THE Charity Commission has said St Luke's has made improvements since an inquiry into the hospice was launched last year.

As reported by the Guardian, 2016/17 saw Winsford-based St Luke's make a loss of £1.3 million – almost double its losses the previous year when the Commission became involved.

A Charity Commission spokesman said: "Last year the Charity Commission opened a regulatory compliance case into St Luke’s Cheshire Hospice (charity no 515595) after concerns arose regarding the charity’s financial management.

"Since then, the Commission has been in close communication with the charity and has provided the trustees with detailed guidance.

"The charity has informed us that new trustees have been appointed and that it has made improvements to its governance."

Following the publication of the most recent figures (2016/17) earlier this year, St Luke's said it was in a period of planned deficit as it balances the books.

Mike Ridley, chairman at the charity, said: "The financial period 2016/17 was a challenging one and the hospice leadership have taken steps to strengthen the position during this current financial year.

"We are confident that at the year ending April 2018, St Luke’s will see a balanced budget, strong reserves and a continued commitment to caring for the many families that come through our doors."