A GLASGOW Labour councillor who was central to a £5 million Commonwealth Games legacy project has been put on leave while the scheme is investigated by auditors.

Yvonne Kucuk is off work amid questions about how a lottery grant for the Dalmarnock Hub in the city’s east end was spent.

The Hub, opened last year by football legend Kenny Dalglish, provides GP, dental, pharmacy and nursery facilities under one roof.

It has been overseen by a charity, the People’s Development Trust (PDT), and bankrolled with taxpayers’ money.

The Scottish Government provided around £3m, the Big Lottery Fund (BLF) awarded £1,295,000 and Clyde Gateway gave £1.23m. Glasgow council sold the land to the Trust for £1.

Kucuk, a local councillor, was given the £35,000 a year job of “regeneration manager”, while fellow party councillor Maureen Burke also landed employment there.

A number of Kucuk’s relatives have, at various stages, either been appointed to the Trust board or employed at the Hub.

However, various Trust board members resigned last year, fuelling speculation of splits. Outgoing chair Alison Davidge contacted the BLF about the departures and the lottery body launched a review. It was then revealed that an international firm of auditors had been hired to examine whether the BLF grant had been spent appropriately.

The Sunday Herald can now reveal that new management was brought into the Trust before Christmas. An internal review of finance was conducted and passed to the BLF. It is understood that the subsequent BLF decision to call in auditors also had the agreement of the Trust.

In recent weeks, the Trust agreed to put Kucuk on leave while the probe is ongoing. The auditor investigation is believed to be focusing on the revenue funding provided by the BLF, rather than the part of the grant earmarked for capital costs.