Wick Academy Development Fund

[Tubthumper]

What about the bignold park?

Aren't there all sorts of ownership and existing user issues there?

However, it may be that the new Sports Complex is best combined with any new school/ pool/ library/ performance centre complex, to get the benefit of common services and minimising maintenance costs etc. Also one single REALLY impressive community facility, swarming with people all the time...

For the community to be very proud of.

But what to call it?

[Tubthumper]

Still loads of views but not so many posts now. Is it getting boring? Are we losing interest? Don't make me feel sad & lonely, folks!?

What facilities should it have?

I'll start us off with a proper 8-lane 400m running track. With 500 tiered seats.

And proper gates to stop folk letting their dowgs poop on the grass!

[Amy-Winehouse]

Still loads of views but not so many posts now. Is it getting boring? Are we losing interest? Don't make me feel sad & lonely, folks!?

What facilities should it have?

I'll start us off with a proper 8-lane 400m running track. With 500 tiered seats.

And proper gates to stop folk letting their dowgs poop on the grass!

If it was to develop WAFC , there shouldnt be a running track anywhere near the pitch Im afraid to say. But if it is to benefit the community, by all means have a running track but remeember theres £200,000 + not £2 million which they would need going by your plans

[Amy-Winehouse]

What would be a good name for our new sports complex? 'Wick Community Sports Centre' sounds a bit bland to me. We could give it:

• A Viking name (exciting, promotes our heritage)
• A Gaelic name (promotes our gaelic/ clearance heritage)
• A totally random designation (exciting for the kids)
• A name associated with the ground it's built on

Alternatively we could do the tradition thing and name it after:

• A famous local person
• Telford or Stevenson, the architects of Wick (well, bits of it)
• A local politician or dignitary
• A weel-kent local worthy
• One of the committee who have made it possible
• The landowner who donates the ground for it

The Jacky Gunn centre of Sporting excellence.

[Alice in Blunderland]

If it was to develop WAFC , there shouldnt be a running track anywhere near the pitch Im afraid to say. But if it is to benefit the community, by all means have a running track but remeember theres £200,000 + not £2 million which they would need going by your plans

With the £2 million or whatever monies there is currently in the bank you could use this to apply to organisations for match funding. This would double your money overnight if successful.

The key to this is the committee need to be regularly meeting, discussing and acting on what they want to achieve.

and letting others know

[Tubthumper]

If it was to develop WAFC , there shouldnt be a running track anywhere near the pitch Im afraid to say. But if it is to benefit the community, by all means have a running track but remeember theres £200,000 + not £2 million which they would need going by your plans

We need to have a discussion about what our new centre will be for. No point in trying to serve everyone's demands and ending up with something that's rubbish for most things.

The fund was originally intended primarily to develop Wick (and by extension, Caithness) football. Football does seem to be the dominant sport up here. So should we be concentrating on providing a better football stadium with superb community outdoor training facilities? (to complement the mainly indoor facilities that Halkirk are developing)

[Tubthumper]

The Jacky Gunn centre of Sporting excellence.

OK, that's a start. Has this individual excelled at some sport? Or are they a well-known local philanthropist?

[Wario]

Is it just me or is anyone else disappointed to say the least that messrs Gunn & Carter and the secret committee have not bothered to provide any information as to the progress of our sports centre.

Not only are they ignoring the requests on this forum and we know they are watching but they have also ignored the request from Jamie Stone MSP printed in the local paper a few weeks back.

All said and done they were "close" to having everything in place back in 2002 so what has happened in the last 8 years?

[gollach]

Is it just me or is anyone else disappointed to say the least that messrs Gunn & Carter and the secret committee have not bothered to provide any information as to the progress of our sports centre.

Not only are they ignoring the requests on this forum and we know they are watching but they have also ignored the request from Jamie Stone MSP printed in the local paper a few weeks back.

All said and done they were "close" to having everything in place back in 2002 so what has happened in the last 8 years?

Have you asked Jamie Stone if he got a response?
We should wait and see what is provided in response to Tubthumper's request for information.

[Tubthumper]

Is it just me or is anyone else disappointed to say the least that messrs Gunn & Carter and the secret committee have not bothered to provide any information as to the progress of our sports centre.

The arrogance is simply stunning

Not only are they ignoring the requests on this forum and we know they are watching but they have also ignored the request from Jamie Stone MSP printed in the local paper a few weeks back.

But as the 'chairman' explained, he would reveal the truth when it suited him. We matter nowt.

All said and done they were "close" to having everything in place back in 2002 so what has happened in the last 8 years?

I'll stick my neck out and sum it up:

• Money raised - c. £250 000
• Designs for centre commissioned - none
• Land acquired for complex - none
• Interaction with highland council - none
• Discussions with local groups re requirements - none
• Interactions with funding bodies - none
• Individuals in community pleased - none
• Individuals in 'committee' pleased - 6

[Happy Guy]

We need to have a discussion about what our new centre will be for. No point in trying to serve everyone's demands and ending up with something that's rubbish for most things.

The fund was originally intended primarily to develop Wick (and by extension, Caithness) football. Football does seem to be the dominant sport up here. So should we be concentrating on providing a better football stadium with superb community outdoor training facilities? (to complement the mainly indoor facilities that Halkirk are developing)

In the present circumstances, perhaps its a little premature to be thinking about what the proposed new centre will be used for, but I would caution against placing too much emphasis on football, as this would exclude a large proportion of the public

[Wario]

Have you asked Jamie Stone if he got a response?
We should wait and see what is provided in response to Tubthumper's request for information.

The request from Jamie Stone MSP published in the Groat on 9 July was a follows "A CALL was made this week for the Caithness public to be told how much money is in the Wick Academy Development Fund, what it is to be used for and what progress is being made with regard to its aims being met"

As we the Caithness public are no further on about of the points Mr Stone raised i think it is fair to say they are ignoring him as well as us.

[Tubthumper]

In the present circumstances, perhaps its a little premature to be thinking about what the proposed new centre will be used for, but I would caution against placing too much emphasis on football, as this would exclude a large proportion of the public

That's a fair point. While we're (still) waiting, why don't the public give an indication here about what they'd like to see included?

[Tubthumper]

As we the Caithness public are no further on about of the points Mr Stone raised i think it is fair to say they are ignoring him as well as us.

That's one of the great things about having a secret 'committee' of 'trustees' and membership by invitation only. You can treat everyone with complete contempt.

How they've continued to get away with it is probably down to the community's 'live and let live' attitude, and our inherent trust in the integrity of our fellow man.

Well we got caught bonny with the Gala funds, didn't we!?

[katarina]

personally I don't care what it's used for as long as it's used for something other than lining the secret committee's pockets! Secret committee! this is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of. the people of wicK have just been too trusting, and past experience should learn us not to be so again.

[Alice in Blunderland]

The arrogance is simply stunning

But as the 'chairman' explained, he would reveal the truth when it suited him. We matter nowt.
I'll stick my neck out and sum it up:

• Money raised - c. £250 000
• Designs for centre commissioned - none
• Land acquired for complex - none
• Interaction with highland council - none
• Discussions with local groups re requirements - none
• Interactions with funding bodies - none
• Individuals in community pleased - none
• Individuals in 'committee' pleased - 6

Sorry Tubs you missed one out
[*] Requests to local groups turned down and disappointed - a few

Well we got caught bonny with the Gala funds, didn't we!?

Time and time again local funds have been used and abused by its members this has been going on now for many years some brought to justice others got away with it !

I would have thought that this would have made any committee try doubly hard to be as open as possible to the public whose money they have in their care.

[W.A.D.F. (SC032787)]

I've been away and have just been catching up on here. I checked the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, Chapter 3, Section 23, "Entitlement to information about charities" and there is no mention of any time limit for a response...so i'm afraid that it's neither 14 working days or 14 days. Patience may be required by all !!

[ducati]

Inspired by my recent visit to the Halkirk Highland Games (where the Jocks were comprehensively beaten by an Australian), might I venture a thought that we should include facilities for the more traditional highland pastimes.

Only joking, a magnificent display by all the competitors

[Tubthumper]

I've been away and have just been catching up on here. I checked the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, Chapter 3, Section 23, "Entitlement to information about charities" and there is no mention of any time limit for a response...so i'm afraid that it's neither 14 working days or 14 days. Patience may be required by all !!

You're very good The Archer. But what you must remember is that if the WADF prevaricate any further, you're likely to lose the trust of the community you're allegedly 'Working On Behalf Of'.

Also the OSCR will not be very happy (remember the previous investigation?).

So the WADF had better get the finger out, as they say.

[Alice in Blunderland]

I've been away and have just been catching up on here. I checked the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, Chapter 3, Section 23, "Entitlement to information about charities" and there is no mention of any time limit for a response...so i'm afraid that it's neither 14 working days or 14 days. Patience may be required by all !!

I agree that the 14 days ruling is not mentioned in this section............however I think that the people involved with the WADF would be only too happy to supply by return this information.

If on the other hand they decide not too I am sure our good friend Tubs and a few others will be banging on the door of OSCR who can then ask for information and they have to get a response within 14 days for their request............. I think from my reading of the prior paragraph. ( unless I have read it wrong )


A group with nothing to hide have no need to hold onto any information regarding public monies. ( have they now?? )