The Poor’s Allotment Charity is a permanently endowed charity operating under the terms of a Charity Commission Scheme dated June 7, 1961. The Scheme calls for seven trustees – two nominated by the Parish Council of King’s Sutton and one by Newbottle Parish Council, each for a term of four years with an additional four co-opted, each for a term of five years. The current trustees are as follows:
| Mrs Vicky O’Connor | First appointed 2013 | Term ends 2017 |
| Ms Maureen Paterson | First appointed 2011 | Term ends 2019 |
| Mrs Linda Baker | First appointed 2003 | Term ends 2019 |
| Mr Selwyn Charles-Jones | First appointed 1993 | Term ends 2018 |
| Mrs Elizabeth Al-Anazi | First appointed 2008 | Term ends 2018 |
| Mr Bob Burrell | First appointed 2010 | Term ends 2020 |
| Vacancy |
Mr Selwyn Charles-Jones was elected Chairman and Mr Bob Burrell appointed Clerk in June 2011.
The Charity was established in 1772 following the Enclosure Acts to provide fuel for the poor of the ancient ecclesiastical parish of King’s Sutton (which includes a part of Charlton), in lieu of the right to cut gorse for use as fuel and also to make a grant to King’s Sutton Parish Church of SS Peter and Paul. In modern times this takes the form of an annual gift of coal made to the household of State Retirement Pensioners.
The 1772 grant of land at Purston was sold in 1990 and the proceeds are now held in the Charities Official Investment Fund (COIF) Fixed Interest Shares, COIF Income Shares, the COIF Deposit Account and a current account with the Yorkshire Bank, Banbury. The object is to achieve capital growth in the long term and maintain a reasonable annual income. This ancient charity continues to meet its obligation to the entitled residents of the parish and the Parish Church.
A distribution of 100kg (two bags) of coal was made to 34 qualifying households (31 in King’s Sutton and three in Charlton) in August 2016 at a cost £833.00.
In accordance with ancient custom, the Parochial Church Council received £77.50 (representing 7.56% of the charity’s annual income) for the “use or towards the repairs of the Parish Church”.
With the agreement of the Charity Commission, the trustees meet at least once a year and last met in June 2017 to discuss the next distribution of coal.