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
Adopted by the
States 18th July 2014
Sanctioned by
Order of Her Majesty in Council 5th November 2014
Registered by the
Royal Court 14th November 2014
THE STATES, subject to the sanction of Her Most Excellent Majesty in Council, have
adopted the following Law –
Part 1
Interpretation
1 Interpretation
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[1], 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 Income Tax (Jersey) Law 1961[2];
“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[3], 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[4];
“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[5];
“Minister” means the
Chief Minister;
“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[6];
“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[7];
(b) holds
a permit or certificate under the Collective Investment Funds (Jersey)
Law 1988[8];
(c) is
registered under the Financial Services (Jersey) Law 1998[9]; or
(d) is
authorized by a permit under the Insurance Business (Jersey) Law 1996[10];
“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[11].
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[12];
(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[13];
(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[14];
(d) in
relation to an entity that is a company, the Companies (Jersey) Law 1991[15]; 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[16] 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[17], the Banking Business
(Jersey) Law 1991[18], the Collective Investment
Funds (Jersey) Law 1988[19], the Insurance Business
(Jersey) Law 1996[20], any Regulation or Order
made under any of those Laws, or the Alternative Investment Funds (Jersey) Regulations 2012[21],
(iii) under the Income Tax
(Jersey) Law 1961[22], the Goods and Services Tax
(Jersey) Law 2007[23], or the Taxation (Land
Transactions) (Jersey) Law 2009[24],
(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) A 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[25], 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[26].
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 enactments in relation to exemption from liability for tax
(1) In
the Income Tax (Jersey) Law 1961[27] –
(a) for
Article 115(a) there is substituted the following paragraph –
“(a) any income derived from the
property of a charity registered under the Charities (Jersey) Law 2014[28], in so far as such income is
applied in accordance with that Law;”;
(b) after
Article 115(ab) there are inserted the following paragraphs –
“(ac) any income derived from the property of a
foundation within the meaning of the Foundations (Jersey) Law 2009[29] or of a trust,
if –
(i) the income does not fall within
sub-paragraph (a), but all of the purposes of the foundation or trust are charitable
purposes, or purposes that are purely ancillary or incidental to any of its
charitable purposes, within the meaning of the Charities (Jersey) Law 2014,
(ii) the foundation or trust does not
solicit donations, within the meaning of that Law, from the general public, and
(iii) before the income is derived, the foundation
or trust notifies the Comptroller in writing that it qualifies for and intends
to rely on this exemption,
in so far as such income is
applied to the making of donations to charities registered under the Charities
(Jersey) Law 2014, or to excepted foreign charities within the meaning of
Article 22 of that Law;
(ad) any income derived from the property of a
foundation within the meaning of the Foundations (Jersey) Law 2009 or of a
trust, if –
(i) the foundation or trust was
established in Jersey, before the date on which Article 41 of the
Charities (Jersey) Law 2014 comes into force (“the relevant
date”), for any of the following purposes –
(A) the
advancement of education,
(B) the
relief of poverty,
(C) the
furtherance of religion,
(D) a
purpose beneficial to the whole community,
(E) the
service of any church or chapel or any building used solely for the purpose of
divine worship,
(ii) the income does not fall within
paragraph (a) or (ac), but the foundation or trust was entitled immediately
before the relevant date to exemption from income tax under paragraph (a)
of this Article as then in force on the income derived from its property, and
(iii) the foundation or trust does not (at any
time on or after the relevant date) solicit donations within the meaning of the
Charities (Jersey) Law 2014,
in so far as such income is
applied to a purpose mentioned in sub-paragraph (i);”;
(c) in
Article 115(c) for the words “the States” there are
substituted the words “the States or any of the parishes”;
(d) in
paragraph 7(a) of Schedule 2, for the words “any charity or
ecclesiastical body” there are substituted the words “any
registered charity (within the meaning of the Charities (Jersey) Law 2014[30]) or ecclesiastical
body”.
(2) In
the Goods and Services Tax (Jersey) Law 2007[31] –
(a) in
paragraph 5(2) of Schedule 5 for the words “means a
corporation, association, or trust,” there are substituted the words
“means a corporation, association, trust or other entity,”;
(b) in
paragraph 1A of Schedule 6, in the definition “use for a
relevant charitable purpose”, after the word “charity” there
are inserted the words “(within the meaning of paragraph 5(2) of
Schedule 5)”.
(3) In
Regulation 28 of the Goods and Services Tax (Jersey) Regulations 2007 –
(a) in
paragraph (1)(aa) for the words “in the course or furtherance of the
charitable activities of the charity and in accordance with the rules, articles
or other constitution of the charity” there are substituted the words
“in the furtherance of the charitable purposes of
the charity, in accordance with the constitution of the charity and, if the
charity is registered under the Charities (Jersey)
Law 2014[32], in
accordance with the requirements of that Law”;
(b) in
paragraph (3) for the definition “charitable purposes” there
is substituted the following definition –
“ ‘charitable
purposes’ has the meaning given by the Charities (Jersey) Law 2014[33];”.
42 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[34];
(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.
43 Consequential
amendments of other enactments
The States may by Regulations –
(a) amend
the Trusts (Jersey) Law 1984[35] and the Foundations (Jersey)
Law 2009[36], 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.
44 Citation
and commencement
(1) This
Law may be cited as the Charities (Jersey) Law 2014.
(2) Parts 1
to 3, Articles 32, 38, 39, 40, 42 and 43, this Article and the Schedules
come into force 7 days after
registration.
(3) The
remainder of this Law comes into force on such day or days as the States may by
Act appoint.
L.-M. HART
Deputy Greffier of the States