Minute of the meeting held on Monday April 19th 2004 at Maryculter Community Hall.
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Maryculter |
Netherley |
Banchory-Devenick |
Aberdeenshire Councillors |
Bill Fraser Philip Smart - Chairman
Avril Tulloch Rob Winmill – Vice Chairman
Kevin Park Robert Keeler - Secretary .
Raymond Cowan - Treasurer
6 Members of the Public
APOLOGIES –Kate Kleppang, Bob McKinney, Duncan Petrie, Mike Birch, Michael Sullivan, Sandy Wallace.
Absent: Jill Greenlees.
MINUTES of the meeting of March 15th were approved.
1. MATTERS ARISING
Web site – Up to date.
Western Peripheral Route – Despite previous assurances that the route was fixed it now transpired that a number of amendments to the possible routes and river crossings were being investigated by the project team and from the contributions from the floor it further appeared that some of these routes were additional to those exhibited to those who had previously attended the project team’s presentations. The Camphill Newton Dee development had launched a high profile campaign to divert the route away from their property, any such change would in turn affect other groups of our residents. After lengthy discussion it was agreed point out to the Project Team that as they investigate amending the route they should consult with all affected property owners, not just the major ones or just the ones on the original line. We will update our Website. It was highlighted the difficult situation the Community council is in, as any of the proposed routes affect our residents. We recommend that all those affected make their views known and form local groups and lobby their MPs and MSPs, and local Councillors, but as the project team do not consider community councils worthy of ongoing consultation on these matters we ask that any feedback or new information be brought back to the community council. Raymond had obtained leaflets from his visit to the Project Team. He had been told that the recommendation on the crossing point chosen is due in June.
Roads (i) – Durris - Portlethen road - Repairs had been made but not the total required.
Roads (ii) – Signage at Maryculter Bridge –South Deeside road junction. Rob had still not received a reply to his letter. 40mph limit for HGVs - signs had been erected at the Stonehaven and Maryculter ends of the B979. The police had told Sandy that several lorry drivers had been charged in the last month, and a number ‘educated’.
Roads (iii) –Banchory-Devenick Crossroads - nothing to report. Sandy emailed that Ardoe House Hotel had been asked yet again to remove the grass island at the entrance to improve safety.
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Temporary Pipe Yard at Meikle Carewe – Aberdeenshire Council had replied that the Scottish Executive had granted permission for 6 months from commencement of pipelaying and that re instatement was one of the conditions laid down. It was agreed to write asking when the pipelaying would commence and for details of the conditions were in place.
Fly tipping B979 – A reply from Alistair Black – Waste Manager at Inverurie confirmed that these sites were cleared occasionally and that they would be contacting the landowners to clear the areas behind the laybys, as he claimed it was their responsibility to clean up not the Council. Alternatively the Council would clear it and charge the landowner. Rob would write to ask if “fencing off the area” meant fencing the wood or closing the layby’.
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New School – Scottish exec had confirmed that after a lengthy delay Aberdeenshire Council has requested that the Public Inquiry should be by way of written submission.
2. PLANNING
Blairs College – 281 houses etc - Muir Group (amongst others) were not happy with the proposed route of the WPR. This planning application would appear therefore to be on hold for a while.
Aspire to Golf – Sandy invited Mike or Rob to meetings with the developers.
AOPB: Bill mentioned the dazzling light at Alba Power premises on the B979. Rob will write to the owners.
Local Plan (ALP) – Public Inquiry. Nothing new.
3. FINANCE
Requests for funding had been received from Driving for the Disabled , £200 granted and Maryculter Nursery Group £225 granted.
200 Club Draw –
March Draw £5 no 224 J Grimmer - £10 no.167 P Davidson £20 no.210 P Graham
4. CORRESPONDENCE
From the Police report :
4 homes in the Banchory-Devenick, Blairs, Maryculter and Netherley were broken into this week, during the day and late evenings when the culprits believe they will find nobody at home. Possessions stolen included televisions, games consoles, jewellery and money.
Householders are urged to note details of suspicious persons and vehicles within their communities and to report these incidents to Grampian Police at the time.
This Winter's Operation Neighbourhood campaign ran from 5th November 2003 to 23rd March 2004. During those 20 weeks, 57 break-ins or attempted break-ins to homes were reported in the South Aberdeenshire Command Area. The number of incidents reported between the same dates in previous Winters were:
1998/1999 (No Operation) 147, 1999/2000 118, 2000/2001 110, 2001/2002 67, 2002/2003 37
Whilst there has been an increase in the number of incidents suffered this Winter when compared to last, the level still lies well below where it was two years ago, and is still a reduction of 61% when compared to five years ago.
Many of the homes recently targeted were isolated properties, with the thieves striking during the day when they thought nobody would be within. At this time of year, one of the methods used by thieves to find out whether a home is occupied is to simply knock on the door and wait for a response. Of course, if someone is at home then the thief must come up with an excuse as to why they are there, and this will usually take the form of asking for directions or for water for their car.
Using this method, it is possible that the thief has to call at a number of properties before they find one to be unoccupied, so there should be opportunities for the public to tell us of unsolicited callers at their doors, and for us to trace these people before they have the time to carry out another break-in.
Affordable Housing – Jonelle Clark of Aberdeenshire Council would like to speak to us on this subject. To be arranged for June or August meeting. Friends of the Earth were agreed as the presentation for May there being no Plant Sale this year.
Corbie Hall Committee – Kevin is standing down as our representative, a replacement needs to be found.
Notice Boards - George asked if notices other than Community Council can be put on the boards. It was agreed that other community organisations could use the spare space not being used by NKRCC. Also a list of Councillors should be posted on the boards.
17 May 2004 at 7:30pm
21 June 2004 at 7:00pm AGM 7:30pm
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