Charity Commission announces statutory inquiry into Jamia Hanfia Ghosia Mosque

The charity was established to promote the Islamic religion and operates in Burton-on-Trent.

The regulator has been in contact with the trustees since March 2020 in efforts to address regulatory concerns and resolve a dispute about whether the current trustees were validly appointed. The ongoing dispute has had a negative impact on the charity’s governance and administration and its beneficiaries and has resulted in many members of the community not accessing the charity’s services.

The Commission issued the charity with an action plan which outlined the timeframe and steps required to ensure an election was held by 31 March 2022. The charity’s failure to implement the action plan and hold an election by the advised date has contributed to the Commission’s decision to escalate its engagement with the charity to an inquiry. The inquiry will examine:

• The administration, governance, and management of the charity and whether or not its trustees have complied with, and are fulfilling their duties and responsibilities under charity law, in particular by examining the ongoing attempts to regularise the charity’s governance and trustee board through an open and fair election.
• Whether and to what extent there has been misconduct or mismanagement in the administration of the charity by the trustees

The Commission may extend the scope of the inquiry if additional issues emerge.

It is the Commission’s policy, after it has concluded an inquiry, to publish a report detailing what issues the inquiry looked at, what actions were undertaken as part of the inquiry and what the outcomes were.

Reports of previous inquiries are available on GOV.UK.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

1. The Charity Commission is the independent, non-ministerial government department that registers and regulates charities in England and Wales. Its purpose is to ensure charity can thrive and inspire trust so that people can improve lives and strengthen society.