Consultation opens to help determine Broughty Castle's future

If other alternatives cannot be found, the castle’s lease would be terminated and the building returned to Historic Environment Scotland.

A public consultation has been launched on the future of Broughty Castle Museum as part of cost-cutting measures put forward by Dundee City Council.

The local authority is urging members of the public are being encouraged to have their say via the consultation, which also concerns the Mills Observatory and Caird Park Golf Course.

It comes after Leisure and Culture Dundee (LACD) proposed to stop providing services at each of the facilities amid significant budget pressures, and approval to carry out public consultations was given by councillors.

The proposals could save approximately £500,000 per year between Leisure and Culture Dundee and Dundee City Council.

The individual proposals being consulted on include LACD ceasing to operate Broughty Castle Museum, with options for the future of the property being explored.

Part of the six-week consultation’s aim is to understand the impacts that implementing the proposals would have on local communities.

Feedback will help to identify any additional steps that can be taken to mitigate these.

This will inform any Integrated Impact Assessments which would be presented to elected members when they are asked to take any final decisions.

In addition, the consultations may identify alternative operators, funding streams or uses for the facilities.

If these are not found and the proposals are implemented, it would result in the lease for the castle being terminated and returned to the building owner Historic Environment Scotland, closure of the observatory and the golf course land becoming open space managed by the council.

People can take part in any or all of the consultations by filling out online surveys, completing paper copies or taking part in drop-in sessions.

Full details can be found on the Council’s Consultation Hub.

A Council spokesperson said: “Proposing to close services and properties is not something that we do lightly as we understand the attachment that users and communities will have to them.”

They added: “At the same time, in the face of severe budget pressures we have a responsibility to focus our shrinking public funds on where they make the biggest difference to all of our citizens.

“Before any final decisions are taken, it is essential that we and Leisure and Culture Dundee understand what implementing these proposals would mean for users and the wider community.

“This is particularly the case for those who have characteristics protected by law: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.

“However, it is important to stress that everyone is invited to have their say on the proposals.

“We are committed to working with communities on each of these proposals, understanding that they will have different implications depending on individuals’ circumstances.

“And we want to make sure we have fully explored alternative ways to use the buildings, deliver the services or secure external funding.

“Whether you are a current user of the facilities, a member of the wider community, someone with an idea about the future of a service or anyone else with feedback, we want to hear from you.”