A lot more than you might imagine!
The Fund contains:
- Property portfolio currently valued at over £8 million
- Investment funds in the region of £500,000
- Cash reserves in the order of £30,000
- Art and antique collections
Property
Scottish Borders Council’s online Common Good Register contains details on 40 parcels of land in and around Peebles. These include public parks, car parks, public toilets, playgrounds and other amenities. The Fund leases land to various sports facilities around the town, holds Tweed fishing rights to the water within the Burgh boundary and owns farmland, various light industrial premises, disused railway cuttings and even a quarry.
Heritage sites are of particular importance to our town’s identity and deserve care and protection. Our medieval town wall, Cross Kirk, the High Street corn exchange, the disused railway cutting at Walkershaugh and the George Meikle Kemp memorial at Redscaurhead are all important parts of Peebles’ story that needs to be told.
Other significant heritage assets, not specifically identified or listed in the Register, can be found associated with Common Good land and properties such as the icehouse in Hay Lodge Park or the early 19th century waterwheel at Jedderfield Farm. The Peeblesshire Archaeological Society has published an excellent leaflet on Haylodge Park; perhaps similar work will be done on other Common Good properties.
Investment Fund
Investment funds are managed externally by an international investment company, Aegon Asset Management, with offices in Edinburgh. Questions relating to ethical investment continue to be raised and answers sought.
Cash Reserves
Peebles Common Good’s cash reserves are maintained at around £30,000. Each year the Fund gives financial help (typically around £20,000 in total annually) to a wide range of local groups in support of worthwhile initiatives (including this exhibition).
Art and Antiques
The Fund also holds heritable and moveable assets in the form of works of art, furniture and other historic objects. Some items are held at the Council Offices in the Chambers Institute and on Rosetta Road. Unfortunately, these are not readily accessible but other pieces are on public display in Peebles Museum.
This 18th century ice house, in the corner of Haylodge Park adjacent to the Rugby Club is overgrown and seriously neglected.
Image courtesy of Live Borders Peebles Museum.
Peebles Provost Chair
This waterwheel is all that remains of the early 19th century farm steading demolished in 1993.