A SENIOR city councillor has been questioned by police during an investigation into the finances of a neighbourhood organisation.
Edinburgh's economic development leader, Tom Buchanan, is currently chairman of the Alnwickhill Proprietors' Association – a group made up of more than 700 households on the Alnwickhill estate in Liberton.
Residents have called the police in afte
r claims the body failed to publish any accounts for the past two years.
The residents pay £40 a year towards the upkeep of amenity land on the estate, generating around £30,000 in total.
Although there are no allegations of criminal activity, homeowners claim to be in the dark about how the money has been spent in recent years, or how much the association has in the bank.
The residents have also alleged that, since July 2006, no treasurer or secretary has been in place and no annual general meetings have been held, leaving Cllr Buchanan to take decisions, set the annual fee and sign cheques "unilaterally".
Cllr Buchanan, the SNP representative for Liberton and Gilmerton, today said "certain allegations" are "totally unfounded", and that an emergency general meeting for the end of the month.
He added: "For some time a public meeting has been organised to be held on July 30 to deal with this matter. This was communicated in writing some time ago."
A police spokesman said their investigation found "no evidence of criminal impropriety", although residents say they have been told "the file remains open" and that they should contact officers if they uncover anything untoward in the accounts.
The association was set up around 35 years ago, and secured ownership of nearly seven acres of amenity land in 2004. The annual payments go towards tasks such as looking after the grass, trees and bushes.
Cllr Buchanan was appointed chairman of the proprietors' association in 2003, replacing David Walker, who was a Lib Dem city councillor until the last election.
Mr Walker said today: "As a former chairman, I am now deeply concerned at Cllr Buchanan's stewardship of the Alnwickhill Proprietors' Association.
"When I stood down in 2003 as chairman, the affairs and finances were in good order. Now, the members have no idea what is going on. In the past five years, there have been only two annual general meetings – since 2006 there have been no annual general meetings, nor have accounts been presented to members. This year, no annual assessments have been issued."
Local Labour councillor Ian Murray was contacted by concerned constituents. He said: "I will be monitoring the situation very closely."
A police spokesman said: "The complaint was made and it was looked into, but there was no evidence of criminal impropriety."
Cllr Buchanan is currently on holiday, and has been unable to respond to specific allegations.
But in a telephone message, he told the Evening News: "Some of the (residents'] statements are plainly actionable and I will have that looked into on my return."
The full article contains 496 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
