The Duns Common Good Fund Sub-Committee met on Wednesday 27 May 2026 to review the fund's financial performance and agreed to establish a budget for community grants. The committee noted the fund's income and expenditure for the past year and its investment performance, which has seen a significant reduction in unrealised losses.

Duns Common Good Fund Monitoring Report

The committee reviewed the monitoring report for the Duns Common Good Fund, which detailed the income and expenditure for the year ending 31 March 2026. Lizzie Turner, Statutory Reporting and Treasury Business Partner, presented the report, highlighting that the fund generated a surplus of £884 for the year, bringing the total cash balance to £6,298. The investment portfolio, managed by Aegon Asset Management, achieved a return of 5.34%, exceeding the target of 5%. While there was a slight unrealised loss of £12 on the investment, this represented a significant improvement from the previous year's loss of £1,319.

Councillor Donald Moffat, Chair of the Sub-Committee, noted that the financial figures were still draft and subject to external audit.

Community Grants and Budget Allocation

A key discussion point was the accessibility of the fund for local community initiatives. Councillor Mark Rowley raised concerns that the fund's purpose was not widely publicised, citing an example of a dementia support group in Duns that might have benefited from a small donation.

Lizzie Turner confirmed that applications for grants are possible and that a form is available online. She explained that the committee reviews applications and decides on their approval. Councillor John Greenwell, Vice-Convener, suggested that the fund could potentially spend its annual income of around £1,000 or a portion of its cash balance.

Andrew Mitchell proposed establishing a specific budget line for grants in the current year, suggesting £500. This was met with general agreement, with the intention of supporting worthwhile community projects. It was also suggested that a maximum grant amount per organisation should be set to ensure wider distribution of funds. Councillor Greenwell noted that historically, the fund had not paid out grants due to insufficient income following the loss of income from a shop.

Following discussion, the committee agreed to set a grant budget of £500 per year. It was also suggested that a maximum grant of £100 per application could be considered, though members retained discretion. The decision was proposed by Councillor Moffat and seconded by Councillor Karen Greenwell, with all members in agreement. The committee noted that this would be reflected in future reports and budgets.