All Aberdeenshire academies celebrate a straight A student for first time in 10 years!

At least one student from all secondary schools in Aberdeenshire has achieved straight A Higher results, the first time this has happened in 10 years.

This morning around 9,000 students will be receiving their SQA exam results, either through the post or by text, email or online.

A total of 99 pupils will be celebrating straight A Higher results, the highest number in Aberdeenshire for a decade. Banchory Academy pupils have achieved the highest number of straight A students (22), followed by Westhill Academy (15), while Mackie Academy in Stonehaven and Meldrum Academy each have 12 straight-A students.

Around 2,600 pupils sat Higher exams in 36 different subjects, including English, Maths, Languages,, Science, Politics, Photography, Russian and Health & Food Technology.

Just under 3,000 students took 15,500 Standard Grade exams, in 26 subjects, while more than 4,000 pupils sat 8,000 Intermediate 1 and 2 qualifications in 44 subjects ranging from English and Maths to Managing Environmental Resources and Creative Cake Production.

The build-up to the Olympic Games in London may have started inspiring pupils early in the year, with 2012 seeing a rise in pass rates for PE exams.

Chair of Aberdeenshire Council’s Education, Learning & Leisure Committee, Cllr Isobel Davidson, said “For many students across Aberdeenshire, the grades they receive today come as the result of years of hard work and dedication throughout their school career.

“Not only must the achievements of thousands of students be recognised, but also the hard work of a network of parents, teachers, friends and support staff”.

Road Closure near Echt

Please note that due to carriageway resurfacing works to be carried out by Aberdeenshire Council it will be necessary for closure of the following road:

On the U140C from Garrick Burn to Scotstown Wood commencing 20th August for one week.

The alternative route is via B9119 to U137c Easter Echt, U138c.

Council’s Lifelong Learning and Leisure service seeks your views over the summer

Communities, families, groups and individuals are being asked for their views about the delivery and the future of important local services over the summer months.

Aberdeenshire Council’s Lifelong Learning and Leisure Service is currently undertaking one of its largest ever programmes of public engagement activity.

Staff are looking to speak to people face-to-face at events in the area throughout the summer, from July to September, and have already been out in communities.

Everyone of all ages is encouraged to tell them what they think about the future of learning and leisure in Aberdeenshire, with the branding: “Shout it out – we’re here to hear”.

Engagement activity will focus on a broad range of community services, including libraries, museums, sport and leisure, early years and community learning and development.

Chair of the council’s Education, Learning and Leisure Committee, councillor Isobel Davidson, said: “We want as many people as possible to make their views known, so that we can tailor the Service to meet the needs of local people now and into the future.

“People can make a real difference to how services are delivered and support the council’s vision to ensure communities are vibrant, equitable and economically sustainable.”

Vice chair, councillor Ron McKail, said: “This ambitious programme of engagement will help us have a clear and detailed understanding of what communities need and want from important community services over the coming years, so we hope people won’t be reluctant in coming forward.”

While visitors to local events in all six areas of Aberdeenshire are encouraged to speak to Aberdeenshire Council staff in person, the consultation is available online.

Staff will be in attendance at the following Aberdeenshire events (by area):

Banff and Buchan

July

Sat, July 28 and Sun, July 29
Banff Castle, Medieval festival

August

Thu 2 and 9
Under the Sea, Fraserburgh Lighthouse Museum am

Sat 11
The Marble Beach, Portsoy Harbour

Fri 17, Sat 18 and Sun 19
Fraserburgh Gala

Thu 23
Duff House, Outdoor Theatre

Buchan

July

Mon 23 – Sat 28
Peterhead Scottish week

Sat 28
Peterhead Farmers Market

Tue 31
Bushcraft, Aden Country Park 10.30am-3pm

August

Sat 4
Peterhead Farmers Market

Wed 8
Peterhead Rockpool rummage am

Sat 11
Peterhead Harbour Open Day

Sat 11 and Sun 12
Maud Railway Museum 12-4pm

Sun 19
Pipe Band/Highland Dancing Comp, Aden Country Park

Formartine

August

Wed 1
Woodland Wednesday, Haddo Country House 10.30am-4pm

Sat 4
Fyvie Live Music event

Sun 5 and Mon 6
Turriff Show

Wed 8
Ellon Flower Show

Woodland Wednesday, Haddo Country House 10.30am-4pm

Wed 15
Woodland Wednesday, Haddo Country House 10.30am-4pm

Garioch

July

Monday 30 July
Garioch Community Centre 10am to 3pm and 5pm to 7pm
Staff from Lifelong Learning and Leisure including arts, sports and community learning, will be on hand to speak to the public and assist them with the completion of the survey.

August

Sat 4
Four Crags Bennachie 9.30am
Wicker works, Bennachie 11-4pm

Wed 8
Fetternear Estate, Woodland Olympics am

Sat 11
FOCUS Inverurie
Drystone Dyking, Bennachie
Basketmaking, Bennachie 10am-4pm

Sun 12
Drystone Dyking, Bennachie

Tue 14
Millstone circular, Bennachie 6.30pm

Thu 16
Young Driver Roadshow Inverurie

Sat 18
Lourin Fair Old Rayne

Sat 25
Thainstone Show, Inverurie

Kincardine and Mearns

July

Sun 29
Stonehaven Car Boot Sales 8am-1pm

August

Wed 1
Mill of Benholm, Butterflies & Moths 10am-12

Sun 5
Stonehaven Car Boot Sales 8am-1pm

Thu 9
Get creative with Geology, Stonehaven 1-3pm

Sun 12, 19, 26
Stonehaven Car Boot Sales 8am-1pm

Marr

July

Sat 28
FOCUS Banchory

August

Sun 29
Jaguar Enthusiasts Car Club rally, Drum Castle

Thu 2
Walk in the Park Mar Lodge 7-8.30pm

Sat 4
Aboyne Games
Victoria Week, Ballater
FOCUS, Aboyne Green

Sun 5 – Sun 12
Victoria week Ballater

Thu 9
Ballater Highland Games
Walk in the Park Mar Lodge 7-8.30pm

Sat 11
Tarland Show

Sun 12
FOCUS, Victoria Hall Ballater

Mon 13
Summer Kart Racing League – Deeside Activity Park

Thu 16
Walk in the Park Mar Lodge 7-8.30pm

Sat 18
FOCUS Banchory Town Hall

Thu 23
Leith Hall, Huntly – Scotland’s Gardens Open Day
Walk in the Park Mar Lodge 7-8.30pm

Sat 25
Lonach Gathering
Night Flight Aberchirder 8.30pm

Thu 30
Walk in the Park Mar Lodge 7-8.30pm

Throughout summer

ALIS – Storytime, Rhymetime, Bookbug sessions
RANGER SERVICE – Activities at various sites and dates
MUSEUMS – various planned activities
ACTIVE SCHOOLS – Summer Programme
AFC Summer Holiday Programme
SWIM CENTRES – lessons, aquasplash, Rookie Lifeguarding
Macduff Aquarium

Tenant participation

This is the last section of the Local Housing Strategy consultation and I have picked a strand of what Aberdeenshire Council plan for Tenant Participation.

Procedures need to be developed to ensure that the views of applicants and other service users are also reflected in the housing service provision. There were 6,882 waiting list applicants at 31st March 2012, some of whom will be existing tenants or part of an existing tenant household. Applicants outwith these categories have not traditionally been consulted about aspects of the housing service other than about their application. The introduction of a Common Housing Register (Apply4Homes) provides an opportunity to engage with and hear the views of all housing applicants seeking accommodation in Aberdeenshire.

I think this is an important step by Aberdeenshire Council to listen to the views and needs of future tenants. This can only help shape service delivery and housing provision going forward.

Housing Management challenges

Aberdeenshire Council’s housing stock has reduced by 20% during the period 2002 to 2011 mainly due to Right to Buy sales with far more houses and larger properties being sold than flats and smaller properties. A small number of new build properties were completed during the same period.

There is an acute shortage of family sized housing (3 and 4 bedroom houses) and over the last few years the council has operated a downsizing grant scheme to encourage tenants who are under-occupying their houses to transfer to smaller properties in order to help meet the demand for larger houses.

The housing waiting list continues to increase and has almost doubled in the period from 2002 to 2011 when 7,084 applicants were on the list. Over the same period, homeless presentations have gone up from 1,107 to 1,722 whilst relet rates within Aberdeenshire Council stock has reduced from 1,583 to 1,019.

In recent years the percentage of allocations to homeless applicants has steadily increased in order to comply with the council’s statutory duties. Consequently, fewer properties were available for other housing applicants and tenants wishing to transfer.

As a landlord, the council has a major challenge in addressing anti-social behaviour. A substantial minority of complaints are difficult to completely resolve to the satisfaction of the complainant. In addition, there is an awareness issue as some tenants’ perception of the measures a council can take is unrealistic.

Some tenants’ expectations of a quick resolution to anti-social behaviour may be unrealistic. It is not always clear in disputes who is the ‘perpetrator’ and who is the ‘victim’. Disputes can involve protracted negotiation prior to reaching a settlement.

The Scottish Housing Quality Standard guidelines places a duty on social landlords to ensure that all properties satisfy a minimum level of quality (e.g. heating, insulation etc). Within mixed tenure blocks of flats, obtaining the agreement of other owners to carry out work and pay their share of the cost presents difficult challenges.

Social housing rented stock in Scotland is 595,000, of which Aberdeenshire’s share (council and RSLs) is 17,300 (2.9%). The percentage on housing benefit nationally is 65% (varying between 42% and 74%). In Aberdeenshire, the figure is 50%. For Aberdeenshire Council, 46% of rental income is met by housing benefit, which equates to £16,000,000. This is a vital source of income and clear challenges exist when Universal Credit comes into effect between 2013 and 2017. There will also be clear challenges to RSLs in Aberdeenshire where reliance in housing benefit ranges from 11% to 100%.

Grant scheme helps new Westhill company recruit first employee

A newly formed Westhill business that aims to solve water production issues in the oil and gas industry has added its first employee thanks to a scheme from Business Gateway funded by Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City Councils.

A grant of £1,000 alongside advice and support is available for businesses to take on their first employee through the Aberdeen City and Shire First Employee Grant Scheme and director of Greenthread Ltd, Ross Clarke, was glad of the assistance.

The 44 year old stays in Ellon and started his business after being immersed in the innovative environment of the oil service industry for over 20 years.

The extraction of oil and gas produces water as a by-product which has to be treated before disposal or re-use and Ross was driven to develop a new company with the ambition to solve this industry challenge through sustainable technology solutions.

He said: “I believe ‘produced water’ will be one of the major issues to overcome within the industry both at present and more so in the future. An opportunity arose to acquire a technology that addresses some specific water production issues, whilst at the same time is extremely environmentally friendly compared to comparative technologies and so a company was born.”

The company was formed in 2011 and was signposted to the first employee grant which Ross said was helpful as he found starting a technology company to be a cost heavy process.

He added: “New businesses shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help and advice as there are a great many support functions available through Business Gateway and Scottish Enterprise.”

New employee Andrew Henderson, 26, is a graduate from RGU and started at Greenthread in May. He said: “At the start of 2012 I was looking for a change in direction with my career as since graduating I had solely worked on designing and testing well completion products for the oil and gas industry.

“I wanted to work with new technologies and also get more involved with the project management side of engineering. However I didn’t want to stray too far from my old design engineering role as I enjoyed that part of my job the most.

“Working with a small technology driven start-up company provides the answer. I have new, exciting technology to learn about and work with and project management is now a major part of my role.

“The small work force means I still get to do plenty design work. I am really enjoying working at Greenthread.”

With its first employee now on board Greenthread Ltd has ambitious plans for the future.

The company aims to develop a pilot plant to target specific North Sea issues and create a suite of technology solutions to address all areas of produced water treatments to target global markets.

Chairman of Aberdeenshire Council’s Infrastructure Services Committee Councillor Peter Argyle said: “The growth of small companies must be nourished and I am delighted to hear of an innovative oil and gas company in Aberdeenshire being supported to expand with assistance from the Business Gateway as well as Scottish Enterprise.

“I encourage more people to consider applying for this worthwhile scheme as it is more than just a cash injection; it provides solid advice and support too.”

Businesses applying for assistance thought the Aberdeen City and Shire First Employee Grant Scheme will be asked to complete an application form and payment of the grant is in two stages with 50% up front when the employee is in place and the balance paid six months later.

Businesses must ensure that this is the first employee of the business and systems must be in place to deduct National Insurance and PAYE.

The employee must not be a partner or investor in the business and must work a minimum of 30 hours per week.

For a copy of the application form and more information please contact
Business Gateway Manager Sally Collinson on 01224 664771 or at
sally.collinson@aberdeenshire.gov.uk

Housing minority and ethnic communities

One of the key actions by Aberdeenshire Council to house minority and ethnic communities is:

Provide one well-maintained stopover site every two years that meets the needs of the Gypsy/Traveller Community and manage stopover and established sites effectively.

Unauthorised encampments:

Several locations are used by Gypsies/Travellers on a temporary basis, such as lay-bys. Many of the sites traditionally or previously used by Gypsies/Travellers are no longer available to them either due to the development of that site or barriers being put in place. This has resulted in Gypsies/Travellers using relatively few locations and for longer periods of time with quite often larger numbers of caravans present than in the past. The location chosen by Gypsies/Travellers is influenced by the type and extent of work available.

To date, no Gypsy/Traveller stopover sites have been developed in Scotland. The Scottish Government has yet to publish guidance ono the key elements necessary to design, develop and manage Gypsy/Traveller stopover sites.

The permanent site currently operated by Aberdeenshire Council in Banff is checked in February each year with any maintenance work carried out in March before the site opens for the summer season. Aberdeenshire Council is currently in discussions with Aberdeen City Council to develop and possibly expand the number of pitches currently run as stop-over pitches on Aberdeen City Council’s Clinterty Travelling Persons Site. Options are being explored in terms of providing a further stop-over site in North Aberdeenshire. This will also include the management of these stop-over pitches as well as those that may be developed in the future both at Clinterty and throughout Aberdeenshire including those sites detailed within the council’s Local Development Plan.