Questions remain over the actions of the Lockerbie Trust according to Annandale North Councillor Carolyne Wilson, following a statement by the Trust that they will now consider public calls to support funding improvements to McJerrow and King Edward’s Parks in Lockerbie.

The Trust have been heavily criticised for keeping secret the results of a public consultation on how they spend their remaining funds and refusing to publish minutes of their meetings when the group rejected clear public calls for the parks to be upgraded.

Councillor Carolyne Wilson said, “It is clear that the anger from the people of Lockerbie, who quite rightly demanded their voice was heard, has forced the Trustees to rethink their decision, but it should never have come to this and was completely avoidable.

“Questions remain over the conduct and openness of the Trustees given that just a few days ago Oliver Mundell sent a response to a local resident, which was made public, that the Trust could not change its position because the money had already been distributed.

“It remains to be seen how serious the Trust are in changing their position given that they know the demands they are now making of the council couldn’t actually be agreed in the 24 hours they have set. Just because the Lockerbie Trust members don’t follow due process and haven’t been transparent with the public with their decisions, doesn’t mean the Council and Councillors should do the same.

“All Councillors on the Common Good Committee in the interests of local residents asked the Trust to provide the feedback on the park plans some time ago, so I look forward to the Trust now making the results of the consultation public as well as all minutes and papers relating to their decisions.

“The Trustees are in a privileged position as guardians of funds gifted to the people of Lockerbie in the most tragic of times. The Trustees conduct has been utterly appalling. It will take a very long for the people of Lockerbie to forgive the fact that at times some of the Trustees decisions have been more about pursuing their pet projects, than serving the people of Lockerbie.

“I hope the Trustees will now make a public apology for the anger and upset they have caused so many people”

Meanwhile after receiving complaints from Lockerbie residents, South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth plans to pass public concerns to the independent charity watchdog the Office of the Charity Regulator (OSCR) and ask them to carry out an investigation into the conduct of the Trustees.

South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth said, “I am really saddened by the way Lockerbie Trust ignored the views of the local community when they decided how to allocate funds, and the lack of transparency in their decisions.

“No one is in any doubt that for Trustees this was more about pursuing their pet projects than listening to the community.

“It is clear that when the public rejected what the Lockerbie Trust wanted, the Trustees acted like someone on a football pitch walking off with their ball because they didn’t like the result. But in this case, it wasn’t a ball it was hundreds of thousands of pounds. The Trustees forgot this wasn’t their money, it was gifted to the people of Lockerbie.

“Given the sheer number of concerns I have received, I will be passing them to the independent charity watchdog.

“Some serious allegations have been made to me over potential conflicts of interest of some members of the Lockerbie Trust who suddenly became Trustees of organisations they wanted to award funding to. It is important these concerns are fully investigated. In the meantime, the Trust should now ensure that the funds they have is spent in the areas the community have demanded.”