Concerns raised over voting in new members
Scotland’s charity regulator is investigating a 400 year-old charity over claims a board member interfered with an internal election.
The Trades House of Glasgow manages funds of more than £18m and donates around £750,000 to local charities each year.
It incorporates 14 crafts which are each independent charities, giving assistance and funding to their chosen areas of interest.
Its policies are decided by the platform, a seven-person group that is to a board of directors.
Convener Billy Birse-Stewart, an ex-chairman of Dundee-based Unicorn Preservation Society, is accused of interfering with an election, breaching the code of conduct and not complying with written voting procedures.
Complaints relate to the election of the house’s collector nominate on May 25 2022.
As late collector, Birse-Stewart was responsible for collecting and delivering late-arriving ballots.
Birse-Stewart was accused of breaching the code of conduct by the manner in which he publicly questioned candidate Rose Mary Harley during the election process by an internal audit committee.
The report said he “intentionally” made a negative comparison between her and the other candidate, Mariella MacLeod, who was elected by 25 votes to 23.
Birse-Stewart admitted that he remained in the location of the voting booth and ballot box longer than he should have.
“Through what was reported to us and by his own admission, Birse-Stewart did not adhere to the written voting procedure,” the report concluded.
The charity has been rocked with governance issues for some time with trustee Tom McInally resigning last December.
In his resignation letter he claimed a “clandestine change of direction in the management of Trades House affairs” was being manipulated by some members.
An OSCR spokesperson said: “We have received concerns about the charity and we are considering the information in line with our published policies to determine if there are regulatory matters for OSCR.”
John Gilchrist, chief executive of the Trades Hall of Glasgow, said: “I can confirm that the Scottish Charities Regulator has been informed of the issues raised and is aware of the circumstances.”
