Faith, hope and charity: Organisations like Kids Company have a vital role to play, but its demise shows the need for effective oversight

It is quite a testimony to the power of the personality of Camila Batmanghelidjh that her charity was able to secure so much government funding at a time when public spending is under severe pressure – and when the administration of Kids Company had attracted unwelcome, and serious, criticism. Successive prime ministers have entertained and been entertained by Ms Batmanghelidjh, and her hold on David Cameron was such that he was said to be “mesmerised” by her. Both he and Gordon Brown seemed to be such fans that they gave loud personal support to her organisation. Such faith has been poorly repaid. The charity closed on Wednesday night, a £3m government grant given to it in its dying days apparently wasted.