Disabled Charity Pair Face Probe After Board Row
A COUPLE face being booted off the charity they founded to help young Scots with learning disabilites. Alistair and Joanna McGregor have been under investigation after a string of misconduct complaints to the Scottish Charity Regulator.
Now an action has been raised in the Court of Session by the watchdog to ban them from any management role in Cantraybridge Rural Skills College at Croy, between Inverness and Nairn.
Court documents reveal a major rift between the couple and the five other directors of the college which has £2.5million of funding from Highland Council.
Since being founded by the McGregors in 1995 the college has delivered vocational training and housing support services to people with learning disabilities.
Alisatir McGregor has been removed as chairman and the couple stand accused of conduct “alleged not to be in the best interests of the charity”.
Among the complaints against the McGregors are claims by staff of “loud, angry, bullying and threatening” behaviour especially by Mr McGregor.
It is claimed the couple sought to protect their positions as directors and attempted to “exercise dominant control” over the charity, staff and operations.
The McGregors also own and run Watermill Enterprises Ltd, who employ disabled people who have completed their studies at Cantlaybridge.
It’s claimed Watermill employees have received around £24,734 worth of free packed lunches and transport paid out of the charity’s funds.
Other board members were concerned there was a conflict in the role of the Mcgregors as shareholders of Watermill Enterprises and as directors of the charity.
A spokeswoman for the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator said: “We can confirm that we have made a submission to the court and, therefore, it would be inappropriate to comment further.”
The board of Cantraybridge issued a statement saying any court action would not affect the charity’s work.
The McGregors have been advised not to talk publicly ahead of the court hearing.
