Steve's Newsletters

2006 August

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Thursday, 31 August 2006 00:00 Steve McCombe

August 2006

The Scottish Community Land Network (SCLN) aims to encourage and support community land sector throughout Scotland by shared experience, networking and promotion of Scottish community land initiatives.

Hi all,

A very brief issue this will give both you and me a chance to enjoy the summer break. Have a good holiday if you’re getting one.

Cheers,

Steve

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News

We haven’t heard the last of Holmehill court case. Having lost the appeal Holmehill Ltd were facing legal costs of more than £40,000. The Sheriff in the case has now admitted that he erred in awarding costs against Holmehill Ltd without having a formal hearing from both sides. Hilton PLC then withdrew their request for their £20000 in costs. The Scottish Executive has agreed to accept a peppercorn sum (use FOI to find amount) from Holmehill Ltd for their £20000 costs. On the positive front Holmehill Ltd is now negotiating with the developers lined up to be the new owners with a view towards community involvement in the management of the hill. Guest speakers for Holmehill’s AGM of 14^th August are Davie Newton Chairman of Knoydart Foundation and Ian Phillip of Dunning Community Trust

Scottish Land Fund has had its final meeting and made its last grant. Over the last 5 years it has helped 251 projects from small amenity plots to large Highland estates bring 173,00 acres and 67 buildings and amenities under community control. It has helped to build confident and self-reliant communities adding or sustaining 186 full-time and 219 part-time jobs in rural Scotland. The Big Lottery Fund’s Growing Community Assets will replace the SLF with a £50 million fund to invest in any rural or urban community of any size across Scotland.

This seems to need a regular column, but we are once again wishing Donnie Mackay all the best as leaves the CLU to become aspiring writer and househusband. Donnie is well-known for his support of communities through the CLU Aftercare program. His enthusiasm and positive reinforcement will be missed by many communities. He will not be completely lost to us as he is writing about community land-ownership in 'After the Party - Community Land Ownership in Scotland' and promises to keep in touch. Good Luck!

HIE have begun a protracted negotiation with Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) over the future of the Cairngorm Estate. Bidwells was commissioned to do a feasibility study of potential ownership options. It was on Bidwells’ recommendation of that the FCS was chosen as the best option for future ownership. What is disappointing is that the possibility of community ownership seems to be lacking any depth investigation. A very damning “perceived disadvantages” concludes that the local community is not suitable for managing an area of national significance. Just as well the successful community buyouts (e.g. Assynt, North Harris, Knoydart etc.) weren’t aware of this when they equally took on their own areas of national significance or they may not have grasped the opportunity based on Bidwells advice. Download the Full Report (edited) here.

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Woodlands & Forestry

Congratulations to Dunning Community Truston their successful purchase of the 80 acre Kincladie Wood, known locally as “Mi Lady’s Wood”. A very ambitious fund-raiser recently combined “a major clean up of Kincladie Wood with the erection of 40 affordable homes”! Having caught my attention with this impressive feat, the report continues “50 volunteers removed several tons of rubbish from the wood and erected 22 of a planned 40 bird boxes, which are now available for feathered tenants”. Oh well, still pretty impressive!

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Renewable Energy

Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust has recently reported its first full year of trading for its windfarms, Gigha’s Dancing Ladies. The 3 turbine 775KW community-owned windfarm has produced a net profit of over £100,000. This will of course be reinvested in one of the many projects they are pursuing. Also congratulations to Dave MacDonald who started as new Trust Manager in May.

An interesting case study for Perth and Kinross council by 3G Energi spells the details the implications of a woodfuel system both in terms of economic and environmental benefits. Download the case study (2.65MB) here.

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Funding & Finance

A new model for funding community renewable projects has been forwarded to me. It is Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) or “windfarms without borrowing”. This seems to replace borrowing by selling potential energy production on the futures market. Download a summary, a detail or a full PowerPoint presentation. I would like to hear comment from the financial whizzes on the possible use of this model for communities.

Bits and pieces – Ideas from all over

Community ownership of assets is the most effective strategy at our disposal for the regeneration of disadvantaged communities. A report, Community Assets: The benefits and costs of community management and ownership by Stephen Thake for the Department of Communities and Local Government is a must for community developers. At 60 pages a hefty read, helpfully Senscot has done a summary.

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A View from the Hills

The Heriot-Watt University’s Social Enterprise Institute (see Events) is holding a conference on the How to Deliver Triple Bottom Lines: Route Maps for Social Entrepreneurs. The triple bottom line, a new concept for me, captures an expanded spectrum of values and criteria for measuring organizational and societal success - economic, environmental and social. To be used to measure any corporate organisation I feel it succinctly captures the the essence of of the value of social enterprise. Social enterprise delivers more than the the traditional bottom line, only a financial measure. It also must be measured against the environmental and social benefits in the perceived success of any venture.

Thanks to contributions from Maureen Wright, Declan Jones, Jim Bennett, Derek Louden, Chris Cook, Sandra Holmes, Ilona Traut, Neil Gerrard, Diana Campbell & Donnie MacKay

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