Minutes of DREAM - Dalry Residents Eager Action Movement on Monday, 24th November, 2008, at 7.30 p.m.
at the Greenbank Inn.

Present: Jamie Mallan, Frances Gourlay, Norrie Macfarlane, Mary Gemmell, Brian Bowen, Caroline Borwick, Eileen Young and Jane Sutherland.

Apologies: Anthony Hume, Kenneth Gibson MSP, Archie Killen, Mujeeb Ur-Reham, Aileen McDermott.

Minutes of the previous meeting held on Wednesday,10th November, 2008, previously circulated.

Approved by: Frances Gourlay
Seconded by: Jane Sutherland

Business arising from the minutes:

Completed questionnaires being forward to Jamie Mallan to allow commencement of analysis.

Treasurer's Report:

Balance £4953.00. Norrie has received Corporation Tax Return and has now made contact with HMRC Charities and OSCR to look into obtaining charitable status.

Correspondence:

From the 6 tenders to architects that Anthony prepared and mailed, we have 3 replies.

Architectural Technology (UK) Ltd. Tender received

Stewart Associates Tender received

James Houston Architect Declined to tender

Business for the evening :

Discuss architect tenders.

Plan interview of architects.

Lorna Wallace CEIS who has architectural experience will be present at interview.

Score sheet to help decide which tender.

Jamie will finalise and confirm the following :-

Interview panel will comprise of Jane Sutherland, Norrie Macfarlane, Lina Borwick and Lorna Wallace.
Date: Monday, 8th December, 2008.
Venue: Kenneth Gibson's Office
Time: 9.30 a.m. Meet of go over interview process.
10.00 a.m. Richard Maxton (Architectural Technology)
10.45 a.m. Brian Stewart (Stewart Associates)


Any other competent business:

Jamie raised the issue that we need to look at pulling together the constitution and memorandum & articles of association particularly to obtain charitable status.

Jamie submitted options for us as a committee to look at the Service Delivery.

Jamie also gave the committee a questionnaire concerning training needs analysis which is to be returned at the next committee meeting.

Date of Next Meeting: Tuesday, 16th December, 2008 at 7.30 p.m.

Venue: Greenbank Inn

BACKGROUND TO DREAM:

The Problem
Dalry is a small North Ayrshire town of approximately 5,500 people with a rural hinterland of another 800 people. Within the town, there are limited opportunities for local residents, especially those without a car. This impacts particularly on young people and the elderly. The Public Hall, built in 1883, is a category C(s) listed building and is centrally located. It is one of two halls available for public use that is not connected to either a church, school or uniformed organisation. It is managed by North Ayrshire Council, and includes a main hall, a lesser hall, meeting room, kitchen, toilets and, perhaps unusually for a rural Ayrshire town, a sauna suite. The condition of the building is deteriorating due to under investment over many years, and it is known that major roof repairs are required.

The Opportunity
In 2007, the local community formed a group, DREAM (Dalry Residents Eager Action Movement) with the aim of saving the Dalry Public Hall from closure and running additional services from it (especially youth services).

The hall, which is a C(s) listed building, was built by public subscription during the late 19th century to be used "in all time coming as a public hall for the community of Dalry." It has been owned and managed by successive local authorities. North Ayrshire Council (NAC) proposed its closure in 2005. No final decision on this was taken, and the matter has since been kept under review. It is now clear that NAC do not have sufficient funds to continue managing the hall and wish to dispose of it.

However, recognising that there is a continuing need for the hall from its existing users, such as Playtime Nursery, and also an aspiration from within the community to improve services/facilities available to young people in the town, NAC have been willing to explore the transfer of the hall to a community group.

At NAC's Executive Committee meeting on 19th February 2008, it was agreed that the Council would consider requests for transfer on a case by case basis. It has also been stated informally by NAC that the Council would be supportive of such a proposal for Dalry Public Hall.

DREAM was formally constitued in November 2007 and intends to become a company limited by guarantee. It has the full support of NAC and local MSP Kenneth Gibson. A number of meetings have been held to gauge the level of interest in such a project and the responses were overwhelmingly positive. As well as Playtine Nursery, other existing groups including the Youth Club, Netball Club, Yoga Club and various others expressed a desire to see the Public Hall retained, refurbished and modernised.

At the invitation of DREAM, over 50 local groups attended a meeting held in the Public Hall on 22nd April 2008. This meeting, which was recorded on video, demonstrated the strength of feeling and commitment that now exists.

A focus on youth activities was considered to be of critical importance to the future of Dalry and the well being of the entire community.

Dalry faces a number of challenges due, in part, to its very limited facilities for young people and the knock-on effect this has on anti social behaviour. Of relevance are the following:

• In late 2006, a meeting hall run by the Territorial Army Volunteer Force for young army cadets was destroyed by wilful fire-raising. There are no plans to replace it.
• The Scout Hall, which is an outdated and dilapidated building, requires more expenditure on it than the local Scout Group has s available to them.
• Brownies and Guides used to meet in the James Street Centre, now demolished.
• The Public Library was targeted by fire-raising in November 2007, and vandalism to other public buildings and the townscape generally is becoming increasingly commonplace.

Moreover, as public buildings have been closed, then demolished and sites sold on, few replacement facilities have been provided. Vacant buildings and derelict land make the town less attractive as a place to live.

It is considered that the lack of a good quality meeting place for young people is a contributory factor in the decline of the town's social fabric and its built environment.

In the last five years, almost 150 new private houses have been built in Dalry and its adjoining rural hinterland. Planning permission has been approved for another 60 dwellings. The number of households is continuing to increase, yet the social and community facilities are contracting.

In addition, Dalry is currently subject of a town centre regeneration initiative which is led by NAC and supported by local businesses and community groups. The public hall is a key building within the town centre. It is located within a Conservation Area and has historic and architectural value as well as being an asset to the community.

DREAM are not proposing that the Public Hall is simply kept open just to sustain a nineteenth century building, but to provide:

• a place to facilitate good projects for young people to give them hope and a focus in life,
• to improve access for disabled persons and
• to provide a valuable resource for the entire community.

Funding is being sought from Big Lottery to help realise DREAM's vision of:

• retaining the centrally located, historic Public Hall for public benefit for generations to come. This will require major repairs to the fabric of the building, especially the roof. A recent (2008) detailed building survey by NAC estimated that over £130,000 would be required for fabric repairs.
• allowing regular users such as Playtime Nursery to remain in the Public Hall and further develop their potential in a growing community
• retain and enhance a valuable indoor space available for the community without compromising or duplicating the services provided by other halls eg. as a youth meeting place, for yoga classes, dance classes, as a music practice venue and for general lets to the public
• improving the facilities and services to young people, including those falling into the "More Choices More Chances" category and those with disabilities who may often be overlooked eg. as an advice service, computer suite, meeting place, coffee bar

DREAM would need funding for restoring the building, including the provision of flexible spaces that could be readily adapted for the future. Significant improvements for disabled persons are required, including toilet facilities and a lift to the upper floor.

Funding would also be needed to "fit out" a computer suite and meeting rooms with furniture and equipment.

Running costs would also be required for a 3 year period until the Public Hall can generate sufficient income from the various initiatives that are envisaged.

It is believed that provision of the above services in an established and centrally located historic building within the town centre will contribute to the social, physical and economic regeneration of Dalry during the 21st century.

Management of the hall by the local community would be consistent with the Scottish Government's aim of restoring a degree of control to local communities. This would take Dalry beyond the "dependency culture" of local authority provision towards a "self help culture" which will considerably improve self esteem and skills development at both an individual and community level.