Following the Public Meeting held at Wallace Hall Academy on November  12^th, it was agreed that Thornhill Community Council would carry out a feasibility study on the Duke William project , (to include state of the art library facilities, meeting rooms, etc.) Only a few days after the Public meeting however, Dumfries and Galloway Council announced that it was to carry out a review of ALL  Council facilities in Thornhill, including the Library and Community Centre. This obviously had major implications for any feasibility study on the Duke William building – incorporating a library facility. It also became increasingly clear that Dumfries and Galloway Council would be likely, on an ongoing basis, to support only ONE Community facility in Thornhill.  i.e. if the Council supported the Duke William project, they would not continue to support the Community Centre.

A meeting was held in April between Thornhill Community  Council and Karen Brownlie , Principal Officer Facilities, Dumfries and Galloway Council, to discuss the exact way forward. From this meeting , it was clear that the likely annual amount of money to be paid by the Council for the running of any library facility in the Duke William building would fall considerably short of the likely annual running costs of the building. This was further confirmed from figures researched by our Chair, Douglas Watters. In other words, even if additional funding was obtained to add to Mrs Adam’s bequest money, to meet the entire CAPITAL cost of the project, (Building refurbishment, etc.) ongoing ANNUAL RUNNING costs would present a probable insurmountable stumbling block.

Regretfully then, and after much deliberation, the Community Council  decided  by a very large majority to abandon the Duke William project. Public views are again sought as to an alternative project for Mrs Adam’s bequest money.  It would be helpful if ideas could be expressed IN WRITING to any Community Council Member. A further Public Meeting will then be held in the Autumn.

Thornhill Community Council very much regrets the continued delay in determining a suitable project for Mrs Adam’s bequest money. However, it is vitally important that “we get this absolutely right.” It would be unthinkable to spend money on a project that subsequently fails.