Weapons finds at North East schools

Police Scotland has revealed that 207 incidents of young people having weapons were recorded in the North East between April last year and March this year.

A total of 55 involved schools, with 29 in Aberdeen, 15 in Aberdeenshire and 11 in Moray. The average age of the children in schools was 12, and 93% of them were boys.

Worrying.

Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeenshire Council and Moray Council have backed an appeal from Superintendent Kate Stephen for parents to assist police in educating children about the dangers involved.

Police Scotland say almost half the incidents reported occurred within the classroom (24), followed by the playground (15) and then corridor (7). Other locations (9) include a canteen, bus, changing rooms and locker.

Officers add that where known, reasons for carrying a weapon included to carve wood or for camping, with a number stating they simply forgot they had the weapon on them. However, more concerning, a small number of young people admitted they were carrying a weapon to threaten another person or for the purposes of self harm.

Of the 55 incidents reported to have taken place in or around a school, 19 were recorded as a crime resulting in the young person being charged. The remainder, following thorough enquiry, were deemed not to be a crime.

Food waste costing millions

Millions of pounds are being wasted by some residents not using their food waste caddies.
The Scottish Government has asked all councils to achieve a 60% recycling rate by 2020. This is a target Aberdeenshire is not on course to meet; our current recycling rate is just over 45%.
As part of efforts to get closer to the target and divert recyclates from landfill, the council’s recycling and waste service is stepping up its efforts to encourage greater use of the recycling services available.
In checks, more than a fifth of rubbish going to landfill is food waste which could be recycled.
To see the first edition of a digital magazine – 2020 Vision: Moving Aberdeenshire towards Zero Waste – click on the link: http://bit.ly/AbshireVision

Solar panels for schools

Work is due to start shortly on installing photovoltaic arrays at 14 primary and secondary schools across Aberdeenshire.

In North Kincardine, this work will take place at Lairhillock primary school. The main contractor is an Uddingston firm called Emtec Energy Ltd. Panels are mounted on to pitched or flat roofs.

The newly-opened primary school at Hillside ws built with solar panels on the roof.

Grasshopper scheme wins award

The North East’s multi-operator bus pass called Grasshopper has won Partnership of the Year at the Scottish Transport Awards.
It provides hassle-free bus travel throughout Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen as only one ticket is needed to use local buses provided by any operator. The operator-led project involves Aberdeenshire Council, Stagecoach, First Aberdeen, Bain’s Coaches (representing other bus operators), Aberdeen City Council and Nestrans.
The integrated smart card was the first of its kind in Scotland.
Aberdeenshire Council administers the ticketing scheme on behalf of the bus operators. Grasshopper passes can be bought from bus drivers. For further information including ticket zones and prices see: www.grasshopperpass.com

Spotlight on rural area

North Kincardine Rural Community Council covered a wide range of topics at the meeting tonight, with eight members of the public and three Aberdeenshire councillors present.

Here are a few key points …

The main office-bearers for the coming year are Henry Irvine-Fortescue as chairperson, Mandi Dorward as secretary, Bob McKinney as treasurer and vice-chairperson, and Rod Farquhar as planning officer.

The 400 Club will continue, though perhaps under a different name. There will be three monthly prizes adding up to £35, and roughly 40% of the subscriptions going to good causes.

Hot topics included the lack of progress with broadband, local police speed checks, potholes and damaged verges, the AWPR and its completion date (2018), planning applications, and temporary website troubles.

The next meeting is on 21 August at 7.30 in Lairhillock primary school.

Update on bypass progress

At a briefing councillors were given an update on progress of the Aberdeen western peripheral route (the AWPR).

The most recent milestones reported included the South Kingswells gyratory being ready for full use. The key focus for the project remains progressing structures, drainage and road construction, side roads and access tracks, on-going watercourse management and maintenance and cleanliness of the existing road network.

There is no date yet for opening the bypass. Officials say it is on target for 2017/18.

Here are some of the images councillors were shown.

Planning application lodged

Aberdeenshire Council has received a planning application for 123 houses and eight flats (plus associated infrastructure and landscaping) in Newtonhill.

This would be on land between Park Place and Cairnhill Drive. Details are on the council’s website (reference APP/2017/1408) should residents wish to comment.

More information can be found at http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/planning/planning-applications/public-access/

Marywell residents angry over AWPR noise

Residents in Marywell are fed up with noise throughout the night from work on the Charleston junction on the A90 for the new Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.

The recurring noises have been disturbing their sleep, so much so that one resident stormed over the to site to challenge workers and make them stop work.

Click here for the article: https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/aberdeen/1261622/residents-are-facing-months-of-24-hour-noise-from-awpr/

Schools rezoning consultations taking place

Aberdeenshire Council’s Education and Children’s Services Committee today agreed to hold two consultation into re-zoning a number of communities and schools around the Stonehaven and Blairs area.

The re-zoning consultation will be targeted at the communities of Arduthie, Dunnottar and Mill O’Forest schools in Stonehaven and the residents at the Blairs housing development.

At present, the majority of new housing being built in Stonehaven is zoned to Dunnottar School, which is over capacity and not suitable for further expansion. A re-zoning of the entire primary estate in Stonehaven will allow future growth to be managed more appropriately.

Meanwhile, communities will also be asked for their views on the zoning of secondary pupils who live in the Blairs development on the South Deeside Road. In June 2015 Aberdeen City Council ruled that pupils would no longer be entitled to attend Cults Academy. This consultation will seek responses on including those pupils in the Stonehaven network, which would result in them attending Mackie Academy.

The full consultation is now set to get underway at the end of June and communities have until the end of September to give their views. During the process there will be a number of meetings with communities, elected members and groups.

A further report will be discussed by the committee once this is complete and before any decision is taken.

The committee was also updated on plans to increase the cost of a school meal to £2.20 from August 2017, from the current £2.15. In academies a percentage equivalent to the 5p increase in primaries will be added across the product range.