Sunday, May 05, 2019
Relief for Lubavitch as Charity Commission closes inquiry
The Charity Commission has ended an investigation into one of British Jewry’s biggest charities, Chabad Lubavitch UK, after concluding there was no need for further action.
The regulator opened a statutory inquiry into Lubavitch in July 2017 following its failure to submit accounts to the commission on time for several successive years.
But it said this week it had closed the inquiry in March after the charity had improved its procedures.
Anne Spiller, head of the commission’s investigations team, said the inquiryhighlighted “poor management and controls in the administration of the charity”.
She was pleased that “our intervention has led to increased transparency, so that the public are better able to see how the charity manages its finances. I expect these steps towards improved governance and reporting to continue.”
Although the commission did not compile report, it said its investigation found no evidence of fraud or mismanagement of assets.
But it noted that Lubavitch branches were often late in providing financial information to its central office, leading to the failure to submit accounts within the commission’s deadline.
Rabbi Pesach Efune, speaking on behalf of the charity’s trustees, said “We are delighted, but not surprised, to have now been given a clean bill of health by the commission.
“The inquiry was initiated whilst our processes were already under review and we took the opportunity to work with the Charity Commission to address every aspect of our governance and systems.”
A stronger management team which included a new finance director and chief operating officer had enabled it to submit its accounts on time for 2017, he said. “We…are well advanced to do so again this year, and we now feel confident going forward in the future."
https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/relief-for-lubavitch-as-charity-commission-closes-inquiry-1.483780
The regulator opened a statutory inquiry into Lubavitch in July 2017 following its failure to submit accounts to the commission on time for several successive years.
But it said this week it had closed the inquiry in March after the charity had improved its procedures.
Anne Spiller, head of the commission’s investigations team, said the inquiryhighlighted “poor management and controls in the administration of the charity”.
She was pleased that “our intervention has led to increased transparency, so that the public are better able to see how the charity manages its finances. I expect these steps towards improved governance and reporting to continue.”
Although the commission did not compile report, it said its investigation found no evidence of fraud or mismanagement of assets.
But it noted that Lubavitch branches were often late in providing financial information to its central office, leading to the failure to submit accounts within the commission’s deadline.
Rabbi Pesach Efune, speaking on behalf of the charity’s trustees, said “We are delighted, but not surprised, to have now been given a clean bill of health by the commission.
“The inquiry was initiated whilst our processes were already under review and we took the opportunity to work with the Charity Commission to address every aspect of our governance and systems.”
A stronger management team which included a new finance director and chief operating officer had enabled it to submit its accounts on time for 2017, he said. “We…are well advanced to do so again this year, and we now feel confident going forward in the future."
https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/relief-for-lubavitch-as-charity-commission-closes-inquiry-1.483780
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