I cannot believe it is only a week since the election count! And what a week it has been!

As well as council inductions where I had the chance to meet fellow councillors, staff and directors and generally get my bearings, I have been busy with local meetings.

At the Leisure Chairs meeting on Tuesday night, we spoke about how to take forward the feedback from the event held in March (see my previous post). There was lots of discussion about how to market the various leisure groups and how to get more volunteers involved as well to maximise funding opportunities.

Last night was the monthly meeting of Westhill & Elrick Community Council where a representative of the shopping centre owners talked about potential plans for improving the area. The W&ECC agendas are always packed with items of local interest and after being a member of this group for the last four years, I was reluctant to be leaving my post of Press & Communications Officer but look forward to helping in any way I can in my new role. I know whoever takes on the role will do a grand job. I was delighted to hear that four new volunteers agreed to join the group last night!

New casework hit my inbox pretty early on in the week so that has kept me busy too.

The best news of the week was that the Aberdeenshire Alliance has agreed in principle to form an administration in Aberdeenshire Council composed of Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Independent councillors. Martin Kitts-Hayes, Leader of the Lib Dem group said “Our purpose will be to maintain continuity and build on previous successes which have resulted in a well-run, progressive administration over the past five years”.