Edit 16/02/22: This article has been edited to remove a passage that said that a member of the public contacted CCT as it was the CCT who reached out to the member of the public to offer clarification on a matter unrelated to their potential use of the Cevic.

A TRUST in Catrine has hit out at allegations of a conflict of interest after campaigners claimed some individuals are having too much sway over decisions in the village.

The Catrine Community Trust (CCT) was responding to claims by the unconnected, but similarly-named, Catrine Community Campaign (CCC) – which alleges that the same few people are having undue influence on plans for the area.

The CCC claims the Trust has jumped the gun by contacting a local social enterprise group which is currently engaged in discussions with East Ayrshire Council to allow them to move into the old Cevic building.

The campaigners said in an email to the chief executive of the council, Eddie Fraser, which has been seen by the Chronicle: “The CCT director concerned has now messaged the above prospective tenant re the social enterprise group you referred to in your correspondence, whilst East Ayrshire Council are still in ongoing and yet to be concluded discussions.

““A CCT director interfering in a process that they have no right to be involved in. Which is still disputed and may still have the potential of an almost £1Million Grant clawbacks from External Funders who are still looking to protect their substantial investment in The CEVIC Building.

“For whatever innocent reason or capacity that may be suggested as an excuse, Any unsolicited approach by this CCT director is wrong on so many levels and yet another serious error of judgement by the charity.”

However, the CCT has denied any wrongdoing.

A spokesperson from the CCT said: “This is a complete fabrication. The prospective tenant contact was not as a prospective tenant. It was in relation to a meeting which will be taking place this Thursday to discuss the future of the AM Brown Institute.

“There had been a lot of information flying about as to what this meeting was about. This person wasn’t clear on that, so we offered to clarify things.”

The CCC says two other CCT directors are also now office bearers on Catrine Community Council, and highlighted East Ayrshire’s code of conduct for community councils.

A CCC spokesperson added: “Operation of any East Ayrshire community council is subject to the EAC code of conduct for community councillors underpinned by the Nolan Principles re selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.

“We have called this out as nobody knew until this week.”

The CCT again disputed any wrongdoing, saying that they had contacted the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator last week and were told that there was no conflict of interest.