A former Mencap affiliated charity is to be investigated after it failed to comply with two action plans issued by the Charity Commission over the last five years.

The regulator first started talks in 2017 with Rossendale Valley Mencap in Lancashire over overdue and outstanding financial records. Concerns have also been raised around its governance.

The Commission drafted two action plans to help trustees improve the running of the charity.

But after the charity “did not comply with either of these action plans” the regulator is now “concerned that the charity’s assets may now be at risk” and has launched a statutory inquiry.

According to the charity register its accounts are overdue by more than three and a half years (1,333 days).

This inquiry will look at whether the charity has enough trustees in place and whether they have responsib lymanaged the charity’s resources and met their legal requirements.

Latest records show it had just one trustee and five volunteers.

The regulator will also look at whether assets are secure or have been lost or “misapplied”.

In addition, the Commission will consider whether appropriate safeguarding procedures are in place at the charity, which supports people with learning disabilities and their families.

Mencap told the regulator three years ago that the Rossendale charity is no longer affiliated with the national charity and had intended to operate under the new name of Rossendale Valley Gateway Club.

Rossendale Valley Mencap’s last available financial records, for the year ending September 2016, show that it had an income of £23,875 and its expenditure was £19,713.

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