Northern Irish regulator receives daily emails about charity misconduct

Governance | Vibeka Mair | 4 Sep 2012

The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland receives concerns about suspected charity misconduct and mismanagement on a daily basis from members of the public, says its annual report released this week.

The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland (CCNI) gained the power to investigate Northern Ireland charities last year and has conducted well over 100 investigations since.

Its new annual report says concerns about charities are received on almost a daily basis, mostly from members of the public who voice concerns via a form on the CCNI website.

Common themes in CCNI investigations include poor governance, poor financial control, lack of transparency and damaging disputes.

Delays to registration 'frustrating'

The annual report also notes that CCNI is frustrated that registration of Northern Ireland charities has been hampered by legislative hold-ups.

Currently, around 6,500 charities appear on the CCNI website. However, this is only a list of organisations in receipt of charitable tax status through Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC)

The CCNI states in its annual report that progress on the registration of Northern Ireland’s 7,000 – 10,000 charities is the key objective for the forthcoming year – however this has been hampered by delays in the legislative process.

In July, the Charities Bill was introduced into the Northern Ireland Assembly. The introduction of the Bill was the first step in rectifying the legislative issue that has prevented the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland from registering charities. A second reading of this Bill is due in a couple of weeks.

The CCNI advises in its accounts that it hopes to start registering charities in late 2013.

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