communications@oscr.org.uk, 04-10-2011
OSCR's Annual Review published.
OSCR has continued to reinforce public confidence in the charity
sector through its work as Scotland's charity regulator.
OSCR's
Annual Review 2010-11, published
today, provides an account of OSCR's performance and illustrates
its achievements in the past year. The document, issued this
week to all of Scotland's 23,000 charities, also contains case
studies based on OSCR's experience and key points for charity
trustees and their advisers to consider.
The Review provides information about OSCR in maintaining the
Scottish Charity Register, granting charitable status, granting
consent to proposed changes to charities, investigating apparent
misconduct, and advising Ministers on charity matters.
OSCR Chair The Very Rev'd Graham Forbes CBE said that the
document allowed the Regulator to report back to the sector and the
public, and demonstrated its role in providing confidence in a key
aspect of Scottish life.
'The charity sector in Scotland accounts for a combined annual
income in excess of £10billion, and it is estimated that half the
adult population is involved in some way in volunteering,' he
said.
'Our Annual Review gives an illustration of the nature and
volume of our work as the Regulator and I hope that the sector and
the public will find it useful as a reference,' he added.
'Our experience in safeguarding Scotland's charity sector has
informed our current priorities and future developments, and
allowed us to make practical recommendations to Scottish Ministers
on key aspects of charity law.'
At 31 March 2010, there were 23,288 charities entered in the
Scottish Charity Register, 730 of which were also registered in
England and Wales. OSCR removed 792 charities from the
Register but granted status to 868 new charities. The
Regulator handled 346 external complaints about charities and
granted 968 consents to proposed changes, including amalgamations,
change of name or winding-up of charities.
A total of 3,449 notifications from charities were cleared by
OSCR during the year. There were 108 applications made by
charities to reorganise, suggesting that charities themselves are
responding to current challenges by acting upon the options
available in the legislation. The Annual Review also reports
on the arrival of the Scottish Charitable Incorporated
Organisation, or SCIO, a new legal form available to Scottish
charities.
Key highlights from the Annual Review include the following:
- The number of applications for charitable status, at 1,135, was
almost identical to last year (1,131)
- While 792 charities were removed from the Register, 868 new
charities were created
- OSCR refused to grant charitable status to 18 bodies.
- OSCR decided 100% of consent applications within the statutory
deadline.
The Annual Review also sets out OSCR's recommendations on the
development of charity law that were accepted by Ministers.
It looks ahead to future developments such as new recommendations
to Ministers, its OSCR Online initiative designed to streamline
charity reporting and enhance public information, and the next
phase of its dedicated Outreach Programme, intended to encourage
awareness and good governance among charity trustees.
The document is published online today and should also be
available at public libraries from next week.
ENDS
Issued by OSCR, Quadrant House, 9 Riverside Drive,
Dundee DD1 4NY. For further information, contact Mark Simpson
at OSCR on 01382 220446 or 07920 274498 or email communications@oscr.org.uk
Background
- OSCR is the independent regulator and registrar for Scotland's
23,000 charities.
- OSCR's vision is for a flourishing charity sector in which the
public has confidence, underpinned by OSCR's effective delivery of
its regulatory role.
- The Annual Review provides an overview of OSCR's work and
performance in the past year. It contains key statistics and
case studies and is mailed to every charity in Scotland as well as
to umbrella bodies, parent organisations, public libraries, local
authorities and MSPs.
- The Annual Review 2010-11 is
available from today