A call has been made for an independent investigation into the collapse of Warrington-based suicide prevention charity Papyrus, amid growing questions from former employees about its management, governance and financial affairs.
Warrington Borough Cllr Neil Johnson says an independent inquiry is needed to establish how the charity, which worked to prevent young suicide, fell into administration in September, resulting in the closure of its office and more than 100 staff losing their jobs.
The collapse of Papyrus Prevention of Young Suicide sent shockwaves through the charity sector, particularly given the vital work it carried out supporting young people experiencing suicidal thoughts and their families.
The circumstances of the closure were particularly distressing for some employees, with reports that staff were made redundant while in the middle of telephone conversations with young people seeking help.
The charity’s financial affairs are now being examined as part of the formal administration process being undertaken by Opus Restructuring & Insolvency, which was appointed as joint administrators.
However, Cllr Johnson believes the circumstances surrounding the charity’s demise warrant further independent scrutiny.
He says he has been in contact with a number of former employees since early 2025 and has received substantial documentation, including historic records and internal paperwork, which he believes raises serious questions about the charity’s management and oversight.
Cllr Johnson alleges there were significant shortcomings in financial management, governance and the treatment of staff who raised concerns.
He also claims the organisation expanded beyond its financial means and that concerns about its direction were not adequately addressed.
He said: “There are very serious questions which need to be answered, not least how an organisation with a gross income of more than £5 million apparently collapsed into administration overnight.
“The money was not managed well; the charity expanded beyond its means and made purchases that were offering no return. Who had oversight of this? When red flags became apparent, who put the brakes on? The answer appears to be no one!”
The councillor also alleges there was a culture of fear within the organisation, with some employees who raised concerns about management or governance being sidelined.
He claims former staff experienced bullying, intimidation and inappropriate personal remarks, and says their accounts deserve to be heard as part of an independent investigation.
Cllr Johnson added: “How can such a worthwhile endeavour have fallen into such dreadful disarray? This is what we must find out.
“The buck stops with the leadership and I believe an independent enquiry must ask the tough question as to whether those in a position of management or governance should be allowed to hold such positions again in the future.”
His calls for an independent inquiry follow similar concerns raised last month by former Warrington Borough Council chief executive Steven Broomhead in a LinkedIn post.
A number of former employees have also called for serious questions to be asked of former trustees and senior managers who presided over the charity before its collapse.
Among them is former Head of Income Generation and Finance Hazel Russell, who has argued that the circumstances surrounding the closure need to be properly examined.
Cllr Johnson is also aware that a number of former employees have written to Warrington South MP Sarah Hall seeking her support for an independent inquiry.
MP says formal processes must be followed
Responding to the calls, Warrington South MP Sarah Hall said the charity’s closure was deeply upsetting, particularly for the staff who supported young people at their most vulnerable and the families who relied on its services.
She said: “There are understandably many questions about how this happened and what happens next.
“The charity is already going through a formal administration process. As part of that process, the appointed administrators have a statutory duty to report their findings to the Insolvency Service.
“The Charity Commission also has powers to consider any concerns raised with them.
“As experts in this area, both organisations are best placed to determine whether further investigation or action is required.”
Ms Hall encouraged anyone with evidence of wrongdoing or concerns about the charity to raise them directly with the Charity Commission and the administrators.
She added: “I want to see these processes followed through properly. Former staff deserve to have their concerns heard, and the young people and families who relied on Papyrus deserve answers.
“If wrongdoing is established, those responsible must be held to account.”
The MP’s response places emphasis on the existing statutory processes rather than committing to a separate independent inquiry.
Cllr Johnson, however, believes political pressure is still needed to ensure the full circumstances are brought into the open.
He is calling on both Warrington MPs, along with councillors from across the political spectrum, to support an independent investigation.
He said: “This is no time to be lily-livered! We need both our town’s MPs to be forthright in calling for an enquiry to be established.
“There must be no whitewashing or downplaying of the very serious events that led to this collapse.
“Let us leave no stone unturned in hearing the truth.”
The formal administration process and any consideration by the Charity Commission will be important in establishing what happened to Papyrus and whether any further action is necessary.
For now, the collapse has left more than 100 former employees without jobs and raised wider questions about the future of specialist support for young people experiencing suicidal thoughts.
