A Middlesbrough Mosque is being investigated by the Charity Commission after repeatedly failing to provide its financial accounts.

The Middlesbrough Central Masjid and Community Centre has been placed at the centre of an inquiry after failing to follow legal rules on submitting their documents.

The Charity Commission will look at whether the mosque and its trustees are complying with their legal duties.

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An investigation was first launched in December 2019 when the Charity Commission first placed the Mosque into a “double defaulter class inquiry” after it failed to file annual reports, accounts, and returns for two or more years.

The Mosque submitted its documents 180 days overdue, and failed to submit one document fully completed.

But despite the initial investigation, the mosque then failed to submit its annual returns and accounts for the financial year ending in 2020 and 2021 to the Charity Commission in time and a fresh investigation has been launched.

It will investigate whether trustees of the charity are complying with their legal duties.

A spokesperson for the Charity Commission added: “The inquiry, which opened on December 13, 2022, will examine the extent to which the trustees have and are complying with their legal duties in respect of the administration, governance, and management of the charity. This includes management of the charity’s finances, and whether the charity is operating in line with its objects.

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“It will also look at the extent to which any failing or weaknesses in the administration, governance and management of the charity identified during the inquiry were the result of misconduct and/or mismanagement by the trustees.”

The Commission may extend the scope of the inquiry if additional regulatory issues emerge.

A report will be published following the inquiry detailing its findings and whether any action is taken.

It is a legal requirement for a charity to submit their required documents no later than 10 months after the end of their financial year.

Any charity with an income of more than £25,000 must have their accounts reviewed by an independent person or accountancy firm, according to Charity Commission rules.

A spokesperson for the Middlesbrough Central Masjid and Community Centre said: "Delay was incurred in the submission of the documentation as a consequence of a transition of the existing administration team with age/medical related issues to new team of committed and hard-working individuals.

"This was further impacted upon by a lengthy delay in banking customer support during this transition.

"The matter is now in the process of being fully resolved."

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