This is a public report from the DRCCT Chair to Datchet Parish Council (DPC). It is now about six months since April 2025 when nine DPC Councillors failed in their attempt to hijack the assets of the DRCCT. I submitted the following report – on paper – to all attending Datchet Parish Councillors (DPC) at their meeting on 13th October 2025.
Report from the DRCCT Chair to Datchet Parish Councillors.
I can report that the Trustees of the DRCCT (Charity No 252303) continue to manage the Hall without interruption – including the employee, payroll, bookings, access, income/expenditure and the bank accounts – as they have done since 2019.
We Trustees we are legally obliged and have an overriding duty to protect and serve the best interests of the charity. Furthermore it is important for us to resist attempts to assert control over charity assets or operations in ways that may not align with the charity’s original purposes or best interests.
The DRCCT and the DPC are two separate bodies. DRCCT income is derived from rentals and Hall bookings – in contrast to DPC income from the parish precept and rentals.
Changes that were mistakenly (?) voted for (see DPC website statement) and then improperly made to the Charity Commission website in April 2025 have been reversed. The website is now secure. The correct DRCCT Trustees names are now recorded on the Charity Commission website here.
The correct DRCCT address and contact details are recorded on the Charity Commission website here.
The previous Annual Reports can be downloaded from here. (It should be noted that the 2020 report was late due to Covid).
The 2024/25 Annual Report and Accounts have been delayed due to circumstances beyond our control. The documents are now being prepared and will be revealed to DPC when complete, as they have been in previous years. The Annual Report and Accounts will then be submitted to the Charity Commission for publication. I expect the 2024/25 DRCCT report notes on the 2024/25 post-year end events to make really interesting reading.
I can confirm that the DRCCT owns the land and the buildings on the Sabatini Land. A previous agreement between DRCCT and DPC in accordance with the ‘Division of Responsibilities’ document will need to be reviewed. In particular it will now be necessary to renegotiate (or create) leases for the various DRCCT buildings.
Ewan Larcombe (DRCCT Chair) 13th October 2025
The names of the nine DPC Councillors who voted in favour at the 14th April 2025 meeting can be found on the DPC website published document here.
If you are unable to locate the document – these are the DPC members that voted for this action –
Chairman David Buckley,
Lead for Properties – Darren Sanders,
Lead for Cemetery – Caroline Wise,
Lead for Events – Andrew Clemins,
Cllr Glover,
Cllr Young,
Cllr Bacon,
Cllr Loveridge
Cllr Whelan
Apparently there is a report from the Clerk to Datchet Parish Councillors that was considered at the DPC Meeting on 14-5-2025.
The Slough Observer article:
I have complained to the Clerk about some of the pages on the Datchet Parish Council website.
Example 1 – Datchet Parish Council web page DRCCT – Datchet Parish Council – DRCCT – Published: 12 May 2025
Statement from Datchet Parish Council regarding the unofficial DRCCT website. https://www.datchetparishcouncil.gov.uk/_VirDir/CoreContents/News/Display.aspx?id=75775
Example 2 – Datchet Parish Council web page (undated) Website Statement – Datchet Parish Council Takes Action to Ensure Proper Governance of the Datchet Recreation Centre Charitable Trust.pdf https://www.datchetparishcouncil.gov.uk/_UserFiles/Files/Documents/Website%20Statement%20-%20Datchet%20Parish%20Council%20Takes%20Action%20to%20Ensure%20Proper%20Governance%20of%20the%20Datchet%20Recreation%20Centre%20Charitable%20Trust.pdf
So who is planning to hijack the assets of the DRCCT?
Email dated 7-4-2025
In an email to me dated 4-4-2025 – I was asked to review the draft agenda for the 14-4-2025 DPC meeting.
Below is my response to the Clerk and Cllr. Buckley dated 7-4-2025 and timed at 9.40am.
Thank you for your email. Unfortunately, I am unable to support your draft agenda for the next Datchet Parish council Meeting on 14th April 2025 for the following reasons.
Without Council approval you have apparently changed the meeting venue – normally Datchet – to Windsor. In my position as Chair of the Datchet Hall Management Committee, I will take this opportunity to confirm yet again that the normal arrangements are available. I see no need for you to relocate to Windsor but maybe you have other reasons. The venue in Datchet has been and still is available for 14th April so please feel free to reinstate Datchet Village Hall as the venue for the next meeting.
Ref Finance item ‘f’ – DPC to seek legal advice – you and the DPC Chair are clearly overlooking the fact that prior to 2019 some £20,000 was spent on similar legal costs by the parties. Since the resignations and the appointment of new DRCCT Trustees in May 2019, in my opinion the DRCCT has run comparatively smoothly until now.
I realise that you and the DPC Chair are relatively new to Datchet Parish Council and consequently unfamiliar with the history. In contrast I was first elected to Datchet Parish Council in 1986 and am happy to provide any information that you may request. To be absolutely clear – I am unable to support further expenditure of public (and DRCCT) money on legal matters that were previously considered and determined over six years ago.
As for the DPC asset register – I have still not received copies of the previous and current draft Football Club leases that I have repeatedly requested.
Finally, I will take this opportunity to bring to your attention that I have submitted a formal report to the Charity Commission raising my concerns about the emerging risks to the DRCCT. I am concerned about the possibility of the assets of the DRCCT charity (in particular the land, buildings and bank accounts) being hijacked. I have stated in my report that I will keep the Charity Commission updated.
Regards
Ewan Larcombe
DPC Deputy Chair and DRCCT Chair
More to follow