BuDS continues to grow and develop, and the charity has to have a legal form which is suitable for the future. This article explains what Trustees are doing to evolve BuDS to give it a secure future.
Moving Forward Together
BuDS carried out a public and member consultation in 2023, which overwhelmingly supported the changes listed below. The 2023 Annual General Meetings approved the changes, and gave Trustees the authority to put them into place.
Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)
Trustees have agreed to form a new Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), which will replace the current unincorporated association. A CIO is a modern legal structure ideal for growing, ambitious charities like BuDS. This change is scheduled to take place in 2025-26.
Going National
The current BuDS constitution says that we will work ‘principally within the County of Buckinghamshire excluding Milton Keynes (“the area of benefit”)’. However, since 2019, BuDS has increasingly worked outside Bucks as well. Four of our fastest-growing projects are already used by many people outside Bucks: Reach4Work, the Fair4All Card, the Hate Crime & Reporting Service, and our Information, Advice & Guidance project. We may soon reach the point where our work overall is not ‘principally’ within Bucks.
In response to this natural growth beyond county boundaries, Trustees and members have agreed to ask the Charity Commission to make BuDS’ legal ‘area of operation’ England rather than just Bucks. BuDS would continue to work principally in and around Bucks just as it does now, but with some projects operating across the South East or Thames Valley, or nationally, when it’s right and possible. This change has been submitted to the Charity Commission, and their response is awaited.
Alongside this change, BuDS would also be able to allow disabled people to join BuDS as members and Trustees from anywhere in England. BuDS would continue to work as it does now, mainly in and around Bucks, but with the difference that any disabled person from anywhere in England who wants to join us would be able to do so.
A New Name
As BuDS becomes both a local and national charity, we need to update our legal name. Accordingly, members and Trustees have agreed to ask the Charity Commission to change the name of BuDS from ‘Buckinghamshire Disability Service BuDS’ to ‘BuDS Disability Service’. This change has been submitted to the Charity Commission, and their response is awaited.
Staying User-Led
BuDS has always been a charity by and for disabled people, and that will never change. However, BuDS has always recruited a few non-disabled people as Trustees if their skills and experience were vital for the charity. We have asked the Charity Commission to agree that we can continue to do this, provided 75% of Trustees are always disabled people.
Where We Are Now
As of April 2025, we are waiting for the Charity Commission to agree the constitutional changes listed above. We are also forming the new CIO. If all goes to plan, the 2025 AGM will be asked to approve the transfer to the new CIO, which will have Articles of Association including the constitutional changes.