Can charities be trusted to pay their trustees?

The UK's National Council on Voluntary Organizations, Volunteering England, and other civil society organizations have written an open letter to the British Minister for Civil Society regarding Lord Hodgson’s recommendations around payment of charity trustees.

The letter states that while there is much to welcome in Lord Hodgson’s recent report, 'Trusted and independent: Giving charity back to charities', "we are strongly opposed to the recommendation that large charities will be given the automatic right to pay their trustees."

In the UK a charity trustee is usually an unpaid volunteer. A trustee can only be paid in certian circumstances and with the permission of the Government's Charity Commission. Lord Hodgson argues that large charities should have the freedom to pay their trustees if they wish.

However, the letter writers urge the British Government to uphold the principle of voluntary trusteeship. "We also believe that Government can play a role in setting a more positive agenda around trusteeship, as part of its Giving agenda," they say.

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