A Middlesbrough charity is under investigation by a government watchdog over concerns about trustees’ management of conflicts of interest and payments. 

Streets Ahead for Information, which is based at 109-111 Parliament Road, was placed at the centre of an inquiry by the The Charity Commission on April 16 this year. 

Established in 2006, the charity provides information, help and advice centre for residents of the local area and was registered with the Commission in 2017.

The probe will see the regulator investigate whether there has been any “unauthorised personal benefit to trustees.”

The Commission engaged with the charity after it failed to submit its annual accounting information for the financial years ending August 23, 2020 and 2021, and it was placed into the class inquiry for charities in double default of their annual reporting requirements. 

Upon submission of the overdue accounts, the regulator concluded that these raised issues that required further investigation as part of a new inquiry.  

Middlesbrough Mayor Chris Cooke is one notable figure with connections to the charity, having given up his career in IT to work for Streets Ahead during his four years as a councillor for the town’s Newport ward. 

Middlesbrough Mayor Chris Cooke (Image: LDR)

There, he worked as a community cohesion co-ordinator and provided a “strong grounding on the services and help available for people."

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This will examine if the trustees have fulfilled their duties and responsibilities under charity law and if there has been any misconduct and/or mismanagement in its administration. 

The scope of the probe may be extended, if required. 

Mayor Cooke has not yet released any statement on the investigation but has been contacted for comment.