Whitehills & District Community Council

Once again I am happy to provide brief details below of the numerous and varied activities carried through during this past year by your local Community Council and with the unwavering support of your nine local community Councillors whose names appear on the minutes of our monthly meetings posted in the Notice Board in Loch Street and on our website. My grateful thanks to them all.

I must pay tribute to two of our company who stepped down in February this year after many years of valuable input and service, namely Babs Downie and Alan Milne. Many thanks to them for all their efforts over an extended period.

*Additional highly successful ‘Doggy Bag’ dispensers erected in village and Boyndie. There are now 9 units in place and all being well used.

*Hanging flower baskets, barrels, beds and the ‘cartie’ at the crossroads featured again through the summer months. Many thanks to all helpers.

*Ongoing replacement of dated seats/benches around the village, at Red Well and the cemetery, and repainting of existing items.

*Whitehills Public Toilets once again granted a ‘Loo of the Year’ Award for 2010. The second year in a row !! Many thanks to our loyal volunteers headed up by Fred & Pearl Clark. Improvements to the facilities and some modernisation to be carried out in May this year by our Community Council.

*In response to a local request, two flower barrels and a bench seat sited at Old School Courtyard.

*Theatre Modo Youth Project in July involved 60/70 local youngsters creating a hugely successful event,-  ‘ They came from the Red Well’,- ghouls of various shapes and sizes paraded around the village supported by a large crowd of followers. A DVD of the event was shown in St Brandon Centre in October and presented to each of those involved, with thanks to John Milne.

*Boyne Castle Access/Footpath. ‘Scheduled Monument no. 354.’ Investigations followed through to look at halting the decline of the castle and area. Now in the hands of and being taken forward by Historic Scotland with Seafield Estate.

*Four new lighting columns arranged through Aberdeenshire Council and erected  between end of Reidhaven Street and West End.

*New galvanised gates for Whitehills cemetery are presently in course of construction, hopefully to be fitted in May 2010.

*10 new steel galvanised flower containers have been ordered for use this summer.

*A new trifold brochure ‘Whitehills Coastal Village & Surrounding area- well worth a visit !!’ has been created and is being distributed NATIONWIDE !

*Calendar 2010 created but not hugely successful. Will have to review whether to take forward in 2011 or if any individuals in the village wish to progress with our financial support.

*Your Community Council now has its own Website thanks to webmaster Denis who is always open to ideas for inclusion. Over 60 hits a week so far !! - www.whitehillsanddistrict.co.uk

*New Christmas Lights purchased for the village and displayed over the festive period. Thanks as always to James Innes for his continued support and endeavours. Our usual ‘Lighting up the Christmas Tree’ service went ahead on 13th December 2009, and our thanks to Rev.Brian Hendrie.

*Ongoing discussions with Darren Ross (Ab.Council) re the proposed ‘West Route’ from the new Ladysbridge Village to Whitehills. Our Community Plan still prioritises a direct route on the B9121.

*Whitehills Community Council for the first time presented a poppy wreath at the War Memorial on Remembrance day.

*’Banffshire Way’ – Denis continues to take forward the creation of a recreational pathway utilising the remains of the old railway line on behalf of the Community Council.

*War Memorial plaques which were in the old Boyndie Kirk but in many damaged pieces are irrepairable. At Charles’s instigation we have arranged to purchase two new stones which will be engraved with all the names on the originals and have these stones placed at the entrance to Whitehills cemetery by the end of 2010.

Above are highlights from our year’s activities but by no means detail many other exercises carried out on behalf of our local community.

Additionally, the Boyndie Windfarm Community Fund administered by our Community Council was able to support a number of local projects as detailed below to the extent of £8,600 with a couple of fairly substantial applications coming on line in the near future.

*Whitehills School – Purchase of 23 sets of outdoor clothing to allow use of their Outdoor Nursery/Early Years area.

*MaC(Music and Children) Resource Box – A weekly class in Whitehills involving children along with parents/grandparents/guardians in singing, dancing and playing music providing local high quality opportunities for all.

*Community Council – Purchase of new village Christman Lights.

*Whitehills through the Years -  A new publication to be published through Banffshire Maritime and Heritage Association.

*RAF Banff (Boyndie) Airfield Trust Project -  To conserve the most important areas and buildings of the World War 2 site, opening to public view as an educational and historic facility.

J Ross Balharry

Chairman, Whitehills & District Community Council.