A Charity Commission investigation into a Church of England charity in York has sparked a probe into another church charity that has trustees in common.

Last year the regulator launched an inquiry into The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of Holy Trinity With St. John, Micklegate and St. Martin Cum Gregory, which remains ongoing but has since flagged up concerns at another charity The Micklegate Ecclesiastical Trust.

The two charities have a number of trustees in common.

The Trust operates in the same parish as the church council charity and works to further the religious and charitable work of the Church of England.

In launching a statutory inquiry into the Trust the regulator says that it has failed to submit its accounts for the financial years ending December 2023 and 2024.

Also, its accounts submitted for the year ending December 2022 “raised concerns regarding related party transactions”. These accounts show that it’s income for this period was £199,351, however it spent £319,608.

Being looked at will be the administration, governance and management of the Trust and whether trustees have complied with their legal obligations to prepare and file financial information.

Its financial management and the management of potential conflicts of interest and connected party transactions will be looked at, including whether there has been any unauthorised personal benefit.

A report into Christian giving by fundraising platform Stewardship found that trust levels in good causes, both Christian and secular, had reduced over the last year.

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