Charity Commission investigating charity linked to Middlesbrough mayor Chris Cooke

The Commission said it had engaged with the charity after it had failed to submit its annual accounts for the financial years ending August 2020 and 2021. Middlesbrough’s current Labour mayor Chris Cooke was listed as a trustee for the charity for the second year in question, and features in photographs on the charity’s Facebook page.

After receiving the overdue accounts, the regulator said they “raised issues that required further investigation as part of a new inquiry.”

Middlesbrough Council refused to comment, citing the ongoing investigation, while Streets Ahead for Information did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

The inquiry was opened on April 16 this year and, according to the Charity Commission, will “examine if the trustees have fulfilled their duties and responsibilities under charity law.”

It adds the aims of the investigation are to establish whether there has been mismanagement of the charity in regard to “management of conflicts of interest and payments to connected parties”, and “whether there has been any unauthorised personal benefit.”

The scope of the inquiry may change according to the needs of the Commission as it undertakes its work. On conclusion it will publish a report detailing the issues examined, any action taken, and the inquiry’s outcomes.