THE chairwoman of Haddington’s community council has reiterated her call for a group set up to “maximise the town’s potential as a great place to live, work and play” to be disbanded and then reformed.

Discussions about the future of Haddington Community Development Trust (HCDT) were raised ahead of the group’s AGM, which takes place next week.

Paul Darling had told fellow community councillors that HCDT was considering removing nominated membership, meaning Haddington and District Community Council, Haddington Business Association, Knox Academy, and Haddington and District Amenity Society (HADAS) would no longer be represented as co-opted HCDT members.

That idea has since been scrapped but Jan Wilson, chairwoman of the community council, still felt it was time for a change at HCDT.

At the town’s community council meeting, she said: “The group is needing to disband, the chairman needs to go and it needs to be running properly.

“I’m not going to be very popular but I have absolutely no confidence in the HCDT as it stands.” Concerns about HCDT have been simmering since the group turned down nearly £500,000 to help revamp the Corn Exchange.

The £482,282, through the Legacy:Scotland grants offered by Viridor Credits, would have been used on a number of improvements, including a new floor, kitchen and improved storage, including a mezzanine floor in the back hall.

But the grant was turned down when it was decided the associated conditions were “too difficult” to meet.

Mrs Wilson was concerned the future of the building and any potential upgrades could be cast into doubt.

She said: “Haddington Corn Exchange should be kept in a good condition so it does not deteriorate.

“It would be a nightmare if it went like Dunbar Corn Exchange.

“It is an essential part of Haddington.” Professor Chris Clark, HCDT chairman, stressed that the suggestion of removing nominated membership had been dismissed.

HCDT, which has between 100 and 120 members, will also be on the lookout for a new chairman after Prof Clark, who represents HADAS, confirmed he would not be seeking to remain in the role.

However, he still believed HCDT had a key role in the town moving forward and progressing.

He felt attention had been focused on the Corn Exchange grant issue but he was keen to see the group return to the original priorities set out in the Haddington Vision, a document published in 2012 about the town’s future.

Those five key themes include the need to make more of Haddington’s place as East Lothian’s hub and to highlight the town as one of Scotland’s oldest towns.

Ahead of the AGM, which takes place next Monday night at 7.15pm (May 11), HADAS offered its continued support to HCDT.

Karen Stevenson, HADAS chairwoman, said: “HADAS believes the relationship between the board and the nominated organisations is very important in implementing the approach outlined in the Vision Reports dated July 2012.

“We would very much like to maintain this relationship and continue the formal representation on the board.” But HADAS also called for HCDT to consider how best to involve the local authority in its work and also the level and scope of activity required to get HCDT moving and productive.