Can the Parish Council act as a Charity in order to receive a charitable donation?

Question

A local Building Supplier has a Charitable Trust.  They wish to donate to the local Community Pub, which has a Community Benefit Society, but say they can only donate to a charity. Can the Parish Council act as a charity to receive the funds as a gift and then donate to the Community Pub?

Answer 1

I assume that the pub is set up as a community benefit society because it was deemed a community asset and registered as such. Is it run by a community group?

It is likely that if the answer is yes to one or more of these questions then as  a community benefit society  it should have charity status and the business can donate directly to the pub. It may be that in the register of the CBS that the PC may have been involved in being named as the fall back provider in the event of the CBS failing and responsible for the asset management afterwards. You need to look into the CBS incorporation documents.

Answer 2

A Parish Council cannot act as a charity.