Mary's Meals hit by shock rent rise

The charity – which feeds 750,000 children in African schools every day – is the latest good cause to be hit by the new get-tough rent stance of City Property.

Bosses at the aid organisation, which operates out of a council-owned warehouse in Milton, are understood to have been told their rent could go from next to nothing to a full market rate well into five figures.

The warehouse in Milton is used for its Backpack Project, a collection of schoolbags full of school supplies for African children.

Local SNP councillor Billy McAllister said: "I have been told by Mary's Meals people they are expecting a bill of tens of thousands of pounds and that they may have to pull out of Glasgow as a result.

"We really should have grave concerns about City Property."

His political boss, Graeme Hendry, the city's opposition leader, said: "The council's policy on lets for charities is clearly in chaos.

"Charities like Mary's Meals are facing unsustainable rent rises across the city and despite previously promising to review the policy the council leader (Gordon Matheson) has done nothing.

"The policy as a whole needs reviewed and reassurances need to be given that any charity that speaks out will not be unfairly targeted."

Organisations representing city charities – the Glasgow Council for the Voluntary Sector and the Third Sector Forum – have already expressed concern about what they call an "unacceptable approach" from City Property.

Last month the two groups said they had met senior officials and politicians at the council to express "serious concerns" about the landlord firm, one of Glasgow's arm's-length external organisations, known as Aleos.

Council sources, however, say they are ready to be flexible with Mary's Meals, which has strong ties with the local authority's schools and the city's wider charity work in Malawi.

A Mary's Meals spokeswoman said: "We are aware of City Property's intention to review our lease and have attended a meeting to discuss this.

"They have indicated they would like to visit our warehouse to value the property and we are awaiting further information on next steps."

City Property "bought" around 2000 business premises from Glasgow City Council in 2010 for £120million.

This money was used to fund a series of controversial early retirement deals. City Property now has to raise enough rents to cover payments on this mortgage.

The council has also dropped its policy of concessionary rents for charities, with good causes urged to pay market rates but apply for grants for their funding instead.

A City Property spokesman said: "We met this tenant – like other organisations whose lease arrangements may be changed by the revised policy – to provide some reassurances that City Property has sufficient flexibility to properly assess the circumstances of individual tenants.

"No rental figures have been issued to tenants at this stage."

Last month we reported that City Property told the Kinning Park Complex that payments, including insurance, would leap from £1 to almost £3000 a year – a 299,900% increase.

The community centre – the only one left in the South Side neighbourhood – says its future is now in doubt.

david.leask@ eveningtimes.co.uk