Concern over common good assets (Angus Council)

On the market—Braik’s Close in Brechin.

By Chris Hardy THE RECORDING and stewardship of Brechin Common Good fund by Angus Council has been called into question again. The council wants to sell or lease ground at Braik’s Close but has been told by community councillor and common good watchdog Mike Mitchell that it is not theirs to sell as it is a common good asset. He believes the issue highlights unresolved discrepancies in the common good list and has called for anything involving the properties to be shelved until the council’s promised investigation of common good funds in Angus has been completed. “I had a meeting with the head of legal services at Angus Council almost two years ago regarding some of my concerns over Braik’s close and other properties relating to Brechin common good and the response was somewhat dilatory,” said Mr Mitchell. “It took five months to get a reply which said that, having examined the titles carefully, Braik’s close did not appear to fall within Brechin Common Good. “In addition the head of property services advised that records held by his division showed that they were held on the roads account. “The council said it did not intend to take any further action on this subject.” However Mr Mitchell’s own research has shown Braik’s Close was on the common good accounts of fixed assets at least from 1997—which is as far back as his records go—to 2000 with a capital valuation of £4000. “From 2000 to 2003 it was still on the list with a valuation of £0. “Then it disappears.” Further correspondence from Angus Council intimated that due to various other priorities some of the 14 issues raised by Mr Mitchell were still outstanding. The council had agreed that a full review of common good assets in each burgh would be carried out over the next few years. Mr Mitchell has written to Angus Council’s chief executive stating that until that review has been completed Braik’s Close should be withdrawn from the market. A member of the Brechin community said yesterday that it was concerning, given the many reports in the press and when the council was aware of concerns, that nothing had been done. “What has been uncovered at Braik’s Close may be tantamount to criminal neglect,” he said. “If negligence on the side of the common good trustees, ie Angus Council, can be proven I would guess there would be a very strong case for transferring custodianship. “It would appear that planning permission for 15 flats on the former site of Flicks nightclub depends on the purchase of the close for parking spaces. “Therefore the sale valuation of £20,000 is far too low. Approval should be given only after detailed discussion with Brechin Community Council, after the valuation is done in much the same manner as for a ransom strip and once continued pedestrian access is ensured.” Mr Mitchell said be believed Angus Council should be working hand in glove with the community instead of stone-walling anyone who raised queries. “I know it is a complex issue but it would help if the council would work with and listen to people who are expressing concerns,” he said. “The council has said it will have a review but that it will take years. “Meanwhile Brechin could be losing out on tens of thousands of pounds in rental charges for properties that have disappeared from the common good.” In recent years Angus Council reinstated the municipal building in Bank Street to the list of assets and a rental income of £24,500 was attributed to the common good fund, although there was no back payment for the missing years.

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Will a New Community Trust Help Stop Edinburgh’s Old Town from Dying?

This is one of the questions that the newly established Edinburgh Old Town Development Trust , will be asking at its first public meeting this Thursday 26th November at Augustine United Church, George IV Bridge from 7.30pm – 9.30pm.

“SENIOR COUNCIL SOURCE” – SAVE POLLOK PARK CAMPAIGN COULD BANKRUPT COMMON GOOD FUND

In other news – council claims protesters cause flood, pestilence & global financial crisis

COUNCIL COMMON GOOD POLICY MUST CHANGE

We’re kidding about the flood and pestilence…

…but this is just as nonsensical as the ‘senior council source’ who is quoted by The Herald:

“The stance taken by the campaigners has been overly simplistic and this issue is just another example of how managing successful services is more complex than they want to admit.”

This blatant attempt to shoot the messenger is not only crude but inaccurate. We welcome the following assurance from Cllr Stephen Curran, Executive Member for Service Reform:

“I share your concern at these unfortunate and unattributable comments, which are simply inaccurate with regard to “Save Pollok Park” for whom the phrase “overly simplistic” is wholly inappropriate. Clearly there is a risk to maintaining the current high level of expenditure in Pollok Park and the Common Good Fund if those are not addressed, but they did not preclude its consideration and inclusion as a Common Good Asset and are in no way insurmountable.” “ In my previous role as City Treasurer I introduced a new investment policy on the Common Good that had been developed on a non-partisan and cross-party basis, focussing on appropriate measures to protect the level of the Common Good Fund in future.”

Referring to Common Good assets in general, Cllr Curran says:
“(At the Executive Committee meeting) I also asked and received confirmation that it was “not difficult” to manage Pollok Park effectively as a Common Good asset.” “I added that we support Pollok Park’s inclusion as a Common Good asset and that accounting for this will be an ongoing issue in future, particularly as additional properties may be included on the Common Good Asset Register.”
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Council policy on Common Good must change

The Council would not be in such disarray if they were simply to update the Common Good asset register as required by the Scottish Government. This should have been completed by 31 March 2009.

According to the Chief Executive’s department this would cost £1.3 million to implement. Perhaps a ‘senior council source’ would tell us how this figure has been calculated? It sounds like a lot of money but perhaps it should be put in the context of the £2 million bill for the salaries and expenses of the Chief Officers’ for 2008-9. Details here.

The absence of an up to date register was partly responsible for the wrong advice to councillors about Pollok Park’s status and the eventual downfall of the Go Ape proposal. It will be interesting to see how much that fiasco cost the Council when our FOI request for details of all the expenditure is finally answered. Having failed to provide the data at the first request the Council now has until 9 November to provide this information on appeal.

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…and finally – more news about Go Ape

The website for Friends of Itchen Valley Park reports on Go Ape’s attempts to build a course in a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and the local council’s attempts to block the protesters.

Bill Fraser

Save Pollok Park

Tel: 0141-424 0447

Mob: 07775 832 461

Fax: 0141-626 4235

How We Organise – Event update

How We Organise event: Where we go from here

Conclusions: How We Organise – There is not enough being done to break down the barriers that stop people participating. While the “activist” is to busy and has no time for whatever reasons – there is a whole community out
there looking in. What they are looking at (generally) is something they do
not feel part of – something out-with their experience – or more troubles
to add to the ones they already have. If we are to get more people involved
(an imperative if we want things to change) we need to start using our
imagination and the type of tools that do not create more alienation – but
power and understanding for those who need it most.

The event attracted some new people interested in what is going on around them. The Common Good day event, also set out some of the benefits we could gain by more communication through our various groups and activities. A few highlights of the events and updates, follows.

MALADMINISTRATION COMPLAINT REJECTED BY GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL – CASE REFERRED TO OMBUDSMAN

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FOI REQUEST – WHAT INFORMATION?

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MORE FROM GO APE!
Council rejects SPP maladministration charge

Rejecting our recent letter of complaint the Executive Director of Corporate
Services at GCC replied:

Glasgow School Closures & rising school rolls

In an embarrassing gaffe [sic] by members of Glasgow City Council, revealed over the weekend, it was shown that the principal reason put forward for the closure of nearly two dozen schools in the city earlier this year could not now be supported by official statistics. In April this year leading Labour politicians within the country’s largest local authority revealed that they intended to close a significant number of city schools because of “falling school rolls”.

SAVE POLLOK PARK LAUNCHES MALADMINISTRATION COMPLAINT AGAINST GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL

SAVE POLLOK PARK LAUNCHES MALADMINISTRATION COMPLAINT AGAINST GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL

Save Pollok Park today launched a formal complaint of maladministration against Glasgow City Council over its handling of the Go Ape project.
Full complaint PDF

Common Good report Fife Council.pdf

Common Good report Fife CouncilPDF

Common Good fund ‘failings’ – Fife council’s external auditors…

FIFE COUNCIL’S external auditors have told the local authority it needs to improve the way it looks after the Common Good funds.

Scott Moncrieff state that it is not clear where specific responsibilities for administering the funds lie, there is poor information about moveable Common Good assets such as paintings and books, and there is a risk the funds do not receive rental income which is rightfully theirs.

Pollok Park Victory – Common Good

On 12th June Glasgow Council finally gave in and abandoned the idea of of Go Ape in Pollok Park

Thanks to all our supporters – we knew we spoke for the majority and could prove it – they thought we would gradually go away – but were wrong

In their press statement the Council and Go Ape tried to save face – that is to be expected – but they and we know that they simply could not overcome the legal and financial mess they go into – and which we have been pointing out for 18 months

We established that Pollok Park (and Knowehead Lodge ) are part of the Common Good and they would have had to go to court to remove them
Bridge report

Save Pollok Park