The Charity Commission is asking the local community to help it identify the trustees of a Liverpool charity under investigation.
Today, the regulator announced a statutory inquiry into the Dovecot and Princess Drive Community Association, set up in 1997 to benefit the local community by bringing together statutory authorities, voluntary organisations and residents.
The regulator opened its inquiry on 11 February following concerns that there may have been misconduct and/or mismanagement in the charity’s administration.
Its initial investigations could not confirm who, if anyone, currently acts as a trustee of the charity, and suggested that its property may be at risk.
As a protective measure and due to financial and governance concerns, the regulator froze the charity’s bank accounts.
“As part of the inquiry, the commission is appealing to the local community to come forward with any information they may have about who is running the charity,” it said.
The Dovecot and Princess Drive Community Association’s accounts for the year ending 31 March 2025 are overdue with the regulator by 74 days.
According to its latest available accounts, in 2023-24, six trustees served during that year, including four who resigned between August 2023 and September 2024.
The charity recorded a total income of £210,000, against total expenditure of £214,000, and had three volunteers in 2023-24.
On Companies House, Dovecot and Princess Drive Community Association is listed as an “officer” of Big Help Asset Management, alongside fellow charity under investigation Big Help Project.
Scope of the inquiry
The regulator’s inquiry will examine the administration, governance and management of the Dovecot and Princess Drive Community Association.
It will seek to establish whether the charity has a sufficient number of trustees who are willing and capable of managing it in accordance with its governing document.
The inquiry will consider whether any misconduct or mismanagement led to financial losses for the charity and whether it submitted false and misleading information.
It will also look at any conflicts of interest and connected party transactions and compliance with legal obligations for the content, preparation and filing of the charity’s accounts and other information or returns.
Civil Society has asked Dovecot and Princess Drive Community Association to comment.
