SCHOOLS in Glasgow have been issued a warning about a foodbank which was stripped of council funding.

The council's head of services for education has contacted nurseries and primary schools in the north west of the city apparently advising them not to support Greater Maryhill Foodbank.

It follows a decision by Glasgow City Council to withdraw funding for the foodbank following a whistleblowing complaint and an investigation over alleged financial irregularities.

Further concerns were raised after the foodbank publicly claimed a primary school was a partner, when this was not correct.

The email was sent by Jim Wilson, head of services for education. A similar email was sent by Maureen McKenna to three schools in the north east.

It recommends that any charities the council helps administer, "do not make any more payments" to the foodbank.

It goes on to say that, "This advice must be followed."

Mr Wilson writes: "I appreciate this could be a difficult position to be placed in." However, the email states that it is at the parents own discretion if they wish to continue to support the foodbank.

Maureen McKenna, the council's head of education, contacted Chirnsyde, St Monica’s and Miltonbank with the same message as Mr Wilson.

It is alleged that the council was angered after foodbank founder Julie Webster was pictured on Facebook handing over toys to St Monica's Primary.

It is claimed she was not given permission to visit the school.

A council spokeswoman said: “We have passed on the advice to schools from our internal audit team following a whistleblowing complaint that led to their investigation of the food bank.”

A spokesman for GMF said it would make no comment until the board had spoken to the council.

Earlier this month Glasgow City Council said no further grant awards would be made to the foodbank following a whistleblowing complaint and an investigation.

It followed repeated requests for information to founder Julie Webster about accounts which the council said had not been provided.

The investigation centres on £2,897 that Ms Webster was given for improvement including a new security system.

It also emerged that the foodbank has been given a contract worth tens of thousands of pounds by the Scottish Government weeks ago.

The Government, which has had a long association with the organisation, insisted it was monitoring the funding "to ensure grant agreements and conditions are met".

Ms Webster later issued a statement rejecting the allegations and said the foodbank was the target of a "smear campaign by a small number of individuals."