Scotland's charity watchdog has cleared LGBT Youth Scotland (LGBTYS) of wrongdoing following allegations that a convener appointed to the organization had a falsified curriculum vitae. The Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) stated that the charity's trustees did not breach their legal responsibilities.
The decision comes after Timothy Westwood, appointed convener last year, resigned earlier this year. Discrepancies emerged regarding his claimed professional experience, including assertions of leadership roles with the British Red Cross and the mental health charity Mind, both of which stated they had no record of him. Westwood also claimed legal expertise but was not registered as a lawyer in Scotland or England. He reportedly used a computer-manipulated image of his face on the LGBTYS website.
Political Scrutiny and Funding Concerns
The controversy prompted calls for an investigation and led LGBTYS to refer the matter to the OSCR. However, the regulator concluded that the actions of the charity trustees were consistent with their responsibilities under Scottish charity law and that no further regulatory action was warranted.
Critics, including Scottish Conservative education and equalities spokesman Meghan Gallacher, have expressed concerns about the governance of LGBTYS. Gallacher stated that the regulator's decision raises questions about the scrutiny applied to the charity and urged the Scottish Government to ensure public money is allocated only to organizations meeting high standards of governance.
LGBTYS, which has received over £13 million in public funding since 2015, has faced previous scrutiny. In 2024, the chairman of BBC Children in Need resigned amid a dispute over grants awarded to the organization, citing 'institutional failure.' BBC Children in Need subsequently ceased funding LGBTYS.
John Swinney, commenting earlier in the year on the Westwood situation, emphasized that organizations must exercise safeguarding responsibilities and that grant funding decisions undergo full scrutiny.
The OSCR has not provided further explanation for its decision or why it believes the organization fulfilled its due diligence responsibilities. LGBTYS declined to comment on the matter.