|
Home
 News
Sport
Business
Politics
Features
Going Out
Scottish Clearing
News
Sport
Search the site
Free daily email
News to your PDA
Back Issues
News archive
Photo Sales
Help & FAQs
Contact us
Crosswords
The Diary
Local news
Local weather
Week in photos
Today's page 1
Book ads online
View ads online
Classifieds
Family Notices
Homes
Appointments
Motors Online
Business Online
Advert inquiries
Evening
Times
Sunday
Herald
Newsquest UK
TravelShop
|
|
| Community centre linked to crime faces loss of funding |
 |
| STEWART PATERSON |
September 14 2006 |
|
A
controversial community centre alleged to have links to organised crime
is at the centre of a major council investigation and faces losing its
funding.
Chirnsyde
Community Initiative, in Milton, north Glasgow, is run by co-ordinator
Eddie Lyons, and in the past three years has received almost a quarter
of a million pounds from Glasgow City Council.
A
report by Bridget McConnell, Glasgow City Council's executive director
of culture and sport, noted allegations of drug dealing, violence and
claims that Mr Lyons is related to a "notorious criminal family in the
Milton area".
In her
report, Mrs McConnell said: "Over the past six years there has been a
series of complaints and allegations made against Chirnsyde Community
Initiative and one of its employees, the co-ordinator.
Mrs
McConnell said the allegations have expanded to include council
officers, police officers and herself, claiming that children at the
centre are at risk as Mr Lyons could be a target of violent criminals.
The
new scrutiny review will look at "all the issues surrounding Chirnsyde
Community Initiative". Mrs McConnell recommended the review and that
funding be allocated on a month-to-month basis until the review is
complete. Mr Lyons refuted the allegations and said he earns around
£18,000 a year. He lives in the Carrickstone area of Cumbernauld, in a
house where his 28-year-old-son, also Eddie, was shot earlier this
year.
His previous home in East Kilbride was raided by police and £63,000 cash seized, believed to belong to an associate of his son.
Along
with his two sons Eddie jnr and Stephen, his brother Johnny and two
others, Paul McGuinness and Andrew Gallagher, Mr Lyons was charged with
the attempted murder of Thomas McDonnell outside the Chirnsyde centre
in 2001. Mr Lyons said the charges against him and other family members
were dropped. McGuinness was convicted.
Patricia
Ferguson MSP, has said she has passed on constituents' concerns to
police and the local councillor wants funding stopped.
Billy
McAllister, councillor for Milton, said: "I will be calling for the
council to withdraw funding, and suspend the co-ordinator Edward Lyons
and the management committee in the light of the serious allegations of
criminality to allow a full investigation."
Mr Lyons said yesterday: "There is not a shred of evidence against me. I am squeaky clean.
"If
the people who have made allegations have proof, let them bring it. We
have 500 members here and everyone who uses the centre is happy with
it."
A spokesman for
Glasgow City Council, said: "The council anticipates the scrutiny
committee will have the authority to invite those with an interest in
Chirnsyde to put their views."
|
|
|
|
|
|
