CHAIRMAN’S REPORT FROM
APRIL 2003 TO MARCH 2004
This
is my second
Report as Chairman of Stonehaven & District Community Council, and
again it
has been an eventful year.
We
started last
year with twelve members, which is the minimum we should have and in
fact
because we lost one or two others over the next couple of months. This involved us with co-opting members and
after a recruitment drive we held a bye-election. This
brought our numbers up to the maximum of twenty for the
first time. Since then however, four
members have resigned for personal reasons.
In February 2004, we held the biennial election and our numbers
are now
at seventeen, including two new members, whom we warmly welcome. This is a good level of membership, but we
should try to get to the maximum, if possible.
There have been other people who have shown an interest, but
cannot make
the commitment at present, but hopefully will be candidates for the
future.
Last
year Scottish
Water capitulated under our pressure and public opinion, and they
withdrew
their Planning Application for the Screening Plant at the Backies Site. However, this success was turned into
further annoyance as Scottish Water decided to put the Screening Plant
at
Cowie. Together, the Community Council
with CRAG agreed to join forces, and attempt to get the Screening Plant
re-sited at the Den of Logie, well away from any residential
settlements. This is still an on-going
situation, and is
the subject of a Planning Application in February 2004.
In
April 2003, the
Chairman attended the TS Carron Headquarters for an inspection, as the
Community Council’s representative.
The
Stonehaven
Community Raising Awareness and Pride (SCRAP) Committee have carried
out a very
full programme of improvements to the Square and to the Burns Memorial
Garden. They have done very good working
conjunction with Aberdeenshire Council and the Stonehaven Business
Association
and other groups. However, from this a
new group was formed - “The Stonehaven Horizon Project” and
it was agreed that
the SCRAP Committee would cease and its members would be committee
members of
the new Project, together with many other voluntary groups in
Stonehaven. The Stonehaven Horizon Project
has as its
main objectives to enter Stonehaven in the Scotland in Bloom
Competition, in
the next year or two, and to improve the appearance of the Town under
Aberdeenshire Council’s Civic Pride Initiative.
A
tribute was paid
to Councillor Harrison McLean in April 2003 on his retirement due to
health
problems, from the Local Council following nineteen year’s
service.
The
Community
Council’s Directory Card has proved to be very successful and
useful, and is
now in its second year.
The
Community
Council’s Chairman and Secretary have tried to get a dedicated
space with our
Coat of Arms in the Leader, for reporting the main points of our
Meetings. So far the Editor has resisted
this, but we
intend to keep the pressure up to achieve this service for the people
of
Stonehaven.
The
Chairman
suggested that a Committee be set up to deal with Planning Matters, as
this is
becoming more onerous, and this has now been established.
The
Chairman has
proposed that the Community Council formulates a Master Plan for the
future of
Stonehaven, so that future housing developments and other improvements
can be
carried out to the Town in a controlled, structured and efficient
manner
instead of the haphazard method at present.
This would also ensure that Planning errors did not happen by
default,
and ensure the well-being of our Town.
The
Chairman was
invited to attend the Centenary of the Reconstruction of Dunnottar
Parish
Church, as community Council representative.
The celebrations were extremely well carried out.
Stonehaven
&
District Community Council has proposed to Aberdeenshire Council that
membership of the Community Council should be made available to include
young
people, from the age of sixteen years.
The Council is still considering this.
The
Chairman
attended a seminar in July on Action for Market Towns, organised by the
Aberdeenshire Towns Partnership programme.
The
SCRAP
Committee ran a very successful Poster Competition for school children,
with
the theme of keeping Stonehaven tidy.
The
Newsletter
Committee provided a quiz for all people in the Town, and this had an
excellent
response and raised funds for the Community Council.
In
October 2003,
the Chairman donated a hand carved oak lectern, with past
chairmen’s names, to
Stonehaven & District Community Council.
The
front
elevation of the Town Hall was totally refurbished to a high standard
in the
summer of 2003, by Aberdeenshire Council, but the lease arrangements
have still
not been finalised, thus preventing any improvements being discussed.
Towards
the end of
2003, a new Committee was formed to look at the formation of a Youth
Award
Scheme in Stonehaven.
In
December the
chairman was invited to give a talk to the eight to ten year old pupils
at
Arduthie Primary School. The subject
being what the Community Council is about, and there were many very
good
questions asked by the pupils who were very interested in the subject,
and
afterwards each pupil wrote a letter of thanks to me.
In
January 2004,
it was announced that Stonehaven was the home of the oldest and first
land-living animal in the world. The
fossil was found at Cowie, and is 420 million years old - even older
than some
Community Councillors!
Training
for
Community Councillors was started by Aberdeenshire Council, in February
2004
and was well attended.
Throughout
the
year, there have been many Planning matters dealt with by the new
Committee.
Finally,
I would
like to thank my office bearers for their hard work and to all
Community
Councillors, past and present, for their continued support. Also, all our thanks to the Staff of the
Invercarron Resource Centre, for their unfailing help and hard work. I look forward to another successful year
for Stonehaven & District Community Council.
Derek
R Stewart
Chairman
March
2004