SNP MSP – former Scot-Govt cabinet minister for Social Justice – Alex Neil has landed a £15,000 a year part-time job with a bio-fuel company which has a 10 year contract with Labour-controlled Glasgow Council.
Based at Carmunnock – on the border between Glasgow and South Lanarkshire Councils – Ethx Energy designs, fits and operates low carbon heating systems for public buildings and social housing.
Ethx has a 10 year contract (with a 10 year extension) to deliver heat to public buildings in Glasgow city, where it has to date installed 10 biomass heating systems.
In its first full year of operation to June 2015) the company generated sales revenue of £792,290 with costs of £632,858 generating an EBIT of £159,432 which is an EBIT Margin of 20%.
Shareholder funds were £315k in June 2014 increased by net profit of £127k. The majority of turnover is from local authorities through energy supply contract and government bodies (RHI), which provides ETHX with secure and reliable revenue streams.
Ethx has 6 CHP systems in the sales pipeline with an average Capex per installation of approximately £10 million.
Alex Neil is contracted to work one day a month for Ethx, a private limited company is and owned and controlled by the Montgomery family, where former hotelier and property developer James Montgomery is a director.
Whilst approving Neil’s appointment, the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments banned the Airdrie & Shotts MSP from providing advice to Ethx Energy on bids or contracts related to the Scottish Government until May 2017, and from lobbying the Government or using government contacts on behalf of Ethx Energy until May 2018.
Former Labour MSP Allan Wilson is also an Ethx Energy employee.
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