Regulator investigates Newbury Park Masjid after concerns over trustee elections
The Charity Commission has opened a statutory inquiry into Newbury Park Masjid.
The charity was registered in 2007, with aims to advance Islam in the borough of Redbridge, London.
After previously identifying concerns about the charity’s governance and constitution in 2022, the Commission issued Newbury Park Masjid with an Action Plan, and an order to provide information to ensure that its AGM and the election of trustees were held lawfully.
The charity failed to follow these actions and orders in full and went ahead with elections without acting on Charity Commission advice.
Subsequently, it would appear most of the trustees currently listed on the public register have remained in office longer than the constitution allows, meaning that the charity does not currently have enough properly elected trustees to take decisions. As a result, the regulator has escalated its involvement with Newbury Park Masjid to a statutory inquiry. The inquiry opened on 25 June 2024.
The inquiry will examine:
- the extent to which the trustees have and are complying with their legal duties, in particular their compliance with the charity’s constitution
- whether there has been any misconduct and/or mismanagement by the trustees in the administration of the charity.
The Commission may extend the scope of the inquiry if additional regulatory issues emerge.
It is the Commission’s policy, after it has concluded an inquiry, to publish a report detailing the issues examined, any action taken, and the inquiry’s outcomes.
ENDS
Notes to editors
- The Charity Commission is the independent, non-ministerial government department that registers and regulates charities in England and Wales. Its ambition is to be an expert regulator that is fair, balanced, and independent so that charity can thrive. This ambition will help to create and sustain an environment where charities further build public trust and ultimately fulfil their essential role in enhancing lives and strengthening society. Find out more about the Charity Commission.
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