A £3.5million Commonwealth Games legacy project is in difficulty after board members quit days before the launch date and questions were raised about the hiring of a Labour councillor.
The running of the Dalmarnock Legacy Hub in Glasgow’s East End, which was opened by Kenny Dalglish on Friday, is the subject of a complaint to the city council’s internal audit department.
The Hub, created to secure a Games legacy for locals, is a new recreational and education centre located in the shadow of the Emirates Arena and funded by Scottish Government, Clyde Gateway and lottery money.
Glasgow City council also sold the land on which the Hub is based for a peppercorn sum in order to help make the project viable.
It will house a nursery, GP and dental surgery, pharmacy, cafe, community hall and IT and training facilities. Around 50 jobs have also been created.
Dalglish, SNP Minister Jamie Hepburn and Labour council leader Frank McAveety attended the gala opening.
McAveety said at the launch: “The Hub will be tremendously important for the people of Dalmarnock as the area continues its regeneration.”
The Hub is run by the People’s Development Trust, a charity that has Labour councillor Yvonne Kucuk as one of the key employees.
She was described as the Trust’s “regeneration manager” by the Scottish Government in its press release but is listed as “chief executive officer” on her Facebook profile.
Despite the high-profile launch, an anonymous complaint has been made to the council about the running of the Trust.
The letter flagged up “concerns” about governance and urged an investigation.
Two of the specific concerns relate to Kucuk’s salary and the fact that fellow Labour councillor Maureen Burke has also been employed by the Trust.
On the latter, the complainer alleged there are concerns about the “openness and transparency” of the recruitment process that led to Burke’s appointment.
It added: “The Council must investigate…in order to protect its reputation. As the SNP Scottish Government have also funded the Hub I have sent a copy of this letter to them.”
Kucuk and Burke declare the employment on their council registers of interest.
According to Companies House, three members of the Trust board resigned less than a week before Friday’s launch.
Reverend Alison Davidge is listed as having quit, while Nancy Clunie and Daniel Bradley also left at the same time.
A fourth individual quit as a director in September.
Local SNP MSP John Mason said: “There is a general concern that Labour treats Glasgow as its personal fiefdom, where friends get positions and jobs and not in a transparent way.
“It is the councillor’s dual role in this project that is concerning. You should be a local councillor, or part of the development project. Or, you should have the development role and not be the local councillor. A sensible person would surely conclude that you cannot do both roles. It is about public perception.
“If this complaint goes to internal audit, I would have faith that it will be looked at properly, as the people in that department are professionals.”
David Meikle, the sole Tory councillor in Glasgow, said: “A full and thorough investigation needs to be carried out into these allegations. There requires to be a detailed audit of the Legacy Hub including its governance and recruitment processes.”
Kucuk did not provide comment yesterday.
However, a Trust spokesperson said Kucuk was not involved in Burke’s recruitment and said the job was advertised widely.
She said Kucuk’s salary had remain unchanged since 2011, adding:
“The Trust believe that all the issues raised are a matter for the Trust alone and can see no reason other than the fact that both of our staff are councillors that this has been raised with GCC. We we would however be delighted to respond to any enquiry GCC has now or in future with regards to any member of our staff.”
A spokesperson for the council said: “We have received a complaint which appears to concern an external organisation. Internal audit is currently considering whether this requires any further action by the council.”
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