LOTTO CHIEFS PROBE £10k KIDS PLAYPARK
Anger as group chair says cash was spent on other events
LOTTERY bosses are investigating claims a Scots community group misled them about building a playpark for disabled children.
Non-profit volunteer group Light Up Bute were awarded a grant of £9950 by The Big Lottery Fund in February last year.
Their application stated they would use it to create a community playpark in Rothesay on Bute with an emphasis “on providing suitable facilities for children with disabilities”.
But earlier this month, Light Up Bute’s chairman Grant Graham admitted spending the cash on other events.
A source, who asked not to be named, said: “It’s a disgrace. You can’t promise the community one thing then do the next. People are not happy.”
Last month, locals on Facebook group The Bute Democratic Voice demanded to know why work on the new park had not started – six months after it was supposed to be completed and 18 months after receiving the grant.
Graham insisted work had been delayed because of the weather.
He added: “The park is still getting done, equipment is waiting to go in as soon as we can get the ground dried out.”
But earlier this month, locals discovered Light Up Bute had already told the Big Lottery Fund that the park was complete.
Screengrabs of the end of grant report sent to the fund were posted on Facebook.
It claimed the overall budget of £11,600 was underspent by £450 and the £9950 lottery grant was underspent by £300.
Wendylee Brownlie wrote: “Where is the CCTV, equipment, astro and benches the lottery have been told have already been purchased/installed?”
Graham went to Facebook on October 9 to admit that the funds had been used to hold other “events” on the island.
He added: “At no time was there any intention to mislead or deceive anyone. It is purely something that should never have been allowed to happen.”
Graham did not respond to attempts to contact him. A Big Lottery Fund spokeswoman said: “We are aware of the concerns expressed by the community and are looking into the matter.”