Barr Community SCIO
About Barr Community SCIO
Barr Community SCIO is a two-tier SCIO, meaning that it is a charitable organisation governed by its members through a Board of elected and appointed Trustees. The Trustees administer the SCIO on behalf of its members. The SCIO exists to benefit the community of Barr Parish and to protect the Barr Community Hall asset as the heart of the rural community. This includes establishing viable and sustainable facilities for all ages and abilities in Barr Village and the wider rural residents.
In line with its Constitution and Charity Law, the SCIO can achieve these objectives through advancement of the SCIO's charitable purposes, those being to:
- encourage Citizenship & Community Development;
- promote Arts, Heritage, Culture & Science;
- provide Recreational Facilities, and
- organise Recreational Activities.
To become a member, fill in the form (link below) and return to barrscio@gmail.com.
Anyone over 12 years of age who lives or works in Barr can become a member of Barr Community SCIO. Associate membership is also available for individuals from outside Barr or local groups supporting the SCIO's purposes.
Barr Community SCIO Trustees:
Neil Gillon (Chair and Trustee)
Ed Connon (Secretary)
Isobel Ringrose (Trustee)
Bob Muir (Trustee)
Phil Lunt (appointed Trustee, Barr Community Shop & Cafe Ltd)
Wendy Gillon (Trustee)
SCIO Meeting Reports & Minutes
2019
19.11.10 Minutes
19.12.16 Minutes
2020
20.02.03 Minutes
20.02.06 Minutes
20.03.02 Minutes
20.04.03 Minutes
20.12.10 Minutes
2021
21.01.27 Minutes
21.03.04 AGM Minutes
21.03.16 Minutes
21.05.08 Minutes
21.10.19 Minutes
21.20.19 Minutes
2022
22.04.27 AGM Minutes
Barr SCIO AGM 2022 Resolutions
,
Code of Conduct
,
Conflict of Interest Policy
22.07.06 Minutes
22.07.12 DTAS meeting
&
Invitation to meeting
22.07.20 Minutes
22.08.30 Minutes
22.10.11 Minutes
22.10.25 Minutes
22.11.09 Minutes
22.11.23 Minutes
22.12.14 Minutes
2023
23.02.23 Minutes
23.03.22 Minutes
23.04.18 Minutes
23.05.23 Minutes
23.06.20 Minutes
23.08.01 Minutes
23.09.06 Minutes
23.10.04 Minutes
23.11.01 Minutes
23.12.06 Minutes
2024
24.01.10 Minutes
24.02.07 Minutes+SAC letter
24.03.06 Minutes
24.04.03 Minutes
24.05.01 Minutes
24.06.05 Minutes
24.06.26 Minutes
24.08.07 Minutes
24.09.04 Minutes
24.10.02 Minutes
24.11.06 Minutes
2025
No Board meeting May 2025.
2026
Barr SCIO AGM 2025
AGM April 2025 - Draft Minutes
Trustee Nomination Form (2025) (2)
Appointed Trustee Nomination Form (2025)
AGM 2026
AGM April 2025 _ Draft Minutes
Trustee Nomination Form (2026)
Appointed Trustee Nomination Form (2026)
PROJECT UPDATES
Barr Community Newsletter - January 2026
Barr SCIO - April 2026 Newsletter
Barr SCIO - May 2026 Newsletter
Barr Community Hub - July 2026 Newsletter
Barr Community Newsletter - January 2026
October 2022 - Barr Community SCIO Project Update
February 2023 - Letter to Members about the Future of the Project
November 2023 - Newsletter and Workshop Report
Barr Community SCIO CAT validation letter 5th April 2024
Decision Notice Barr CAT 02.10.24
Legacy Fund request submitted to BCC - July 2025
Updated Funding Strategy July 2025
RIBA Stage 1 Cost Plan (Rev D)
Conflict of Interests Policy (April 2022)
Data Management + Privacy Policy_March 2022
SCIO Constitution
Barr SCIO Constitution_amended 09_05_25 (1)
SCIO Projects
Barr Community Hall Project — please click here for information on this project.
You will find on that page posters, plans, and supplementary information which was displayed at the open day on November 12th, 2022.
Latest Business Plan (updated May 2026):
Barr SCIO Community Hub Business Plan - Updated May 2026
Appendices 6- 12 - Updated May 2026
Barr Greenspaces
— Barr Community SCIO has a fantastic group of enthusiastic volunteers who are undertaking improvement work to various green spaces in Barr village. Projects include cleaning up/repairing/replacing the benches opposite the hall and down on the river bank, tending to the grass verges in the village (reseeding, rather than weed killing) and trimming the edge, cleaning up/repairing notice boards where required and installing new noticeboards and repairing and reinstating the Community Human Sundial Mosaic Sculpture. they are currently working with the school and members of the village on the fairy door project. The Fairy Doors are now installed on the Fairy Knowe trail leading out of the village. Please see the facebook page and join in!
Barr Trails
— updating the trails map, improving trail waymarking and signage and liaising with Forestry and Land Scotland with regards to trail maintenance and a collaborative way forwards for the community, in partnership with FLS.
The Monday Club
— The Monday Club is a subproject of Barr Community SCIO and has been running since February 2024. A group of volunteers provide a nutritious and tasty meal for a small donation each week to members of the local community and visitors. Served in the village hall, there is often accompanying entertainment and games. Since starting in February 2024, the Monday Club has served on average 45 people per week, including members of the elderly population, local farmers and farm workers, walkers, cyclists, construction workers and young families. Visitors and workers are as welcome as local people.
SCIO Background
Barr Community SCIO was formed in November 2019, as a result of a community meeting with Barr Community Council, Barr Community Association, Barr Parish Development Company and South Ayrshire Council, where it was agreed that a SCIO structure was the best community-controlled organisation to take forwards identified community projects. This was ratified by community and stakeholder engagement.
The key community project, which instigated the formation of the SCIO, was the community's desire to create a community hub, as identified via a feasibility study in 2016. The Barr Parish Development Company (BPDC) was tasked with leading the project and moving forward to source a suitable building. By September 2017 the Barr Community Hall was identified by South Ayrshire Council as 'under threat', however, benefiting from a versatile space and potential if taken over.
Of the available properties in the village, experienced professionals advised to go for the community asset transfer of the hall. After weighing up the options the BPDC chose the hall as the most sustainable option and engaged with SAC to investigate the process. Various meetings were held with SAC Asset Transfer Manager and representatives of the BPDC, BCC and the BCA. They were advised by SAC, that in order to comply with the transfer regulations, a charity status would be required, and they eventually informed us it had to be a SCIO — Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation. This was when Barr Community SCIO was formed.
In January 2020 volunteers delivered a letter to each household in Barr, summarising actions to date and inviting residents to become SCIO members. It also included a tick form for what they would like to use the hall for and to contribute any input. Responses from many households indicated a great deal of interest and lots of ideas. You can find out more information about the Hall Project here.
Anyone over 12 years of age who lives or works in Barr can become a member of Barr Community SCIO. Associate membership is also available for individuals from outside Barr or local groups supporting the SCIO's purposes