Question mark over new trust

Last Thursday councillors agreed to set up a trust to run sport and culture services across Aberdeenshire. But this was with caution as we were unsure whether the Scottish Government would change the tax rules, thereby making the move much less attractive. Well yesterday the Scottish Government clarified matters. Sort of.

Finance secretary Derek Mackay said that leisure and cultural venues currently run by council arm’s-length bodies (known in the jargon as ALEOs) will continue to benefit from charity relief from non-domestic rates.

But he also said: “However I am aware that some councils are planning to increase the numbers of ALEOs and the number of facilities no longer paying rates. It is my intention to mitigate against this by offsetting any further charity relief benefit to councils to deter future ALEO expansion.”

So does that mean Aberdeenshire qualifies as the decision pre-dates his announcement? Or because it is not yet operating that Aberdeenshire will lose out on savings worth nearly £1m? The council is awaiting clarification from the Scottish Government.

Only two of Scotland’s local authorities do not benefit from this saving. And we are one of them.

By the way, I noticed last night that Portlethen Library has a poster up saying there is information available there about the council’s proposals.

Councillors back local pipers

A busy Kincardine and Mearns Area Committee today. Here are issues of local note:

– We agreed the local public holidays in the Portlethen area for 2018 will be 16 April, 9 July, and 24 September. Is this relevant to anyone any more?

– Among a tranch of grant applications we agreed to give £5000 to Newtonhill Pipe Band towards the cost of jackets and waistcoats. The pipe band will be taking 30 members to Amiens in France next year for the 100th anniversary commemoration services of World War One. Some 500 pipers will be involved. Pipe major Domhnull McLennan gave an excellent presentation.

Others receiving grants are North Kincardine Rural Community Council (£240 towards the cost of a noticeboard at Lairhillock School); Hillside Parents’ Group (£1000 towards the cost of non-fiction books and books for early readers and nursery). More applications are in the pipeline from – among others – Portlethen Community Ambulance and the Skateraw Fair.

– Repair works on a burial aisle structure in the Maryculter Old Parish Church churchyard are out to tender. Blocks have either already fallen off or are in danger of doing so. The churchyard – which is owned by the council – is near to the Maryculter House Hotel.

– Councillors agreed to hold a site visit (on 16 January) regarding a planning application for an industrial development north of West Monduff near the Newtonhill flyover. This application is for the erection of a 12 metre high workshop and storage facilities.

New role for Portlethen head teacher

An interim arrangement is being put in place now that Paul Gill has resigned from his head teacher post at Banchory Devenick School to work for Shetland Council as a head teacher.

Council officers tell me that given the historic challenges in recruitment and retention of a head teacher for the school, the authority is proposing an interim shared head teacher arrangement, with Sandra McKechnie, head teacher of Portlethen Primary School, having overall leadership of both schools.

Letters have been issued to parents/carers and staff at Banchory Devenick School and Portlethen Primary School.

I am assured that Portlethen Primary School has the necessary school management capacity to provide strong and sustainable leadership in both settings, and this will be further strengthened by the appointment of a fixed term principal teacher in Banchory Devenick School, to ensure day-to-day management presence.

Officers say the interim arrangement will be put in place for the duration of school session 2017/2018 to ensure continuity and coherence in school management and improvement planning. This will also ensure adequate time to identify and implement a permanent school leadership solution for Banchory Devenick School.

Mrs McKechnie and her management team recognise the benefits for both schools through this interim arrangement and are excited by the opportunity. They look forward to meeting and working with the school community over the next few months.

Councillor back new priorities

Councillors have unanimously given the green light to a new Council Plan.
Following months of research, engagement and conversations, the plan has 11 priorities which will provide the direction and shape of services over the next five years.
It will allow officers to direct resources towards delivering on the priorities which have been identified as the most important things required to deliver the sort of Aberdeenshire we all aspire to create.
There are significant challenges ahead, most notably the financial pressures as the Scottish Government cuts funding support and caps increases in council tax. Earlier this year the forecast revenue overspend for 2018/19 was £12,495,000. That is plainly not acceptable and strenuous efforts will have to be made to balance the budget. Difficult times lie ahead.

Free advice on getting funding

The next ‘Grow Your Group’ session will be held on Tuesday (28 November) from 7pm – 9pm in Portlethen Community Centre at the academy.

This free workshop is open to anyone interested in finding out more about the monitoring and evaluation elements of a successful funding application – and project! All welcome.

For further information please email diane.strachan@aberdeenshire.gov.uk or phone 01569 768 323.

Council backs sport and leisure trust

Aberdeenshire councillors yesterday approved the creation of a charitable trust to deliver cultural and sporting services. The trust would manage facilities such as swimming pools, town halls, sports centres, libraries and museums on behalf of the council.
The move – if it turns into reality – would save some £825,000 a year in business rates and VAT, money which can be spent on services. However the Scottish Government is considering tax changes would could impact on these potential savings. Councillors still have three opportunities to reconsider should the government adversely change the tax rules.
There are other benefits from a trust, including increased income from sponsorship, donations and alternative funding sources which are not available to the council.
Thirty of the 32 Scottish local authorities have already made the switch and Aberdeenshire Council has learned from the mistakes of others and is following best practice.
Council officers will now take the necessary steps for the trust to begin running cultural and sporting services from 1 April 2018. That includes appointing six volunteer directors. There will also be three councillors and a staff representative on the board.
Staff will TUPE across to the new trust with the same terms and benefits. TUPE applies to all full-time, part-time and fixed term employees. The trust will apply to be given “admitted body” status within the North East Scotland Pension Fund. This will enable trust employees to continue to participate in the local government pension scheme with no changes to pension provision and full service protection. There will also be a staff representative on the board.
The move was supported by councillors from all parties (Conservative, SNP, Liberal Democrat, Green, Labour and independents).
The full report presented to councillors is available on the council website at http://committees.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/committees.aspx?commid=1&meetid=18731 Scroll down to Item 15. It was originally marked as confidential by officers, however councillors agreed to hold the debate in public,

Wellington Road plans

Do you use Wellington Road to get into the city? Then you might be interested in this.
Aberdeen City Council and Nestrans are holding a public drop-in session to gain feedback on options “to improve strategic transport connections and active travel for the Wellington Road Corridor”.
The drop-in will be in the Aberdeen Altens Hotel on Wednesday (29 November) from 4pm-8pm.
There is more information at http://www.nestrans.org.uk/uncategorized/public-drop-in-session-to-be-held-to-present-wellington-road-corridor-options/

Rothnick bridge to close

Council officers tell me that owing to AWPR bridge expansion jointing works it will be necessary for public safety to close the C13K Netherley – Portlethen road for four days.

This work will commence on Friday 1 December from 10pm until Monday 4 December at 6am.

Emergency and vehicular access to affected properties to be maintained from either the A90 or the B979 Netherley Road. Pedestrian access will not be maintained.

The map shows the diversions, depending on whether you are travelling west or east.

Now 118 homes at Chapelton

Lots of interesting nuggets at tonight’s Chapelton Liaison Meeting.
– There are now 118 homes occupied (34 – AJC; 43 – Zero C who are now planning smaller homes; and 41 – Stephens who aim to build three more courtyards of bungalows). David Carnegie, the Duke of Fife, said that progress is being made but much slower than hoped, particulalry due to the oil crash.
– Affordable housing is being brought forward from the second phase. The council and the developers are holding talks about a possible 20 rented units.
– Work on house-building in Murray Street should begin again soon once sewer problems have been overcome. Plans are being drawn up for split-level houses to the north of the current built-up area, to take account of the slope. They will be of a more modern style.
– Plans are in hand for commercial/retail units with flats above to the north-west of Liddell Park. Temporary pop-up commercial units are being considered for opposite the park, to the south. The park may be ready for use by 1 December, but that is weather dependent. It includes a play area.
– Stagecoach have told the developers that there will need to be at least 500 unit occupied before they will consider running a bus service to the town. Meanwhile there is a free dial-a-ride service for residents to the park and choose. Once 200 houses are occupied this may become a standing service shuttling back and forth.
– Hopes that the street lighting at the park and choose bus stop would be improved by now have been dashed with the developers and the council unable as yet to come to an agreement over the adoption of land. The Chapelton developers are willing to install a cable linking a standard lamp to the public supply but there is no agreement over how much land needs to be adopted by the council to let this happen. Further discussion is to take place.
– Discussions are on-going about traffic lights at the Badentoy junction (at the Portlethen flyover) which would then allow the closure of the central reservation at Bruntland Road. Agreement has not been reached so far on the scope of the work at the flyover.
– I raised a query about why Greenlaw Road which links Chapelton with the Newtonhill flyover has a 60mph speed limit and not 30mph. I was assured this is in line with national criteria, and emphasises the distinction between the two communities. The road was designed so that it naturally slows traffic down, and as the community grows there will be more vehicles which will cause traffic to travel more slowly too.
– There will be 15 full allotments ready for the spring, for residents only. Apparently people usually take half-sized allotments nowadays.
– The Duke raised the recent decision of the Supreme Court over £7.5m in contributions from the Chapelton developers and others to a North East strategic transport fund. Last month the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal by the Aberdeen City and Shire Strategic Development Planning Authority. The Duke described the appeal as a “waste of taxpayers’ money”. There is background at https://ianmollison.mycouncillor.org.uk/2017/10/25/developers-win-multi-million-chapelton-case/
– Chapelton’s Christmas lights will be switched on at 5pm on 29 November.
– The development has a new website: www.http://chapeltonnewtown.co.uk/