Fraud inquiry at sports centre

POLICE have launched an investigation into an alleged £20,000 fraud at a Scottish local authority, it emerged yesterday.

Internal auditors at Scottish Borders Council reported a suspected financial irregularity relating to the Queen's Sports Centre in Galashiels earlier this month.

Officers from Lothian and Borders Police were called to the council's headquarters and launched an investigation last week.

A male employee in the local authority's accounts department is understood to have been suspended while inquires are carried out.

A police spokesman said: "We can confirm that we are currently co-operating with Scottish Borders Council and progressing an inquiry regarding alleged financial irregularity by a staff member. These inquiries are at an early stage."

A spokeswoman for Scottish Borders Council said: "A member of staff is the subject of an investigation which is currently under way. We cannot provide any further details."

The council spokeswoman refused to confirm if the employee involved in the alleged fraud had been suspended.

The Queen's centre runs a range of classes from judo to football. In February a team of council workers from the sports development unit won the five-a-side football lunchtime league for the second season in a row.

Finances at the authority were tightened up almost a decade ago after a lack of monitoring procedures led to a 4 million overspend by the education department - resulting in major cuts. Further improvements in recent years have brought in tighter accountancy checks within all departments.