The regulator of charities has announced the opening of a statutory inquiry into The Queen Alexandra Cottage Homes, a step taken due to the charity's failure to file its accounts for the past four years.
The charity provides a range of accommodation and support to local older people in East Sussex.
In July 2022, the regulator placed the charity into a double defaulter class inquiry in which charities in default of their legal duty to file their annual reports, accounts, and returns for two or more years in the last five years are investigated. Despite the issuing of a formal Order and continued assurances that the situation would be remedied in a timely manner, the charity has failed to submit any of the charity's outstanding annual accounting information.
The Commission has therefore escalated its engagement to a separate inquiry. The inquiry was opened on 26 July 2023 and will examine:
- the extent to which the trustees have and are complying with their legal duties in respect of the administration, governance and management of the charity, particularly their accounting and reporting responsibilities
- the financial management of the charity
- the extent to which any failings or weaknesses in the administration, governance and management of the charity identified during the inquiry were the result of misconduct and/or mismanagement by the trustees
The Commission may extend the scope of the inquiry if additional regulatory issues emerge.
It is the Commission's usual policy, after it has concluded an inquiry, to publish a report detailing the issues examined, any action taken, and the inquiry's outcomes.
