Update on Stonehaven's Library

Added at 16:06 on 23 May 2026

Update on Stonehaven’s Library

Stonehaven and District Community Council (SDCC) was happy for Aberdeenshire Council to attend our meeting earlier this year, to explain the consultation process for considering library services and the potential options for the future in Stonehaven.  We were pleased that Aberdeenshire Council answered questions both from the community council and members of the public.  

However, the SDCC is concerned about the overall consultation process that has been followed and hopes that Aberdeenshire Council will engage with the community shortly to set out transparently, and in detail, the options being considered, the feedback received and meaningful next steps for further engagement.

We understand that a report (referred to as the K&M Report below) will be submitted to the Aberdeenshire Council Kincardine & Mearns Area Committee for comment, with feedback from this process then presented to the Communities Committee for a formal decision to be made on the library service.

We have summarised below a number of the key points and questions that were raised at our SDCC meeting, and ask that Aberdeenshire Council addresses these comprehensively in the report to the K&M Committee:

1. At the SDCC meeting Aberdeenshire Council indicated that an option being considered, to move the library to the council’s building at Viewmount, would provide the same floor area as that already in place at the existing library on Evan Street.  There was much scepticism that this was possible, while existing Aberdeenshire Council services continued at Viewmount.  Has this been considered in detail and will detailed plans for Viewmount be included in the K&M Report to demonstrate the floor area, accessibility etc?
2. The circa £300K maintenance cost described by Aberdeenshire Council as a key issue for the existing library could be argued as being an outcome with the existing library that is based on negligible investment and maintenance over many years.  How has Aberdeenshire Council addressed this maintenance issue in the consultation process and K&M Report when considering the options?  How have other costs associated with converting Viewmount been compared with investment in the existing library?
3. A like-for-like service at Viewmount would need to have the same level of accessibility for our community as that currently available on Evan Street.  What work has been done as part of the consultation to consider this and in the K&M Report address any shortfalls identified e.g., what costs have been included, such as a pedestrian crossing, access by bus etc?
4. How will Aberdeenshire Council share the K&M Report with the community, to support transparency and inclusion, before the committee considers its findings?  

We have written to our elected representatives on the points and questions above, for these to be taken into account when considering our library service.