WADF successful applicants should be known 'in the coming weeks' says judicial factor

The successful applicants for the £140,000 in the Wick Academy Development Fund should be known "in the coming weeks." That was confirmed by Eileen Blackburn, the judicial factor, who was appointed last year by the Court of Session – Scotland's top civil court – to manage the affairs of the fund after an investigation by Scottish charity regulator, OSCR.

Following a press inquiry by the John O'Groat Journal, she said: "I and my team at French Duncan LLP have been contacted by a number of local organisations interested in the distribution of charitable funds from the Wick Academy Development Fund. These are still in the process of being assessed, and any decisions will be announced directly to successful applicants and to local media in the coming weeks."

She previously "secured all assets of the charity" and invited any registered charities within the Wick area, whose charitable objectives are similar to those of WADF to register their interest in receiving funding.

Regarding the legal costs, she stated: "All expenses in connection with the judicial factor appointment will be properly audited and authorised for payment in due course."

The judicial factor was appointed following an investigation by OSCR after concerns were raised by John Mowatt, the vice-chairman of the fund. Mr Mowatt was unhappy that the £140,000 fund was lying in a bank account for nearly 12 years and said the money should be used to help local sports, leisure and recreational organisations in accordance with the fund's constitution.

The fund was registered as a charity in March 2002 but concerns were raised on a number of occasions about the way it was managed. OSCR, which first made inquiries about WADF in 2010, found it was not acting in "a manner consistent" with its stated aims.

As a result, a petition was lodged at the Court of Session in Edinburgh to appoint a judicial factor to manage the fund.

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