Charities SORP

Meeting of the Charities SORP-making body

Meeting of the Charities SORP-making body

Conference call - 10 June 2020

Present:

Joint Chairs:
Laura Anderson, Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR)
Nigel Davies, Charity Commission England and Wales (CCEW)
Sarah Finnegan, Charity Commission for Northern Ireland (CCNI)

In attendance as observer(s):
Jenny Carter, Financial Reporting Council (FRC)
Jelena Griscenko, Charities Regulator (CR)

Purpose of the meeting:

To consider the 17 applications from individuals and organisations for the role of the convenor of one of the six planned engagement strands. With the professional and technical strand comprising two groups there were seven positions to fill.

The criteria to be applied were:

• Essential - Demonstrable knowledge of the sector or experience relevant to the chosen engagement strand
• Where of equal standing, an offer from an organisation favoured over that of an individual where facilities offered for meetings
• Where of equal standing, non Committee offer favoured over a Committee member offer (see rationale below)
• Desirable - Experience of chairing a committee or working group

The process followed was to consider the original application and offer to be a convenor, noting any existing committee involvement if any. Each strand was taken in turn with OSCR chairing and CCEW taking notes. All charity regulators had equal voice but in the event of a tied decisions the casting vote was with the charity regulator nominated for that strand. In the event all decisions were unanimous.

Agreed actions from the meeting:

• Agreed to consider the appointment of convenors to the following six engagement strands:
  • Trustees (CCNI)
  • Smaller charities and independent examiners (OSCR)
  • Professional and technical with two groups to run within this strand (CCEW)
  • Larger charities (CCEW)
  • Major funders and donors and government and public bodies (CR)
  • Academics and regulators and proxies for the public interest (OSCR)
• Larger charities – David Butler and The Wheel - both applicants demonstrated the necessary knowledge but The Wheel an organisation with its offer of facilities and capabilities was preferred. Both applicants passed but the offer is to initially be made to The Wheel.
• Smaller charities and independent examiners had three applicants from: CIMA, Chris Bolt and WYCAS. All three applicants demonstrated knowledge but it was not clear that the two organisations were offering the use of any facilities therefore, after considering Chris Bolt in the trustees strand, offer to be made to Chris Bolt.
• Professional and technical strand had nine applications from: Price Bailey, Anne Hallowell, Crowe, MHA, David Butler, CFG, ICAS, RSM and Grant Thornton. Although all demonstrated the required knowledge, not all the organisational applicants were clear about the facilities offered and not all had the same levels of experience. After discussion four were identified as potential appointments: RSM, ICAS, Crowe and CFG.
• After further discussion the opportunity of an institute and a sector body playing key roles meant that offers would be made to ICAS and CFG.
• Trustees - four applications were received: Chris Bolt, ICSA, David Butler and CIMA and all demonstrated the knowledge but with the CIMA offer of facilities unclear, the offer by ICSA as an organisation was preferred. Offer to be made to ICSA.
• Government funders and major funders had only one applicant Susan Wilson. She had the required knowledge but as an individual may need support. Offer to be made.
• Academics and regulators and proxies for the public interest had two applications: Fundraising Regulator (E&W) and Diarmuid McDonnell. Both demonstrated the required knowledge but the job share solution offered by the Fundraising Regulator was not considered right for a convenor and there was no clear offer of facilities from the Fundraising Regulator. Offer to be made to Diarmuid McDonnell.
• Agreed to organise a virtual meeting for the convenors and publicise the appointments by way of a press release (OSCR).