'City common good fund needs improved scrutiny'
THE management of Inverness’s multi-million pound common good fund is in need of a radical shake-up.
This is according to John West, who when chairman of Inverness Civic Trust, challenged the council over use of what he claimed was common good land to build the controversial West Link Road at Ness-side.
Mr West has been invited to give his thoughts on common good funds by Andy Wightman MSP who is overseeing a Scottish Parliament national review of common good property and funds, and has invited written evidence.
The parliament wants to know if the current system is fit for purpose and whether common good property and funds are "managed properly in the interests of local inhabitants."
Parliament also wants to find out if there enough openness and direct engagement with local communities on common good property and funds and the use to which they are put, and whether details of common good property and assets and income generated by their sale are clear and transparent.
Inverness Common Good Fund is valued at just over £31 million made up of properties, (£21.6 million) investments, (£7.2 million) heritage assets (and cash deposits held with Highland Council of £0.099 million.
The scrutiny comes as it was revealed a blunder by Highland Council led to the Inverness fund not being paid £29,000 due in rent, and less than two years after separate similar rent collection gaffes emerged that left Nairn and Inverness funds more than £200,000 out of pocket.
Nairn Common Good Fund missed out on £147,000 and a further £40,000 in interest and rent totalling £18,000 was not collected from Clach FC on behalf of Inverness Common Good Fund between 2004 and 2006.
Mr West said: "I would submit that the law regarding common good is in need of rationalisation and simplification and framed in such a way to enable the objectives of the common good to be achieved and not frustrated by complexity and bureaucracy.
"Recently the Inverness common good, along with the common good in Nairn have been subject to poor governance, resulting in more losses to the fund owned by the people.
"These shortcomings having been identified by Audit Scotland and not Highland Council or the councillors acting as trustees.
"This situation arouses concerns that other omissions and shortfalls are prevalent but undiscovered and that some alternative form of governance is required in regard to this historic and valuable resource.
"The record keeping of the common good requires upgrading and more adequate auditing and supervision."
Mr West also claimed there is "minimal involvement" prior to money being doled out by the funds.
He added: "It is appreciated that elements of confidentiality are required but pronouncements of expenditure in retrospect do not enhance the public’s feeling of being involved."
Mr West concluded: "I would submit that Inverness, which still has a substantial common good, is a prime example of where revised governance is required, to restore public confidence in one of our most cherished institutions."
At the time of the blunders Highland Council insisted that lessons had been learned from those failures and a dedicated officer has now been hired by the council to manage the 10 funds across the region.
The closing date for submissions is next Wednesday. (March 22)
