Claim of 'towering conceit' in wrangle over Wick Academy Development Fund money
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A GROUP of people who are campaigning for the £140,000 in a Wick-based charity to go to community groups have been accused of "towering conceit".
The accusation was made by Wick Academy FC supporter Dan Mackay, who says the money should go to the football club as was "originally intended".
He started an online petition on Monday calling for the money held by Wick Academy Development Fund (WADF) to be given to the club. By Thursday afternoon it had been signed by 85 people.
Mr Mackay set up the petition to give Academy fans a chance to express their views to the judicial factor appointed by the Court of Session in Edinburgh, Scotland's top civil court, to manage the affairs of the development fund.
The appointment was made after an investigation by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) following concerns raised by John Mowatt, vice-chairman of the fund, which was registered as a charity in 2002. He and other local people are unhappy that more than £140,000 has been in a bank account for nearly 12 years and they feel the money should be used to help local sports, leisure and recreational organisations in accordance with the fund's constitution.
However, Mr Mackay described the WADF constitution as "a red herring" and is adamant the fans thought they were supporting the development of the club when they purchased fundraising lottery tickets over many years. He says all the money should go to Academy.
Mr Mackay is pleased a judicial factor has been appointed and praised the people who achieved that, but he is unhappy with what he calls the "self-appointed elite" who have formed a panel with the intention of distributing the money to local organisations. He described that as "towering conceit".
However, he believes there could be a win-win situation for the community. "If Academy get the money back I am sure the club would have the good grace to redistribute some of it to community groups – but that would be a judgment call for Wick Academy."
Colin Stewart, who is one of the group campaigning to get the money awarded to local organisations, took issue with Mr Mackay's claims.
He said: "At the end of the day it is up to OSCR and the judicial factor to decide where the funds should go.
"We are a group of people who want to see the money used for what it should be used for. We have got to this point and brought it OSCR's attention. That is all we have done.
"We are not a self-appointed panel, just people who want to see the fund used properly. The last thing we want is to see one group saying one thing and another group saying something else.
"We just want to see this come to a successful conclusion and be open and transparent."
Mr Stewart had a video meeting with the judicial factor on Thursday to discuss various issues around the fund.
