Charity regulator appoints interim manager to Birmingham charity under inquiry
Appointment follows continued concerns about Sikh Channel Community Broadcasting Company
The Charity Commission has appointed interim managers to take over the management and administration of a charity in Birmingham, following continued concerns about its governance and financial management.
The regulator opened a statutory inquiry into Sikh Channel Community Broadcasting Company Limited (registered charity 1136163) on 13 November 2019. The charity was registered to further the religious and charitable work of the Sikh religion and community and to advance knowledge of the Sikh faith.
The inquiry has continued concerns about the management and administration of the charity, and has therefore exercised its powers under the Charities Act to appoint Mr Philip Watts and Ms Sarah Tomlinson of Anthony Collins Solicitors as interim managers of the charity.
Interim managers are appointed to take over the running of a charity where the Commission has identified misconduct or mismanagement, or there is a need to protect a charity’s property.
Mr Watts and Ms Tomlinson will take on their roles to the exclusion of the trustees and will be responsible for: assessing and reviewing the trustee board; reviewing the relationship between the charity and connected companies; ensuring the charity’s property is safeguarded; reviewing any unauthorised payments to trustees and/or connected parties; reviewing the charity’s broadcasting and editorial oversight processes, and assessing the future viability of the charity.
The appointment was made on 19 March 2020 and will continue until the Commission makes a further order for its variation or discharge.
The Commission’s inquiry continues.
Ends.
Notes to editors:
- The Charity Commission is the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales. For more information see the about us page on GOV.UK
- Section 76(3)(g) of the Charities Act 2011 gives the Commission power to appoint interim managers to a charity. It is a temporary and protective power that is reviewed at regular intervals.
- It is the Commission’s policy, after it has concluded an inquiry, to publish a report detailing what issues the inquiry looked at, what actions were undertaken as part of the inquiry and what the outcomes were. Reports of previous inquiries are available on GOV.UK.
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