A 200-year-old charity has been warned that it risks failing to meet its responsibilities after handing out an average of £62 a year to needy residents since 2016/17.
According to Edinburgh Live, Audit Scotland has issued the warning to East Lothian Council, which oversees the Dr Bruce Fund and appoints ward councillors as trustees.
The fund was set up nearly 200 years ago by Charles Key Bruce, who studied in Musselburgh before going on to accrue wealth in India.
When he died he left £2,000 to a permanent fund from which the interest was to be used to give poor relief to people in Musselburgh.
Now a report by Audit Scotland has made it clear that Bruce’s wishes are not currently being fulfilled.
Edinburgh Live reported that the Dr Bruce Fund has an estimated £20,000 in the bank.
But Audit Scotland said the fund had only made small grants to the same two individuals over five years: a total of £50 in 2016/17; £60 in 2017/18 and 2018/19; and £70 in 2019/20 and 2020/21.
The 2021 grants were returned after the cheques were not cashed.
A report will go to the council’s audit and governance committee next week.
It says: “The previously reported lack of charitable activity by the Dr Bruce Fund continues into 2022/23.
“There is a risk that the charity is not fulfilling its charitable objectives and that the trustees are not properly discharging their responsibilities.”