Town needs 'something for 21st century'

Lorna Cresswell...list was “very limiting compared to some issues.”

A REVIEW of the rules on how common good money is handed out has sparked some interesting debate.

Forres people are full of ideas on how the town’s cash should be spent.

A facelift for the High Street, sprucing up the Tolbooth and bringing back a much-loved service are among the ideas put forward to the ‘Gazette’ by people who agreed to speak to reporter Duncan Bick over the hot topic.

"It would be quite a good thing to bring more commerce to the town," said one woman who asked not to be named. "And we could tidy it (Forres) up a little bit."

"We could do something about the High Street for a start," said another. Her friend agreed "We shouldn’t have so many food outlets and take-aways."

Rex McIntosh, a former Moray Council member for Forres, suggested that common good money could be used to help repair the Tolbooth and Nelson’s Tower.

Anna Temple, who lives in the town, said in reply to a ‘Gazette’ post on the Forres Facebook page: "Bring back the wee community bus that was a lifeline to pensioners."

The comments come following a report to the Moray Council’s audit and performance review committee about Forres Common Good Fund.

It was requested by chair Gordon McDonald (Buckie) and detailed the legal test of "reasonable judgement" for allocating common good funds. Laws relating to common good are complex as they rely on common or case law dating back to the mid-1800s.

According to the report, common good money can be used for: Civic, ceremonial and hospitality uses; maintenance of parks on common good land; donations to local philanthropic institutions; erecting and maintaining memorial statues and street decorations.

Councillor Lorna Cresswell said this list was "very limiting compared to some of the issues which come up in Forres" and suggested the criteria should be reviewed.

She was echoed by fellow Forres member Irene Ogilvie and Councillor John Sharp (Elgin City South) who said: "It needs something for the 21st rather than the 18th century."

Chief legal officer Roderick Burns said he would look into the matter but stressed that the complex nature of common good law (see separate story) may make it hard to enact changes.

Forres Community Council vice-chair Bob Hellyer said there were many restrictions on the use of common good funds but that it had been used to support community groups such as gardening enthusiasts Forres in Bloom.

Forres member Jeff Hamilton commented that a "very small section of the Forres community" questioned whether there was a legal basis for all 26 members of Moray Council making decisions relating to the fund. He welcomed that the report clarified the legal status (detailed below).

A further report is due to be presented to the committee at its next meeting on Wednesday, July 6, which is expected to include an inventory on the estate.