2023-12-31-accounts - Dunstable District Scout Council

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Trustees' Annual Report

For the period

01 January 2023

31 December 2023

SECTION A REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATION DETAILS

Charity name Other names the charity is known by Registered charity number (if any) Charity’s principal address

Dunstable District Scout Council	Dunstable District Scout Council	Dunstable District Scout Council	Dunstable District Scout Council	Dunstable District Scout Council	Dunstable District Scout Council	Dunstable District Scout Council

Scout Association Reg. No. 10106
1023533
31 Northall Road
Eaton Bray
Dunstable
Beds Postcode	L	U	6	2	D	Q

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

Trustee Name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year
Mr C Carey	District Commissioner	1stJan-31stAug
Mr M Slade-Pedrick	District Commissioner	1stSept-31stDec
Mr R Pepworth	District Chairperson
Mrs J Betterton	District Secretary
Mrs M Wilson	District Treasurer
Mr J Pepworth	D.E.S.C.
Mr C Johnston	D.S.N.C.
Miss Charlotte Jackson	Youth Commissioner
Mrs J Lawrence
Mrs P Hales
Mrs R Tims
Mr R Penberthy
Mr W Shaw
Mr R Short
Mr M Fisher
Mr I Wilkinson
Cllr Gloria Martin	Council Representative	1stJan-12thJuly
Cllr Gloria Martin		12thJuly-31stDec
Cllr N Kotarski	Council Representative	12thJuly-31stDec

SECTION B STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

The District's governing documents are those of the The Scout Association. They consist of a Royal Charter, which in turn gives authority to the Bye Laws of the Association and The Policy, Organisation and Rules of The Scout Association.

The District is a trust established under its rules which are common to all Scouts

The Trustees are appointed in accordance with the Policy, Organisation and Rules of The Scout Association.

The District is managed by the District Trustees Board, the members of which are the ‘Charity Trustees’ of the District which is an educational charity. As charity trustees they are responsible for complying with legislation applicable to charities. This includes the registration, keeping proper accounts and making returns to the Charity Commission as appropriate.

The Committee consists of 3 independent representatives, Chair, Treasurer and Secretary together with the District Commissioner, Youth Commissioner, District Explorer Scout Commissioner, District Scout Network Commissioner and 8 individual elected members. There is also a representative from Dunstable Town Council and the Committee meets five times a year.

This District Trustees Board exists to support the Groups within the District by

The raising of funds and the administration of District finance;

The insurance of persons, property and equipment;

Appointing any sub committees that may be required;

Assisting in the recruitment of leaders and other adult support;

Supporting Group Administrators

Risk and Internal Control

The District Trustees Board has identified the major risks to which they believe they are exposed, these have been reviewed and systems have been established to mitigate against them. The main areas of concern that have been identified are:

Injury to leaders, helpers, supporters and members. The District, through the subscription fees, contributes to the Scout Associations national accident insurance policy. Risk Assessments are undertaken before all activities.

Reduced income from fund raising. The District is primarily reliant upon income from subscriptions and fundraising. The District does hold a reserve to ensure the continuity of activities should there be a major reduction in income. The Committee could raise the value of subscriptions to increase the income to the District on an ongoing basis, either temporarily or permanently.

Reduction or loss of leaders. The District is totally reliant upon volunteers to run and administer the activities of the District. If there was a reduction in the number of leaders to an unacceptable level in a particular Section, Group or the District as a whole then there would have to be a contraction, consolidation or closure of a Section, Group or in the worst case scenario the complete closure of the District.

The District has in place systems of internal controls that are designed to provide reasonable assurance against material mismanagement or loss, these include 2 signatories for all payments and a comprehensive insurance policies to ensure that insurable risks are covered.

SECTION C OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

The objectives of the District Trustees Board are as a unit of the Scout Association.

The Aim of The Scout Association is to promote the development of young people in achieving their full physical, intellectual, social and spiritual potentials, as individuals, as responsible citizens and as members of their local national and international communities. The method of achieving the Aim of the Association is by providing an enjoyable and attractive scheme of progressive training, based on the Scout Promise and Law and guided by adult leadership.

SECTION D ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

During the year we have continued supporting, encouraging and raising the profile of Scouting in the District, and promoting the activities that are available to the Groups. We have also been actively involved in seeking parents to become leaders or join Group committees.

SECTION E FINANCIAL REVIEW

Reserves Policy

The District's policy on reserves is to hold sufficient resources to continue the charitable activities of the groups within the district should income and fundraising activities fall short. The District held reserves of approximately £25,000 which includes £3,400 for 4[th] Houghton Regis Scout Group and £2,500 for 9[th] Dunstable Scout Group against this at year end

Investment Policy

The District's Income and Expenditure is very small and as a consequence does not have sufficient funds to invest in longer-term investments such as stocks and shares. The District has therefore adopted a low risk strategy to the investment of its funds. All funds are held in cash using only mainstream banks or The Scout Association's Short Term Investment Service.

The District Trustees Board regularly monitors the levels of bank balances and the interest rates received to ensure it obtains maximum value and income from its banking arrangements.

q

DECLARATION

The above Trustees report was approved by the trustees on 22[nd] May 2024 and signed on their behalf by:

Signature Name Position Mr R Pepworth Chairman

Mr M Slade-Pedrick District Commissioner

Dunstable District Scout Council

	Receipts and Payments Account	Receipts and Payments Account	Receipts and Payments Account
Donations, legacies and similar income RECEIPTS		01 January 2023	To	31 December 2023
		This Year Unrestricted funds £ 33,888 30,203 3,685 - 690 - 4,375 - - - - - - 353 4 414 2,515 3,932 7,218 . 6,816 9,951 206 442 17,415		Last Year Unrestricted funds £
Membership subscriptions		33,888		31,613
Less:Membership subscriptions paid on		30,203		28,483
Net Membership subscriptions retained		3,685		3,130
Scout Shop Donation		-		500
EB&E and 1st/3rd HR Loan Repayments		690		670
Donations		-		300
	Sub total 'A'	4,375		4,600
Grants
		-		-
		-		-
	Sub total 'B'	-		-
Fundraising (gross)
		-		-
		-		-
	Sub total 'C'	-		-
Investment and Sundry Income income
Magnificent 7 Closing Balance		353		-
Sale of Aluminium		4		396
STI Interest		414		160
9th Dunstable Closing Balance		2,515		-
7th Dunstable Closing STI Balance		3,932		-
	Sub Total 'D'	7,218		556
Activities Income
Sections,		6,816		5,165
Scout Shop Income (separate account sheet)		9,951		8,897
S.A.S.		206		221
St Georges Day Collection		442		-
Sub total 'E' Total Gross Income 'A' - 'E'
	Sub total 'E'	17,415		14,283

		29,008		19,439

Dunstable District Scout Council

Receipts and Payments Account

PAYMENTS Charitable Payments	Year from	01 January 2023	31 December 2023
		This Year Unrestricted funds £ 7,458 432 500 10,360 418 1,091 585 27 450 75 840 22,236 - - - - 300 - 300 22,536 6,472 43,143 49,615	Last Year Unrestricted funds £
Section expenditure		7,458	5,334
Adult support and training		432	-
Donation for use of 1st Dunstable HQ, Container Rent + Other Misc Costs		500	781
Scout Shop (separate account sheet)		10,360	9,042
S.A.S.		418	27
Insurances & MPLC		1,091	1,021
Administration		585	506
Remembrance day costs		27	28
St Georges Day		450	56
District Events		75	60
Other Sundry Expenses		840	449
	Sub total 'A'	22,236	17,304
Fundraising expenses
		-	-
		-	-
		-	-
Grants, Donations & Loans	Sub total 'B'	-	-

Donation to 3rd Dunstable		300	300
Jamboree Donation		-	400
	Sub total 'C'	300	700
Total Gross Expenditure 'A' - 'C' Net of receipts/(payments) Cash funds this year end Cash funds last year end
			18,004

			1,435
			41,708
		49,615	43,143

Dunstable District Scout Council

Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the year	Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the year	Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the year	Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the year
Cash funds		This Year Unrestricted funds £ 42,335 200 3,412 2,516 1,135 0 0 17 49,615 9,780 - 10,000 - 19,780 - -	Last Year Unrestricted funds £
District current account		42,335	17,880
Funds held for 2027 Jamboree		200	0
4th H/Regis Closing Balance		3,412	3,412
9th Dunstable Closing Balance		2,516	0
Scout shop current account + float		1,135	1,544
S.A.S. Current Account		0	903
The Scout Association S.T.I. A/C (District + SAS)		0	19,387
Lionheart		17	17
	Sub total	49,615	43,143
Non monetary assets for charity's own use
Shop stock		9,780	7,644
Other stock		-	-
Scouting equipment, furniture etc		10,000	10,000
Other		-	-
	Sub total	19,780	17,644
Debtors
This sum was a loan of £3,360 to 1st/3rd Houghton Regis for the purchase of a new Oil Tank. The terms of the loan are that it will be repaid over a period of 5 years at £672 each year.		-	690
	Sub total	-	690

The above receipts and payments account and statement of assets and liabilities were

approved by the trustees on………22nd May 2024…………and signed on their behalf by:

Signature	Name Position
	Mrs J Betterton Secretary

	Mrs M Wilson Treasurer

	Dunstable District Scout Council	Dunstable District Scout Council
	Account Details to 31.12.23
	Description	Amount
01.01	Opening Balance b/f	19,386.75
18.08	Interest	414.15
18.08	Journal	- 19,800.90


	Closing Balance	-

Dunstable District Scout Council

Journal

1st January 2023 - 31st December 2023

Debit Credit 14.03 SAS Account £902.70 D&DSC Current Account £902.70 18.08 STI Account £19,800.90 D&DSC Current Account £19,800.90 TOTAL £20,703.60 £20,703.60

Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of the

Dunstable District Trustees Board

I report on the accounts of the Group for the year ended 31 December 2023 which are set out on pages 1 to 3

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

The District’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. They consider that an audit is not required for this year under Section 144 of the Charities Act 2011and that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility to:

Examine the accounts;
To follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners ; and
To state whether particular matters have come to my attention.

Basis of independent examiner's report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the Group/District and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.

Independent Examiner's statement

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:

which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements
to keep accounting records in accordance with Section 130 of the Charities Act; and
to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charites Act have not been met; or
to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Name: ......SANDRA MEALING................................................................................................. Qualification: ....PAYROLL ADMINISTRATOR - RETIRED......................................................................................... Address: .25 CLAUDIA GARDENS,................................................................................................... .................HOUGHTON REGIS LU5 6GY................................................................................................. Date: … 12.06.2024………………………………………………………………………

12.06.2024 DISCLOSURE

(only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material problems)