Watchdog to probe loss-making Gathering

THE high–profile Gathering event, held in the Capital as part of last year's Homecoming celebrations, is to be examined by the public spending watchdog Audit Scotland, it has been confirmed.

By The Newsroom

Published 20th Apr 2010, 11:02 BST

Updated 20th Apr 2010, 11:57 BST

The Auditor General for Scotland, Robert Black, has asked Audit Scotland to carry out a review of The Gathering.

The high-profile clan meeting in Holyrood Park, which was attended by Prince Charles, lost 600,000. In January this year the firm behind the flagship event went into administration after a public sector rescue package failed to save organisers of The Gathering 2009.

An Audit Scotland spokesman confirmed the public spending watchdog was to produce a report on The Gathering.

He said: "The report will look at the governance and financial management of The Gathering event. It will include a review of the Scottish Government's decision to provide additional funding to the event in the form of a short-term loan to the event management company, The Gathering 2009 Ltd, and the subsequent write-off of debts the company owed public sector organisations."

Sarah Boyack, Labour MSP for Edinburgh Central, welcomed the announcement, saying: "Frankly it's time that the full facts were revealed."