Common Good Funds
Corporate statement
Highland Council owns and controls all Common Good assets and is legally responsible to apply the same duty of care that is used for the management of general Council assets.
The Common Good Funds are made up of assets including buildings, land, rights (e.g. fishing), art work, regalia, furniture, stocks and shares and cash funds. They are held by the Council principally for the benefit of the local community within the specified geographical boundary of the former burgh to which each fund relates.
The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 brought an end to the burgh system in 1975 by abolishing the town councils which had responsibility for the burghs. Their Common Good assets were, however, transferred to the new district or islands councils and then, in 1996, to the current unitary local authorities by the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994. Common Good property is, therefore, limited to those assets held by the burghs at the time of their abolition and no new Common Good property can now be created. Any property acquired since the abolition is held as investment property.
All Elected Members of the Highland Council are responsible for the management of Common Good funds in relation to determining and delivering investment policy, including the purchase and disposal of assets, subject to the administration of these funds being delegated.
The Highland Council has agreed, through the Scheme of Delegation, that the Inverness City and Area Committees have power to administer the assets of Common Good funds excepting for any decisions which affect more than 10% of the total fund value for the area concerned. In that instance decisions have to be taken at a meeting of the Full Council.
In fulfilling its responsibilities, Councils are obliged in the first instance to maintain the assets of the fund. Thereafter, funds may be used for a purpose which is in the interests of the community for which the fund was established.