Aberdeenshire Council looks to offload more community facilities

A report which will go before members of Aberdeenshire Council's communities committee on Thursday will show the scale of the latest round of "disinvestment" being proposed by Live Life Aberdeenshire.

Live Life Aberdeenshire has a current estate portfolio that includes community halls, libraries, museums, leisure centres, ski slopes, swimming pools, sports pavilions and an aquarium.

The service in an effort to meet budget constraints is actively looking to reduce the current estate for direct service delivery in an effort to save around £245,000 due to current running costs.

The Committee is being recommended to agree the service should proceed in declaring as surplus to requirements a range of properties across the north-east which are currently not in use to ensure these properties are used to benefit their communities through community asset transfer or sale or adoption by another service area.

Buchan properties include Blackhills hall, Cairnbanno hall, Oldwhat Community Centre; Banff and Buchan - Macduff Town Hall; Formartine - Artrochie Community Centre, Birkenhills Hall, Woodhead Community Education Centre; Marr - Ythan Wells Community Centre, Lumphanan Hall and in Garioch, the Leslie Hall.

Several library sites are also included - Boddam library, New Pitsligo Library (under review in exchange to St John's Centre) , Strichen Library, Aberchirder Library (closed), Bracoden library (closed), Whitehills Library, Portsoy library, Newtonhill Library and Fettercairn Library (closed).

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