The Kenya Aid Programme is to appeal the latest judgment against it in its long-running battle with Sheffield City Council over property rate relief on two warehouses it leases in the city.
Last month Sheffield Magistrates’ Court found in favour of the local authority’s challenge to the charity’s claims for mandatory rate relief, and ordered Kenya Aid Programme to pay £3.27m in rates dating back to 2010. The charity has annual income of just over £80,000, according to its latest filed accounts.
The council had contended that the charity’s use of the warehouses for storing furniture before shipping to Africa did not constitute use that was “wholly or mainly” for charitable purposes, because less than half of the available space was employed.
Last month’s ruling was the latest in a string of legal decisions about the validity of the charity's rates relief claims.
Kenya Aid Programme chief executive, Maurice Smith, confirmed to civilsociety.co.uk this morning that the charity had decided to appeal against the ruling, but declined to spell out the reasons for the appeal.
