Montrose Councillor Bill Duff has highlighted the need to prioritise spending of the town’s common good fund.
The deputy leader of the SNP group on Angus Council spoke out after councillors were told at a recent meeting the 19th century Traill Pavilion in Montrose was in need of repairs and modernisation, particularly painting, with a budget estimate of more than £30,000.
Local members had considered the use of Montrose common good funding but concluded it should be declared surplus and marketed for sale.
Speaking after the decision was taken to sell the pavilion, Mr Duff said: “This has generated quite a lot of comment, but it raises the very serious issue of how money from the common good fund is spent.
Mr Duff, who served as a council appointed director on Montrose Golf Links Limited from 2012-17, explained: “Montrose Common Good has three groups of assets – Montrose Town House, which is an A listed Georgian building, Montrose Golf Courses, with Medal and Broomfield courses run by Montrose Golf Links Limited, a company limited by guarantee with four members (the council and the three golf clubs) and in addition, a sundry collection of assets including sports grounds, car parks and public spaces.
“The fund attracts rental income from the council for these assets, generating just over £60,000 per annum, which gives a net income of about £45,000 per annum.
“Although current reserves sit at over £370,000, which may seem at first glance to be a considerable sum of money, there could be need of significant funds to maintain some of these buildings.
“For example, the steeple has required expensive repairs in the past two years, and grave concerns have been expressed regarding the erosion that is posing a very real threat to the golf courses.
“The advice from Angus Council engineers has consistently been that the course should be moved inland by 100 metres, but this would be an extremely expensive course of action, and the first port of call for funds would be the common good.
“It is for this reason that I would urge prudence about spending common good money, and priority be given to maintaining the assets that attract rental income.
“In reality, that applies to the Traill Pavilion which has been essentially empty for over 30 years.
“Sale of the Traill Pavilion to an enterprising businessperson or community group with a robust business plan is the best option for the fund.”
