Glasgow Zoo faces an inquiry into its accounts

Published on Saturday 19 October 2002 01:00

GLASGOW Zoo has been reported to a charity watchdog over claims managers broke the law by failing to release their annual accounts to the public.

The troubled zoo is now facing investigation by the Scottish Charities Office after complaints that it has failed to produce copies of any accounts or annual reports to the public since 1998. Under guidelines set by the Lord Advocate, a registered charity must produce accounts every year - and provide them to anyone within one month of a request.

Animal Concern claims to have requested recent accounts but received copies of audited accounts dating from 1997-1998 instead. The complaint is the latest blow for the zoo, at the centre of concerns over the conditions animals are kept in.

John Robins, an Animal Concern campaigner based in Dumbarton, complained to the Scottish Charities Office in Edinburgh demanding an inquiry into the lack of accounts at the zoo. If an inquiry is launched and discovers mismanagement or irregularities, the trustees of the charity which runs the zoo could be removed or suspended and its bank account frozen.

Mr Robins said: "Glasgow Zoo is falling apart due to massive debts, yet appears to have failed to produce accounts for three years. Apart from breaking the law, this situation must make it almost impossible for anyone to have a clear idea of how bad things are at the zoo.

"From the accounts they did supply, it appears their debts four years ago were 3million. It is likely the situation is worse since then."

But Roger Edwards, the chief executive of the zoo, said yesterday: "We know Animal Concern is trying to close us down. We know it has made various complaints, but it has never aired them to us." He claimed the zoo’s auditors, which he refused to name, had withheld the accounts and added that the zoo was taking "professional advice" on the matter.

A report by Advocates for Animals and Animal Concern expressed concern over conditions at the zoo, and said a cheetah was kept in a tiny paddock with only an old football for stimulation.