The Charity Commission has opened a statutory inquiry into a mosque in north east England after it repeatedly failed to submit financial documents on time.
In December 2019, the regulator placed Middlesbrough Central Masjid and Community Centre into a double defaulter class inquiry after it failed to file its annual reports, accounts, and returns for two or more years.
The charity then submitted its annual return, accounts and an incomplete trustees’ annual report for the year to 31 December 2019, which were overdue by 180 days.
However, the charity again failed to submit annual returns and accounts for 2020 and 2021 to the Commission.
The regulator has now announced that it opened a statutory inquiry on 13 December last year following the more recent failures to submit documents.
It will investigate trustees’ administration, governance, and management of Middlesbrough Central Masjid, including the charity’s finances, and whether it is operating in line with its objects.
The inquiry will also consider whether any failing or weaknesses in the administration, governance and management of the charity were the result of misconduct or mismanagement by the trustees.
If additional regulatory issues emerge, the Commission may extend the scope of its inquiry.
The charity, which had an income of £85,000 in 2019, is fundraising for a £5m project to build another mosque adjacent to its current building. It has currently raised almost £800,000, according to its website.
BBC News reported last month that about 500 people worship at the current mosque but around half can fit inside.
