Scottish Government cash for Kibble despite charity regulator probe

EDEL KENEALY

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One of Scotland's biggest charities has been given an undisclosed sum in Scottish Government funding despite being investigated over financial decisions.

Kibble Education and Care Centre is currently the subject of a near three-year probe by the Scottish charity regulator.

OSCR opened an inquiry into the Paisley-based charity after a previous application for Scottish Government funding was found to contain substantive inaccuracies.

It has since been extended to include an examination of financial decision-making after Kibble confirmed it was paying the legal fees of two employees who had launched a private defamation case against former St Mirren FC director Alan Wardrop.

The case failed in June last year and the pursuers, Kibble directors Jim Gillespie and Mark MacMillan, were ordered to pay 80 per cent of Mr Wardrop's legal fees.

Kibble, which was never named as a claimant in the court papers, again agreed to pay these costs.

It means the charity, which provides residential care for vulnerable children, is liable for an estimated £400,000.

The OSCR probe into the charity remains live.

A spokesperson told the Express: “We are continuing to make inquiries into Kibble Education and Care Centre.