The North East transport partnership Nestrans today discussed a travel survey which focused on the Aberdeen to Laurencekirk corridor.

Director Rab Dickson said the key findings were improved active travel, improved bus service with concerns expressed about the cost, and the need for further rail infrastructure particularly at Cove and Newtonhill – “which we might have expected”.

He told board members they now have the base information to take this forward to the next stage.

Mr Dickson said that the rail industry aims to improve connectivity while also providing express changes, so that a stopping train is not holding up an express train. One option being considered is a stopping train service between Dundee and Aberdeen.

The board noted the progress on the multi-modal study, Nestrans officers will now consider the key findings of the consultation work, alongside other evidence, to respond to the queries originally raised by Transport Scotland on the Case for Change submission. considering the Aberdeen to Laurencekirk corridor.

It is a long process to re-open stations, and this is one key step in that journey.

The report can be found here (scroll to page 115) as part of the full agenda pack: https://www.nestrans.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/081221-Nestrans-Agenda-Pack.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0bV39YF0A520bMN4btY1N_L5G3uZMzojBPPTijxGReWnoBhDWJC-XqfAQ

Alternatively, here is a link directly to the survey report:
2021_11_30_Aberdeen-to-Laurencekirk-Consultation-Report.pdf (nestrans.org.uk)

A total of £33,141.10 has been awarded to local groups from the Meikle Carewe Wind Farm Community Fund.

Successful applicants this round were:

Drumotters Swim Club – £1230;
Newtonhill, Muchalls & Cammachmore Community Council – £2209;
Newtonhill Community Hall Association – £4518.66;
Friends of Newtonhill School – £2560.74;
Cookney Hall Baby & Toddler Group – £2323.10;
Maryculter Driving for the Disabled – £3000;
Portlethen Primary Together – £2750; Jubilee Hall – £1500;
Hillside Parents Group – £4998;
Kincardine & Mearns Citizens Advice Bureau – £2349.60;
Stonehaven Community Radio – £1000;
Stonehaven Horizon Project – £500;
Mearns Singers – £1600; and
Stonehaven & Area Riding Club – £2602.

Renewable energy developer RES established the fund to support local groups and projects in the community council areas of Crathes, Drumoak & Durris; Newtonhill, Muchalls & Cammachmore; North Kincardine Rural; Portlethen & District; and Stonehaven & District.

Aberdeenshire Council is one of nine councils to be awarded funding from the Recycling Improvement Fund. It received £250,000 for in-cab technology to improve waste fleet vehicles. 

The aim is to improve waste collection and disposal, and to prepare councils for future developments such as the (now-delayed) national Deposit Return Scheme.

My understanding is that the technology will allow the Waste Service to transition from a paper-based system to a digital one.

The Scottish Government website says that the “In-cab technological improvement for recycling fleet vehicles … allows authorities to identify the most efficient routes and capture data to improve how they manage their service and communicate with residents.”

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

APP/2021/2558
Date validated: 2 December 2021.
Site address: Ruins south west of Kingcausie House, Kingcausie Estate, Maryculter, AB12 5FR.
Applicant: Mr Henry Irvine-Fortescue, c/o Garry Adam Chartered Architect Ltd, 2a Orange Lane, Montrose, DD10 8ND.
Full planning permission for erection of private chapel.
Public comment expiry date: 6 January 2022.

APP/2021/2653
Date validated: 2 December 2021.
Site address: 10 Old Mill Road, Newtonhill, AB39 3TZ.
Applicant: Mrs Yvonne Beresford, c/o Inspired Design & Development Ltd, 27 Evan Street, Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, AB39 2EQ.
Full planning permission for the erection of outbuilding (part retrospective).
Public comment expiry date: 23 December 2021.

APP/2021/2687
Date validated: 29 November 2021.
Site address: Land to the north of 1 Burnside Cottages, Blairs College Development, Riverside of Blairs, AB12 5YQ.
Applicant: Mr Lee Hutcheon, c/o Aurora Planning Limited, 22 Rubislaw Terrace, Aberdeen, AB10 1XE.
Approval of matters specified in conditions for Condition 3b (Levels Survey), 3c (Disposal of Foul and Surface Water) 3d (Siting, Design and Materials) 3e (Roads, Footpaths and Cycleways) 3f (Details of Screen Walls/Fencing), 3g (Micro-climate) and 3H (Landscaping) of previously approved planning permission APP/2019/1656 for the redevelopment of residential institution to hotel conference centre and ancillary buildings and steadings into residential/holiday accommodation, residential development (220 dwellings and 60 affordable dwellings), formation of golf course, equestrian centre, all together with associated landscaping and infrastructure.
Public comment expiry date: 30 December 2021.

APP/2021/2701
Date validated: 29 November 2021.
Site address: Braeside Cottage, Banchory Devenick, AB12 5XP.
Applicant: Mr Darron Cruickshank, c/o Albyn Architects Ltd, Suite 1 Chattan Mews, 18 Chattan Place, Aberdeen, AB10 6RD.
Full planning permission for alterations and extension to dwellinghouse.
Public comment expiry date: 22 December 2021.

Kincardine and Mearns Area Committee met this morning, via Skype. Here is a flavour of the meeting.

• STORM: The area chair opened the meeting by recognising what communities, public bodies and utilities have experienced over the last 10 days in the aftermath of Storm Arwen.

• GRANTS: A balance of £19,868.99 remains in the area budget for grants to community bodies in this financial year. Stonehaven Fireballs Association was awarded £4000 to help pay for insurance, and Auchenblae School was awarded £2610 to support a community digital literacy project to enable them to buy 18 iPads.

• POLICY: Proposals for four new policy papers were scrutinised. They cover street naming, signs for tourist attractions, enforcement of roads, and traffic authority powers, and electric vehicle charges. Regarding the last policy, on-street charging which involves a cable crossing the pavement would not be permissible. Footways are for pedestrians. The final decisions will be made by the infrastructure committee in the New Year.

• EARLY YEARS: Proposals for changes to pre-school early learning policies were discussed. It is proposed to formally introduce a fourth term, at the October break. This would mean children born between 1 September and the start of the October term would be eligible from the October term rather than the January term, as is the case at present. Officers also propose to greatly simplify the process for parents reapplying for a second year at the same setting. The education and children’s services committee will make the final decision in January.

• WANT MORE?: All the reports – and a recording of the meeting – can be found here: https://committees.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/committees.aspx?commid=8&meetid=19923

A briefing for councillors has highlighted three activities at Portlethen Academy which are well worth sharing more widely.

PUPILS CELEBRATE GARDEN SCHOOLS AWARD
Portlethen Academy’s gardening group recently received certification and recognition of their efforts with the receipt of their Stage 1 Sprouting Award from One Seed Forward Garden Schools.

The students have been responsible for the project management timeline which included construction of planters, fundraising, purchasing soil and equipment, painting the planers, filling the planters, and sowing the seeds. The group returned to a very fruitful crop after the holidays, with special thanks to the local Out of School Club who kindly continued watering over the summer.

More recently, the group enjoyed a networking session with fellow horticultural enthusiasts. The pupils are currently looking forward to visiting and working with their new contacts out in the local community to build on their learning.

Tom Jennings (the ASL teacher who oversees the gardening group), shared that “many members of the group can struggle in a traditional classroom environment. For me, it has been so incredible to see them in a completely different light: they have been more relaxed and enthusiastic and there is a genuine sense of them being invested in where the group is going and how we can get there.”

PAIRED READING
This year’s paired reading has just re-started at Portlethen Academy. Twenty S5 and S6 pupils volunteered and have undergone training to carry out a paired reading programme with S1 pupils who struggle with or lack confidence in reading. The pairs meet twice a week in the library during Clan time. The senior pupils help the S1s choose a book that they will enjoy, and the pairs read together, discussing the text, improving reading skills and chatting about books in general. This will carry on until Easter and will help the S1s feel more confident that reading is something that they can enjoy. At the same time, the Senior pupils develop their communication and mentoring skills.

RUNNING CLUB (PAHH3)
We would like to share the successes of the Porty running club (PAH3). We have an average of about 20 runners each week some of whom are now taking on the extra responsibility of laying the trail that the pack follows and doing a really good job at it! They are very much ‘#GettingInvolved’ and showing their ‘#RespectForAll’ which are two of our core school values, in the way that they look after each other on trail. It is also a great support to their own health and wellbeing during these challenging times.

At least eight councils have refused to take part in a Scottish Government’s health and wellbeing census for children amid calls for a boycott over its use of sexually explicit questions.

They are among 21 that have failed to commit to taking part in the census, with 12 reviewing its contents and another one distributing it with changes.

I had a couple of residents in the ward contact me about a Scottish Government children’s survey before coverage appeared in the media. Accordingly I contacted Laurence Findlay, Aberdeenshire Council’s director of education and children’s services.

He told me that some of the media coverage is from an old survey which some areas ran a few years ago.

“However, it is true that the Scottish Government are running a health and wellbeing census and as part of this the census will gather information from young people about their health behaviours – physical, mental and sexual.

“The survey questions will vary depending on the age groups being surveyed. To that end, younger children will be asked questions about diet, exercise etc and older teenagers will have questions around smoking, alcohol and sexual activity.

“The census was delayed due to the pandemic and was due to recommence this year. However, we have gone back to challenge some of the questions as we are of the view that some are unnecessarily probing/graphic. To that end, the roll-out of the census in Aberdeenshire is currently stalled.”In my view some of the questions for older children are intrusive and, as Mr Findlay says, graphic.

More here: https://news.stv.tv/east-central/council-halts-contentious-survey-on-pupils-sexual-experiences?top&fbclid=IwAR2BjDx7t3yAFMJtbWk1ZAJTHuSoe9-XRg5yVRwBYBQBSVXBA-Ww3U8a5iU

This afternoon I was part of a small group of councillors visiting the site of the new energy-from-waste plant being built in Tullos, Aberdeen.

The plant will process non-recyclable waste from Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray councils, and will produce electricity for the national grid and heat for a district heating network.

From 2025, new legislation means it will no longer be possible to landfill our waste. The three councils are working together to build the facility to process waste which cannot be recycled.

The plant is due to become operational later next year.

You can find out more here: http://www.nessenergy.co.uk/

Asda customers and staff nominate three local community projects per store each quarter, and the group with the most online votes wins a £500 donation, with the second and third place groups each receiving £200.

So far this year there have been two rounds of voting in the Portlethen store.

Asda tell me that Hillside Parents Group and Stonehaven Amateur Swimming Club won the customer vote and were each awarded £500.

As runners-up, Portlethen Sports Club 2015s, Home-Start Kincardine, Rhythm Nation Dance Companies and Portlethen Town Association (for the Christmas lights) all received £200.

More than 1100 people responded to a travel survey on behalf of North East transport partnership Nestrans. It focused on the Aberdeen to Laurencekirk corridor – and of particular interest locally was a section on rail travel, including the possibility of new stations.

A report for the Nestrans board on 8 December says: “There is demand for additional rail infrastructure along the corridor, particularly from Cove and Newtonhill with 47% indicating that a new rail station in Cove would encourage them to use the train for more journeys and 42% indicating the same for a new rail station in Newtonhill.

“However, it should be noted that some concerns were raised regarding the potential demand for rail in light of changing travel patterns as a result of the pandemic.

“52% of respondents noted that reduced cost of fares would encourage them to use the train for more journeys.”

The report also highlights active travel. “There is demand for improved active travel facilities along the route, with half of respondents indicating that long-distance walking and cycling infrastructure is needed and 46% indicating that improved walking and cycling infrastructure within settlements is required.”

On bus services, the report says there is demand for improved services, with 43% indicating that there are journeys they would like to make by bus that they are unable to currently.

“In order to encourage greater bus use, the most popular responses were in relation to improved frequency (46%), reduced cost of fares (46%), quicker journey times (38%) and services to a wider range of destinations (37%).”

There were 418 responses from Cove, 297 from Newtonhill, 109 from Laurencekirk, 50 from Portlethen, 36 from Chapelton, 28 from Stonehaven, and 24 from Muchalls.

The survey report can be found on the Nestrans website: https://www.nestrans.org.uk/…/081221-Nestrans-Agenda… Open the agenda pack and scroll to page 115. The link to the report is at paragraph 3.6.

Nestrans officers will now consider the key findings.

And finally, my thanks to all those residents who took the time to contribute their views. It wasn’t a swift survey to complete!