Dear Department for Communities (Northern Ireland),

The May 16th 2016 minutes of the Charity Commission record

"Publishing our decisions policy
The Head of Compliance & Enquiries introduced a series of changes to the
existing policy, in particular Directions will not now be published unless there
is good reason to do so. Following discussion the Board agreed the policy, as
proposed by Norman Bennett and seconded by Seamus Magee."

Please can you release all emails and correspondence that relates to this decision between the Charity Commission and the Department or Private office, particularly documentation that mentions Probity or ProbityaacNI. Please include any recommendations, cautions or authorities that allows the Commission to act contrary to the Charities Act 2008.

I am relieved that these minutes have been released following my FOI to the Commission, but remain concerned that substantial minutes of meetings are still being withheld.

Yours faithfully,

Trevor McKee

ProbityaacNI

Dear Department for Communities (Northern Ireland),

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Department for Communities (Northern Ireland)'s handling of my FOI request 'Concealment of Publication Charity Commission Northern Ireland'.

I quote below DSD's responsibilities as it applies to CCNI;

On performance and risk management

 monitor CCNI’s activities on a continuing basis through an adequate and timely flow of information from CCNI on performance, budgeting, control, and risk management, including early sight of CCNI’s Statement on Internal Control;

 address in a timely manner any significant problems arising in CCNI, whether financial or otherwise, making such interventions in the affairs of CCNI as DSD judges necessary to address such problems; and

 periodically carry out a risk assessment of CCNI’s activities to inform DSD oversight of CCNI; strengthen these arrangements if necessary; and amend the Management Statement and Financial Memorandum accordingly. The risk assessment shall take into account the nature of CCNI’s activities; the public monies at stake; the body’s corporate governance arrangements; its financial performance; internal and external auditor’s reports; the openness of communications between the body and DSD; and any other relevant matters.

It seems the initial trawl for information may have been deficient, given the obligations and safeguards contained within the Management document agreement between CCNI and the Dept. It might seem that at least some correspondence or request for permission exists, after all, the decision to withhold information from the public that might inform their understanding of the Commissions work has to have been sanctioned for specific purposes and by an express authority. The notion that it was done unseen might be considered unsafe in the very least.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/c...

Yours faithfully,

Trevor McKee

ProbityaacNI