Charity was warned by regulator to get its board structure in order

Members of one of the UK’s biggest member charities have voted to change the rules on who can become a trustee.

RSPCA members took the vote after an external review criticised its governance.

After the sudden resignation of the RSPCA's chief executive earlier this month, the Charity Commission warned the organisation it could face “further regulatory action” if it did not sort out its management problems.

Previously trustees were elected by its RSPCA members but at its AGM at the weekend members voted to now co-opt people with particular skills to its board.

Daphne Harris, chair of the trustees, told the AGM, that: “The council fully supports the rule changes the review recommends.

“We will be working hard to make sure our governance is as good as it can be. We have been given an instruction to get on with it and that is what we will do.”

She added: “The RSPCA is in good shape. Financially we are stable after a difficult few years.

"The stability plan we introduced in 2014 is now giving us the platform to do even more for animals in the future, and we have exciting plans in the pipeline such as new centres and more inspectors.

“We have set some challenging goals in our strategy. We want to reduce cruelty by 25% double the number of animals under RSPCA Assured to 80 million and get statutory powers for our inspectors to help them rescue animals. All by 2021.

“These are, as they should be, stretching targets. But if we all pull together - trustees, members, staff, volunteers and supporters - they are within our grasp.”