STONEHAVEN folk need to sort themselves out and run the beach toilets themselves if they want them open.
So decided today’s meeting of Aberdeenshire Council’s Business Services Committee, who were considering a petition from Molly’s Cafe owner Janice Langdon. She addressed the councillors clearly and eloquently, describing the difficulties she and her staff face thanks to desperate visitors.
They listened politely.
But it appears committee members had not read Mrs Langdon’s petition, which quite clearly states both our Community Council and the Stonehaven Town Partnership have considered running the facility – with both concluding they did not have the volunteer capacity to cope.
So it was frustrating to hear a main line of problem solving taken by some councillors which was to community efforts – as has been undertaken in Whitehills and Pennan where the council and community collaborate in their running and maintenance. Whitehills toilets are in their community hall. Pennan has a small block.
Neither community is a tier one tourism location in the Council’s own Tourism Infrastructure Development Plan: Stonehaven is.
Elected to represent
Stonehaven’s only ward councillor on the committee Mrs Sarah Dickinson was at pains to have it clearly stated the leisure centre amenities were designated as the public toilet provision for the north end of town, with the clear implication a need was being met. She noted and welcomed the Changing Places provision there.
With the tone of debate looking to a community solution, Mrs Dickinson did not flag this week’s functional collapse of our community council, or advocate to the frequently voiced feeling of volunteer exhaustion being felt in the town’s groups.
It was to other councillors, notably Cllr Catherine Victor, who represents North Kincardine, to fight Stonehaven’s corner and request action now.
She found some sympathy for the tourist pressures faced by Stonehaven- but at the same time there was utter ignorance of the town’s particular challenges.
One councillor suggested the area team should direct tour buses towards the best place to park – they clearly do not know our area team has failed to find a suitable coach park for the ever-increasing number of cruise ship parties etc with proposals for Baird Park recently shelved.
With no strong, local voice providing a better steer, the plug was pulled on the possibility of a report being commissioned to investigate the need and options. The committee agreed to merely note the petition along with a request that the area team work with our volunteers to seek a solution to the closed doors at our beach toilets.