Playpark Facilities on Potarch Green
It has been pointed out that the playpark facilities for young children on Potarch Green are extremely limited and we are looking to create a Justgiving fund with a view to improving what little is there, with climbing frame, see-saw, roundabout and whatever else people may find appropriate. Over the summer months the Green is extremely well-used and we feel sure that folk with children using the Green would be delighted to have more for the kids to do, and would be likely to contribute.
B2C2 Birse and Ballogie Community
Council Minutes Of Ordinary Meeting
10 October 2022, Birse Hall
1 Welcome and Apologies
Present were David Bracegirdle - Vice Chair (DB), Duncan Caird (DC), Jayne Reader - Chair (JR), David Williamson (DWil), and Sarah Wright - Secretary (SW).
Apologies were received from Helen Jackson (HJ), David Winton - Treasurer (DWin), Councillor Ann Ross (AR) and Councillor Yi-pei Chou Turvey.
2 Minutes of Previous Ordinary Meeting (1 August 2022)
The minutes of the 1 August 2022 Ordinary Meeting were approved with one minor amendment to item 3.3.
3 Police and Road Safety
3.1 A police report was issued on 7 October 2022, covering the period July to September 2022. This contained no particular issues of note.
The meeting discussed the high prevalence of cyber crime that the police are now having to deal with and the need for everyone to be vigilant.
3.2 Birsemore Traffic Signage:
Jonathan Kitching (Chair of the Aboyne Paths and Tracks Group) has been in discussion with AR regarding the potential for accidents on the U13M Birsemore/Oldyleiper loop road. There are differing views on this which Aberdeenshire Council will have to take into consideration.
AR has requested that all parties meet on site to discuss the matters raised by Mr Kitching so that there is an exact understanding of what is being requested. The planned erection of “Pedestrians” warning signs on the road in question will be put on hold until then.
AR is still awaiting receipt of a map specifying the Community’s preferred location and nature of new signage on the B976 which AR will then take forward to the Roads Department. ACTION: JR
Aberdeenshire Council’s Roads Department has offered to conduct a speed count on the B976 at Birsemore in November 2022. The meeting was fully supportive of this.
3.3 Cattie Burn Brig, Shooting Greens Road - Overgrown Foliage:
Aberdeenshire Council’s Roads Inspector arranged for some vegetation to be cut back near the Brig which should have helped visibility. The Senior Roads Engineer is arranging for the clearance to the overhanging trees to be measured. If the clearance isn’t sufficient, Aberdeenshire Council will take forward the process for having the trees cut back.
3.4 Potarch Road Issues:
Aberdeenshire Council’s Roads Engineer has agreed for a vehicle speed count to be installed between the Potarch cafe and Potarch Green in Spring/Summer 2023. This is a compromise and may be a way forward given that the Roads Department have declined having a lower speed limit from the A93 over the bridge to the B993 and past Potarch Green.
AR has also raised the question of visibility issues at the junction of the Potarch Bridge with the A93 and this is being investigated.
Aberdeenshire Council’s Roads Inspector will investigate hedges overhanging the road at Potarch. If necessary, landowners will be issued with notices from Aberdeenshire Council requesting them to cut the hedges back.
4 Planning:
Local planning applications: Since the 1 August 2022 B2C2 Ordinary meeting:
a) There has been one new planning application:
Application No - 2022/1786: Address - The Shannel, Ballogie: Application - Change of use, domestic log cabin to artists’ holiday let/ retreat: Expiry Date For Comment - 28/09/22 B2C2 did not comment.
b) No planning applications have been approved.
c) Applications currently active are:
Application No - 2022/0297: Address - Former Kennels, Home Farm, Ballogie: Application - Demolition of derelict building: Expiry Date For Comment 14/04/22 B2C2 did not comment.
Application No - 2022/0966: Address - Former Kennels, Home Farm, Ballogie: Application - Demolition of derelict building: Expiry Date For Comment 26/05/22 B2C2 did not comment.
5 Treasurer’s Report
DWin had prepared a Financial Statement showing a current credit balance of £7,088.89 at 30 September 2022. Since the 1 August 2022 Ordinary meeting, B2C2 has received emergency resilience funding of £5,000 from Scottish and Southern Energy Networks (SSEN). The only expenditure was £50 for B2C2’s annual use of Birse Hall.
6 Neighbourhood Watch
Per Ellie Flather (lead Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator), there are currently no specific Neighbourhood Watch concerns.
7 Ballogie Defibrillator Relocation
As the defibrillator cover was damaged during the move, B2C2 is still querying the invoiced cost for the associated electrical works. It is hoped to have this resolved by 31 October 2022, the deadline for works to be completed under the Marr Area Committee’s Small Grants Scheme (which is funding 50% of the cost). It was noted that the cover provides the defibrillator with insulation during the colder weather and it may need to be repaired to maintain the required insulation level.
8 B2C2 Emergency Resilience Plan
A third meeting of the Birse and Ballogie Emergency Resilience Planning Group took place on 4 October 2022. The meeting focussed on the steps necessary to strengthen the existing Neighbourhood Watch Scheme so that it can also be used for emergency resilience purposes. This will require additional Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinators to be recruited.
B2C2’s applications for £5,000 from SSEN’s Resilient Communities Fund and £750 from the Marr Area Partnership’s Initiative Grant Scheme were both successful. This funding will be used to purchase a range of emergency equipment and new noticeboards for the area.
Aberdeenshire Council will be receiving £1 million from SSEN to help build community resilience. Detailed information on how this money will be allocated to communities is not yet available, but the likelihood is that bids will have to be submitted to Aberdeenshire Council. This additional funding opportunity will be evaluated in due course.
The meeting discussed communication issues during the winter 2021/22 storms, specifically the loss of mobile phone services. It was agreed that having back-up generators at the local mobile phone masts could have made the networks more resilient and that B2C2 should push for that to happen. ACTION: JR
9 Potarch Green Facilities/Issues Over Summer Months
A productive meeting was held between AR, Council Officers and Alice Nicol w/c 3 October 2022 to discuss the matters highlighted at raised at B2C2’s 1 August 2022 Ordinary meeting:
- A funding application has been submitted for barbecue bins (post-meeting note: now approved).
- A discussion took place regarding the locked gates being unlocked by a group of people in camper vans and a potential solution found.
- A cleaner has been recruited for the portaloo.
- There was a discussion regarding locking the car park gate at night which is to be investigated.
- Extra signage is to be erected.
- Camping was discussed, including the difference between wild camping and ordinary camping. Aberdeenshire Council hope to produce a leaflet which Rangers would hand out next year to those camping on the Green.
- The Rangers will pick up any toilet tissue that is left lying around the Green.
- The Ranger is seasonal and will finish for 2022 shortly.
10 Fibre Broadband Deployment In B2C2 Area
DWil provided an update on work done to date regarding broadband coverage in the area, noting that Aberdeenshire Council’s Digital Engagement Team has been a good source of information. The Scottish Governments’s R100 programme has been created with the aim of ensuing every property in Scotland has access to super fast broadband. In the B2C2 area, 43 properties are due to be connected to full-fibre broadband under this programme but not until 2026. There are also subsidies available from both the UK and Scottish Governments for residents to obtain alternative broadband solutions. Currently local visibility of the R100 programme and the subsidies available is poor.
The meeting discussed other options, including Starlink satellite broadband and local line of sight broadband providers. DWil will continue to monitor developments in this area. 4G coverage is available along the Shooting Greens Road with download speeds varying from acceptable to very good (location dependent).
11 B2C2 Profile & Communication Channels
DB provided an update on the B2C2 website revamp. The current website template is based on Wordpress. That subscription ends on 6 November 2022 and will be replaced by ODOO which is much easier to update and maintain. The Scottish Tech Army has been very helpful to date and it was agreed to switch to their hosted website solution (£150 pa including technical support). The contract with the current hosted website provider (Siteground) will be cancelled.
Solutions to B2C2’s lack of visibility in the area were discussed, including use of additional social media platforms and the ongoing revamp of the B2C2 website. It was agreed that having an attractive and interesting website would be a good start but that this would need to be advertised. It was also agreed that it would be helpful to have an email distribution list. The meeting discussed possibly using the Neighbourhood Watch email distribution lists (giving residents the option to opt-out), however data protection issues may preclude that. JR will discuss this further with the lead Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator, Ellie Flather. ACTION: JR
12 Queen’s Green Canopy: Potarch Event
The commemorative tree planting as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy initiative will take place on 29 October 2022 at 10.30 hrs on Potarch Green. The event has been advertised via the Ballogie and Birse Community Associations, on the Ballogie and Aboyne bridge noticeboards and on the B2C2 Facebook page.
13 AOCB:
13.1 Household Waste & Recycling Centres: Aberdeenshire Council has announced that the booking system at the Banchory site will cease on 28 November 2022. This is initially being done on a trial basis until July 2023. Some other parts of Aberdeenshire will continue with the booking system, with bookings required on either 5 or 7 days a week (site-specific).
13.2 Bedding Plants: An order has been placed with Aberdeenshire Council for bedding plants for Summer 2023. Aberdeenshire Council is moving more towards herbaceous perennial flowers and wildflowers which will affect the number of bedding plants offered in future years.
14 Date of Next Meeting
Monday 12 December 2022 in Birse Hall, commencing at 19.30 hours.
Ordinary Meeting 10 October 2022
at 19.30 hrs Birse Hall
AGENDA
1. Welcome & apologies
2. Approve minutes of previous Ordinary Meeting (1 Aug 2022)
3. Police & road safety: - Police report - Birsemore traffic signage (item 3.2 & 3.3, 1 Aug 2022) - Cattie Burn Brig, overgrown foliage (item 3.4, 1 Aug 2022) - Potarch road issues (item 3.5, 1 Aug 2022) - Any other issues
4. Planning - local planning applications
5. Treasurer’s report 6. Neighbourhood watch
7. Ballogie defibrillator relocation - extension to funding deadline
8. B2C2 Emergency Resilience: - Feedback from 4 Oct 2022 planning group meeting
9. Potarch Green facilities/issues - status update
10. Fibre broadband deployment in B2C2 area (DWil)
11. B2C2 profile & communication channels: - Discussion on improving B2C2 visibility (JR/DWil) - B2C2 website: status update (DB)
12. Queens Green Canopy: Potarch event (HJ)
13. AOB
Queen’s Green Canopy: Potarch Event
The commemorative tree planting as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy initiative took place on 29 October 2022 at 10.30 hrs on Potarch Green.
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