Scouts delighted as HQ struggle resolved
Home in village hall
of the Scouts Cllr Angus Forbes and Scout leaders Richard Prince and Cameron Peach celebrate with some The future of Scouting in a Perthshire village has been secured following an agreement between leaders and Perth and Kinross Council.
Members of 73rd Perthshire Scouts in St Madoes have been struggling to find a suitable home for more than two years.
The group was based in the old village hall but, with other hall users moving to the new Madoch Centre and the current management structure which leased it the local authority about to disband, the future was looking bleak.
An apparent lack of storage space meant the Madoch Centre was deemed unsuitable for the Scouts, leaving the group in a difficult position and faced with the real possibility of being effectively rendered homeless.
However, it was recently announced that a solution has now been reached where the Scouts will take over the management of the hall and continue the existing lease with Perth and Kinross Council. Other groups will also be able to make use of the building.
Councillor Angus Forbes, who has campaigned to retain a Scouting presence in the village, said: “I was delighted to play a small part in making sure St Madoes Scouts can continue to use the community hall.
“This situation had dragged on for far too long. No one in Perth and Kinross Council wanted to see the Scouts homeless but it seemed to have hit a road block.”
Jim Rodger, group chairman of 73rd Perthshire Scouts, said: “Having spent two years trying to bring this to a conclusion, I am really pleased to see this solution which is what we had asked for at the start.”
Scout leader Richard Prince said: “The Scouts are really delighted to have this situation resolved. The community centre is ideal for our use.”