COUNCILS GRAB £883 MILLION

Around £883 million of National Lottery money – supposed to go to the most needy charities as well as arts, sports and heritage projects – is being given to councils to pay for everything but.

According to the Daily Mail the Big Lottery Fund has paid out £10,000 to needy Gosport Borough Council in Hants for a shredder, £250,000 to needy Stockport Council to “help staff manage their moods”, £315,000 to needy Blyth Valley Council in Northumberland to improve their footpaths and £295,000 to needy Ealing Council in West London to “provide services” for traveller communities.

Apparently the grants, adding up to a total of £883 million of “misdirected money” were revealed by the Conservatives through Parliamentary answers and Freedom of Information requests.

THE ART OF TRUST AT THE TATE

The probity of trustees has come under the spotlight with revelations that the Tate Gallery acquired 73 works of art from 20 of its own trustees between 1955 and 2005, bestowing considerable financial benefit on those trustees. (Daily Telegraph).

The conflict of interest had already been noted in 2006 by the Charity Commission when it found that the Tate had breached charity law by buying seven works by five trustees over an eight year period. The new figures for additional purchases have been released by the Tate under a Freedom of Information request.

SPONSOR SUES FOR MONEY BACK

A court decision on a £2 million lawsuit against a promoter of charity concerts for disadvantaged children is expected in the next few weeks. (Audience).

The Singapore Tourist Board (STB) is suing promoters Childrens Media Ltd and Tribute Third Millennium Ltd after a concert, Listen Live, the promoters were due to stage in September 2005 was first postponed then cancelled in January 2006.

The STB say they gave more than £2 million to the promoters. Court filings claim that Childrens Media Ltd is just a “front used to knowingly and dishonestly misuse funds”.

TOUTS TARGET CHARITY EVENTS

Auction website eBay has been urged by a Government report on ticket touting to stop allowing touts to make millions out of charity events.

The role of eBay was noted when tickets for the 2008 Live 8 concert were offered on the site only minutes after they became available, at prices from £2000. Protesters stopped the sale by making bogus bids of up to £10 million. Continue reading

Charity Matters February 2008 ISSUE 9

COUNCILS GRAB £883 MILLION
Around £883 million of National Lottery money – supposed to go to the most needy charities as well as arts, sports and heritage projects – is being given to councils to…

THE ART OF TRUST AT THE TATE
The probity of trustees has come under the spotlight with revelations that the Tate Gallery acquired 73 works of art from 20 of its own trustees between 1955 and 2005…

SPONSOR SUES FOR MONEY BACK
A court decision on a £2 million lawsuit against a promoter of charity concerts for disadvantaged children is expected in the next few weeks. (Audience)….

TOUTS TARGET CHARITY EVENTS
Auction website eBay has been urged by a Government report on ticket touting to stop allowing touts to make millions out of charity events….

NEW ETHICAL FUNDS INDEX
A new searchable database of ethical funds has been launched by ethical investment analysts Eiris. (Third Sector)….