The Charity Commission has opened a statutory inquiry to examine regulatory concerns regarding the trustees’ management and administration of The Muslim Community Centre and Mosque 1977, an unregistered charity and a dispute with another charity currently under investigation.

The regulator’s concerns focus on a risk to charity property arising from a dispute between the unregistered charity and Dudley Central Mosque and Muslim Community Centre, a lack of clarity around the respective charities’ roles in managing its shared property in Birmingham Street, Dudley, and how related charitable funds are banked.

The commission said that due to the ongoing dispute, those involved have so far been unable or unwilling to resolve the issues.

Prior to the opening of the inquiry, the Commission’s initial investigations concluded that The Muslim Community Centre and Mosque 1977 is a charity but it is unclear who its current trustees are.

The inquiry will examine if the trustees of The Muslim Community Centre and Mosque 1977 are complying with their legal duties in respect of the administration, governance and management of the charity.

It added that the scope of the inquiry may be extended if additional regulatory issues emerge during the Commission’s investigation

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