Maltby recreation ground ‘will remain’ as community facility, coal charity boss pledges

Jake Richards, MP for Rother Valley, said he was ‘shocked and concerned’ after learning that the charity which was responsible for maintaining the recreational facilities at the former Maltby Colliery Institute was suddenly removed from the charity register.

The Maltby Colliery Institute and Recreation Ground Charity, which was responsible for maintaining recreational facilities at the site, had a lease from The Coal Mining Charity (CISWO) to manage it. However, the lease was repossessed by CISWO in 2020 due to concerns over maintenance, health and safety, and the condition of the site.

In October, funds were transferred from Maltby sports ground to five other charities, including two sports clubs and grounds outside the town. The Charity Commission also removed Maltby sports ground from the register.

Mr Richards wrote to the chief executive of CISWO, stating that “substantial funds which should have benefited the Maltby community have been diverted elsewhere without the knowledge of the local community.”

A spokesperson from the Charity Commission said it had closed its case into the Maltby charity, “after assurances were provided regarding the transfer of the charity’s assets and that relevant procedures had been followed in the closure of the charity”.

Nicola Didlock, chief executive of CISWO reassured the community that the ground will ‘remain as recreational space for Maltby and its residents’ for the ‘long term’.

Ms Didlock told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “Maltby Colliery Institute and Recreation Ground charity is separate for CISWO and has its own trustees and governance, CISWO does not oversee their activities.

“The charity previously held the recreational facilities at Maltby under lease from CISWO until we were forced to repossess the ground in 2020 due to concerns about maintenance, upkeep, and health and safety.

“We have since had no communication from the charity, have not been involved in any decision making about how they have distributed their funds, and were not aware that the charity had been removed from the charity register until we received a letter from the Charity Commission earlier in October.

“The Charity Commission is responsible for ensuring all charities adhere to their governing documents and deliver on their charitable objects. The Commission informed me that they are satisfied with the action taken by the trustees of the local charity.

“Since CISWO repossessed the recreation ground in 2020, we have invested a considerable amount in bringing it up to health and safety standards. We then agreed to lease the ground to Maltby Town Council and have continued to work with them to consider long term improvements to the site.

“We have given our commitment to ensuring the grounds remain as recreational space for Maltby and its residents. Despite unfounded rumourmongering, we stand by that commitment and will do so for the long term.”