A page to interest bishops and diocesan teams
OpenBooks investigating financial transparency

Findings from the 2019 websites of UK Dioceses
 

 

 

Registered charity status bestows great benefits to the Diocese, for instance, through the Gift Aid Scheme.  At the same time we have grave responsibilities and there are civil and criminal sanctions against abuse…

 

The main aim of the Charity Act 1993 is to ensure that all assets of a charity are managed prudently and effectively…

 

In particular, the Trustees must ensure that…
parish accounts are presented annually to the faithful.

Arundel & Brighton on-line
Parish Administration Manual www.dabnet.org/ContentDocuments/303.pdf

THE STUDY IN GENERAL

In late 2017 and mid-2019 HRHG examined all arch/dioceses in England & Wales and Scotland and Northern Ireland reporting to the charity regulators.   

  • Many do not show current annual reports, details of the qualifications of members of their finance councils to serve.

  • Only a few publish their parish operating procedures or guidelines.

  • None has information on how their ensure that parish priests present annual account of finance-related matters to the faithful.

  • For England & Wales and Northern Ireland, financial transparency is guaranteed by information and reports on the Charity Commissions' websites.

  • A range of other issues emerged
     
  FINDINGS AND SUGGESTIONS  


Only 8 of the 22 E&W websites show the latest report available on the Charity Commission website. In Scotland, all 8 have some annual report compared with the OCRS – but out of date.  In NI, 1 of the 4 had a report.

 

FINANCE COUNCIL EXPERTISE

Only 15 of the 34 posted names of their finance council members. It’s rare to see information on their suitability or qualifications for this role. (NB Edinburgh & St Andrews are exemplary). NB Trustees may be hard to find).

 

MINUTES OR NOTES OF FINANCE COUNCILS

were not seen on any UK diocesan website – and it may be that Santa Ana is a voice in the wilderness! However, Brentford has an annual conference with a very informative report on issues – and it may be that other might emulate this idea.

 

PARISH FINANCE PROCEDURES

were

ANNUAL ACCOUNTS AND REPORT

 very few – 7 in EW. But Canon 1272. And 2 were cited in all of these documents

 

CHECKING OBSERVANCE OF CANON 1287.2 

No UK diocese seems to have any on-line procedure for confirming that the parish priest has complied with Canon 1287.2 – though 1287.1 is obvious.  Arundel & Brighton require their trustees to ensure that the priest publishes accounts; but did not reply to a request for information on how they do this.