East Lothian golf club takes over management from council

Members of an East Lothian golf club are being given the chance to run it themselves after agreeing a deal to take over management from the local council.

Winterfield Golf Club is set to sign a  40-year lease to take over the course and its clubhouse, which is owned by Dunbar Common Good Fund, after councillors agreed to back the deal.

The proposal will now go out for public consultation and, if approved, could be in place from April next year.

East Lothian Council expressed a desire to see the club take on responsibility for operations as part of its budget in February this year.

Councillors discussed the details of the lease behind closed doors at the end of a long public meeting earlier this week.

They heard that club members voted overwhelmingly to take on operations , currently provided by the council and its arms length sports organisation Enjoyleisure, at a special meeting with 321 members backing it and only eight against.

Winterfield Golf Club was established in the 1930s after the town council bought the land to establish a municipal course. Its current layout was established at the end of World War 2 when it reopened.

Councillor Colin McGinn, the council’s cabinet spokesperson for sport welcomed the move towards the club taking control.

He said: “The golf club members voted overwhelmingly in favour of the lease, and we have every confidence in their ability to ensure this wonderful course is an asset for the community for years to come.”

By Marie Sharp Local Democracy Reporter