The Charity Commission has appointed an interim manager to Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries International (1100416), a north London based charity which exists to promote Christianity.

In March 2018, the Commission opened a statutory inquiry to look into a number of concerns at the charity. These included the repeated late filing of financial information, and a failure in the administration which resulted in opportunities for significant losses to the charity to occur.

The Commission is concerned over the trustees’ unwillingness to report serious incidents. The inquiry found two alleged incidents of fraud by former employees involving significant sums, both of which were not reported until a number of years after the frauds were discovered. While a small percentage of the stolen funds have been recovered, the charity continues to suffer a significant loss. In addition to this, the Commission has serious concerns over the charity’s Chair of Trustees and his personal handling of serious incidents.

The Commission also has questions over the governance of the charity. Three trustees are paid, which is in breach of the charity’s governing document and causes conflict when employment matters are discussed.

Despite the Commission’s continued engagement the trustees are still not complying with their legal duties, this includes failing to submit accurate financial accounts on time. The Commission has therefore appointed an interim manager whose remit includes reviewing the charity’s financial and governance processes, inspecting a number of the charity’s branches and their handling of serious incidents. The interim manager assumes these duties at the exclusion of the charity’s trustees; the trustees retain control over matters relating to religious activities.

The Commission’s inquiry continues.

Ends

Notes to Editors

1. The Charity Commission is the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales. For more information see the about us page on GOV.UK
2. Section 76(3)(g) of the Charities Act 2011 gives the Commission power to appoint interim managers to a charity.
3. On 1 August 2019 the Commission appointed Adam Stephens of Smith & Williamson to the role of interim manager. Interim managers are appointed where the Commission has identified misconduct or mismanagement, or there is a need to protect the charity’s property. It is a temporary and protective measure.
4. The failure to report serious incidents impacts the Commission’s ability to support charities and prevent such events from happening again. Guidance on submitting serious incident reports can be found here.
5. Once its inquiry has concluded the Commission intends to publish a report setting out its findings. Reports of previous inquiries are available on GOV.UK.

Road users in Wokingham will benefit from a £24 million investment to reduce congestion, boost employment and create opportunities for greener forms of travel.

Roads Minister Baroness Vere has today (2 August 2019) announced funding for the new 2.3 km Arborfield Cross Relief Road, which will link the A327 Reading Road to the A327 Eversley Road, providing traffic relief for the village and local community.

The new development will also benefit cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders, with the creation of a shared use pathway alongside the route, encouraging travellers to choose greener modes of transport.

Roads Minister Baroness Vere said:

Roads are part of the fabric of everyday life – stimulating local economies and helping bring communities together.

This vital £24 million scheme will provide a new route for cyclists, drivers and pedestrians, helping reduce traffic through local routes and making towns a nicer place to live.

By 2026, without the relief road, rush hour traffic through the village of Arborfield Cross is forecast to increase to around 3,200 vehicles per hour, risking worsening congestion, queues and delays in local villages as frustrated drivers take alternative routes including rural lanes unsuitable for traffic.

The scheme will divert traffic away from busier routes, ensuring that the local villages of Arborfield and Arborfield Cross are not bombarded by traffic, making the scheme a vital addition to local infrastructure.

Leader of Wokingham Borough Council John Halsall said:

This is exceptional news for the borough, reducing congestion is a principal objective for us at Wokingham and we welcome this funding to assist in the delivery of the identified infrastructure.

The plans are set to unlock major housing developments and drive economic growth, enabling 3,500 homes to be built at Arborfield Garrison.

The new route will also benefit keen cyclists in Wokingham, who will receive greater access to the areas around Berkshire through the inclusion of a 3 metre wide pathway alongside the eastern side of the proposed carriageway.

This announcement is the latest in a string of investments made by the Department for Transport to ensure roads are fit for purpose, spending more than £6.6 billion between 2015 and 2021.

Following a detailed review of the G-forces, the AAIB has decided not to re-open its investigation into the accident near Shoreham Airport on 22 August 2015.

In March 2017, the AAIB published its investigation report into an accident involving a Hawker Hunter aircraft near Shoreham Airport. Our investigation was wide-ranging, looking at everything from the maintenance of the aircraft and the pilot’s training to how the public was protected through risk management and the governance of air displays. We made 32 safety recommendations as a result of our investigation, all of which were accepted. Action to address our safety recommendations is already being taken by the relevant authorities.

In June, the AAIB was presented with further material regarding the potential effects of G-forces on the pilot. We have considered the material very carefully with a dedicated team of inspectors with extensive expertise in aircraft performance, human factors, fast jet operations and display flying. The work has taken some time as we have been using recently developed analytical tools that have enabled us to determine the aircraft’s flight path in more detail and hence calculate the G-forces more accurately than was previously possible. We have also undertaken an independent review of the Human Factors analysis presented to us and consulted subject matter experts on aeromedical aspects.

The results confirm that the findings of the AAIB safety investigation published in 2017 remain valid and we will not be reopening the investigation. However, we will publish a supplement to our Final Report with full details of the review conducted which we hope all parties will find informative. This will take some time to complete but we will publish the supplement as soon as possible.

We appreciate that this is a difficult time for all those affected by the tragic accident in August 2015. We are keeping the Coroner and the families of those who died in the accident updated on our work.

Bruce has worked in the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) since 2006, and became the first Managing Director of RWM, which was established in 2014.

As Managing Director, Bruce has led the development of the organisation which provides radioactive waste management solutions and will deliver a Geological Disposal Facility (GDF) in the UK. GDF is internationally recognised as the safest solution for the long-term management of radioactive waste.

In the past year, he has overseen RWM’s support for the GDF programme as it progressed from the development of government policy to the early stages of public consultation and delivery.

RWM will begin the process of recruiting for the role of Managing Director. Bruce will stay in the role until March 2020, helping RWM prepare for the next stages of the GDF programme and provide continuity in handing over to his successor.

Bruce McKirdy said:

I am proud to have led RWM through its journey so far, and of the significant progress we have made towards delivering a safe and long-term solution for the management of the UK’s radioactive waste.

At this stage of my career, now is the right time to retire as Managing Director. Handing the reins over at this point provides continuity both for the organisation, and the delivery of the GDF programme.

RWM Chairman Malcolm Morley said:

On behalf of the RWM Board, I would like to thank Bruce for the commitment that he has consistently demonstrated, which underpins the progress we have made so far.

During his remaining period, Bruce’s priority is to ensure RWM continues to evolve and perform.

Your key responsibilities will include:

• developing and managing MAIB’s IT equipment and its supporting infrastructure
• managing the Branch’s local accredited network
• managing the servers, storage and network, including UPS support and critical data back-up
• developing and managing the network security
• set-up and problem-solving associated peripherals including laptops, PCs, printers, mobile and desk phones
• advising on replacement and upgrade of existing equipment
• first line support for the MAIB’s use of the DfT’s ETHOS network and telephone systems
• accounting and support of technical equipment issued to staff, including laptops and PCs, mobile phones, digital recorders and cameras
• contributing to the management and continued development of the branch’s databases
• administration responsibility for the branch’s Microsoft suite of tools and platforms

For further information about this position and how to apply see Civil Service Jobs, IT Manager, Ref: 1642683.

Closing date: 30 August 2019