Use version 1.20 of the bulkload spreadsheet when submitting claims via Contract Work and Administration (CWA).

The Charity Commission, the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales, has opened a statutory inquiry into Bethel United Church of Jesus Christ Apostolic UK, registered charity number 1047717. The inquiry was opened on 22 March 2017.

The charity has objects to advance the Christian religion through the church.

In 2016 the charity was included in the Commission’s class inquiry which tackles charities that have failed to comply with their statutory obligations to submit their annual accounts for 2 or more financial years. Although the charity submitted its outstanding accounting information to the class inquiry last year, it has again failed to comply with its legal obligations to file accounts and the accounts for the year ending March 2016 are now overdue.

As a result of its engagement, the Commission has identified further serious regulatory concerns regarding the charity’s financial controls and governance, which will be examined as a part of the statutory inquiry.

The inquiry will examine:

• the extent to which the trustees are complying with their legal duties in respect of their administration, governance and management of the charity and in particular: their compliance with legal obligations for the preparation and filing of the charity’s accounts and other information or returns
• the charity’s financial management including its financial controls and the extent to which the charity’s interests and property have been adequately protected
• the extent to which the trustees have complied with previously issued regulatory guidance
• related party transactions

The charity was previously subject to a compliance case after a significant amount of funds were misappropriated by a trustee, and the case report concluding the findings can be viewed on GOV.UK.

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

PR 35/17

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 our annual report.
2. Search for charities on our online register.
3. Details of how the Commission reports on its regulatory work can be found on GOV.UK.
4. 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.
5. The Commission’s decision to announce the opening of a statutory inquiry is based on whether it is in the public interest to do so and with consideration of our objective to increase public trust and confidence in charities.

Summary

At about 13:25 hrs on Tuesday 14 June 2016, the passenger of a car that was waiting to cross the line was opening the gates at Dock Lane user worked crossing, in Melton, Suffolk, when a train passed over the crossing. The signaller at Saxmundham signal box had given permission for the car to cross the line after the car driver had contacted him using the telephone provided at the crossing.

The signaller knew the train’s approximate location before the call and was aware of its proximity to Dock Lane user worked crossing. However, during the call he did not use this information to decide to refuse permission to cross. Immediately after the call, the signaller realised the error.

It is possible that the signaller gave an automatic response to the car driver, partly because of the familiar nature of the telephone call and partly because of mental fatigue resulting from the complexity of maintaining awareness of train locations with the limited information that was available to him. Also, because he had been provided with all the information he needed to handle such a call without asking for it, he did not take the lead in the conversation. Had he done so, it might have reduced the chance of such an error.

The signaller at Saxmundham signal box is responsible for managing a high number of crossing telephone calls. The volume was such that it was highly likely that he would eventually make an error that could lead to a near miss or an accident.

Recommendations

The RAIB has made four recommendations to Network Rail, addressing management of human error when assessing level crossing risk, assessment of the signaller’s workload at Saxmundham, identification and assessment of other signalling locations with a high workload from level crossings, and the criteria for triggering assessment of workload demands on signallers.

Notes to editors

1. The sole purpose of RAIB investigations is to prevent future accidents and incidents and improve railway safety. RAIB does not establish blame, liability or carry out prosecutions.
2. RAIB operates, as far as possible, in an open and transparent manner. While our investigations are completely independent of the railway industry, we do maintain close liaison with railway companies and if we discover matters that may affect the safety of the railway, we make sure that information about them is circulated to the right people as soon as possible, and certainly long before publication of our final report.
3. For media enquiries, please call 01932 440015.

Newsdate: 3 May 2017

3 May 2017

The SNP has been attacked for a “decade of failure” – on the day it marks 10 years in government.

The nationalists came to power on May 3, 2007, but their time in charge has been marred by a range of failures across devolved areas of responsibility.

Today, the Scottish Conservatives are releasing 51 pledges made in manifestos since 2007 that have been broken by the Scottish Government.

These failures are compounded by an education system in decline, an NHS in crisis and an economy which consistently lags behind the rest of the UK’s, and is currently on the brink of slipping back into recession.

On education, the SNP promised it would reduce class sizes, improve performance in the respected global PISA survey and cut the pupil-to-teacher ratio – all of which it has failed to do.

On health, there have been pledges to reduce the number of anti-depressants prescribed, introduce a maximum 18-week wait for treatment and increase early detection of cancer by a quarter – none of which have been met.

In addition, promises on reducing paperwork for farmers, the building of socially-rented houses and scrapping the council tax have also been broken.

Scottish Conservative shadow finance secretary Murdo Fraser said:

“The SNP is marking its 10^th birthday in government – but there is nothing to celebrate.

“Instead, the nationalists can reflect on a decade of failure, dozens of broken promises and a country licking its wounds from a divisive separation debate.

“It’s a shameful record, and one that’s getting worse by the day.

“This is powerful evidence that a party in government obsessed by nothing other than the break-up of Britain is bad for Scotland.

“While Nicola Sturgeon, and Alex Salmond before her, have been focusing all their attention on the constitution, our schools, hospitals, police service and economy have suffered badly.

“The SNP should use this landmark to reflect on its terrible governance of Scotland, and vow to get back to the day job of running the country properly.”

There has been a political crisis in Macedonia since 2015. Early elections took place in December last year. On 1 March 2017, a clear majority of those MPs elected in December asked to form a government. However, President Ivanov refused to offer the mandate so that the majority coalition could form a government. On 27 April a Speaker was elected by the Macedonian Parliament.

A Foreign Office Spokeswoman said:

The UK supports the democratic decision of the majority of Macedonian MPs to elect Talat Xhaferi as Speaker. We look forward to working with him.

We call on all individuals, institutions and parties to allow an unhindered and non-violent transfer of power from the previous ruling party to the majority coalition elected in December 2016. The sooner a government is formed, the sooner it can get on with implementing urgent reforms to benefit Macedonia’s citizens.

At a time of heightened tension, all leaders should refrain from inflaming ethnic tensions. Any such behaviour is dangerous and contrary to the interests of Macedonia’s national unity.

In the wake of the unacceptable violence of 27 April we also call for the State authorities, in particular the police, to be allowed to fulfil their roles without political interference.

Further information