Four Mearns defibrillators have been mothballed after a dispute between a community council and the local authority.
The machines were donated to Stonehaven’s community council in May by John Trudgill, whose brother Peter was swept to his death by a wave last year.
The group hoped to get the defibrillators in council properties but were not willing to accept conditions in a memorandum of understanding drafted by the council, resulting in the delay.
Community council vice-chairman Phil Mills-Bishop claimed the bureaucracy of the discussions meant the life-saving machines had been gathering dust for months.
He said: “This is silly, we were taking time to speak to senior managers about who would change the battery in five years’ time.
“I hope the council realise they have been awkward.
“I accept we have to have some sort of understanding with them.”
The defibrillators may be set up in several non-council locations such as the Co-op and lifeboat station.
An Aberdeenshire Council spokeswoman said: “The council has agreed to help facilitate where possible the installation of some of the public access defibrillators being provided by the community group on the outside of council properties.
“This would be subject to any required permissions, such as planning consent, which would need to be obtained.”