Mobile testing units for people with covid-19 symptoms will continue to operate in their current locations throughout the festive period. The only days that there will be no service will be on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Opening/closing times on the whole will remain as they have been except for Sunday, 26 December when they will operate a reduced shift from 10am to 3pm.

The units are by appointment only and are drive-through facilities. Anyone can book a test for these units through the UK Government covid-19 portal on www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test or by calling 119 (lines are open 7am to 11pm).

The site in Stonehaven is at Viewmount car park, next to Arduthie School. If you find Banchory more convenient it is in the Bellfield car park off Dee Street.

In addition, NHS Grampian continues to make community lateral flow testing available for people without covid symptoms on a voluntary, no appointment, basis across Aberdeenshire. The testing schedule is posted weekly on the council website: https://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/covid-19/community-testing

Following up-dated guidance as a result of restrictions introduced by the Scottish Government on sporting activities for a minimum of three weeks from Boxing Day, Live Life Aberdeenshire is implementing a number of measures at its leisure facilities.

ADULT CONTACT SPORT
All bookings are being cancelling for indoor adult contact sport activities, including five-a-side football, rugby training, basketball, netball, and any other sports activities where it is likely players will come into regular contact. At this stage it is not possible to accommodate non-contact training activities for these sports.

Sports such as badminton and table tennis can continue – though ideally doubles partners should be from the same household.

Under-18s indoor contact sports activity can continue.

SWIMMING
Swimming will continue as normal, other than those sessions which may encourage contact with other swimmers – i.e. fun, and float/inflatable sessions.

Customers in public swim sessions will be advised to maintain one-metre social distancing.

SIGNAGE
We will reinstate signage which reminds users of the requirement for social distancing.

SESSION CAPACITY
We will be reducing the capacity of sessions to ensure appropriate physical distancing can be maintained. We will also be increasing the spacing between fitness equipment where necessary.

HAND SANITISERS AND FACE COVERINGS
We will ensure hand sanitiser is available for customers and staff and will require our teams and customers to wear face coverings.

Aberdeenshire Council’s phone lines and face-to-face offices will be closed at 4pm on Friday 24 December, and Friday 31 December.

They will also be closed during the public holidays on Monday 27 December and Tuesday 28 December, and Monday 3 January and Tuesday 4 January.

Normal opening hours for the council’s Customer Services team are 8:45am to 5pm Monday to Friday. Phone numbers and office details can be found at: www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/contact-us/contact-by-phone/

In the event of an emergency, call the numbers below. Out-of-hours emergency service is available 5pm to 8:45am weekdays, and all weekend. If the emergency or crisis is life-threatening, call 999. If worried about someone who is ill, call NHS 24 on 111.

• Housing repairs: 03456 081203
• Homelessness: 03456 081206
• Social work: 03456 081206

Lastly, household bin collections will continue on the public holidays (27 and 28 December and 3 and 4 January, however there may be a disruption in some areas.

If your bin is not emptied over the festive period, it will be collected on the next due collection date for that particular bin.

Please do not put recyclable materials in black bags. The Waste Service encourages everyone to continue recycling as much as possible, including using the green caddy for all food waste.

Additional recycling can be dispose of at the local household recycling centre.

All household recycling centres will close at 3pm on Christmas Eve and Hogmanay and there are some changes to operating times – check your local site arrangements here: https://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/…/household-waste…/

Repairs to roads in the Portlethen, Newtonhill and Muchalls communities are due to commence on Monday 10 January, weather permitting.

Hunter Construction (Aberdeen) will be undertaking patching work on behalf of Aberdeenshire Council.

The council’s Roads Service tells me the company’s schedule is as follows:

1. Hillside Road and the U61K — Monday/Tuesday
2. Berrymuir Road, Cairngrassie Drive — Wednesday
3. Rowanbank Road, Fern Drive, Muirend Road — Thursday, Friday, Monday, Tuesday.

Further work across the three communities will follow to tackle the potholes that have developed over the last 18 months.

Meanwhile Roads Service staff have been dealing with repairs in the country roads. Work has already taken place at Findon, Duffshill, and Altries, for example.

I’m pleased to see that a project aiming to secure the future of red squirrels across Scotland is to be extended for another two years.

Here in the North East, the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels project has worked towards removing an isolated population of grey squirrels that was introduced to Aberdeen in the 1970s and spread to the surrounding countryside. Greys are now largely limited to the centre of the city with eradication considered “achievable”.

Grey squirrels – who are not native but were brought to Britain and Ireland from North America in the 1870s – are the greatest threat to reds as they compete for food and space and can also carry squirrelpox which is deadly only to reds.

One of my roles with Aberdeenshire Council is as a biodiversity champion for red squirrels.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-59740294

Tonight I attended the annual general meeting of Home-Start Kincardine. Its home-visiting volunteers provide non-judgmental, confidential support to families with at least one child under five.

The aim is to help transform their lives, preventing them reaching crisis point and this can reduce the involvement of other, more acute, services. It was really heart-warming to hear of all the good work that goes on, helping those who need a helping hand over a very difficult year.

There are 14 volunteers who have helped 22 families with 41 children.

Families are referred to Home-Start primarily through health visiting and social work teams or, increasingly, via self-referrals byfrom families themselves. These families are then assessed and matched with a suitable volunteer. Families struggling with post-natal depression, isolation, physical health problems, bereavement and many other issues receive the support of this volunteer.

If you are interested in volunteering, then please email office@homestartkincardine.org. They are based in David Street, Stonehaven, and cover all of the Kincardine and Mearns Area. The group’s website is https://www.home-start.org.uk/home-start-kincardine

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

APP/2021/2751
Date validated: 13 December 2021.
Site address: Brooke Lane, Block 3, Plots 1-5, Chapelton.
Applicant: Elsick Development Company, c/o Turnberry Planning Ltd, 41-43 Maddox Street, London, W1S 2PD.
Approval of matters specified in conditions for Conditions 3a (Levels Survey), 3b (Drainage Plan), 3c (Foul Water Drainage), 3e (Cut and Fill Operations), 3f (Roads, Footpaths and Cycleways), 3g (Screen Walls/Fencing), 3h (Landscaping), 3j (Layout, Siting, Design and Finish), 3l (Waste/Recycling), 4 (Phasing of Development), 6a (Finished Ground Levels), 6b (Existing Landscape Features), 6c (Existing and Proposed Services), 6d (Location of New Trees, Shrubs, Hedges, Water Features), 6e (Schedule of Plants), 6f (Hard Landscaping), 6g (Existing Trees, Shrubs and Hedges to be removed), 6j (Completion and Maintenance of Landscaping), 7a-f (Disposal of Surface Water), (8 (Street Design), 17 (Construction Method Statement), 19 (Site Investigation), 20 (Remediation Scheme), 27 (Soil Audit), 36 (Waste Management Plan) and 37 (Environmental Management Plan) (Erection of five Dwellinghouse) of Planning Permission in Principle Reference APP/2011/3100 for New Settlement Comprising Residential (up to 4045 Dwellinghouses), Commercial, Retail and Community Facilities with Associated Landscaping, Open Space, Drainage and Roads Infrastructure and Services.
Public comment expiry date: 13 January 2022.

APP/2021/2818
Date validated: 4 December 2021.
Site address: Land to the south of Corbie Pines, Polston Road, Kirkton of Maryculter, AB12 5FS.
Applicant: Mr George Knox c/o Mackie Ramsay Taylor, 21-23 Waverley Place, Aberdeen, AB10 1XH.
Full planning permission for the erection of a dwellinghouse and garage.
Public comment expiry date: 13 January 2022.

APP/2021/2840
Date validated: 17 December 2021.
Site address: Land at Mains of Cairnrobin, Portlethen.
Applicant: OEG Offshore Ltd.
Hazardous substances application for the storage of hazardous substances. (Amendment to APP/2016/1813).
Public comment expiry date: 6 January 2022.

The Asda Foundation’s “Bringing Communities Back Together Fund” has awarded grants to three local good causes.

Stonehaven Amateur Swimming Club was awarded £810, The Friday Luncheon Club for Senior Citizens in Newtonhill was awarded £495, and Panthers Basketball Club was awarded £1000.

Last year the Asda Foundation invested more than £500,000 in community projects and good causes in Scotland. They are always looking for new good causes to support. If you know of a project that might benefit from our support, please speak to the store manager or community champion at Asda in Portlethen.

I hear that the drainage works on Monduff Road in Muchalls which were scheduled for this month have been delayed due to unforeseen circumstances.

The Roads Service says the work should take place at the end of January or start of February.

Surface water has been running off the public road on to a private road, causing erosion damage.

I have asked the Roads Service if nearby potholes could also be filled when the the squad is attending to this work.

Police Scotland’s look-back at November in Kincardine and Mearns has been published.

ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOUR, VIOLENCE AND DISORDER:

There has been a slight decrease in the number of anti-social behaviour calls, with 41 incidents reported. Seventeen of these calls relate to youth specific calls, and 24 relate to other anti-social behaviour incidents including noise and neighbour issues.

There were 11 assault crime reports, an increase against the previous month. So far, four incidents have been detected, and reported to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) and seven are still being investigated with strong lines of enquiry.

There were no serious assaults reported.

ACQUISITIVE CRIME:

There have been no thefts reported.

ROAD SAFETY & ROAD CRIME:

No drivers found to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs. There were no reported incidents of careless or dangerous driving.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & REASSURANCE:

If travelling in severe winter, tune in to the Met Office information and Traffic Scotland for public transport announcements (0800 028 1414). Tell someone your destination, route and timings. Allow extra time. Fully charge your mobile and take a charger. Pack food and equipment. Think about winter tyres, a first aid kit, battery jump leads, torch, GPS, space blanket, reflective warning signs, ice scraper, shovel for snow, warm clothes, boots, warm drink in a flask – the list could be endless.

Identify key neighbours or family who may require assistance. Have their contact numbers to hand. Offer to collect groceries or other essential tasks. Help clear their icy / snow covered paths.

DRUG SEARCH WARRANTS:

One drug search warrant was executed within Stonehaven with a positive detection for controlled drugs.

CONTACT:

• 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.