WBAFC "rape" of Charity now "consensual sex"!

Before any morons start hurling abuse my way, please note that I have been a Baggies fan for over 40 years (although I have to say that I am beginning to question whether I can continue to associate myself with such a sh*tbag outfit noting the Club's rape of "its" Charity, myriad ownership shenanigans, loans to the owner etc.)

Further, I am aware that the Albion Foundation (AF) does some brilliant work. However, it is a registered Charity and has to play by the rules. The AF has failed to respond to legitimate questions and, indeed, Mr Rob Lake has bad-mouthed this blog to third parties due to the revelations about what has been going on, without bothering to explain the position to me. I have also tried to communicate with the Trustees to no avail. That includes the usually admirable Nicola Richards MP. Nicola was NOT a trustee when most of what is set out below was going on, but has still failed to respond to legitimate concerns - along with the other trustees and Lake. (She also used her newsletter to falsely claim that the AF is "the charitable arm" of WBAFC when, as we shall see, it is anything but.) In the interests of balance Labour Cllr Simon Hackett was a AF trustee until August, 2017 when the worst stuff was still going on (his lies have cost Sandwell folk hundreds of thousands of pounds - Skidders passim ad nauseum and see legal notice below). During a large part of this scandal - from September 2017 until the (incorrect) 2020 accounts were signed off  - another Trustee was the hapless. dimwitted, Labour Councillor, Preet Kaur Gill (now, incredibly, a Labour MP).

AND, the accounts show that Baggies FANS have given virtually nothing to the Charity over the years so don't think enough of the Charity to put their hands in their pockets to support it.

The story so far ...

Like many football clubs, WBAFC set up a supposedly "charitable" arm. I am told that at the very beginning there did seem to be some genuinely altruistic motivation behind this although WBAFC appointed some of its own Directors/employees to the AF Board of Trustees and sought to reap kudos from the work of the Charity.

During the Jeremy Peace era it is my understanding that free accommodation for the Charity was withdrawn and the AF began to rely for funding on the likes of the Premier League and us taxpayers (including via bent Labour Sandwell Council). This blog exclusively revealed at the start of this story that the accounts showed that WBAFC were giving the AF a nice round figure, i.e. £0 (nil)!

Not only was WBAFC giving f*** all to "its" Charity but this blog also exclusively revealed that AF - a Charity - was spending a fortune buying tickets and rip-off priced merch FROM WBAFC - which was initially denied by Mr Rob Lake despite it being published in the Charity's own accounts.

You might think a registered Charity would be anxious to explain the position but AF have failed to communicate with this blog. I duly made a formal complaint to the Charity Commission which, after egregious delay, stated (without giving reasons) that (a) it had been satisfied in some way by AF that they were "managing" the clear conflict of interest position where WBAFC trustees were agreeing huge spending benefitting, er, WBAFC and (b) that there had been an error in the accounts and the amount of that expenditure had been "overstated" due to some sort of "error".

I duly revisited the AF accounts and the most recent ones have been amended - here is one alteration for year end (y/e) 2021.

Note the claim that AF "contacted the Charity Commission". This makes it sound as if Lake and Co. suddenly discovered the "error" and then reported it themselves whereas Lake has tried to keep all this secret and it was MY complaint that caused the Charity Commission to contact AF! WTF is going on here?

And so, since this blog exposed the "related party transactions", the money flowing from the Charity TO the Club has been greatly reduced. However, even accepting the truth of the accounts (which have been very wrong before) only those for recent year ends have been altered, and the earlier accounts still show that Lake and the Trustees were shelling out huge sums TO the Club. On 12th August, 2022 (chased on the 25th) I duly wrote to Haines Watts, the current accountants, with a copy to Lake, but neither has had the decency to respond and explain the position to Skidder readers and Baggies fans. The letter is somewhat detailed but repays careful reading:

"THIS IS NOT A PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATION - PRESS ENQUIRY

I  am a journalist and the principal author of The Sandwell Skidder blog. For some years I have been writing about your Client, The Albion Foundation (AF), and its relationship with West Bromwich Albion Football Club (WBAFC).

Haines Watts are now admitting that your former Partner, John Painter, made errors in the final audited accounts which were then signed off by the Trustees and submitted to the Charity Commission. Like many "professional" firms you have done the decent thing and blamed your Client (in fact, more bizarrely, you have blamed your Client's "software").

You will be aware that you sought to "rectify" the accounts following an intervention by the Charity Commission.

I understand that Mr Painter was working with Crowther Beard when he prepared the AF accounts for y/e 2017. At that stage he reported that there were no related party transactions with WBAFC for y/e 2017 which looked suspicious given the history of this affair. This was "before your time" but see further below

It seems you merged with Crowther Beard in 2018 and Painter continued to prepare the AF accounts under your "banner". Thus Haines Watts are responsible for errors in the accounts from y/e 2018 onwards.

At y/e 2018 Haines Watts/Painter reported that AF spent a very large sum of money with the Club (on tickets/merchandise etc) and made some small sales to WBAFC. The net sum payable to WBAFC was a colossal £547,754. But even more alarmingly, and noting that Painter had specifically stated there were no related party transactions in y/e 2017 he then produced 2017 figures in the 2018 accounts showing even higher sales by WBA FC to the Charity - in fact, a staggering net figure of £865,664. Whilst Mr Painter had failed to mention this  2017 huge sum before, this is now a "Haines Watt figure". The rectifications referred to below do not alter the accounts as filed and shown on the Charity Commission website. Is the public, to assume, therefore that the figures in the 2018 accounts do accurately show the very large purchases by the Charity from the Club? Does Haines Watts stand by these figures?

At y/e 2019 Haines Watts/Painter initially stated the net purchases as £500,639 but in a rectification due to the alleged inadvertent addition of some "historical figures" - a statement probably intended to be unintelligible to a layperson -  this was reduced to a still massive net purchase figure of £197,521!

The accounts for 2020 and 2021 still show AF spending more modest - though still significant sums - as net purchases from WBAFC - £78,755 (2020) and £64,196 (2021).

It is noteworthy that you only state in your rectification notices, amendments back to y/e 2019 and so, as above, I assume that Haines Watts is standing by the earlier figures?

In the latest (2021) accounts a sum is also shown as purchases of staff clothing and tickets in the sum of £42,666. Were some or all of these purchases from WBAFC and, if so, is the figure included in that shown for related party transactions?

Has Haines Watts reported the accounting errors to your professional body at all?

I have a deadline for next Friday and would appreciate your response as soon as possible.I am sure AF will wish this matter to finally be put to bed and so I am also copying this email to them so that they can also  provide the necessary authority for you to respond to me.

Julian Saunders"

And so folks, the current position as it stands with Lake, Nicola Richards and the other Trustees (including WBAFC officials) keeping their mouths firmly shut, is that:

1   WBAFC raped the AF Charity in years 2017 and 2018 to the tune of £1,413,418;

2   In y/e 2019 the sums were significantly and mysteriously reduced (according to the accountants who have now altered the figures) but WBAFC still shagged AF for £197, 521 (taking the figure for the three years referenced to well over one and a half million pounds - £1,610,939;

3   Following this blog's exposures the rape is now consensual sex with AF Trustees willing giving "just" £78,755 (2020) and £64,196 (2021) for services rendered - although it is not clear whether these figures also include the sums for "staff clothing and tickets".

We still need answers about the colossal sums Lake, Hackett, Gill and others authorised in the earlier years. I have also reported Haines Watts to their professional body as they are not prepared to explain their role in this sh*tshow. There is public money going into AF from us taxpayers (via bent Labour Sandwell Council) and so the public are entitled to know how funding has been diverted to the football Club. Let's hope that some Trustees will now grasp the nettle and explain all ...

BTW - please all football fans locally - support keeping our beloved game on the community pitches at Lion Farm Fields which bent Labour Sandwell Council want to destroy for yet another shopping centre!

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