Charity Commission publishes trustee guidance on acting in the charity’s best interests

The Charity Commission has published guidance for trustees pointing to 15 key questions that all trustees should be asking themselves. The Commission has stated that, if the trustees carefully work through the areas relevant to their charity, this will demonstrate that the trustees are acting in the charity’s best interests and responding appropriately to current and potential changes in their charity’s sector. The checklist can be viewed at Big Board Talk – 15 questions trustees need to ask.

This guidance comes a few months after the Commission published its inquiry report into the Cancer Care Foundation Inquiry Report into the Cancer Care Foundation. The inquiry found that the charity had received significant sums but paid out very little for charitable purposes and its trustees and their family members had benefitted in a number of instances from unauthorised activities in breach of trust.

If you have any questions about governance or trustees’ duties, please contact Chris Hook on 0191 211 7929.