Community Councillors

These are difficult ;mes and no more so for Aberdeenshire Council who have had to curtail many services whilst keeping essen;al priori;es running. There is a huge enterprise of staff and associated agencies who have managed services such as care homes, child and family support along with key worker schooling and social housing needs oFen with daily changes to

protocol and what ac;vi;es can be performed. Most of these “instrucZons” have come directly from the ScoFsh Government and the Council’s Chief ExecuZve is operaZng under their direcZves, he has no choice. This has also removed Councillors from much of the scruZny of decision making and allows the Council to operate under “emergency powers”. Many Council staff have had to mulZtask to keep services running and some 4,000 office based staff have been working from home since the start of “lockdown” and will probably do so well into next year. There is no magic soluZon here, Council income and grant funding is reducing and perhaps savings which should have been made over the last 20 years have been missed opportuniZes. The upkeep of roads, bridges, public spaces and school buildings has been heavily affected and the list of other assets and responsibiliZes needing urgent a[enZon grows daily. Unfortunately this impact will see significant reducZons in these public infrastructure services plus sport, cultural and leisure faciliZes. I know many people sZll like to think they can call the Council to report an issue or ask about some acZvity but those days are gone. Aberdeenshire Council have put a lot of effort into online services and at this difficult Zme this has paid dividends as so much informaZon is now available through the Council website and if you use the myAberdeenshire app many Council services can be accessed and issues reported. Registering once gives you access to a whole host of informaZon and is quickly done. h[ps://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/my/ If I can assist on any Council ma[ers, I am contactable by phone, 0777 9095385 or email; cllr.c.pike@aberdeenshire.gov.uk

Alison Evison

“Don’t Stay On Mute!” is a Scopsh campaign by COSLA Local Government and Trade Unions encouraging people struggling with mental health in these challenging :mes to reach out and seek support. If this is you, please do so:

ScoAsh AssociaEon for Mental Health Tel 0344 800 0550 www.samh.org.uk Samaritans Tel: 116 123 Breathing Space: Tel 0800 83 85 87 NHS24: Tel 111

Reports suggest that domesEc abuse is also increasing across Scotland – help is also available for those suffering: Scotland’s DomesEc Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline Tel 0800 027 1234.

If you there is other individual help and support you need, please contact the Grampian Assistance Hub www.GCAH.org.uk 0808 196 3384

If you think you have coronavirus and would like to assess your symptoms, phone NHS Inform: www.nhsinform.scot 0800 22 44 88

The ongoing work of volunteers supporEng others in our communiEes has been greatly appreciated. I recently met with Kincardine & Deeside Befriending who offer supporEve, reliable relaEonships with volunteer befrienders to people over 55 who would otherwise be socially isolated. If you could benefit from this service, or if you would like to become a volunteer, please ring 01569 765714 or email info@kdbefriending.org.uk

The volunteers who manage Maryculter Woods for the community have also been doing tremendous work, and many people have found the woods a valuable local resource during the months of lockdown. It is so dispiriEng to learn that plants have been stolen from the woods, liSer dropped and parts of the woods misused. Other outdoor areas, such as in the Cairngorm NaEonal Park, have experienced similar issues recently and raising awareness of the damage being done will hopefully bring about greater respect for our wonderful environment.

Take care, stay safe, and please download the Protect Scotland App from NHS Scotland’s Test and Protect to your mobile phone to help us protect each other.

We are currently taking special orders for Christmas

Stockists of award-winning honey from Alison Goss Staffords Produce Purpose built butchery on our farm Top quality beef from our free-roaming, grass-fed Scatterburn Farm pedigree herd of Aberdeenshire Belted Galloways Ardoe AB12 5XX Facebook : Staffords Produce, Instagram @staffordsproduce07989 546938

Ian Mollison

Normally my challenge when wri:ng for the South Deeside View is cramming everything in. But life is strange now. Everything is cancelled or on line.

Take North Kincardine Rural Community Council for example. I enjoy aSending … picking up on what’s happening and having a laugh. But meeEngs stopped during lockdown unEl we got the hang of a virtual get-together. It’s not uncommon for 20 residents to aSend and quesEon members; Aberdeenshire Council officers, developers, police, and local councillors. You can do that on line.

The community council has a key role in keeping an eye on things. If you would like to get involved, Google will find their Facebook page or website!

Aberdeenshire Council, like many others, was badly affected by lockdown. Schools are back, and services are gradually being re-introduced. Lockdown has knocked a major hole the council’s finances and not everything will return to normal, so we can balance the books.

Local authoriEes are in the final stages of producing strategic development plans containing policies against which planning applicaEons will be judged. Aberdeenshire’s will go to ScoAsh Ministers once all 1,300 representaEons have been collated.

Aberdeen City Council had a late about-turn to include an area for housing just across the county boundary off the South Deeside Road. Aberdeenshire Council has objected as access would be from the Causey Mounth.

On a lighter note, Chapelton held a second annual scarecrow fesEval in August. I had a difficult task as one of the judges, given the high level of arEstry. Well done Dumbo!

Lastly, I’ve heard of red squirrels being killed by traffic on the South Deeside Road. Please watch out for them … they are under threat across the country though making a comeback in the North East. I am one of the council’s two red squirrel champions, so if you see one (or a non-naEve grey), report them: hSps://scoAshsquirrels.org.uk/squirrel-sighEngs/

Cooking apples and plants Bramley apples from a garden in Maryculter can be ordered and collected from Aileen Roberts, Email: aileen808@bZnternet.com or Hazel Wi[e. Email: wi[e@btconnect.com or Tel: 01224 732738 Suggested donaZon- £1 per kilo. These keep well for use over the next three months. Three varieZes of primulae, Himalayan blue poppies and a selecZon of herbaceous plants all po[ed up and ready to plant in your own garden. Contact Hazel for a full list, suggested prices and collecZon point. All proceeds will go to Maryculter Woodland Trust. Thanks to all who purchased home grown plants from Rob Winmill and ourselves in May. This raised £435 for Maryculter Carriage Driving for the Disabled.

Contact Siobhan 07791865173