The Jedburgh Common Good Sub-Committee met on Monday 25 May 2026 to discuss financial assistance for the Jedburgh Tourism Alliance and review the fund's monitoring report. The committee decided to defer a decision on the tourism funding request pending further information and approved the draft budget for the upcoming financial year.

Jedburgh Tourism Alliance Funding Request Deferred

The committee considered an application for £10,000 per annum from the Jedburgh Tourism Alliance (JTA) to support its promotional activities. The JTA outlined plans to cover website costs, social media management, photography, poster printing, and to create funding pots for town signage and improving the appearance of empty shop windows.

Several councillors raised concerns about the ongoing nature of the request and the lack of clear evaluation metrics for the proposed spend. Councillor Sandy Scott questioned the effectiveness of previous funding, noting that several businesses had closed despite the JTA's efforts. Councillor John Bathgate suggested that other organisations, such as the South of Scotland Destination Alliance (SSDA), should be involved in match-funding tourism initiatives.

Councillor Catriona Ewen highlighted that while physical leaflets are still relevant, there is a growing trend towards online promotion, suggesting the JTA might need to re-evaluate its spend allocation.

Ultimately, the committee agreed to defer a decision on the application. The Chair, Councillor Scott Hamilton, proposed deferring the item to allow the applicant to provide more information on how they would evaluate the impact of the funding, their proposed timeline for evaluation, and details on collaborative working with other organisations. This decision was supported by Councillors Scott and Bathgate.

Monitoring Report and Budget Approved

The committee reviewed the monitoring report for the 12 months ending 31 March 2026 and the draft budget for 2026/27. Catriona Ewen, Statutory Reporting & Treasury Business Partner, presented the report, which detailed actual income and expenditure, a projected out-turn for the current financial year, and forecasts for the next two years.

The report indicated a healthy financial position, with a cash balance of £142,339 at the end of March 2026. The investment portfolio, managed by Aegon, had performed well, exceeding its 3% target with a return of 5.34% and showing an unrealised gain of £2,838. Approved grants for the year totalled £15,000, with £5,000 remaining unspent. A loan of £53,920 was made to Jedburgh Golf Club, with repayments expected to commence in November 2027.

Councillor Sandy Scott raised a point about the significant cash balance held by the council, suggesting that some of this could be reinvested in the Aegon fund to achieve a higher return, rather than earning a lower interest rate with the council. It was noted that a previous decision to hold off on reinvesting £100,000 was due to potential needs for the swimming pool project. After discussion, the committee agreed to hold off on reinvesting the funds for now, pending a greater understanding of other potential projects.

The committee then agreed to the recommendations in the report, which included noting the actual income and expenditure for 2025/26, agreeing the draft budget for 2026/27, noting the grants distributed, and noting the position of the Aegon Asset Management Investment Fund.