Press release

New Charity Inquiry: GTC

Charity regulator opens investigation into charity over governance and administrative concerns

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This Inquiry has now closed. Read the full Inquiry report into GTC.

The Charity Commission, the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales, has opened a statutory inquiry into GTC (registered charity number 1160421) due to concerns over the administration of the charity. The inquiry was opened on 12 December 2018.

The charity’s objects are for the relief of poverty of people in the UK, mainly in the Aylesbury area of Buckinghamshire.

The Commission has concerns about the charity’s governance and administration as there appears to be only one trustee which means that conflicts of interest cannot be adequately managed. In addition the charity’s accounting and reporting submissions lack clarity.

The Commission also has regulatory concerns about the charity’s activities and whether the charity is applying its resources in furtherance of its charitable purposes.

Despite the declared objects, analysis of the charity’s accounts and annual reports indicate that the charity directs funding to Greece, Turkey, Syria and Pakistan for purposes outside of its remit.

As a result of these regulatory concerns the Commission has opened a statutory inquiry to examine the charity’s governance (including leadership), its management and its policies and practices, in the context of applicable law, good practice and its obligations as a charity, both generally and particularly in relation to:

  • the extent to which the trustee has complied with the charity’s governing document in respect of the appointment of a full trustee body

  • the charity’s accounting and reporting arrangements and the extent to which the trustee has complied with his duty to provide timely and accurate accounts to the Commission

  • the extent to which potential conflicts of interest have been adequately managed

  • whether charity funds have been misapplied

Ends

Notes to Editors

  1. The Charity Commission is the regulator of charities in England and Wales. To find out more about our work see the about us page on GOV.UK.
  2. Search for charities on our check charity tool.
  3. Section 46 of the Charities Act 2011 gives the Commission the power to institute inquiries. The opening of an inquiry gives the Commission access to a range of investigative, protective and remedial legal powers.

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Updates to this page

Published 24 January 2019