Bona Vacantia
From the Duchy of Cornwall's 2010 :
"During the period, His Royal Highness in right of his Duchy of Cornwall, received bona vacantia (being the estate of deceased intestates resident in Cornwall and dying without next of kin) of £69,000 (2009: £34,000) before allowing for ex gratia payments and other associated costs of £22,000 (2009: £30,000). Surplus receipts of bona vacantia by His Royal Highness are paid over to The Duke of Cornwall's Benevolent Fund; £50,000 (2009: £Nil) was paid during the year. At 31st March 2010, the Duchy retained £150,000 (2009: £154,000) within creditors to meet potential future claims from individuals statutorily entitled to estates which had previously passed as bona vacantia to His Royal Highness."
At £69,000 this relic of feudalism is more than double the previous year, but would still be insufficient to pay Cornwall Council's chief executive for four months.Nevertheless, a 21st century progressive democracy might have alternative uses for the money - any suggestions?
I'm ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Devon’s Graham Smith, blogging on news, views and some fresh insights into West Country life, particularly the way government works locally and nationally.
Comment number 1.
At 25th Aug 2010, Andrew Wallis wrote:You said it goes The Duke of Cornwall's Benevolent Fund or the Princes Trust would be another good choice. From my understanding the Duke does not keep the money personally.
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Comment number 2.
At 25th Aug 2010, Graham Smith wrote:You are correct, Andrew, Prince Charles does not keep the money himself. It goes to charity.
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Comment number 3.
At 26th Aug 2010, AccurateChronometer wrote:Well let's be a little more precise, Mr Smith, shall we?
Where are those monies now disbursed to - within the Duchy Of Cornwall(territorial entity) from which they are derived?
When was that method of distribution introduced?
What justification is given for distributing it to beneficiaries outside the territorial boundary of The Duchy Of Cornwall?
Where are the accounts of what was done with all the accumulated bona vacantia estates of which the various Dukes assumed ownership in the course of the last seven centuries up to that recent change in method of allocation/distribution?
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Comment number 4.
At 26th Aug 2010, AccurateChronometer wrote:And you might like to ask Councillor Wallis about his somewhat sanguine, passive and slightly disturbing contentment with assets being pirated out of the Duchy Of Cornwall by the Duke under 'bona vacantia', converted to cash and redistributed elsewhere at his whim.
Surely they should be redistributed back to the people in need within The Duchy Of Cornwall from whence they came?
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Comment number 5.
At 26th Aug 2010, Graham Smith wrote:AC, you're probably pushing at an open door on Bona Vacantia - I remember talking to some Duchy officials a few years ago who complained that from their point of view it was all more trouble than it was worth. Even if it was all retained by Cornwall Council it would hardly scratch your tax bill. When the cost of collecting and handling the peanuts is greater than the value of the peanuts themselves, I suspect Cornwall Council would probably say it has better things to do with its time. Nevertheless, maybe some of Cornwall's MPs would like to draft the necessary legislation? In 2001 a large chunk of Benevolent Fund cash went to farmers distressed by foot and mouth and the monies generally are distributed in the south west. A statement about the Benevolent Fund accounts, detailing who got what, can be obtained from the Duchy, 10 Buckingham Gate, London SW1.
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Comment number 6.
At 26th Aug 2010, AccurateChronometer wrote:The 'south west' - there you go again with your Anglo-centric ´óÏó´«Ã½lone lingo, Mr Smith - is not The Duchy Of Cornwall.
Perhaps you'd like to obtain The Duchy Of Cornwall 'Bona Vacantia' accounts going back over the last seven centuries.
Here's a better and far more substantial, far less mustily antiquated and much more collectively beneficial proposal - Put ALL of the assets held and incomes derived by the Duchy Of Cornwall (corp div) within and from within The Duchy Of Cornwall (territorial entity) into trust for the benefit of ALL the people of The Duchy Of Cornwall (territorial entity) under the umbrella control of Cornwall Council. Invite the current Duke and all future Dukes to be a trustee.
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Comment number 7.
At 26th Aug 2010, AccurateChronometer wrote:Your first port of call to get those seven centuries of 'bona vacantia' figures and the story of what happened to all those dead Cornish people's dough, Mr Smith:
Bertie Ross, Duchy Of Cornwall Secretary and Keeper of the Records
[Personal details removed by Moderator]
Isn't 'transparency' what we're all looking for these days?
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