Westhill and Elrick Community Council back in Business

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Following a prolonged spell of reduced activity during supported status when only routine operations were carried out; things like production of the Westhill Bulletin, litter picks, and hanging baskets, I am delighted to inform you that your Community Council is now fully back in business.

After significant and very much appreciated support from the Garioch Area Manager and her Team; support which included a number of team-building sessions and latterly Community Councillor Elections, we were officially reinstated at a specially convened Annual General Meeting on 12th March. The elections generated keen interest and the result, I am delighted to say, was a full quota of seventeen Councillors from whom four interim Office Bearers were appointed.

Straightaway we adopted a “fresh start” approach to rebuilding our team, and since March, all our Councillors have undergone training e.g. in Planning Applications and Community Council Governance Processes. We have also commenced a phased review of how we conduct our business to ensure our processes and sub-groups are fit-for-purpose.

In order to get down to business as quickly as possible, we have also successfully experimented with running our regular monthly meeting via Zoom conferencing technology.

Our next Zoom meeting will be on Thursday 11th June and I cordially invite you submit any suggestions or concerns you wish to have discussed to our Secretary via mailto:weccsecretx@gmail.com before 5pm on 8th June.

Although Zoom has proven to be effective, there is no substitute for meetings in person with direct public input and I look forward to re-instating these and seeing you in person, as soon as social distancing measures permit.

Please take a minute to look at the blogs below this one to catch up with recent news and activities that affect our community, including a Covid-19 funding initiative of our own.

Mervyn

Mervyn Barr, Chair WECC

 

Westhill and Elrick Community Council Covid 19 Grant Scheme

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Westhill and Elrick Community Council (WECC) has established a small grant scheme to assist community organisations that have been providing support to the Westhill and Elrick community but have incurred unplanned and potentially unsustainable expenditure in providing support to individuals and the community as a whole during the Covid19 crisis.

To be eligible a ‘group’ must be:

  1. Based and/or operating in the distribution area of the Westhill Bulletin magazine
  2. Undertaking work beyond the normal scope or scale in order to assist individuals and the community as a whole within the area.
  3. Unlikely to be able to recoup additional costs and, as a result, foresee financial challenges in resuming normal activities in due course.
  4. A community group or social enterprise, but not a profit making business.
  5. Must have applied to the Aberdeenshire Council Community Resilience Fund but not eligible or still require further assistance.

WECC has set aside a sum of £5000 with a maximum grant award of £1000.

If a group operates more widely than the area then a grant may be proportioned commensurately.

Applications should be made by email to weccsecretx@gmail.com and must be brief but provide evidence to satisfy the 5 points above. If operating more widely than the area, applicants should provide information on the proportion of activity within the area. WECC will endeavour to process the applications as quickly as possible after they are received