Dear Councillors
I am a Director of Bonnyrigg Centre Trust and I helped to write the business plan we submitted to the Council outlining the local communities desire and plans to reuse this fantastic space.
This business plan is written to a high standard and represents uncounted hours of input from competent, professional individuals who thought long and carefully not only about the trusts ethos, aims and objectives - but also about the operational and financial issues which would surround this venture.
The plan is not perfect and none of the directors are naive enough to think the journey of community
transfer and redevelopment would be plain sailing. However, it is very competent and an excellent and
solid first step on the road to a succesful venture. This is acknowledged in large part by the officers asessment.
However, I am frankly infuriated that in their assement report discardes Bonnyrigg Centre Trusts
plans out of hand because of finance. They consistently state that they are worried about the financial position of the trust and the ability for the facility to run sustainably based on the Trusts financial projections.
However, I have seen no clear evidence to rebutt our projections. We have been required to produce detailed
plans and costings but we have had no such courtesy from the council officers.
We must see far more detailed analysis of why the officers think these plans will fail. At the moment it
looks like they are using any excuse to demolish the building.
It is also complete lacking in natural justice to reject the plan because it lacks funding when we cannot
approach funders until the transfer is approved in principle. The Council puts us squarely in a Catch 22
situation which is the complete antithesis of community empowerment.
We would love to work in partnership with funding bodies, local organisations and the council to make this plan fly.
Please support us in our efforts.
Ewan
I am a Director of Bonnyrigg Centre Trust and I helped to write the business plan we submitted to the Council outlining the local communities desire and plans to reuse this fantastic space.
This business plan is written to a high standard and represents uncounted hours of input from competent, professional individuals who thought long and carefully not only about the trusts ethos, aims and objectives - but also about the operational and financial issues which would surround this venture.
The plan is not perfect and none of the directors are naive enough to think the journey of community
transfer and redevelopment would be plain sailing. However, it is very competent and an excellent and
solid first step on the road to a succesful venture. This is acknowledged in large part by the officers asessment.
However, I am frankly infuriated that in their assement report discardes Bonnyrigg Centre Trusts
plans out of hand because of finance. They consistently state that they are worried about the financial position of the trust and the ability for the facility to run sustainably based on the Trusts financial projections.
However, I have seen no clear evidence to rebutt our projections. We have been required to produce detailed
plans and costings but we have had no such courtesy from the council officers.
We must see far more detailed analysis of why the officers think these plans will fail. At the moment it
looks like they are using any excuse to demolish the building.
It is also complete lacking in natural justice to reject the plan because it lacks funding when we cannot
approach funders until the transfer is approved in principle. The Council puts us squarely in a Catch 22
situation which is the complete antithesis of community empowerment.
We would love to work in partnership with funding bodies, local organisations and the council to make this plan fly.
Please support us in our efforts.
Ewan