Officers were contacted about alleged financial irregularities at the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland in October
Police are investigating alleged financial irregularities at a Scottish charity.
And now police have confirmed that they are investigating the body after concerns were raised about the group’s finances.
A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: "In October 2017, Police Scotland received a report of possible financial irregularities at a professional institute. Enquiries are at an early stage and officers continue to establish if any criminality has taken place."
The RIAS has faced criticism from a group of 150 architects who have raised concerns about transparency. RIAS has confirmed it is being investigated by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) and has said it will co-operate with the probe.
“Very recently, the charity regulator, OSCR, wrote to RIAS with a series of questions,” a spokesman said.
“All of those questions can and will be answered. The RIAS president and council will work fully and openly with OSCR to ensure full compliance with its requests and the obligations of RIAS as a charitable body.
“Governance reviews of this kind are entirely commonplace in organisations such as ours, particularly Royal Charter bodies. Given the context to RIAS structure – a 100-year-old charter, an historic constitution with a number of committees – this review will take time to complete.”
The RIAS was founded in 1916 as the professional body for all chartered architects in Scotland, and offers scholarships and other programmes for aspiring architects.
It also hosts the annual Festival of Architecture, which aims to celebrate Scotland’s built environment.
