The Kincardine and Mearns Area Committee met on Tuesday 09 June 2026 to discuss the permanent closure of Kinneff School, the allocation of community grants, and the year-end performance of Education and Children's Services. Key decisions included providing comments to the Education and Children's Services Committee to support the permanent closure of Kinneff School and merge its catchment area with Catterline School, agreeing to the proposed allocations for Kincardine and Mearns Community Council grants, and noting the positive year-end performance of Education and Children's Services, with seven out of ten measures meeting or exceeding targets.

Closure of Kinneff School

Councillors discussed the statutory consultation report regarding the permanent closure of Kinneff School. The report detailed the consultation process, which ran from 12 January to 6 March 2026, including public meetings and an online survey. The overwhelming preference from the consultation, supported by HM Inspectors, was to permanently close Kinneff School and reassign its catchment area to Catterline School. Councillors largely agreed with this recommendation, citing the strong historical and current links between the Kinneff and Catterline communities, the preference shown by Kinneff pupils and parents, and the educational benefits of merging with a more sustainable school. The committee agreed to provide comments to the Education and Children's Services Committee supporting the permanent closure of Kinneff School and its reassignment to Catterline School.

Kincardine and Mearns Area Committee Budget 2026-27

The committee agreed to the proposed allocations for the Area Committee Budget for the 2026-27 financial year. A total of £17,800 is available, with £15,000 allocated for grants based on Kincardine & Mearns Community Planning Priorities, with a maximum grant of £2,000 and a 50% match funding requirement. An additional £2,800 was allocated towards the delivery of Place Plans, Local Place Plans, and Community Action Plans, with any remaining funds by 31 December 2026 to be returned to the open fund.

Kincardine and Mearns Community Council Grants 2026/27

The committee considered and agreed to the proposed allocations for Kincardine and Mearns Community Council Grants for the period 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027. The total allocation for Kincardine and Mearns is £11,995, with individual allocations based on a fixed grant per community council and a per capita figure for the remaining balance. Discussions highlighted concerns from some councillors regarding the monitoring of spending and the flexibility of administrative grants, with a plea for proportionality and consideration of volunteer burden. Officers reassured the committee that flexibility would be applied and that the area team would provide support.

Education & Children's Services Year-end Performance Monitoring Report 2025/26

The committee received an update on the year-end performance of Education & Children's Services (ECS) in relation to the Council Plan 2024-2029 priorities. Overall performance was strong, with 70% of measures meeting or exceeding targets. Key successes included strong attainment in numeracy and literacy, improved foundation apprenticeship completion rates, and high levels of positive post-school destinations. Areas for improvement identified were participation in Live Life Aberdeenshire (LLA) services and early years uptake for eligible two-year-olds. Councillors raised specific questions regarding the decline in LLA participation and positive post-school destinations, seeking to understand area-specific work and learning from other areas. The Director of Education & Children's Services provided detailed responses, outlining strategies to address these areas and reassuring members about the ongoing efforts to support young people.

Erection of Fence (Retrospective) at 49 St Michael's Road, Newtonhill

The committee considered a retrospective full planning permission application for the erection of a 1.8-metre high boundary fence at 49 St Michael's Road, Newtonhill. The application was brought before the committee due to an objection from the Newtonhill, Muchalls and Cammachmore Community Council, who felt the fence was out of keeping with the character of the area. Planning service officers recommended granting permission, stating that the fence was of a low scale, set back from the roadway, and did not raise road safety concerns. Councillors discussed the permitted development rights for fences and the assessment against planning policy. Ultimately, the committee agreed to grant full planning permission for the erection of the fence.