Understanding Charity Trustees and the Council’s Role

Understanding Charity Trustees and the Council’s Role

Cost: £35 per delegate

Tuesday 22 September, 6.30pm to 8.00pm

The aim of this webinar is to explain the different ways a council may be involved with a charity.

1. Corporate Trustee The council itself acts as the trustee (common with recreation grounds or allotments) Must clearly distinguish between:

(a) Decisions (public authority role) (b) Trustee decisions (charity law duties)

2. Appointing Trustees The council may have the power to appoint some or all trustees Once appointed, those trustees must act independently of the council, not as its representatives

3. Custodian Trustee The term “custodian trustee” has a precise legal meaning. It was introduced in the Public Trustee Act 1906. It covers all trusts, public and private, and does not apply only to charities. Even where a council is involved, the charity must remain independent in purpose, decisions must benefit the charity, not the council or wider political aims and conflicts between council priorities and charity duties must be carefully managed.

We hope that providing this informative and interactive webinar council members and officers will have a better understanding of how the council is able to get involved in charity work.