Chair's Report

(AGM 22 OCTOBER 2005)

THEY say time flies when you are enjoying yourself (and it certainly did that when I went on holiday to visit my grandchildren!) but as far as Culter Community Council (CCC) is concerned, it also flies when we are busy, busy, busy. I can hardly believe a whole year has gone by since our last AGM and I reviewed the work of the previous 12 months. So much has been going on I'm not sure where to start for this year's report - but here goes.

• The Western Peripheral Route exhibition in the Village Hall, and elsewhere, in April had us considering the options of where it would actually go. We were horrified to find that two of the proposals would cut through Peterculter Golf Course and pass close to Linn Moor and the Rob Roy Caravan Park. Another would widen the B979, which passes the Milltimber entrance to Camphill. On your behalf we wrote objections to the proposals. We now await the decision of the Scottish Executive (by the end of the year, supposedly) to see what we will need to do next.

• As part of Aberdeen City's Community Plan, `Planning for Real' started in October 2004 with a model of the village displayed in Culter School where people came and said what improvements they wanted to see in and around Culter. The follow-up meeting `You Said It' was held mid-January so people could see the outcome and help all the local organisations (not just the Community Council) to prioritise the work needed. As a result:

- Through the Police and the Road Safety Partnership, the North-east Safety Camera Partnership (NESCAMP)m has surveyed and classed Malcolm Road as `dangerous' and now use the mobile speed cameras on it. (Sad to say, the majority of speeding drivers were LOCAL PEOPLE!!! Will we learn from this?)

CCC also suggested to the residents of Malcolm Road, who attended the last CCC meeting, that they should form a pressure group to have Malcolm Road improved.

- Another safety measure on roads has been the introduction of the 20mph speed limit in parts of the village.

- A new group/committee has been formed to help get a paths network set up in the area, working with Aberdeen City Council, talking with land owners, arranging for signs to be put up.

- A notice board in the Library for our `Culter Community' Plan. The difficulty will be keeping it updated.

- A third meeting, suggested by Elsa Plant, was held in the Village Hall and called `Your Culter'. This was organised again by our Neighbourhood Community Planning Officer, Sharon McNutt, along with volunteers from the Hall Management Committee and CCC - and Elsa of course. Some 30 organisations/ groups/clubs set up their `stalls' to let the residents know what was available for all ages and interests from toddlers to pensioners, covering classes in the Hall (Ninja to guitar lessons); all the youth organisations; Culter School, school board and PTA; the church and its organisations; the Heritage Centre; toddlers groups; WVS; OAPs; Rotary;

Police and associated safety groups; Gala; Culter in Bloom; Paths Group; Aberdeen City Council - SCARF, the library, Sports Centre, Community Care Dept. showing the plans for the 33 flats (for people with distinct needs) to be built soon at the top of Coronation Road, and Community Education showing the latest plans for the School pitches and hard play area and the Class Co-ordinator went round the Hall asking people what sort of classes they would like to have set up in Culter.

The Director for Aberdeen South (ACC) also had come along and told me he was impressed by the whole day and the community spirit shown by the people in Culter. In his discussion with the Rotary, it transpired that they wanted to pull together a Register of all groups, organisations, clubs and classes in Culter to be on display and in the computer in the library. He agreed this was an excellent idea and pledged some Council funding towards it.

• As well as participating in the `Planning for Culter' days, the members of CCC represent your community interests by taking part in various other local groups and committees such as:

- the school pitches

- the building of the new Cults Academy - Culter Gala

- Culter in Bloom - Paths Group

- Community Education Management Committee

And for presenting Culter's voice at the City of Aberdeen level:

- the Aberdeen Community Councils' Forum

- the Aberdeen Civic Forum (part of Aberdeen's Community Plan)

Overall, in looking back over the past year, I find that CCC has been working more with all other groups and organisations in Culter and I am sure this has benefited us in doing our best for the community as we learn more of what people think and feel.

As Chair of CCC, I very much appreciate the support of, and the work put in by the other members of Culter Community Council and also that of the volunteers who have delivered the Couriers and leaflets so you can all know what is going on in Culter. Thank you all.

Lavina C Massie Chair

Culter Community Council