Charities (Jersey) Law 2014
A LAW to establish a commissioner and register of charities, to impose
duties on governors of charities, to regulate use of the term “charity”
and for related purposes
Commencement [see endnotes]
Part 1
Interpretation
1 Interpretation[1]
In this Law, unless the context otherwise
requires –
“annual return” means a return sent under Article 13(7);
“charitable purpose” has the meaning given by Article 6;
“Commissioner” means the person for the time being
appointed to hold the office of the Jersey Charity Commissioner established by
Article 3;
“company” means a company registered under the Companies (Jersey)
Law 1991, or an existing company within the meaning of that Law, and in
relation to a company the expressions “director”, “memorandum”
and “articles of association” have the same meanings as in that
Law;
“Comptroller” has the meaning given by the Revenue Administration
(Jersey) Law 2019;
“constitution” has the meaning given by Article 2(4);
“constitutional Law” has the meaning given by Article 2(5);
“court”, in the expression “the court”,
means the Royal Court;
“court-approved fidéicommis” means a fidéicommis created under Article 3 of the Loi
of 1862, or to which the court has extended the
benefits of that Loi under Article 17
of that Loi;
“donation” is to be construed in accordance with the
Order made under Article 9(3)(b)(ii);
“entity” has the meaning given by Article 2(1);
“foundation” means a foundation incorporated under the Foundations (Jersey)
Law 2009, and “charter”, “regulations” and “council
member” have, in relation to a foundation, the same meanings as in that
Law;
“general section” means the section of the register that
is to be distinguished from the restricted and historic sections under Article 8(2);
“governor” in relation to an entity (including a registered
charity) has the meaning given by Article 2(7);
“incorporated 1862 association” means an
association incorporated under Article 4 of the Loi
of 1862;
“JFSC” means the Jersey Financial Services Commission
established by the Financial Services Commission
(Jersey) Law 1998;
“Jersey entity” has the meaning given by Article 2(3);
“Loi of 1862” means the Loi
(1862) sur les teneures en fidéicommis et l’incorporation
d’associations;
“Minister” means the Minister for External Relations;
“misconduct” has the meaning given by Article 2(10),
and a reference to a governor engaging in misconduct is to be read in
accordance with Article 18(4);
“prescribed” and “specified” mean prescribed
or specified in an Order or Regulations, as the case may be;
“property” has the meaning given by the Trusts (Jersey) Law 1984;
“publish”, in respect of any information, means publish
in a manner that, in the opinion of the person publishing, is likely to bring
the information or how the information may be obtained to the attention of the
public or of those affected by the information;
“purpose”, in relation to an entity, has the meaning
given by Article 2(6);
“register” means the register kept by the Commissioner
under Article 8, or (as a verb) to enter an entity on that register, and
“registration” and “deregistration” are to be construed
accordingly;
“registered charitable purposes” has the meaning
assigned by Article 8(3)(e);
“registered charity” means an entity entered for the
time being in the general section or the restricted section of the register;
“registered public benefit statement” has the meaning
assigned by Article 8(3)(f);
“regulated financial services business” means business
for which a person –
(a) is
registered under the Banking Business (Jersey)
Law 1991;
(b) holds
a permit or certificate under the Collective Investment Funds
(Jersey) Law 1988;
(c) is
registered under the Financial Services (Jersey)
Law 1998; or
(d) is
authorized by a permit under the Insurance Business (Jersey)
Law 1996;
“reportable matter” has the meaning given by Article 19;
“required steps notice” means a notice served under
Article 27;
“restricted section” means the section of the register
that is to be distinguished from the general and historic sections under
Article 8(2);
“solicit” is to be construed in accordance with the
Order made under Article 9(3)(b)(i);
“tribunal” means the Charity Tribunal established by
Article 32;
“trust” means a trust over which the court has
jurisdiction under Article 5 of the Trusts (Jersey) Law 1984.
2 Definition
of entity and related terms
(1) In this Law, unless the
context otherwise requires, “entity” means –
(a) the
person or persons, taken together, who are the trustees of a trust;
(b) without
prejudice to the generality of sub-paragraph (a), the person or persons,
taken together, who are the fidéicommissaires of a court-approved fidéicommis;
(c) an
incorporated 1862 association;
(d) a
foundation;
(e) a
body corporate established –
(i) by an enactment,
(ii) by
Act of the States, or
(iii) by
Royal Charter, in relation to Jersey;
(f) a
company;
(g) a
body incorporated under, but not by, any enactment other than the Companies (Jersey)
Law 1991;
(h) a
body incorporated under, but not by, an Act of the United Kingdom Parliament or
Order in Council, as such Act or Order is extended to or applicable in Jersey;
(i) the
persons, taken together, who constitute for the time being an unincorporated
body or association of persons, other than a partnership and other than the
trustees of a trust;
(j) an
entity that is substantially similar to an entity mentioned in any of
sub-paragraphs (a) to (h), but is established under the law of a
jurisdiction other than Jersey.
(2) The Minister may by
Order add sub-paragraphs to paragraph (1).
(3) For the purposes of
this Law, an entity is a “Jersey entity” if –
(a) it falls
within any of sub-paragraphs (a) to (h) of paragraph (1); or
(b) it is
an unincorporated body or association of persons falling within paragraph (1)(i),
in respect of which –
(i) the law governing
the relationship between the persons constituting the body or association, in
that capacity, is the law of Jersey, and
(ii) at
least one governor is a natural person resident in Jersey, or is itself a
Jersey entity by virtue of sub-paragraph (a).
(4) In this Law, unless the
context otherwise requires, “constitution” in relation to an entity
means –
(a) in
the case of a trust the terms of the trust;
(b) in
the case of a court-approved fidéicommis, the minute of the contract annexed to the application to the court
for the creation of the fidéicommis, any other documents so annexed, and any
authorisation granted by the court under Article 10 of the Loi of 1862
in respect of the fidéicommis;
(c) in
the case of an incorporated 1862 association, the Act of the court incorporating it under Article 4 of the Loi of 1862, and the object and rules approved or modified under that Article;
(d) in
the case of a foundation, the charter and regulations of the foundation;
(e) in
the case of a company, the memorandum and articles of association of the
company;
(f) in
the case of a body corporate falling within paragraph (1)(e), the
enactment, Act of the States or Royal Charter that established the body
corporate;
(g) in
any other case, any instrument or instruments (in whatever form) that establish
the entity or give it any powers.
(5) In this Law, unless the
context otherwise requires, “constitutional Law” means –
(a) in
relation to an entity that is a trust, the Trusts (Jersey) Law 1984;
(b) in relation
to an entity that is a court-approved fidéicommis or an incorporated 1862 association, the Loi of 1862;
(c) in
relation to an entity that is a foundation, the Foundations (Jersey)
Law 2009;
(d) in
relation to an entity that is a company, the Companies (Jersey)
Law 1991; and
(e) in
relation to an entity that is a body incorporated by (but not under) any other
Law, that Law.
(6) In this Law, unless the
context otherwise requires, “purpose” in relation to an entity
means –
(a) in
the case of a trust, the benefit of its beneficiaries or any other purpose
mentioned in Article 2(b) of the Trusts (Jersey) Law 1984 by virtue of which the trust
exists, as specified in its constitution;
(b) in
the case of a court-approved fidéicommis, or of an incorporated 1862 association, the objects for which it was created or incorporated,
or that were subsequently authorized under Article 10 of the Loi of 1862;
(c) in
the case of a foundation, the objects specified in its charter or its
regulations; or
(d) in
the case of any other entity, a purpose to which that entity’s property
may lawfully be applied, other than by virtue of an order of a court, in
accordance with the powers of the entity as set out in its constitution
(including on its winding up or other termination).
(7) In this Law, unless the
context otherwise requires, “governor” in relation to an entity
means –
(a) in
the case of a trust or fidéicommis, a trustee or fidéicommissaire of the trust or fidéicommis;
(b) in
the case of a foundation, a member of the council of the foundation;
(c) in
the case of a company, a director of the company;
(d) in the
case of a relevant unincorporated entity, a person who is a member of the
management committee of the entity; or
(e) in any
other case, a person who, under the constitution of the entity, has the general
control and management of the administration of the entity.
(8) For the purpose of
paragraph (7)(d) a relevant unincorporated entity is an unincorporated
body or association of persons that –
(a) falls
within paragraph (1)(i); and
(b) has a
constitution that conforms to a model that –
(i) is published for
the purpose by the Commissioner, and
(ii) provides
for the entity to have a management committee.
(9) For the purpose of
paragraph (7)(e) –
(a) a
person is not a governor merely by virtue of exercising general control and
management on behalf of another person who has the general control and
management in that other person’s own right under the constitution of the
entity; and
(b) a
person is a governor whether that person has that general control and
management alone or as one of a number of governors.
(10) In this Law, unless the
context otherwise requires, “misconduct” means –
(a) a
contravention, by a registered charity or by any of its governors, of a
provision –
(i) of this Law, or
of any enactment under this Law,
(ii) of
the constitution of the registered charity, or of the constitutional Law of the
charity,
(iii) of a
required steps notice, or
(iv) of an
order of the court under this Law or under the constitutional Law of the charity,
or under any enactment under such a Law; or
(b) the
commission by any person, in relation a registered charity or to an excepted
foreign charity (within the meaning of Article 22) or to an entity
equivalent to a registered charity under the law of a jurisdiction other than
Jersey, of an offence –
(i) under the
constitutional Law of that charity or other entity,
(ii) under
the Financial Services (Jersey)
Law 1998, the Banking Business (Jersey)
Law 1991, the Collective Investment Funds
(Jersey) Law 1988, the Insurance Business (Jersey)
Law 1996, any Regulation or Order made under any of those Laws, or the Alternative Investment Funds
(Jersey) Regulations 2012,
(iii) under
the Income Tax (Jersey)
Law 1961, the Goods and Services Tax
(Jersey) Law 2007, or the Taxation (Land Transactions)
(Jersey) Law 2009,
(iv) under
any other enactment, being an offence relating to money laundering or terrorist
financing,
(v) under any other
enactment or under customary law, being an offence involving deception or
dishonesty, or
(vi) under
the law of a jurisdiction other than Jersey, being an offence similar to any of
those listed in clauses (i) to (v).
Part 2
Jersey Charity Commissioner
3 Establishment
of Jersey Charity Commissioner
(1) There is established a
corporation sole to be known as the Jersey Charity Commissioner.
(2) Schedule 1 makes
further provision in respect of the Commissioner.
4 General
functions of Commissioner
(1) The general functions of
the Commissioner are –
(a) to
administer the charity test under Part 3, and to operate the charity
register under Part 4;
(b) to
supervise the compliance of charity governors with their duties under Part 5;
(c) to
seek to enforce the requirements of Part 6 as to use of terms restricted
by or under that Part;
(d) to
publish and maintain guidance on the operation of this Law, including guidance
on the duties of governors and guidance on the charity test under Article 5(4);
(e) to
assist other persons (including the Attorney General, the court, the Bailiff,
the Comptroller and the JFSC) to discharge, in relation to registered charities
and entities with charitable purposes, any function of such a person under any
enactment or law, particularly by giving information about registered charities
and other entities under Part 7;
(f) generally
to encourage, facilitate and monitor compliance of registered charities with this
Law and any enactment under this Law; and
(g) any
other function conferred on the Commissioner by this Law or by any other
enactment.
(2) The Commissioner may do
anything (other than acting as a governor of a charity or of an entity with
charitable purposes) that is calculated to facilitate, or is conducive or
incidental to, the performance of any of his or her functions.
(3) The Commissioner may in
particular, without prejudice to the generality of his or her
powers –
(a) provide
information to the public about the system of registration of charities,
including information about the difference between charities and bodies with
charitable purposes, information about the advantages of donating to entities
that are registered as charities, and information by way of model
constitutions;
(b) advise
the Minister as to the nature of charities in Jersey and as to the merits of
any proposal for further regulation of charities;
(c) assist
a body in any jurisdiction other than Jersey, that is equivalent to the
Commissioner, or to the Attorney General, the court, the Comptroller or the JFSC,
in the performance of that body’s functions under the law of that jurisdiction.
(4) In performing his or
her functions, the Commissioner must, so far appears to him or her to be
reasonably practicable, seek to act in a way that –
(a) protects
public trust and confidence in registered charities, and is compatible with the
encouragement of –
(i) all forms of
charitable giving, and
(ii) voluntary
participation in the work of registered charities; and
(b) is
proportionate as to the burdens imposed on, and supports the development of registered
charities.
Part 3
Charity Test
5 The
charity test
(1) An entity meets the
charity test if –
(a) all
of its purposes are –
(i) charitable
purposes, or
(ii) purposes
that are purely ancillary or incidental to any of its charitable purposes; and
(b) in
giving effect to those purposes, it provides (or, in the case of an applicant,
provides or intends to provide) public benefit in Jersey or elsewhere to a
reasonable degree.
(2) An entity that
otherwise meets the charity test, nevertheless does not meet that test, despite
paragraph (1), if its constitution expressly permits its activities to be
directed or otherwise controlled by, or any of its governors to be –
(a) a
Minister;
(b) a
member of the States Assembly; or
(c) any
equivalent of such a person in another jurisdiction,
acting in that capacity.
(3) The Minister may by
Order disapply paragraph (2) in relation to any entity or description of
entity specified in the Order.
(4) The Commissioner must publish
and maintain guidance on the determination of whether an entity meets the
charity test.
(5) Any person, in
determining whether an entity meets the charity test, must have regard to the
guidance, and the Commissioner, the tribunal, a registered charity and a
governor of a registered charity must have regard to the guidance when
performing any other of their functions under this Law to which the guidance is
relevant.
(6) Before issuing or
amending guidance the Commissioner must –
(a) consult –
(i) any persons
appearing to the Commissioner to be representative of charities or bodies with
charitable purposes,
(ii) the
Minister, and
(iii) such
other persons as the Commissioner considers appropriate; and
(b) publish
a report on the Commissioner’s views on the results of the consultation,
and the reasons for the Commissioner’s decision on the guidance in the
light of those results.
(7) Within a reasonable
time after issuing or amending guidance the Commissioner must provide to the
Minister a copy of the issued or amended guidance and the report published
under paragraph (6)(b).
(8) The Minister must lay a
copy of the guidance and report so provided before the States as soon as
practicable after the Minister receives the guidance and report.
6 Charitable
purposes
(1) For the purposes of
this Law, the charitable purposes are –
(a) the
prevention or relief of poverty;
(b) the
advancement of education;
(c) the
advancement of religion;
(d) the
advancement of health;
(e) the
saving of lives;
(f) the
advancement of citizenship or community development;
(g) the
advancement of the arts, heritage, culture or science;
(h) the
advancement of public participation in sport;
(i) the
provision of recreational facilities, or the organisation of recreational
activities, with the object of improving the conditions of life for the persons
for whom the facilities or activities are primarily intended;
(j) the
advancement of human rights, conflict resolution or reconciliation;
(k) the
promotion of religious or racial harmony;
(l) the
promotion of equality and diversity;
(m) the
advancement of environmental protection or improvement;
(n) the
relief of those in need by reason of age, ill-health, disability, financial
hardship or other disadvantage;
(o) the
advancement of animal welfare;
(p) any
other purpose that may reasonably be regarded as analogous to any of the
purposes listed in sub-paragraphs (a) to (o).
(2) For the purposes of
paragraph (1) –
(a) in
paragraph (1)(d), “the advancement of health” includes the
prevention or relief of sickness, disease or human suffering;
(b) paragraph (1)(f)
includes –
(i) rural or urban
regeneration, and
(ii) the
promotion of civic responsibility, volunteering, the voluntary sector or the
effectiveness or efficiency of registered charities;
(c) in
paragraph (1)(h), “sport” means sport that involves physical
skill and exertion;
(d) paragraph (1)(i)
applies only in relation to recreational facilities or activities that
are –
(i) primarily
intended for persons who have need of them by reason of their age, ill-health,
disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage, or
(ii) available
to members of the public at large or to male or female members of the public at
large;
(e) paragraph (1)(n)
includes relief given by the provision of accommodation or care;
(f) for
the purposes of paragraph (1)(p), the advancement of any philosophical
belief (whether or not involving belief in a god) is analogous to the purpose
set out in paragraph (1)(c).
(3) The States may, on the
recommendation of the Commissioner, by Regulations –
(a) add sub-paragraphs
to paragraph (1);
(b) add
sub-paragraphs to paragraph (2) making explanatory provision in relation
to any sub-paragraphs so added to paragraph (1).
(4) The power under
paragraph (3) does not include power –
(a) to
amend or restrict the effect of any of paragraphs (1)(a) to (p)
and (2)(a) to (f); or
(b) to
alter the effect of paragraph (5).
(5) The purpose of
advancing a political party or promoting a candidate for election to any
office, whether in Jersey or elsewhere, is neither a charitable purpose nor a
purpose ancillary or incidental to a charitable purpose, irrespective of
whether it would otherwise fall within paragraph (1) or Article 5(1)(a)(ii).
7 Public
benefit
(1) Paragraphs (2) and
(3) apply to the Commissioner, the tribunal and the court when determining the
question of whether an entity provides or intends to provide public benefit,
for the purpose of Article 5(1)(b).
(2) The person determining
the question must have regard to –
(a) how
any –
(i) benefit gained or
likely to be gained by members of the entity or any other persons (other than
as members of the public), and
(ii) disbenefit
incurred or likely to be incurred by the public,
in consequence of the entity exercising its functions, compares with
the benefit gained or likely to be gained by the public in that consequence;
and
(b) if
benefit is, or is likely to be, provided to a section of the public only,
whether any condition on obtaining that benefit (including any charge or fee)
is unduly restrictive.
(3) The person determining
the question must not –
(a) presume
any particular charitable purpose to be for the public benefit; or
(b) treat
one particular natural person or a group of identified natural persons as being
a section of the public, and accordingly must not treat an entity that benefits
only such a person or persons as providing public benefit.
(4) The guidance published
by the Commissioner under Article 5(4), must in particular give guidance
on the determination of the question of whether an entity provides or intends
to provide public benefit.
Part 4
Charity register
8 Charity
register
(1) The Commissioner must
establish and maintain a register of charities.
(2) The register must be
kept in such a way as to distinguish between –
(a) the
general section;
(b) the
restricted section; and
(c) the
historic section.
(3) The Commissioner must
enter in the register, in respect of each registered charity (whether entered
in the general or restricted section), in addition to the registered name and
registration number entered under Article 12(2) –
(a) a
note of the status of the entity that is the registered charity,
being –
(i) the sub-paragraph
of the definition “entity” in Article 2(1) within which the
entity falls (including, in the case of an entity falling within one of
sub-paragraphs (f) to (j) of that definition, whether it also falls
within sub-paragraph (a)), and
(ii) in
the case of an entity falling within one of sub-paragraphs (e), (g), (h)
or (j) of that definition, details of the enactment, Act of the States, Royal
Charter, Act of the United Kingdom Parliament, Order in Council or foreign law,
by virtue of which it falls within that sub-paragraph;
(b) the
names of each of the governors of the registered charity;
(c) the principal
address of the registered charity with the meaning of paragraph (4);
(d) the
address of any other premises in Jersey, other than a private dwelling house,
at or from which the registered charity undertakes any activity;
(e) a
statement of the purposes of the registered charity (the charity’s
“registered charitable purposes”), drawn by the charity from its
constitution and approved by the Commissioner as accurately reflecting the
constitution as to the purposes;
(f) a
statement (the charity’s “registered public benefit
statement”), approved by the Commissioner, of the public benefit provided
by the charity and of the means by which the charity ensures that it provides
that public benefit;
(g) the
date on which the charity was registered;
(h) if
the registered charity is an organized religious charity, within the meaning of
Article 28, a note of that fact and of the provision of the Order under
that Article by virtue of which it is such a charity;
(i) if
the registered charity meets the charity test by virtue of an Order under
Article 5(3), the text of the provision in the constitution that falls
within paragraph (2) of that Article;
(j) whether
the registered charity has or has not sent its annual return for the most
recent year;
(k) if a
required steps notice has been served on the registered charity, or on a
governor of the registered charity, a note of that fact (or a copy of the
notice) and of the date on which the notice was served;
(l) if
the registered name has been changed, the previous registered name or names;
(m) if an Order
under Article 13(9)(c) applies to the registered charity, any details or
statement that must be entered on the register under that Order; and
(n) any
other information prescribed by the Minister by Order.
(4) The principal address
for the purpose of paragraph (3)(c) is –
(a) if
the registered charity is a company, foundation, or other entity required by
its constitutional Law to have a registered office or business address in
Jersey, the address of that registered office or that business address;
(b) if the
charity is not such an entity, the address of the main premises in Jersey at or
from which the activities in Jersey of the registered charity are managed,
controlled or undertaken, unless the premises are a private dwelling house; or
(c) if neither
sub-paragraph (a) nor (b) applies, the address in Jersey of one of the
governors of the charity.
(5) The Commissioner must
enter in the historic section, in relation to any formerly registered charity
that has been deregistered –
(a) the
entity’s former registered number;
(b) if
the entity was registered in the general section, the name under which the
entity was registered immediately before deregistration, and any names under
which it was previously so registered;
(c) a
summary of the reason why the entity was deregistered, including, if that
reason was a contravention of a required steps notice, the reason for the
service of that notice;
(d) the
dates on which the entity was registered and deregistered; and
(e) such
other matters as the Minister may prescribe by Order.
(6) The Commissioner must
retain for 10 years, in respect of each registered charity, a copy
of –
(a) the
constitution of the charity, and any amendments to it;
(b) the
annual returns of the charity;
(c) any
notice served on the charity under this Law; and
(d) any
other document prescribed by the Minister by Order.
9 Restricted
section
(1) For the purpose of
Article 10 the public elements of the restricted section are, in relation
to each charity registered in that section –
(a) the
registration number (but not the registered name) of the charity;
(b) the
matters registered under sub-paragraphs (a), (e), (f), (j) and (k) of
Article 8(3);
(c) a
summary, produced by the charity, to the satisfaction of the Commissioner, of
the reasons for registration of the charity in the restricted section; and
(d) any
other element that may be prescribed by the Minister by Order.
(2) An applicant for
registration, or a charity registered in the general section of the register,
may request entry in the restricted section of the register if –
(a) the
applicant meets the funding condition, prescribed by the Minister by Order for
this purpose, as to refraining from soliciting donations from the general
public or from any prescribed description of persons; or
(b) the applicant
meets any other condition that may be prescribed by the Minister by Order, whether
by reference to any other source of the entity’s funds or on any other
basis.
(3) The
Order –
(a) must
prescribe grounds, that may include the exercise of discretion by the
Commissioner, on which the Commissioner may accept or refuse such a request;
(b) must
specify, for the purpose of paragraph (2)(a) –
(i) what constitutes
soliciting,
(ii) what
constitutes a donation, and
(iii) if
the Order does not prescribe a description of persons, what constitutes the
general public for the purpose of the Order; and
(c) may
make provision under sub-paragraph (b) by reference to the exercise of
discretion by the Commissioner, or in any other manner.
(4) A request under
paragraph (2) must be –
(a) made
in the form published by the Commissioner; and
(b) supported
by information and evidence to the satisfaction of the Commissioner.
(5) A request under
paragraph (2) must be accompanied by a statement of the applicant’s
intention, in the event of refusal of the request, being –
(a) in
the case of an application for registration –
(i) that that
application should be treated as withdrawn, or
(ii) that
it should be treated as an application for entry in the general section of the
register, on provision of any further information and evidence required for
such an application; or
(b) in
the case of a charity registered in the general section of the
register –
(i) that the charity
should remain so registered, or
(ii) that
the charity should be treated as applying to be deregistered, on provision of
any further information and evidence required for such an application.
(6) The Commissioner must
not enter a charity in the restricted section of the register unless
satisfied –
(a) that
the request complied with paragraphs (4) and (5);
(b) that
one of the conditions prescribed under paragraph (2) is met; and
(c) that
there is no ground, prescribed under paragraph (3), on which the request
must be refused or, in the case of a discretionary ground, on which the
Commissioner considers the request should be refused.
(7) If the Commissioner
refuses a request, he or she –
(a) must
give written notice of the refusal to the applicant or charity; and
(b) may
proceed on the basis of the intention stated under paragraph (5).
10 Public
access
(1) The Commissioner must
make the public parts of the register available to the public on a website for
inspection without charge.
(2) The Minister may by
Order provide for the Commissioner to make the public parts of the register
available in any other specified manner, to the public or to such description
of persons as may be specified, on payment of –
(a) a
specified charge; or
(b) a
charge determined and published by the Commissioner.
(3) For the purpose of
paragraphs (1) and (2), the public parts of the register are, subject to
paragraph (5) –
(a) the
general section;
(b) the
public elements of the restricted section, within the meaning of Article 9(1);
and
(c) the
historic section.
(4) Paragraph (5)
applies if the Commissioner considers, in relation to a particular registered
charity, that the safety or security of any person, property or premises would
be significantly put at risk by public access to a matter entered on any
section of the register in respect of that charity.
(5) The Commissioner may
designate that matter as not being a public part of the register, in relation
to that registered charity.
11 Application
to register
(1) An entity (“the
applicant”), that wishes to have available to it the advantages of registration
as a charity under this Law, may apply to be registered.
(2) The applicant must
provide to the Commissioner, in such form as the Commissioner may publish in
relation to an entity of a description into which that charity
falls –
(a) information
and evidence, as at the time of the application and (if different) as proposed
once the entity is registered, as to –
(i) how the entity
meets the requirements of paragraphs (4)(c) and (d),
(ii) the
matters that are required to be registered under sub-paragraphs (a), (b)
and (d) of Article 8(3), and
(iii) if
applicable, the matters that are required to be registered under sub-paragraphs (h),
(i), (m) and (n) of Article 8(3);
(b) a
copy of the applicant’s constitution;
(c) a
draft of the proposed statement of the entity’s registered charitable
purposes;
(d) a
draft of the entity’s registered public benefit statement;
(e) details
of –
(i) the
applicant’s most recent, if any, financial accounts,
(ii) any
payment made to any governor of the entity in the 12 months preceding the
application, and if an Order under Article 13(9)(b) applies to the
registered charity, a draft of the proposed statement under that Order,
(iii) any
other financial information that would be required if the application were for
registration under the Non-Profit Organizations
(Jersey) Law 2008, and
(iv) if
the applicant is not requesting entry in the restricted section of the
register, any further financial information prescribed by the Minister by Order;
and
(f) such
other information, documents and evidence as may be –
(i) required by
Regulations under paragraph (3), or
(ii) otherwise
requested by the Commissioner in order to determine the application.
(3) The States may by
Regulations –
(a) prescribe
other information, documents or evidence that must be provided on an
application;
(b) make
further provision as to the procedure for making an application.
(4) If the applicant
complies with paragraph (2), with any Regulations under paragraph (3),
and with Article 19(5), the Commissioner must register the applicant as a
charity if satisfied that –
(a) the
applicant meets the charity test, or will do so on registration;
(b) the
constitution of the applicant is a written document;
(c) the
applicant –
(i) is a Jersey
entity, or
(ii) carries
out, or intends to carry out, in or from within Jersey, an activity that is, in
the opinion of the Commissioner, substantial;
(d) the
applicant has a principal address in Jersey, within the meaning of Article 8(4);
(e) the
name of the applicant is not undesirable under Article 12; and
(f) no
other ground for refusal, prescribed under paragraph (7), applies or
should be applied.
(5) If not so satisfied,
the Commissioner must refuse to register the applicant.
(6) For the purpose of
paragraph (4)(c)(ii) –
(a) the
Commissioner must publish and maintain guidance as to how he or she determines
whether an activity is substantial;
(b) Articles 5(6)
to (8) apply to that guidance as they apply to guidance under Article 5(4);
(c) the
Commissioner must have regard to that guidance, in determining whether an
activity is substantial; and
(d) a
registered charity, a governor of a registered charity, the tribunal and the
court must have regard to the guidance when performing any of their functions
under this Law to which the guidance is relevant.
(7) The States may by
Regulations prescribe further grounds on which an application must or may be
refused, and those grounds may, without limitation, include –
(a) that
the entity has only one governor, not being a person who, by way of acting as a
governor, carries on a prescribed description of regulated financial services
business or any other prescribed description of business; or
(b) that
a number or proportion of its governors are related to each other in prescribed
ways.
(8) The Minister may by
Order –
(a) make
provision as to –
(i) the period within
which the Commissioner must make a decision on an application,
(ii) the
notification to applicants of decisions and of reasons for refusal;
(b) after
consulting the Commissioner and any body appearing to the Minister to be
representative of interested entities, provide that any provision of paragraph (2) –
(i) does not apply to
a prescribed description of applicant appearing to the Minister to require
relief from the burden of that provision by virtue of the small size, or lack
of resources or expertise of applicants of that description, or
(ii) applies
to a prescribed description of applicant only subject to a modification
prescribed by the Order, being a modification that appears to the Minister to
give reasonable relief from the burden of that provision, having regard to the
small size, or lack of resources or expertise of applicants of that description.
(9) The Commissioner
must –
(a) on
registering an entity as a charity, issue to that charity a certificate of
registration, in the form published by the Commissioner, confirming the
registered name, the registration number and the date of registration of the
charity; and
(b) on
entering on the register a new or alternative registered name, under Article 12(5),
issue a further such certificate confirming the new or alternative registered
name and the date on which that name was entered on the register.
(10) An applicant for
registration, if it is an entity that is required to be registered under the Non-Profit Organizations
(Jersey) Law 2008 but is not so registered, must –
(a) provide
with the application any additional information that must be provided to the
JFSC in an application for registration under that Law; and
(b) request
to be registered under that Law (by virtue of paragraph (11)).
(11) If the Commissioner receives
information and a request under paragraph (10) –
(a) the
Commissioner must pass to the JFSC that request, with the information and
documents, held by the Commissioner, that must be provided to the JFSC in an
application for registration under the Non-Profit Organizations
(Jersey) Law 2008; and
(b) the
JFSC must treat that request, with the information and documents, as an
application for registration under that Law.
12 Name
of charity
(1) For the purpose of
Article 11(4)(e), the name of an entity is undesirable as the registered
name of a charity if, in the opinion of the Commissioner, the name –
(a) is
the same as, or too similar to, the name of any other registered charity;
(b) is
likely to mislead the public as to the purpose, activities or identity of the entity;
(c) gives
the impression that the entity is connected to any person to which it is not
connected, whether in Jersey or elsewhere; or
(d) is
offensive.
(2) If the Commissioner
registers the entity, the Commissioner must –
(a) enter
the name of the entity in the register (the “registered name”); and
(b) allocate
a number in respect of the registration, and enter that number (“the
registration number”) in the register.
(3) A registered charity
may apply to the Commissioner for permission to change its registered name or
to add an alternative registered name.
(4) The Commissioner must
refuse permission if, in his or her opinion, any of the grounds in
sub-paragraphs (a) to (d) of paragraph (1) applies in relation
to the proposed name.
(5) If the Commissioner
grants permission, and the registered charity notifies the Commissioner that it
has changed or added the name accordingly, the Commissioner must enter on the
register the new or alternative registered name.
(6) If a registered charity
reports a matter relating to its registered name under Article 13(6)(b),
the Commissioner may require the charity to apply to change its registered name
under paragraph (3).
(7) A registered charity
must not use any name other than –
(a) its
registered name or one of its registered names; or
(b) another
name that –
(i) is related to
such a name, and
(ii) is
not, in the opinion of the Commissioner, undesirable within the meaning of
paragraph (1), in the context in which it is used.
13 Effects
of registration
(1) Paragraphs (2) to
(4) apply while an entity is registered as a charity, and only cease to apply
if the entity is deregistered.
(2) Any provision of the
entity’s constitution or constitutional Law is of no effect to the extent
that it purports to permit an amendment of the purposes of the entity to
include a purpose that is not charitable.
(3) Any provision of the
entity’s constitution or constitutional Law that purports to permit an amendment
of the purposes of the entity to add or substitute a different charitable
purpose, is to be read as being subject to the entity –
(a) providing
evidence, to the satisfaction of the Commissioner, of a reason justifying the
proposed amendment; and
(b) obtaining
the Commissioner’s prior approval of the proposed amendment.
(4) The entity
must –
(a) provide
public benefit in accordance with its registered public benefit statement; and
(b) if it
requests the Commissioner’s approval of a proposed amendment to that
statement, provide evidence, to the satisfaction of the Commissioner, of a
reason justifying that request.
(5) A registered charity
must, while it is entered in the restricted section of the register,
ensure –
(a) that it
meets the condition, prescribed under Article 9(2), as to which the
Commissioner was satisfied under Article 9(6)(b); or
(b) if,
before it ceased to meet that condition, the Commissioner gave prior permission
for it to remain entered in the restricted section on the basis of a different
condition prescribed under that Article, that it meets that condition as
specified in that permission.
(6) A registered charity
must promptly report to the Commissioner –
(a) a
change in a matter about which information is entered on the register (whether
in the general or restricted section) in relation to that charity;
(b) any
other matter, coming to light after registration or after permission for a
change of name, that could, if known before the registration or permission,
have led to the Commissioner refusing to register the charity, refusing to
accept the name of the charity, or entering it in a different section;
(c) a
proposal to change the charity’s constitution;
(d) a
proposal that could result, or an event that has resulted in the charity
ceasing to meet the requirements of Article 11(4)(c) or (d);
(e) a
reportable matter, in relation to a governor of the charity, if the charity is
aware that the governor has not promptly reported it to the Commissioner under
Article 19(2);
(f) a
matter likely to lead to the charity becoming bankrupt, being wound up or
otherwise ceasing to exist;
(g) if
the charity is entered in the restricted section, a proposal to change how or
whether the charity meets a condition prescribed under Article 9(2); and
(h) any
other matter prescribed by the Minister by Order for this purpose.
(7) A registered charity
must send an annual return to the Commissioner, containing information as to
any matter falling within paragraph (6) arising during the year to which
the return relates, and as to any other matter prescribed by the Minister by
Order for this purpose.
(8) An Order under
paragraph (7) may also make provision as to the format and timing of the
annual return, the consequences of lateness, and the content of any entries to
be made on the register in respect of the annual return.
(9) The Minister may by
Order –
(a) require
a registered charity to include in its annual return details of a prescribed
description of any payment made, during the year to which the return relates,
by or on behalf of the registered charity to a governor, or to a person having
a prescribed connection with a governor;
(b) require
a registered charity to provide to the Commissioner a statement of its current
intentions as to making any payments of such a prescribed description in
future;
(c) provide
for the entry on the register by the Commissioner of the details included under
sub-paragraph (a) in the charity’s latest annual return, and of the
statement provided under sub-paragraph (b).
(10) The Minister may by Order, after
consulting the Commissioner and any body appearing to the Minister to be
representative of interested registered charities, provide that any provision
of paragraph (6) or (7), or of any Order under paragraph (7), (8) or
(9) –
(a) does
not apply to a prescribed description of charity appearing to the Minister to
require relief from the burden of that provision by virtue of the small size,
or lack of resources or expertise of charities of that description; or
(b) applies
to a prescribed description of charity only subject to a modification
prescribed by the Order, being a modification that appears to the Minister to
give reasonable relief from the burden of that provision, having regard to the
small size, or lack of resources or expertise of charities of that description.
(11) A registered
charity –
(a) must
not make any payment that is inconsistent with a statement provided under
paragraph (9)(b);
(b) may
apply to the Commissioner, with reasons, for permission to amend that
statement.
(12) If the States make
Regulations under Article 11(7), those Regulations may also make provision
requiring a registered charity or its governors (or both) to avoid, or report
and remedy, a situation arising at a time after registration, being a situation
in which, if the charity were at that time applying for registration, there
would be grounds under those Regulations to refuse that application.
(13) If a court-approved
fidéicommis or an incorporated 1862 association becomes registered
as a charity under this Law, paragraphs (2) and (3) do not apply to
that registered charity to the extent that they are inconsistent with any order
made, whether before or after registration under this Law, by the court under
the Loi of 1862.
14 Powers
of court over registered charity
(1) The court may exercise
any of the powers set out in paragraph (2) in relation to a registered
charity if, on an application by the Commissioner or the Attorney General, it
appears to the court –
(a) that
there is or has been misconduct in the administration of the charity; or
(b) that
it is necessary or desirable to exercise the power for the purpose of
protecting the property of the charity or securing a proper application of that
property in accordance with the charity's registered charitable purposes and
registered public benefit statement.
(2) The court may make any
order that the court sees fit to remedy the misconduct, protect the property
and secure its proper application.
(3) Without prejudice to
the generality of paragraph (2), the orders that the court may make
include an order –
(a) prohibiting
(whether for a specified or indefinite period) the charity or a governor
from –
(i) referring to or
holding out the entity as a charity or Jersey charity, or as being charitable,
having charitable purposes or providing public benefit,
(ii) soliciting
donations from the public, as specified in the order, or
(iii) taking
any other action specified in the order;
(b) appointing
a person (whether a specified or indefinite period) to manage the affairs of
the charity in place of its governors;
(c) appointing
a person to be a governor of the charity;
(d) suspending
or removing a governor of the charity, or any other person concerned in the
management or control of the charity;
(e) requiring
a person (including without prejudice a person carrying on regulated financial
services business) who holds property on behalf of the charity, or on behalf of
a governor of the charity, not to part with the property without the court’s
consent;
(f) restricting
the transactions that may be entered into, or the nature or amount of the
payments that may be made, in the administration of the charity without the
court’s consent;
(g) making
the administration of the charity subject to such supervision, restraint or
conditions, from such time, and for such periods, as the court may specify;
(h) requiring
a governor who appears to the court to have engaged in any misconduct, or any
other person who appears to be responsible for any misconduct, to take such
steps as the court may direct to remedy the effects of the misconduct;
(i) making
such ancillary provision as the court thinks desirable.
(4) The court may, on the
application of the Commissioner, the Attorney General, the registered charity
or any person to whom the order was directed, amend or revoke any order made
under this Article.
(5) The powers of the court
under this Article apply –
(a) in
addition to and not in derogation from any powers of the court under any other
enactment or under customary law; and
(b) despite
anything in the constitution of the charity.
(6) The powers of the court
under this Article are without prejudice to any power of the Commissioner to
take any action under this Law in respect of any misconduct.
15 Deregistration
on application by entity
(1) An entity that is a
registered charity may apply to the Commissioner to terminate the registration
of the entity as a charity (to “deregister” the entity).
(2) An entity applying for
deregistration must provide the Commissioner with any information or document
requested by the Commissioner in relation to the entity’s proposals for
the continuation or winding up of the entity and for the application of any of
its property remaining after deregistration.
(3) If the entity complies
with paragraph (2) the Commissioner must –
(a) deregister
the entity; or
(b) refuse
to deregister the entity on grounds relating to the proposals mentioned in
paragraph (2).
16 Deregistration
in other cases
(1) The Commissioner may,
by written notice to an entity that is registered as a charity, deregister the
entity if satisfied, after giving the entity written notice specifying reasons
and inviting objections within a reasonable time specified in the notice, that
it is proportionate to do so on the ground that –
(a) the entity
no longer meets the charity test;
(b) the
Commissioner was misled into registering the entity, whether by the entity or
by any other person and whether intentionally or otherwise;
(c) the
entity has failed to comply with a required steps notice; or
(d) any
other circumstance prescribed by the Minister by Order applies.
(2) If the Commissioner is
satisfied that an entity that is registered as a charity no longer exists, the
Commissioner must, by written notice to any person purporting to be a governor
of the entity or to be responsible for the winding up of the affairs of the
entity, deregister the entity.
17 Effects
of deregistration
(1) After deregistering an
entity, the Commissioner –
(a) must
retain the information registered in respect of that entity for 10 years;
and
(b) must
not assign the registered number of that entity to any other registered
charity.
(2) Paragraph (3)
applies if the Commissioner –
(a) deregisters
a charity under Article 16;
(b) is
satisfied that the grounds for deregistration have existed since a past date;
(c) specifies
that date in the notice under Article 16(1) or (2); and
(d) determines
that the deregistration should take effect retrospectively.
(3) The termination takes
effect from the past date specified under paragraph (2)(c) for all
purposes, including the purposes of any enactment relating to taxation, but
subject to paragraph (4).
(4) An act, that occurred
before the date of the giving of the notice under Article 16(1) or (2)
is not rendered an offence merely by virtue of the operation of paragraph (3).
(5) Paragraphs (6) to
(11) apply, after a charity is deregistered, if and so long as there remains
any property of the charity that was acquired before it was deregistered (the
“remaining property”).
(6) The entity must
continue to apply the remaining property for the purposes that were its
registered charitable purposes immediately before deregistration (the
“preserved charitable purposes”), and in accordance with the
registered public benefit statement that was in effect immediately before
deregistration (the “preserved public benefit statement”).
(7) Despite any provision
of the entity’s constitution, or of the constitutional Law of the entity,
the entity has no power to amend the preserved charitable purposes or preserved
public benefit statement.
(8) The entity may apply to
the court for an order amending the preserved charitable purposes or preserved
public benefit statement, and the court may make such amending order, and any
ancillary order, as it considers expedient to ensure that the remaining
property continues to be applied for purposes that are, in the opinion of the
court, charitable purposes and in a manner that, in the opinion of the court,
provides public benefit.
(9) The court may exercise
any of the powers set out in Article 14 in relation to the deregistered
entity, as if it were still registered, if, on an application by the Attorney
General or a governor of the entity, it appears to the court –
(a) that
there is or has been any conduct in the administration of the entity in
relation to the remaining property, that would have been misconduct if the
entity had not been deregistered; or
(b) that
it is necessary or desirable to exercise the power for the purpose of protecting
the remaining property or securing a proper application of the remaining
property for the preserved charitable purposes of the entity and in accordance
with the preserved public benefit statement.
(10) A governor may not apply
under paragraph (9) unless the governor has first given notice to the
Attorney General of the governor’s intention to do so and of the reasons
for that intention.
(11) The Attorney General may at
any time, by giving notice to the governor and the court, take over an
application made by a governor under paragraph (9), and may then withdraw
or proceed with the application as the Attorney General sees fit.
Part 5
Governors of registered charities
18 General
duties of governors of registered charities
(1) A governor of a
registered charity must seek, in good faith, to ensure that the
charity –
(a) acts
in a manner that is consistent with its registered charitable purposes and with
its registered public benefit statement; and
(b) complies
with any direction, requirement, notice or duty imposed on it by or under this
Law.
(2) A governor of a
registered charity, that is an unincorporated body or association of persons
falling within Article 2(1)(i), must in the execution of his or her duties
and in the exercise of his or her powers and discretions –
(a) act –
(i) with due
diligence,
(ii) as
would a prudent person,
(iii) to
the best of the governor’s ability and skill; and
(b) observe
the utmost good faith.
(3) The duties imposed by
this Article apply despite any contrary provision in the constitution or the
constitutional Law of the charity, except to any extent that such provision
imposes a more onerous duty.
(4) For the purposes of
this Law a governor engages in misconduct if –
(a) the
governor contravenes a provision, or commits an offence, mentioned in Article 2(10);
(b) the
governor concurs in misconduct by the charity;
(c) the
governor assists or encourages another governor to engage in misconduct; or
(d) the
governor –
(i) becomes aware or
ought to have become aware of any misconduct in relation to the charity, or of
the intention of another governor to engage in misconduct, and
(ii) the
governor actively conceals that misconduct or that intention, or fails within a
reasonable time to take proper steps to protect or restore the property of the
charity or to prevent the misconduct.
19 Reportable
matters and acting as a governor
(1) A reportable matter in
relation to a person is the fact that the person –
(a) has
engaged in misconduct as a governor of a registered charity, being misconduct
that led to the service of a required steps notice on that governor or on that
charity or on another governor of that charity;
(b) is
the subject of a disqualification order, or of any other restriction on his or
her acting as a governor, imposed under this Law;
(c) has
been disqualified from or for being a charity trustee or trustee for a charity
under the law of any part of the United Kingdom, or from holding any equivalent
position under the law of any other jurisdiction;
(d) has
been disqualified from being a company director, or has been made subject to
any equivalent disqualification under the law of any jurisdiction other than
Jersey;
(e) is
bankrupt or otherwise insolvent, whether under the law or Jersey or elsewhere;
(f) has
a conviction (whether or not spent) for an offence under this Law;
(g) has
an unspent conviction for an offence falling within Article 2(10)(b); or
(h) falls
within any other description that may be prescribed by the Minister by Order.
(2) A governor of an entity
applying for registration, or of a registered charity, must report any
reportable matter promptly to that entity or charity and to the Commissioner.
(3) A governor of an entity
applying for registration must, if there is no reportable matter in relation to
that governor, provide to the entity a declaration to that effect before the
application is made.
(4) A governor of a
registered charity must, if there is no reportable matter in relation to that
governor, provide to the charity a declaration to that effect when notified by
the charity that it is preparing its annual return.
(5) The entity must state
in its application, and the registered charity must state in its annual return,
that it has declarations from all of its governors who have not made a report
under paragraph (2).
(6) An application for
registration is not complete if the entity has not complied with paragraph (5).
(7) A registered charity
that contravenes paragraph (5) must explain to the Commissioner the reason
for the contravention.
(8) A person must not act
as a governor of a registered charity at any time when the person is in breach
of paragraph (2) or (4).
(9) If a governor reports a
reportable matter to the Commissioner, the Commissioner –
(a) must
make inquiries to determine whether the governor is a fit and proper person to
be a governor;
(b) may
apply to the court to determine that issue under Article 20;
(c) must
not, in the case of an application for registration, grant that application
until the issue has been determined and any resulting order or notice complied
with;
(d) may,
in the case of a registered charity, by written notice to the charity, permit,
either unconditionally or subject to any condition appearing to the
Commissioner to be necessary, the governor to act as a governor until that issue
is determined or the notice is withdrawn;
(e) must,
if the issue is not to be determined by the court under sub-paragraph (b),
on determining the issue –
(i) notify the entity
that the application will be refused unless the governor is removed, or in the
case of a registered charity serve a required steps notice requiring the
charity to suspend or remove the governor, or
(ii) by
notice in writing, entered in the register, give permission for the governor to
act as a governor, either unconditionally or subject to any condition or time
limit that appears to the Commissioner to be necessary.
(10) A person must not act as a
governor of a registered charity at any time after reporting a reportable
matter, unless the governor –
(a) is
permitted to do so by the Commissioner under paragraph (9)(d)
or (e)(ii), or by the court under Article 20; and
(b) does
so in either case in accordance with any condition on that permission.
(11) A person who without
reasonable excuse contravenes paragraph (10) commits an offence and is
liable to imprisonment for one year and to a fine.
(12) Paragraphs (10)
and (11) are not to be construed as requiring an act to be treated as void
or invalid merely by virtue of the act constituting a contravention of
paragraph (10).
(13) If at any time the
Commissioner suspects that a governor of a registered charity may have breached
paragraph (2), the Commissioner may, without prejudice to any other of his
or her powers, apply to the court to determine whether the governor is a fit
and proper person to be a governor.
20 Court
orders as to fitness of governor
(1) On an application under
Article 19(9)(b) or (13), the court may make any order that the court
sees fit, including without limitation –
(a) an
order dismissing the application;
(b) an order
giving permission for the governor to act as a governor despite a reportable
matter;
(c) an
order that the entity must not be registered as a charity;
(d) an
order requiring a registered charity to suspend or remove the governor;
(e) an
order making any provision that could be made by a required steps notice;
(f) any
order ancillary to any such order.
(2) An order under
paragraph (1) may, without limitation –
(a) apply
to a governor in respect of a particular registered charity, a description of
registered charities or all registered charities;
(b) be
made subject to any condition or time limit that appears to the court to be
necessary or equitable.
(3) If it appears to the
Commissioner or the Attorney General that it is or may be expedient in the public
interest that a person should not, without the leave of the court, be a
governor of or in any way whether directly or indirectly be concerned or take
part in the management of a registered charity, the Commissioner or the
Attorney General may apply to the court for an order to that effect against the
person (a “disqualification order”).
(4) The court may, on such
an application or on an application under Article 19(9)(b) or (13),
make a disqualification order if it is satisfied that the person is unfit to be
concerned in the management of a registered charity, by virtue of –
(a) the
person’s conduct in relation to a registered charity, or to an entity
applying for registration; or
(b) the
seriousness of a reportable matter in relation to the person.
(5) A disqualification
order is to be for such period, not exceeding 15 years, as the court
directs.
(6) A person who
contravenes a disqualification order commits an offence and is liable to
imprisonment for 2 years and to a fine.
Part 6
Use of expressions “Charity”,
“charitable” and related terms
21 Prohibition
of unauthorized use of expression “charity” and related terms
(1) An entity that is not a
registered charity –
(a) must
not refer to itself as being registered by the Commissioner; and
(b) must
not cause or permit another person to refer to the entity as being registered
by the Commissioner.
(2) A person must not refer
to an entity, that is not a registered charity, as being registered by the
Commissioner, if the person –
(a) knows,
suspects or has reasonable grounds to suspect that the entity is not a
registered charity; and
(b) intends,
by so referring to the entity, to cause another person –
(i) to be misled as
to the nature of the entity, or
(ii) to
give to the entity any property or financial or other advantage.
(3) A Jersey entity that is
not a registered charity –
(a) must
not refer to itself as a “charity”; and
(b) must
not cause or permit another person to refer to the entity as a
“charity”.
(4) A person must not refer
to a Jersey entity, that is not a registered charity, as a
“charity”, if the person –
(a) knows,
suspects or has reasonable grounds to suspect that the entity –
(i) is a Jersey
entity, and
(ii) is
not a registered charity; and
(b) intends,
by so referring to the entity, to cause another person –
(i) to be misled as
to the nature of the entity, or
(ii) to
give any property or financial advantage to the entity.
(5) An entity that is not a
registered charity and is neither a Jersey entity nor an excepted foreign
charity (within the meaning of Article 22) –
(a) must
not refer to itself as a “charity” in connection with any of its
activities in Jersey; and
(b) must
not cause or permit another person to refer to the entity as a
“charity” in connection with any of its activities in Jersey.
(6) A person must not refer
to an entity, that is not a registered charity and is neither a Jersey entity
nor an excepted foreign charity (within the meaning of Article 22), as a
“charity” in connection with any of its activities in Jersey, if the
person –
(a) knows,
suspects or has reasonable grounds to suspect that the entity –
(i) is neither a
Jersey entity nor an excepted foreign charity, and
(ii) is
not a registered charity; and
(b) intends,
by so referring to the entity, to cause another person –
(i) to be misled as
to the nature of the entity, or
(ii) to
give any property or financial advantage to the entity.
(7) Paragraphs (2),
(4) and (6) apply whether or not the person making the reference is also
the entity, and is referring to itself.
(8) The States may by
Regulations prescribe exceptions to the prohibitions in paragraphs (1)
to (6).
(9) An entity or other
person, that contravenes paragraph (2), (4) or (6), commits an
offence and is liable to imprisonment for a term of 2 years and to a fine.
(10) An entity, that contravenes
paragraph (1), (3) or (5), commits an offence and is liable to a fine
of level 3 on the standard scale.
22 Excepted
foreign charities
(1) For the purpose of
Article 21, an entity is an excepted foreign charity if it meets both the
condition in paragraph (2) and the condition in paragraph (3).
(2) The first condition is
that the entity is –
(a) established
under the law –
(i) of the United
Kingdom, or of any jurisdiction that is part of the United Kingdom, or
(ii) of
a jurisdiction (not being Jersey, the United Kingdom or a part of the United
Kingdom) that is prescribed for this purpose by the Minister by Order; and
(b) entitled,
under the law of that jurisdiction, to refer to itself in that jurisdiction as
a “charity” (or by any equivalent term in a language other than
English that is used in that jurisdiction).
(3) The second condition is
that the entity –
(a) is
managed wholly or mainly from the jurisdiction under the law of which it is
established; and
(b) is
not a registered charity.
(4) The Minister may by
Order prescribe that a specified entity is not required to meet the first
condition, despite sub-paragraphs (a) and (b) of paragraph (2).
(5) The States may by
Regulations amend paragraph (1), (2) or (3) to make different
provision as to the conditions that are to be met.
23 Prohibition
of unauthorized use of expression “Jersey charity”
(1) Unless an entity meets
all of the conditions in paragraph (3), that entity –
(a) must
not refer to itself as a “Jersey charity”; and
(b) must
not cause or permit another person to refer to the entity as a “Jersey
charity”.
(2) Unless an entity meets
all of the conditions in paragraph (3), a person must not refer to that
entity as a “Jersey charity”, if the person –
(a) knows,
suspects or has reasonable grounds to suspect that the entity does not meet all
of those conditions; and
(b) intends,
by so referring to the entity, to cause another person –
(i) to be misled as
to the nature of the entity, or
(ii) to
give any property or financial advantage to the entity.
(3) The conditions are that
the entity –
(a) is a
registered charity;
(b) is a
Jersey entity; and
(c) is
wholly or mainly managed or controlled in or from within Jersey.
(4) Paragraphs (1)
and (2) are subject to any exception prescribed by the States by
Regulations.
(5) Paragraph (2)
applies whether or not the person making the reference is also the entity, and
is referring to itself.
(6) An entity that
contravenes paragraph (1) commits an offence and is liable to a fine of level 3
on the standard scale.
(7) An entity or other
person, that contravenes paragraph (2), commits an offence and is liable
to imprisonment for a term of 2 years and to a fine.
24 Power
to restrict use of term “charitable” in soliciting funds
(1) The States may by
Regulations make provision restricting the use, other than by a registered
charity, of any relevant term in relation to the soliciting of donations from
the general public or from any prescribed description of persons.
(2) The relevant terms are
“charitable”, “public benefit” and any related term
(other than “charity”) specified as such in the Regulations.
(3) Without prejudice to
the generality of paragraph (1) any Regulations under that
paragraph –
(a) may
make the provision by adapting any provisions of Articles 21 to 23;
(b) may
impose the restriction by any means, including by requiring permission to be
sought from the Commissioner, who may be given discretion as to whether to
grant that permission; and
(c) may
provide for the Commissioner to issue guidance as to the operation of the
Regulations.
(4) The Regulations may
make it an offence to contravene a restriction imposed by the Regulations,
being an offence carrying a penalty no greater than a fine.
25 Power
to require registered charities to identify themselves as such
(1) The Minister may by
Order prescribe statements that must be made (including the manner in which
they must be made) by a registered charity in relation to its registration in
prescribed descriptions of document or publicity.
(2) Without prejudice to
the generality of paragraph (1), the provision that may be made
includes –
(a) provision
requiring the charity to state any or all of the following –
(i) that it is a
charity,
(ii) its
charity registration number,
(iii) that
it is registered with the Commissioner,
(iv) how
documents relating to its registration may be inspected,
(v) the nature of its
purposes,
(vi) the
identity or contact details of one or more of its charity governors;
(b) provision
as to the legibility of the statement, and the language or languages in which
the statement must or may be made;
(c) provision
as to whether the requirement only applies to documents or publicity issued or
signed on behalf of the charity, or to other descriptions of document or
publicity;
(d) provision
as to whether and how the requirement applies to web pages and websites, and
the responsibility of the charity for those pages or sites.
Part 7
Information and enforcement
26 Power
to demand information
(1) The Commissioner may, by
notice in writing served on a person falling within paragraph (2), require
that person –
(a) to
provide to the Commissioner, at such time and place as may be specified in the
notice, any information or document of a specified description that the Commissioner
reasonably requires for the purpose of determining whether to serve a required
steps notice; or
(b) to
attend at such place and time as may be specified in the notice and answer
questions that the Commissioner reasonably requires the person to answer for
that purpose.
(2) The persons falling
within this paragraph are –
(a) a
registered charity or an entity that was formerly a registered charity; and
(b) a
governor or former governor of a registered charity or of an entity that was
formerly a registered charity.
(3) If a person from whom
provision of a document is required under paragraph (1) claims a lien on
any such document, the provision is without prejudice to the lien.
(4) If the Commissioner
exercises a power under paragraph (1) to require a document to be
provided, the Commissioner may –
(a) if
the document is provided, retain or take copies of it or extracts from it and
require the person providing it, or any person who appears to be in possession
of relevant information and to be a governor or employee of the registered
charity, to provide an explanation of the document; and
(b) if
the document is not provided, require the person to whom the requirement was
directed to state, to the best of the person’s knowledge and belief,
where the document is.
(5) A document, copy or
extract retained or taken under paragraph (4)(a) may be retained for
whichever is the longer of –
(a) a
period of one year; and
(b) if
within that period proceedings to which the document is relevant are commenced
against any person, until the conclusion of those proceedings.
(6) A person who requires a
document retained under paragraph (4)(a) for the purpose of the
person’s business, and who requests that document, must be supplied with
a copy as soon as practicable.
(7) A person who without
reasonable excuse contravenes a requirement imposed on the person under
paragraph (1) or (4), commits an offence and is liable to
imprisonment for a term of 3 months and to a fine of level 3 on the
standard scale.
(8) Nothing in this Article
is to be construed as requiring the disclosure or production by a person to the
Commissioner of information or documents that the person would in an action in
court be entitled to refuse to disclose or produce on the grounds of legal
professional privilege.
(9) A statement made by a
person in compliance with a requirement imposed under this Article may not be
used by the prosecution in evidence against the person in any criminal
proceedings except proceedings under paragraph (7) or (10).
(10) A person commits an offence,
and is liable to imprisonment for a term of 2 years and to a fine, if the
person provides information to the Commissioner, knowing that it is false in a
material particular and intending it to be used by the Commissioner for the
purpose of an application for registration or for the purpose of determining
whether to serve a required steps notice.
(11) For the purpose of paragraph (10)
it is irrelevant whether the information –
(a) is
contained in a document or not; or
(b) is
provided under this Article or not.
27 Required
steps notices
(1) Paragraph (2)
applies if the Commissioner believes that –
(a) there
has been misconduct by a registered charity;
(b) a
registered charity does not pass the charity test;
(c) a
governor of a registered charity has engaged in misconduct;
(d) a
governor of a registered charity is, by reason of a reportable matter, unfit to
be a governor of a registered charity; or
(e) a
registered charity has ceased to meet the requirements of Article 11(4)(c)
or (d).
(2) The Commissioner may
serve written notice on any one or more of the relevant persons, within the
meaning of paragraph (3), requiring steps specified in the notice to be
taken by that person in a time specified in the notice, being steps that in
Commissioner’s opinion are appropriate to remedy the matter prompting
service of the notice.
(3) The relevant persons
for the purpose of paragraph (2) are –
(a) the
registered charity; and
(b) the
governors of the registered charity.
(4) If the notice is served
by virtue of paragraph (1)(c) or (d), the steps required may include
(subject to Article 28) the suspension, removal or replacement of the
governor referred to in that paragraph.
(5) The Minister may by
Order make further provision as to the procedure for, and restrictions on,
serving a notice under this Article.
28 Required
steps notices restricted in relation to governors of organized religious
charities
(1) The Minister may by
Order provide for registered charities to be categorized as organized religious
charities for the purpose of paragraph (3), being registered charities
that appear to the Minister –
(a) to
meet the charity test by virtue of Article 6(1)(c), whether solely or in
combination with any other charitable purpose; and
(b) to be
organized in such a way that the supervision and discipline of the governors of
the registered charity, in relation to the activities of the registered charity
in Jersey (whether or not also in relation to activities elsewhere), is
adequate to justify the application of paragraph (3).
(2) The provision that may
be made under paragraph (1) includes, without limitation –
(a) provision
granting discretion to the Commissioner to grant or withdraw status as an organized
religious charity;
(b) provision
that distinguishes between charities on the basis of the status of the charity as –
(i) a designated
religious charity within the meaning of the Charities and Trustee Investment
(Scotland) Act 2005 of the Scottish Parliament,
(ii) an
institution falling within section 10(2) of the Charities Act 2011 of the
parliament of the United Kingdom, or
(iii) an
entity in Jersey that is similar to such a designated religious charity or to
such an institution.
(3) A required steps notice
served on an organized religious charity, or on a governor of such a charity,
is invalid to the extent that it purports to impose a requirement to suspend,
remove or replace a governor of that charity.
29 Restricted
information
(1) Subject to paragraph (2)
and to Articles 30 and 31, a person who receives information relating
to the business or other affairs of any person –
(a) under
or for the purposes of this Law; or
(b) directly
or indirectly from a person who has so received it,
commits an offence and is liable to imprisonment for a term of
2 years and a fine if he or she discloses the information without the
consent of the person to whom it relates and (where sub-paragraph (b)
applies) the person from whom it was received.
(2) This Article does not
apply to information –
(a) that
is registered in the public parts of the register, within the meaning of
Article 10(3) to (5);
(b) that
at the time of the disclosure is or has already been made available to the
public from other sources; or
(c) in
the form of a summary or collection of information so framed as not to enable
information relating to any particular person to be ascertained from it.
30 Required
disclosure of information
(1) The Commissioner must
disclose information to the Comptroller, if required by the Comptroller for the
purpose of enabling the Comptroller to discharge any of his or her functions in
relation to the taxation of registered charities or other entities with any
charitable purposes.
(2) The
Commissioner must disclose information to the JFSC, if required by the JFSC for
the purpose of enabling the JFSC to discharge any of its functions under the Non-Profit Organizations (Jersey) Law 2008.
31 Permitted
disclosure of information
Article 29 does not preclude the disclosure of information –
(a) by or on behalf of the
Commissioner, for purpose of enabling the Commissioner to discharge any of his
or her functions;
(b) to the Comptroller for
purpose of enabling the Comptroller to discharge any of his or her functions;
(c) to the JFSC for purpose
of enabling the JFSC to discharge any of its functions;
(d) to the Attorney
General, the Bailiff or the court for the purpose of enabling them to discharge
any of their functions in relation to charities, whether under this Law, a
constitutional Law, the customary law, or any other law;
(e) to any person for the
purpose of the investigation or prosecution of any offence under any enactment
or under the customary law of Jersey, or for the purpose of taking or deciding
whether to take any proceedings under this Law;
(f) in any other
circumstances prescribed by the States by Regulations.
Part 8
Appeals to Charity tribunal
32 Establishment
of Charity Tribunal
(1) There is established a
tribunal to be known as the Charity Tribunal.
(2) The
function of the tribunal is to hear and determine appeals under this Part.
(3) Schedule 2
makes further provision in respect of the tribunal.
33 Persons
who may appeal and decisions that may be appealed
(1) An applicant for
registration may appeal against a decision of the Commissioner –
(a) to
refuse to register the applicant; or
(b) to
refuse to register the applicant in the restricted section of the register.
(2) A registered charity
may appeal against a decision of the Commissioner –
(a) to
deregister the charity;
(b) to
refuse permission, under Article 12(4), for the charity to change its
registered name or add an alternative registered name;
(c) to
require the charity, under Article 12(6), to apply to change its
registered name;
(d) to
refuse approval, under Article 13(3), of a proposed amendment of the
charity’s purposes to add or substitute a different charitable purpose;
or
(e) to
refuse to approve an amendment, proposed under Article 13(4)(b), to the
charity’s registered public benefit statement.
(3) A person on whom the
Commissioner serves a notice under Article 26 or a required steps notice may
appeal against the decision of the Commissioner to impose a requirement
contained in the notice.
(4) The Attorney General
may appeal against any decision of the Commissioner.
(5) A person, other than an
applicant for registration, a registered charity, or the Attorney General, may
appeal against a decision of the Commissioner to register an applicant, on the
ground that, at both the time of the application and the time of the
appeal –
(a) the
applicant did not meet the charity test; or
(b) if
the appellant has an interest in the registered name of the applicant, that
name was undesirable under Article 12(1).
34 Grounds
of appeal and powers of tribunal in determining appeals
(1) An appeal may be made
to the tribunal on the ground that the decision of the Commissioner was wrong
or unreasonable on its merits, the facts or the law.
(2) The tribunal
may –
(a) make
such interim order on an appeal as it thinks fit;
(b) consider
evidence that was put to the Commissioner or accept other evidence.
(3) On determining an
appeal the tribunal may –
(a) remit
the decision to the Commissioner, substitute the tribunal’s decision for
that of the Commissioner, or dismiss the appeal;
(b) award
costs if satisfied that the appeal was vexatious or otherwise grossly
unreasonable;
(c) make
any recommendation to the Commissioner, as to the performance of his or her
functions in connection with the subject matter of the appeal, that appears to
the tribunal to be called for in the circumstances of the case.
35 Appeal
and reference to court
(1) A party to an appeal to
the tribunal, or the Attorney General, may appeal from the decision of the tribunal
to the court on the ground that the decision was unreasonable having regard to
all the circumstances of the case.
(2) The court, on
determining the appeal, may remit the decision to the tribunal or to the
Commissioner, substitute the court’s decision for that of the tribunal or
that of the Commissioner, or dismiss the appeal.
(3) The tribunal may refer
any point of law to the court for the court to give a ruling on the point.
(4) The court may make such
interim order on an appeal or reference as it thinks fit.
36 Further
provision as to appeals to tribunal or court
(1) Nothing in this Part is
to be read as limiting the Commissioner’s power to reconsider his or her
own decisions or the decisions of his or her staff, whether at the request of
any person or on the Commissioner’s own motion.
(2) The Minister may by
Order –
(a) prescribe
time limits within which appeals to the tribunal or court are to be brought;
and
(b) make
such provision as to the giving of notice of decisions by the Commissioner or
the tribunal, or of notice of reasons for such decisions, as appears to the
Minister to be expedient for the purpose of enabling appeals to be brought
within any time limits.
(3) If the court or
tribunal substitutes its decision for any other decision, it may order that the
substituted decision is to take effect for all purposes from any date appearing
to the court or tribunal to be appropriate, whether that date is before, on or
after the date of the original decision or of the court’s or
tribunal’s own decision.
(4) If the court or
tribunal makes an order under paragraph (3) that a substituted decision is
to take effect from a date before the date of the order, an act, that occurred
before the date of the order, is not rendered an offence merely by virtue of
the operation of the order.
Part 9
Miscellaneous and Final Provisions
37 Offences
by corporate and other bodies
(1) If an offence under
this Law, committed by a limited liability partnership, a separate limited
partnership or a body corporate is proved to have been committed with the
consent or connivance of –
(a) a
person who is a partner of the partnership, or director, governor, secretary or
other similar officer of the body corporate; or
(b) any
person purporting to act in any such capacity,
the person is also guilty of the offence and liable in the same
manner as the partnership or body corporate to the penalty provided for that
offence.
(2) Where the affairs of a body
corporate are managed by its members, paragraph (1) applies in relation to
acts and defaults of a member in connection with the member’s functions
of management as if the member were a director of the body corporate.
38 Service
of notices
The Minister may by Order make further provision as to the service
of any notice under this Law.
39 Regulations
and Orders
(1) An Order or Regulations
under this Law may contain such transitional, consequential, incidental,
supplementary or savings provisions, other than an amendment of this Law, as
appear to the Minister or the States (as the case may be) to be necessary or
expedient for the purposes of the Order or Regulations.
(2) A power under this Law
to amend, by Regulations, any provision of this Law includes the power to make
such transitional, consequential, incidental or supplementary amendments to any
other provision of this Law as appears to the States to be necessary or
expedient.
40 Savings
and transitional provisions
(1) Nothing in this Law is
to be read as derogating from any power or function of the Attorney General,
the Bailiff, or the court, being a power or function that exists independently
of this Law (under customary law or otherwise), in respect of charities or of
acts for charitable purposes (whether as defined in this Law or otherwise).
(2) The States may by
Regulations make such other saving provision as appears to the States to be
necessary or expedient for the purposes of this Law.
(3) The States may by
Regulations make such transitional provision as appears to the States to be
necessary or expedient for the purposes of the bringing into force of this Law.
41 Amendments
of Laws relating to sharing of information
(1) For the purpose of
paragraph (2) a relevant enactment is –
(a) the Proceeds of Crime
(Supervisory Bodies) (Jersey) Law 2008;
(b) any
other enactment under which the JFSC has functions;
(c) any
enactment relating to taxation.
(2) The States may by
Regulations amend any relevant enactment, to make such provision as the States
consider necessary or expedient to enable any supervisory body, the JFSC and
the Comptroller to disclose information to the Commissioner for the purposes of
this Law.
42 Consequential
amendments of other enactments
The States may by Regulations –
(a) amend the Trusts (Jersey) Law 1984 and the Foundations (Jersey)
Law 2009, to make provision for the application under those Laws of the
charity test under this Law (by reference the test itself, or to whether a
trust or foundation is registered under this Law, or otherwise), or of the
definition of charitable purposes under this Law, and for related purposes;
(b) amend any other
enactment (not including this Law) to make such consequential provision as the
States consider necessary or expedient, in relation to a reference (direct or
indirect) in that other enactment to charities or charitable purposes or
related terms.
43 Citation
This Law may be cited as the Charities (Jersey) Law 2014.