A Dundee charity which helps thousands across the city has been dealt a major blow after NHS Tayside rejected its cut-price offer to buy Wedderburn House.
Yusuf Youth Initiative (YYI), best known for its foodbank and outreach programme Taught By Muhammad (TBM), had hoped to move into the West End building in May.
The expanding organisation had submitted dozens of pages of evidence detailing its work in promoting mental health and youth educational training, as well as battling the city’s growing poverty.
However, the health board has turned down the charity’s £50,000 offer, which was made under laws designed to empower community bodies.
In a decision report, NHS Tayside say the monetary and social value of the charity’s work is not enough to justify such a big discount on the property, which is for sale valued at £340,000.
Wedderburn House, located on Edward Street, currently houses a community mental health team but the property has been for sale since early 2018.
YYI CEO Faisal Hussein said the reasons given are “really hurtful”.
“It feels like NHS Tayside have downplayed the work we do and the social benefit to the city.
“We are not here just for a handful of Muslims, we are here for as many people as possible from any faith. It’s like saying you have done great work over the years but it’s not enough.
“We have fought this for so long, I don’t see us stepping down yet. We have done a lot of work. We have spent time, money and effort.
“We started working on the bid about two years ago when the building was first put up for sale.”
The move would have allowed YYI to increase its youth clubs, workshops, and confidence building initiatives, as well as support more refugees and other minority adults.
It could have also offered large-scale cooking classes to help youngsters better look after themselves.
In the 134-page decision, officials estimated there would be a public health benefit of just £52,068 if NHS Tayside were to sell the building to YYI.
It argued there are “no further benefits” identified that would have a “direct impact” on NHS Tayside costs.
Therefore the board said a higher purchase price would be necessary.
The panel also noted “significant concerns” over the viability of YYI’s governance, viability, funding and its “dependency on grant funding”.
The health board states that, due to the level of interest so far in the property, it believes the building would be sold at the valuation of £340,000 on the open market within 12-18 months.
A spokesperson from NHS Tayside said: “The Board considered all of the evidence and the community asset transfer application was declined.
“We will now work with the applicant to look at the next steps.”
YYI is now expected to appeal to the Scottish Government.
