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Charity Commission to consult on which services it should deliver

Governance | Vibeka Mair | 27 Oct 2010

The Charity Commission has today launched a consultation on the key risks to the charitable sector it should address, including whether charity trustees should be left to make their own decision on whether to pay trustees.

The consultation is the first stage of the Commission’s review of its key priorities which can be delivered in light of its government funding cut of 33 per cent over the next five years.

The consultation, which runs to 14 January, includes questions on whether the Commission should allow charity trustees to make their own decision on issues such as trustee payment or selling land or whether these proposals should still be carefully considered by the Commission and subject to its approval.

Earlier this year, former chief executive of the Charity Commission Andrew Hind suggested that  there needs to be a better understanding of the Charity Commission’s willingness to allow payment of trustees, arguing that among larger charities “there is increasingly a case for many of those boards to have paid trustees”.

As the review progresses, outline proposals and further questions for consultation will be published, with the intention of competing the review and implementing the necessary changes from May 2011.

Responses are invited from all those with an interest in the effective regulation of charities.  There are three ways to respond:
• Complete a survey at charitycommissionreview.blogspot.com , answering some key questions about our role and approach
• Post comments on the site, to help spark debate and encourage the exchange of ideas
• Or email responses directly to strategicreview@charitycommission.gsi.gov.uk 

Chair of the Charity Commission, Dame Suzi Leather, said,

“Business as usual is simply not an option for the Commission, given the reduction in our resources.  We have to draw up a whole new picture of what kind of a regulator the Commission should be in five years’ time.

“This process, the strategic review, is likely to see the Commission changing quite significantly over coming years. We may have to withdraw services, change the way we interact with charities, and refocus our regulatory approach.

“So it’s vital that the changes are informed by a wide range of stakeholders. Whether you are a charity trustee, a professional adviser working with charities, the beneficiary of a charity, or an interested citizen: your thoughts are important to us and we want to hear from you.”

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