News In Focus
12 December 2006
Eight charities selected for pilot review
The Scottish charities regulator OSCR has announced the first eight bodies to be reviewed for charitable status under a pilot project.
An independent school, a college, a university, two miners' welfare societies, an action fund, a church and a children's gala fund will take part. The review will serve as a precursor to OSCR's "rolling review" programme, which will measure all 22,000 charities in Scotland against the new charity test specified in the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005.
Announcing its proposals for the rolling review in September, OSCR identified a number of priority groups such as schools and universities for consideration. The charitable status of independent schools was one of the most hotly debated aspects of the Act in its passage through the Scottish Parliament.
Since taking up its full powers in April, OSCR has created over 300 new charities that meet the new charity test. The Regulator is currently consulting on its proposals with a programme of focus groups and user groups, allowing charities to voice their views on OSCR's general approach and specific processes.
Those undergoing early assessment in the pilot programme will, says OSCR's Head of Charities Marieke Dwarshuis, inform OSCR's processes and ensure an easy transition to the full programme, scheduled to begin in June next year.
"The Rolling Review represents the most fundamental examination of charitable status in Scotland", she said. "We have had an enthusiastic response so far to our proposals and we welcome the participation of those charities volunteering for our pilot programme. Such co-operation will greatly assist us in refining our procedures and establish a generally straightforward process for those being assessed under the Rolling Review from next year."
The charities confirmed for the Rolling Review Pilot Programme are the High School of Dundee; the University of Dundee; Voluntary Action Fund, Dunfermline; Eastriggs and Dornock Childrens' Gala Fund, Eastriggs; Coalburn Miners Welfare Charitable Trust, Coalburn, South Lanarkshire; Arniston Miners Welfare and Social Club, Arniston, Midlothian; John Wheatley College, Glasgow; and Pollokshaws Methodist Church, Glasgow.
OSCR expects to announce the first results of the pilot assessments in March, prior to its publication of its consultation responses.