The Charity Commission has opened statutory inquiries into two linked community football charities in the West Midlands over faulty, missing and late-filed accounts.
In July 2022, the commission placed Walsall Wood Community Football Club (WWCFC) into its double defaulter class inquiry after the charity had failed to submit its accounts and wider financial information for two years.
The regulator found that WWCFC had also failed to follow correct practice when filing accounts for three consecutive financial years up until June 2022.
Last June, the commission began monitoring Walsall Wood Saints Junior Football Club after identifying links between this charity and WWCFC.
Walsall Wood Saints Junior Football Club failed to file accounts for the year ending 30 June 2023 and submitted non-compliant accounts in 2022.
Scope of inquiries
The regulator announced today that it opened two separate statutory inquiries into WWCFC and Walsall Wood Saints Junior Football Club on 14 January after its engagement with both charities raised more concerns.
Its inquiries will examine whether the trustees have complied with their legal obligations to prepare and file their charities’ accounts and other information or returns, and if they are managing their charities in line with their objects and governing documents.
They will look at the trustees’ compliance with their legal duties and responsibilities regarding the administration and governance of their charities and whether they have enough “willing and capable trustees”.
The commission will also determine whether there has been any misconduct and/or mismanagement in the administration of the charities.
Walsall Wood Saints Junior Football Club, set up to arrange coaching and league games alongside social and fundraising activities for local children, most recently recorded an income of £44,600 in 2021-22.
WWCFC, which was established with similar aims for the wider community and promotion of healthy recreation, recorded an income of £263,000 in 2022-23.
Civil Society has contacted the charities for comment.
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