News
Scottish Charity Appeals Panel - first appeal result
In its first written judgement, the Scottish Charity Appeals Panel (SCAP) has upheld OSCR's decision. This is the first time an appeal has been made to SCAP under section 76 of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) 2005 Act. The appeal was brought by a charity against OSCR's decision to issue a direction requiring it to change its name under section 12 of the Act. This section empowers OSCR to determine that a name is objectionable if it is the same or too like the name of another charity.
Further information about the Appeal and OSCR's response to the decision are available here
OSCR Annual Return Forms
OSCR's Register Team will issue over 8,000 Annual Return Forms during the month of April. If your charity has an accounting year end date corresponding with the financial year, you can expect your form to be delivered over the next few weeks. Completed forms and compliant accounts should be returned to OSCR before the end of December 2008. Over 90 per cent of charities with a year end in March or April 2007 have so far returned their documentation.
Receipts and Payments Work Pack
OSCR has prepared and published an accounts work pack designed to assist smaller charities in the preparation of their accounts. The Receipts and Payments Work Pack has been sent to all Scottish charities with a gross annual income under £100,000 that are not companies.
Copies of the work pack along with sample accounts and reports are available to download at OSCR's website here
Consultation on Meeting the Charity Test guidance
You still have time to give OSCR your views on the revised draft guidance for Meeting the Charity Test. This provides general guidance to charities on how OSCR applies the charity test under the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005.
Since initial guidance was published in April 2006, OSCR has built up considerable experience having made decisions on over 1,600 applications for charitable status. The consultation document can be viewed or downloaded from OSCR's website at Open Consultations
All responses should be with OSCR no later than Monday 7th April 2008. A summary and analysis of the responses received will be published on our website by 30th April and final revised guidance will be published in the summer.
OSCR and HMRC agree Memorandum of Understanding
OSCR has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). The new MOU sets out how the two organisations will work together in the future and outlines clear arrangements for the sharing of information.
This is the latest in a series of such agreements that OSCR has established with other regulators, all of which are aimed at reducing the need for multiple regulation by charities. Over the past year OSCR has developed MOU's with nine other regulators including the Charity Commission and the Financial Services Authority. Copies of all of these agreements are available on line by clicking the following link MemorandaofUnderstanding.stm
OSCR's 2008 Surveys
In the first two weeks of April, OSCR will undertake its second survey of the public and charities. The surveys will be issued to representative samples of 1,000 Scottish charities and 10,000 Scottish households.
OSCR aims to track awareness of, and attitudes to, key issues affecting the charity sector and its regulation. You can participate in the surveys by selecting the appropriate link below:
Charities: http://www.gla.ac.uk/staff/ts/bm/oscr/sector.htm
Public: http://www.gla.ac.uk/staff/ts/bm/oscr/public/
The deadline for completion of the public survey is 11th April and for the charity survey, 18th April.
Have your charity's details changed?
Charities have a duty to inform OSCR about the following changes no later than three months after the change has taken place.
You should tell us when:
- the Principal Contact changes
- the contact details of the existing Principal Contact changes
- the accounting year end date has changed
- changes unrelated to purposes are made to the constitution
- when any change consented to by OSCR is implemented.
For more information on when you should contact OSCR please read our contact OSCR postcard
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Recent publications
Information on individual charities
Our 'Individual Charities' guidance outlines what information we will publish about individual charities, how we will publish it and how we will respond to individual enquiries.
Copies of the document are available to download here
References to Charitable Status guidance - amendments
In December 2007 OSCR published guidance on the Charities References in Documents (Scotland) Regulations 2007. The 2007 Regulations includes 'bills of exchange' as a specified document which must comply. In some circumstances, cheques may be considered to be bills of exchange.
As cheques were not intended to be covered by the 2007 Regulations, Scottish Ministers have since brought forward amending Regulations, also effective from 1 April 2008, which exempt cheques from compliance with the 2007 Regulations.
From 1 April 2008 the Charities References in Documents (Scotland) Regulations 2007 are compulsory and apply to all charities entered in the Scottish Charity Register, including those charities that are also registered as charities in another country or territory. All charities registered with OSCR must ensure that all relevant documents they issue on/after 1 April 2008 (or six months after the date of their entry in the Scottish Charity Register, whichever is later) are compliant with the Regulations.
For further information on which documents are affected by these regulations please read the amended guidance here
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Website features
'Reassurance' ad campaign
During March 2008 OSCR embarked on a nationwide online and press ad campaign aimed at reinforcing awareness of the charity regulator and encouraging the public to view the Scottish Charity Register.
The press and online advertisements were supported by a micro site. The micro site is a simplified version of OSCR's main website and contains information on the Regulator's role, Scottish charities, guidance on meeting the regulations and the Scottish Charity Register. You can view the micro site at http://www.oscr.org.uk/reassurance/index.aspx
Complaining about a charity - online
People wishing to complain to OSCR about a charity, can now do so online. OSCR's online complaint form allows individuals to make their complaints in confidence using secure encryption. You can access the online complaint form on OSCR's website at https://www.oscr.org.uk/ComplaintsForm.aspx and read OSCR's information on how to complain about a charity http://www.oscr.org.uk/Howtocomplainaboutacharity.stm
The Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 gives OSCR the power to make enquiries into apparent or alleged misconduct in charities; bodies that are connected to or controlled by charities; and bodies that are not charities but are represented as charities.
Do you find it difficult to read information online?
Visitors to OSCR's website are now able to listen to the content by using Browsealoud.
Browsealoud is a free tool which is used to 'read' web pages aloud. The service is designed to improve access to information and services on our website for people who have difficulty reading online. The service can be accessed by clicking on the Browsealoud icon which appears on the front page of our website www.oscr.org.uk and downloading the free plug-in.
Further information about the software is available on the Browsealoud website http://www.browsealoud.com
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Forthcoming events
OSCR conference
OSCR will be announcing dates for its second conference in the next few weeks. Full details will be available shortly on our website at www.oscr.org.uk
Videoconferencing - pilot event
OSCR can now offer its stakeholders video conference presentations. These will complement our events diary and enable us to reach more local communities.
We are inviting communities/organisations to take part in an initial pilot video conference event. Audience numbers should be no more than 20 delegates; and the event will focus on accounting regulations, trustee duties and consents and notifications.
If your community or organisation is interested in our pilot event, please contact Derek Galbraith at derek.galbraith@oscr.org.uk or call 01382 346838.
OSCR mailing lists
Over the next few weeks OSCR's communications team will be updating mailing lists. Please help us to improve our service by letting us know of any changes.
You can update your contact details by contacting Derek Galbraith at derek.galbraith@oscr.org.uk or calling 01382 346838.
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