Reports

Report of the Directors and Council of Management (Cont.)

Administration

The administration continues to be handled, voluntarily, by Trustees. This includes the maintenance of all financial records, the secretarial duties and the important on-going contact with the local authorities and other relevant agencies.

The Trustees have reviewed the necessity for the appointment of a paid employee to ensure that projects, once underway, are properly supervised, managed and funded. It is now accepted that these skills are required at an early stage in the development of each project and arrangements will be made with other Building Preservation Trusts to share or purchase full time support. Grants are available from the Architectural Heritage Fund for the cost of project management. However it is recognised that an appropriate allowance for such management must be built into any future projects.

Review of Activities

The Feasibility Study Report for the Customs House at Ardrossan has been completed. Efforts are still being made to close the funding gap, which will permit further progress. The local MP has been approached and has agreed to meet to discuss how he might assist.

The buildings at 12 Strand Street and 1-3 Dunlop Street were listed category C(s) in August 02 in recognition of their historical importance and their essential contribution to an early part of the Kilmarnock townscape. The trust has been able to trace a commercial use for the property from about 1820, but it may have been constructed a little earlier. During this period one of the properties has been a well-known Public House and the trust had hoped to find a link to Johnnie Walker. It is the Trust's intention, subject to the agreement of Historic Scotland, to restore the property with the main entrance on the gushet elevation.

Sornhill House is a fine Ayrshire Laird's House, but it has regrettably featured now for some time in the Civic Trust 'Buildings at Risk' Register, and as time passes it will no doubt continue to deteriorate. The trust has had discussions with the owner of Sornhill House and put forward some proposals. The result has been that the property has been advertised. Developers have been showing an interest, as the asking price has been set fairly low. The trust hopes to be involved.

There has been some expenditure during the year and also income from the Architectural Heritage Fund grant towards the Customs House Feasibility Study Report. As a result the Trust remains in a sound financial position for the 2004/2005 financial year.

The Council of Management continues to seek additional suitable persons with wide interests to be invited to assist with the Trust business. As a result several new persons have been contributing to trust activities, and it is hoped that they will wish to join the Council of Management.