NMCC
2009-2010 (1082-1088)
Thursday
25 February 2010
Members:
Mr Mike Taylor (Chair &Sec) [MT] Mr Alexander Buchan (Planning) [AB]
Mrs Fiona Duncan (Treasurer) [FD] Mr
Martin Morley [MM]
Prof Roy Bridges (Minute Sec.) [RB] Mrs
Pamela Young [PY]
Mr Gordon Murray [GM] Mr
Robert Loughridge [RL]
Mr Graham Geddes [GrG]
Clerk
to the Community Council: Mrs
Linda Rendall
In attendance ex officio: Councillor Fergus
Hood [CllrFH]
Abbreviations:
AC = Aberdeenshire Council; NMCC = Newmachar Community Council
Apologies were recorded for: Roy Bridges, Graham Geddes, Martin Morley, Cllr Nan
Cullinane,
Cllr Martin Ford.
In attendance as visitors: Stephen Park (Invicta PA) & Malcolm Campbell
(Knight Frank) – see minute no 1084.
Minutes
The minutes of the
previous meeting on 28 January 2010 were accepted as a correct record subject to the amendment of Minute 1077 (i) line
2 which should read Lairshill.
1082 Matters arising from the Minutes not
otherwise on the Agenda
(i) The village
spring clean (see Minute 1080) will take place on 10 April 2010 and it is hoped
that as many people as possible will take part.
(ii) It was
reported that the street lighting at Kingseat is now operational (see Minute
1080(ii)).
(iii) Traffic
Matters (see Minute 1072) – Mike Taylor will consult with Roy Bridges before
deciding whether to correspond with MSPs.
(iv) Minute 1077
(ii) – the Co-operative have acknowledged receipt of NMCC’s letter and are
currently investigating the complaint.
The traffic congestion continues and PC J Lawson agreed to have an
informal word with the manager of the Co-operative.
1083 Police Matters (PC J Lawson & PC P
Milne)
(i) PC Lawson
confirmed that speed cameras had been in action in the village over a period of
time and only one motorist had been caught speeding.
(ii) Six crimes
have been reported recently: two
domestic disputes, one theft, one breach of the peace, vandalism to a car
windscreen and anti social behaviour at Kingseat.
(iii) PC Lawson
raised concerns over the current drugs culture and in particular the
cultivation of cannabis. He urged anyone
who notices anything out of the ordinary to contact the police so that concerns
can be investigated.
(iv)The monthly
police surgery will continue until April and possibly beyond, depending on how
successful it is.
1084 Kirkwood Homes
Mr Stephen Park
& Mr Malcolm Campbell joined the meeting and tabled a revised development
bid for the east side of Newmachar, reducing the development from 92 hectares
to 45 hectares. The revised bid is
capable of accommodating up to 500 houses, a business park, a primary school
and community facilities, and can be amended to take into account the provision
of an eastern bypass. The main concerns
raised were over the resultant increased traffic and also the serious flooding
issue.
It was subsequently
agreed by the NMCC that the revised proposal does not change the situation and
that the NMCC continues to agree with AC’s preferred bids.
1085 Aberdeenshire Council Matters
(i) CllrFH reported
that planning permission has been refused for the car repair business at
Lairshill as it was deemed to be inappropriate and that planning permission
was approved for a 6 bedroomed hotel and restaurant at Kingseat.
(ii) Council tax has been frozen for the
coming financial year; business rates have increased, with exemption applicable
to small businesses.
(iii) £2,000,000 has been made available to
repair the roads as a result of damage caused by the bad weather. There will be numerous road closures once the
weather improves and repairs get underway.
1086 Planning Issues
(i) See Minute 1085(i) above.
(ii) AB encouraged all members to regularly
check the applications listed on the AC website.
(iii) It was noted that there continues to be
a problem at Kingseat with the roads and that the winter maintenance programme
will not include this area until AC adopts the roads from the developer.
1087 Correspondence
(i) Garioch Area Bus Forum meeting will take
place on 15 March 2010.
(ii) Aberdeenshire Sports Council Newsletter.
1088 AOB
(i) A reminder was issued about the
new hall AGM on 3 March 2010 at 7.30 pm.
(ii) A request was made to consider the
possibility of installing lighting on the ‘jungle path’ which links the main
road to
(iii) CllrFH requested that FD report back to
the next meeting as to whether payment has been made to Scotia Animation for
the Christmas lights.
(iv) CllrFH suggested that the village’s
hanging baskets be offered to any villagers who may wish to consider ‘adopting’
a basket.
(v) CllrFH intimated his intention to arrange
a public meeting in the hall to discuss the Green Belt issue at the north end
of the village.
Next
Meeting
The next meeting will take place on Thursday
25 March 2010.