Unlock raises concerns as Charity Commission grants just six criminal conviction waivers

The Charity Commission has refused more than half of the applications it has received from people with criminal convictions who wish to serve as trustees or senior managers, prompting Unlock to call for a review.

In an article published on the Civil Society website, Christopher Stacey, co-director of Unlock, said he was concerned about the low number of applications and high number of refusals, and has called on the Commission to publish an independent review on how it arrived on those decisions.

Christopher said:

“It is concerning to see such low numbers of waiver applications and such a high proportion of refusals. We worked hard to help the Commission establish its waiver process so it would not undermine individual charity’s governance. These figures raise questions regarding the fairness and transparency of the waiver process.

“Waiver applicants have already demonstrated the value they can add to the charities they are looking to be involved in, and that the charity has considered the criminal record and put in place appropriate safeguards. We encourage the Commission to instigate and publish an independent review of the decisions it has made and how it arrived at those decisions.”

You can read the full article on the Civil Society website.