Section 31

Subject to this section, where it appears to the Commissioner that any action proposed or contemplated in the administration of a charity is expedient in the interests of the charity, the Commissioner may by order sanction that action, whether or not it would otherwise be within the powers exercisable by the governing board members in the administration of the charity; and anything done under the authority of that order is deemed to be properly done in the exercise of those powers.

An order under this section may be made so as to authorise a particular transaction, compromise or the like, or a particular application of property, or so as to give a more general authority, and (without limiting subsection (1)) may authorise a charity to use common premises, or employ a common staff, or otherwise combine for any purpose of administration, with any other charity.

An order under this section may give directions as to the manner in which any expenditure is to be borne and as to other matters connected with or arising out of the action thereby authorised; and where anything is done pursuant to an authority given by any such order, any directions given in connection therewith are binding on the governing board members for the time being as if contained in the governing instruments of the charity except that those directions may on the application of the charity be modified or superseded by a further order.

Without limiting subsection (3), the directions which may be given by an order under this section in particular include directions for —