These services are:
• Cultural Services – libraries, arts, museums, aquarium
• Sport & Physical Activities Services
• Community halls (currently managed within Business Support Service)
• Sports pitches (currently managed within Infrastructure Services)
• Catering services (attached to leisure and cultural services, but not schools)
 
A new sub committee will be established to take this forward, comprising four councillors and four appointed external members.
 
The operation of the new Aberdeenshire Culture and Sport unit will be phased in from June with the expectation it will be fully running by October.
 
The cultural strategy aims over the next 10 years to make Aberdeenshire a place known for its distinctive culture; create ways for everyone to experience culture and encourage more people to visit museums, libraries and theatres; to provide opportunities for investment in towns and villages and entice tourists to visit Aberdeenshire.
 
The sport and physical activity strategy – also over the next 10 years – seeks to reduce obesity and improve mental health and wellbeing; focus on promoting diversity and inequalities by persuading everyone to use leisure centres, ski centres and sports facilities in Aberdeenshire; use sport and physical activity as a way of encouraging investment and economic regeneration in towns and villages and help young people learn new skills through volunteering, apprenticeships and learning.
The full reports considered by councillors can be found via http://committees.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/
 
An archive of the debate can be watched here: https://aberdeenshire.public-i.tv/core/portal/home

North East loses out

In response to a Parliamentary Question tabled by North East MSP Mike Rumbles, the Scottish Government’s finance secretary has confirmed that Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire are two of the three worst funded local authorities in Scotland.

Per head of population, Aberdeen gets £350 less from its block grant than the average council in Scotland. With only Edinburgh receiving less.

Aberdeen drops to bottom, however, once the total funding is calculated, nearing £400 less than the average local authority, per person. While Aberdeenshire receives almost £200 less than the average, making it the third worst funded council in Scotland.

Mr Rumbles said: “It is clear from these figures that the Scottish Government sees the North East as nothing more than a cash cow. That means less money for our local schools, less for our roads, and less for our local services. The disparity between councils of a similar size, with similar needs and geography, is appalling.”

Local Authority Population 2018-19 Block Grant

£m

 Block Grant Per Head

£

 2018-19 Total Funding

£m

 Total Funding Per Head

£
Aberdeen City 229,840 320.6 1395 352.9 1536
Aberdeenshire 262,190 408.1 1557 453.0 1728
Angus 116,520 196.2 1684 213.4 1832
Argyll & Bute 87,130 191.7 2200 208.0 2388
Clackmannanshire 51,350 92.2 1795 100.8 1963
Dumfries & Galloway 149,520 278.7 1864 307.2 2055
Dundee City 148,270 286.6 1933 317.4 2141
East Ayrshire 122,200 220.0 1801 240.0 1964
East Dunbartonshire 107,540 180.5 1678 193.2 1796
East Lothian 104,090 167.9 1613 183.5 1762
East Renfrewshire 93,810 174.8 1863 184.6 1968
City of Edinburgh 507,170 701.3 1383 798.7 1575
Eilean Siar 26,900 93.9 3491 103.8 3860
Falkirk 159,380 271.1 1701 293.3 1840
Fife 370,330 617.7 1668 671.7 1814
Glasgow City 615,070 1205.6 1960 1384.3 2251
Highland 234,770 434.8 1852 485.9 2070
Inverclyde 79,160 160.0 2022 173.0 2185
Midlothian 88,610 153.6 1734 167.7 1893
Moray 96,070 154.9 1613 169.0 1759
North Ayrshire 135,890 265.4 1953 276.2 2033
North Lanarkshire 339,390 596.0 1756 646.8 1906
Orkney Islands 21,850 68.4 3132 81.0 3709
Perth & Kinross 150,680 242.4 1609 263.9 1751
Renfrewshire 175,930 301.4 1713 326.7 1857
Scottish Borders 114,350 201.1 1756 231.2 2019
Shetland Islands 23,200 80.3 3462 92.7 3996
South Ayrshire 112,470 195.9 1742 212.2 1886
South Lanarkshire 317,100 544.2 1716 587.9 1854
Stirling 93,750 162.9 1738 177.4 1893
West Dunbartonshire 89,860 182.5 2031 203.3 2262
West Lothian 180,130 306.1 1699 330.8 1837
Scotland Total 5,404,700 9456.7 1750 10431.6 1930

 

 

Go-ahead for council’s new offices strategy

Today Aberdeenshire councillors voted by 43-25 not to build a new headquarters in Inverurie. Instead we aim to share Woodhill House in Aberdeen with NHS Grampian and others, while having more appropriate, modern offices in Stonehaven, Ellon and Inverurie.

In Stonehaven we would refurbish offices in Viewmount, while releasing Carlton House and office space in Arduthie School, while providing a public-facing service point at Allardice Street. Plans are progressing at pace and work is likely to begin in the second half of 2018.

At Ellon, the council will release all existing offices and consolidate in a new office to be built on the site of the former academy in the town.

In Inverurie, the town hall will be refurbished and extended to provide offices for staff as well as a service point. Gordon House will then be released. This will bring 450 staff from Blackhall Road directly into the town centre.

Council office staff can work flexibly, depending on the needs of the service they deliver and the community they serve. Part of the plans include wider dispersal of staff across Aberdeenshire who can utilise office space and hot desks in offices and locations in all towns across the area.

Now that this option has been chosen, a move to Harlaw in Inverurie has been taken off the table. The SNP/Labour opposition had wanted the move to Inverurie to be kept on the table and Woodhill House to be released – but they lost the vote.

The plans will see the following number of staff in each location:
• Inverurie – 450
• Woodhill – 800
• Stonehaven – 245
• Ellon – 163
• Peterhead – 183

The office space strategy is based on a sustainable financial model i.e. this is not new money as savings will be generated from the disposal of old properties, and through the modern, cost efficiency of new buildings – saving on large repairs and maintenance, in particular on Gordon House in Inverurie. The preferred option retains Woodhill House with a large income stream of both existing and potential new tenants.

This was a milestone in the journey to have offices suitable for council staff, and gives certainty as officers seek to turn the plans into a reality.

By the way, one councillor “no voted”, which means he did not agree with either the motion from the administration (Liberal Democrats / Conservatives / independents) or the amendment from the official opposition (SNP / Labour). In our North Kincardine ward, Councillor Pike and I voted with the administration while Councillor Bews (SNP) and Councillor Evison (Labour) voted to dispose of Woodhill House and continue with efforts to move to Inverurie.

Garden waste service running again

Aberdeenshire Council is operating its seasonal garden waste recycling service again this year:

  • Saturdays from 14 April to 3 November 2018 at the Coastal Park car park in Newtonhill from 8am to 11.40am.

Please do not leave garden waste in the car park when the collection service is not there. This is fly-tipping and offenders may be prosecuted.

Garden waste can also be taken to the Household Recycling Centre at Badentoy industrial park, Portlethen AB12 4ZD (Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Thursday 9am to 4:30pm, and Friday 9am to 4pm. It is closed every Tuesday and Wednesday).

For other ideas on how to deal with garden waste, including obtaining discounted home composters, visit www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/waste/other/garden-waste or call the Wasteline on 0845 600 3 900.

Come for a walk with wildlife

A Walking with Wildlife event is set to take place on Sunday 20 May at Chapelton as part of the Wellbeing Week Festival.
It will offer children and adults the chance to discover the amazing wildlife that hides among Chapelton’s surrounding countryside.
Join Aberdeenshire Council countryside ranger Helen Young for a mini beast scavenger hunt (under 12s) from 11am to 12.30pm, starting from the new woodland planting at Nether Cairnhill, on your left as you enter Chapelton. Helen will also be leading a wildlife wander for adults from 1pm to 3.30pm. Meet at the Causey Mounth at the entrance to Chapelton. Both events are free.
To register your place or find out more information, visit the Chapelton Facebook page or email CCIC_Admin@chapeltonlife.co.uk
The Bettridge Centre in Newtonhill is also holding an event as part of the Wellbeing Festival – a free Come and Try day for all ages. They are just finalising the details but you should be able to try your hand at a range of activities including yoga and meditation, archery, line dancing, netball and walking netball – to mention but a few!