Community spirit encouraged to run facilities in Moray

Following sweeping changes at Moray Council with their budget proposals for the year ahead, the people of Keith have been presented with an opportunity to take ownership of the Longmore Hall.

Moray Council will support "any viable group" seeking a community asset transfer (CAT) of the hall to preserve - and hopefully enhance the facility - for the future use of the people in the town. Changes like this are expected the length and breadth of Moray following proposals by the cash-strapped council to close town halls and community centres.

Keith and Cullen Councillor Donald Gatt attended a meeting of around a hundred people on Monday which saw several "expressions of interest" in helping form a group to take on the responsibility.

“Whilst this is not perhaps the direction many people would have wished the Council to go we must however live within our financial means and to that end it has meant the planned disposal of Community buildings"

“This may be a disappointment to some, but I see this as a first class opportunity for the community to become more involved in the running of this well thought of facility"

Speaking to MFR News, Cllr Gatt said it was time for local people to "step up to the plate" given the situation which was now facing Longmore Hall.

"One of the adjustments (by the local authority) is to get rid of facilities that'll probably be better run and better used by community organisations"

"We're not going to foist responsibility onto anybody" - Cllr Donald Gatt

But time's tight for any prospective groups to get their act together. With a June deadline facing a number of facilities across the whole of Moray which are now being passed on by Moray Council.

"If a viable organisation came forward before the end of June, there will be some leeway depending on proposals and what help the council could give", said Cllr Gatt.

Facing several premises being transferred across the area, MFR News asked why Moray Council hadn't sought to lay the groundwork for this move before the budget.

Cllr Gatt said, "That's a hindsight question and it'd be great if we could have hindsight like that, but we are where we are in the in terms of our budget and we don't have an awful lot of time"

"We're not going to foist responsibility onto anybody. Any group that submits an interest will be assisted by the council and they'll have to put together a business plan. It might be to use the building differently from how it was used in the past"

"Just because people aren't necessarily 'professionals' doesn't mean they can't run a place like that - they may bring a completely different view from the so-called professionals"

As to the future of Longmore Hall in Keith, a further meeting to firm up a way forward for the future of the facility will be held next week.