Why the grass hasn’t been cut

There have been negative comments locally about the state of grass in council-maintained open spaces.

Council officers say grass cutting was severely limited latterly last week due to heavy rain and concerns about churning up the grass.

Furthermore the squad covering Portlethen previously had a near 10-day period where both their ride-on mowers were off the road/under repair so grass cutting was severely limited.

As with all other squads, the Portlethen squad also maintains and carries out burials and there have been spells during the summer when these duties have impinged heavily on grass cutting.

Normally the aim is to get round the grass route within a 10 working day cycle.

I certainly know that I am having to cut my own grass more regularly – it is just sprouting up!

Date for sports hub meeting

The next Sportlethen meeting will be in the admin conference room at Portlethen Academy on Monday 4 September at 7.15pm.

Lynne Erskine, the sports hub’s chairperson, encourages as many people to attend as possible. “We are at a turning point with Sportlethen; it’s time to shape our vision for the future of our hub. We need to establish just exactly what support and services our members would like to see the hub provide, and start to make applications for funding to make it all happen. To this end, I would like to form a sub group to deal with finances and funding.”

Sports clubs throughout the North Kincardine area are welcome.

Crucial stage for sports hub

The next Sportlethen meeting will be in the admin conference room at Portlethen Academy on Monday 4 September at 7.15pm.

Lynne Erskine, the sports hub’s chairperson, encourages as many people to attend as possible. “We are at a turning point with Sportlethen; it’s time to shape our vision for the future of our hub. We need to establish just exactly what support and services our members would like to see the hub provide, and start to make applications for funding to make it all happen. To this end, I would like to form a sub group to deal with finances and funding.”

Sports clubs throughout the North Kincardine area are welcome.

Right of way re-opens

The right of way leading from the cemetery past Kirk Croft at Portlethen has reopened.

The route had been closed for quite some time – for safety reasons – while building work was taking place at the croft.

There has been controversy over the building of steps, with complaints that this impedes those in wheelchairs.

Redcloak to close

Redcloak recycling centre at Stonehaven will be closing from Monday 4 September to Thursday 7 September so that the lighting can be upgraded.

Residents can use the Badentoy recycling centre on the Monday and the Thursday instead (it is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays).

Shire backs harbour expansion

A few things worth reporting from Aberdeenshire Council’s infrastructure services committee, including a decision to contribute £5.5m towards the Aberdeen harbour expansion.

The benefits to Aberdeenshire of the £350m expansion will be from larger oil and gas vessels being able to dock and from the arrival of cruise ships bringing tourists to the area. It should generate an additional £966m to the economy by 2036 and create 2500 jobs.
https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/…/well-back-our-promises…/

Other points of interest:

– Councillors supported a policy review which will consider cutting speed limits in communities to 20mph, for safety reasons.

– The conversion of street lights to LED has resulted in a 10% reduction in energy consumption, despite there now being more lampposts as a result of new developments. We are in the third year of a five-year programme.

– Council officers are reviewing the high hedges application process after a Scottish Government reporter overturned their decision about a 25 ft leylandii hedge in Portsoy. A neighbour appealed to the government after council officers turned down a request for intervention to have the height reduced.

– Some 43.5% of household waste collected by the council is recycled, way below target. The Press and Journal had an excellent article yesterday (Wednesday), pointing out that while some people have to use food banks, many others are throwing out packaged foods (and some dumping it in the landfill bin rather than the food recycling caddy). https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/…/food-mountain-of-waste…/

Massive cabinet removed

The big cabinet at the Braehead in Newtonhill has been replaced by a smaller unit beside the wall.

The original cabinet – which is required to operate the nearby underground sewage pumping plant – will be re-erected by the hedge on the left of the photograph, tucked in to be as unobtrusive as possible.