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The Charity Commission has appointed Interim Managers to Devon and Cornwall Autistic Community Trust, also known as ‘Spectrum’, to the exclusion of its trustees.

The charity has been the subject of a statutory inquiry by the regulator since June 2022. The Commission opened the inquiry due to concerns that the trustees may have failed to fulfil their legal duties and responsibilities under charity law, following several highly critical inspections of the charity’s facilities by the Care Quality Commission.

As part of its inquiry, the Commission appointed Guy Hollander and Mark Boughey of Mazars LLP as joint interim managers of the charity on 9 February 2023. The appointment has been made over continued concerns regarding the leadership, management, and governance of the charity. The Interim Managers are appointed to the exclusion of the trustees, meaning that they will be responsible for all aspects of the charity’s governance in place of the trustees.

The charity’s adult social care provision has now been transferred to another provider, so will not fall under the remit of the Interim Managers. The charity still operates a school and children’s residential facilities. The Commission’s inquiry remains ongoing. It is the Commission’s policy to publish a report upon concluding an inquiry to detail its findings, conclusions, and any regulatory action taken.

Notes to Editors

1. The Charity Commission is the independent, non-ministerial government department that registers and regulates charities in England and Wales. Its purpose is to ensure charity can thrive and inspire trust so that people can improve lives and strengthen society.
2. Section 76(3)(g) of the Charities Act 2011 gives the Commission power to appoint an interim manager to a charity to act as receiver and manager in respect of the property and affairs of the charity.

3. Interim managers are appointed where the Commission has identified misconduct or mismanagement in the administration of a charity, and/or where there is a need to protect a charity’s property.

4. The Commission is not a safeguarding regulator and, therefore, any substantive safeguarding matters will be investigated by the appropriate regulator and/or police as appropriate.