Sad demise of Glasgow organisation that supported hundreds of locals
A scandal-hit charity has been wound up by Glasgow Sheriff Court, formally ending its 38-year operation.
The court’s decision to wind up Pollokshields Development Association (PDA) coincided with TFN's exclusive reporting of serious financial discrepancies, underlining growing concerns about the charity’s governance.
It means liquidators now have powers to require trustees to provide records and account for spending.
As revealed by TFN, discrepancies included significant cash withdrawals, retrospective mileage claims and a sharp rise in travel expenses in the 2023 financial year.
PDA also reported incurring costs during a period when the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) had frozen its bank account and restricted its operations.
The charity’s office bearers told Police Scotland that all funds had been used for charitable purposes and that the accounts were externally audited. However, Shah & Co, the charity’s accountants, stated that they prepared the accounts from figures provided by the trustees and do not provide an audit opinion.
According to Companies House, PDA’s cash reserves fell from £66,651 in March 2023 to £672 by March 2024. The charity has also failed to submit annual accounts to OSCR, now nearly eight months overdue.
The court decided that winding up the charity was in the best interests of creditors and the public, ensuring the charity’s remaining assets are safeguarded and its financial affairs fully examined.
The decision follows months of examination by court appointed provisional liquidators and a two and a half year inquiry by OSCR, which began in May 2023 after a sudden change in trustees.
Chair Jahangheer Hussain, 47, declined to comment as did other trustees.
OSCR confirmed its own inquiry is ongoing and stated it cannot comment further while the investigation remains active.
A source familiar with the matter described the court’s action as “a necessary step to prevent the trustees obtaining further public funding and to restore confidence in the charity sector”.
The charity’s remaining affairs are now being managed by the AAB Group.
