The Charity Commission has launched a statutory inquiry into a community transport charity in Merseyside amid concerns over its spending.

Wider governance and financial management issues at Wirral based Merseycare Transport Services will also be looked at.

“These include that the charity appears to have too few trustees, in breach of its governing document, and that it has not complied with statutory accounting requirements and has expenditure that does not seem to align with its objects,” said the regulator.

The extent to which trustees have complied with its governing document and whether funds have been used to further its mission, will also be looked at.

The regulator will also investigate wither it has been receiving “inaccurate or misleading” information from the charity and whether there has ben any “misconduct, mismanagement or misappropriation of charitable funds”.

According to the Register of Charities the charity spent £1.98m during the 12 months to March 2025, of which £1.77m was spent on charitable activities.

Its income over this period was £1.91m. This is the second time in the last five years that its spending has outstripped its income.

The charity, which supports older people and those impacted by disability, poverty and lack of access to public transport, has two trustees registered with the regulator.

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