After 12 months without a permanent chair of the Charity Commission, we welcome the announcement of Orlando Fraser as the new preferred candidate. We look forward to understanding more about his knowledge of regulation and the charity sector at his pre-appointment scrutiny hearing.
We are disappointed that the appointment process was not rerun in full before Mr Fraser was announced as the preferred candidate. Transparent and robust recruitment is vital in ensuring trust in the regulator. Given the challenges of the previous recruitment process, this approach would have allowed the new chair a fresh start, and an opportunity to rebuild a strong relationship with the sector as well as address issues around the diversity of the shortlist and new due diligence commitments.
Strong, proportionate and enabling regulation is in the interests of charities, and we want to see the new chair of the Commission succeed. We look forward to working with Mr Fraser if his appointment is confirmed to ensure the Charity Commission supports good practice across the sector, and hope that he will engage constructively with those discussions.
