Moray Council to vote on cutting links to 'slave cash' left by Forres man

A Moray councillor is calling for the local authority to cute its ties with trust money said to have links to the slave

trade.

Jérémie Fernandes (Elgin North, SNP) is putting forward a motion that the council removes its appointee from the

board of the Dick Bequest Trust.

The move will voted on at the meeting of the full council next Thursday.

James Dick was born in Forres in 1743 and became a successful merchant in the West Indies and later in London.

Following his death in 1828, he bequeathed £113,787 to encourage "learning and efficient teaching" among the

parish schoolmasters of Elgin, Banff, and Aberdeenshire.

Moray and Aberdeenshire Council each appoint three of the 10 trustees of the fund, with the rest put forward by

Aberdeen University and a group of lawyers known as the Society of Writers to the Signet

Recently, both Aberdeen University and the WS Society have refused to appoint trustees, while one of the

Aberdeenshire Council appointees has refused to take up his position.

Cllr Fernandes said: "Cutting ties with the trust and revoking the appointment is the right thing to do.

"The trust is already dead. It cannot operate with only two trustees.

"I hear concerns about how we will replace the fund. This question is neither here nor there, because the money was

never ours to spend in the first place.

"It is morally wrong for any organisation to benefit from the profits of slavery.

"I know that many councillors are uncomfortable with Moray Council keeping ties with the Dick Bequest.

"Thanks to new research, our understanding of Scotland’s role in the slave trade has evolved significantly in recent

years.

"We cannot change history, but we should make amends for the injustices of the past.

Cllr Fernandes continued: "My only regret is that Moray Council could have been leaders on this issue and revoked

the appointment back in 2021.

"Now that Aberdeen University and the WS Signet have refused to appoint, we are almost the last man standing.

"I am confident that the council will agree to the motion next Thursday."

Cllr Fernandes' motion states:

Council understands that recent research has demonstrated that the Dick Bequest fund is 'derived from the

exploitation and misery of enslaved Africans'.

Council further understands that academics and historians recommend that Moray Council refuse to appoint trustees

to the fund.

Council acknowledges that the University of Aberdeen and the Society of Writers to WS Signet have refused to

appoint new trustees and that an Aberdeenshire Council appointee has refused to take up his role.

Council recognises that it is time to sever ties with the Dick Bequest.

Council revokes its appointment to the board of the Dick Bequest Trust.

Council instructs officers to communicate to the board of the Dick Bequest Trust that the Council no longer wishes to

appoint a governor to the board and re-iterate their request that the Scheme be wound up.