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 12^th 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 11^th 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 8^th 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 Barr, Chair WECC