Elmwood College: MSP backs call for charity regulator to step in after contentious closure decision

Willie Rennie, MSP for north-east Fife, has backed the move for OSCR – the independent Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator – to look into the conduct of the leadership of Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC). The Lib Dem politician claimed there had been a “lack of transparency” over the decision - something the college strongly denied.

Professor Wayne Powell, principal and chief executive, said the college made the closure call following “an open and honest consultation during which we carefully considered all feedback.”

The row is the latest in the long-running concerns over the college. The decision to close the animal care came on top of the axe falling on student accommodation and sale of the farm.

Mr Rennie said he was concerned about the lack of long term planning, and transparency in board affairs. He said: “As a charity SRUC have special responsibilities but I am afraid they have not met them.

“I have been working closely with management for years and have encouraged them to develop a long term plan for Elmwood but despite those endless pleas they have only taken a series of short term, short sighted decisions with the closure of the popular animal care course being the latest.

“Through that inaction they have allowed the main building, which is B listed, to deteriorate to such an extent that they are now seeking for it to be delisted prior to demolition.”

The politician said closure of the animal care unit means that the student numbers will fall to just a few hundred at a college which once supported 2000.

He continued: “The proceeds of the sale of the farm were not reinvested in the campus and instead were used to invest in developments on other sites in other parts of the country. There is no published plan to reinvest the sale of the land, on which the main building sits, back into the Cupar campus.

“The SRUC conducted a consultation on the closure of the animal care unit but the principal later admitted that the decision had already been made. There is an issue of trust with staff, students and the community if they conduct consultations when decisions have already been made.”

Professor Powell said: “The decision to close the Elmwood Animal Care course and main building was taken following an open and honest consultation during which we carefully considered all feedback but, unfortunately, we were unable to identify a financially viable alternative delivery model for Animal Care in its current form

“We did, however, receive feedback suggesting a new distance-learning micro-credential in Animal Care-related topics, which we are looking into at present.” He said the college took its obligations as a charitable body “incredibly seriously” and added: “We are disappointed to learn of the statements made by Mr Rennie despite engagement on these matters. We have communicated with Mr Rennie regularly throughout this process and will be happy to continue to do so.”