EFFINGHAM VILLAGE RECREATION TRUST (EVRT)
EVRT is the registered charity (number 305018) which manages the King George V Hall and Fields in Effingham, and is governed by Effingham Parish Council acting as the Sole Trustee.
This role is entirely separate from the Council’s role as a tier of local government. When acting as Sole Trustee the Council operates in compliance with the Charities Act 2011, whereas when acting as a tier of local government it operates in compliance with the Local Government Act 1972.
Persons elected to the Council (i.e. Councillors) automatically become members of the Trustee but are not individually trustees.
Under the Standing Orders of the Trustee the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Charity are the persons who also serve as Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Council.
The Trustee, volunteers and professional support staff work together to fulfil the charitable mission of EVRT, which is:
‘for the public benefit, to provide or assist in the provision, support and or maintenance of facilities for recreation and other leisure-time occupation for the inhabitants of the area of benefit, in particular through the provision of a village hall and recreation grounds’.
Full details of the EVRT Charity are available on the website for the King George V Hall and Fields, and on the Charity Commission website EVRT charity 305018.
The Trustee can be contacted by email to theTrustee@evrt.org.uk or in writing to ‘The Trustee, c/o King George V Hall, Browns Lane, Effingham, Surrey, KT24 5ND.’
Governance of EVRT
Prior to 2022, the charity was run by a Board of Managing Trustees, with Effingham Parish Council being the custodian trustee. In January 2022 the Board of Managing Trustees of EVRT reviewed the governance arrangements for the charity and concluded that the preferred model for future governance is that of the Parish Council becoming sole trustee.
The Parish Council took legal advice from a solicitor and sought guidance from the Charity Commission, which is summarised in the Full Report. Having considered the advice, on 1st July 2022 the governance scheme of EVRT was amended so that Effingham Parish Council became the sole Trustee of the charity.
Questions have been raised about declarations of interest, the powers of the Council to provide funding to the charity and potential pre-determination. Clarification on these matters is set out in the Statement on EPC and EVRT.
