The Marr Area Committee met on Tuesday 16 June 2026 to discuss performance reports from various council services, review the Landscape Services Works Programme, and allocate funding to local community councils. Key decisions included approving the Landscape Services budget for 2026/27 and agreeing the proposed allocations for Marr Community Council grants.

Education and Children's Services Performance

The committee received an update on the Education and Children's Services (ECS) performance for the 2025/26 year. Alan Ray, Director of Education and Children's Services, presented the report, highlighting that 70% of performance measures were meeting or exceeding targets. Strengths were noted in literacy and numeracy attainment, foundation apprenticeships, and positive post-school destinations for young people. However, areas for improvement included the uptake of funded Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) places for two-year-olds and participation in Live Life Aberdeenshire (LLA) services.

Councillor Gwyneth Petrie raised concerns about the flexibility of ELC provision and asked about support for groups wishing to provide childcare for two-year-olds. Councillor Sarah Brown inquired about the allocation of Foundation Apprenticeship places in Marr schools if demand exceeded funding. The committee agreed to request further information on these points, including the reasons for a decrease in positive post-school destinations at Aboyne Academy. The Director of Education and Children's Services was instructed to continue presenting performance reports to the committee every six months.

Business Services Performance

Rob Simpson, Director of Business Services, presented the year-end performance report for his department. He reported that seven out of fifteen performance indicators were on target, one was slightly off target, and seven were data only measures. Positive performance was noted in customer services, with call wait times and abandonment rates remaining within targets. Benefits processing times for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction were also within targets.

Councillor Anouk Kloppert questioned the increase in crisis grant applications, which Mr. Simpson attributed to general cost of living pressures. Councillor Ann Ross raised concerns about email response times, despite improvements in call handling. The committee agreed to acknowledge the progress made, welcoming the work on disposing of unneeded properties and the reduction in call abandonment rates, but expressed concern about email response times. The Director of Business Services was instructed to continue presenting these reports every six months.

Landscape Services Works Programme

The committee considered the Landscape Services Works Programme for 2026/27, presented by Elsa Cunningham, Principal Landscape Services Officer, and Sophie Morrison, Landscape Services Officer. The proposed programme detailed works and activities for burial grounds, parks, open spaces, and country parks across the Marr area, with a total revenue budget of £2,166,800.

Councillor Ann Ross inquired about specific road repairs planned for Banchory play park and the council's approach to working with community groups on maintenance. Members also asked about drainage issues at Torphins play park and the purpose of dipping platforms at Haughton Park. The officers confirmed that the £7,000 allocated for Ballater play area was for repair and maintenance of existing equipment, and that investigations into drainage issues at Torphins would involve further work. The committee congratulated the Landscape Services team on a recent award for their digitisation programme. The committee agreed to approve the proposals for allocating the revenue budget for Landscape Services and Bereavement Services.

Marr Area Community Council Funding

Kirsty Macleod, Area Committee Officer, presented the report on Marr Area Community Council funding for 2026/27. The total budget for Aberdeenshire was £72,300, with Marr's allocation being £12,836. This funding is distributed based on a fixed grant per community council, supplemented by an amount based on the number of electors.

The committee noted updates on the monitoring of community council spending and the provision of training and support. It was highlighted that a networking event for community councils is planned for September 2026. The committee agreed to note the updates and approve the proposed allocations for Marr Community Council Grants for the period 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027, as detailed in Appendix 2 of the report.

Other Business

The committee also agreed to exclude the public and media from discussions on supplementary directorate procurement plans for Live Life Aberdeenshire and Environment and Infrastructure Services, and the proposed sale of the former Alford Area Office.

The committee agreed to note the Directorate Supplementary Procurement Plan for Live Life Aberdeenshire, approve the items on the plan, and note that budget for Capital Plan lines was subject to approval by Full Council. They also approved the Procurement Approval Form and decided not to reserve the award of a contract over £1,000,000.

Regarding the proposed sale of the former Alford Area Office, the committee agreed in principle to the sale for the price and terms referred to in the report. They also approved the principle of selling to the next two bidders sequentially should the sale to the preferred bidder fall through, and requested officers consider a shorter long stop for sale completion.

For the Environment and Infrastructure Services Supplementary Procurement Plan, the committee agreed to note the plan, approve the item in principle subject to funding approval, and not to reserve approval for items with contract values between £50,000 and £1,000,000.