In attendance were P&K deputy leader C’llr George Hayton and three senior staff, including Property Manager Russell Thomson, who outlined the current position, as indicated by recent surveys of the building.

Minimum £100,000

The message was stark. Extensive dry rot was found in four locations, and accompanying upgrading of necessary electrical circuits to meet 2008 standards meant that the cost of bringing the hall up to standard would take 3 month’s work and cost “certainly” £100,000. That figure appeared to be a minimum.

The P&K message from the outset was clear: it wanted shot of Aberfeldy Town Hall, and it was asking the community

The message from the crowd did not take long to materialise: P&K had let this building fall in to disrepair, either through neglect or inadequate maintenance procedures. It had under-estimated the value of this building to Aberfeldy. A long list of valued uses was read out, of which many P&K appeared to be unaware, including the Provincial Mod that would take place in June next year that was an international event attended by over 1000 children. How would that now be run?

Confused & Fraught

The P&K strategic argument was that the new £30 million Community Campus was a considerable investment in Highland Perthshire and the working assumption was that virtually all local requirements could be accommodated there. The plan was, when that opened in two years’ time, that the functions of the town hall would then be redundant.

P&K maintained the community knew two years ago that the town hall would almost certainly be redundant at that point. The crowd was unanimous in stating that such an intention had never been communicated to them, and this despite the “most heavily consulted proposal that had ever taken place in Scotland over a school”. P&K had obviously neglected to communicate a key message clearly. If this had been communicated clearly two years previously, then the community might today be in a position to purchase the hall. Circumstances had now intervened, and the situation was confused and fraught.

“Complete Mince”

The P&K delegation dismissed claims from the floor that Highland Perthshire was neglected and forgotten about. C’llr Hayton did not enamour himself to those present by referring to comments made in the Courier the previous day on this subject by ex- provost Alex Murray as “complete mince”. He might just have well have told the audience that “your concerns this evening are complete mince.” Time and again the comment was made that P&K just had no interest whatsoever in Aberfeldy or in Highland Perthshire.

Council officials had been working to relocate certain events and local groups in the short term, and appeared genuine in their efforts to achieve this. They were having some success, but it was very much work-in-hand. Concern was raised from the floor that Community Campus projects in other parts of Scotland - Ayrshire was named - had proved to be disappointing. Having all the various facilities in one location had seemed to be a good idea, but the actuality was different, with the facilities often not opened or accessible. P&K suggested that this would not be the case here, but would give no guarantees. It was at present still working out a pricing structure for letting rooms in the new campus.

Coming back to the immediate future of the town hall, P&K was unwilling to spend the £100,000 on the hall without knowing what the community wanted to do with it. With the issue having only just having been brought to their attention, the people of Aberfeldy obviously had not taken much time to think about this. The issue was clearly more than just the town hall. There were other community facilities in the centre of Aberfeldy as well, including the library and Municipal Building. It was important to think of this bigger picture, but P&K intentions over other property in the town were not forthcoming.

Broader Picture

Several speakers emphasized the need to look at the whole, not just the town hall. C’llr Ken Lyall, attending with C’llr Ian Campbell made the audience aware that, if the building was to be sold, then any money would go to the Aberfeldy Common Good Fund. He had only recently became aware that this was the case.

The P&K Property Manager backed up this comment by suggesting that the town hall was “almost certainly” the property of the Common Good Fund. It is, of course, strange that no-one knows these things for certain. There is currently a review of Common Good land in Scotland, which will report before 31 March next year. At that point there will be a list of what would appear to be Common Good land in Aberfeldy. That list would then be subject to much local debate and is something of real relevance to this discussion.

P&K was prepared to meet within the next 10 days with the Breadalbane Community Campus User Group to discuss a way forward, that seemingly being the most appropriate vehicle to represent the community in these matters at such short notice. P&K was certainly anxious and willing to open a channel for communication to take matters forward. In the circumstances, it could do no less.

Get Organised

The User Group, however, was unwilling to look at the bigger picture, merely wishing to address the issue of the town hall, and the uses that could be established for that in the longer term. Of course, the questions of could the community buy the building and how would be central to discussions.

Possibilities for match funding had recently been closed down. Ongoing costs for running the building would also have to be considered, and would be in excess of £30,000 per year. The User Group is to communicate all relevant matters through the Breadalbane school website.

A progress report would be made to Aberfeldy Community Council early next year. The second message of the evening from P&K was “Get yourselves organized!”

P&K does not want to pay £100,000 to bring Aberfeldy Town Hall back to a usable standard. The Aberfeldy Common Good Fund was reported to have £100,000 currently in it, but only just. This was not considered to be an option.

A motion from the floor that “P&K find £100,000 to fix Aberfeldy Town Hall immediately to keep options open for the people of the town” was supported unanimously, and with that resounding message, the meeting was closed.

Good & Proper State

After the meeting C’llr Lyall observed: “The much-touted contract agreed between P&K Council and Axiom developers, states that Axiom will own and run the new school for the next 30 years and then hand back the campus to the Council in ‘a good and proper state’. It is not unreasonable, then, for the town hall in P&K Council ownership, to be handed back to the community also in a good and proper state.”