Doctor slams £728 fee
COMMON Good campaigner Dr Lindsay Neil is taking his case to the Information Commissioner, writes Kenny Paterson.
Selkirk Communiy Council’s vice-chairman has discovered through a Freedom of Information request that the town’s Common Good Fund has been charged £728 by Scottish Borders Council to finalise a £50 lease for Selkirk and District Angling Association.
The fishing rights for the River Ettrick were handed to the Common Good Fund in 2006 by the Crown Estate following a long-running dispute.
“It was then decided the angling association should pay a nominal charge of £50 to the Common Good but it has taken three attempts until a lease was agreed last year, and the process has cost £728,” said Dr Neil.
“The council should be getting value for money for the Common Good and they clearly are not. There should be a more stringent procedure when spending Common Good funds.”
However, Selkirkshire councillor Gordon Edgar, defended the three-figure sum, saying it represents around five hours of a lawyer’s time.
When asked by Dr Neil at Monday’s Community Council meeting if it was value for money, Councillor Edgar replied: “If there is a requirement for a lease then it would be.”
Dr Neil will now write to the Information Commissioner’s Office in an attempt to find out more about the council’s procedure for charging common good funds.
He is challenging the local authority’s 2011/12 fee of £15,000 for dealing with Selkirk’s Common Good Fund, which includes nearly £9,000 in legal fees.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Selkirk
Saturday 25 May 2013
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 6 C to 17 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 7 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: South west
