The Charity Commission has launched a statutory inquiry into a charity that made payments of wages despite having no employees.

Concerns are also raised about “the identity of the charity’s trustees”, said the regulator.

The inquiry has been opened into Bristol based community centre charity The Shire Way Community Association, which covers the Sodbury, Yate and Westerleigh in the city.

The regulator became concerned about its management after it late filing of accounts for three years between 2018 and 2020.

“The Charity Commission subsequently found evidence of payments of ‘wages’, despite accounts for 2019 stating the charity has no employees,” said the regulator.

The inquiry will look into trustee’s compliance with their legal obligations around filing accounts.

It will also look at whether it has enough trustees to operate and if its board is responsibly managing the charity’s resources and finances.

According to latest records the charity offers facilitates to local groups and sports clubs as well as hires out rooms for parties, training, and meetings. The community centre it runs also has a licensed bar for members and events.

Its total income for the year ending December 2019 was £94,841 but its expenditure was £106,021.

The Association has four trustees and14 volunteers, according to the Commission’s register of charities.

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