Sir Edward Heath Charitable Foundation: Charity Commission decision - summary
Published 28 September 2011
Applies to England and Wales
© Crown copyright 2011
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sir-edward-heath-charitable-foundation/sir-edward-heath-charitable-foundation-charity-commission-decision-summary
The trustees of the Sir Edward Heath Charitable Foundation contacted the Charity Commission in July 2010 to seek permission to dispose of the charity’s principal asset, Arundells, the former home of Sir Edward Heath in Cathedral Close, Salisbury.
The Charity Commission drew up a draft scheme in discussion with the charity’s trustees, which would give them power to sell Arundells. This would not mean that the trustees would have to sell, but it would give them permission to sell should they decide to do so. The draft scheme was published in May to allow members of the public to comment on the proposals. The Commission received over 200 representations, the majority of which opposed the making of the scheme.
The Commission has carefully considered all of the representations made concerning the scheme and has met the main interested parties to discuss their concerns, including the Chair of Trustees for the charity.
Whilst we are fully aware of the charity’s current circumstances, the Commission has decided that the scheme should not be made to give the trustees permission to sell Arundells. The reviewer in this case is not satisfied that the trustees have adequately explored the range of alternative ways of generating income.
Instead the Charity Commission has advised the trustee board to explore alternative options to secure the necessary funding to avoid having to sell Arundells. Four of the six charitable objects of the charity relate specifically to Arundells, and the reviewer considers that continuing to own Arundells is an integral element in the charity’s purposes. Therefore the reviewer considers it necessary for the trustees to explore the feasibility of the various methods of generating funds that may be open to them.
The Commission recognises the current financial position of the charity and concerns over future costs and repairs, as well as the genuine commitment of the trustee board to want to act in the best interest of the charity and its current and future beneficiaries. However the Commission is not minded to grant the scheme before all other methods of generating funds have been explored.
It is open to the trustees to make a fresh application to the Commission for a scheme at a future date.