The latest Kincardine and Mearns Area Committee meeting was held on Tuesday 19th May at Viewmount. The agenda and supporting reports are available here, along with the recordings of the public part of the meeting.
The meeting opened with congratulations to Councillor Black, who was elected as Member of the Scottish Parliament for Angus North and Mearns in the recent election.
The reports presented and discussed were
· Gourdon School inspection report
· Johnshaven School inspection report
· Roads and Infrastructure programmes of work
Gourdon School inspection report
This report was presented by Gail Macfarlane, Acting Head Teacher. The inspection was carried out in March, and the school was graded as good for leadership of change; learning, teaching and assessment; and raising achievement and attainment, and as very good for ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion.
Councillors appreciated the positive report and congratulated all staff concerned. A few points were discussed around planned improvements and also links with the local community. Ms Macfarlane explained that the school aimed to “engender a sense of belonging to the village”, which would encourage pupils to respect their surroundings.
Johnshaven School inspection report
This report was presented by Alison Millard, Head Teacher. The inspection was carried out in February, and the school was graded as satisfactory for learning, teaching and assessment, and good for raising achievement and attainment.
Councillors thanked Ms Millard for the comprehensive report and her commitment to meeting the recommended areas for improvement. One area highlighted was outdoor learning, which comprises activities including lighting fires, den building, beach cleaning and the community orchard.
Roads and Infrastructure programmes of work
This report covered updates on work planned for 25/26, and proposed revenue spend for 26/27. The programme covers roads, lighting, drainage, harbours, flood management and bridges. There is a reduction in the overall budget of £83,000 for 26/27, hence the statement in the report:
3.17 The current level of funding for roads maintenance remains well below steady state levels and we continue to witness the managed decline of the road network.
The full report, and associated appendices A to N can be found here.
Councillor general comments and questions fell into three main areas, communication, prioritisation, and presentation of the figures. Communication with councillors, community councils and the public needs to improve, to ensure that expectations are clear. The second point identified was a lack of full understanding of exactly how priorities are set, although with an understanding that the list of planned work is dynamic and may change, for example following severe weather events, or a safety issue. Several councillors commented that finding information within the report, and comparing the two years, wasn’t easy.
Specific issues raised were concerns around the cutting down of lighting columns without replacement; the short time some pothole repairs lasted; and the lack of any planned work in Portlethen. A major concern was the Jubilee Bridge in Inverbervie. The bridge was completed in 1935 and is coming to the end of its life. There is ongoing consultancy work being undertaken to assess its strength and integrity, with the aim of extending its lifespan. Councillors emphasised how important it is to those travelling on the A92 coastal route, and highlighted the inconvenience the current traffic lights are causing at busy times.
The next meeting will be held on Tuesday 9th June.