Westhill Strategic Needs Assessment – Summary of Findings

From mountain to sea

March 2020 Craig Watson Council & Partnership Analyst Policy, Performance & Improvement Customer Communication & Improvement Business Services

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Contents

Contents PURPOSE AND AMBITION ...... 4 LIMITATIONS ...... 4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...... 5 RECOMMENDED STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS ...... 11 PEOPLE ...... 12 ECONOMY ...... 17 CONNECTIVITY ...... 25 PLACE ...... 33 STATISTICAL DATASETS PER INTERMEDIATE ZONE & THEME ...... 44 GARLOGIE & ELRICK INTERMEDIATE ZONE ...... 45 WESTHILL CENTRAL INTERMEDIATE ZONE ...... 51 WESTHILL NORTH & SOUTH INTERMEDIATE ZONE ...... 57 GENERAL WESTHILL STATISTICS ...... 63

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About

Project Details

Project Title Westhill Strategic Needs Assessment

Start Date 24 June 2019 End Date 22 November 2019 Strategic Lead Aberdeenshire Community Planning Board

Tactical Lead Westhill SNA Steering Group Margaret-Jane Cardno, Garioch Area Manager, Aberdeenshire Project Director Council Lead Officer Caroline Smith, Community Planning Officer (Garioch)

Project Web URL Not applicable

Document Details

Document Title Westhill Strategic Needs Assessmsnet

Reporting Period Not applicable

Craig Watson, Council & Partnership Analyst, Aberdeenshire Author & Project Role Council

C:\Users\cwatson7\OneDrive - Aberdeenshire Council\Westhill Filename SNA\Post-Feedback

Access SNA Steering Group Only General Dissemination

Document History

Version Date Comments

Submitted to the Area Management Team for v.1 12 Sep 2019 comment 12/09/2019

Incorporated feedback from Area Management Team v.2 30 Oct 2019 and submitted to the wider partnership for comment 30/10/2019

v.3 22 Nov 2019 Incorporated feedback from partners.

v.4 16 Mar 2020 Incorporated feedback from Garioch Area Committee (current)

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PURPOSE AND AMBITION

A strategic needs assessment (SNA) looks at the current and future needs of local populations to inform and guide the planning and commissioning of services within an area (e.g. Westhill).

The SNA:

• Is concerned with wider social factors that have an impact on people’s lives, such as (among other things) housing, poverty and employment; • Provides a common view of needs for the local community; • Documents current service provision and major assets; and • Identifies gaps in our collective intelligence and service provision, and provides details of unmet need.

The SNA is part of an ongoing process. The ultimate aim of the process is to demonstrably show that the Community Planning Partnership is an exemplar of partnership working within a nationally accepted framework and that we are continually mindful of performance, outcomes and the efficacy of perpetual strategic review – an approach that translates notional strategic policy into the best possible environment in which the town of Westhill and surrounding areas can flourish through the effective deployment of finite resources.

LIMITATIONS

Statistical Geographies tend not to be co-terminus. In other words, the geographies used to align statistical data at a local level overlap in many instances, and national boundaries may conflict with local delineations. This makes it challenging to determine a definitive picture of a specific area such as Westhill.

The point is perhaps best illustrated by the Westhill Settlement Boundary as determeined by the National Records of Scotland, which to some degree conflicts with the boundary as determined by the Local Development Plan. The official Settlement boundary of Westhill as determined by the National Records of Scotland encompasses Kirkton of Skene, whereas the Local Development Plan emphasises the importance of preventing coalescence of the two settlement areas. Therefore, from a local policy perspective, Kirkton of Skene is treated separately from Westhill.

Unfortunately the national statistical geographies do not take this into account. Therefore, this report generally considers Kirkton of Skene as part of the general Westhill area.

However, the report reiterates the local policy pertaining to both areas as per the Local Development Plan, that is, preventing coalescence of the two settlements remains an important issue for both communities.

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The report presents a summary of data pertaining to Westhill to assist policy makers in ultimately apportioning resources effectively.

Much of the available evidence contained in the report suggests Westhill residents generally experience better outcomes than those living elsewhere in Aberdeenshire and Scotland. There are, of course, a few exceptions but Westhill residents are, on average, more likely to be employed and economically active; earn higher salaries; possess high level vocational qualifications; belong to a high ‘social grade’; live longer, healthier lives; and experience fewer instances of crime and related disorder relative to those living elsewhere.

Nevertheless, Westhill has its challenges. The report posits that the most significant strategic issues facing Westhill are as follows:

Most Significant Strategic Issues

Accommodating population growth in light of the constraints on the geographic 1 expansion of the town. Ensuring the town is more resilient to external economic events such as that experienced during the oil downturn (2014-16). This could could form part of a long- term, strategic programme of economic diversification with a view to ‘future proofing’ employment in the region. 2

Given that regional policy drives local activities, it is important that strategic planning arrangements remain integrated and all relevant policies and local delivery mechanisms are closely aligned. Addressing certain health-related issues, principally childhood obesity, as well as 3 alcohol and heart-related illnesses.

Rationale

Accommodating population growth in light of the constraints on the geographic expansion of the town

Westhill’s population is growing and will likely outpace the growth of the town in geographic terms due to various topographical, technical and infrastructure constraints. Whilst population growth is an encouraging sign of an area’s attractiveness, growth in the absence of geographic expansion may prove to be a major challenge for the area, especially if it results in greater density. Density has been found to generate diseconomies like traffic congestion and increased housing costs, which in turn limit growth.

Anecdotal evidence suggests traffic congestion is a concern for the local community, as is the lack of smaller and affordable homes, particularly to meet the needs of an ageing population1. Partners may need to alleviate traffic congestion through investments in mass transit (e.g. bus services); and reduce housing costs by eliminating land use restrictions and identifying land allocations of an appropriate scale for future housing development, including affordable housing.

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Partners have suggested undertaking further studies identified in the updated Westhill Capacity Study, particularly a Transport Infrastructure Feasibility Study, Westhill Strategic Masterplan and Green Belt Review. Taken together, these may furnish policy makers with a suite of options to accommodate population growth and the associated consequences.

Ensuring the town is more resilient to external economic events such as that experienced during the oil downturn (2014-16). This could could form part of a long- term, strategic programme of economic diversification with a view to ‘future proofing’ employment in the region.

Given that regional policy drives local activities, it is important that strategic planning arrangements remain integrated and all relevant policies and local delivery mechanisms are closely aligned.

Westhill is demonstrably able to attract inward investment from world leading firms, particularly in the subsea engineering sector. Mining, quarrying and utilities (i.e. the oil & gas sector) is currently the dominant industry in terms of Westhill employees, accounting for 28% of the employee count in 2018. However, there are relatively few enterprises classed as such in Westhill – approximately 2% of the total number of enterprises, in fact. Therefore, a handful of enterprises in Westhill employ a disproportionately large number of people.

The fact that few enterprises account for a large proportion of employees could be a risk for Westhill should these enterprises experience an industry-wide downturn. It is perhaps partly because of this that Westhill experienced a period of increased unemployment during the prolonged low price of oil between 2014 and 2016.

Given the developments witnessed in early 2020, which saw the price of oil fall below the lowest levels reached during the 2014-16 period, policy makers may wish to explore the efficacy of laying the groundwork for ‘future proofing’ employment in the region to offset such developments. This could entail utilising the strong skill set in applied sciences and engineering to advance the renewable energy sector, robotics, or even artificial intelligence.

The challenge for Aberdeenshire – and by extension Westhill – is to both support and develop traditional industries whilst encouraging innovation and diversification into new areas and to continue to make the region a more attractive proposition for visitors and investors, as well as current and prospective residents2. This entails, among other things, continuing to improve infrastructure (digital, transport and housing), and ensuring future skills requirements are met in an age of increasing automation.

Much of this will be addressed through the Regional Economic Strategy (RES)1. The RES provides a shared vision and ambition for the future of the North East of Scotland to align commitment, investment and action in pursuit of its economic growth and diversification objectives.

Action plans are in place and infrastructure investment has already been committed to deliver the vision. A good demonstration of this is reflected in the recently launched Investment Tracker that highlighted the recent and forthcoming infrastructure developments for the region (over £10bn).

Given that regional policy drives local activities, it is important that strategic planning arrangements remain integrated and all relevant policies and local delivery mechanisms are closely aligned.

1 https://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/business/support-and-advice/Publications/

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In other words, all efforts in this sphere should be wholly consistent with regional policy.

From a local, operational perspective, the Aberdeenshire Employability Partnership is geared towards assisting people into work and training. The skills and knowledge of this group should be particularly useful during periods of sub-optimal economic growth and significant downturns.

Addressing certain health-related issues, principally childhood obesity, as well as alcohol and heart-related illnesses

The general population of Westhill is relatively healthy. Most indicators suggest Westhill is a positive outlier both in the context of Aberdeenshire and the rest of Scotland. Generally speaking, this is apparent across all life stages. For example, relatively few developmental concerns at 27-30 months were identified at the review stage, the all-cause mortality rate among 15-44-year-olds is relatively low, as is the rate of patients aged over 65 with multiple hospital admissions.

The upshot is, life expectancy rates for both males and females in Westhill are above the respective rates for both Aberdeenshire and Scotland.

Certain health-related issues, however, may warrant closer attention, namely alcohol-related hospital stays, childhood obesity, and coronary heart disease. These are either on the increase or do not compare as favourably as other indicators when viewed alongside the overall rates for Aberdeenshire as a whole.

Primary Considerations

There are other issues that may be categorised as ‘Primary Considerations’. They are no less important than the main strategic issues identified above but may be thought of as being more operational in nature. These include the following:

Primary Considerations Raise the profile of alcohol and Drug Services in Westhill and facilitate pathways into services. Promote low risk drinking through the Scottish Government’s Count 14 1 Campaign. All activities should be done in conjunction with the Aberdeenshire Alcohol & Drug Partnership. Determine the extent to which personal debt is an issue in Westhill and determine 2 ways to address it. Community Link Workers in GP pactices may be a model worth exploring further (see page 22).

Examine options to improve accessibility and parking facilities, as well as increase the diversity of retail outlets, in the centre of town.

3 Partners were also of the opinion that parking facilities in and around new build properties required improving in so far as there was not a sufficient allocation of spaces. This results in inappropriate street parking.

Partners cited a number of operational issues both during the information gathering phase and the Priority Setting Day. Therefore, determine the feasibility of improving 4 the situation with regards to each point listed below:

• Outdoor facilities do not meet the needs of the community (however indoor play areas are sufficient).

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• The existing football pitches need upgrading. • Relatively few facilities are provided to the elderly. • Determine an appropriate site for a community facility (gym and sport). • There was a desire for allotments among some Westhill residents. • Westhill Academy meeting space is becoming scarce. • Improved signage and lane markings required at AWPR roundabout to reduce collisions. • A circular walking/cycling route around the town is an aspiration of the community and fits in well with the health agenda. • A dedicated or ‘pop-up’ arts space is a requirement to redress Westhill’s lack of cultural offerings. • Carnie Woods, although under the jurisdiction of Aberdeen City, is said to have an active group of local residents interested in it. It has been suggested that there may be value in both councils (Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City) working together with the group to the mutual benefit of all interested parties. • Investigate the possibility/feasibility of an express bus route from Westhill to Aberdeen and vice versa. • Consider Cross provider bus tickets to allow better onward travel from Aberdeen City Centre. • Investigate the utility of shared transport options, dial-a-bus, subsidised taxi services. • According to the Place Standard Exercise the Citizens Advice Bureau office is not in a good location for people to access. • Consider locations for electric vehicle charging points. Partners felt there was a need for a street charging facility for residents living in flatted accommodation.

Investigate reasons for depopulation in the centre of town and determine the extent to which changing demographics (e.g. an ageing population) will affect health 5 services, housing need, the requirement for housing adaptations, and other services that cater to needs of the elderly in this area.

Review services for young people and families in the 3 areas experiencing rapid population growth in Westhill to ensure needs are met, namely:

6 1. the general area surrounding Burnland/Mackie Way; 2. the general area to the north west of the town (Broadshade); and 3. the general area to the north and west of Broadshade, which includes the Keirhill Way region and Kirkton of Skene.

Investigate the need to address the following specific health-related issues per 7 Intermediate Zone with NHS colleagues:

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Garlogie & Elrick Westhill Central Westhill North & South

• proportion of babies • premature birth; • childhood obesity and exclusively breast fed; • childhood obesity; dental health; • coronary heart • immunisation uptake; • early deaths from disease; • exposure to 2nd hand cancer and coronary • patients hospitalised smoke at 6-8 weeks; heart disease; with asthma Uptake of • alcohol-related hospital • patients (aged 65+) HPV vaccine in S3 stays; with multiple A&E girls. • early deaths from hospital admissions. coronary heart disease; • maternal obesity.

Partners have suggested that Health & Wellbeing issues need to be discussed with community groups.

There was also a feeling that more needed to be done in relation to local information sharing and discussion. One partner mentioned that the Wellbeing forum doesn’t convene on a regular basis.

The extent to which drugs, bullying, and alcohol are significant problems for young people in Westhill is not currently known. Young people identified these as issues in their community. The effects don’t appear to be reflected in school pupil attainment results or participation rates, which are generally very good. It may be that the problem is hidden from sight in that it affects mental wellbeing, which may manifest itself in 8 other ways.

Partners may wish to determine the extent to which drugs, bullying and alcohol are a problem for Westhill’s young people and, if issues have been identified, formulate ways to address them.

Mental and physical wellbeing were themes running through the ‘Big Listen’ engagement exercise in that physical wellbeing was closely associated with mental wellbeing and vice versa. However, there is little statistical evidence at a local level on which to base a robust assessment of mental wellbeing among Westhill residents.

Efforts could align with the Partnership’s Mental Health Strategy, which focuses on support services provided by or through the partnership, and Aberdeenshire’s Health Improvement Delivery Plan 2018-19, particularly the priority of ‘improving mental health and wellbeing’.

Partners felt more discussion was needed within the community regarding health and wellbeing issues generally.

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Systematically map Westhill’s ‘intangible assets’ (page 42) and describe how they are significant to Westhill and how they may be leveraged to improve the lives of residents. This will need to be done in conjunction with other bodies seeking to do the same. 10 The ultimate aim would be to produce a single resource detailing Westhill’s various assets so that they may be harnessed, allowing Westhill to fulfil its potential from a community wellbeing perspective.

Encourage & harness social participation through the community empowerment 11 agenda.

Research & address factors that lead to inequality, adopt a collaborative & 12 preventative approach, resist siloed working.

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RECOMMENDED STRATEGIC CONSIDERATIONS

Challenges / Risks Opportunities Ensure a housing Support economic Promote Active stock fit for purpose diversification and Aberdeenshire (whole • Accommodating population growth in (quality, size, type, continued connectivity population approach) • Strong skill set in applied sciences light of the restrictions on the tenure, location, to international to increase healthy life and engineering geographic expansion of the town affordability), markets through the expectancy & alleviate • Well-educated, well-compensated, • Potential for diseconomies especially in light of a Regional Economic problems associated relatively diverse and responsible associated with greater density to citizenry growing & ageing Strategy – ‘future with obesity limit growth (e.g. traffic congestion, • Excellent quality of life, relatively few population high housing costs) proof’ employment in areas of deprivation Encourage & harness Over-reliance on, economic the region. Given that • Undertake further • Low crime rate dominance of, oil & gas sector - regional policy drives social participation studies identified in • A relatively prosperous and growing potential for job losses should oil local activities, it is through community economy with low unemployment / price enter another prolonged period the updated Westhill important that empowerment agenda high business survival rates of downward momentum Capacity Study, e.g. strategic planning • Ability to attract international • Skills, expertise and employment Transport arrangements remain Improve / facilitate businesses to the area leaving the region as UK Continental Infrastructure integrated and all pathways into services • Proximity to Aberdeen City, one of Shelf production declines longer term Feasibility Study, relevant policies and for society’s most the most prosperous regions in the – oil & gas both finite resources Westhill Strategic local delivery vulnerable, e.g. drug & UK in terms of Gross Value Added • Wage stagnation / prohibitively high Masterplan and Green mechanisms are alcohol services / debt • Potential job growth in wind, wave cost of housing and lack of affordable and tidal, biomass, geothermal, hydro Belt Review closely aligned advice services housing, particularly for ageing and photovoltaic energy generation

population Consider options to Research & address and low carbon technologies / Work closely with local • Digital infrastructure improve accessibility factors that lead to decommissioning Minimal diversity of retail outlets, lack schools and • and parking facilities in inequality, adopt a of traditional town centre businesses to increase Westhill as well as collaborative & • Childhood obesity, heart-related the number of increasing the preventative approach, illnesses, alcohol-related hospital apprenticeships and diversity of retail resist siloed working admissions graduate opportunities outlets • Major service redesign in critically important sectors - Early Years, Education, Health and Social Care • Reducing public sector budgets THEME ONE THEME THREE THEME TWO

EMPOWERING INCLUSIVE AND INFRASTRUCTURE AND COMMUNITIES AND SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC HOUSING ENSURING GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL Page 11 of 67

PEOPLE

• Westhill residents are among the most diverse in Aberdeenshire. According to the last Census (2011), approximately 95.6% of people were classed as ‘White’. Although statistically high, this is lower than Aberdeenshire’s corresponding rate (98.4%), and the lowest in the authority area.

A similar story emerges in relation to those born outside Europe – approximately 5.4% of Westhill residents were born outside Europe at the time of the last Census, the highest rate in Aberdeenshire.

More recent data reinforces the diversity theme. The 2018 School Pupil Census, for example, provides that Westhill Academy recorded the 3rd highest percentage of pupils with English as an Additional Language out of all the secondary schools in Aberdeenshire. What’s more, the Westhill cluster is home to the greatest number of different home languages in Aberdeenshire, with approximately 30 languages identified among pupils (both primary and secondary). Polish, Spanish, and Arabic are among the most common.

Areas with relatively high rates of ethnic diversity are among the least deprived in Aberdeenshire.

• Westhill residents are generally categorised as belonging to a relatively high ‘social grade’ as determined by the occupation of the Chief Income Earner (Census 2011). Whilst social grade is a particularly good discriminator for media consumption, it can also be used for analysing other data related to purchasing power.

Various Census data, therefore, suggests a degree of diversity and affluence exists among Westhill residents. This could be considered a testament to the international outlook of the area and an outcome of attracting multi-national companies to the region.

However, partners were keen to emphasise that depictions of relative affluence may lead to complacency. This could, in turn, lead to people on the more deprived end of the spectrum (in terms of income and general opportunities) being ‘lost in the system’.

• Westhill’s population is growing, which speaks to the attractiveness of the area as a place to live. According to settlement data, Westhill’s population increased from 11,600 to 12,290 between 2012 and 2016, an increase of 5.9%. This is a higher growth rate than Aberdeenshire, which itself was among the fastest growing areas in Scotland over that period.

The population increased across all three broad age groups. Although Westhill’s population is relatively young in the context of Aberdeenshire, it is also ageing, with those over the age of 65 experiencing the highest rate of growth over the last few years.

There is work ongoing around a ‘homely setting’ which seeks to meet the demands of an ageing population by examining future accommodation needs. Work is also focussed on shifting the balance of homecare provision to ensure the support needs of people staying in their own home are sufficiently met.

Figure 1 below charts the changes in population across the three broad age groups for the Westhill settlement (2012 and 2016). The bar charts at the top present the number of

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individuals within each age group per year; the pie charts at the bottom show the proportion of each age group relative to the total population per year.

Figure 1 - Population per broad age group, Westhill Settlement (Children, Working Age, and Pensionable Age), 2012 compared to 2016

Children Working Age Pensionable Age (0-15yrs) (16-64yrs) (65+yrs)

7,843 8,041

Population trends

2,288 2,475 1,774 1,469

2012 2016 2012 2016 2012 2016

2012 Change in Proportions 2016

Pensionable Age Children Pensionable Age Children 12.7% 19.7% 14.4% 20.1% Population proportions

Working Age Working Age 67.6% 65.4%

The child population increased by 8.2% between 2012 and 2016; the working age population increased by 2.5%, while the pensionable age population increased by 20.8%. Westhill has among the highest rate of children and people of working age relative to the whole population in Aberdeenshire, and one of the lowest proportions of people over the age of 65. Nevertheless, the 65+ age group experienced the greatest percentage increase between 2011 and 2016.

Source: National Records of Scotland

• Although the population is growing at a relatively fast rate, schools in the Westhill Catchment Area are not expected to exceed 100% capacity by 2023. Westhill Primary School is the most likely to approach 100% capacity by 2023 (97%), according to 2018 School Roll Forecasts. The entire school roll in the Westhill cluster is expected to increase from 1,833 pupils in 2018 to 1,935 in 2023, an increase of 5.5%. It is therefore logical to assume that the general population will likewise continue to grow in future, perhaps at a similar rate.

• The population will outpace the growth of the town. Given the restrictions on the geographic expansion of Westhill (see later sections), coupled with the area’s desirability as a place to live, it is probable that the population will grow at a faster rate than the town in geographic terms. Whilst population growth is an encouraging sign of an area’s attractiveness, growth in the absence of geographic expansion may prove to be a major challenge for the area, especially if it results in greater density. Density has been found to generate diseconomies like traffic congestion and increased housing costs, which limit growth.

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Anecdotal evidence suggests traffic congestion is a concern for the local community, as is the lack of smaller and affordable homes, particularly to meet the needs of an ageing population3. Partners have also suggested a possible need for shared units to capture the younger, transient workforce. Partners may need to alleviate traffic congestion through investments in mass transit (e.g. bus services); and reduce housing costs by eliminating land use restrictions and identifying land allocations of an appropriate scale for future housing development, including affordable housing. This will, of course, require some form of guarantee from housing developers.

• Data Zone statistics suggest Westhill’s population growth is uneven. Whilst the overall population of Westhill increased over the last few years, it reduced in the central portion of the town, particularly among younger age groups and those in their 40’s and 50’s. Reasons for the depopulation are not immediately apparent.

Policy makers may wish to determine the reasons behind depopulation in the centre of Westhill. Generally speaking, there are three principal widespread structural causes of urban depopulation – economic, social and demographic change. Secondary outcomes, for example the migration of young or highly skilled individuals, poorer service provision, regional specialisation or house price differentials, may exacerbate or contribute to further shrinkage.

The central portion of the town is also home to the largest population of those over 80 years of age2, and the number of people in their 70’s has increased substantially. This latter point may have implications for health services in the area, housing need, housing adaptations, and other services that cater to the needs of the elderly.

• Westhill’s overall population increase is generally due to material increases in 3 areas. These areas are:

o the general area surrounding Burnland/Mackie Way; o the general area to the north west of the town (Broadshade); and o the general area to the north and west of Broadshade, which includes the Keirhill Way region and Kirkton of Skene.

These areas generally account for a far higher proportion of younger people than average – between 50% and 69% of the respective population in the associated Data Zones are under the age of 40. This is significantly higher than Aberdeenshire’s corresponding rate (45%).

What’s more, a relatively large proportion of the general population in the areas listed above is under 10 years of age (approximately 19% versus 12% for Aberdeenshire).

Taken together, it suggests these three areas of Westhill are home to a relatively high number of younger families, particularly the general area surrounding Burnland/Mackie Way in the south west, and Broadshade in the north west. This may have implications for services that cater to the needs of families and younger people in Westhill.

Policy makers may therefore wish to determine if there are any gaps in service provision in these areas.

• The local school system is generally performing well. The information from school inspections, qualifications and awards, pupil attainment and attendance, the destinations of school leavers, to name but a few, confirm that the system is strong and delivers to a good

2 214 people in Westhill Central are over the age of 80. That equates to 5.6% of the population. This is the highest figure in Westhill, both in terms of the absolute number and in terms of the proportion of the population.

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standard. This suggests younger people in Westhill are laying strong foundations for future success. Indeed, pupils themselves identified ‘opportunities’ as something they like about their community, which is a testament to the environment in which they are developing and, apparently, thriving. Effectual parenting, the school system, the transition from school into adult life, job availability, high participation rates, high expectations, high household income – all these elements will no doubt combine to effect an environment conducive to success3. Arguably, Westhill is among the leaders in this regard: a town of opportunities.

Making progress is therefore about continuing to develop and provide opportunities for all young people as they move through their school career and by ensuring that transitions into adult life are supported.

Westhill’s Place Standard report suggests there may be a lack of apprenticeships and graduate opportunities. Policy makers may therefore wish to explore the veracity of this claim and take steps to improve the situation by engaging with local businesses and public sector organisations, including the NHS4.

• Not all of Westhill’s young people are experiencing positive educational and/or vocational outcomes. There continues to be a need to address the strong correlation between young people who have not fulfilled their academic potential, those who have become disengaged from school, those living in or experiencing deprivation and those young people leaving care and young people who don't continue to participate in learning, training or work upon leaving school.

Up to 2.2% of Westhill’s 16-19-year-olds are categorised as ‘NEETs’, i.e. those not in education, employment or training. Although among the lowest rates in the country, it may nevertheless negatively affect the life chances of dozens of young people in Westhill. The ‘NEET rate’ is a relatively new indicator, but one that is given increasing importance by international organisations and the media. The popularity of the ‘NEET concept is associated with its assumed potential to address a broad array of vulnerabilities among youth, touching on issues of unemployment, early school leaving and labour market discouragement.

• Young people in Westhill have collectively expressed concerns about drugs, bullying, and alcohol5 – a theme reflected across all secondary schools in Aberdeenshire to varying degrees.

Police Scotland and Westhill Academy have a good relationship. Police Officers liaise with parents at school events, and officers attend monthly meetings with representatives of Westhill Academy. Westhill is not seen to have an issue any greater than other areas but continued Police activity, visibility and two-way communication can only be positive.

The extent to which drugs, bullying, and alcohol are significant problems for young people in Westhill is not currently known. The effects don’t appear to be reflected in school pupil attainment results or participation rates, which are generally very good. However, drugs and bullying are issues that have been raised by parents as well as Education Officers and Police and there is concern that this may affect attainment in future years. It may also be the case that the problem is hidden from sight in that it affects mental wellbeing, which may manifest itself in other ways.

3 Young People’s views on their communities in Aberdeenshire 2019, Aberdeenshire Youth Forum (AYF) in partnership with Aberdeenshire Community Learning and Development (CLD) Service Work With Young People (WWYP) team, April 2019 4 Some of the recruitment challenges in the health industry is being addressed through the Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership’s workforce plan with the most recent version currently in progress (due to be launched in April 2020). This report documents employee numbers per broad industrial group, including the health industry. These are found in the statistical section detailing each of Westhill’s three Intermediate Zones. 5 The top 3 issues identified by Westhill Academy pupils were: drugs (69%), bullying (46%), and alcohol (23%)

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Partners may wish to determine the extent to which drugs, bullying and alcohol are a problem for Westhill’s young people and, if issues have been identified, formulate ways to address them.

• The general population of Westhill is relatively healthy. Most indicators suggest Westhill is a positive outlier both in the context of Aberdeenshire and the rest of Scotland. Generally speaking, this is apparent across all life stages. For example, relatively few developmental concerns at 27-30 months were identified at the review stage, the all-cause mortality rate among 15-44-year-olds is relatively low, as is the rate of patients aged over 65 with multiple hospital admissions.

The upshot is, life expectancy rates for both males and females in Westhill are above the respective rates for both Aberdeenshire and Scotland.

• Certain health-related issues, however, may warrant closer attention, namely alcohol- related hospital stays, childhood obesity, and coronary heart disease. The Westhill Central area, although relatively healthy in the context of both Aberdeenshire and Scotland, is statistically the ‘least healthy’ in the context of Westhill (from a whole population perspective). Again, this may be due to the fact that the central portion of the town is home to a comparatively large population of people over the age of 65.

• Partners have suggested that there may be a potential gap in terms of drug and alcohol recovery services in Westhill. A collective intelligence gap was highlighted in relation to problem drug and alcohol use, particularly those in recovery in Westhill. Unlike all the other major communities in Aberdeenshire there are no recovery groups in Westhill. It is possible that people travel to Aberdeen City for these services but it may be useful to determine the extent to which this occurs and if there is a need for such services in Westhill.

Intelligence gaps were also reported in relation to harmful alcohol and drug use. Anecdotally, there may be problem alcohol use by a partner where the other partner is working away overseas or offshore.

Partners may therefore wish to undertake a review of drug and alcohol recovery services in Westhill to determine the extent to which they are needed.

• A number of partners at various fora throughout Aberdeenshire have identified mental health as an issue that requires to be addressed. Mental and physical wellbeing were also themes running through the ‘Big Listen’ engagement exercise in that physical wellbeing was closely associated with mental wellbeing and vice versa. However, there is little statistical evidence at a local level on which to base a robust assessment of mental wellbeing among Westhill residents.

Partners may therefore wish to advance their knowledge of mental wellbeing among Westhill residents as part of a wider, concerted effort to determine the extent of the problem in Aberdeenshire and to formulate ways to address it. Locally, this may entail providing drug and alcohol recovery services, debt management services, and encouraging healthy lifestyles, not just through sport but through a range of leisure and cultural activities, as suggested by some respondents in the ‘Big Listen’ engagement exercise. It is important these activities are accessible, affordable, and open to all.

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ECONOMY

• The North East region’s economy is among the largest in the United Kingdom. Gross Value Added (GVA) in Aberdeenshire equated to approximately £7 billion in 20164 (5% of Scotland’s total – or 13% if combined with Aberdeen City). Aberdeenshire is in the top 15% in the UK, ahead of places like Oxford and Cambridge and a number of local authorities in the south east of England5. Aberdeen City itself is just outside the top 5% in the country. This is important for Westhill residents in that a large proportion of them work in Aberdeen City. The economic prospects of Westhill residents are therefore closely tied to the economic prospects of Aberdeen City (hence the efficacy of implementing a Regional Economic Strategy).

Purely on a population basis, the general Westhill area is likely to contribute in excess of £330 million to Aberdeenshire’s overall GVA figure – and perhaps considerably more given the industrial composition of the area.

• The Jobseekers’ Allowance claimant count – a proxy for unemployment levels – has tended to be relatively low in the Westhill area. Figure 2 below charts the path of JSA claims over the last couple of decades for both the general Westhill area and Aberdeenshire.

Figure 2 – Jobseekers’ Allowance (JSA) Claimant Count, Westhill and Aberdeenshire, August 1999 to February 2019

Source: DWP

The chart suggests unemployment levels in Aberdeenshire were more sensitive to the period known as the ‘Great Recession’ than the subsequent oil slump. Whereas the opposite appears to be the case for Westhill. The inference being, Westhill’s economy is relatively dependent on the oil & gas sector, more so than other areas in Aberdeenshire. This is explored further in subsequent points.

• Westhill is demonstrably able to attract inward investment from world leading firms, particularly in the subsea engineering sector. Mining, quarrying and utilities (i.e. the oil & gas sector) is currently the dominant industry in terms of Westhill employees, accounting for 28% of the employee count in 2018. However, there are relatively few enterprises classed as such in Westhill – approximately 2% of the total number of enterprises,

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in fact. Therefore, a handful of enterprises in Westhill employ a disproportionately large number of people.

Table 1 below lists the number of enterprises and the proportion of total employees per industry in Westhill’s three intermediate zones.

Table 1 – Number of enterprises and proportion of total employees per industry in the general Westhill area, 2018

Source: NOMIS

• There is a need, therefore, to ensure the town is more resilient to external economic events such as that experienced during the oil downturn (2014-16). And given the developments witnessed in early 2020, which saw the price of oil fall below the lowest levels reached during the 2014-16 period, policy makers may wish to explore the efficacy of laying the groundwork for ‘future proofing’ employment in the region to offset such developments. This could entail utilising the strong skill set in applied sciences and engineering to advance the renewable energy sector, robotics, or even artificial intelligence.

The challenge for Aberdeenshire – and by extension Westhill – is to both support and develop traditional industries whilst encouraging innovation and diversification into new areas and to continue to make the region a more attractive proposition for visitors and investors, as well as current and prospective residents6. This entails, among other things, continuing to improve infrastructure (digital, transport and housing), and ensuring future skills requirements are met in an age of increasing automation.

Much of this will be addressed through the Regional Economic Strategy (RES)6. The RES provides a shared vision and ambition for the future of the North East of Scotland to align commitment, investment and action in pursuit of its economic growth and diversification objectives.

The vision remains one of economic renaissance that results in a diversified and resilient regional economy supporting high-value employment through:

6 https://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/business/support-and-advice/Publications/

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o Maximising oil and gas recovery and becoming a globally recognised hub for innovation and technology development with a strong, diversified and internationally- focused oil, gas and energy supply chain anchored in the region for the long term and playing a key role in energy transition towards a lower carbon energy system.

o Growing the region’s food, drink, agriculture and fishing, life sciences, and tourism sectors and entrepreneurial environment to deliver a more balanced and resilient economy.

o Inclusive economic growth and investment in our key sectors and quality of place securing the future well-being of the city, the region, our communities and people.

The goal is an economy growing across new and traditional industries, supported by an agile highly skilled workforce, open to future opportunities and better able to anticipate and respond to future challenges.

Given that regional policy drives local activities, it is important that strategic planning arrangements remain integrated and all relevant policies and local delivery mechanisms are closely aligned.

In other words, all efforts in this sphere should be wholly consistent with regional policy.

• Household income in Westhill is among the highest in Aberdeenshire – and has been for a number of years. Between 2014 and 2018, average household income in Westhill increased from £52,918 to £58,598 (an increase of £5,780 or 11%). Encouragingly, lower quartile income increased by a greater margin over the period, from £25,468 to £31,375 (an increase of £5,907 or 23%). Lower quartile income in Westhill is some 53% and 101% higher than the Aberdeenshire and Scotland levels respectively. In both cases, however, 2018 saw household incomes fall relative to the previous year.

• Household income is important for a number of reasons. Statistically speaking, the higher the income, the better the outcomes experienced by the general population in the respective area. The importance of money in determining a child’s life prospects, for example, is highlighted in a recent study published by the London School of Economics, with household income found to have a significant impact on everything from children’s cognitive and educational outcomes to their social and behavioural development and physical health7.

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Figure 3 below presents data on the percentage of Aberdeenshire and Westhill households within each household income band (2018 only).

Figure 3 – Percentage of households per household income band, Aberdeenshire and Westhill (settlement area), 2018

Total Households: Total Households: Aberdeenshire Westhill 112,626 4,694

200K+ 0.1% 0.3% 180-200K 0.2% 0.4% 14% of households in 160-180K 0.4% 1.0% Westhill earn more 140-160K 0.8% 1.9% than £100k 120-140K 1.5% 3.0% 100-120K 3.8% 7.0% 95-100K 0.8% 1.4% 90-95K 1.4% 2.4% 85-90K 1.9% 3.1% 80-85K 2.1% 3.4% 75-80K 1.9% 2.9% 70-75K 2.4% 3.6% 65-70K 3.1% 4.3% 60-65K 3.9% 5.3% 55-60K 4.2% 5.3% 50-55K 5.0% 6.1% 45-50K 5.1% 5.8% 40-45K 6.3% 6.6% Household Income Band Income Household 35-40K 6.6% 6.3% 30-35K 7.7% 6.7% 25-30K 8.0% 6.2% 20-25K 8.4% 5.7% 15-20K 8.9% 5.1% 11% of households in 10-15K 8.0% 3.7% Westhill earn less 5-10K 5.8% 2.0% than £20k 0-5K 1.5% 0.3%

Source: CACI Paycheck

• Not all Westhill households are affluent. While 13.6% of Westhill’s households earn more than £100,000, and 63.8% earn more than the UK average (£39,000), over 11% (or 524 households) earn less than £20,000.

SIMD data provides that approximately 2.4% of Westhill’s working age population is income deprived8. Although this is one of the lowest rates in the country, it reaches as high as 4% in some areas (which is still lower than the Aberdeenshire average).

• A small minority of people in work may be struggling to make ends meet. Recent data show 83 people on Universal Credit in the general Westhill area. Most (67%) are between 25 and 49 years of age, and the majority (57%) are deemed to be ‘in employment’, with the rest (43%) deemed to be ‘not in employment’. This would suggest a number of individuals within the general Westhill area are, on the face of it, struggling to make ends meet despite having a job. It is possible a relatively high proportion of them reside in areas where the proportion of households earning less than £20,000 is relatively high (e.g. Westhill Central).

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Figure 4 below ranks the Data Zones in the Westhill area according to the percentage of households earning less than £20,000, highest to lowest.

Figure 4 – Data Zones with the highest percentage of households earning less than £20k, Westhill Settlement and surrounding area, 2018

Source: CACI Paycheck; Cadcorp

The highest concentrations of households earning less than £20k tend to cluster around the central and south east portion of the town. Such households are relatively few and far between in the north and western portions of the town, particularly the north.

Indeed, even within the Data Zones that contain a high proportion of low-income households, income disparity exists. In Data Zone S01006938, for example, which contains the highest proportion of low-income households in Westhill, approximately 5% earned more than £100k in 2018.

Therefore, Westhill may be described as an area where the affluent and those on the threshold of relative poverty live side-by-side.

• Partners have voiced concerns that personal debt is on the rise in Westhill. While debt can be beneficial to an individual and the economy as a whole, high levels of debt can cause problems. A sudden change in circumstances, such as losing a job, will make it more difficult for an individual to keep up with repayments on their outstanding debts, which they will still be required to make despite the loss of income. In order to continue to make these repayments the individual may cut back on their spending, which could have negative consequences for the local economy.

There is little data available at a local level to conclusively determine the extent to which personal debt is a problem for Westhill residents. However, data for personal lending by postcode sector is available from UK Finance. These data include lending from institutions which account for around 60% of unsecured personal loans (e.g. Credit Card loans, personal loans, etc.).

The map below (Figure 5) ranks each North East postcode sector according to the total amount of personal loans outstanding as at Q4 2018 (as per UK Finance data). Red areas denote areas in which absolute personal debt outstanding is collectively relatively high, green areas denote areas where such debt is collectively relatively low.

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Figure 5 – Outstanding personal loans, Aberdeenshire postcode sectors, Q4 2018

Source: UK Finance9

The table above shows the top 20 postcode sectors in terms of the total amount of personal loans outstanding. The far-right column ‘equalises’ the data by averaging the total by the number of households per postcode sector. This is an imperfect figure since it’s based on 2011 Census household data. Nevertheless, it provides a reasonable proxy for the level of personal debt per household in Aberdeenshire’s top 20 indebted areas.

As the map demonstrates, outstanding loans tend to be higher in the areas bordering Aberdeen City and along the A90 corridor to the south. The postcode sector in which Westhill is situated – AB32 6 – is associated with the highest absolute total of outstanding personal loans in the region as at Q4 2018 (over £7.7 million).

Figure 6 and 7 below shows this postcode sector has been associated with relatively elevated levels of outstanding debt over the previous few quarters – both in absolute terms and in terms of the rate per household (an imperfect figure based on 2011 Census household data).

Figure 7 - Outstanding personal loans per household, AB32 6 Figure 6 - Total outstanding personal loans, AB32 6 postcode postcode sector & Aberdeenshire postcode sector average, sector & Aberdeenshire postcode sector average, 2013-18 2013-18 £12,000,000 £2,500

£10,000,000 £2,000

£8,000,000 £1,500 £6,000,000 £1,000 £4,000,000

£2,000,000 £500

Total Personal Loans Outstanding Loans Personal Total Outstanding Loans per Household per Loans Outstanding £0 £0

Q2 2016 Q2 Q2 2013 Q2 2013 Q4 2014 Q2 2014 Q4 2015 Q2 2015 Q4 2016 Q4 2017 Q2 2017 Q4 2018 Q2 2018 Q4

Q2 2013 Q2 Q2 2014 Q2 2014 Q4 2015 Q2 2015 Q4 2016 Q2 2016 Q4 2017 Q2 2017 Q4 2018 Q2 2018 Q4 2013 Q4

AB32 6 Postcode Sector Average Aberdeenshire Postcode Sector

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Both graphs demonstrate that personal debt levels have been decreasing since the peak loan period in Q1 2017 – perhaps an indication of ‘belt tightening’, or ‘reigning back’, after the worst of the oil slump. Nonetheless, in the AB32 6 postcode sector, collective loans outstanding are still above the pre-oil slump levels by almost £2m.

Ongoing work may assist policy makers in relation to this particular area of concern. Community Link Workers, for instance, will be introduced into GP practices as part of the Primary Care Improvement Plan. The Community Link Workers will provide advice and signposting to people presenting to their GP practice. It is anticipated that they will advise clients on a range of issues, including benefits and debt management.

Community Link Workers may therefore form part of the ‘intelligence picture’ in terms of determining the extent to which personal debt is a problem in the Westhill area. They may also prove to be a vital component in refining policy in this sphere should their experiences be documented on a periodic basis, especially during the early stages of their tenure.

• Westhill is less vulnerable to the consequences of Brexit compared to other areas in Aberdeenshire. The Scottish Government recently undertook a ‘Brexit Vulnerability’ study (Oct 2019). The research identifies areas of Scotland that are expected to be most vulnerable to the consequences of Brexit, and what drives those risks. It has been produced to support local authorities and other organisations in understanding local risks around the UK’s exit from the EU.

The Brexit Vulnerability study generally shows that all areas in Scotland are vulnerable but that rural areas are more vulnerable. Approximately 29% of Data Zones in Aberdeenshire are included in the most vulnerable 20%. That equates to 78,760 people, the 3rd highest in Scotland.

The general Westhill area fares a little better in that 1 of the 17 Data Zones fall within the most vulnerable 20%, with 9 in the 20% least vulnerable in Scotland.

The reason Westhill fares better than other areas in Scotland may be down to the various weightings used in the index. There are 8 themes on which the study is based. The overall score per Data Zone is weighted in favour of income deprivation (which is low in Westhill) and the proportion of the workforce in industries identified as being most exposed to Brexit7. Approximately 70% of the overall score is derived from these two themes.

In short, the most vulnerable Westhill-related Data Zones generally fall within the industrial estate and the rural areas that surround the town.

Data Zones in the north east of Westhill, i.e. to the north and east of Westhill Academy, are among the least vulnerable in Scotland. The vulnerability index and associated decile rankings are shown below in map and tabular form (Figure 8 and Table 2 respectively).

7 These industries include: Life Sciences, High Value Manufacturing, Chemicals; Logistics; Food, Drink, including Agriculture and Aquaculture: Creative Industries, including Digital; and Financial and Business Services.

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Figure 8 – Brexit Vulnerability Rankings, Westhill, 2019

Least vulnerable Data Zone

Approximately 600 people in Westhill reside in the 20% most vulnerable Data Zones in Scotland Most vulnerable Data Zone

Table 2 – Brexit Vulnerability ranking and decile categorisation per theme, Westhill Data Zones, 2019. Data Zones are listed from most to least vulnerable

Note on Deciles: 1 = Most Vulnerable Decile; 10 = Least Vulnerable Decile

Source: Scottish Government

An array of economic indicators per Intermediate Zone are found in the statistical section of this report (pages 44 to 62).

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CONNECTIVITY

• Aberdeenshire is officially geographically deprived. According to SIMD 2016, Aberdeenshire is among the most geographically deprived areas in Scotland, with approximately 46% of it’s Data Zones in the bottom quartile nationally.

• Drive times tell a more nuanced story. Geographic deprivation is based on journey times or drive times from a Data Zone’s central point to various key locations, e.g. GP surgeries, post office, retail centres, schools, etc. Drive times act as a proxy for geographical remoteness.

The actual drive times on which this SIMD indicator is based are tightly bunched, meaning a few seconds added to or subtracted from journey times can propel a Data Zone considerably up or down the national rankings. To illustrate this point, the average drive time for Data Zones in the least geographically deprived decile is 6.1 minutes. The average drive time for Data Zones in the most geographically deprived decile is 24.4 minutes – a difference of just 18.3 minutes.

• Westhill’s drive times paint a mixed picture. The closer the Data Zone is to the central- eastern portion of the town, the less time it takes to drive to various local amenities. Average drive times per Data Zone increase the farther they are from this general area. This is because a significant proportion of Westhill’s local amenities are found in Westhill’s central-eastern district (e.g. the main retail centre, the post office, and the Academy, etc). Average drive times in these Data Zones are among the 30% lowest in Scotland (green areas in the map below).

Conversely, average drive times in the more rural areas surrounding the town are among the 20% highest in the country (red areas in map below). However, the difference between the shortest and longest average drive time in Westhill equates to just 3.9 minutes.

Figure 8 – Average drive times to various local amenities, Westhill Data Figure 9 – Westhill Data Zones in a Zones ranked, SIMD 2016 Scottish context, SIMD 2016

Shortest Average Drive Time: 2.4 minutes Car Journey Times

Difference equates to only 3.9 minutes

Longest Average Drive Time: 6.3 minutes

Shortest Longest Source: Scottish Indices of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD 2016) Drive Drive Time Time

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The picture in relation to public transport journey times is similar to that of car drive times in that the areas (or Data Zones) may be ranked similarly from shortest to longest journey time.

Perhaps the starkest difference between the two datasets is the national context – Westhill Data Zones have a materially worse national ranking in relation to public transport journey times when compared to car drive times. This would suggest that residents in Westhill – particularly those in the more rural areas surrounding the town – are not as well served in terms of public transport journey times compared to their counterparts in most other areas in Scotland. Indeed, one of Westhill’s Data Zones (S010006931) ranks among the worst 1% in Scotland in terms of average journey times to various local amenities via public transport. This is generally a result of relatively long journey times to the nearest retail centre and GP Surgery.

The upshot is, residents in the most geographically deprived Data Zone in the general Westhill area could take approximately 27 minutes more to arrive at various local amenities via public transport compared to a resident in the least geographically deprived Data Zone.

Figure 10 – Average public transport journey times to various local Figure 11 – Westhill Data Zones in a amenities, Westhill Data Zones ranked, SIMD 2016 Scottish context, SIMD 2016

Shortest Average journey Public Transport time: 7.9 Journey Times minutes

Difference equates to 27.2 minutes

Longest average journey time: 35.1 minutes

Shortest Longest Only 59 Data Zones in Journey Journey Scotland (out of almost Time Time 7,000) have a higher average journey time

Source: Scottish Indices of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD 2016)

It should be borne in mind that geographic deprivation doesn’t necessarily translate into overall deprivation. Indeed, the opposite appears to be the case. There is a slight inverse relationship between geographic deprivation and overall deprivation. In other words, those in geographically deprived areas tend to be among the least deprived overall.

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• Aberdeenshire does not compare favourably to the rest of Scotland in terms of bus accessibility. It is possible to rank Data Zones based on their respective Bus Accessibility Score8. In terms of bus accessibility, Aberdeenshire generally compares poorly to Scotland as a whole, with the Central Belt claiming the highest (i.e. best) scores9. The highest average weekday score for a Data Zone in Scotland is 487.4 (Glasgow City Centre); the Scottish average is 23.5. Conversely, the highest score in Aberdeenshire is 40.6 (Peterhead Harbour), and the average score is 5.1. Only 4 local authorities in mainland Scotland recorded a lower average score.

• Aberdeenshire compares poorly to a group of peers. The situation as it pertains to bus accessibility is more or less unchanged when comparing Aberdeenshire to local authority areas that share similar urban/rural characteristics, that is, Aberdeenshire generally ranks poorly relative to these areas.

• Westhill bus accessibility is good in the context of Aberdeenshire but poor in the context of Scotland. Figure 12 below ranks each Data Zone in the general Westhill area according to their respective weekday bus accessibility score. Red areas denote zones with relatively poor accessibility scores, green denotes the opposite. The higher the score, the better.

Figure 12 – Bus accessibility: Data Zones within the general Westhill area ranked according to their respective weekday bus accessibility scores, 2017

KEY The areas with the highest (i.e. best) bus accessibility scores are located in this area – Relatively poor Relatively good the industrial estate and zones either side of bus accessibility bus accessibility Straik Road.

Source: Scottish Government

8 The Scottish Access to Bus Indicator (SABI) gives a score for the accessibility of bus services in each Data Zone and provides an objective measure of accessibility to public transport by bus in Scotland. The indicator provides separate scores for weekday and weekend services. The output areas are aggregated to Data Zones using a population weighted average. The Data Zones are then ordered by quintile and decile, from the least to the most accessible. 9 The Scottish Access to Bus Indicator (SABI) gives a score for the accessibility of bus services in each data zone and provides an objective measure of accessibility to public transport by bus in Scotland. The indicator provides separate scores for weekday and weekend services: the lower the score, the less accessible the bus service in that particular area.

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Although most Data Zones in Westhill exceed the Aberdeenshire average, the top-ranking areas fail to match the national average in terms of their respective bus accessibility score. Again, similar with public transport journey times, this suggests Westhill residents – and indeed most Aberdeenshire residents – are not as well served as residents elsewhere in Scotland in terms of bus accessibility.

The Bus Alliance recently noted some key problems and issues for the North East:

• Network coverage and the challenges faced by local authorities to ensure good access to public transport, particularly for those without access to a car.

The vast majority of Westhill householders do not appear to suffer from lack of access to private vehicles. Approximately 5.7% of households in the general Westhill area do not have access to a car or van, according to the 2011 Census. This is considerably lower than the Aberdeenshire average (14.3%). Indeed, a higher proportion of Westhill households have access to 3 or more cars compared to those with no access – 12.1% have access to 3 or more cars versus 5.7% with no access. The same cannot be said for Aberdeenshire as a whole. Therefore, it may be reasonably inferred that Westhill residents are, on the whole, well catered for in terms of access to private vehicles.

The map below (Figure 13) highlights areas where a greater proportion of households do not have access to a car within the context of Westhill. Red areas denote a relatively high proportion of households with no access to a car or van, green areas denote the opposite. The table provides the percentage figures per Data Zone.

Figure 13 – Ranking of Westhill households with no access to a car or van per Data Zones, 2011 Census

These areas contain a relatively high proportion of households with no access to a car or van within the context of Westhill – but only one area (S01006938) exceeds the Aberdeenshire average.

Source: 2011 Census

An innovative way of meeting the transport needs of rural communities needs to be considered but there are also issues within urban areas in terms of network coverage. Rural accessibility is something being considered as part of the development of the next Nestrans Regional Transport Strategy and will also be considered by Aberdeenshire Council when undertaking the proposed comprehensive ‘clean sheet’ review of the supported bus network. There is scope for this factor to feed into future discussions. (Westhill bus routes and bus stops are mapped in the Physical Assets section of the report.)

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• Access to key employment destinations outwith Aberdeen city centre by bus. The Bus Alliance also note a significant proportion of the region’s workforce work in areas outside the city centre which are more difficult to serve by bus. Edge of town and out-of-town locations also tend to have a plentiful supply of free parking which can undermine the viability of scheduled bus services.

• Unreliability of bus journey times. Although in many cases, punctuality (the measure monitored and enforced by the Scottish Traffic Commissioner) has improved, this has often been at the expense of journey times which have been lengthened to ensure compliance with the worst-case scenario.

Public Transport was given a rating of 2 (out of a possible rating of 7) in Westhill’s latest Place Standard report. This meant Public Transport in Westhill was ranked the 2nd worst out of the 14 elements listed. Some of the comments centred on the one-hour bus journey into Aberdeen and the fact that there was no express route. Partners have suggested such a route should be made available. It is probable a number of Westhill residents would welcome that development.

• Comparable journey times of bus and car. This arguably echoes the findings of the Westhill Place Standard report. The North East report noted that limited and/or fragmented bus priority means that journey times by bus have been deteriorating and are often not competitive to travelling by private car. The SIMD journey times described previously reinforces this conclusion.

• Comparable cost of bus and car. The availability of free and cheap parking means that the cost of bus travel is perceived as more expensive than travelling by car as people tend not to take account of costs associated with purchasing and running a car. This comparison is especially true for families or people travelling in groups where the cost of travelling by car can be significantly cheaper than by bus.

• Public bodies in the region have invested significantly in park and ride facilities which are under-utilised (Ellon Park and Ride being the exception). Kingswells, the nearest park and ride facility to Westhill, had an occupancy rate of just 21% in 2018.

Capacity, occupancy and the benefits of each main park and ride facility in the region are provided in Table 3 below:

Table 3 – Capacity, occupancy and benefits of the region’s main park and ride faciliies

Occupancy Benefits of Park & Ride

Site Capacity 2018 Estimated km Estimated Tonnes 2015 2016 2017 2018 Occupancy 'saved' per year Carbon 'save' per Rate (2018) year (2018) Bridge of Don 650 182 123 146 56 9% 209,664 0.032 Ellon 290 - 240 244 238 82% 2,746,224 0.418 Kingswells 915 118 103 213 189 21% 1,179,360 0.18 Craibstone 996 - - 14 7 1% 39,312 0.006 Total 2,737 - 466 617 490 18% 4,174,560 0.636

Source: Nestrans Monitoring Report and Aberdeenshire Council

A lack of bus priority on the routes serving the park and ride, relatively low levels of service frequency, a lack of consistency in information, branding and promotion as well as availability of free and cheap parking, all mean that park and ride is not the high quality, attractive option that it should be.

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Use of buses may be improved by observing and catering for travel to work patterns. A better picture will emerge once the next set of Census results are published. Currently, the most robust travel to work data is derived from the 2011 Census.

• Most residents in the general Westhill area travel at least 5km to their place of work, suggesting a large proportion of the working age population does not work within the town itself. There is a relatively weak negative correlation between the proportion of residents travelling more than 5km to work and the proportion of households earning less than £20k per annum. An inference could be made that householders with higher incomes tend to travel greater distances to work, and that those with lower incomes stay in the general Westhill area during typical working hours.

The Data Zones associated with the largest proportion of residents travelling more than 5km are shown as red in the map below (Figure 13).

Figure 13 – Ranking of percentage of people who work at least 5km from their home address, general Westhill area, 2011

Source: Census 2011

• The majority of Westhill residents work outwith the town. According to Census 2011 data, approximately 58% of Westhill residents work in Aberdeen City. Popular destinations include: Bucksburn North (e.g. Kirkhall Industrial Estate), Cove North (e.g. Altens / Tullos Industrial Estate), City Centre West, and Midstocket (which includes Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and Woodhill House, Aberdeenshire Council’s HQ).

Of the minority (17%) who both reside and work in the general Westhill area, most (56%) are likely to work in the Garlogie & Elrick area, followed by Westhill Central (38%). Given the industrial composition of Garlogie & Elrick, it is likely a number of Westhill residents who work here are employed in the energy sector. The Central Intermediate Zone is home to 3 primary schools, the Academy, the leisure centre, a hotel as well as the shopping centre. It is therefore feasible that, at the time of the last Census, a relatively large proportion of Westhill ‘resident workers’ were employed in the education, leisure, and retail sectors. Very few Westhill residents reported working in the Westhill North and South Intermediate Zone, likely due to the rural nature of these areas.

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• Westhill appears to attract workers from all corners of the North East. This is in contrast to the relatively restricted areas Westhill residents choose to work, which tends to be Aberdeen City and the surrounding areas.

• Aberdeen City residents account for a relatively large proportion of Westhill’s workforce. Approximately 44% of those travelling to Westhill in order to work reside in Aberdeen City. A large proportion of this contingent hail from Kingswells, Hazelhead, West End South, Ferryhill, and Culter. Together these 5 areas account for 11% of the in-migration of workers to Westhill, and almost a quarter of the Aberdeen City contingent.

Most of the Aberdeen City contingent (85%) travelled to the Garlogie & Elrick area of Westhill in order to work. Given the industrial composition of this particular Intermediate Zone, which includes various business parks, Enterprise Drive, etc., it is likely that a large proportion of them were employed in the energy sector.

As noted, a more contemporary look at travel to work patterns will be afforded by the next Census publication in 2021. It will be interesting to see how new working patterns will affect travel to work, including traffic congestion at peak times, especially in light of the new opportunities resulting from the ‘gig’ economy and advancements in digital technology.

Digital Technology

Digital technology is at the heart of daily life and continues to have an unprecedented impact on the wider economy.

Although the situation in Aberdeenshire has improved over recent years, digital coverage is inadequate for an ambitious, forward-thinking and business-friendly region10. Ultrafast broadband is virtually non-existent in Aberdeenshire and the North East generally, albeit a similar story may be said of most regions in Scotland.

Ultrafast broadband to mobile masts will likely improve mobile coverage, an important consideration in an increasingly mobile world – nearly 95% of adults in the UK own a mobile phone, smartphones have overtaken laptops as internet users’ device of choice, and there are now more mobile devices than people11.

The roll-out, quality, and coverage of 4G and 5G mobile phone services will be enhanced if the mobile network operators are able to access high bandwidth, ultrafast infrastructure, with 5G services being strongly reliant on fibre for delivery12.

Reliable digital infrastructure can reduce costs and enhance revenues for businesses, promote flexible and remote working, and has important inclusion impacts, presenting opportunities for those located in more remote locations.

World class digital infrastructure is also fundamental to the Aberdeen City Region Deal (CRD) in supporting the delivery of the objectives of the Oil and Gas Technology Centre and the export and internationalisation aspirations of the sector, as well as facilitating the effectiveness of the Hubs for Innovation in Life Sciences and Food and Drink13.

Plans to provide ultrafast connectivity for business premises should also lay the ‘vital spines’ for residential superfast connections in the Aberdeen CRD zone (effectively the Aberdeen Housing Market Area)14.

Failure to support the development of ultrafast infrastructure will likely result in a market failure situation. It will increase delivery costs for public bodies, inhibit business competitiveness, and diminish the attractiveness of Aberdeenshire as a place in which to live, work, and invest at regional, national, and international levels – critical elements to consider in what is increasingly a global economy15.

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• Westhill’s superfast broadband coverage may be described as generally good but uneven in parts. According to OFCOM data (2018), approximately 98.1% of properties in Garlogie & Elrick have access to superfast broadband. The corresponding figures for Westhill Central and Westhill North & South are 97.4% and 78.8% respectively. A greater proportion of properties in the northern portion of the general Westhill area have access to superfast broadband. This includes the whole of the town of Westhill. However, a couple of weak spots in Westhill have been identified, as per the map below (Figure 14).

Figure 14 – Superfast broadband coverage per Census output area, Westhill and enirons, 2018

Potential ‘weak spots’ in & around the Dawson Brae, Westhill Grange, and Hillside Lowest proportion of Way areas properties with access to superfast broadband are found in this general area (dark red)

Source: OFCOM (2018)

The quality, speed and extent of connectivity will be increasingly important factors in business and economic decisions in the future, including where companies decide to expand or locate new facilities. Digital service sectors have evolved along many different paths, but they have certain key attributes in common: adequate digital infrastructure, technology-literate end- users, technology talent with entrepreneurial spirit, and a friendly business environment (see Figure15 below), some of which may be influenced by local policy makers.

Figure 15 – Elements required for a healthy digital service sector

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PLACE

• Westhill is a thriving town located approximately 10km west of Aberdeen on the A944. It was planned as a new town during the 1960s and has expanded significantly since. The official settlement boundary – as determined by the National Records of Scotland – increased by 8% between 2011 and 2016, as Figure 15 below demonstrates.

Figure 15 – Westhill Settlement boundaries, 2011 compared to 2016

2011 Settlement Boundary

1.79 square miles

2016 Settlement Boundary

1.93 square miles

The settlement boundary increased from 1.79 square miles in 2011 to 1.93 square miles in 2016 – an increase of approximately 8%

Source: National Records of Scotland; Cadcorp mapping system

Defining features of the town are the town centre and the Arnhall Business Park, which is a focus for specialist subsea engineering businesses and is central to Westhill’s status as a global subsea centre of excellence. There is also a good network of open spaces within the town, including Arnhall Moss and Carnie Woods which are both particularly important features.

• Due to the relatively new and deliberate development of Westhill, the character and townscape are quite uniform and distinct. The town has no historic core, the overall settlement structure is atypical of other towns in Aberdeenshire and the style of residential development is rather consistent: small, curvilinear developments made up of cul-de-sacs and crescents dominated by bungalows and two-storey semi-detached and detached houses. The settlement has some open spaces and other green areas acting as buffers between housing developments, and clusters of employment uses exists somewhat independently to the south of the A944. Significant traffic congestion also remains an issue, particularly along Hay’s Way and around the shopping centre.

The latest Westhill Capacity Study16 identified a number of geographical, technical and infrastructure constraints that may inhibit Westhill’s future expansion. They have been categorised as either being an absolute constraint or a relative constraint.

• Absolute Constraints - issues which cannot be overcome due to cost or technical reasons within the next 20+ years and therefore require no further consideration; and • Relative Constraints – issues which present difficulties but which could be tolerated or resolved within reasonable limits of cost and timescales.

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Geographical Constraints

Topography (absolute constraint): Steep slopes at Berryhill and Kiers Hill constrain development opportunities to the north of Westhill, while Hill of Ord constrains potential development south of Westhill.

The town’s rural setting and current Green Belt boundaries (relative constraint). Within the context of a planning application, and depending on the nature of the proposed development, the Green Belt land which surrounds Westhill would be considered a relative constraint. The Aberdeen Green Belt was first established in 1958 and has largely remained in its present form since the last major review in 1986, although a technical review of Green Belt land in Aberdeenshire was most recently undertaken in 2010 during the early stages of preparation for the Aberdeenshire LDP 2012. This confirmed that land to the east of Westhill should remain within the Green Belt on the basis of the need to prevent coalescence between Westhill and Kingswells.

Partners have intimated that coalescence of Kirkton of Skene and Westhill should also be prevented. There remains a need to maintain the rural setting and individual sense of place associated with each settlement. The countryside between Kirkton of Skene and Westhill plays an important role in preventing coalescence. Protecting this area of countryside is therefore of particular importance, despite not forming part of the existing Green Belt.

The Proposed review of the Green Belt will consider the need and possible extent of a Green Belt around Westhill over the coming years.

Aberdeen City Boundary (relative constraint). Located approximately 0.5 km east of Westhill this political constraint does not itself prevent development from occurring south and east of Westhill. However, it limits the land area able to be planned by Aberdeenshire Council through its LDP. Any proposals to comprehensively develop land transcending the Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City Council boundaries would be likely to generate significant cross boundary impacts.

Infrastructure Constraints

The current alignment of the A944 (absolute constraint): this arterial route passes through central areas of Westhill in an east-west alignment and results in significant severance between housing land uses north of the A944, and predominantly employment land uses south of the A944. The land along either side of the A944 has been built on thereby restricting the opportunity to feasibly realign the A944.

Safeguarded areas for major gas and oil pipelines to the east and west of Westhill (absolute constraint): these restrict development activity within the consultation distances of the pipelines to the outer zone and constrain opportunities to create a coherent settlement structure which integrates new development into the existing settlement pattern. The BP Forties oil pipeline runs to the east of Westhill and has an overall consultation distance of 485 metres either side of it.

The natural gas pipeline Leuchars Moss to Craibstone runs to the west of Westhill and has an overall consultation distance of 150 metres either side of the pipeline.

The consultation zones around these oil and gas pipelines restrict the amount and type of development which can take place in specific locations around Westhill. To remove this constraint it would be necessary to explore the possibility of relaying the pipelines in thicker walled pipe, which may reduce the overall consultation distance. Relaying the pipes would entail considerable expense and interruption to the supply of materials from the North Sea. If this was considered a viable option then sufficient pipe would need to be replaced to take account of further future development of Westhill.

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Main electricity pylons to the west of Westhill (absolute constraint). Similar to the gas and oil pipelines, a corridor around electricity pylons is subject to development constraints, particularly in terms of residential development.

The lack of capacity in the existing local road network within Westhill (relative constraint). Congestion is a significant issue in Westhill, particularly along Hay’s Way and around the shopping centre.

These constraints, combined with the fact that the Aberdeen City and Shire Strategic Development Plan does not include Westhill within a Strategic Growth Area (SGA), means that development promoted through the Local Development Plan within the next few years is expected to focus primarily on meeting local needs and maintaining Westhill’s function as a successful employment centre.

Planning Objectives10:

• To maintain opportunities for employment. • To sustain community facilities and services.

Air Pollutants and Greenhouse Gases – Aberdeenshire CSN Areas

Air pollution may be dealt with in this section of the report as it forms part of ‘place’. Figure 16 below depicts CSN areas in the context of 27 different air pollutants11 12. It is based on modelled emissions data from the UK National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (2016). The areas are ranked based on emissions of the 27 air pollutants per square mile. The modelled emissions data suggest areas shaded dark red experience relatively elevated levels of the various pollutants; dark blue areas experience relatively low levels of the various pollutants per square mile.

Figure 16 – Ranking of modelled emissions data in respect of 27 air pollutants per Aberdeenshire CSN area, 2016

For their size, these areas tend to experience relatively elevated levels of air pollutants compared to other areas in Aberdeenshire. This includes Westhill.

Source: UK National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory; Cadcorp Mapping System

10 https://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/planning/plans-and-policies/ldp-2021/main-issues-report/ 11 Air emissions include: 1,3 Butadiene; Ammonia; Arsenic; Benzene; Benzo[a]Pyrene; Cadmium; Chromium; Carbon Minoxide; Carbon Dioxide as Carbon; Copper; Dioxins (PCDD/F); Hydrogen Chloride; Lead; Mercury; Methane; Nickel; Non Methane VOC; Nitrogen Oxides as NO2; Nitrous Oxide; PM10 (Particulate Matter < 10µm); PM2.5 (Particulate Matter < 2.5µm); PM1 (Particulate Matter < 1µm); PM0.1 (Particulate Matter < 0.1µm); Selenium; Sulphur Dioxide; Vanadium; Zinc. 12

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As the map shows, eastern areas of Aberdeenshire and those immediately to the west of Aberdeen City, tend to experience heightened levels of emissions relative to those situated some distance away from Aberdeen City. This will likely be due to relatively elevated levels of traffic in these areas as well as household and business density, coupled with their relatively small size.

It should be borne in mind that these rankings are in the context of Aberdeenshire and may not correlate with other areas in the UK. For example, an area the size of the general Peterhead area, which accounts for a large proportion of Aberdeenshire’s Carbon Dioxide emissions (the most significant of the 27 air pollutants), emits approximately 75% of the carbon dioxide as a similar sized area in Aberdeen City and about 20% of a similar sized area in the centre of London. To put it another way, an area in central London, similar in size to the general Peterhead area, emits approximately 5 times more carbon dioxide than the equivalent area in Peterhead.

Figure 17 below depicts modelled carbon dioxide emissions in the North East Scotland region (2016).

Figure 17 - Modelled Carbon Dioxide as Carbon (CO2) Emissions, North East of Scotland, 2016

Aberdeen City

Westhill

A90 Source: National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory

The size of the black dots relate to the emissions per metric ton of CO2 equivalent. The higher the figure (i.e. the more CO2 emissions), the larger the dot.

Unsurprisingly, CO2 emissions tend to increase around urban areas and major traffic routes.

• Within the Westhill CSN area, the town of Westhill tends to experience elevated levels of CO2 emissions relative to the surrounding region. Levels are also elevated along the A944, the main road connecting Westhill to Aberdeen City. Very approximate figures suggest

Page 36 of 67 the majority of CO2 emissions in the town of Westhill relate to road transport and combustion in commercial, residential and agricultural sectors (11% and 60% respectively).

Physical and Intangible Assets

Physical and intangible assets within the Westhill area may also be dealt with in this section of the report.

Physical and intangible assets within Westhill may be generally described as the town’s ‘urban fabric’. The urban fabric will be valued if it is meaningful to residents, workers and visitors for their security and quality of life. Harnessing the physical and intangible assets within communities should positively contribute to the physical, social and mental well-being and the personal development of residents, workers and visitors alike.

Pages 38 to 41 map a selection of Westhill’s physical assets. Pages 42-43 lists Westhill’s intangible assets.

The intangible assets section may require more work if it’s to be of value to policy makers. Details may need to be expanded, particularly in respect of how the identified intangible assets are important to Westhill, and how they may be harnessed to ‘positively contribute to the physical, social and mental well-being and the personal development of residents, workers and visitors alike’.

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Physical Assets

Council Asset Register 107 Aberdeenshire Council assets located in the vicinity of Westhill

There are approximately 107 assets on the council register located in, or in very close proximity to, the Westhill settlement boundary. A large proportion of Westhill’s assets are located in the Westhill Central Intermediate Zone (47%) and includes all schools and approximately 54% of all the social housing in the area.

Asset type Category Total In addition to a limited supply of Aberdeenshire Council 2 Apartment Unit Social Housing 37 owned homes, Westhill benefits from a Sheltered Housing 3 Apartment Unit Social Housing 29 Scheme, Blackhills Court. The Sheltered Housing Service is Business Centre Workshop Buildings 7 currently subject to a formal Review where consideration is 4 Apartment Unit Social Housing 4 being given to the wider benefits that schemes can provide School - Primary Schools 3 to local communities.

Recreation Park Land 2 Create Homes mid-market rental properties have also been Sports Pavilion Buildings 2 developed within Westhill, designed to fill a gap in the Community Education Centre Buildings 2 market in an area close to the city of Aberdeen. 20 New Cemetery / Graveyard Land 2 properties for Social rent and 24 properties for Mid-Market Hall Buildings 2 rent developed in 2015 and 2016 increased the supply of Proportion of each asset category relative to total assets on Swimming Pool Buildings 1 good quality affordable housing in Westhill. In addition to the Council Asset Register Site Land 1 this there have been 8 Low Cost Shared Equity properties Business Centre Office Offices 1 sold in Westhill in the past 5 years. Depot Buildings 1 Pre-MIR engagement was undertaken in 2017 as part of the Sports Centre Buildings 1 Social Local Development Plan. This found that outdoor facilities Garage / Site Buildings 1 do not meet the needs of the community, however indoor Housing Business Centre Office/Wkshop Offices 1 65% play areas were sufficient. The existing football pitches Business Centre Complex Buildings 1 need upgrading. All playparks in Westhill need to be Sheltered Housing Complex Buildings 1 reviewed to ensure they are of sufficient quality and service Library Buildings 1 the needs of residents. Not many facilities are provided to Sport Multi Purpose Land 1 the elderly. It may be possible to include an appropriate site Office Offices 1 for a community facility (gym and sport), for discussion as Commercial Premises Buildings 1 part of the main issues report. There was also a desire for Public Toilets Buildings 1 allotments.

Tennis Courts Land 1 There are 3 primary schools within the settlement boundary, Buildings Car Park Land 1 Crombie, Elrick and Westhill, with secondary education 21% School - Academy Schools 1 being provided at Westhill Academy. These schools are Total 107 Schools operating near capacity with little change forecast in the period to 2022. 4% Offices Land 3% 7% Westhill benefits from having a swimming pool and library.

There are coffee shops / cafés and restaurants within the town centre that act as meeting points for the local community.

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Important Buildings 12 ‘institutions’ account for 20 ‘important’ buildings covering approximately 24,000 square metres

There are approximately 20 separate buildings categorised as ‘important’ by the Ordnance Survey, 17 of which are located in the Westhill Central Intermediate Zone – generally the most ‘deprived’ in the context of Westhill but Name Buildings Area (m2) not so in the context of Aberdeenshire as a whole. Crombie Primary School 2 2,184 Elrick Primary School 2 2,405 A total of 12 ‘institutions’ account for the 20 buildings, most Kirkton House Nursing Home 1 1,121 of which relate to the education sector. Skene Parish Church 1 282 Trinity Church 1 780 Taken together, all 20 buildings cover an area of almost Library 2 3,336 24,000 square metres.

Post Office 1 737 Skene Parish Church is considered a site of regional Sports & Leisure Centre 1 331 importance. It is a B-Listed building. The earliest reference Police Station 1 290 to the church concerns 'Thomas Bisset', reader in 1574'. Westhill Academy 4 8,101 The bell in the new church is dedicated to the Church of Westhill Community Church 1 1,006 Skene and dated 1735. The present church was built in 180l Westhill Primary School & Library 3 3,116 in Gothic style. The site of the church is a C-Listed site. Total 20 23,690

It has been suggested that Westhill lacks ‘cultural offerings’. A dedicated or ‘pop-up’ arts space is a requirement. A number of locations were suggested, including the tennis court / bowling green club house and the public hall.

Greenspace 32 individual greenspace sites covering well over 500,000 square metres There are approximately 32 separate locations categorised as ‘greenspace’ within the general Westhill area, covering approximately 571,000 square metres (or 0.22 square miles). The largest greenspace site is the golf course which accounts for 68% of the total greenspace in the area, 2 Greenspace Function Area (m ) % of Total followed by playing fields and play spaces (15%), public Golf Course 389,829 68.2% parks or gardens (8%), and other sporting facilities (5%). Playing Field / Play Space 85,182 14.9% Public Park or Garden 44,065 7.7% A relatively large proportion of the greenspace falls just Other Sports Facility 26,754 4.7% outside the settlement boundary, but Westhill residents and Religious Grounds 16,543 2.9% workers are generally no more than 1km from a greenspace Cemetery 7,399 1.3% site. Bowling Green 1,870 0.3% Total 571,641 100.0% Urban green spaces such as domestic gardens, parks and woodlands provide a multitude of benefits to human urban populations, and a vital habitat for wildlife. By improving physical fitness and reducing depression, the presence of green spaces can enhance the health and wellbeing of people living and working in urbanised areas.

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Woodland Approximately 250 acres (0.39 square miles) of woodland in the vicinity of Westhill

Acres of Woodland in and around the vicinity of Westhill covers an area of Data Zone Name % of total approximately 250 acres (0.39 square miles). woodland Garlogie and Elrick - 01 14.0 5.6% Woodlands within the boundaries of towns can provide valuable Garlogie and Elrick - 02 3.2 1.3% habitats for many species of plants and animals and can be Garlogie and Elrick - 03 0.3 0.1% important in increasing urban biodiversity.

Garlogie and Elrick - 04 2.2 0.9% Some positive effects of managing urban woodland: Garlogie and Elrick - 05 1.0 0.4% Westhill Central - 02 3.0 1.2% • Urban woodland can be important in creating links between Westhill Central - 03 0.8 0.3% scattered areas of wooded habitat in the wider landscape, Westhill Central - 04 0.6 0.2% helping to reduce forest fragmentation and increase connectivity, which may be important in allowing the movement Westhill Central - 05 0.9 0.4% of some plant and animal species between woodland blocks. Westhill Central - 06 0.7 0.3% • Woodland habitats can give people the opportunity to interact Westhill North and South - 01 10.0 4.0% with wildlife in a natural setting, both in an informal way, and in Westhill North and South - 02 1.0 0.4% the promotion of more formal activities such as environmental Westhill North and South - 03 98.5 39.3% education. Westhill North and South - 04 9.7 3.9% Part of local nature • Urban woodland can be used to promote community conservation sites Westhill North and South - 05 5.0 2.0% involvement in the local area, from consultation through to Westhill North and South - 06 99.6 39.7% active engagement in habitat and species management.

Bus Stops and Bus Routes Westhill serviced by approximately 79 bus stops. Residents never more than 700m from a bus stop

Westhill is serviced by approximately 79 bus stops, of which 75 are ‘physical’ and 4 are ‘notional’. (Physical bus stops are denoted by red dots in the map, notional by blue dots.)

Residents and workers are never more than 700 metres away from their nearest bus stop – but they are generally much closer. On the Days Route Name Straik Road, for example, there is a bus stop every 200 metres or so on average, and on the Old Skene Road, a bus stop is positioned Oldmeldrum / Inverurie / Kemnay / Kintore Mon - Fri every 215 metres or so within the Westhill settlement boundary. / Westhill / Airport Mon - Sat Alford / Westhill / Aberdeen The bus routes generally cover a significant proportion of the town. Mon - Sun Aberdeen / Westhill / Echt They generally flow along the main arterial routes. There appears to be 4 main routes entering/exiting the Westhill area (see table). Fri + Sat Aberdeen / Westhill Nightbird Only one of these routes operate 7 days a week (Westhill to Aberdeen). Resiednts may welcome an express route to Aberdeen.

The quality of bus services needs to be considered before determining the true value of this asset to the town. Statistical data suggest journey times & bus accessibility are poor in the context of Scotland.

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Adopted Core Paths Over 12,000 metres (7.8 miles) of current and proposed core paths in the vicinity of Westhill

Length Name (metres) Westhill to Brimmond link 1,690 Gask Woodland Circular 1,098 There are a number of ‘core paths’ in the vicinity of Westhill. Westhill to Kingswells - Cycle Link 556 Relatively few encroach on the settlement area itself, but the outer Arnhall Moss Tecso Link 289 portion appears relatively well serviced. Arnhall Industrial Estate Cycle Path 672 Kirkton of Skene to Mason Lodge 1,415 Approximately 7.8 miles of core paths are visible in the map (left). Hill of Keir circular 640 Gask Circular Road Link 2,343 It has been suggested that a circular walking/cycling route around Arnhall Industrial Estate Peregrine Road Link 65 the town is an aspiration of the community and would fit with the Arnhall Moss LNR 510 health agenda. Kirkton of Skene to Westhill 1,223 Existing Core Path Hill of Keir circular 2,107 New Core Path Total 12,607 Proposed Core Path Road Car Parks & Road Network 44 miles of road in Westhill; 38 public car parks

Road Type Length (miles) Local Road 28.5 Minor Road 6.3 Restricted Local Access Road 3.4 The length of the road network in the Westhill Settlement area A Road 2.7 equates to approximately 44 miles. As the map demonstrates, the B Road 2.5 network covers the majority of the settlement area Local Access Road 0.4 The vast majority of the network (98%) is single carriageway. There Total 43.8 are 10 roundabouts in the area, 3 of which are on the settlement Name No. of Car Parks boundary itself. Business sites 12 Sporting sites 6 There are 38 public car parks in the general Westhill area (some of these are situated just outwith the settlement boundary). A large Education sites 6 proportion of the car parks are associated with business or Other 3 commercial sites. Parks 3

Hall 2 Anecdotal evidence suggests accessibility and parking facilities Cemetery / Graveyard 2 Library 1 Public car park (domestic properties excluded) Road Public Toilets 1 Sheltered Housing Complex 1 Depot 1 Total 38

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Intangible Assets

The list of intangible assets is incomplete. It is recommended that partners collate this information over the subsequent plan’s duration.

Workforce Assets From a CLD perspective there is one FTE Senior CLD worker with Community Development and ADP responsibilities. There are visiting Work With FTE Senior CLD worker with Community Young People CLD staff who run projects, mainly in the academy on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Adult Learning staff will run projects as capacity Development and ADP responsibilities allows but this has been impacted by retirement of 0.5 FTE Adult Learning worker based in Westhill community centre. Community-Based Assets Sensation-all No further info provided

Tenant Participation within Aberdeenshire Council is currently subject to formal review with a Report due to be considered by the Communities Committee on the 5th September 2019. A stated objective is to engage and empower tenants and service users within local communities using a wider Tenant Participation range of participatory methods. The new strategy should assist efforts to advance community participation, not just formal participation.

Aberdeenshire Council successfully manage a number of New Scots Tenancies in Westhill. WECC In terms of preparing the LDP, our main contact has been with the WECC. The status of the CC at this stage is not known. Westhill Community Council No further info provided Westhill Sports Hub No further info provided the group has met three times since December 2018 and had a speed networking event in September 2019 where all those involved in formal and Westhill Local Learning Community informal learning take part in a networking event to make connections and share ideas for future joint working. There may be value in making local Partnership (LLCP) councillors aware of the group’s activities. Westhill Library – Knit and Natter and Reading No further info provided Groups Gateway Art No further info provided Community clubs: gardening, golf, swimming, No further info provided tennis Westhill Walkers No further info provided Senior Citizens No further info provided Rotary Club No further info provided Bowling Club No further info provided Community Council Environment Group No further info provided Men and Women’s Shed No further info provided The Arnhal Moss Friends Group is said to work very well with council staff.

Arnhall Moss Friends Group Carnie Woods, although under the jurisdiction of Aberdeen City, is said to have an active group of local residents interested in it. It has been suggested that there may be value in both councils (Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City) working together with the group to the mutual benefit of all interested parties. Trinity, Westhill Community and Skene No further info provided Churches Air Cadets Ashdale Hall Boys Brigade

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Buddies (mental health support group) Citizens Advice Bureau Community Church Community Minibus First Responders Gardening Club Girl Guiding Girls Brigade JogScotland Westhill Lions Club Macmillan Cancer Support Photography Club Rotary Club Round Table Scouting SensationALL Skene and Trinity Church Westdyke Community Club Westhill & District Community Sports Hub Weshill & Elrick Community Council Westhill Open DoE Award Group Process Assets The ALDP contains a Settlement Statement for Westhill. The LDP is subject to extensive public engagement through a consultation on the Main Issues ALDP Report and again on a Proposed LDP. In preparing the next LDP (for 2021 and beyond) a Place Standard exercise was undertaken with WECC in late 2017 as part of pre-MIR engagement to identify key land use based issues for the community and what aspirations there might be looking ahead. CLD Self-Evaluation CLD Self-Evaluation for Westhill which sets out to measure ‘how good is the learning and development in this community?’ Garioch Health and Wellbeing group No further info provided Early Years Forum No further info provided Project Assets ALDP The LDP identifies land use allocations including opportunity sites for new development. Expansion of industrial areas / AWPR / Expansion of industrial areas continues but the most significant construction projects to affect the community are the recent opening of the AWPR and Kingsford stadium the under-construction Kingsford stadium Financial Assets Developer Obligations Developer obligations are available, however have been ear marked for a project.

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STATISTICAL DATASETS PER INTERMEDIATE ZONE & THEME

The following pages present a selection of statistical data per area and theme – 5 datasets per area

3 AREAS 5 DATASETS 1 1. Garlogie & Elrick Intermediate Zone

2. Westhill Central Intermediate Zone 1. Demographic Data 2. Health Data (1 of 2) 3. Westhill North & South Intermediate Zone 3. Health Data (2 of 2) 4. Economic Data (1 of 2) 5. Economic Data (2 of 2)

2 3

Westhill Settlement Boundary

4 5

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GARLOGIE & ELRICK INTERMEDIATE ZONE

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Demographics

Garlogie & Elrick Demographic Data Children (0-15yrs) Working Age (16-64yrs) Pensionable Age (65+ yrs) 898 (23%) 2,613 (67%) 417 (11%)

Map of Garlogie & Elrick (colours denote extent of population change: blue = large % Population per age group, Garlogie & Elrick Intermediate Zone, 2011-2018 (including population change) decrease) 800 Crombie Acres, etc. 700 Centre 600 500 400 Industrial Estate 300 200 100 0 0-9 10-19 20's 30's 40's 50's 60's 70's 80's 90+ 2011 630 526 383 693 684 428 271 127 50 5 2012 653 533 385 708 711 481 275 132 57 6 2013 658 535 408 692 730 491 289 145 53 11 Mackie Way, etc. 2014 659 532 411 677 734 504 304 150 54 9 Centre Carnie Drive, etc. 2015 620 515 413 644 715 520 315 160 57 10 Centre 2016 604 521 397 652 705 493 346 172 55 12 2017 598 532 374 656 683 519 350 186 62 9 Population change per Data Zone, 2011 and 2018 2018 567 528 387 625 652 547 352 197 63 10 The population in this general area increased between 2011 and 2018, from 3,797 to 3,928 – an increase of 119 3.5%. The increase is largely due to 4 81 70 13 5 a 35% increase in the Data Zone 2 covering the Carnie Crescent, + / - -63 -68 Burnland Park/Grove, and Mackie -32 Way areas. Population statistics suggest a relatively large number of 0-9 10-19 20's 30's 40's 50's 60's 70's 80's 90+ young families have settled here over the past few years. Age Group

Country of Birth Ethnicity Approximated Social Grade of HRP Number of births, 2014 to 2017 Summary • Rising population largely due to a 35% increase in the AB 34% south west portion of the IZ. • Fewer people in their 30’s and 40’s C1 37% 55 55 • The 50’s age group saw the greatest absolute increase C2 20% (+119) – an ageing population in some respects, but the area has highest proportion of children in Westhill DE 10% relative to the total population. 93.8% 94.1% 51 • An average of 53 births registered per year. born in UK White HRP = Household Reference Person • Vast majority of residents at thePage 2011 46 Census of 67 were 50 (Censu s 2011) (Census 2011) (Census 2011) white (94.1%) and born in the UK (93.8%); • Most residents (71%) classed in the upper social grades (AB and C1). 7.7% 93.5% Health Statistics – SIMD & Census proportion of people proportion of people whose day-to-day who rated their Garlogie & Elrick Health Data (1 of 2) activities are limited health as either a little or a lot ‘good’ or ‘very good’ (Census 2011) (Census 2011)

Map of Garlogie & Elrick Intermediate Zone (IZ) SIMD 2016 Health Domain Rank, Westhill Context

Projected Emergency Hospital Admissions (65+), Projected Mortality Rate Rate per 100,000 pop, 2006/07 to 2020/21 Rate per 100,000 pop, 2006/07 to 2020/21 Worst ranked Data Zone in Westhill 19,574 418 18,311 Aberdeenshire

335

Garlogie & Elrick 262

15,964 15,108

247

According to Census and SIMD data, this Intermediate Zone (IZ) may be considered the ‘healthiest’ in the context of Westhill and among the ‘healthiest in Aberdeenshire. It is interesting to note, however, that this IZ contains the best and worst comparatively ranked data zones in the context of Best ranked Data Zone Westhill – and both are located adjacent to one another, S01006944 being the best ranked & in Westhill S01006942 the worst ranked. The difference may be down to each area’s respective population characteristics. The data zone with the worst comparative ranking is home to a far larger proportion of people over the age of 65 than the best ranking area. Indeed, only 3% of the population in the best ranking area is over the age of 65, compared to 16% in the worst ranked area.

Most health deprived in Westhill Context The worse ranked area is also associated with relatively elevated levels of emergency hospital stays and hospital stays related to alcohol use when compared to the Aberdeenshire average – but that Least health deprived in Westhill Context particular data zone still compares favourably to the rest of Scotland.

SIMD 2016 Health Domain Indicators per Garlogie & Elrick Data Zone (compared to Aberdeenshire average)

SIMD Health Domain Indicator (Data Zones colour-coordinated with map) >> S01006941 S01006942 S01006943 S01006944 S01006945 Shire Average Health Domain Rank (see map for colour-coded rankings) (the higher, the better) 5,979 4,859 6,937 6,958 6,643 5,274 Comparative Illness Factor (Scotland = 100) (the lower, the better) 40 55 10 10 20 56 Emergency stays in hospital (Scotland = 100) (the lower, the better) 59.8 86.3 73.0 53.4 64.5 73.1 Hospital stays related to alcohol misuse (Scotland = 100 (the lower, the better)) 78.6 82.8 0.0 5.2 26.5 47.2 Hospital stays related to drug misuse (Scotland = 100 (the lower, the better)) 0.0 0.0 33.8 17.7 0.0 33.5 Proportion of live singleton births of low birth weight (the lower, the better) 0.0% 3.6% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 4.4% Proportion of population being prescribed drugs for anxiety, depression or psychosis 14.7% 14.2% 9.1% 8.2% 13.1% 14.0% Standardised Mortality Ratio (Scotland = 100) (the lower, the better) 75 66 18 53 75 82

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Health Statistics - ScotPHO

Garlogie & Elrick Health Data (2 of 2)

Relatively Relatively ‘Unhealthy’ Garlogie & Elrick’s position on the ‘Health Spectrum’ – Scottish & Aberdeenshire Context ‘Healthy’ 0 100

Latest ScotPHO data (derived from an average rank of 25 indicators) suggests there are relatively few Score: Score: healthier areas in Aberdeenshire than Garlogie & Elrick. With a score of 92, it is within the top 10% healthiest areas in Aberdeenshire. With a score of 78, the area is just outside the top 20% in Scotland. 78 92 Scottish Context: only 22% of Aberdeenshire Context: only IZs in Scotland have a better 8% of IZs in Aberdeenshire Selection of ScotPHO indicators, Garlogie & Elrick IZ compared to Aberdeenshire & Scotland (latest data) rank have a better rank

The table lists all the ScotPHO health-related indicators available at IZ level.

Indicators warranting closer scrutiny in this particular IZ may include those whose trends are deteriorating (indicated by red colours in the “IZ Trend” column.) These include:

• Proportion of babies exclusively breast fed • coronary heart disease; • patients hospitalised with asthma • Uptake of HPV vaccine in S3 girls

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Economic Indicators No. of people in receipt of state benefits Summary

(latest data) Garlogie & Elrick Economic Data (1 of 2) Households in this IZ are associated with high incomes – the 2nd highest in Aberdeenshire. The State Benefit No. average median household income equates to Personal Independent Payment 38 Rank of median household income, Westhill context (red = relatively low household income, green = high) £53,205. This is £2,119 less than the previous Disability Living Allowance 53 year. Approximately 15% of households in the Employment Support Allowance 51 area earn more than £100k, and 10% earn less State Pension 433 than £20k. Households with lower incomes are Universal Credit 26 likely to be found in data zone S01006941, Total 594 although the median income is over £43k and rising.

Latest data provides that 26 people are on IZ accounts for 23% of Universal Credit, 10 of which are in employment. benefits in the Westhill area There have been zero sanctions imposed.

Household income per income band, Garlogie & Elrick IZ & Aberdeenshire (2018)

Total Households: Total Households: Aberdeenshire Garlogie & Elrick 112,626 1,522

200K+ 0.1% 0.4% 15% of households in 180-200K 0.2% 0.4% this IZ earn more than 160-180K 0.4% 1.1% £100k 140-160K 0.8% 2.0% 120-140K 1.5% 3.3% 100-120K 3.8% 7.3% Household income per Data Zone (2018) IZ Incomes: 95-100K 0.8% 1.4% Data Zone Households Average Income Median Income Lower Quartile Income 90-95K 1.4% 2.5% Average: S01006941 257 £50,042 £43,559 £27,190 85-90K 1.9% 3.2% S01006942 377 £59,768 £52,224 £32,207 80-85K 2.1% 3.5% £60,650 S01006943 206 £74,717 £66,945 £44,465 75-80K 1.9% 3.0% (Shire: £44,174) S01006944 476 £60,389 £52,581 £32,101 70-75K 2.4% 3.7% S01006945 206 £58,334 £50,715 £31,401 65-70K 3.1% 3.7% Median: 60-65K 3.9% 5.3% 55-60K 4.2% 5.3% £53,205 50-55K 5.0% 6.0% (Shire: £36,220) Median household income score for the Garlogie & Elrick IZ, Aberdeenshire context (2018) 45-50K 5.1% 5.7% 40-45K 6.3% 6.5% Lower Quartile: Relatively low Band Income Household 35-40K 6.6% 6.2% £33,473 30-35K household income 7.7% 6.6% (Shire: £20,469) 0 Relatively 25-30K 8.0% 6.0% high 20-25K 8.4% 5.5% household 15-20K 8.9% 4.9% 10% of households in income 10-15K 8.0% 3.5% this IZ earn less than Approximately 550 children in 100 5-10K 5.8% 1.8% £20k receipt of child benefit award Garlogie & Elrick Score: 0-5K 1.5% 0.3% (Aug 2018), down from a 3- 98 year average of 577 nd (2 highest in Aberdeenshire) © CACI Limited 1996 - 2017 This report shall be used solely for academic, personal and/or non-commercial purposes. The applicable copyrightPage notices 49 ofcan 67 be found at https://www.caci.co.uk/copyrightnotices.pdf

Hours worked, Census 2011 Economic Indicators Part-time: 15 hours or less 131 33 Females Males

Garlogie & Elrick Economic Data (2 of 2) Part-time: 16 to 30 hours 340 42 Full-time: 31 to 48 hours 504 765 Full-time: 49 or more hours 289

People with no qualifications, Westhill context, Census 2011 (red = relatively high number) Approximate number of employees per broad industrial group, Garlogie & Elrick IZ, 2016-18

Arguably the main engine of Westhill’s economy, Garlogie & Elricks host the greatest number of enterprises and the greatest number of employees in the Westhill area. It is also home to some of the biggest enterprises in terms of turnover, with approximately 35 enterprises exceeding £1m.

Although the overall employee count reduced by 1% over the past few years, a couple of sectors have experienced significant employee growth, including ‘accomodation & food services’ (up Approximate number of enterprises per turnover band (£), Garlogie & Elrick IZ, 2016-18

833%). More concerning is the number of sectors experiencing relatively significant employee declines of 10% or more, including the ‘professional, scientific & technical’ sector. Engineering roles have reduced over the past few years, which explains the drop in this particular sector. Engineering was historically the dominant role in this area. A greater proportion of employees are now in roles that ‘support activities for petroleum and natural gas extraction’.

A relatively high proportion of residents were highly qualified and employed in a professional capacity at the last Census compared to those living elsewhere in Aberdeenshire.

Employees per occupation type, Census 2011 Employees per qualification & occupation type, Census 2011 % of employees per qualification type, Census 2011

No qualifications Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4+ Elementary occupations 136 28 35 38 17 18 No qualifications Process plant and machine operatives 5% 109 14 40 17 15 23 Level 1 Level 4 and Sales and customer service occupations 128 11 43 48 6 20 21% above Caring leisure and other service occupations 161 10 33 43 31 44 43% Skilled trades occupations 197 14 71 42 34 36 Administrative and secretarial occupations 317 11 117 76 57 56 Level 2 Associate professional and technical occupations 362 54 60 63 181 18% 498 25 41 418 Professional occupations Level 3 228 9 49 39 21 110 Managers directors and senior officials 13% Page 50 of 67

WESTHILL CENTRAL INTERMEDIATE ZONE

Page 51 of 67

Demographics

Westhill Central Demographic Data Children (0-15yrs) Working Age (16-64yrs) Pensionable Age (65+ yrs) 567 (15%) 2,347 (61%) 916 (24%)

Population per age group, Westhill Central Intermediate Zone, 2011-2018 (including Map of Westhill Central (colours denote extent of population change: blue = large % decrease) population change)

800 700 Academy 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 0-9 10-19 20's 30's 40's 50's 60's 70's 80's 90+ 2011 382 472 484 481 621 698 559 292 159 11 2012 379 459 507 476 599 698 564 295 181 22 2013 375 432 490 479 558 668 595 299 185 26 2014 372 401 462 491 551 621 634 312 191 27 Shopping Centre Leisure Centre 2015 390 391 430 462 534 617 632 345 187 30 2016 368 375 448 442 514 590 628 370 179 34 2017 367 350 444 431 494 573 613 402 181 33 Population change per Data Zone, 2011 and 2018 2018 358 350 397 454 479 559 597 422 182 32 The population in this general area fell between 2011 and 2018, from 4,159 to 3,830 – a 38 130 23 21 reduction of 7.9%. All Data + / - Zones in this area experienced -87 -24 -122 -27 -142 -139 a population decrease, with the two data zones in the central/eastern portion of the 0-9 10-19 20's 30's 40's 50's 60's 70's 80's 90+ settlement experiencing the greatest reductions overall. Age Group

Country of Birth Ethnicity Approximated Social Grade of HRP Number of births, 2014 to 2017 Summary • Falling population, especially in the central & eastern AB 28% portions of the IZ; 45 C1 40% • Fewer people under the age of 60. • The 70’s age group saw the greatest absolute increase C2 20% (+130). IZ has highest proportion of people of 32 pensionable age relative to total population in Westhill DE 12% 26 27 • An average of 33 births registered per year. 92.8% 95.9% • Vast majority of residents at the 2011 Census were born in UK White HRP = Household Reference Person white (95.9%) and born in the UKPage (92.8%); 52 of 67 (Censu s 2011) (Census 2011) (Census 2011) • Most residents (68%) classed in the upper social grades (AB and C1).

13.0% 90.2% Health Statistics – SIMD & Census proportion of people proportion of people whose day-to-day

who rated their activities are limited health as either Westhill Central Health Data (1 of 2) a little or a lot ‘good’ or ‘very good’ (Census 2011) (Census 2011)

Map of Westhill Central Intermediate Zone (IZ) SIMD 2016 Health Domain Rank, Westhill Context Projected Emergency Hospital Admissions (65+), Projected Mortality Rate Rate per 100,000 pop, 2006/07 to 2020/21 Rate per 100,000 pop, 2006/07 to 2020/21

24,829 436

Westhill Central

418 18,311 Aberdeenshire

335 19,574

15,741 223

According to Census and SIMD data, this Intermediate Zone (IZ), while comparing favourably to the rest of Aberdeenshire, may be considered the least ‘healthy’ in the context of Westhill (which is among the least health deprived areas in the country). The data zone with the ‘worst’ rank in Westhill in terms of the SIMD Health Domain is S01006938. This data zone, along with data zone S01006936, Shopping Centre contain a relatively high proportion of households earning less than £20k (see page 20). Leisure Centre This Data zone is also home to the highest proportion of people over the age of 65 compared to the other data zones in Westhill (28% are 65+ versus 16% for the other data zones in the general Westhill area). Indeed, this Intermediate Zone as a whole contains a disproportionate number of people of Most health deprived in Westhill Context pensionable age relative to other areas in Westhill. Therefore, it is more likely residents in this area Least health deprived in Westhill Context will appear less healthy than their counterparts elsewhere given that health tends to deteriorate as the population ages.

SIMD 2016 Health Domain Indicators per Westhill Central Data Zone (compared to Aberdeenshire average)

SIMD Health Domain Indicator (Data Zones colour-coordinated with map) >> S01006935 S01006936 S01006937 S01006938 S01006939 S01006940 Shire Average Health Domain Rank (see map for colour-coded rankings) (the higher, the better) 6,561 5,589 6,401 5,276 6,713 6,215 5,274 Comparative Illness Factor (Scotland = 100) (the lower, the better) 25 45 30 45 25 30 56 Emergency stays in hospital (Scotland = 100) (the lower, the better) 58.8 72.0 61.8 74.8 56.7 71.7 73.1 Hospital stays related to alcohol misuse (Scotland = 100 (the lower, the better)) 19.4 7.6 43.9 54.9 22.3 58.5 47.2 Hospital stays related to drug misuse (Scotland = 100 (the lower, the better)) 45.6 205.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 33.5 Proportion of live singleton births of low birth weight (the lower, the better) 4.8% 0.0% 7.7% 5.6% 0.0% 0.0% 4.4% Proportion of population being prescribed drugs for anxiety, depression or psychosis 13.8% 14.3% 13.3% 16.0% 14.8% 14.0% 14.0% Standardised Mortality Ratio (Scotland = 100) (the lower, the better) 58 88 65 81 36 56 82

Page 53 of 67

Health Statistics - ScotPHO

Westhill Central Health Data (2 of 2)

Relatively Westhill Central’s position on the ‘Health Spectrum’ – Scottish & Aberdeenshire Context Relatively ‘Unhealthy’ ‘Healthy’ 0 100

ScotPHO data generally reinforces the SIMD and Census data regarding the relative health of the Westhill Central Intermediate Zone. In short, latest ScotPHO data suggests residents in the area are relatively Score: Score: healthy compared to both Aberdeenshire and Scotland – but not as healthy as residents living elsewhere in the Westhill area. With a score of 68, it is just outside the top 30% healthiest areas in Aberdeenshire. With a 68 72 score of 72, the area is just inside the top 30% in Scotland. Aberdeenshire Context: 32% Scottish Context: 28% of of IZs in Aberdeenshire have a IZs in Scotland have a Selection of ScotPHO indicators, Westhill Central IZ compared to Aberdeenshire & Scotland (latest data) better rank better rank

The table lists all the ScotPHO health-related indicators available at IZ level.

Although this IZ contains a relatively large proportion of older people, the indicators that may require further analysis due to relatively mediocre rankings in the context of Scotland concern the younger age groups, These include:

• premature birth; • childhood obesity; • immunisation uptake; • exposure to 2nd hand smoke at 6-8 weeks.

Other issues include:

• alcohol-related hospital stays; • early deaths from coronary heart disease • maternal obesity

Page 54 of 67

Economic Indicators No. of people in receipt of state benefits Summary

(latest data) Westhill Central Economic Data (1 of 2) Households in this IZ generally have the lowest incomes in the Westhill area – but they are still State Benefit No. among the highest earners in Aberdeenshire. The Personal Independent Payment 39 Rank of median household income, Westhill context (red = relatively low household income, green = high average median household income equates to Disability Living Allowance 77 £45,727. This is £595 less than the previous year. Employment Support Allowance 46 Approximately 10% of households in the area earn State Pension 960 more than £100k, and 14% earn less than £20k. Universal Credit 20 Households with lower incomes are likely to be Total 1,144 found in data zones S01006938 and S01006936.

Latest data provides that 22 people are on Universal Credit, 14 of which are in employment. IZ accounts for 44% of There have been zero sanctions imposed. benefits in the Westhill area

Household income per income band, Westhill Central IZ & Aberdeenshire (2018)

Total Households: Total Households: Aberdeenshire Westhill Central 112,626 1,742

200K+ 0.1% 0.2% 10% of households in 180-200K 0.2% 0.2% this IZ earn more than 160-180K 0.4% 0.6% £100k 140-160K 0.8% 1.2% 120-140K 1.5% 2.2% 100-120K 3.8% 5.5% IZ Incomes: 95-100K 0.8% 1.1% 90-95K 1.4% 2.0% Household income per Data Zone (2018) Average: 85-90K 1.9% 2.6% Data Zone Households Average Income Median Income Lower Quartile Income 80-85K 2.1% 3.0% £52,675 S01006935 318 £54,010 £47,057 £29,204 75-80K 1.9% 2.6% (Shire: £44,174) S01006936 264 £50,263 £43,412 £26,755 70-75K 2.4% 3.3% S01006937 322 £51,105 £44,493 £28,043 65-70K 3.1% 4.1% Median: S01006938 238 £41,800 £34,894 £19,844 60-65K 3.9% 5.1% S01006939 232 £61,187 £54,063 £34,543 55-60K 4.2% 5.2% £45,727 S01006940 368 £57,687 £50,446 £31,213 50-55K 5.0% 6.1% (Shire: £36,220) 45-50K 5.1% 6.0% 40-45K 6.3% 7.0% Lower Quartile:

Median household income score for the Westhill Central IZ, Aberdeenshire context (2018) Band Income Household 35-40K 6.6% 6.9% £28,267 30-35K 7.7% 7.5% Relatively low Relatively high (Shire: £20,469) household income household income 25-30K 8.0% 7.1% 0 100 20-25K 8.4% 6.7% 15-20K 8.9% 6.2% 14% of households in 10-15K 8.0% 4.6% this IZ earn less than 5-10K 5.8% 2.6% £20k Approximately 475 children in 0-5K 1.5% 0.5% receipt of child benefit award Westhill Central Score: (Aug 2018), down from a 3- 76 © CACI Limited 1996 - 2017 This report shall be used solely for academic, year average of 507 (just outside Aberdeenshire’s top 25%) personal and/or non-commercial purposes. The applicable copyrightPage notices 55 ofcan 67 be found at https://www.caci.co.uk/copyrightnotices.pdf

Hours worked, Census 2011 Economic Indicators Part-time: 15 hours or less 142 61 Females Males Westhill Central Economic Data (2 of 2) Part-time: 16 to 30 hours 389 77 Full-time: 31 to 48 hours 579 849 Full-time: 49 or more hours 254

People with no qualifications, Westhill context, Census 2011 (red = relatively high proportion) Approximate number of employees per broad industrial group, Westhill Central IZ, 2016-18

Dominant sectors in this area include education, retail, health, and the various art/entertainment & recreation services (which include libraries, sports clubs, etc.). The retail sector has grown since 2015 but plateaued over the course of 2016-18. The education sector has remained Approximate number of enterprises per turnover band (£), Westhill Central IZ, 2016-18 steady with approximately 300 people employed in the sector. The accommodation & food sector has grown significantly over the course of 2018, as it has done in other parts of Westhill.

Enterprises are relatively small in this area, typically earning less than £200k per annum.

A large number of residents were employed in professional occupations at the last Census where they were more likely to hold a high vocational qualification. Approximately 7% had no qualifications. This is the highest figure in the context of Westhill. People with no qualifications were more likely to work in elementary occupations and as process plant & machine operatives.

Employees per occupation type, Census 2011 Employees per qualification & occupation type, Census 2011 % of employees per qualification type, Census 2011

No qualifications Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4+ Elementary occupations 166 31 57 43 18 17 No qualifications Process plant and machine operatives 124 29 43 17 13 22 7% Level 4 and Level 1 Sales and customer service occupations 193 21 65 58 21 28 above 21% Caring leisure and other service occupations 188 9 38 50 23 68 40% Skilled trades occupations 251 25 95 64 23 44 Administrative and secretarial occupations 360 23 106 92 72 67 Associate professional and technical occupations 386 16 54 72 76 168 Level 2 527 27 38 445 19% Professional occupations Level 3 Managers directors and senior officials 193 7 42 24 27 93 13% Page 56 of 67

WESTHILL NORTH & SOUTH INTERMEDIATE ZONE

Page 57 of 67

Demographics

Westhill North & South Demographic Data Children (0-15yrs) Working Age (16-64yrs) Pensionable Age (65+ yrs) 1,089 (21%) 3,264 (64%) 729 (14%)

Map of Westhill North & South (colours denote extent of population change: red = large % Population per age group, Westhill North & South Intermediate Zone, 2011-2018 increase) (including population change)

900 800 700 S01006934 S01006932 600 500 S01006929 400 300 200 100 S01006930 0 0-9 10-19 20's 30's 40's 50's 60's 70's 80's 90+ 2011 427 614 387 480 699 715 425 163 86 22 S01006931 2012 462 627 406 522 749 700 451 157 86 22 S01006933 2013 517 635 438 593 765 684 507 162 86 19 2014 582 638 457 620 777 693 546 171 99 22 2015 643 626 485 664 807 683 574 191 102 23 2016 710 637 497 665 813 705 605 193 118 26 2017 708 629 517 636 829 723 613 231 126 31 Population change per Data Zone, 2011 and 2018 The population in this general area 2018 715 627 518 645 807 717 612 277 121 43 increased between 2011 and 2018, from 4,018 to 5,082 – an increase of 26.5%. The increase is largely due 288 to an almost doubling of the population in the Data Zones to the + / - north of the settlement area 187 131 165 35 (including Broadshade). These Data 13 108 2 114 21 Zones are home to increasingly younger individuals, particularly in 0-9 10-19 20's 30's 40's 50's 60's 70's 80's 90+ the general Braodshade area (S01006932) Age Group

Country of Birth Ethnicity Approximated Social Grade of HRP Number of births, 2014 to 2017 Summary • Rising population largely due to large scale increases AB 39% in two Data Zones in the north of the town. 68 C1 35% • All age groups experienced an increase in population. Largest increases related to the 0-9 age group (+288). C2 16% 65 An extra 404 people in their 20’s, 30’s and 40’s are in this area relative to 2011 DE 10% • An average of 64 births registered per year. 96.7% • Vast majority of residents at the 2011 Census were 95.1% 61 61 born in UK White HRP = Household Reference Person white (96.7%) and born in the UKPage (95.1%); 58 of 67 (Censu s 2011) (Census 2011) (Census 2011) • Most residents (75%) classed in the upper social grades (AB and C1).

11.2% 92.1% Health Statistics – SIMD & Census proportion of people proportion of people

whose day-to-day who rated their Westhill North & South Health Data (1 of 2) activities are limited health as either a little or a lot ‘good’ or ‘very good’ (Census 2011) (Census 2011)

Map of Westhill North & South Intermediate Zone (IZ) SIMD 2016 Health Domain Rank, Westhill Context

Projected Emergency Hospital Admissions (65+), Projected Mortality Rate Rate per 100,000 pop, 2006/07 to 2020/21 Rate per 100,000 pop, 2006/07 to 2020/21

S01006932 475 S01006934 19,574

Aberdeenshire 18,311 S01006929 335

418 Westhill North & South 17,795 15,676 S01006930 173

S01006931 According to Census and SIMD data, this Intermediate Zone (IZ) may be considered the 2nd ‘healthiest’ in the S01006933 context of Westhill. It is also among the ‘healthiest in Aberdeenshire and, indeed, Scotland.

Data zones within this IZ generally rank highly in the context of Westhill. The ‘worst’ ranking Data Zone in this area (S01006934) is still among the least health deprived in Scotland. This Data Zone encompasses the more rural areas to the north of the settlement boundary. One possible reason why it has a worse ranking relative to others in Westhill may be due to the fact that a relatively high proportion of the population (18.5%) were prescribed medication for anxiety, depression or psychosis. And the current mortality ratio is relatively high but is expected to decrease significantly over time. Most health deprived in Westhill Context Emergency hospital admissions among the 65+ population is projected to be similar to Aberdeenshire’s rate Least health deprived in Westhill Context over the next few years. But whereas Aberdeenshire’s rate is expected to decrease, the rate for this IZ is expected to go up by 14% per 100,000 population by 2020/21 from the 200/07 baseline.

SIMD 2016 Health Domain Indicators per Westhill North & South Data Zone (compared to Aberdeenshire average)

SIMD Health Domain Indicator (Data Zones colour-coordinated with map) >>tor S01006929 S01006930 S01006931 S01006932 S01006933 S01006934 Shire Average Health Domain Rank (see map for colour-coded rankings) (the higher, the better) 6,366 6,648 6,686 6,847 6,750 5,720 5,274 Comparative Illness Factor (Scotland = 100) (the lower, the better) 45 20 30 10 25 35 56 Emergency stays in hospital (Scotland = 100) (the lower, the better) 56.5 69.6 57.9 83.1 57.9 75.2 73.1 Hospital stays related to alcohol misuse (Scotland = 100 (the lower, the better) 22.1 9.7 34.8 28.5 23.1 0.0 47.2 Hospital stays related to drug misuse (Scotland = 100 (the lower, the better) 0.0 0.0 0.0 21.4 0.0 0.0 33.5 Proportion of live singleton births of low birth weight (the lower, the better) 0.0% 3.4% 0.0% 6.3% 5.6% 4.8% 4.4% Proportion of population being prescribed drugs for anxiety, depression or psychosis 11.9% 13.8% 11.9% 7.4% 13.4% 18.5% 14.0% Standardised Mortality Ratio (Scotland = 100) (the lower, the better) 67 59 34 44 18 158 82

Page 59 of 67

Health Statistics - ScotPHO

Westhill North & South Health Data (2 of 2)

Relatively Relatively Westhill North & South’s position on the ‘Health Spectrum’ – Scottish & Aberdeenshire Context ‘Unhealthy’ ‘Healthy’ 0 100

Latest ScotPHO data (derived from an average rank of 25 indicators) suggests there are relatively few Score: Score: healthier areas in Aberdeenshire than Westhill North & South. With a score of 90, it is within the top 10% healthiest areas in Aberdeenshire. With a score of 77, the area is just outside the top 20% in Scotland. 77 90 Scottish Context: only 23% of Aberdeenshire Context: only 10% of IZs in Scotland have a better IZs in Aberdeenshire have a better rank rank Selection of ScotPHO indicators, Westhill North & South IZ compared to Aberdeenshire & Scotland (latest data)

The table lists all the ScotPHO health-related indicators available at IZ level.

Indicators warranting closer scrutiny may include those whose trends are deteriorating (indicated by red colours in the “IZ Trend” column.) These include:

• Childhood obesity and dental health; • Early deaths from cancer and coronary heart disease; • Patients (aged 65+) with multiple A&E hospital admissions

Page 60 of 67

Economic Indicators No. of people in receipt of state benefits Summary

(latest data) Westhill North & South Economic Data (1 of 2) Households in this IZ generally have the highest incomes in Aberdeenshire. The average median State Benefit No. household income equates to £55,378. This is Personal Independent Payment 43 Rank of median household income, Westhill context (red = relatively low household income, green = high £1,847 less than the previous year. Approximately Disability Living Allowance 59 16% of households in the area earn more than Employment Support Allowance 49 £100k, and 9% earn less than £20k. Households State Pension 684 with lower incomes are likely to be found in data Universal Credit 36 zones S01006931 and S01006934 (these are the Total 881 more rural areas to the north and south of the S01006932 town). S01006934 Latest data provides that 36 people are on S01006929 IZ accounts for 33% of Universal Credit, 22 of which are in employment. benefits in the Westhill area There have been zero sanctions imposed.

S01006930 Household income per income band, Westhill North & South IZ & Aberdeenshire (2018)

Total Households: Westhill North & Total Households: S01006931 Aberdeenshire 112,626 South 1,860 S01006933 200K+ 0.1% 0.4% 180-200K 0.2% 0.5% 16% of households in 160-180K 0.4% 1.3% this IZ earn more than 140-160K 0.8% 2.3% £100k 120-140K 1.5% 3.7% 100-120K 3.8% 8.1% IZ Incomes: 95-100K 0.8% 1.5% 90-95K 1.4% 2.7% Household income per Data Zone (2018) Average: 85-90K 1.9% 3.4% Data Zone Households Average Income Median Income Lower Quartile Income 80-85K 2.1% 3.7% £62,825 S01006929 287 £75,458 £67,500 £44,732 75-80K 1.9% 3.2% (Shire: £44,174) S01006930 365 £65,004 £57,587 £36,671 70-75K 2.4% 3.9% S01006931 159 £57,443 £49,931 £30,996 65-70K 3.1% 4.6% Median: S01006932 435 £63,204 £55,197 £34,056 60-65K 3.9% 5.5% S01006933 212 £59,116 £52,774 £34,025 55-60K 4.2% 5.4% £55,378 S01006934 402 £56,725 £49,282 £30,017 50-55K 5.0% 6.1% (Shire: £36,220) 45-50K 5.1% 5.7% Band Income Household Lower Quartile: Median household income score for the Westhill North & South IZ, Aberdeenshire context (2018) 40-45K 6.3% 6.4% 35-40K 6.6% 6.0% £35,083 Relatively low 30-35K 7.7% 6.2% (Shire: £20,469) household income 25-30K 8.0% 5.6% 0 Relatively 20-25K 8.4% 4.9% high 15-20K 8.9% 4.2% household 9% of households in 10-15K 8.0% 2.9% income this IZ earn less than 5-10K 5.8% 1.5% 100 £20k Approximately 565 children in 0-5K 1.5% 0.2% receipt of child benefit award Westhill North & South Score: (Aug 2018), up from a 3-year 100 © CACI Limited 1996 - 2017 This report shall be used solely for academic, average of 560 (Highest in Aberdeenshire) personal and/or non-commercial purposes. The applicable copyrightPage notices 61 ofcan 67 be found at https://www.caci.co.uk/copyrightnotices.pdf

Hours worked, Census 2011 Economic Indicators Part-time: 15 hours or less 176 62 Females Males Part-time: 16 to 30 hours 333 65 Intermediate Zone (IZ) Overview – Westhill North & South (2 of 2) Full-time: 31 to 48 hours 484 771 Full-time: 49 or more hours 320

People with no qualifications, Westhill context, Census 2011 (red = relatively high number) Approximate number of employees per broad industrial group, Westhill North & South IZ, 2016-18

S01006932 S01006934

S01006929

S01006930 S01006931

S01006933

The employee count in this area increased 20% between 2016 and 2018, although numbers dipped slightly in the last year for which data are available. Employee growth is largely due to increases in the dominant sector in this area – ‘mining, quarrying & utilities’. Roles involved in the extraction of crude petroleum increased considerably over the course of 2018. An increase in carpentry & Approximate number of enterprises per turnover band (£), Westhill North & South IZ, 2016-18 joinery roles have also helped to effect an increase in the ‘manufacturing’ sector.

There are a few enterprises with turnover of up to £1m but most enterprises turnover less than £200k. This area could be described as the secondary engine of Westhill’s economy in terms of employee numbers and enterprises, with Garlogie & Elrick being the main economic zone.

Residents in this area generally have the highest levels of vocational qualification in Westhill at the time of the last Census (2011). Approximately 45% attained a qualification at Level 4 and above, and only 5% had no qualifications.

Employees per occupation type, Census 2011 Employees per qualification & occupation type, Census 2011 % of employees per qualification type, Census 2011

No qualifications Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4+ Elementary occupations No qualifications 135 19 39 35 16 26 5% Process plant and machine operatives 119 17 40 22 15 25 Level 1 Sales and customer service occupations 164 10 49 64 21 20 Level 4 and 20% above Caring leisure and other service occupations 137 7 40 31 24 35 45% Skilled trades occupations 202 21 76 51 21 33 Administrative and secretarial occupations 303 15 90 74 45 79 Level 2 Associate professional and technical occupations 350 49 64 53 180 18% Professional occupations 582 26 43 486 Level 3 Managers directors and senior officials 263 12 44 30 45 132 12%

Page 62 of 67

GENERAL WESTHILL STATISTICS

Page 63 of 67

EDUCATION / TRAINING / QUALIFICATIONS

PUPIL ATTAINMENT PUPIL ATTENDANCE TRAINING / HIGHER EDUCATION QUALIFICATIONS

96% of Westhill Academy pupils 95.1% and 96.4% - the 1.7% of Westhill’s population absenteeism rates, and lower 33 – the index of working age people attained SCQF Level 4 Literacy & attendance rates for Westhill aged between 16 and 19 were not attaining pupils, tend to be over- in Westhill with no qualifications (SIMD in full time education, employment represented in the statistics. Numeracy in the 2017/18 exam cluster secondary and primary 2016). A reading lower than 100 diet. Although lower than the schools respectively. Elrick or training (SIMD 2016). This is Almost 12% of Westhill’s 17-21- signifies a lower (i.e. better) rate than previous year (98.5%), it’s Primary School had among the virtually half the Aberdeenshire year-old population entered Higher Scotland as a whole. Aberdeenshire’s significantly higher than the highest rates in Aberdeenshire. rate (3.5%). The rate was as high Education compared to 8% for equivalent figure was 79.5, meaning a equivalent rate for the virtual Westhill Academy’s attendance as 8% in a Westhill Central Data Aberdeenshire. This helped greater proportion of Westhill residents comparator, Aberdeenshire, as rate was the highest out of all Zone (S01006937). Looked After Westhill to a higher-than-average are technically qualified compared to well as Scotland as a whole. secondary schools in the Shire. Children and pupils with high ‘positive destination’ rate. those living elsewhere.

Attendance (2018/19) % of school leavers in a ‘positive destination’ % of Westhill Academy pupils with English as Additional Language (EAL) 98.6 96.5 Westhill Primary Schools WesthillAcademy 6.3% 94.5 97.0 96.4% 95.1% 96.4 93.4 Aberdeenshire – 4.9% Westhill Cluster has the greatest Aberdeenshire – 95.8% Aberdeenshire – 92.6% diversity of home languages in the Shire

2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 with 29 languages recorded.

Proportion of people aged 16-19 not in full time education, employment or training per Intermediate Curriculum for Excellence (2018) – Average % of Westhill Cluster pupils achieving CfE Zone (SIMD 2016) levels in English Reading, Writing, Literacy, & Numeracy: P1, P4, P7 and S3 The share of youth which are neither in employment Garlogie & Elrick nor in education or training in the youth population (the so-called “NEET rate”) is a relatively new The % of pupils achieving the Westhill Central P1 85.2 1.8% indicator, but one that is given increasing importance CfE level relevant for their stage P4 2.2% by international organisations and the media. The Reading 79.6 tended to be highest for popularity of the “NEET” concept is associated with P7 80.7 listening and talking and lowest its assumed potential to address a broad array of S3 100.0 for writing in primary stages. vulnerabilities among youth, touching on issues of Conversely, the % of pupils unemployment, early school leaving and labour achieving the relevant level for P1 76.2 market discouragement. These are all issues that listening and talking was arguably warrant attention as young people continue P4 76.6 Writing actually lowest for those in S3, to feel the aftermath of the economic crisis, P7 77.9 and highest for numeracy. particularly in advanced economies. S3 100.0 The % of pupils achieving the National research has found that the largest expected CfE level for their proportion of young people categorised as long-term P1 72.5 stage in each of the 4 topics NEET were at some point a Looked After Child. English P4 71.8 falls between P1 and P4 but Lower attaining pupils, and pupils with high Literacy P7 75.4 rises in P7. absenteeism rates, were also over-represented in the S3 100.0 figures. Nationally, for each of the topics listed, a higher proportion of Westhill’s NEET rate is relatively low in the context of P1 77.6 pupils living in the least deprived Aberdeenshire. Aberdeenshire’s rate is relatively low areas achieve the expected CfE Numeracy P4 77.7 in a Scottish context. Therefore, Westhill’s rate is P7 84.1 level compared to pupils from Westhill North & South among the lowest in the country. the most disadvantaged areas. 퐴 = 휋푟2 S3 100.0 1.2% The possibility of working with RSLs to support this Page 64 of 67 group of young people (should they be tenants) has been suggested by partners. Westhill’s Property Types Flats: 10% (12%) Semi-Detached: 32% (29%) (Aberdeenshire’s figures in brackets) HOUSING Terraced: 7% (12%) Detached: 52% (47%) OVERCROWDING DWELLINGS

3% of people in Westhill live in and have mental health 5,225 – the number of dwellings There are 7.9 dwellings per Unsurprisingly, relatively few households that are overcrowded problems. Overcrowding has a in Westhill’s three Intermediate hectare in the general Westhill dwellings in this area are (SIMD 2016). This is significantly lasting impact on a child’s health Zones (2017). The number of area, ranging from 14.9 in detached – 34% versus an lower than the respective rates for and wellbeing throughout their dwellings has remained relatively Westhill Central to 0.61 in the average of 52% for the general both Aberdeenshire and Scotland lives. Data Zone S01006944 has static since 2014 but has largely rural Westhill North & Westhill area. Over half (51%) of (6% and 11%). Children living in both a relatively high child increased by 3.6% over the South Intermediate Zone (IZ). the dwellings are either semi- poor or overcrowded conditions are population (30%) and a relatively previous few years. This is a Westhill Central is among the detached or terraced. more likely to suffer respiratory high proportion of people living in faster growth rate than most ‘densely packed’ IZs in problems, to be at risk of infections overcrowded properties (4%). Aberdeenshire as a whole. Aberdeenshire.

No. of Dwellings, Average House Price & Council Tax Bands per Intermediate Zone, Westhill (2017) SIMD Housing Indicators – Overcrowding / No Central Heating

Overcrowding / No Central Heating (Westhill IZs in a Scottish Context) Garlogie & Elrick Council Tax Bands 5,225 Westhill North Dwellings: 1,513 14% Band A-C Total dwellings in Westhill’s & South 36% Band D-E Garlogie & three Intermediate Zones Westhill House Prices: £247,000 50% Band F-G Central Elrick

Overcrowding Westhill Central Council Tax Bands

Dwellings: 1,795 20% Band A-C Poor Ranking Good Ranking 51% Band D-E House Prices: £217,000 28% Band F-G No central heating

There are 5,225 dwellings in the general Westhill area. Garlogie & Westhill Over 60% of them fall within the settlement boundary. Elrick Westhill North Central

& South Average house prices vary from £217,000 (Westhill Central) to £318,000 (Westhill North & South). The average house price in the Westhill area is over £260k. The SIMD 2016 Housing Domain is comprised of just two indicators– overcrowded properties and properties with no central heating. The The largest proportion of dwellings fall within Council “overcrowding” spectrum above (top chart) shows where each of Westhill’s Tax Bands F-G (46%). The proportion varies from 28% Intermediate zones lie in terms of the overcrowded properties indicator. (The in Westhill Central to 60% in Westhill North & South. farther left, the worse the ranking). Westhill Central has the poorest ranking – yet it still falls within the ‘best’ 20% in Scotland when Data Zone averages are taken into account. Westhill North & South Council Tax Bands

Dwellings: 1,917 10% Band A-C The “no central heating” spectrum above (bottom chart) ranks properties 30% Band D-E without central heating relative to all Intermediate Zones in Scotland. It House Prices: £318,000 60% Band F-G shows the IZs in reverse order in so far as Garlogie & Elrick is ranked the lowest, and Weshill Central the highest, in the context of Westhill generally. Nevertheless, all three IZs tend towards the ‘better’ end of the spectrum.

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OTHER SOCIAL DATA

CRIME OLDER, ONE-PERSON HOUSEHOLDS LONE PARENTS

7.5 crimes per 1,000 population 8.7% of the households in the or disability (2011). This is lower 4.2% - that’s Westhill’s share of the poverty than those in couple – Westhill’s average crime rate Westhill area contain one person than Aberdeenshire’s equivalent lone parent population in families. Approximately 74% of for 2017, ranging from 3.6 in over the age of 65 (Census 2011). figure (46.5%). Therefore, a Aberdeenshire (Census 2011). This single parent households have Westhill North & South to 9.5 in This is lower than the lesser proportion of Westhill’s is proportionate given that Westhill financial liabilities, according to Westhill Central. Westhill’s crime Aberdeenshire average of 11.7%. older residents are living alone, accounts for approximately 4.7% of national data; although average rate is less than half the The day-to-day activities of and a lesser proportion are Aberdeenshire’s total population. debt is smaller than couples with Aberdeenshire average (16.7). approximately 42% of those aged affected by long term health children, single parents are Westhill is a low crime area given over 65 in Westhill are limited due issues or disabilities relative to Children in single parent families are nearly twice as likely to consider its size and urban characteristics. to a long-term health problem their Aberdeenshire counterparts. twice at risk of living in relative the debt a heavy burden.

Crime rate per 1,000 population per Westhill Intermediate Zone, 2014-17 Fires in the general Westhill area per fire type, 2014/15 to 2018/19 Older, one-person households (65+)

12 8.7% 11 10 10 10 8

Breakdown of crimes & offences, Westhill Beat Area, 2014/15-2018/19 3 3 2 1 Sexual Offences Crimes of Aberdeenshire – 11.7% (2011) Other Crimes 4% Violence etc. Offences 8% 1% 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 Relating to Westhill’s share of Fire-Raising, Motor Vehicles Deliberate Fires Accidental Fires Aberdeenshire’s lone parent Malicious 28% population mischief etc. 10% Scottish Ambulance Service data – number of incidents attended, and number of incidents conveyed to hospital, AB32 post code sector, 2014/15 to 2018/19 4.2%

Crimes of Dishonesty Miscellaneous 572 564 577 481 503 24% Offences (2011) 25% 400 406 394 % of population living within Summary 357 358 500m of derelict site

Other social datasets suggest the general Westhill area is a low crime area with relatively few incidents of disorder. The Beat Area typically records 0.0% approximately 360 crimes & offences per year. (For context, Banchory records approximately 400 crimes & offences, Ellon and Inverurie – 1,000, and Fraserburgh and Peterhead – between 1,800 and 2,000 crimes & offences per year.) 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 Aberdeenshire – 9.2% Attended Incidents Conveyed to hospital (2017) Page 66 of 67

SOURCES

1 http://publications.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/dataset/faddec8b-f03e-45a2-9e6b- c7a8060ccd3f/resource/c03e9361-3cfa-437f-9734-ab3a3765517e/download/garioch-mir--- final-part-2.pdf 2 Infrastructure Services Plan 2017-2020, Aberdeenshire Council, February 2017 3 http://publications.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/dataset/faddec8b-f03e-45a2-9e6b- c7a8060ccd3f/resource/c03e9361-3cfa-437f-9734-ab3a3765517e/download/garioch-mir--- final-part-2.pdf 4 Regional Gross Value Added (GVA) by local authority in the UK, Office for National Statistics, March 2017 5https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/grossvalueaddedgva/bulletins/regionalgrossvalueaddedba lanceduk/1998to2016 6 Infrastructure Services Plan 2017-2020, Aberdeenshire Council, February 2017 7 Does Money Affect Children’s Outcomes? An Update, Cooper, K., Stewart, K., Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion, London School of Economics, 2017 8 SIMD 2016 9 https://www.ukfinance.org.uk/data-and-research/data/household-finance/personal-loans- within-uk-postcodes 10 Aberdeenshire Strategic Assessment, Aberdeenshire Council, 2018 11 https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-must-take-action-now-to-secure-our- connected-future-so-we-are-ready-for-5g-and-essential-services-are-genuinely-available- where-they-are-n 12 Report to Infrastructure Services Committee, City Region Deal – Digital Infrastructure, Aberdeenshire Council, 25 January 2018 13 Report to Infrastructure Services Committee, City Region Deal – Digital Infrastructure, Aberdeenshire Council, 25 January 2018 14 Report to Infrastructure Services Committee, City Region Deal – Digital Infrastructure, Aberdeenshire Council, 25 January 2018 15 Report to Infrastructure Services Committee, City Region Deal – Digital Infrastructure, Aberdeenshire Council, 25 January 2018 16 Update to the 2008 Westhill Capacity, Final Report, AMEC Environment & Infrastructure UK Limited, May 2014

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