28th September 2008, 01:44 PM
As understand it, when I worked for one of the big units which is a charity, it's a matter of history. Back before the tendering system was put in place, most non-council units were trusts and therefore eligible for charity status, as they didn't make a profit, and were run by trusts and a board of trustees. Basically, all the assets of the units which have charitable/trust status effictively belong to the trust, not the actual unit. if they were to forgo or lose their charitable status, they would effectively lose all their assets ie all the equipment, the buildings etc, and would cease to exist. Thus the only way to stop being a charity/trust would be to go out of business, then get a huge loan to buy all 'their' assets off the trust. I beleieve the big units which are charities still don't make a profit as such - any profit they do make belongs to the trust, as a 'surplus'. Unless things have changed in the last ten years?
"Whoever understands the pottery, understands the site" - Wheeler
"Whoever understands the pottery, understands the site" - Wheeler