The Charity Commission, the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales, has opened a new statutory inquiry into the Cymmer Workmens Hall and Institute (810098). The investigation was opened on 7 September 2017.

The charity, based in Wales, operates a social club and funds educational activities. Its property is used by local community groups.

The Commission has previously provided advice and guidance to the trustees regarding substantial levels of non-primary purpose trading that the charity has undertaken and the charity’s failure to submit Statement of Recommended Practice compliant accounts.

The Commission is also concerned that there appears to be only one active trustee of the charity.

The charity was included and subsequently removed from the Commission’s class inquiry in 2014 after submitting the outstanding accounts, but fell into default and became part of the class inquiry again in February 2017. After further reminders from the Commission the charity submitted late accounts for 2014 and 2015 but these were not compliant with the Statement of Recommended Practice.

The investigation is examining:

• the administration, governance and management of the charity by the trustees, with specific regard to:
  • ensuring any trading carried out by the charity is compliant with current legislation
  • the charity’s control systems
  • how the charity complies with its governing document
  • risks to the charity, its property and reputation
• the extent to which any failings or weaknesses identified in the management and administration of the charity, during the conduct of the inquiry, were a result of misconduct and/or mismanagement by the trustees
• the extent to which the charity is able to operate on a proper footing and whether steps need to be undertaken to modify the operating structure and governing document framework of the charity and social activities associated with the charity’s property

The purpose of an inquiry is to examine issues in detail, investigate and establish the facts so that the regulator can decide what action needs to be taken to resolve the serious concerns, if necessary using its investigative, protective and remedial powers to do so.

A meeting with the one active trustee has already taken place and an order under S84 Charities Act 2011 has been issued to the charity requesting the submission of all outstanding documents by 6 March 2018. To date, the trustee has co-operated fully with the inquiry.

It is the Commission’s policy, after it has concluded an inquiry, to publish a report detailing what issues the inquiry looked at, what actions were undertaken as part of the inquiry and what the outcomes were. Reports of previous inquiries by the Commission are available on GOV.UK.

The charity’s details can be viewed on the Commission’s online charity search tool.

Ends

Notes to editors

1. The Charity Commission is the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales. To find out more about our work, see the about us page on GOV.UK.
2. Search for charities on our check charity tool.
3. Section 46 of the Charities Act 2011 gives the commission the power to institute inquiries. The opening of an inquiry gives the commission access to a range of investigative, protective and remedial legal powers.

A spokesperson for the Official Receiver said:

“As part of the ongoing liquidation of the Carillion group, we have reviewed additional public and private sector contracts, as well as core divisions of the business.

“We can confirm that we have safeguarded a further 100 jobs and these roles are linked to public sector contracts. Most staff will be transferring on existing or similar terms, something I will continue to facilitate wherever possible as we work to find new providers for Carillion’s remaining contracts.

“Unfortunately, 452 posts are being made redundant. They cover a variety of roles connected with private and public contracts across different parts of the country, as well as back-office functions.

“We appreciate this will be a difficult time for those who have lost their jobs. Jobcentre Plus’ Rapid Response Service stands ready to support any of these employees by providing advice and information so people can move into a new job as quickly as possible. People who have been made redundant will also be entitled to make a claim for statutory redundancy payments.

“Our efforts are focused on the smooth transfer of Carillion’s contracts to new providers and we will continue to keep Carillion’s workforce updated as these arrangements are finalised.”

• further information about rights in redundancy is available on gov.uk
• continued support by Carillion’s public and private sector customers is enabling as many employees as possible to be retained in the interim until all contracts have been worked through

User feedback identified some errors, so we have corrected those errors and used the opportunity to make some further changes.

The most noticeable change is the document’s structure. We have divided the examination practice content into four individual parts. They are as follows:

• part A: Introduction
• part B: Alphabetical list of examination practice
• part C: Notifications
• part D: Overcoming objections

None of the revisions establishes any major changes in examination practice and procedure.

Later this year we will change the format of the Manual from a PDF format to a website-orientated format to match our Manual of Patent Practice and the Registered Designs Examination Practice Guide.

If you have any feedback please contact the manual editor.

I have today laid before Parliament a departmental minute describing a contingent liability (CL) of £4 million associated with Solum JV.

Solum JV was created in 2008 to help Network Rail (NR) deliver its agreed housing target. Since its formation, the Solum JV has delivered over 200 housing units, has c.200 more under construction (to complete by 2021) and a pipeline of c.1500 further units, subject to planning and other approvals.

This counter-indemnity, for which NR’s CL of £4 million will be matched by its JV partner, Kier, will cover further multiple residential developments being built by the JV, initially at Twickenham and Walthamstow (Phase 2) stations.

The Treasury has approved the proposal in principle. If, during the period of 14 Parliamentary sitting days beginning on the date on which this minute was laid before the House, a member signifies an objection by giving notice of a Parliamentary question or a motion relating to the minute, or by otherwise raising the matter in the House, final approval will be withheld pending an examination of the objection.

The work is taking place at 21 sites in Devon and Cornwall and involves the planting of 10,000 native trees and shrubs to fill or reduce gaps in hedgerow and woodland along the roadside.

In total the planting will provide around three extra miles of vegetation and connect over 105 miles of habitat on the verge and land adjacent to the A30 and A38.

The scheme is being delivered under Highways England’s national Biodiversity Plan which is being supported by a £30 million national investment programme over the next five years.

The plan recognises road verges and associated land can be managed to provide areas of habitat, relatively free from human access, that may be scarce in the surrounding landscape.

These road verges can also be used to connect fragmented habitats in the wider landscape, enabling plant and animal populations to move and interact, and so become stronger and more resilient.

Ecologist Leonardo Gubert said:

Highways England is committed to protecting the environment through its biodiversity plan and improving the connectivity of habitats along our roads is one of our top nature conservation priorities.

The main aim of this improvement scheme is to reconnect wildlife habitat and ecosystems on a significant scale across our road network in the South West allowing species to move between core areas.

The work is expected to have a huge benefit for a wide variety of species of animals including insects, birds, and mammals, such as butterflies, bees, flies and dormice, suitable places to forage, shelter and breed.

Tree and shrub species being planted include oak, maple, holly, willow, honeysuckle and rose at locations between Pocombe Bridge and Pulsack on the A30 and Wrangaton and Bellamarsh on the A38.

The programme runs from Monday 5 February until Friday 16 March 2018.

The majority of planting will not require any traffic management but a few schemes may require lane closures at times and no delays are anticipated.

Highways England has also been undertaking a lowland heathland conservation scheme in Devon and Cornwall and has plans to expand its species rich wildflower meadows in the South West as part of a future improvement programme.

The lowland heathland is a priority for nature conservation because it is a rare and threatened habitat which supports a variety of scare birds, animals and plants.

There are several areas on the Highways England network in Devon and Cornwall where road verges are either suitable for heathland species or are located adjacent to sites where heathland is present or has been historically recorded.

Work has included the planting and management of new heathland areas and aftercare at eight locations covering over 26,000 square metres across the Highways England network. Location sites are along the A30 and A38 including Dartmoor, Bodmin Moor and Goss Moor, and Haldon Hill.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.