Regulator to investigate Walsall community football charities
Source: gov.uk (2025-02-20)

The Charity Commission has launched statutory inquiries into Walsall Wood Community Football Club and Walsall Wood Saints Junior Football Club.

In July 2022, the charity regulator for England and Wales entered Walsall Wood Community Football Club (https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5007390/charity-overview) (WWCFC) into a Double Defaulter Class Inquiry after the charity failed to submit its accounts and wider financial information for two years. The charity had also failed to follow correct practice when supplying accounts for the previous three years (Financial Year Ending (FYE) 30 June 2020, 30 June 2021, and 30 June 2022).

The regulator started monitoring Walsall Wood Saints Junior Football Club (https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/3998302/charity-overview) in June 2024 after it identified links between this charity and WWCFC. Similarly, Walsall Wood Saints had failed to supply accounts for FYE 30 June 2023 and submitted accounts in 2022 which were non-compliant. The engagement with both charities raised additional concerns which are now being examined under inquiry.

The junior club was set up to arrange activities related to football, including coaching, fun and league games, together with social and fundraising activities for children in the local community. Walsall Wood Community Football Club was set up with similar aims for the wider community and the promotion of healthy recreation.

The inquiries will examine:

The trustees’ compliance with their legal obligations for the content, preparation and filing of the charities’ accounts and other information or returns

If the trustees are managing their charities in line with their objects and governing documents

the trustees’ compliance with their legal duties and responsibilities in respect of their administration and governance of their charities, and if they have a sufficient number of willing and capable trustees

If there has been any misconduct and/or mismanagement in the administration of the charities

The Commission may extend the scope of these inquiries if additional regulatory 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.

ENDS

The Charity Commission (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/charity-commission) is the independent, non-ministerial government department that registers and regulates charities in England and Wales. Its ambition is to be an expert regulator that is fair, balanced, and independent so that charity can thrive. This ambition will help to create and sustain an environment where charities further build public trust and ultimately fulfil their essential role in enhancing lives and strengthening society.

On 27 July 2022, Walsall Wood Community Football Club was placed into a Double Defaulter Class Inquiry.

On 14 January 2025, the Commission opened two separate statutory inquiries into Walsall Wood Community Football Club and Walsall Wood Saints Junior Football Club under section 46 of the Charities Act 2011.

A statutory inquiry is a legal power enabling the Commission to formally investigate matters of regulatory concern within a charity and to use protective powers for the benefit of the charity and its beneficiaries, assets, or reputation. An inquiry will investigate and establish the facts of the case so that the Commission can determine the extent of any misconduct and/or mismanagement; the extent of the risk to the charity, its work, property, beneficiaries, employees or volunteers; and decide what action is needed to resolve the concerns.

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