Camilla Swift Camilla Swift

Can the RSPCA’s new CEO reform the ailing charity?

The RSPCA have been in a fair pickle for a while now. It had been without a CEO for two years – after their last one, Gavin Grant, stepped down citing health reasons – until two weeks ago when they announced that Jeremy Cooper, (formerly chief executive of the charity’s ethical food label) would be taking on the role. This comes after reports at the end of last year that three candidates had pulled out, apparently due to concerns over finances, and the fact anyone in the job would be accountable to the charity’s council.

Two trustees have also stepped down since September over concerns about the governance of the charity. In a resignation letter, one wrote of worries about the selection process for the new CEO, who were being chosen from a ‘narrow pool of RSPCA members’; suggested that an independent body ‘should conduct a review of our governance’, and cited worries that poor management was detracting from the charity’s main purpose: animal welfare.

Anyone taking on the role of CEO would have a hard task ahead of themselves, after a series of negative news stories about failed prosecutions, bullying tactics, and headlines including one about the charity ‘killing 11 healthy horses’, as well as financial issues.

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