A Quick Catch Up

28th July - meeting to explain the various types of group from un-incorporated to incorporated and the various pros and cons.
26th August - the group has been constituted as a un-incorporated entity for the short term with plans to move to an incorporated structure and will be known as the Dalrymple Community Land Project. The work begins :) Next meeting is Monday the 7th September 2015.

Monday 7th Sept 2015 - Da-Da the group is now constituted as an un-incoporated group with 13 members. Will be looking to form a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) in the near future.

23rd June 2015 Meeting

This meeting was a chance for individuals to put questions to the Cassillis Estate manager about various issues regarding the land. The main focus was the various terms that would be attached to the lease. In particular the rent expected for the land would be £500 per annum instead of the 'peppercorn' rent first envisioned. This sum, however, was open to negotiation. In general the Estates approach was one of flexibility and an openess to discussion such as the demolition of existing buildings and the erection of other structures. It was felt by all present that the meeting was a very positive and constructive one with plenty of scope to move forward with any proposals agreed by the group once constituted. Next meeting is Tuesday 28th July to discuss various group constitutions.

Community Meeting : 26th May 2015

This meeting was attended by 20 or so residents. The decision was made for us all to forward by email our favorite schemes or ideas for the land to the community worker. From these a list of the favorite proposals will be compiled and hopefully put to the Cassillis estate manager for his input. The community worker will once again issue an invitation for him to attend the next meeting. 

The Daily Record published an article earlier this week about the land 'gifted' to Dalrymple from the Cassillis Estate.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/chunks-land-dalrymple-given-away-5694868

 My own understanding of the matter is that the land is to be leased to the village of Dalrymple for a 'peppercorn rent' and not actually 'given away' as such. The length and terms of the lease are still to be agreed. It seems to be a legal requirement to be brought in by the Scottish government for large landowners to make available some of their land to the local community ( I have to find out more about this for my own clarification). So while the land is not being leased out solely from the good intent of the landowner, it is still a great opportunity for Dalrymple residents to improve the community. 

https://consult.scotland.gov.uk/land-reform-and-tenancy-unit/land-reform-scotland/supporting_documents/00464887.pdf

Dalrymple Community Meeting: 6th May 2015 - Community Projects and Conspiracy Theories

About 30 - 40 villagers attended the meeting on the 6th May 2015. The community worker in attendance gave a summary of the meetings that had taken place to date and an overview of some of the ideas put forward in regard to utalising the land. There was some mixed feedback to this with a few people raising concerns about increased traffic into the area and others calling for 'no change' at all and voicing suspicion regarding the motives of both the council and the owners of Cassillis Estate. The community worker was at pains to point out nothing as yet had been decided but suggested that the next meeting should be used to form a committee and start the progress of 'firming' up' various ideas.

Date of next meeting is the 27th May 2015 and I'm pretty sure it's going to be an interesting one.

The railway viaduct leading into Dalrymple from the northside of the village. Previously known as Burnton Viaduct .
 Opened 1856 by the Ayr and Dalmellington Railway. A handsome 16-span masonry viaduct with semi-circular arches. J R Hume 1976.

http://www.scotlandsplaces.gov.uk/record/rcahms/41587/burnton-viaduct/rcahms

Swallows over the River Doon, Skeldon Estate, Dalrymple

On a cloudy afternoon, 2nd May 2015