FOVERAN COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER April 2015 Issue 140 The New Boardwalk FOVERAN COMMUNITY COUNCIL First of all I would like to put on record my thanks to Janet Jones, the editor of the newsletter who at short notice pulls all the advertising and articles together into the format to go to the printers. Thanks to the 1st Newburgh Scouts who have taken on the role of delivering in the majority of Newburgh, and to the others who deliver the newsletter to their communities, especially those who deliver up remote farm tracks. Keith Watson and Martin McKenzie put up the Newburgh lights on a really foul day with torrential rain so special thanks to them, and to John Duncan who provided the access platform for the work to be carried out. If you want to place an advert in future editions of the newsletter which is published three times a year then please contact me Foveran Community Council looks after the interest of the residents of Newburgh, Foveran, Udny Station and Cultercullen, and everything in between. With the publication of the corrected boundaries of the Foveran Community Council, the houses at Bridgend and to the West of Udny Station are no longer in our area, so this will be the last issue of the newsletter to them, however it can now be accessed after publication by anyone on https://foverannews.wordpress.com/electronic-news-letter/ We act as a focal point where you can bring to our attention matters that may concern you. Elected councillors from Aberdeenshire Council normally also attend our meetings which are open to all. Agenda’s for the meetings and minutes of the meetings are available on line at www.formartinecommunitycouncils.co.uk A list of community councillors and scheduled meeting dates is on the back page This newsletter would not be possible without the support of the companies who advertise in it, so please consider them when thinking of making a purchase. Gallowshill Sports Hub This is up and running and is available to all, not just the residents of Newburgh The ongoing three subjects that come up at every meeting are these, in no particular order Dog Fouling Litter Speeding Police Scotland are addressing the speeding concerns (and parking at school gates) Those who continue to foul with dog mess, or even worse, bag it then throw the bag away have no respect for the community they live in, or indeed their neighbours. You can report them to our area dog warden Jennifer Senior and she can be contacted on 01467 628195. Perhaps after a few residents have been fined, named, and shamed, then the dog fouling will stop. Aberdeenshire Litter Initiative (ALI) are always looking for volunteer litter pickers to keep our villages clean Newburgh Those who walk the beach and dunes at Newburgh will now see that the wooden boardwalk which was in a serious state of disrepair has been completely replaced by a brand new boardwalk manufactured from recycled plastic, which I am told should last 100 years. Grateful thanks are due to Aberdeenshire Council Outdoor Access Department for this project. They are now hoping to stop horses being ridden up the new boardwalk. The Bankers Bridge from Errol Place to the links has been closed as it is dangerous. Please do not climb over the fence to use it, or remove the fencing Aberdeenshire Council are considering options regarding its future, and have requested a further report as to refurbishment costs. As it is highly likely that the Community Council will be consulted, I need to see what resources we have available to conduct our own thoughts on the state of the bridge If you are a qualified Corrosion Engineer, Structural Engineer, or Civil Engineer and are willing to get involved then please contact me We have requested that the old tennis pavilion be removed and an area suitable for seats be laid in its place Finance was made availably by Aberdeenshire Council from the Developer Obligation funds for the upgrading of heating in the Church Hall, and to supply new goalposts for the Gallows Hill community Sports Hub, and also to replace the netting on the Multi Use games Area The reporter from the Scottish Government visited Knockhall Road to review the application by Scotia for housing, and his decision is anticipated mid to end March Foveran New 5 a side goals have been supplied and we are trying to get some additional grass seeding on the pitch The flooding at the A90 cannot be rectified at present due to the unsafe condition of the embankment. Planning permission has been given for the new Scotia houses, however they cannot be occupied till 2017 when the village will be bypassed and the A90 declassified as a trunk road. Udny Station It is hoped drainage work on the park will commence shortly, full planning permission has been granted for the old Muffin and Crumpet site, and there is the possibility of a new 40 mph speed limit from the B999. Glen Douglas. Secretary FOR OUR GUARANTEED ORDER IN ONLINE NOW AT BestCOAL DealAND OIL www.connon.co.uk • Place your order online • Get a quote at our GUARANTEED BEST PRICE • Prompt and FREE delivery • Servicing both the domestic and commercial market COAL & OIL Tipperty Industrial Estate, Tipperty, Aberdeenshire AB41 8LZ Trouble over Bridged Waters As most Newburgh residents will be aware by now, the North Bridge over the Foveran Burn was closed in mid-February because it was deemed to be in a dangerous condition. Councillors were asked at a meeting of the Formartine Area Committee in early March to recommend demolition of the bridge, on the grounds that it is thought to be beyond economic repair. However, the report presented to councillors didn’t give any costings for the works required to make the bridge safe again, or give much indication as to how successful any repairs were likely to be. In light of this, I was pleased that the Committee accepted my suggestion to postpone taking a decision until such time as we had a proper costing for any repairs. It’s only once we have this information that councillors and the community as a whole will be able to reach an informed view about how best to proceed. Quite understandably, there is anger with Aberdeenshire Council due to the lack of preventative maintenance carried out on the bridge over the past two decades. The priority now has to be to see just what level of commitment would be involved if the bridge could be repaired, and to get a management plan in place for the other bridges to make sure that they don’t fall into a similar state of disrepair at any point in the future. New Chief Executive In the last newsletter, I wrote a little about the ongoing search for a new Chief Executive for Aberdeenshire Council. I’m very pleased that following our recruitment process, we were able to appoint Jim Savege to the post. Jim, who has now taken up the post, joins Aberdeenshire from Cumbria County Council, where he was the Corporate Director for Environment and Community Services. I’m sure I speak for everyone in wishing him well in his new position. Speeding As a resident of Foveran, I’m all too aware of the tendency of some drivers to speed down the hill onto Blairythan Terrace or ‘put their foot down’ before they get out of the 30 mph zone. This lack of consideration for others’ safety is particularly worrying given the usually quiet nature of the street and the number of local children who cross it on their way to and from the playpark. I approached the local Police Inspector for Formartine to make him aware of these speeding issues and speed checks have now been carried out. Although no-one was caught speeding during those checks, the concern remains. For that reason, I’d urge anyone who sees someone driving at an inappropriate speed to take a note of the vehicle and registration number if possible so that it can be reported to the police. Foveran Playpark Following safety issues raised by residents, I’ve been concerned for some time with the state of the park fence and in particular with the fact that the gates were often left wedged open, making it possible for children to run from the park right out into the road. It was disappointing that when the new fence was installed, no consideration was given to moving the gates so that railings could be installed along the pavement to prevent this from happening. For that reason, I’m delighted to report that persistence here has paid off, and that we will later this year see new safety barriers installed inside the park fence. These should help to stop children from running directly out of the park and onto the road, even if a gate has been wedged open. Burns’ Night Once again, the Burns Season has come and gone. While I enjoy a good Burns’ Supper as much as anyone, given that I usually end up attending, performing or speaking at around half a dozen, it is always a relief to get to the end of January safe in the knowledge that I won’t have to look at another haggis until the same time next year! The highlight for me this year was once again attending and playing the fiddle at the Foveran Primary School Burns’ Supper, held in the village hall. Pupils of all ages came along with their parents and extended families to sing, dance and recite the Bard’s verses.