Alleged political activity at Wootton Community Centre has prompted the Charity Commission to open a compliance case.
The government body said the move is to assess concerns raised with it relating to the Wootton Bridge Community Association (WBCA), a charity (registered number 1044320), which leases the Wootton Bridge Community Centre from County Hall.
The update comes after it emerged that controversial commentator Katie Hopkins is due to speak at the centre on 23rd May next year as part of her ‘Free Range’ stand-up tour.
The centre has recently been adorned with Union Jack and St George’s flags and promotional material for The Patriot Club IOW.
Last month, the charity came under fire from Independent Socialist councillor Geoff Brodie for hosting Advance UK leader Ben Habib, formerly a co-deputy leader of Reform UK.
The community centre said it was assessing concerns which would determine whether there was a regulatory role for it and any next steps.
Political activity by charities can be legitimate, but there is a legal requirement for this to only be carried out in the context of supporting charitable purposes, the community council’s guidance says.
It also must not be the only activity they undertake, according to the guidance.
On the Wootton Bridge Community Association’s community centre page, its first charitable objective reads:
“To promote the benefit of the inhabitants of Wootton Bridge in the Isle of Wight and the surrounding area without distinction of sex or of political, religious or other opinions…”
Joe Robertson, the Conservative MP for Isle of Wight East, said:
“It is important that charities adhere to all relevant laws and regulations however big or small they are.
Article continues below this advertisement “Now that the Charity Commission has said it has opened a compliance case relating to alleged political activity at Wootton Bridge Community Association it should do so as swiftly as possible and then publish its findings.
“I will refrain from commenting on this particular case while the Charity Commission is doing its work.”
Wootton Bridge’s Liberal Democrat county councillor Sarah Redrup has declined to comment on the activity at the centre, which is in her ward.
WBCA has also not responded to a request for comment.
‘Sounds to me like they’re “running scared”, as so much of what she says makes complete sense. It won’t be the first time that venues decide not to host her shows – often at the very last moment, and for the poorest of reasons.
If she’s not allowed to speak here, hopefully another venue can be found locally.
Katie Hopkins speaks the truth, sadly people
don’t like to hear the truth.
That is why the country is changing and becoming
unrecognisable.
What a waste of time and money, hopefully the CC has better things to do.
It is absolutely outrageous to have a so-called community centre re-branded at a ‘Patriots’ Club’ in this way and if the vile Katie Hopkins is top of their list of speakers, then there can be little doubt that this is political activity.
You do wonder if we would be having the same conversation if it was jermy corbyn’s new idea of the your party coming to the hall, probably not.