Issue - meetings

In December 2025, the Charity Commission informed the Russell-Cotes that the Department of Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) has made progress on the governance. It has appointed a team to work on the drafting of the Scheme and the scheduling of the associated Order of State through Parliament and consulted the relevant Minister.  However, DCMS require some redrafting of the Scheme, which, though largely technical, will need agreement with BCP Council as Trustee before it can be scheduled for parliamentary approval.  It will therefore not be able to meet the anticipated deadline of 1 April 2026 for Vesting Day. An update is being sought on a projected Vesting Day.

A meeting was held in November 2025 between the RCAGM Management Committee and the BCP Council Chief Executive Officer (CEO).  This discussed the impact of the Council’s decision to use the £2.25million lump sum (originally agreed by Council on 20 February 2024 to fund the new trustee at Vesting Day) to fund revenue costs incurred from 1 October 2025 until externalisation takes place.  The Management Committee expressed their concern that this decision could undermine the future financial viability of the independent charity and therefore put the process of externalisation at risk.  A verbal update will be given at the meeting.