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Claim senior Lib Dem councillors ‘sneaked’ through £250,000 grant for church buyout during brutal budget cuts

Two leading Aberdeen councillors are being criticised for voting through a £250,000 grant for a "vanity pet project" - without their interest in the church buyout being officially on the public record.

Aberdeen councillors Martin Greig and Ian Yuill - the council co-leader - have been accused of "sneaking" money to a charity they are involved with, which is working to buy the Holburn West Church. But both said their actions were backed by council legal chiefs. Image: Michael McCosh/DC Thomson.
Aberdeen councillors Martin Greig and Ian Yuill - the council co-leader - have been accused of "sneaking" money to a charity they are involved with, which is working to buy the Holburn West Church. But both said their actions were backed by council legal chiefs. Image: Michael McCosh/DC Thomson.

Senior Aberdeen councillors could face a standards probe over a £250,000 grant to a charity they are involved with.

Council co-leader Ian Yuill and education convener Martin Greig have been reported to the ethical standards commissioner over the funding for the Great Western Community Trust.

Both are long-serving Liberal Democrat councillors, now in administration with the SNP.

The charity is working to buy Holburn West Church this summer, with designs to run it as a community centre.

Senior Aberdeen councillors could face church money probe

Mr Greig is a trustee and Mr Yuill is an associate member of the Great Western Community Trust.

Both are also members of the linked Holburn West Community Group, which Mr Greigs chairs.

Two leading councillors face a complaint over their interest in a charity, which is working to buy Holburn West Church. Council co-leader Ian Yuill and education convener Martin Greig voted through a £250,000 grant for the Great Western Community Trust - which they both are involved with. Image: Kath Flannery/DC Thomson.
Two leading councillors face a complaint over their interest in a charity, which is working to buy Holburn West Church. Council co-leader Ian Yuill and education convener Martin Greig voted through a £250,000 grant for the Great Western Community Trust – which they both are involved with. Image: Kath Flannery/DC Thomson.

The £250,000 was awarded to the trust at the annual Aberdeen City Council budget meeting on March 1.

At the same meeting, hundreds of thousands of pounds were pulled from public services, forcing the closure of libraries and sports facilities.

The SNP and Liberal Democrats also – briefly – pulled government support for Sistema Scotland’s Big Noise Torry.

Only days later, the SNP-led Scottish Government undid that cut with last-minute cash.

Council legal chief: ‘Don’t worry about transparency statements’

In the name of expediency at the democratic marathon of a budget meeting, councillors were excused from the usual disclosure of outside interests.

Work being carried behind the Holburn West Church clock face in 1999. A phone mast was being fitted in the tower. Image: Kami Thomson/DC Thomson.
Work being carried behind the Holburn West Church clock face in 1999. A phone mast was being fitted in the tower. Image: Kami Thomson/DC Thomson.

Interim chief governance officer Jenni Lawson reminded them: “If (you) have a declaration of interest then please do make it.

“But you don’t need to worry about transparency statements today given the potential number there will be.”

The £250,000 will be put towards the purchase of the building in the city’s leafy west end if the trust can secure the remainder of the cost through other grants and fundraising.

But opposition Labour councillor Deena Tissera has raised concerns with the ethics watchdog at the “surprising and disappointing” omission from the public record of the pair’s involvement with the charity.

The ethical standards commissioner will assess the report before making a recommendation to the Standards Commission.

One outcome could be a public hearing into the alleged conflict, should the commissioner take the view the councillors have breached the code of conduct.

Education convener Greig: ‘I have absolutely nothing to hide’

Mr Greig has been at the forefront of work to establish the community centre.

The Hazlehead, Queen’s Cross and Countesswells member was appointed a trustee of the Great Western Community Trust SCIO when it was formed at the start of January.

Council education convener Martin Greig is chairman of the Holburn West Group, working with the Great Western Community Trust to take over the church. Kath Flannery/DC Thomson.
Council education convener Martin Greig is chairman of the Holburn West Group, working with the Great Western Community Trust to take over the church. Image: Kath Flannery/DC Thomson.

But his register of interests on the Aberdeen City Council website – seen on the morning of March 10 – made no mention of that position.

Mr Greig told The P&J: “I have absolutely nothing to hide since my involvement in this community-led project has been a matter of public knowledge for many months – including various press reports.

“The council’s legal team advised at the budget meeting that transparency statements were not required. I will always fully cooperate with any investigations.”

Avid readers of The P&J would have learned of Mr Greig's involvement in the Great Western Community Centre project months ago - this clipping is from November 12 2022. Image: DC Thomson.
Avid readers of The P&J would have learned of Mr Greig’s involvement in the Great Western Community Centre project months ago – this clipping is from November 12 2022. Image: DC Thomson.

A biannual drive for councillors to update the register of interests took place in December. The trust was formed at the beginning of January.

Council co-leader Yuill told transparency statement over church money ‘not be necessary’

Mr Yuill’s register of interests – dated February 2023 – did not address his involvement with the Great Western Community Centre project either.

But within hours of The Press And Journal querying the absence on Friday, both men’s profiles on the council website were updated.

A March 2023 document lists council co-leader Yuill as an associate member of the recently-formed Great Western Community Trust SCIO.

Meanwhile, Mr Greig’s register of interests was still dated December 2022 but now included his position as a trustee.

Council co-leader Ian Yuill has been reported to the ethics watchdog after the £250,000 grant award - despite being assured by Aberdeen City Council's top lawyer that his actions were above board. Image: Kenny Elrick/DC Thomson.
Council co-leader Ian Yuill has been reported to the ethics watchdog after the £250,000 grant award – despite being assured by Aberdeen City Council’s top lawyer that his actions were above board. Image: Kenny Elrick/DC Thomson.

Mr Yuill said: “I raised this with the council’s senior legal advisor before the start of the budget meeting on March 1 to check whether she would advise me to make a transparency statement. I was told that would not be necessary.

“I am not a member of the Great Western Community Trust SCIO and have no role in its decision-making processes. My support for the trust and its objective of purchasing Holburn West Church to operate it as a community centre is no secret.

“I updated my register of interests on March 11 to include reference to being an associate member of the trust.

“Prior to then, I had always highlighted my link to the trust in any discussions with colleagues and council staff.”

Aberdeen councillors accused of ‘sneaking’ church money through budget

The two Liberal Democrats are not the only councillors whose outside lives were affected by the budget.

For example, Labour’s Ross Grant did not declare an interest at the meeting covering his employment with business improvement firm Aberdeen Inspired.

But, his senior project manager role is listed on his register of interests on the local authority’s website.

Councillor Deena Tissera has made a complaint to the standards watchdog about the £250,000 grant to the Great Western Community Trust - which council co-leader Ian Yuill and fellow Lib Dem Martin Greig are involved with. Image: Kami Thomson/DC Thomson.
Councillor Deena Tissera has made a complaint to the standards watchdog about the £250,000 grant to the Great Western Community Trust – which council co-leader Ian Yuill and fellow Lib Dem Martin Greig are involved with. Image: Kami Thomson/DC Thomson.

His party colleague Ms Tissera said: “It is clear that Councillors Yuill and Greig were trying to sneak this cash injection through council in the hope that nobody would notice their involvement in the project.

“Citizens will be rightly annoyed that existing public services are being closed by the SNP and Liberal Democrats, whilst new vanity pet projects are being supported by these two councillors who have a clear interest in both the council and the Great Western Community Church.”

Council tight-lipped on additional advice over church money

Aberdeen City Council did not share what legal advice had been given to councillors ahead of the vote – and whether the transparency amnesty was on the basis interests were declared on the register.

A spokeswoman was also asked when the two Liberal Democrats had recorded their shared interest in the Great Western Community Centre project.

She said: “It would not be for the council to comment where an investigation is under way.”

The ethical standards commissioner was unable to comment as, legally, his investigations must be conducted confidentially.

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