One of Scotland’s oldest charities is in turmoil after a damning report claimed a Dunkeld man interfered in an election.
Established in 1605, the Trades House of Glasgow manages funds of more than £18m and donates around £750,000 to local charities each year.
Its policies are decided by the platform, a seven-person group that is similar to a company’s board of directors.
The platform’s leader, the deacon convener, is Billy Birse-Stewart, a former wine salesman and ex-chairman of the Dundee-based Unicorn Preservation Society.
In August 2022 an internal audit committee report concluded that Mr Birse-Stewart interfered with an election, breached the code of conduct and did not comply with written voting procedures.
Complaints have since been made to Scottish charity regular OSCR, which has begun an investigation.
Resignation amid ‘clandestine change of direction’
In December the platform was further rocked by the resignation of member and trustee Tom McInally.
In Mr McInally’s farewell letter to charity trustees he wrote of an “open lack of respect” towards chief executive John Gilchrist and staff.
He also cited “a clandestine change of direction in the management of Trades House affairs.”
The letter added that the reason for the treatment of the CEO was “unclear”, and speculated on whether it arose “from the recent report by the audit commission.”
There is no suggestion that he was referring to the conduct of Mr Birse-Stewart in the letter.
Former Unicorn chair
Mr Birse-Stewart – married to NHS Tayside chair Lorna – is retired, having spent 46 years in the hospitality industry.
He has held many senior positions including president of the Institute of Wines and Spirits Scotland, and president of the Forty Nine Club (Scotland’s trade club).
Latterly he was visitor (deacon) of the Incorporation of Maltmen.
He has supported several Scottish charities, either through raising funds or by serving as a trustee.
These include NSPCC Childline, RSPB, Scottish Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust and he was, until recently, chairman of the HMS Unicorn Preservation Society in Dundee.
The Trades House incorporates 14 crafts which are each independent charities, giving assistance and funding to their chosen areas of interest.
Mr Birse-Stewart’s wife Lorna is a member of barbers craft.
Complaints over election question
The audit committee investigated complaints relating to the election of the house’s collector nominate on Wednesday, May 25 2022.
As late collector, Mr Birse-Stewart, 72, was responsible for collecting and delivering late-arriving ballots.
The committee felt that Mr Birse-Stewart breached the code of conduct by the manner in which he publicly questioned candidate Rose Mary Harley during the election process.
The report said he “intentionally” made a negative comparison between her and the other candidate, Mariella MacLeod, who was elected by 25 votes to 23.
In the audit committee probe Mr Birse-Stewart also admitted that he remained in the location of the voting booth and ballot box longer than he should have.
“Through what was reported to us and by his own admission, [that] Mr Birse-Stewart did not adhere to the written voting procedure,” the report concluded.
OSCR ‘received concerns’
The report urged the platform to ensure that election rules are “sufficiently clear and unambiguous.”
The OSCR told The Courier that it had “received concerns about the charity.”
It added: “[We] are considering the information in line with our published policies to determine if there are regulatory matters for OSCR.”
The Courier received no response from Mr Birse-Stewart and Trades House of Glasgow despite repeated attempts to contact their representative at law firm Bannatyne Kirkwood France & Co.
