Road Safety GB granted charitable status

Road Safety GB has been granted charitable status and is close to completing its transformation to a Company Limited by Guarantee (CLG)*.

The transformation to CLG will also officially complete the merger with the Institute of Road Officers (IRSO) and coincides with the launch of the new Road Safety GB Academy.

As a charitable organisation Road Safety GB will be able to support initiatives that will provide a direct benefit to the public. An example could include working with communities to promote new initiatives locally to reduce casualties in deprived areas.

Under its new status, Road Safety GB will be non-profiting making and will invest any surplus funds in activities that meet its charitable objectives.

These objectives will focus on efforts to “preserve and protect human life and health by preventing personal injury and death on roads in the UK, by educating road users and working with partners to maximise the effectiveness of its work”.

Alan Kennedy, chair of Road Safety GB, said: “The transformation to CLG has taken a little longer than expected due to some searching questions from the Charity Commissioner, who wasn’t entirely convinced that we could operate within the charitable status boundaries as we are.

“However, we responded to his questions in full and I am delighted to announce that we have now have received confirmation that we have been granted charitable status.

“This is great news and will certainly go some way to helping us by providing an appropriate structure to achieve our future goals and aspirations.”

*Footnote:

A charitable organisation is a type of non-profit organisation (NPO) which focuses on non-profit and philanthropic goals as well as social well-being. The Charities Act 2006 says that for the purposes of the law of England and Wales “charity” means an institution which is established for charitable purposes only, and which must provide a public benefit.

In British and Irish company law, a private company limited by guarantee is an alternative type of corporation used primarily for non-profit organisations that require legal personality. A company limited by guarantee does not usually have a share capital or shareholders, but instead has members who act as guarantors. The guarantors give an undertaking to contribute a nominal amount (typically very small) in the event of the winding up of the company.