New inquiry announced into Kids Integrated Cancer Treatment
The Charity Commission opened a statutory inquiry into Kids Integrated Cancer Treatment (registered charity number 1129394) on 29 July 2014.
The charity has objects to provide integrated cancer treatments for children by fundraising and to provide financial assistance and educational information to families who have children suffering from cancer.
Concerns about the charity and its links to an individual were raised with the Commission in January 2012. At the request of the Police and the Crown Prosecution service, the Commission did not engage with the charity until a criminal case against the individual was completed.
Following the sentencing on the case in September 2013, the Commission began to reassess the possible regulatory issues connected with the charity and its ongoing links to the individual (see endnote 1). The regulator met with the trustees and conducted a financial books and records inspection. However, the Commission was not satisfied with the information provided. It required the trustees to provide further information and comply with their legal duties to prepare and submit the outstanding annual accounts. Following an accounts analysis and increasing concern about the accuracy of the information provided by the charity, the regulator opened a statutory inquiry.
The inquiry will examine:
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the financial management and administration of the charity with particular regard to how the charity has been operated in furtherance of its charitable purposes for the public benefit
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whether or not the trustees have complied with their legal duties and responsibilities as trustees under charity law
In order to protect the charity’s funds, the Commission has frozen the charity’s bank accounts as a temporary and protective measure whilst it investigates its concerns.
The purpose of an inquiry to examine issues in detail and investigate and establish the facts so that the regulator can ascertain whether there has been misconduct and mismanagement; establish the extent of the risk to the charity’s property, beneficiaries or work; decide what action needs to be taken to resolve the serious concerns, if necessary using its legal powers to do so.
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 by the Commission are available on its website.
The charity’s details can be viewed on the Commission’s online charity search tool.
Ends
PR 73/14
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Notes to Editors
- The Charity Commission is the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales.
- Our mission is to be the independent registrar and regulator of charities in England and Wales, acting in the public’s interest, to ensure that: * charities know what they have to do * the public know what charities do * charities are held to account
- Section 46 of the Charities Act 2011 gives the Charity Commission the power to institute inquiries. The opening of an inquiry gives the Commission access to a range of protective and remedial powers.
- The Commission’s decision to announce the opening of a statutory inquiry is based on whether it is in the public interest to do so and with consideration of our objective to increase public trust and confidence in charities. Read more information on the Commission’s policy and factors taken into account when deciding to issue a press release.
Endnotes
- The convictions against the individual were theft and fraud offences and were not related to a registered charity but were related to fundraising appeals for sick children.