A foodbank in Merseyside is being investigated after one of its main funders terminated their relationship with the charity.
The Charity Commission started engaging with Knowsley Foodbank in June after concerns were raised about information it had submitted to one of its grant providers.
After discovering further concerns in need of assessment, including payments to a non-charitable company and the accuracy of information submitted to the commission, the regulator opened a statutory inquiry on 30 July.
Civil Society understands that Knowsley council is the funder that has cut ties with the charity, which received £300,000 of its £863,000 income from government grants in the year to April 2024.
The charity’s franchise arrangement with Trussell also ended recently, with Knowsley Foodbank no longer listed on the national network’s website despite naming the major organisation in its logo.
Meanwhile, the commission is conducting a connected investigation into the Big Help Project, which helped to run the foodbank in Knowsley before entering liquidation last year.
No longer a Trussell franchise
Trussell confirmed that it no longer has a franchise relationship with Knowsley Foodbank.
“Knowsley Foodbank – like every food bank in the Trussell community – is an independent charity with its own board of trustees which is responsible for governance, operational and financial structures and compliance with charity law,” a spokesperson said.
“Therefore, all legal responsibilities for the charity rest solely with the food bank’s governing body.
“Trussell is a separate charity in its own right – with its own board of trustees and governance procedures – and is not being investigated as part of this process. We are fully committed to co-operating with the commission’s inquiry, should this be required.”
Meanwhile, Knowsley council did not confirm whether it has stopped funding the local charity but a spokesperson said: “We are supporting the Charity Commission with their investigation.”
Trustee numbers scrutinised
The commission said it would examine Knowsley Foodbank’s administration, governance and management.
In particular, it will consider whether the charity has a sufficient number of trustees who are both willing and capable of managing it in accordance with its governing document.
According to the charity register, Knowsley Foodbank currently has one trustee, Kay Davies, who was appointed in November last year.
The commission will look at the charity’s financial management and whether funds have been properly expended in accordance with the charity’s governing document.
It will also investigate potential conflicts of interest, connected party transactions and whether the charity has provided false and misleading information to the regulator.
Knowsley Foodbank and the Big Help Project have been contacted for comment.
