We have read the Derby News piece “Simple sale of old Co-op store raises questions about the Solid Rock Church” and wish to address each point directly and set out the governance position of RCCG Solid Rock Parish Derby.
1) Purchase of the East Street (former Co-op/Lee Longlands) Building
The property was purchased on 25th April 2025 using a NatWest loan alongside funds from church reserves and members’ contributions. Affordability was confirmed through the trustees’ assessment and the lender’s review. The purchase process also met stringent vetting requirements from the seller, lender, and other stakeholders, including submission of a future business plan for the property’s use, which was prepared, reviewed, and approved by our board. Independent professional advice was obtained, decisions were formally minuted, and the acquisition was carried out strictly in accordance with the law, for charitable purposes, and in line with our governing document.
2) Affordability and Valuation Commentary
We do not speculate on past or future valuations in the media. We relied on the lender’s security assessment and professional advice at the time of purchase and have a repayment plan approved by the trustees. The building will be used to expand worship, community outreach, education and support services for the wider Derby community (not only our congregation), consistent with our charitable objects.
3) Two Registrations (Old Charity and CIO)
We operate two registrations while we complete the transfer of all the assets and other exigent matters to the CIO:
- 1147986 – RCCG Solid Rock Parish Derby (Old Charity)
- 1199895 – RCCG Solid Rock Parish Derby (CIO)
The old charity remains active solely for administrative reasons until the asset, logistic, and administrative transfer is completed; consolidation into the CIO is our settled intention and remains in progress with all the relevant stakeholders.
4) Trustee Remuneration and Alignment with the CIO Constitution
Mrs Tolulope Egodibie is a trustee and also works separately for the charity in a part-time administrative/community role. Our CIO constitution expressly permits payment to a trustee for services other than acting as a trustee, provided conflicts are properly managed and the decision is demonstrably in the charity’s best interests. Those safeguards include prior board approval, a written agreement, affected trustees stepping out of discussions/decisions, reasonableness of the amount, and the number of benefiting trustees being a minority. These conditions are in Clause 6(2) of our CIO constitution and have been followed in full for Mrs Egodibie’s role and around £12,000 per annum remuneration (job description, contract, recusal, below market range, and minuted approval).
For context, the article notes a £12,711 payment in 2024 and comments on a percentage increase year-on-year. Trustee-approved pay reviews consider duties, time commitment and market-reasonable rates for part-time administrative work; decisions are recorded with the relevant trustee recused.
We also follow the Charity Commission’s updated CC11 guidance on paying trustees/connected persons for services, including conflict management and documenting best-interest decisions.
5) Leadership, Trusteeship and Sign-off of Accounts
Trustees hold ultimate legal responsibility for approving the annual report and accounts. Where past filings carried Pastor James’s signature, this reflected his role as a trustee at the relevant time, as well as his involvement in preparing the information. Trustees collectively approve the accounts and remain the signatories of record. To avoid any potential ambiguity, all future filings will carry the signature of a current trustee, with approvals and minutes already forming part of our standard governance practice. While we do not share the article’s view that this raises concerns about oversight, we acknowledge the comment and reaffirm that trustees maintain full control in accordance with legal requirements.
6) Financial Growth and Capital Expenditure
The article references growth in income and cash, and notes capital expenditure totals and categories (including amounts labelled “office equipment”). These line items highlight elements of the charity accounts, which appear to be misrepresented by the article. Furthermore, the equipment represents a multi-year (between 2011 and 2024) investment in IT infrastructure, media/AV for worship and live-streaming, safeguarding-compliant access systems, and community-use equipment, some of which are coded under standard accounting headings that may look broad externally.
7) Registered Office Addresses at Woods Lane
Woods Lane has been used as the registered office address for a dormant company linked to Pastor James and Mrs Egodibie; no charity funds have been used to subsidise private business activity, and no trading has taken place at the charity’s expense. To avoid confusion, we are withdrawing permission for non-charity entities to use the charity address and have asked all directors to move their registered offices within 30 days. We will update our premises policy accordingly.
8) Beta-Soft Tech Ltd and Unauthorised Use of the Charity’s Address
The article makes reference to a company, Beta-Soft Tech Ltd, being registered at the charity’s address. The trustees categorically confirm that the charity has no knowledge of, connection to, or affiliation with this company or its directors. The use of our address as the company’s registered office was done without our consent.
On 7th August 2025, the Lead Pastor, acting on behalf of the trustees, wrote to Companies House to formally object to the unauthorised use of the charity’s address and requested its immediate removal from the company’s registration details. As confirmed by Companies House correspondence dated 13th August 2025, the registered office address for Beta-Soft Tech Ltd has now been changed to a default Companies House address in Cardiff, and all references to our address have been administratively removed from public records. Companies House has also confirmed it will notify the company of this change.
The trustees view this as a serious matter and will continue to monitor the situation until all records remain accurate. In addition, we are reviewing our procedures to prevent any future unauthorised use of the charity’s premises for business registration purposes.
9) Wealth Matrix
Wealth Matrix Limited was used for a single online educational seminar on property literacy several years ago. It has not traded in property, has been dormant, does not carry out any regulated investment activity and has been wound up with the Companies House. It never offered any investment products and made no financial promotions as a charity. We are aware that if the charity or any related organisation’s initiative is regulated, we would first obtain specialist advice and (if needed) obtain the appropriate authorisations or not proceed. The article notes Wealth Matrix is not on the FCA register; registration was and is not required for non-regulated educational activity.
10) Relationship to RCCG International and Fundraising
Our parish encourages voluntary giving in line with our faith tradition. Any references to broader RCCG initiatives (such as “Partner75”) in external materials are not directions to our Derby parish donors; all local fundraising is voluntary, ring-fenced for charitable purposes and accounted for under UK law.
11) Governance Enhancements
The board is considering a range of measures to strengthen governance and transparency and has informed the Charity Commission of these intentions. These steps include enhancing how we report to members and stakeholders, reviewing our governance structures and procedures, and taking further actions to ensure ongoing compliance, accountability and increased public confidence in our charitable works.
Conclusion
There has been no misuse of charitable funds. Decisions were made for charitable purposes, within our constitution and UK charity law. We welcome scrutiny and will continue to strengthen transparency and governance as outlined above. For further questions, please contact the church office directly.
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Signed,
J.Egodibie
for and on behalf of the Trustees
RCCG Solid Rock Parish Derby (CIO 1199895)
12th August 2025
