What you told us - What we're doing

What you told us

The charity New Pitsligo Village Projects SCIO submitted an Asset Transfer request to take ownership of New Pitsligo Public Toilets and the surrounding land. The proposal was to refurbish the building and to reopen some of the toilets for public use, under community management. The green space around the block was also to be managed and maintained by the community.

We received one representation, submitted through Engage Aberdeenshire, which was supportive of the request to transfer ownership of the asset. There were no other public representations made.

All of the documents relating to the Asset Transfer request can be viewed on the Council’s website by following this link:

What we're doing

The Asset Transfer request was considered by the Buchan Area Committee on 16th September 2025 and it was unanimously agreed that the proposal should be supported.

This means ownership of the property can be transferred to New Pitsligo Village Projects SCIO. This process is underway.

What you told us

1. Overall experience was positive

• Most families had a positive experience and would attend again.
• Children had fun, became more active, built confidence and tried new experiences.

What we're doing

• Continue delivering varied programmes focused on fun, activity, confidence and new experiences.
• Build on successful activities and maintain high-quality delivery across all services.

2. Demand is high – but availability is limited

• Sessions filled quickly and some families could not access suitable activities.
• Families requested more sessions, locations, and timing options.

What we're doing

• Increase session numbers and capacity where possible.
• Expand provision in high-demand areas and spread activities across the holiday period.

3. More local and inclusive provision needed

• Feedback highlighted gaps in local provision and demand for additional ASN opportunities.

What we're doing

• Expand ASN and disability provision through specialist hubs and inclusive programming.
• Improve staff training and collaborative delivery across services.

4. Need more choice and age-appropriate activities

• Requests for more teenage activities, younger children's opportunities, creative, digital, and outdoor experiences.

What we're doing

• Develop more activities for teenagers and broaden programme choices.
• Review age groupings and strengthen partnership delivery.

5. Cost and value for money concerns

• Most families felt sessions represented good value, although affordability remains important.

What we're doing

• Maintain affordable pricing, concessions, and subsidized opportunities where possible.

6. Communication and promotion could be improved

• Families requested clearer promotion and easier access to booking information.

What we're doing

• Improve communication through schools, social media, and community channels.
• Provide clearer booking guidance.

7. Session quality and delivery varies

• While most feedback was positive, some participants requested improved consistency.

What we're doing

• Strengthen session planning, quality assurance, and activity descriptions.

8. Booking and access experience

• Families experienced challenges in securing places on popular sessions.

What we're doing

• Improve booking support, customer guidance, and accessibility of information.

What we're doing

You told us the programme is valued and makes a positive difference - but needs more availability, greater choice and improved accessibility.

We’re responding by expanding provision, increasing inclusive opportunities, broadening activity choices, improving communication, and enhancing quality across all services.

Our Summer of Play programme has been developed using this feedback and offers a wider range of accessible, inclusive and engaging opportunities across Aberdeenshire.

What you told us

The Catalyst Community Regeneration Company (CCRC) submitted an Asset Transfer Request for full transfer (ownership) of the Ythan Centre on Station Road, Ellon for use as a community hub, providing a broad range of community focused activities throughout the week, as well as becoming the permanent home for the Catalyst Vineyard Church congregation in Ellon.

The request was published on the council’s website and a survey was posted on Engage Aberdeenshire with the public being given at least 20 working days in which to make any representation(s). A notice was sent to the community council, and placed on the building’s noticeboard and on various community noticeboards throughout Ellon. A total of 40 representations were received, 37 supporting and 3 objections. CCRC also carried out engagement with their members and the wider community which can be viewed within the business case documents on the council’s website using the following link - https://publications.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/asset-transfer-ythan-centre-station-road-ellon

What we are doing

The Asset Transfer Request was considered by Formartine Area Committee on Tuesday 28 April 2026 and it was agreed that the request should be supported.

The council will now work on conveying the transfer of the asset to the Catalyst Community Regeneration Company.

What you told us

In Summer 2025, we asked for your views on public toilets across Aberdeenshire. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their feedback. Last year, we published a summary of what we heard and explained that your feedback was helping to shape a refreshed Public Convenience Strategy. At that stage, the strategy was still being considered and we were not yet in a position to share the full details. Since then, the strategy has been approved, and we can now provide a further update on how your feedback has influenced our plans for the future. The key messages from the survey were:

• Overall satisfaction with cleanliness was positive, with 86% of respondents rating facilities as excellent, good or fair
• Public toilets are viewed as essential for people of all ages and play an important role in supporting tourism and the local economy
• There was a fairly even split of opinion on whether moving to one public convenience per town would be acceptable
• Many people said they would be negatively affected by any public toilet closures
• You told us that cleaning should reflect levels of use, with flexibility for seasonal demand and local events
• There was a strong preference for public toilets to remain free to use
• Some respondents would like to see more facilities open 24 hours a day

What we're doing

The feedback from the Have Your Views on Public Loos Survey was a key driver in refreshing the updated Public Convenience Strategy. The strategy was approved by Aberdeenshire Councils Business Services Committee in March 2026 and will run until 2030. Aberdeenshire Council provides public toilets as a non-statutory but essential service and is the second highest provider of public toilets in Scotland.

The updated Public Convenience Strategy looks to provide efficient service delivery, high standards and financial sustainability. To achieve this the strategy aims to deliver safe clean accessible facilities using a place-based approach by:

• Maintaining cleanliness and safety standards
• Improving signage and digital mapping
• Increasing operational efficiency, rather than close toilets
• Expanding community run and comfort partnership models
• Provide 24/7 access at selected sites

Within the strategy it is recognised that public toilet provision is essential for dignity, health tourism, and inclusion. To that end the Public Convenience Strategy looks to:

• Maintain as many toilets as possible
• Adjust cleaning frequency, based on usage
• Carryout quality audits of all council provided toilets three times a year
• Seek external funding and align with other strategies

Within the survey the option was expressed that facilities should be open 24/7.

• 24/7 access is now provided at low-risk sites to improve accessibility to toilets
• Sign posting to toilets to be considered and improved

The survey suggested that there were not enough toilet facilities available. The new refreshed strategy will look to:

• Assess the suitability of council buildings to be advertised as publicly available toilets
• Improve promotion and signage of comfort partnerships and other Aberdeenshire facilities where there is a need for additional or improved access to facilities
• Continue to review incentives for business participation in the comfort partnership scheme and for communities to take on community run ventures.

There was a strong preference indicated in the survey for public conveniences to remain free of charge. If charging were to be introduced, the feedback was that both cashless and card/contactless options would be required.

• The strategy has recommended that toilets remain free of charge at the point of use. However other means of generating income such as donation boxes will be explored.

Following on from other findings from the survey the strategy includes the following recommendations:

• Expand changing places toilets
• Introduce automated locking systems
• Repurpose or transfer closed facilities

In summary with your help and input the Public Convenience Strategy places its core strategic direction to 2030 and beyond around:

• Focusing on maintaining services rather than closing facilities
• Using alternative delivery models (community and partnerships)
• Improving efficiency instead of reducing coverage
• Balancing cost control with public need

You can view the full document here: Public Convenience Strategy - Aberdeenshire Council

What you told us

The Banff and Buchan Local Community Planning Group - which brings together representatives from local community groups, alongside third sector and public sector partners is coordinating the development of a Fraserburgh and District Partnership Place Plan. The work is part of Aberdeenshire's Community Planning Partnership commitment to support the development of Partnership Place Plans across Aberdeenshire, with the aim of enabling communities to thrive and live well locally.

To ensure the Fraserburgh and District Place Partnership Plan best reflect the distinct identity, assets and priorities of the local area, in March 2026, the Local Community Planning Group invited feedback from those that know the area best – the people that live, work and learn in and visit the area. Feedback was invited on five themes and 14 topic areas to gather views on what is good about the area, what could be improved and an overall satisfaction rating for each topic:

• Movement - Active Travel, Public Transport and Traffic and Parking
• Spaces - Natural Spaces, Streets and Buildings, Parks and recreation
• Services - Facilities and Services, Housing and Community, Work and Economy, Social Connections
• Civic - Community Safety, Identify and Belonging
• Stewardship - Care and Maintenance, Control and Influence on local decision-making

Respondents were also given the opportunity to feedback on what was most important to them, to capture any issues or priorities that may not have been covered by the 14 topic areas.

180 online surveys were completed. Additionally, 16 in-person engagement events were held or attended at which there were 420 in-person discussions. The total comments generated across the online survey and in-person engagement activities were 5,591, of which 2,815 were feedback comments and 2,776 were topic satisfaction ratings.

Table 1 ranks the topic areas by the number of comments generated (Column 2), by the average rating given (column 4) and by the lowest rating given (column 6). Public Transport generated the most comments (291) and ranked consistently lowest in terms of the average ranking and lowest rating. Other activity areas rating as poor in terms of the public experiences were Care and Maintenance, Traffic and Parking, Feeling Safe, Streets and Spaces and Influence and Control of Decision-making.

The public expressed clear sentiment about their overall perception of the area, about what is valued and what should be improved:

Sentiment

• Clear pride in the town and its community, people care deeply about the local area
• Strong frustration about long‑standing issues and a feeling that the area is not a priority, feel services, upkeep and investment have not kept pace.

What is valued

• Coast and natural spaces
• Community groups and volunteering
• Libraries, sports and community facilities
• Local identity and pride in place, community spirit

Areas for Improvement

• Reliable and affordable public transport
• Better care and maintenance of streets, paths and buildings
• Safer streets, better lighting and visible policing
• Support for town centres and local businesses
• Improved service options, access and promotion
• More for children and young people, especially teens
• Action after consultation, not just engagement; influence and control

The tables in the attached document summarise the key feedback points for each of the five themes (and associated 14 topic areas): Documents | Fraserburgh and District Place Plan | Engage Aberdeenshire

Copies of these summary documents can be requested by emailing banffandbuchanlcpg@aberdeenshire.gov.uk

What we're doing

Following the collation and review of the feedback comments and ratings, the following four thematic areas have been identified as priority action areas:

The Banff and Buchan Local Community Planning Group hosted a Place Prioritisation event at the Faithlie Centre on 17 June 2026 where representatives from local services, organisations and community groups were invited to:

• Hear about the priority themes and activity areas identified from the public engagement
• How engagement outcomes align with local area data profiles, and
• Engage in a prioritisation exercise and shape actions that will drive forward improved outcomes for the community.

The outputs of the event are being collated and will inform activity plans that will form the basis of the Fraserburgh and District Partnership Place Plan, the delivery of which will be supported and monitored via the Banff and Buchan Local Community Planning Group.

Once finalised in late Autumn 2026, the Plan will be published online and circulated widely in the community. Hard copies will also be available.

If you have any queries about the ongoing development of the Fraserburgh and District Place Plan, please contact the Banff and Buchan Community Planning Officer at banffandbuchanlcpg@Aberdeenshire.gov.uk

What you told us

Insch Leslie & District Men’s Shed submitted an Asset Transfer request to convert the former school building into a dedicated base for their activities. The group had been operating from the facility on a limited basis and identified the need for a larger, more suitable space to expand the range of projects they could undertake and better serve the local community. The proposed use of the building is primarily to support Men’s Shed activities, with potential to provide space for other community uses.

The request was published on the Council’s website and promoted through Engage Aberdeenshire, with the public given at least 20 working days to submit representations. The Community Council was notified, and notices were displayed locally. Representations were received, with no objections raised. The Men’s Shed also undertook its own community engagement and engaged with neighbouring properties, with feedback incorporated into their Business Plan

All documentation relating to the Asset Transfer request, including public comments, is available on the Council’s website.

What we’re doing

The Asset Transfer request was considered by the Garioch Area Committee on 12 May 2026, where members approved the officer recommendation to transfer the property into full ownership at a discounted price of £1.

The transfer is currently progressing through the conveyancing process and will be completed once this is finalised.

What you told us

We asked for your views on a proposal to dispose of an area of Common Good land at Lower Deveronside in Banff. We received a range of views, both for and against the proposal. All of the comments are publicly available and can be found here: Public Consultation Feedback

Key themes included:

• Some strong views that Common Good land should be protected and not sold
• Opinions raised that the land belongs to the community rather than the Council
• Worries about the loss of a long-term community asset and future opportunities for development of the site
• Preference for community, recreational or green space use, including facilities for young people
• Interest in alternative options, such as leasing rather than selling
• Concerns about transparency, clarity and fairness in the process
• Recognition that the land has been unused or in poor condition for some time
• Support for bringing the site back into productive use
• Perceived benefits for economic growth, local businesses and jobs
• A desire to improve the appearance and vitality of Banff
• Confidence from some respondents in the proposed purchaser and delivery of development
• A general feeling that positive change is needed rather than leaving the land unused

We would like to thank everyone who took the time to complete the survey. Your feedback has been carefully considered and helps inform the next steps.

We heard clear concerns about the sale of Common Good land, including how it is protected and used for future generations, as well as the importance of community benefit, transparency and exploring alternative options. At the same time, we recognise that some respondents want to see the site brought back into use, with potential benefits for the local economy, improved facilities and the overall appearance of Banff.

The consultation was carried out in line with the statutory requirements for the disposal of Common Good land. This included a publicly advertised process, with information made available online and in paper format, and opportunities for people to submit their views. A question and answer document was also provided, setting out key information such as the location of the land, the reason for the proposed sale and the process being followed. The Council has a legal responsibility as custodian of Common Good assets and must follow a defined statutory process when considering any disposal. This includes public consultation, reporting findings to Committee, and seeking approval through the appropriate legal routes.

We also want to be clear about how Common Good assets are managed. Any proceeds from the sale would remain within the Common Good Fund, split equally between Banff and Macduff. This means the value is not lost and can be reinvested in projects and priorities that benefit the local community over the longer term.

We note the suggestions for community or recreational use, as well as alternatives such as leasing. These options were considered, however disposal of the land was preferred as it allows the value of the asset to be realised and reinvested, providing wider opportunities and benefits for the community.

While detailed and strongly held views were received, the overall number of responses was relatively low. This means the findings should be considered alongside wider evidence when making decisions. All feedback forms part of the Council’s decision-making process, alongside its responsibilities as custodian of Common Good assets, the potential benefits of the proposal, and the long-term interests of the community.

What we’re doing

A report was presented to the Banff and Buchan Committee on 16 June. The report can be found here, at item 14: Agenda for Banff and Buchan Area Committee on Tuesday, 16th June, 2026, 9.30 am - Aberdeenshire Council

The Committee agreed to:

• Instruct the Head of Legal and People to conclude missives for the sale of the site to the previously identified preferred bidder
• Instruct the Head of Legal and People to seek approval from the Sheriff Court under section 75 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 to dispose of the Common Good element of the asset before progressing the sale

What you told us

Thank you to everyone who took part in the Housing Rent Strategy Consultation. The online survey closed on 5 April 2026, and asked tenants about their views on housing services to help us improve and plan for the future. This year, your views are especially important as we begin discussions about future rent plans. The online survey ran alongside a telephone consultation, which remained open until June to allow more tenants to take part.

What we’re doing

We are currently bringing together feedback from both the online and telephone surveys. Early findings will be shared with tenants at the Communications Group in July, and further focus groups will be arranged to explore the feedback in more detail. A full update on the results will be published in due course.

What you told us

Earlier this year, we asked for your views on the Integrated Travel Towns project, which aims to make it easier, safer and more sustainable to travel around our towns. Using the Placecheck tool, you shared your experiences of getting around, highlighted areas that work well, and identified places where improvements could be made for walking, wheeling, cycling and public transport. This part of the exercise closed on 27 March, and we received a wide range of comments, ideas and suggestions. All of this feedback is publicly available on the Placecheck tool, and we’ve carefully noted all comments. You can view the comments here: Placecheck Online

What we’re doing

We are currently reviewing and considering all of the feedback received. As this work is ongoing, we’re not yet in a position to share final outcomes. However, there will be more opportunities to get involved over the summer, and we’ll continue to provide updates as the project progresses. You can view the project page here: Integrated Travel Towns | Engage Aberdeenshire

What you told us

Aberdeenshire Council invited feedback on a draft nature network for the area. The network links protected sites, local nature conservation sites and towns, using rivers and water corridors. It aims to support nature recovery and improve resilience. Full detail of the consultation, including the project documents and mapping, can be found here: Draft Aberdeenshire Nature Network | Engage Aberdeenshire

We received 54 responses to the consultation and are very grateful to those who provided feedback. Many thanks to you all.

36% of respondents agreed with the methodology used to create the nature network, and a majority of 64% said they did not. Comments on the methodology included:

• That the range of habitats used in the mapping should be broadened out from rivers to include woodland, moorland, wetlands and grassland for example
• The 250m buffer used around the rivers and protected sites lacks justification and is overly large
• The map risks limiting built development by creating the impression of ‘no development’ zones
• Long distance outdoor access paths such as the Deeside Way should be added
• Rather the focussing on a single network, a more habitat focussed set of networks should be set up looking to join up like-for-like habitats such as a wetland network and a separate one for woodlands, providing a positive future vision

52% of respondents agreed with the proposed uses of the nature network, 48% disagreed. Comments on the proposed uses included:

• Disappointment at the network being presented as non-restrictive and only a focus for voluntary/optional action. It was felt that would fall short of the needs for nature recovery
• The key issues for nature are not addressed by the approach such as habitat loss, wildlife protection, pollution and development
• The wide corridors risk limiting development
• No measurable outcomes or monitoring processes are presented

What we are doing

We are now reviewing all the feedback given and looking to develop the methodology and mapping further in response. Our particular focus will be to:

• Consider if and how we can build in a wider range of habitats into the methodology
• Explore whether in and around towns we might represent the network differently
• Make sure the network’s purpose and benefits are clearly explained, while setting out a positive vision for the future.

We plan to update the methodology and related documents, and then share them again for further consultation.