Historic school rescue plans abandoned 24/8/12
An historic Stornoway building looks doomed to crumble into ruins after a community trust striving to save it is being wound up after being “compelled” to do so because of the actions of Western Isles Council.
Rescue plans to save the prominent B-
The plans collapsed amid controversy when Western Isles Council ditched its support on the rescue it previously emphasised was “critical.”
This meant the council was forced to repay £105,000 of grants and was accused by the LHBPT of breaking a promise to pay consultants’ fees.
But the volunteer building trust claims council chief executive Malcolm Burr “continues to misrepresent” a 2010 agreement with the Architectural Heritage Fund.
It told Mr Burr: “Your actions now oblige us to wind up the LHBPT, with the consequent loss to the community of a charitable voluntary organisation that sought to protect the historic environment of Lewis and Harris.
The former school on the corner of Scotland Street and Keith Street originally opened
in 1849 by Lady Matheson -
Young island girls were trained in needlework as a route out of poverty and to obtain a livelihood.
The seminary building is an important part of the building heritage of the Hebrides
and is the oldest existing example of the Stow-
Though the former school was the only local Townscape Heritage Initiative Programme project which had reached the planning stage of readiness at the time, the council controversially switched its efforts to redevelop Stornoway Town Hall instead.
Campbell Mackenzie of the LHBPT said it was “compelled to wind up” because of the Council.
He added: “Building Preservation Trusts play a vital role in rescuing and restoring historic buildings at risk of destruction and are usually a channel of last resort for saving buildings of this nature.
“The continued loss of historic buildings in the Western Isles is a major concern and all the directors regret that the dissolution of the LHBPT will remove a charitable voluntary organisation that sought to protect the historic environment of Lewis and Harris.”
A council spokesman said: "This matter has been the subject of a formal complaint which was considered by an Appeals Panel of Elected Members in 2010 which dismissed the Trust’s claim that a contract or agreement existed.
“The Trust then complained to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) claiming that a report into the matter to the Policy and resources Committee was misleading. The SPSO dismissed the claim that Members had been misled in its entirety. The Trust insisting differently does not alter the facts."
However, the SPSO recommended the council to apologise after delays in responding top the trust.
It also asked the council to emphasise to all their staff the importance of responding timeously to members of the public who have taken the trouble to write to them.