Call for probe into £45,000 payment

HEART 200: MP referring grant decision to Audit Scotland

A spending watchdog has been called upon to investigate a £45,000 payment from Perth and Kinross Council to a private tourism project.

No environmental or economic impact analysis was conducted before the grant was given to the controversial Heart 200 scheme.

Pete Wishart MP revealed he is in the process of referring the decision to Audit Scotland.

Heart 200 was awarded the funds by the local authority last year to promote the road trip route through Perthshire. Mr Wishart said he has concerns about “how (the money) was given to one organisation with seemingly no competition or the following of a procurement process”.

Heart 200 is a route set up to rival the North Coast 500 but has met with opposition from some local groups which say the infrastructure is not in place for a large-scale venture.

Audit Scotland is awaiting full documentation from Mr Wishart.

The council refused to comment.

An investigation has been demanded into how Perth and Kinross Council spent thousands of pounds of public money on a private tourism project.

The grant for the controversial Heart 200 road trip marketing scheme was given before any environmental or economic impact analysis was carried out.

Perth and North Perthshire SNP MP Pete Wishart is now referring the council to Audit Scotland over its handling of the £45,000 given to the organisers of Heart 200.

He made the announcement at a public meeting in Tummel Bridge with Highland ward councillor Mike Williamson which was organised to hear from the communities who still have concerns about the tourism project.

The organisers of Heart 200 received the grant to help set up the project as part of the council administration budget in 2018.

The scheme encourages visitors to drive around a 200-mile loop of Perthshire and Stirlingshire’s top attractions, hoping to rival the North Coast 500 in the Highlands.

But Heart 200 submitted no environmental or economic impact assessment to the council ahead of being awarded the cash.

Mr Wishart is contacting Audit Scotland to ask them to investigate why the five-figure sum was granted by Perth and Kinross Council, following collaborative work with Glenlyon Community Council.

It will be up to auditors to decide if they wish to delve deeper.

Marketing the route was opposed by some local groups who say the infrastructure is not in place to support the additional vehicles and visitors.

After the public meeting, Mr Wishart said: “The communities do not feel like Perth and Kinross Council have been taking their concerns very seriously and I feel that the best option is to pass these concerns to an independent body like Audit Scotland.

“Many are concerned about a lack of transparency around the £45,000 of public money and how it was given to one organisation with seemingly no competition or the following of a procurement process.”

The council declined to comment on the referral, but has in the past confirmed the funding was approved when the 2018-19 budget was set.

Audit Scotland have said they are still to receive confirmation of Mr Wishart’s referral so cannot begin any investigation yet.

Heart 200 management declined to comment.

Pete Wishart, front, and some of the people who attended a public meeting organised to hear from communities which still have concerns about the Heart 200 tourism project.