Current News

Things we are currently dealing with on behalf of the community.

Members of the community have raised the following at recent meetings or through members of the Community Council. You can seek to have items on the agenda by attending or contacting us by e-mail: mid.atholl@gmail.com

North Perthshire Out of Hours Support Service Extended

The North Perthshire Out of Hours Support Service has been extended, with the current pilot now running until Sunday 15 November 2026.

The service is available to anyone aged 16 and over living in North Perthshire who may be experiencing difficulties with their mental health or mental wellbeing, substance use, and/or thoughts of suicide. Support is also available for anyone who is concerned about a friend, family member or someone they know.

Available from 8pm to 2am on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, the service offers support by phone, text, WhatsApp, email and outreach visits. People can also drop in to the Adult Resource Centre on Jessie Street in Blairgowrie between 8.30pm and 1am.

Need support?

Call, text or WhatsApp: 07917 243 389
Email: NPOS@pkc.gov.uk
Drop in: Adult Resource Centre, Jessie Street, Blairgowrie, PH10 6BT
Opening hours: Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 8pm to 2am
It helps to talk.

WE NEED YOU!

With the resignation of our Community Councillor, Penny Kennedy, we have 3 vacancies available which we would like to use to adopt at least 2 more councillors. We are particularly interested in somebody assisting the council with the management of the microgrant scheme. 

In order to qualify, you must live within the area covered by the community council, which stretches from Tulliemet in the east to Little Ballinluig.

Want to help make a difference? Contact us at mid.atholl@gmail.com to get involved.

We need you - we have 3 vacancies available which we would like to use to adopt at least 2 more councillors. We are particularly interested in somebody assisting the council with the management of the microgrant scheme.  In order to qualify, you must live within the area covered by the community council, which stretches from Tulliemet in the east to Little Ballinluig. Want to help make a difference? Contact us at mid.atholl@gmail.com to get involved.

Grandtully Paddle Event Calendar

Dear Neighbours and Colleagues 

I have put together this public calendar to show the paddle events planned for Grandtully throughout the year. 

This year, it is unlikely that anything besides a weekend event in November and maybe small one in October will be added. I will add potential dates for next year’s events, along with expected numbers, as soon as I have them. 

You will find the events calendar here. You should not need to log in to anything to view the events.

If you click the event description, you should find a bit more info on each. 

We greatly value our relationship with Grandtully residents, local organisations and land operators. If you have any concerns about any of the events please let me know. I can then forward your queries to the event organisers who may be best placed to discuss the details with you. 

Kindest regards

Carol Anderson| General Manager| Grandtully Station Campsite
carol.anderson@paddlescotland.org.uk | 01796 922 010
https://www.grandtully.scot/

Paddle Scotland | Grandtully Station Park, Grandtully, Pitlochry, PH9 0PLwww.paddlescotland.org.uk | Tel: 01887 292040

Peoples Emergency Briefing Invite

Dear Community councils

I am writing as a member of the Aberfeldy Climate Cafe to invite you to attend and also publicise a local screening of the People’s Emergency Briefing film on the threats to British life from ongoing damage to nature and to our climate.

Location: Aberfeldy Birks Cinema

Date: Monday 22nd June 2026

Time: 1930hrs

The film features footage from last November’s National Emergency Briefing which brought together leading UK experts in climate science, food security, health, economics, national security and nature. 

It presents a clear, measured overview of how the climate and nature crisis is affecting everyday life in Britain – and what the evidence says about risks and responses.

The initiative is explicitly non-partisan and has support from a wide range of organisations including National Trust, Church of England, Exeter University, the Royal Meteorological Society, WWF, National Education Union, and many more.

Its purpose is to support informed democratic discussion and ensure that Parliament and the public share a common understanding of the scale and urgency of the challenge.

Following the 45-minute film, we will host a 45-minute structured local discussion on what this means for our community.

We would be very pleased if you were able to attend. These events are designed as community discussions 

Free Tickets can be booked here: https://birkscinema.co.uk/films-events/films/peoples-emergency-briefing

Peoples Emergency Briefing Film trailer.

Best Regards
Donald Riddell on behalf of Aberfeldy Climate Café

SSE Renewables Community Investment

Have your say on Griffin and Calliacher Community fund: Drop-in consultation sessions on the folowing dates. Download the resident information PDF here

Dunkeld: 6pm – 9pm Wednesday 13th May
Aberfeldy: 6pm – 9pm Thursday 21st May
Kenmore: 6pm – 9pm Saturday 23rd May

Mull Car Club, The Hackle Rally, 14th March 2027

Mull Car Club has applied to Motorsport UK for an Event Organising Permit to organise and promote Special Stage Rally on roads closed for the purpose under the powers provided for in the Road Traffic Act 1988 Section 12(1A) as amended by Section 73 of the Deregulation Act 2015

Click here to download the Hackle Rally – Safety & Operations Manual

Kick off the World Cup 2026 Fund!

To celebrate the Scottish national Men’s football team qualifying for the 2026 World Cup for the first time since 1998, Perth and Kinross Council seeks the opportunity to encourage our communities to come together to mark this occasion by allocating £26,000 to provide small grants to community groups for appropriate football activities connected with celebrating Scotland’s participation in the World Cup.

Before the whistle blows and applications officially open, we wanted to give you some early team talk so you can start shaping your winning ideas. We’ll send out the application link as soon as the fund is formally launched on the PKC Community Funding page (under Council’s Funding Schemes) Community funding support – Perth & Kinross Council

How much can I apply for? 
Each group/organisation can apply for up to £1,000 for each project. There are five project categories, so you can apply once in each of the five categories, for up to £1,000 per category.

What can the funding be used for?

  • Projects must be football events or activities linked to the World Cup 2026 
  • Projects must promote participation and are NOT already part of the group’s regular or ongoing programme
  • Projects must promote or enhance volunteering opportunities
  • All proposals must demonstrate a clear connection to one of the five categories 
  • Funds must be used for projects taking place during the World Cup 2026, between 11 June and 19 July 2026


The five project categories are:

  • Children and young people
  • Walking football 
  • Women’s football
  • Para football
  • Adult recreational

Here are the key dates for your diary:

Applications Open: Monday 20 April 2026

Full‑Time Whistle (Deadline): Monday 4 May 2026 at 5pm

In the meantime, if you have any queries, please contact CLD@pkc.gov.uk

We’re looking forward to seeing creative, community‑boosting projects that will help celebrate the World Cup spirit across Perth and Kinross. Start gathering your squad, planning your tactics, and getting ready to go for goal!

Etape Caledonia Community Fund

Since its inception in 2007, Etape Caledonia has worked with many community-based individuals, groups and organisations who have been integral to supporting the event and welcoming our participants to Highland Perthshire.
We are launching a Community Fund in 2026. Our hope is that this will become an annual award, given to a different group or organisation each year, to support local projects happening in the communities that the event takes place in
To apply for the Community Fund please see the details below:
● There is one community fund available each year of £1,000. Applications will open Monday 16 March and close on Friday 24 April
● Organisations or groups may apply from a radius of 5 miles within the Etape Caledonia route
● Applications will be accepted from all not for profit or voluntary organisations, this award is not open to commercial organisations
● In order to apply, please share a one page document with any supporting images, videos and materials to info@etapecaledonia.com explaining how your organisation or group would use the award, with a detailed description of how this will positively impact the community.
● All applications will be reviewed and announced before the event weekend on 9th/10th May 2026

Commander’s Bulletin 04.03.26

Click here to download the Commander’s Bulletin Perth & Kinross – 4 March 2026

A9 Dualling Programme: Tay Crossing to Ballinluig – Communications – Procurement Update

A letter from Transport Scotland providing a procurement update for the A9 Dualling Programme: Tay Crossing to Ballinluig project.

Download the Letter – A9 Dualling Tay Crossing to Ballinluig – Intent to award.pdf – here

A9 DUALLING – PITLOCHRY TO KILLIECRANKIE

Communications – Contract Notice Publication – Letter to Community Councils – 29 July 2025.pdf

Community council concerns – Traffic Speeding

Correspondance with Community Policing Team, Highland

Dear Officer, at our community council meetings over the years it is safe to say that the single most commonly raised issue by local residents is traffic that is driven at more than is deemed safe by residents. Sometimes it is clear that the speed is in excess of the prevailing speed limit,  such as when going through villages , and on other occasions it may be within the 60MPH limit  but is thought to be too high given road conditions.

The introduction of speed warning signs at the entrance to a number of villages has certainly helped, but a short viewing will show that many ignore the advisory sign.

We have looked briefly at a scheme operated by  Avon and Somerset Police called Community Speedwatch..

Community SpeedWatch | Avon and Somerset Police

Does Tayside Police have such a scheme? Would you consider trialing such a scheme in our area?

Either way , we are extremely concerned with the regularity with which speeding laws are ignored and what appears to be a failure by Tayside Police to deal with the matter.

We would welcome help from you on how to deal with this scourge upon our local roads.

yours

David Sillito – Hon Sec 

Mid Atholl Strathtay & Grandtully Community Council

Reply from – David Farr – T/Sergeant T1093, Divisional Road Policing Unit, Tayside Division

Good Afternoon Mr Sillito,

I personally have no experience of Community Speed Watch (CSW) schemes in the Tayside area however I believe one has previously operated in the Blairgowrie area.

Police Scotland can still support a CSW scheme.  For a scheme to operate, an application has to be made to the Local Divisional Commander requesting formation of a CSW scheme (This may be delegated to the local Area Commander for a decision).  A site visit and risk assessment will be required to be carried out, usually done by the local Community Officers.  A local Community Officer would generally be the CSW Co-ordinator going forward.  The scheme would only operate on roads with a 20, 30 or 40mph speed restriction.

The scheme is largely self-funded by the volunteers / Community group in relation the necessary equipment needed during initial set up (High visibility vests, with ‘Community Speed Watch’ printed on front and back, portable road signs displaying same wording and a Police approved speed detection device).

Volunteers for the scheme will require to receive vetting clearance. Thereafter they must be fully trained in the CSW scheme and undergo training in the speed detection devices to be used.  A minimum of 3 volunteers must be present at each site during any deployment.

Public liability Insurance must also be obtained. 

As per the video from Avon and Somerset, details of vehicles, speeds etc are sent to Police who would then send out warning letters to Registered Keepers.

As you can see a CSW scheme is very involved for both the Police and community volunteers.

An alternative to the CSW scheme is Police carrying out speed enforcement.  If you can provide specific areas of concern (incl specific times / days)  I can pass these onto the Road Policing teams in Perth and the local Community Officers and we can carry out enforcement in those areas when we’re available.

Unfortunately speeding complaints are a concern across the Tayside area and we only have a limited amount of resources.  However, we do regularly carry out speed detection duties when time allows between calls and other enquiries.

Speedy drivers etc.
Residents have raised issues concerning the following routes:
The High road at Tullimet
B 898 The road through Balnaguard
A 827 From the A9 to Aberfeldy and beyond
With the support of Councillor John Duff we are hoping to have a member of Perth & Kinross roads department at our next meeting to suggest the sorts of solutions that are open to the community council to push for. Some speed limits are set at a national level and there is little that can be easily achieved for instance.

Broadband
Depending on where you live i.e. which side of the river Tay, parts of our area suffer from poor Broadband at 3 Mbps with promises of high personal costs to remedy the situation. Residents have become frustrated about their limited options so we will look at it and pass views and findings on the appropriate authorities.

If you have issues or problems that we might be able to help with, contact us via email on mid.atholl@gmail.com and we will see if we can help.