The Charity Commission has launched an inquiry into a religious charity over late submission of accounts.

The Islamic Educational Society of Blackburn had been included in a class inquiry by the regulator launched in February last year into charities that had repeatedly defaulted on their accounting obligations.

After submitting its outstanding documents the charity was removed from this inquiry three months later.

However, after once again failing to file its accounts on time the regulator has opened a new inquiry.

“As a result of the further failure of the trustees to fulfill their legal reporting obligations the Commission has now opened a new inquiry,” says the regulator in a statement.

The statement adds: “In addition to obtaining the overdue accounting information the inquiry will seek to ensure that the trustees comply with their legal duties to file future account submissions within the statutory deadlines and examine broader aspects of the charity’s administration and management to ensure it is being properly managed by the trustees.”

According to the regulator’s website the charity submitted its latest accounts, for the financial year ending 31 December 2016 on March 30 this year, 150 days late.

Accounts for the previous four years were all submitted late, with documents for the year ending 31 December 2015 submitted 192 days after they were due and accounts for December 2014 were submitted 493 days late.

The charity’s activities include making provision for daily prayers, Islamic education and teaching and carrying out religious and social ceremonies.

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