Heritage group fears looming bid to ‘transfer’ Kinneil Estate

Friends of Kinneil’s latest comments are the latest in a simmering row over council plans which it fears amount to an attempt to severely limit local authority commitment to the sites in a bid to save cash.

The wording of a report considered by the council earlier this year was taken by the Friends as implying that it should bear the primary responsibility for a key local heritage amenity.

A spokesperson said this week: “We do not think that transferring this major public asset and its world-class heritage to a community interest group is the right solution.

“The site is recognised as having significant potential for visitor development and we are continuing to do what we can, as volunteers with limited resource capacity, to support the bodies responsible to bring this about”.

The group’s fears came immediately ahead of a now closed council consultaiton about publicly owned and operated properties delivering highly-valued services and amenities in the local area - including Kinneil Estate and Museum.

It says the consultation did not fit well with Kinneil’s specific circumstances, but had urged people to participate to ensure their responses on all important local services covered by the survey were included.

The Friends say more specific consultations are expected to follow.