We were also concerned that the letter gave the impression that a potential owner, be they a private company or school, can take over a committee-run pre-school for free.
By way of clarification, a group cannot be 'taken over' because, under law drawn up the Charity Commission in consultation with voluntary sector childcare providers, charities aren't allowed to pass their charitable assets on to another body which isn't charitable, or to another charity which has substantially different aims. Obviously this is to protect the intent under which the charitable assets were donated.
What can happen is that the existing charity pre-school can dissolve under its constitution and then the private purchaser can set up new provision in its place. The Alliance understands that this is what has actually happened in the case detailed in the letter.
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