Community action planning is a process to establish the needs and aspirations of local people to improve services and facilities within their own community.

This is still a developing process but it has great potential to enable communities to take ownership of issues and get something done about them, and also to support and coordinate developments.

It also enables them to complement and inform the planning that statutory agencies undertake.

Making it Real in Newtonhill

On Saturday 4^th June the Bettridge Centre in Newtonhill hosted Making it Real in Newtonhill.  The event, organised jointly by Newtonhill, Muchalls and Cammachmore Community Council and the Kincardine & Mearns Area Partnership (KMAP), proved to be an even greater draw then the highly successful Planning for Real event held in May 2009.  During the day over 430 people visited the event.  The event also attracted our local MSP, Maureen Watt and three of our local councillors, Ian Mollison, Carl Nelson and Paul Melling were present for most of the day.

The model of the village made by local children in 2009 was on display in the centre of the hall and the climbing wall also made a very popular return.  This year the organisers invited several other local groups and businesses to join them.  Making it Real organiser and KMAP representative, Diane Collinson, said that it is vital to involve community groups in events such as this.  There are people keen to volunteer in the community and opportunities too.  We would like to bring them together in a Newtonhill Network.

The event was organised primarily to report back to the community on the progress made on the suggestions provided by local residents at Planning for Real and to ask the community for further input on the topics where they consider action is needed.  Residents were able to find out the progress being made on their four main priorities: the campaign to reopen Newtonhill Station, the provision of a pedestrian crossing in Newtonhill Road, the refurbishment of the tennis courts and the new initiative to tackle dog mess.

The campaign to reopen Newtonhill Station is growing in strength with local residents, the Community Council and local Councillors all pushing for the same result.  Newtonhill needs a frequent peak-time rail service with additional trains throughout the day.

The launch of the Clean Dog Walking campaign was a huge success.  Newtonhill residents collected dog walking kits consisting of an arm band and a supply of dog bags.  This will enable them to offer a dog bag to those who have forgotten one.  Several residents said that they welcomed the scheme so that they can demonstrate that they are clean dog walkers and help keep our community clean.  With most kits having been handed out at the event the organisers will be asking the Aberdeenshire Community Planning Group for some more.  Kits will be available, free of charge, at the Bettridge Centre.

The main topic of conversation at the event was the proposed Gypsy/Traveller halting site planned to be built opposite Tesco.  Many residents expressed feeling that the proposed site was too close to existing housing in Newtonhill and would only serve to encourage others to set up illegal encampments in Newtonhill itself.  Local resident, Torcuill Torrance, brought along a petition for local residents to sign.  Along with the online petition, there are now nearly 700 signatures.  The Community Council recognises that the issue is complex and that authorised sites need to be established as the Gypsy/Traveller community continue to find employment in the area, for example refurbishing driveways.  Making it Real organiser and Vice Chairman of the Community Council, Michael Morgan, said that Aberdeenshire Council must listen to the concerns of the settled community and drop this proposal.

The Elsick Development Company had a large display to continue to keep the community informed and involved in the evolving design of Chapelton of Elsick.  Visitors to their stand were asked to comment on a range of house styles and design priorities.

In January 2012 the Newtonhil Community Action plan was printed.  Please click here to read the Newtonhill Community Action Plan.