Bonnybridge Scouts feel let down by 'rude' Falkirk Council as property review moves forward

The 27th Bonnybridge Scouts, which currently has 70 children from the local area in its ranks, were hurt and saddened when they realised their hall, which is contained

within Bonnybridge Community Centre, in Bridge Street, was now listed as a category D property in the council’s strategic property review and, as such, was heading

for closure in three months.

Helen Smith, group scout leader and cubs leader, said: “It’s just a big mess and we feel very let down and angry we have not even been approached or spoken to about this by Falkirk Council.

"It’s incredibly rude."

A recent report to councillors states £1.2 million of repairs are urgently needed over the next two years and the centre’s management committee were angry they had

previously been told they had until 2026 to get a committee of volunteers together who were willing to take the centre on through a community asset transfer (CAT).

As recently as November the committee was being told that the council would support them with this and the plan was to canvas and leaflet to spread the word.

However, that timeline has now been brought forward by three whole months.

"They have moved the goal posts,” said Helen. “And they’ve done it in a really poor way, considering what scouting is all about, giving kids a chance. People from all walks of life can get involved in scouting.

“We have always had the support of Falkirk Council, that’s why it’s really upsetting now. It’s like they have turned their back on us. If we don’t have a hall we have to

have a place to meet.

"I’m sure they will tell us to use the school, but that will be full of other groups and we also have a lot of equipment which we need to store somewhere.”

The most galling aspect of all this for the scouts is they had an actual lease agreement with Falkirk Council regarding their hall.

Founded in 1911, the 27th Bonnybridge Scouts moved from their existing scout hall in the mid 1960s into the former Smith and Wellstood foundry social club and the

powers that be at the time offered it to the scouts with a 99 year lease.

By the early 1970s the local authority at the time was looking for a location for a new community centre and the only place big enough was the site near Bridge Street.

An agreement was reached where the council could have the land, as long as a scout hall was also provided. This was agreed and a lease was signed in 1998.

The lease agreement with the council regarding the hall states: "The lease shall endure from the said date of entry for a period of one year and shall continue yearly

thereafter for as long as the tenant is in existence or until such time as the Landlords on. its successors require the leased subjects for re-development

purposes.

"In such circumstances the landlords will serve a minimum of six months notice and will use its best endeavours to find alternative suitable accommodation for the tenant."

The scout group said this has not been the case and as such Falkirk Council has gone against the lease agreement.

Helen said: “At the time no one ever thought the council would knock down a community centre. We stuck to every letter of that lease. It says the council has to give us

a minimum of six months notice if they want to change or redevelop the community centre.

"We have not been contacted by anyone – the first we knew about this was on social media. We thought we had until 2026, but last week we found out they had got rid

of all that and decided we were in Category D, which gives us three months from January 31 to be out of the hall.

"We have all these new houses being built in Bonnybridge but they’re taking away the infrastructure, taking away the community centre and not give people anything.”

Falkirk Council said it hoped a solution could be found and he 27th Bonnybridge Scouts and the Bonnybridge Community Centre management committee could work together to take on responsibility for the premises.

A spokesperson said: “We are aware of the scouts’ interest. The lease runs from year to year with 6-months’ notice to terminate on the basis of the

building being redeveloped.

"We hope the existing management committee and the scouts will work collaboratively with other community and private interests to progress a Community Asset

Transfer (CAT).

"This we hope will be progressed expediently by those involved and we have received an Expression of Interest which extends the deadline for a CAT to October – six month’s notice can be provided.

“In the unfortunate scenario there is no CAT, and with the ongoing concerns over the condition of the property, notice will be served on the scouts as well as the

existing management committee of the intention to close the property.

“It would then be subject surplus property procedures which would involve the redevelopment of the property or demolition. To meet the obligations of the lease to use

‘reasonable endeavours’ to identify alternative premises colleagues have already identified options which will be conveyed to the group subject to the decision on the

Strategic Property Review.”