Arbroath Community Council has waded into the Angus Common Good funding row.
The group has written to Angus Council chief executive Richard Stiff seeking assurances that Arbroath Library will not be removed from the control of the town’s Common Good fund.
Fears have been raised that the building might become the first victim of a review, which could lead to it being transferred to the council’s general account.
That followed a more widespread concern that all Angus Common Good funds could be merged into one pot.
Although the council’s finance spokesman Councillor Mark Salmond moved quickly to rule out that option, he failed to provide assurances that assets within burgh funds, such as libraries and other facilities, will stay put.
Chairwoman of Arbroath Community Council Pat Millar copied her letter to Mr Stiff to all burgh councillors, to ensure their position was well known ahead of the review which is set to be the subject of a report to councillors this week.
She said: “We decided as a community council that we would write to the chief executive of Angus Council to voice our concern at what has been said regarding Arbroath Library.
“There is a prospect that it is to be taken out of the Common Good fund and put into a more general fund. Like everybody else, we will have to wait for the report to come out on September 15 before we see any clarification on what is going to happen, but I think it is important that no Common Good funds are taken away from the towns that have them.”
It was Angus independent Bob Spink who set the row running after he issued a ‘hands-off’ warning to council officials over the prospect of Arbroath Library being transferred out of the town’s Common Good budget (link).
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Mr Spink said the library was a gift to the burgh and its residents and transferring its control over to a council budget would constitute “corporate theft”.
Common Good funds are legally protected and cannot be used for any other purpose than the benefit of the community.
The council is carrying out a full audit of the funds on a burgh by burgh basis. It says the outcome of each burgh audit will be shared with the local community to give residents the chance to examine the findings and make responses.
A spokesman said: “As recently stated, the council is carrying out a full audit and review, alphabetically, of the Common Good funds in each burgh, beginning with Arbroath.
“This review work is seeking to confirm whether individual properties across the county are Common Good fund assets or, alternatively, are general fund assets. The general fund covers all assets, excluding housing, which are not on Common Good funds.
“Angus Council has sought to clarify this matter because there appears to be an element of confusion in some quarters that a general fund implies pulling all the Common Good funds together.
“For the avoidance of doubt, it is emphasised that a single combined Common Good fund for Angus is not being considered. Individual Common Good funds are burgh funds and will remain so.
“A report covering Arbroath Common Good fund will be put to the meeting of Angus Council on September 15.”