Charity reports itself to police and regulator after ‘significant concerns’ emerge

A charity that runs a community hub in Hartlepool has reported itself to Cleveland Police and the Charity Commission after concerns emerged from its accounts.

A statement from The Wharton Trust’s interim board of trustees said that an independent examiners’ report into the charity’s accounts for the year ending December 204 “raised significant concerns”.

“Since then, further significant concerns across the accounts, governance and operations have come to light, which then had to be reported to the police and the Charity Commission,” said the statement.

“We recognise that this is a difficult time for the Trust’s members, staff, funders and the wider community.

“The interim board is working with current members to identify any other issues that will need resolving, strengthen governance and ensure the Trust meets its responsibilities to the organisation, the staff team, funders and the community it serves.”

Wharton Trust was set up 36 years ago to support disadvantaged communities in the Dyke House area of Hartlepool. It owns The Annex, which is a former school annex turned into a community hub.

Services running from The Annex include a youth club, literacy support, IT help, exercise classes and benefits advice.

Cleveland Police has confirmed that its “investigation is currently ongoing”.

Meanwhile, the Charity Commission has said that concerns were raised by the charity last year and “at the time, we engaged with the charity’s trustees and our assessment was that appropriate steps were being taken”, said a spokesperson.

The regulator, which oversees trustee compliance with criminal allegations handled by the police and other authorities, does not currently have a compliance case or statutory inquiry open into the charity.

According to the Charity Register Wharton Trust’s income for the 12 months to December 2024 was £519,784, while its spending was £424,547. The bulk of its income was from donations and legacies.

It has eight members of staff, and is supported by five trustees and five volunteers, according to the Register.