Milngavie & Bearsden Men's Shed Community Asset Transfer - Redacted Recommendations

We have received 28 emails of support for the Community Asset Transfer request made by Milngavie & Bearsden Men's Shed. 

The emails of support can be viewed below.

Note: responses below are verbatim.

Dear Councillors,

I wish to express my support for the Asset Transfer of the former Caretakers House at King George V Park in favour of Bearsden & Milngavie Men's Shed. I, together with a significant number of local residents, have greatly benefitted from this resource which has impacted significantly on the overall health and well-being of local people. Success if this application would enable further development and impact positively on the users of the Men's Shed.

I offer this opinion as a Social Worker of many years.

To whom it may concern

I am emailing you to lodge my support to the Milngavie and Bearsden Shed to be allowed to make use of the flat attached to the pagoda building in King George V park. The men’s shed have, since beginning, been a huge part of our community and helped with many number of community initiatives. I for one love to hear and see what they have been getting up to and think having the use of the flat which, for years, has been left, unloved and unattended would only add to the lives and interests for the local community.

Kind regards

To whom it may concern.

I would like to take this opportunity to confirm my support and representation for the application detailed below by the Men’s Shed.

Regards

I understand an Asset Transfer request has been made by Milngavie & Bearsden Men’s Shed and relates to. Flat, 84 Borland Road, Bearsden, G61 2NE, also known as the caretakers flat in King George V park.

I would like it known that I would support this application fully as I think the Men's Shed would put it to good use for the community and would like to see the application granted.

Thank you

The Mingavie and Bearsden Men's Shed have submitted an application for Asset Transfer re the above property. This flat has lain unoccupied for a number of years and I fully support the application for transfer of this property so that it may become purposed as a community asset for the benefit of the local area.

You will be well aware of the excellent work carried out by the Men's Shed since they leased the Pagoda building next door; not just the material benefit of the transformation of a long neglected building into a first-rate property but the much wider benefit of providing an essential service to the local community.

The Men's Shed is dedicated to improving services and facilities in the area and I am certain that a transfer to them will see this unused property being transformed for community uses.

Dear Sirs,

Representation of support

Dear Sirs,

As a local resident, I fully support this application.

Regards,

To whom it may concern

Hopefully you will be aware of the efforts of the Milngavie and Bearsden Men’s shed in totally transforming the unused and dilapidated building at the Pavilion in King George V Park (84 Borland Road), Bearsden.

This is now a valuable resource that is of considerable benefit to not just the 200 plus members, but also the local area in general. In addition to being the base for a variety of community projects which help us all.

The benefits to local communities from organizations like the Men’s Shed are numerous and well documented, many of challenges outlined in the East Dunbartonshire Strategic Plan 2025, are somewhat alleviated by the various voluntary organization within the council area.

In these difficult times we are all now living in, the granting of a lease for the former caretakers flat, would allow this good work to continue and expand.

Yours Faithfully

I'm writing to express my heartfelt support for the recent asset transfer request submitted by the Milngavie and Bearsden Menshed to lease the former Caretaker's flat at 84 Borland Road, G61 2NE, for the following reasons.  

For the past year I have been attending the Milngavie and Bearsden Men's Shed and have found it to be a very welcoming and very well managed asset. I have found the Trustees and Key Holders to be very reliable and highly committed, not only to the Health, Safety and Welfare of Men's Shed members but also to supporting community projects throughout East Dunbartonshire. I have also been very impressed with their efforts to keep up with modern technology and IT which are becoming increasingly important not least because members from East Dunbartonshire are retiring from diverse roles with both modern and traditional skills and interests that they want to share with members and the community. I have also carried out some benchmarking visits of other Men's Sheds including sheds in Kirkintilloch, Springburn and Clydebank and, as such, I can give an informed view as follows. Versus other sheds I've visited, the key strengths of the Milngavie and Bearsden Mens Shed are the culture, the responsible way it is managed and how the Trustees, Key Holders and all other members see their responsibilities for each other and the wider East Dunbartonshire community. The key weakness versus other sheds I've visited is the severe lack of space which not only limits the numbers who can attend at any one time but also the diversity of projects and interests that can be supported at present.  It is only when you retire that you fully understand the importance of time. In business, you can always find a way to raise more money or create more space but you can never get back lost time.  I would, therefore, urge you to support the recent Men's Shed request for more space as the average age of the membership means that a significant number of our members are unlikely to be with us by the time another opportunity to solve our lack of space and make our lives better presents itself.

Yours sincerely,

Hi

I believe the Men’s shed have submitted an application to lease the empty flat above their workshop for use of the community I hope the council will grant the application as this will be of benefit to many in the surrounding area.

Kind regards

I am writing to support the application by Milngavie and Bearsden Men's Shed for the asset transfer of part of the pavilion in King George V Park.

Having this transferred into community use as per the application by the Men's Shed will make the facilities available to the whole community.

Hello,

I wish to support the application from the Men’s Shed to lease the empty  caretakers flat in King George V Park. As you are aware they currently lease premises at the park including the floor beneath the flat. From these premises they have been able to carry out many projects to the benefit of the community. The flat has been empty for some time but if the Men’s Shed take it over it will be kept in good condition and will be used to the benefit of the community at no cost to the Council.

I trust that you will look favourably on this application.

Good morning, 

I would like to register my support for Milngavie and  Bearsden Men's shed to utilise the former caretakers flat at 84 Borland Road. 

Since taking over the old Pagoda, the Milngavie and Bearsden Men's Shed have made such a fabulous impact on our community on the good work they do for everyone.   All the members are so welcoming, and it is so lovely to hear all the little stories of people and groups they have helped within our community.   These men (and not forgetting the women's group too), all dedicate a huge amount of time caring for the community needs. 

It was so lovely watching the pagoda being refurbished and now used to capacity, and similarly it was nice to see recently the majorly derelict building come back to light, and a building that we can once again be proud of.   

Having attended many of the events that the Milngavie and Bearsden Men's Shed showcase, I have absolutely no doubt that the former caretakers flat would be put to great use, and the residents of Bearsden and Milngavie will co-operate accordingly. 

Many thanks for taking note of the above. 

Dear East Dunbartonshire Council.

The Milngavie and Bearsden Men’s Shed have applied to East Dunbartonshire Council for lease of the former caretakers flat above the Pavilion in King George V Park (84 Borland Road), Bearsden. It has been unoccupied for almost 7 years.

The men’s shed would love your support as we would like the facility to be available for community use.

We would value your support and would be pleased if you could send an email of support to

I WISH TO ADD MY SUPPORT TO THIS APPLICATION.

The Men’s Shed have proved in recent years to be a stable and well run organisation who reach out to the local community and lend support for projects.

My wife and I are members of Bearsden in Bloom and the Men’s Shed have helped us on several occasions.

They are good people.

Hi,

I would like to support the Milngavie and Bearsden Men’s Shed application to lease of the former caretakers flat above the Pavilion in King George V Park (84 Borland Road), Bearsden. 

The men’s shed do fantastic work for the community and they would put the flat to very good use for the community.

Thanks 

Dear Sirs

As a member of the Men’s Shed I would thoroughly endorse the use of the  Caretaker’s flat for community purposes. The Men’s Shed provides such an excellent and much appreciated facility for the enjoyment and well-being of men from the local area. Leasing this property would provide valuable extra space.

Regards

Dear EDC,

I am writing to support the application by the Bearsden and Milngavie Men's Shed to acquire the Former Park Keeper's flat in King George V Park. 

I am aware of the social benefits that have arisen through the creation of the Men's Shed and the impact it has had in the local community. Their plan to build on their success by expanding their facilities while also offering rental space for community use makes a strong case, in particular given the lack of available rental space for community activities. I am certain that they have the drive, commitment and management experience to optimise the use of the Park Keeper's flat. 

While East Dunbartonshire is an affluent area, it's residents often suffer from a sense of isolation, a primary objective that the Men's Shed seeks to address. Overcoming such challenges requires community space for new and current social activities. The Men's Shed has been a beacon of success on this topic and it should be highly commended for displaying leadership to create an additional community hub.

The Men's Shed has my utmost support with their application. While renting the flat to a single occupant may bring monetary rewards for the Council, it also has a primary duty to address challenges faced by its residents. My view is that utilising the flat as a community hub would achieve far greater social rewards that cannot simply be measured in cash terms. Therefore, I commend the application for asset transfer by the Men's Shed.

Yours sincerely,

I am a member of Bearsden and Milngavie Men's Shed. 

I and many others find it an excellent facility for the male community and a lot of our members find it helps the a great deal mentally.

We do not have any space left and the addition of the flat above our rented garage would be perfect.

It would also alleviate any potential tenant problems with noise or access and we use all our area to our and the general communities advantage.

Please allow us to take the lease of the flat.

I refer to your notice posted at 84 Borland Road, Bearsden, G61, in relation to the proposed transfer of the Lease of the Flat at that address to the Committee of the adjacent Men's Shed.

 Comments are invited and accordingly I submit mine below.

1. I would make clear at the outset that I have no connection with either the Men's Shed or the running of that establishment
2. My interest in this matter is purely as a local resident who regularly passes through the park and past both the Men's Shed and the property which is the subject of the proposed transfer of Lease. I have resided at my  address  for some 34 years and my children received their education at both the local primary and secondary schools
3. I would give the proposal to transfer the Lease of the Flat at 84 Borland Drive, Bearsden and as outlined in the planning application my FULL SUPPORT. The existing Pagoda building, adjacent football changing  facilities building with upstairs Flat were in a steadily declining state over many years, presided over by East Dunbartonshire Council
4. The acquisition of the Pagoda building by the Men's Shed Committee led to a transformation of the Pagoda building itself with it now being used, following a major refurbishment, for wider Community use, in addition to that use by the people involved in the Men's Shed movement itself. A more recent refurbishment of the exterior aspects of the changing facilities building and upstairs Flat has been truly transformative and has enhanced the whole area at that side of the park
5. It seems fairly obvious that a transfer of the Lease of the Flat at 84 Borland Drive, as outlined in the application would continue to serve the aims of the Men's Shed committee and users, as well as securing a positive future for a property that needs to be used and overseen by people who have the Vision, Energy, Commitment and Resources to make a success of this property. East Dunbartonshire Council appears to be devoid of the qualities above, although I acknowledge that these are difficult times for all local Councils and their finances
6. To conclude, I FULLY SUPPORT the application to transfer the Lease as per the Application.

I would like to add my support to this request by the Milngavie and Bearsden Men’s Shed for an asset transfer as above.

The “Shed” has proven that they are exceptionally successful in having repaired and maintained the “Pagoda” ensuring that it remains available to the community.

The transfer of the Flat would allow the “Shed” to provide further facilities to the community and ensure the ongoing maintenance and use of this currently unused community asset.

It is in the Councils best interest to ensure that this asset continues to benefit the community and by the transfer to the “Shed” this can be achieved without cost to the Council.

This would allow the “Shed” to continue to provide valuable space for community use.

I am writing to extend my support for allocation of former caretakers flat above the Pavilion in King George V Park (84 Borland Road), Bearsden to the Bearsden men's shed.

Having recently taken up the membership at the shed,  I have experienced it first-hand what a great asset this is to local community. At the heart of it is the community spirit. Led by an effective team managing the shed. The team has successfully run the shed with good discipline and maintained it very well. The shed showcases true inclusive community spirit.

New space would be a welcome addition for the shed to expand, and bring additional equipment and interests thus bringing in new members.

Regards, 

Dear Sir/madam.

I would like to express my support for the application by Milngavie and Bearsden mens shed regarding the property at King George V Park for the benefit of the community

Kind regards

Dear Sir

I am a member of the Milngavie and Bearsden Men’s Shed.
I am writing in relation to the application by the Milngavie and Bearsden Men’s Shed to obtain the lease for the flat above the Pavilion in King George V Park (84 Borland Road), Bearsden. I strongly support this application. This flat has been unoccupied for almost 7 years! This space would be more productively used and an invaluable space for use by the Men’s Shed, which provides a great service to the community. 

Yours sincerely,

Good morning 

I am getting in touch as I am aware there is an appeal for the Bearsden & Milngavie Men's shed to have access to the afore mentioned property.

I would like to support this idea, as the men's shed is a wonderful organisation which supports men's mental health within the Bearsden & Milngavie area. Any measure which improves the general well-being of the community has to be welcomed. 

I hope this email is considered when the discussion regarding release of the flat takes place.

Kind regards

Dear Sir or Madam,

I would like to indicate my support for the asset transfer request relating to property 84 Borland Road, Bearsden, G61 2NE made by Milngavie & Bearsden Men’s Shed.

As you are probably aware, Milngavie & Bearsden Men’s Shed and it’s members carry out lots of useful and practical work for the local community in addition to providing a focal point supporting the physical and mental wellbeing of its many members.

The use of this property would increase the capacity and capability of this organisation to develop and deliver more and a greater variety of services to the community.

Yours faithfully,

Dear sir/madam,

I am a founder member of the Milngavie and Bearsden Men's Shed. Many of our members restored the abandoned King George the fifth park 'Pavilion' building which is now used by the many members for projects, socialising and the mental wellbeing of the members and others, it is of significant benefit to the local community. I know how much more positive value  could be achieved if we were successful in acquiring the lease for the flat above the changing rooms of the adjacent building, I support their application.

Yours faithfully

We would like to register our support on behalf of the Milngavie and Bearsden Mens Shed to lease the former caretakers flat above the pavilion at King George V Playing Field.

Dear sir,

I am emailing you to to let you know that I am strongly in favour of the asset transfer of the flat in Borland Road to the Milngavie and Bearsden Men's Shed. Having used the Shed on various occasions I think this would provide a much needed addition to the good work that they do for all of us.

Yours sincerely,

Hello I am requesting you notice my support for the below asset transfer of use of the property at 84 Boreland Road Bearsden G61 2NE. I know that the group in the Milngavie and Bearsden Men's Shed at the adjacent Pagoda do some wonderful work throughout the Milngavie and Bearsden areas.

The request is for a lease of the land/building.

Access to this property would allow them to reorganise the usage of space within the Pagoda building to better serve their members by moving the technology equipment into a quiet and clean space. They only anticipate using one of the rooms for this purpose, but since they have a close relationship with the local community, would develop this by offering short lets of the other rooms for community use.

I have personally benefitted ​from the Men's Shed and have observed them helping out in various works - repairing park seats / completing mud kitchens for local nursery schools / cleaning local road signs and assisting churches to name just a few of their actions.

I think this would be an ideal asset transfer for the Men's Shed.

To Whom it may concern

I wish to add my support to the above application.

The men’s shed (which is open to all despite the name) has a proven track record of being able to deliver high quality refurbishment of unused run down property 

The shed now occupies the adjacent pagoda building which it acquired in an extremely dilapidated condition. It has been completely refurbished to a very high standard and now provides an attractive community facility. I have no doubt that they will be able to do the same with the adjacent property named in this application.

The shed has been visited on many occasions by MPs MSPs and local councillors all of whom expressed strong support for the work of the shed. It has even received accolade from the Scottish Parliament who expressed strong support for it and the shed movement in general.

The shed provides a place of welcome and company for all but particularly for those who may be isolated and lonely thus improving general health and mental wellbeing. It provides an opportunity to acquire new skills in its workshops. A weekly lunch as well as other social activities also help in this regard.

The shed members have undertaken many community projects including providing many mud kitchens for local schools, refurbished park benches, the old red phone box at Bearsden cross and street signs and flower boxes at Bearsden station to name but a few.

The approval of this application will enable the work of the shed to continue to further enhance the benefits to the local community and its members.

To Whom It May Concern,

I would like to support the request by Milngavie and Bearsden Men's Shed to take over the lease of Flat, 84 Borland Road, G61 2NE.

To my knowledge, this is an organisation in good standing, well managed and run for the benefit of the local community and for its members. It has contributed majorly to various projects that Bearsden in Bloom has undertaken. Without this help, the outcomes would have been greatly diminished.

With additional space, Men's Shed would be able to extend their activities which would increase their benefit to the area.

ASSET TRANSFER UNDER THE COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT ACT

The request has been made by Milngavie & Bearsden Men’s Shed

Flat, 84 Borland Road, Bearsden, G61 2NE

Representation by Bearsden East Community Council

We refer to the Asset Transfer Application submitted by the Milngavie and Bearsden Men’s Shed (hereinafter referred to as “the Men’s Shed”) for the former caretakers flat at 84 Borland Road, Bearsden.

Bearsden East Community Council (BECC) wishes to notify East Dunbartonshire Council (EDC) of its support for the Men’s Shed in their request for the Asset Transfer of Flat, 84 Borland Road, Bearsden, G61 2NE for the reasons below.

This property has been discussed on numerous occasions over several years by BECC, particularly as the property fell into disrepair. We are pleased to learn that the property is being repaired, renovated, and put back into use.

BECC are aware of the work that the Men’s Shed has done to renovate the Pagoda and their continuing significant involvement with the community in Bearsden and Milngavie including the use of the Pagoda.

BECC have discussed the proposition and the making of said asset transfer request for this property on a number of occasions. We wish to place on record Bearsden East Community Council’s agreement with and full support for the Milngavie and Bearsden Men’s Shed Asset Transfer Request and their reasons for doing so in relation to the said Flat, 84 Borland Road, Bearsden, G61 2NE, by developing the flat as an asset for the community as set out in the Men’s Shed Asset Transfer Request:

“Access to this property would allow us to reorganize our usage of space within the Pagoda building to better serve our members by moving the technology equipment into a quiet and clean space. We only anticipate using one of the rooms for this purpose, but since we have a close relationship with the local community, we would develop this by offering short lets of the other rooms for community use.”

We would suggest that the Asset Transfer to the Men’s Shed would be likely to improve regeneration of the park area. We would refer EDC to the regeneration and renovation that the Men’s Shed has already achieved in the Pagoda and the surrounding area.

The Men’s Shed movement was set up to improve public health. The Pagoda is an excellent example of how EDC, working in partnership with the Men’s Shed, has achieved a significant contribution to our community’s public health and social wellbeing by transferring the Pagoda to the Men’s Shed. The acquisition of this flat will allow the Men’s Shed to build on their achievements. We believe that public health and social wellbeing of the community would be significantly further enhanced by this asset transfer.

I concur with the request of the Milngavie and Bearsden Men's Shed to lease the former caretakers flat above the Pavilion in King George Park (84 Borland Road) Bearsden.

Dear EDC Planning

I am writing to support the asset transfer of the above building which has been sitting unused for years, as per the application from the men’s shed.

You will have a lot of communication so I will keep this brief. However, it seems sensible to me that a council property does not sit unused and, instead, is put to effective use.

Yours sincerely,

To whom it concerns-

I understand that the Trustees of Milngavie and Bearsden Men's Shed have made application to East Dunbartonshire Council for the lease of the above mentioned flat under an Asset Transfer Request.

The purpose of acquiring this lease is to enable the Men's Shed to use part of the building to extend and reorganise the space already leased in the adjacent Pagoda building, while offering short lets of the remaining rooms for community use.

Given the excellent relationship that the Men's Shed has built up with the local community, a lease on this flat would pave the way to extending this relationship.The fact that both buildings are adjacent would make the management of both easy to administer and supervise.

As a member of the Men's Shed, I give my wholehearted support to this application, and also to the Board of Trustees as an experienced and dedicated group, capable of managing such a project.

Yours sincerely,

Hi,

I am writing in support of the  Milngavie and Bearsden Men’s Shed asset transfer request for the former caretakers flat in the King George’s V park Bearsden.

This building has been  unoccupied for almost 7 years now and sits in a recreational area above the football changing rooms.

I believe this should be a community asset and managed by the Men’s Shed and would allow them to extend the facilities they offer to their members and to offer other community groups facilities for meetings etc.

Community groups offer invaluable services to our residents and should be offered as much support and encouragement as possible

Regards

Dear planning 

I would strongly support the Milngavie and Bearsden men’s shed application to take over the flat above the pavilion 

They have done such a great job for the community with their renovation of their current building it has been an asset  for local people and I’m sure this would be of huge benefit to the local area 

Many thanks 

I should like to support the application of M. and B. Men's Shed to lease the above property.  

I am a member of the Shed, which apart from doing lots of very useful things for the local community, provides a safe environment where local men can meet to socialise, some of whom might otherwise have a very lonely existence. Our members are not all particularly old, either.

Regards,

Hi,

As the xxxx for the Scottish Men’s Sheds Association (SMSA), I’d like to lend my support to Milngavie & Bearsden Men's Shed application for the lease of the former caretakers flat above the Pavilion in King George V Park (84 Borland Road), Bearsden.

At the SMSA we support sheds across Scotland and know very well the great work Milngavie & Bearsden Men's Shed are doing for the local community. Based in a former sports pavilion in King George V Park, the shed provides a warm welcome and great facilities, where shedders as old as 101 (yes, really!!! The oldest member is a Centenarian) come together regularly, to chew the fat and support each other. A Men’s Shed is a shared space where men – from all walks of life – attend voluntarily to work on practical projects or simply find camaraderie, conversation and friendship.  Their engagement can be whatever they want it to be.

On a recent visit to the shed we were astonished to hear of the huge range of community projects the guys there are involved in. This truly is a shed that is active, involved, and valued in the local community. We would have no hesitation in recommending this shed to you in their plans to expand their provision to include the caretakers flat.

If you require any further information, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Very best regards,

I support the application for the lease of the former caretakers flat above the Pavilion to be awarded to Milngavie & Bearsden Men’s Shed. 

It would definitely be beneficial to keep this property for community use.

Kind regards