The Charity Commission has frozen the bank accounts of Jewish charity, The Bersam Trust, while it investigates “serious discrepancies” in the charity’s finances.
The regulator launched an inquiry into the charity after noting inconsistencies between the value of funds recorded in accounts and values of funds moving in and out of the charity’s bank accounts. The commission said that this has raised “serious concern”, and that they will be examining “potential misconduct and mismanagement” in the charity’s administration.
The Bersam Trust makes grants to education organisations to provide children with an orthodox Jewish religious education and advance orthodox Jewish practice. It operates in Salford. The Commission opened the inquiry into the charity on 14 January.
The inquiry will determine whether the charity’s funds can be accounted for and whether they have solely been used for charitable aims. It will also investigate whether the trustees of the charity prepared financial accounts legally, whether they “knowingly or recklessly” provided false information to the Commission, and whether there has been private benefit or conflicts of interest in fundraising.
It will also examine loans to the charity, to see if they have been accounted for and are in accordance with the charity’s governing document.
The Bersam Trust was founded in 1955. Its income for the financial year ending 31 March 2018 was some £303,000. It currently has five trustees on its board.
Its annual accounts for 2014 state that it was intending to embark on a major building project.
"The trustees have embarked on a building programme with a view to building an enhanced and up to date complex to house the pupils of the Talmud Torah Chinuch Neorim School.
"To this end, the trustees have purchased a piece of land adjacent to their current property at a cost of £100,000. Planning permission has been obtained and the trustees have gone out to tender for the building programme. It is envisaged that the total costs of the project, which will be in two phases could exceed £2,000,000 per phase.
"The trustees are confident that with the support of the community and a bank loan they will be able to bring this project to fruition."
Civil Society News contacted the Bersham Trust for comment.
|
Related articles
