Scottish Borders Council

Agenda and minutes

Venue: To be confirmed

Contact: Kathleen Mason 01835 826772  Email:-  kmason@scotborders.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

Minute. pdf icon PDF 85 KB

Minute of Meeting of Peebles Common Good Fund Sub-Committee held on 4 March 2015  for noting.     (Copy attached.).

Minutes:

The Minute of Meeting of Peebles Common Good Fund Sub-Committee of 4 March 2015 had been circulated.

 

DECISION

NOTED. 

 

2.

Monitoring Report for 12 Months to 31 March 2015. pdf icon PDF 168 KB

Consider report by Chief Financial Officer providing the year end out-turn for the Peebles Common Good Fund for the year 2014/15 including balance sheet values at 31 March 2015 and proposed budget for 2015/16.  (Copy attached).

Minutes:

There had been circulated copies of a report by the Chief Financial Officer providing the year end out-turn for the Peebles Common Good Fund for the year 2014/15 including balance sheet values at 31 March 2015 and  the proposed budget for 2015/16. The Capital and Investment Manager advised that Appendix 1 to the report provided the actual income and expenditure for 2014/15.  This showed a surplus of £29,833 for 2014/15 and projected surplus of £7,243 for 2015/16. Appendix 2 to the report provided the balance sheet value to 31 March 2015.  This showed an increase in the Reserves of £280,697 due to the surplus for 2014/15, the revaluation of properties and the unrealised gain of the Newton Fund investment.   Appendix 3 to the report provided a breakdown of the property portfolio showing actual income and expenditure and effect of revaluation. Appendix 4 to the report showed the value of the Newton Fund to 31 March 2015.  The Capital and Investment Manager answered Members’ questions relating to the Newton Fund, grants approved but which remained unpaid, and the proposed budget for the cleaning of the toilets at Hay Lodge Park.

        

DECISION

(a)     NOTED:-

 

         (i)              actual income and expenditure position for 2014/15 in Appendix 1 to the report;

 

         (ii)             the final balance sheet value to 31 March 2015 in Appendix 2 to the report;

 

         (iii)            the summary of the property portfolio in Appendix 3 to the report;

 

         (iv)            the current position of the investment in the Newton Fund in Appendix 4 to the report.

        

         (b)            AGREED the proposed budget for 2015/16 as shown in Appendix 1 to the report.

 

 

3.

Applications for Financial Assistance.

Consider the following applications.  (Copies attached.)

4.

Tweeddale Rovers pdf icon PDF 1 MB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Tweeddale Rovers AFC

With reference to paragraph 5(c) of the Minute of 4 March 2015 there had been re-circulated copies of an application for financial assistance from Tweeddale Rovers AFC for £8,000 towards renewing the roof of their pavilion which was leaking badly causing some internal damage.   Mr Jim Moffat of Tweeddale Rovers confirmed by email that the Club had applied for planning permission to replace the existing roof and to put a second storey on the building, but found that the costings were too expensive, further the funding project was difficult, therefore the Club decided to renew the existing roof.     During discussions the ownership of the pavilion was queried and it was agreed to defer consideration of the application to the next meeting of the Peebles Common Good Fund Sub-Committee on 25 June 2015 to enable the Estates Manager to clarify whether the Council or Peebles Rovers AFC were responsible for the maintenance and running of the pavilion.

                                                                       

DECISION

AGREED to defer consideration of the application to the next meeting of the Peebles Common Good Fund Sub-Committee on 25 June 2015 to enable the Estates Manager to clarify whether the Council or Peebles Rovers AFC were responsible for the maintenance and running of the pavilion.

 

5.

Tweedlove Trails pdf icon PDF 186 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

With reference to paragraph 5(e) of the Minute of 4 March 2015 there had been re-circulated copies of an application for financial assistance from Tweedlove Trails for (a) £3,500 event first aid; (b) £4,000 event staff and volunteer event expenses; and (c) £2,500 event insurance and security.  All associated with the TweedLove Bike Festival.    The applicant, Mr Neil Dalgleish was present.  He answered Members’ questions and explained that TweedLove Trails had started as a voluntary project but as it expanded the legal and commercial risks grew too, and the steering group of the constituted voluntary organisation, which was set up to manage the events, did not want to risk their mortgages and be personally liable.    Accordingly,  a new limited company was set up to deal with the more commercial elements and risks.   The new company was called Hillside Outside Limited,  it absorbed the losses and Mr Dalgleish further explained that he had not yet been able to draw any salary from the Company because it made no profit from TweedLove.   He confirmed that funding from the Peebles Common Good was being applied for in respect of this this year’s event only,  and explained he was liaising with the  Scottish Government and other bodies in relation to future funding.   In response to a question raised about the aims or restriction for the use of Common Good Funds it was explained that in terms of the   Local Government (Scotland) 1973, Common Good funds  could be granted if use of the funds  had  regard to the interest of the inhabitants of the former Royal Burgh. 

 

DECISION

AGREED  to grant  Tweedlove Trails  the sum of £10,000 towards  (a) £3,500 event first aid; (b) £4,000 event staff and volunteer event expenses; and (c) £2,500 event insurance and security

 

6.

The Treefest Partnership pdf icon PDF 154 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

With reference to paragraph 5(d) of the Minute of 4 March 2015, there had been re-circulated copies of an application for financial assistance from the Treefest Partnership towards the provision of marquees and associated facilities for the 2 day Wood Market  in Peebles.   The applicant, Chris Sawers was present.  She answered Members’ questions and explained how the event was being advertised.  The event provided a focal point highlighting local wood products and was hosting the Scottish Conker  Championships for the 10th year. 

 

DECISION

AGREED  to grant the Treefest Partnership  the sum of £1,850 towards the provision of marquees and associated facilities for the 2 day Wood Market  in Peebles.

 

 

7.

Peebles Strictly Seniors Dance Group pdf icon PDF 496 KB

Minutes:

With reference to paragraph 3 of the Minute of 4 March 2015, there had been re-circulated copies of an application for financial assistance from Peebles Strictly Seniors Dance Group together with an annual income and expenditure projection as at 21 April 2015.      The applicant Amanda Renwick was present.  It was noted that another 8 members were needed for the group to be self-financing.   Mrs Renwick advised on the methods being used to recruit new members, these included by word of mouth, advertising on  radio borders and in the weekly section of the Peeblesshire News.   She had written to some local organisations asking if they would be willing to supply light refreshments free of charge but as yet had had no response.   The application was for the grant of £2,500 but on being questioned Mrs Renwick advised she would be happy to accept a grant of £2,000. 

                       

DECISION

AGREED to grant Peebles Strictly Seniors Dance Group the sum of £2,000.

 

 

7a

Nomad Beat

Minutes:

There had been circulated copies of an application for financial assistance in the sum of £4,500 from Nomad Beat towards supporting the recording of “airs and Gracenotes” part of the musical legacy of Alison Cameron who had recently received the posthumous award of the Tweeddale Citizen of the Year 2014.   Members discussed the application and agreed to defer consideration to the next meeting of the Peebles Common Good Fund Sub-Committee to allow the Capital and Investment Manager to clarify what, if any, funding, Nomad Beat had received in the past from the Common Good Fund.

 

DECISION

AGREED to defer consideration of the application to the next meeting of the Peebles Common Good Fund Sub-Committee on 25 June 2015 to allow the Capital and Investment Manager  to clarify, what, if any, funding Nomad Beat had received in the past from the Peebles Common Good Fund.

 

8.

Any Other Items Which The Chairman Decides Are Urgent.

Minutes:

Under Section 50B(4)(b) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, the Chairman  was of the opinion that the item dealt with in the following paragraph should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency, in view of the need to make an early decision.

9.

Dalatho Street Peebles

Minutes:

There had been circulated copies of a report by the Service Director Regulatory Services seeking to obtain the consent of the Peebles Common Good Fund Sub-Committee to authorise Legal Services in conjunction with the Estates Department to incur expenditure to carry out further investigations regarding the ownership of an area of land at Dalatho Street/Kingsland Square, Peebles.    The report explained that a planning application for Planning Permission in Principle had been submitted for a mixed use development comprising of new housing, relocation of Caravan Park and a new facilities building at Rosetta Caravan Site, Peebles. The Planning and Building Standards Committee were minded to approve the application at their March 2015 meeting.  However, they were asked by the developer to waive affordable housing contributions in lieu of the developer funding and providing a new vehicular bridge crossing between Kingsland Square and Dalatho Street.   The Planning and Building Standards Committee deferred a decision on that request until more details of the bridge design and costing were provided back to them in a revised Development Viability Report.   The Solicitor explained that the land at the former Peebles/Galashiels Branch Railway was purchased by the then Provost, Magistrates and Councillors of the Royal Burgh of Peebles from the British Railways Board in 1964.  There had been numerous break-offs or sales over the intervening years and the extent of the land remaining needed to be clarified/confirmed.  The Estates Manager confirmed that title searches would need to be undertaken to clarify the ownership of the land.    Members agreed that no action be taken because it was considered it was the responsibility of the developer to clarify ownership of the land.

 

DECISION

AGREED that no action be taken.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The meeting concluded at 6.15 p.m.             

 

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