Vera Baird, Northumbria Police Crime commissioner, investigated after awarding own charity half a million pounds of taxpayers’ cash

Martin McGartland made this Freedom of Information request to Charity Commission for England and Wales This request has been closed to new correspondence. Contact us if you think it should be reopened.

The request was refused by Charity Commission for England and Wales.

Martin McGartland

Martin McGartland

18 July 2017

Dear Charity Commission for England and Wales,

I would like the Charity Commission to disclose all, any recorded information it holds regarding Vera Baird, Northumbria Police Crime commissioner, being investigated after awarding her own charity half a million pounds of taxpayers’ cash.

The case was reported in the press as follows;

Crime tsar investigated after she awarded half a million pounds to her own charity:
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/cri...

Newcastle crime commissioner investigated after awarding own charity with taxpayers' cash: http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nort...

It was reported; A Ministry of Justice (MoJ) source said officials would be making inquiries to ascertain whether conflict of interest rules had been broken.

The MoJ has supplied me with your details; https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/4...

I would also like;

1. Copies of original e-mails, letters, all other correspondence between PCC Baird, OPCC Northumbria, Northumbria Police and Charity Commission for England and Wales, all other persons and third parties, copies of all complaints, all records, notes (including telephone notes), all minutes of meetings (including those which relate to all investigations ,inquiries) which relate to this request.

2. Copies of all original reports, findings by Charity Commission for England and Wales or others acting on their behalf. All recorded information which relates to this request.

I am not requesting any personal information. The request relates to the Northumbria Police Crime Commission while in public office. There is also a public interest. The case relates to public funds of £500,000.00 or more. I expect the Charity Commission for England and Wales to be open and transparent when dealing with such matters.

Yours faithfully,

Martin McGartland

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IME – Monitoring and Enforcement (Queue), Charity Commission for England and Wales

1 Attachment

Dear Mr McGartland

Please find attached the Commission’s response relation to your request
under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.  

Yours sincerely,

Tony Walker

IME - Monitoring and Enforcement Team

Charity Commission

 

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Martin McGartland

Martin McGartland

31 July 2017

Dear IME – Monitoring and Enforcement (Queue),

Thank you for the reply. Would you please explain the reason for redactions made to PCC Baird 10 September 2015 letter on pages 1 2 and 3. I would also be obliged if you would let me know which exemption you rely on for each of those.

It appears that details relating to a number of trustees, who will already be in place, have been redacted. I would have thought that such details (names of all trustees and board members) would already be in the public domain and therefore would not be exempt, should be disclosed.

Would you please review this request.

Yours sincerely,

Martin McGartland

Becky Bbear left an annotation ()

Martin:

The Commission's response does not seem to include a copy of the September 2015 letter you refer to, however it is likely that the redactions are to remove personal information held subject to the Data Protection Act 1998.

if you obtained the September 2015 letter from another source than the Commission you would need to ask that source for more information relating to the redactions, since the Commission would not have a copy of the letter or know what had been redacted by another authority and why.

Becky

IME – Monitoring and Enforcement (Queue), Charity Commission for England and Wales

1 Attachment

Dear Mr. McGartland,

Please find attached the response to the Decision Review of your recent
FOI request.

Yours sincerely,

Laura

Laura Evans

W: [1]https://www.gov.uk/charity-commission

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On track to meet your filing deadline? Charities have ten months from
their financial year end to file their Annual Return and Accounts. Find
out more at www.charitycommission.gov.uk. Remember to file on time and use
our online services.

Consider the environment. Please don't print this e-mail unless you really
need to.

References

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