The Lauder Common Good Fund Sub-Committee met on Thursday 4 September 2025 to discuss finance reports, property updates and minutes from previous meetings. The meeting was scheduled to be livestreamed and video recorded. Councillor David Parker, Chair of the committee, was scheduled to preside.

Financial Matters

The committee was scheduled to consider two financial monitoring reports.

The first, the Lauder Common Good financial monitoring report to 310325, provided details of income and expenditure for the year ending 31 March 2025, a proposed budget for 2025-26, and forecasts for the following two years. According to the report, the fund had a deficit of £89,570 as of 31 March 2025, exceeding the previously forecast deficit of £69,178. This increase was attributed to higher than expected costs at the Shepherd's Cottage at Lauderhill Farm, particularly the need for a mains water connection. The report also noted increased creditors, as some property costs were incurred but not paid by the end of March.

Future forecasts indicated a growing deficit, potentially reaching £154,000 by the end of 2025-26, due to continued investment in assets. However, anticipated carbon income of £45,000 in 2027-28 was expected to improve the financial position.

The report included several appendices:

• Appendix 1: Summary of total income and expenditure.
• Appendix 2: Forecast rental income by property.
• Appendix 3: Total property costs, noting that £60,675 had been capitalised on assets at Lauder Common Farm.
• Appendix 4: Revenue income and expenditure by property, showing a net cost of £33,142 on property assets as of 31 March 2025, with a projected net income of £4,000 in 2027-28.
• Appendix 5: Information on the approved grant budget for 2024-25, with £511 remaining unallocated.
• Appendix 6: Details of the Aegon Asset Management Investment Fund with a value of £230,964 as of 31 March 2025, and investment income of £13,439.

The second report, the Lauder Common Good Financial Monitoring Report to 300625, provided details of income and expenditure for the three months ending 30 June 2025, a projected outturn for 2025-26, and forecasts for the following two years. It also included a high-level 10-year forecast. According to the report, the fund had a deficit of £81,223 as of 30 June 2025, which was expected to increase to £154,188 by 31 March 2026, primarily due to works at Lauder Common Farm.

The report noted that a 10-year forecast indicated the fund would remain in deficit and recommended that the committee consider disinvesting £100,000 from the Aegon Asset Management Investment Fund to offset the deficit.

The report included several appendices:

• Appendix 1: Summary of total income and expenditure.
• Appendix 2: Forecast property costs, with £4,162 spent as of 30 June 2025 and an additional £59,890 forecast to be spent by 31 March 2026, primarily on the Shepherds Cottage.
• Appendix 3: Information on the approved grant budget for 2025-26, with £1,000 allocated.
• Appendix 4: Details of the Aegon Asset Management Investment Fund, with a value of £237,716 as of 30 June 2025 and a forecast investment income of £11,559 for the year.
• Appendix 5: A 10 year forecast for the fund.

Property Update

The Sub-Committee was scheduled to receive an update on Common Good property matters.

Minutes

The committee was scheduled to consider the minutes of the meetings held on:

• 5 March 2025
• 2 April 2025

The Sub-Committee was also scheduled to consider the private section of the Lauder Common Good Fund action tracker.