Councillor Fred Hall, representing Oban South and the Isles – who is putting himself up for re-election as an independent councillor, has raised the issue of Oban’s loss of its only play park for children.
He has written to two fellow councillors, one, Councillor MacDougall who is the Chair of the Oban Lorn and the Isles Area Committee and both of whom are concerned, one as Chair, Councillor Robertson, with the Oban COmmon Good Fund.
Below is the text of Councillr Hall’s letter, describing the issue and prescribing a remedy within the power of the councillors concerned to raise.
From: Hall, Fred
Sent: 08 March 2014 18:3
To: MacDougall, Alistair; Robertson, Elaine (Councillor)
Subject: Open the coffers & give our kids a playpark.
Dear Alistair & Elaine,
I write to you in your respective roles as Lead & Deputy Lead Councillor for Oban, Lorn & the Isles and Chairperson and member of the Oban Common Good Fund. Oban’s only central play park has been closed, our children and their parents need this play park and the play park group needs funds.
As you are aware we have over £900,000.oo in the Common Good Fund invested with Barclay’s Wealth Fund the interest of which is distributed to good causes in the town. Whilst I appreciate your very prudent way of managing the Common Good Fund, I feel that it should do what it says on the tin and be used for the common good of the town. There is a saying ‘It is not important to be right, it is important to do the right thing’.
Wise management of the Fund is very important but I truly can’t see the point in having over £900,000.oo invested in the stock market if our kids have nowhere to play. I implore you to be courageous and do the right thing by appreciating this is a unique situation, and open up the coffers of the Common Good Fund for the good of the town and support the play park group in its quest to give our children a safe place to play, grow and learn.
Regards,
Fred
Commentary
The fundamental point made by COUncillor Hall – that a Common Good Fund exists to do good for the commoners of its parish; and that money nesting in investment – which these days earns virtually nothing anyway – is money not used for that common good.
While the prudent management of resources has to be a sine qua non, the point with a commond good fund is to apply its resources for the comon good – and the issue of child heath, fitness and play could hardly be more in the common good, with the play park available to all comers.