Latest news with #CommonGoodFund
New Indian Express
14-06-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
CGF committee approves 297 works worth Rs 72.47 crore
HYDERABAD: The Common Good Fund (CGF) committee, which met here on Friday, approved 297 works to be taken up with an estimated cost of Rs 72.47 crore. Endowments Minister Konda Surekha, who attended the meeting, directed the executive officers (EOs) of various temples to follow the guidelines issues by the state government while executing the works. 'There should not be any negligence in grounding the works,' he said while directing the officials to send all necessary proposals for the works at one go. The minister also said that estimates received from local leaders or people's representatives should not be forwarded as it is. The EOs should conduct comprehensive field visits and prepare realistic project assessments after thoroughly inspecting the proposals received from the people's representatives, she added. Instructing the officials to utilise CGF funds judiciously, she opined that the efforts of executive officers and senior officials were crucial in developing the temples. The officials briefed the minister about the funds needed for small temples. She held a detailed discussion with them regarding budget approvals and the requests received for CGF allocations.
Hans India
14-06-2025
- Hans India
Temple tourism in state will get a shot in the arm: Surekha
Hyderabad: The Telangana government has decided to place a significant focus on temple tourism across the state. Endowments Minister Konda Surekha on Friday instructed departmental officials to prioritise this area and to develop concrete proposals. The Minister affirmed the state government's commitment to the initiative, announcing that this year, the Ashadha Masam Bonalu Jatara at the Bhadrakali Temple in Warangal would be organised in a truly grand manner. She expressed her desire to bring every festival and cultural tradition of the state closer to the people, stating that her government would make every effort to guide the populace towards a devotional path. Minister Surekha directed officials to ensure transparent utilisation of Common Good Fund (CGF) monies for the comprehensive development of temples. The Endowment Department CGF Committee meeting took place at the Secretariat on Friday, where Minister Surekha conducted a review of the funds earmarked for the development of smaller temples across the state. The Minister opined that the dedication of Executive Officers (EOs) and senior departmental officials was crucial for temple development. As part of the CGF discussions, officials presented information to the Minister regarding the funds allocated for the development of minor temples. The Minister directed officials to proceed with a plan to enhance facilities for devotees in temples across the state and to increase the income streams of these religious institutions. She called for more extensive work on developing temple tourism circuits. The government, she revealed, plans to combine three major temples within a district into a single circuit, with this process to be implemented in three phases. The aim is to transport devotees and tourists to famous temples, while also allowing them to visit other tourist spots along the designated routes.
Daily Record
09-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Proposed £600,000 repair package for Renfrew Victory Baths
The funding will be considered by members of Renfrewshire Council's finance board on Thursday. The historic and much-loved Renfrew Victory Baths could be preserved for future generations as councillors consider a £600,000 refurbishment package. The funding will be considered by members of Renfrewshire Council's finance board on Thursday and, if approved, would cover the cost of structural repairs to secure the long-term future of the 104-year-old building. The proposals follow recent structural assessments and include a range of repairs such as works beneath the pool, concrete and masonry repairs, roof and drainage upgrades, and general improvements to maintain the character of the facility. With costs estimated at £600,000, the building's status as a Renfrew Common Good asset means funding will be shared between Renfrewshire Council and the Common Good Fund. The Common Good contribution will be capped at £500,000, with any additional costs met by the council to protect the fund. A report, prepared ahead of the board meeting, highlights that, as a building now over a century old, Victory Baths is naturally beginning to show signs of age. It states repairs to the superstructure are becoming increasingly difficult to manage and less sustainable. Any future refurbishment is likely to require significant investment, including the possible replacement of major structural elements such as sections of the concrete framework. Despite the scale of the proposed works, there are no plans to close the pool during the improvement programme. Councillor John Shaw, chair of the finance board and local councillor for Renfrew North and Braehead, will present the paper to councillors on Thursday. He said: 'The Victory Baths are a cherished part of Renfrew's heritage and continue to play an important role in the life of our community. 'These proposed works are not just about tackling current maintenance needs, they're about taking steps to secure the future of the building for the next generation. 'With the building now over 100 years old, we need to act decisively to ensure it remains safe, functional and fit for purpose. 'm pleased to bring this paper forward and hope to see it approved so the work can get underway.' Victory Baths is an Edwardian, 25-yard pool designed by Paisley architect Thomas Graham Abercrombie and dates from 1921. The baths are a Category B listed building and retain the original layout of cubicles around the pool, arched doorways, memorabilia and viewing gallery. Historical structural interventions, in-house structural and consultant inspections have been ongoing since 2011. Cllr Lisa-Marie Hughes, fellow councillor for Renfrew North and Braehead and chair of OneRen, added: 'The Victory Baths are more than just a pool, they are part of the fabric of Renfrew and hold a special place in the hearts of so many local people. I welcome the proposed investment as an important milestone in preserving and protecting it. 'I'm particularly pleased to hear that the pool will remain open throughout the works, so users can continue to enjoy it without disruption.' If approved, work is expected to begin over the summer period.
Glasgow Times
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Glasgow Times
Return of Glasgow's fireworks display being explored
There has been no display at Glasgow Green since 2019 and Glasgow Life, which organised the event, had previously said there were no plans for it to be brought back. However, it has now emerged that officials are looking at a smaller event at reduced cost but still a public display free to the public. READ NEXT: Glasgow Labour clash with SNP and Greens over Kneecap in Palestine debate Annette Christie, chair of Glasgow Life told a meeting of Glasgow City Council that a report on the discussions would be produced int eh next two weeks. She said the budget is smaller and security and safety costs are high. Christie said: 'Currently Glasgow Life is exploring the feasibility of a similar event within a reduced budget of approximately £100,000 potentially through the Common Good Fund. 'The event would still be free to attend, take place around Bonfire Night and aim to deliver meaningful impact and quality. 'This work is nearing completion but does remain challenging. 'Safety and security costs are still substantial and may leave limited funding for a display of adequate scale.' She was asked by Jon Molyneux, Greens councillor about using the Common Good Fund for a display. Any new event would not be the same as before when tens of thousands were in Glasgow Green for a spectacular show and the associated costs could rule out Glasgow Green. READ NEXT: Council tells Celtic fans 'Do not attend' title party in Trongate on Saturday Christie, said: 'Glasgow Life previously estimated that reinstating the traditional free civic Bonfire Night fireworks display would cost around £330,000. 'This figure reflects the scale of the event accommodating 25,00 people and the need for a high quality display. 'Safety and security requirements are also a major factor in these costs.' She said that closing off a section of the park, and providing full police, security and medical support was 'challenging'. The organisation's chair said: 'We have to install hostile vehicle mitigation in the surrounding streets. We also have full security and medical deployment, complete with ambulance provision and Police Scotland provide anti-social disorder officers as well as the regular deployment of officers, which requires payment also.' She said she was 'happy to look at other areas of the city, not necessarily Glasgow Green' and suggested 'smaller neighbourhood displays' She invited councillors to come forward with any suggestions. Molyneux said a return to a free civic display would be welcome. He added: 'I'm pleased to hear that work is progressing and will progress at pace. 'I think it's clear that this is something that would be popular with most Glaswegians. "It would certainly be welcomed by the fire service and I think it's important that we extend the areas in the city that may be subject to fireworks controls.'
The Courier
30-04-2025
- Business
- The Courier
Council clearing out 1-5 High Street offices ahead of Perth hotel bid
Council bosses want to sell off furniture from their former offices in Perth amid plans for a controversial hotel redevelopment. The tables and chairs have been stored at 1-5 High Street for nearly 30 years. But the building is poised to become a new 'boutique hotel' after Perth and Kinross Council agreed to sell it to a developer for £1. And with nowhere else to store the items, officers suggest sending them to auction. They say the proceeds can then be reinvested in the city's Common Good Fund. Councillors will be asked to approve the proposal next week. It comes after The Courier revealed concerns about the status of the 1-5 High Street development. Henley Homes, the council's original preferred bidder, collapsed with debts of £67 million. The council went on to sign a development lease with Rogue City Hotels, part of the Henley group. But a spokesperson for Rogue City told us it 'no longer exists' after another of its venues, the Dunalastair Hotel Suites at Kinloch Rannoch, went into administration with debts of £4m. And it's another company, fronted by two former Henley Homes officers, that has since submitted a planning application to turn the former council offices into a 74-bed hotel. The fate of the furniture will be decided by the council's Perth Common Good Fund committee on Monday. Some of the items are said to have cultural significance, while others have either limited or no value. And a report to councillors explains: 'Neither the council nor Culture Perth and Kinross have sufficient room to continue to store this furniture, most of which has been stored in the present location since 1996.' By law the council has to consult the public first if it wants to sell Common Good property. It outlined the plans on its consultation hub website for eight weeks at the end of last year. One member of the public said they wanted the council to retain 10 Baillies' chairs. The only other response was from a councillor, who said at least one of the crested chairs should be kept. Council officers suggest keeping two of the best examples and sending the others to auction. 'It is recommended that the two crested chairs are retained as these hold a particular value to the history of the former Burgh Council,' says the report. 'These chairs were former Baillie chairs, and they are of civic value, which was noted in the consultation responses.' The deal for 1-5 High Street, Perth, has been controversial from the outset. Perth and Kinross Council came under fire for the decision to sell the B-listed landmark to Henley Homes for £1, while renting office space at Pullar House. It is also supposed to be footing the bill for £1.9m in heritage funding. At the time it was said the £7m project would create around 200 jobs and pump £1.12m into the local economy each year. The development lease means the £1 sale would go through after work is completed.
