The event was held on 27th April at the Kensington Forum Hotel in London and was aimed at Church leaders who wanted to learn more about financial management from a biblical, legal and practical perspective. It was relevant to churches of all sizes but especially those which are growing and where the right structure to deal with UK regulators and tax needs to be strengthened.
Dr Hugh Osgood from Churches in Communities International provided a scriptural foundation on the day and delivered a session which looked at the biblical teaching regarding finances and working in accordance with the law, whilst Edwina Turner, associate at Anthony Collins Solicitors led a session examining case studies which demonstrated success in the areas of financial control, employment taxes and Gift Aid. The day was underpinned by a workshop from Stewardship looking at practical implementations of good financial practice.
Edwina said: “At a time when the charity sector is experiencing a raft of changes, it is more important than ever that Churches feel in control of their finances and keep on the right side of the law. The event was aimed at the practical side of money management, and Church leaders should leave feeling equipped and empowered to manage funds more effectively.”
Dr Hugh Osgood, president of Churches in Communities International, commented: “We want to make sure our churches are as financially healthy as possible, and are up to date with all of the new legislation regarding financial regulation. We were very pleased to be able to offer delegates the highest quality of speakers.”
Stephen Mathews, head of accountancy and consultancy services at Stewardship continued: “Efficient money management means that a Church can free up more funds to invest in the activities which are the most important, such as supporting the vulnerable in their local communities and focusing on Kingdom activities. Too often in my work with churches I see dangerous structures and money lost which harms the church in terms of both its finances and reputation.”
The Lifeline Project was a well-regarded charity. Failure to carry out the targets within the contracts led the charity into insolvency and resulted in a personal, 7-year disqualification order.
On 23 July, trainees from Anthony Collins Solicitors will host an ‘experience day’, which will involve various activities and presentations, with lawyers and non-lawyers from across the firm.
The Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) has launched a new scheme specifically for charities and not-for-profit organisations who want to advise EU citizens on UK settlement.
In the second part of our series on contract management pitfalls, we look at the risks and opportunities presented by payment mechanisms in construction contracts.
Under most construction contracts, the contractor takes on the ground conditions risk. However, a recent case has demonstrated that the risk can fall on the employer.
The UK Government has been consulting on how it should promote social value in its procurements. Here is our response that we submitted to the consultation...
The Tenant Fees Act 2019 came into force on 1 June 2019.
A recent case in the Court of Appeal will no doubt bring a sigh of relief for employers, but a corresponding sigh of disappointment may be uttered for equality and gender balance in the workplace.
This briefing assists response to the consultation paper by outlining the consultation questions, providing some background information and prompting some thoughts and potential answers.
A report published on 29 May by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has found that since 2009-10, local government spending on services has fallen on average by 21% in real terms.
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