Investigation Into Community Trust South Not Warranted

The Minister of Finance received a request for an investigation under section 58 of the Charitable Trusts Act 1975 into the Community Trust of Southland, now Community Trust South concerning the actions of the trustees leading up to the resignation of John Prendergast in June 2017.

In August 2018 the Minister of Finance referred the request for an investigation to the Attorney General, who in turn referred the request to Crown Law Office for consideration.

On 11 June 2019, Crown Law advised Community Trust South’s solicitor Rex Chapman of Cruickshank Pryde that Crown Law had determined that an investigation into the Trust under section 58 of the Act is not warranted. Crown Law concluded that “the complaints do not disclose a misapplication of trust funds, nor are there grounds for suspecting the trustees failed to act responsibly in the discharge of their responsibilities under the Trust.”

The Trust will not be making any further comment in relation to the Crown Law Office determination.