OSCR has taken action against the Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual Community Project Limited after identifying a number of concerns

Scotland’s charity regulator has stepped in at an LGBT charity amid claims of misconduct.

OSCR announced this week that it has appointed an independent party to run the Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual Community Project Limited after the remaining trustee of the charity stepped down.

An interim investigation into the operation of the charity – which runs the Edinburgh LGBT Centre in Broughton Street - was opened in 2018.

Originally founded in 1974 by the Scottish Minorities Group, the facility is said to be the oldest LGBT centre outwith the USA.

The regulator took action after it received information which questioned whether the charity’s trustees were managing conflicts of interest appropriately, and raised further concerns about the use of the charity’s properties and funds.

Areas of concern identified by OSCR included loans made by the charity to a trustee, management charges being paid to a trustee, the use of properties owned by the charity, and the change made to the charity’s purposes in June 2015.

As a result of OSCR's inquiry, and information gathered in the course of that inquiry, the regulator said it reasonably believes that there is or has been misconduct in the administration of the charity and that it was necessary and desirable to take action.

A spokesman said: “OSCR has appointed an interim judicial factor to manage the affairs of the charity. This action was taken following notification that the only active charity trustee of the charity had resigned.

“As a result of our inquiry it appears that there has been misconduct in the administration of the charity and that it is necessary to act for the purposes of protecting the property of the charity.”

Legal action was taken and Emma Porter of Aver Chartered Accountants was appointed as interim judicial factor of Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual Community Project Limited last week.