## **REPORT AND FINANCIAL** 

**STATEMENTS** 

**FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31 MARCH 2021** 

**Charity No: 1083199** 

**Company No: 3807387** 



**THAMES ESTUARY PARTNERSHIP** 

## **FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31 MARCH 2021** 

|**CONTENTS**|**Pages**|**Pages**|
|---|---|---|
|Legal and administrative information|1||
|report|2|9|
|Independent<br>report|10||
|Statement of risk from impacts of COVID-19|11||
|Statement of financial activities|12||
|Balance sheet|13||
|Notes forming part of the financial statements|14|- 21|





**FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31[ST] MARCH 2021** 

**THAMES ESTUARY PARTNERSHIP REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION** 

**TRUSTEES REPORT** 

**FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31 MARCH 2021** 

## **TRUSTEES AND DIRECTORS** 

|Phil Stride|Independent Chair|Corporate Director, Chair (Interim) and|
|---|---|---|
|||Trustee|
|Angela Gorman|Representing the Environment Agency|Corporate Director, Vice Chair and Trustee|
|Penelope McNeile|Independent|Individual Trustee|
|Alistair Gale|RepresentingPortofLondonAuthority|Individual Trustee|
|Ingrid Chudleigh|Representing NaturalEngland|IndividualTrustee|
|David Wylie|Representing Thames Water|Individual Trustee and Treasurer|
|John Meehan|Representing Essex County Council|Individual Trustee|
|Alan Johnson|Representing RoyalSociety forthe Protectionof Birds|Individual Trustee|
|James Paskins|Representing University College London|Corporate Director and Trustee|
|Amrit Ghose|Representing<br>Group Ltd|Individual Trustee|
|John Edwards|Representing City of London Corporation|Individual Trustee|



In addition to above, some of the trustees provide the following support roles: 

Ingrid Chudleigh and Amrit Ghose act as the main contacts with the Chief Executive for Human Resources issues. 

## **Company Number** 

3807387 

## **Charity Number** 

1083199 

## **Registered Office** 

Room 117, 26, Bedford Way London WC1H 0AP 

## **Company Secretary** 

Amy Pryor 

## **Independent Examiners** 

Siobhan Holmes ACA Haysmacintyre LLP, Chartered Accountants 10 Queen Street Place, London EC4R 1AG 

## **Bankers** 

Royal Bank of Scotland, Gravesend Branch, 30 King Street Gravesend, Kent DA12 2XX 

## **Solicitors** 

Thompsons, Congress House, Great Russell Street London, WC1B 3LW 

**1** 



**FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31[ST] MARCH 2021** 

**THAMES ESTUARY PARTNERSHIP** 

**TRUSTEES REPORT** 

## **Introduction from the Chair, Phil Stride** 

I have great pleasure in introducing the **Annual Report 2020 2021** of the Thames Estuary Partnership (TEP). Since joining TEP in 2016 first as a Trustee, then as Treasurer and Vice Chair, and finally as Chair in March 2020, I have been very proud to be part of this charity which connects ideas, people and organisations for a resilient, sustainable and prosperous Thames Estuary. For many years previously I was involved with TEP and closely followed its activities. I was always impressed with the commitment to deliver events, convene multi sector discussion fora and projects on behalf of stakeholders and communities and how the charity positively impacts the river and its various facets. The success of TEP stems from a relentless passion that the TEP team and Trustees have for the Thames Estuary. For over 20 years, TEP has been at the forefront of driving key partnerships and growing population are key challenges London, Essex and Kent faces and there is a strong need for building stronger cross-sector partnerships to tackle these collaboratively. TEP will continue to play a crucial role in driving these essential partnerships by providing an independent forum and ensuring all focus remains on the river and its sustainability so as to preserve it as an asset for future generations. 

As with many organisations the global pandemic Covid-19, affected the way we work. The TEP team and Trustees started working from home in mid-March 2020 and adapted well to online working as a team and with external partners. Across the TEP team, we adapted our skills, usually deployed in project delivery, to improve our digital platforms and ensure that we could provide some education and interest for our network and the general public. This resulted in a brand-new virtual boat trip and an engaging podcast series, launched on World Ocean Day 2020 (8 June). We have continued to build on these platforms and as a result tripled our online visitors and have over 1000 listeners engaged worldwide. We intend to build on this platform far into the future, highlighting the and international interests to join our podcast series to hear from estuaries around the world. 

Our organisational budget suffered a major deficit throughout 2020 2021, due to a loss of core funding and corporate sponsorship secured through the delivery of the two popular annual events we were unable to hold due to the pandemic. In addition, we lost restricted revenue funding expected for two established projects, Estuary Edges and The Greater Thames Fish Migration Roadmap resulting in us furloughing the two project officers and utilising the support from the government to keep them in post. We voluntarily kept their wages at 100% with TEP paying the difference. We worked hard to replace both the core and restricted funding and diversify our funding base to ensure we survived. We were grateful to receive core support through the Heritage Emergency Fund with thanks to the National Lottery Heritage Fund. This allowed us to bring back the two furloughed staff on a part time furloughed basis, focus on digital asset creation and resume our organisational Strategic Review, which we had started in late 2019 and put on hold at the beginning of the pandemic. We took a further hiatus on the TEP Strategic Review in February 2021 to the end of the financial year to pursue specific funding opportunities. 

We were successful in securing funding from Green Recovery Challenge Fund for a new partnership project led by The Thames River Trust which seeks to train four Catchment Partnerships on using the Roadmap method and engaging local communities with the European eel. We also received funding from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation for the strategic development of the UK Coastal Partnerships Network, which TEP voluntarily Chairs. This has resulted in the CPN producing a 10-year Strategy and five year Business Plan and now seeking legal status as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. The CPN connects 87 Coastal Partnerships (similar to TEP) and wider coastal initiatives around the UK. We also had our restricted revenue projects reinstated in late 2020 allowing our staff to return full time. 

Whilst the major focus was fundraising, adapting delivery of projects that retained funding to continue using online tools and improving our digital communications to stay in touch with the Thames community, we also managed to continue the cross-sector discussions through holding our thematic fora meetings online. The Dredging Liaison Group and National Trail Thames Path Tidal Group met several times online and was welcomed by so many of our community who were dealing with the same challenges of the pandemic. Some members of our network were alone and this was a valuable support mechanism for them in particular. Overall, we successfully 

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**FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31[ST] MARCH 2021** 

**THAMES ESTUARY PARTNERSHIP** 

**TRUSTEES REPORT** 

brought staff back from furlough and finished the financial year with a small surplus and a healthy team for which we are extremely grateful. 

As ever, we are hugely grateful to our host, University College London, through the good offices of Professor David Price, Vice Provost (Research) and James Paskins (Trustee). 

Our core funders and their senior executives, some of whom serve as active trustees, continue to show their belief in the value of TEP and this has been instrumental in sustaining the charity this year. I am grateful to all of them for the support they have provided the charity. TEP continues to provide an independent, intelligent forum for the huge variety of opinions, interests and aspirations of all those connected to the river and work in partnership both locally and nationally to achieve impact and ensure replication of best practice. Our engagement across a number of topics is set to increase in the coming months and years with several newly funded initiatives and developing multi-sectoral projects awaiting funding outcomes. Topics include green finance; riverside planning; equity, diversity and inclusion; integrated approaches to training and development; environmental monitoring; community mapping, access and community use; climate resilience and coastal habitat restoration; education and health and wellbeing approaches using the river corridor. All our outputs are disseminated regionally through our local network and nationally through UK CPN. On behalf of the Trustees, I thank Heather, Amy and the TEP team for all the hard work this year and showing leadership in extremely challenging times. 

I commend this Annual Report for your approval: 

Phil Stride (Chair (Interim) - Thames Estuary Partnership) 

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**FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31[ST] MARCH 2021** 

**THAMES ESTUARY PARTNERSHIP** 

**TRUSTEES REPORT** 

The Trustees, who are also directors under company law, present their report and financial statements for the year ending 31 March 2021. 

The Trustees confirm that the financial statements comply with current statutory requirements, the memorandum and articles of association and the Statement of Recommended Practice - Accounting and Reporting by Charities: SORP applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with FRS 102. 

## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT** 

## **Constitution** 

The Charity was set up by a Memorandum of Association. Thames Estuary Partnership Ltd (referred to as Guarantee and was registered on 9[th] July 1999. The Company Number is 3807387. 

It is governed by Memorandum and Articles of Association and became a registered charity, called Thames Estuary Partnership, on 6 November 2000. The Charity Registration number is 1083199. 

## **Method of appointment or election of Trustees** 

The management of the charity is the responsibility of the Trustees who are elected or co-opted under the terms of the Memorandum and Articles of Association. 

## **Objectives and activities** 

The partnership is established to conserve, protect and maintain the coastal, environmental and natural heritage of the Thames for the public benefit. It covers the tidal Thames from Chelsea to Shoeburyness in Essex and the Isle of Grain in Kent dealing with education, dredging, research, recreation, archaeology and fisheries, river transport, riverside development and others. 

To work in association with Local Authorities, organisations and others who have an interest in the area of benefit: 

- Provide and assist in the provision of facilities for the recreation and other leisure time occupation of the inhabitants and visitors 

- Implement, develop and maintain an action plan and management strategy that will identify and assess issues and opportunities and reconcile any problems in the achievement of the objectives 

- Observe common principles of operation laid down by the Partnership from time to time in order to obtain and sustain the commitment of the parties interested in pursuing the objective 

- Improve the communication and exchange of information by bringing together representatives or organisations with an interest in the objective 

- Collect and disseminate information on matters relevant to the work of the Partnership 

- Encourage joint initiatives amongst the members of the Partnership 

- Promote environmental education opportunities to extend awareness and understanding of issues 

- Monitor and review progress of work initiated by the Partnership 

- Create links with national and international estuarine groups to promote good practice and integrated action generally 

- Encourage conservation of areas of importance for habitats and species 

- Provide guidance to economic development policies and initiative through constructive associations with relevant economic interests in order to promote their compatibility with the objective 

- To provide project costs and funding for research, to promote the attainment of the objective 

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**FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31[ST] MARCH 2021** 

**THAMES ESTUARY PARTNERSHIP** 

**TRUSTEES REPORT** 

## **Public benefit** 

The Trustees are aware of the public benefit guidance and have taken it into account when making decisions to which the guidance is relevant. 

The main activities undertaken to further the purposes for the public benefit include the walks and talks, conferences and facilitated Action Groups TEP hosts to improve the sustainable management of the Thames and as beneficiaries of projects developed, managed and delivered both solely by TEP and in partnership with other organisations. More details of these are given below. 

All our events and conferences, (unable to deliver this year due to the pandemic) remain open to members and non-members alike. We ensure all our resources, events and project outputs are available and accessible to the public and ensure the details and opportunity to attend are spread throughout the ecosystem of our network, our public is our annual boat trip as part of the Totally Thames Festival which we could not deliver this year due to the pandemic. We reimagined this boat tour to create a virtual boat trip which maps out points of interest along the river across human and natural history across 50 locations covering the entire tidal Thames, which will be highlighted during London Rivers Week in October 2021. The map has had 3700 visitors from 80 countries. 

The Talk of the Thames podcast interviews Thames community members from across interests and sectors to discuss interesting topics such as flood defence, seals and wildlife and archaeology. We have released 14 episodes to date and now have 1800 listeners worldwide. Alongside Talk of the Thames, detailed episodes are being developed to focus on Estuary Edges (aimed at riverside developers) that will complement the webinars we delivered as part of the project work. We intend to grow our digital infrastructure to continue engaging new audiences and supporting education. 

All minutes and other outputs from forums and projects are made freely available on our website for the benefit of all. We believe in open access to data and information and wherever possible depending on sensitivities of information, we make this happen. 

## **Volunteers** 

TEP works with volunteers in a wide range of activities. These include fundraising, public events, marketing and promotion, administration, research, event management, IT, design, education and journalism. 

## **ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE** 

## **Membership** 

Our membership is made up of individuals, charities, academics, industry professionals mainly from engineering, construction and infrastructure provision, regulatory authorities and local authorities. Membership is open to the public through the individual membership offer. Membership continues to be promoted throughout the year and TEP is steadily growing its membership base. An annual membership survey is undertaken which helps to shape our membership offer and strategy based on the resul **t** s of the survey and to inform the projects we develop based on what our members and partners state are current issues requiring further research or activity. 

## **Conferences** 

Our two established conferences could not be delivered due to the pandemic. 

## **Communication** 

**Talk of the Thames** magazine and **Thames Talk e-news** keep our members and wider network of 5000 stakeholders in touch with happening on the river. Thames Talk e-news is issued monthly and is integrated with the TEP website. The Talk of the Thames magazine is issued twice a year, prior to our 

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**FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31[ST] MARCH 2021** 

**THAMES ESTUARY PARTNERSHIP** 

**TRUSTEES REPORT** 

Summer Network and Annual Forum. This year only one edition was produced in the Summer 2020. We did not have capacity nor funds to produce the second edition and decided to focus on podcasts as a way of replacing the magazine. 

The Talk of the Thames magazine, new digital assets and Thames Talk e-news increase awareness and profile for TEP through improved communication. The magazine and now podcast provides opportunities to profile TEP members, make new contacts and provide TEP corporate members with exposure through advertisements. Magazines are distributed digitally and we print around 2000 copies to disseminate at public events both internally and externally to ensure it can be read widely and freely. 

## **Forums** 

TEP facilitates themed forums to provide a platform for discussion, exchange of ideas and a way to resolve issues. These Forums draw widely from work and the local community through project work and external fora but are not open to the general public as they tend to require technical or experiential knowledge and sometimes deals with commercially sensitive data which needs to be confidential. Each group is Chaired by one of the member organisations and has Terms of Reference. TEP provide the secretariat and administration. The outputs are published on the TEP website and the general public can contact TEP at any time about any of the work we do through these fora. We currently organise the following groups: 

- Dredging Liaison Group, set up to enable a focused knowledge exchange platform for dredging operators, consultancies, regulatory authorities, researchers, port operators and commercial fishermen to be able to discuss relevant issues, latest technology and upcoming opportunities for collaborative research. This is our longest running forum and consistently well attended with usually around 20 attendees from a forum membership list of 60. Discussion and outputs inform our work on commercial fisheries, access to the river and riverside infrastructure. This year saw the Microplastics Sub Group continue to discuss the research needed to understand how much microplastics are in the sediment of the Thames. 

- Thames Litter Forum, set up in 2016 by the PLA who requested our help in convening. This group brings together infrastructure providers, water industry, regulators, NGOs, educators and behaviour change organisations to discuss the issue of litter on the Thames. Working groups focusing on different elements have been set up and we convene the main forum which brings all the workstreams together. Regular attendance is approximately 15 people from a distribution list of 25 organisations. Discussion and outputs inform our work on marine plastic pollution and research. 

- National Trails Thames Path Tidal Group, set up in response to the gap in strategic management of the Thames Path in the tidal Thames area. This is a small group consisting of NGOs, regional representatives of the National Trails Management Group (who manage the Thames Path upstream of Teddington), Natural England (who are designating the England Coastal Path which will join up with the Thames Path at Woolwich), Sustrans and the Ramblers Association. Attendance is always 100% due to the small size and we represent the tidal Thames Path at the wider regional meetings. Discussion and outputs inform our work on riverside development, marine planning, public access and recreation. 

- Fisheries Action Group has continued to be dormant due to the pandemic heavily affecting the fishing industry and since the European-funded North Thames Fisheries Local Action Group came to end in March 2020. We intend to start convening this group in the next financial year. We intend to disseminate learning from the FLAG project to benefit the other fishing communities and output from a scientific data collection project. 

- Thames Learning Group, set up to enable knowledge exchange between educators (individual, corporate and charitable) who are either situated along the Thames or use the Thames as its classroom. Regular attendance is approximately 40 people from a distribution list of 100. 

## **Delivery of projects** 

TEP has continued to deliver projects secured last financial year and encompass our charitable objectives 

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**FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31[ST] MARCH 2021** 

**THAMES ESTUARY PARTNERSHIP** 

**TRUSTEES REPORT** 

## including: 

- Full time Coastal Partnerships Officer to support the evolution of the Coastal Partnerships Network enabling knowledge exchange between 87 different Coastal Partnerships and wider initiatives around the UK. 

- Wholescape Approach to Marine Management is a European Maritime and Fisheries Fund funded project led by the national Rivers Trust seeking to enable better collaboration between upstream, freshwater Catchment Partnerships with their downstream, Coastal Partnerships for a catchment to coast approach to environmental enhancement work. role is as the Chair of the CPN to support the collaborative process and the Coastal Partnerships around the UK to engage with the pilot and lessons learned. 

- An Estuary Edges legacy project to develop a long term monitoring programme to collect data on intertidal sites through training students and potentially citizen scientists. It includes ongoing engagement with developers and Local Authorities to advocate for more intertidal habitat through riverside development. 

- The Greater Thames Fish Migration Roadmap is a community mapping approach to identify and develop whole river solutions to fish migration barriers in rivers throughout the Thames River Basin. This brings flood asset data, environmental data, community needs and development opportunities together in a strategic and impactful way. 

- Thames Catchment Community Eels project is a partnership led by Thames Rivers Trust with four Catchment Partnerships led by local Rivers Trusts seeking to map barriers to fish migration for the critically endangered European eel and engage the local communities with 

- into our Greater Thames Fish Migration Roadmap. 

- #OneLess campaign, a systems change approach to enable London to stop using single -use plastic water bottles and influence a refill culture by 2021. This is ongoing, and our role is to ensure the learning is disseminated throughout interest areas, connect people and ideas to ensure an integrated approach. 

- The Living Thames Documentary, a community funded film co-produced with an independent producer, introduced by Sir David Attenborough and presented by TEP President Chris Baines. It as a journey down the tidal Thames, meeting Thames organisations and businesses along the way and learning about what they do and the environmental recovery and current health of the river. It has been screened by over 50 community groups and in film festivals worldwide winning multiple awards. Two more follow on films are now in development. 

## **FINANCIAL REVIEW** 

During the year ended 31 March 2021, total income was £313,242 (2020: £407,933) and net expenditure was £321,633 (2020: £399,307). 

## **Reserves review including policy** 

The trustees have adopted a policy to create a reserve of funds which will cover redundancy and three months of its core costs, which are estimated to be £43,000. The reserves are at £84,019 at present and therefore are surpassing our policy level. 

## **Going concern** 

The accounts are approved during a period where there is much uncertainty as a result of the emergence and international spread of a coronavirus (COVID-19) however there is no material impact on the charity . The Board of Trustees is of the opinion that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future and there are no material uncertainties regarding the Trust's ability to do so. 

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**FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31[ST] MARCH 2021** 

**THAMES ESTUARY PARTNERSHIP** 

**TRUSTEES REPORT** 

## **RISK MANAGEMENT** 

The trustees have assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed, in particular those risks related to the investment strategy - these are included, with mitigating actions, in each iteration of the _Business plan_ as well are reviewed regularly at board meetings. They are satisfied that adequate procedures are in place to mitigate exposure to these risks, although it is recognised that systems can only provide reasonable, not absolute, assurance. They have identified the following top 4 risks: 

|**Risk identified**|**Action taken to mitigate the risk**|
|---|---|
|Internal control risks|Structuredprocedures for authorisation of all transactions andprojects|
|Income generation|To promote the Trust and encourage donations via the website and<br>Membership|
|Objectives|Review regularlythe impact of the Trust|
|Staff Retention/Change|To ensure all knowledge is curated and archived and staff report regularly on<br>activityto ensure no knowledge is lost.|



## **Related parties and relationships with other organisations** 

TEP receives core funding from the Port of London Authority, Thames Water, Essex County Council and Tideway, and therefore works closely with these organisations to achieve sustainability for the Thames. 

TEP usually receives substantial project funding from the Environment Agency and annual sponsorship for the two major events from Jacobs (unable to secure this year due to inability to deliver events). 

## **Key management personnel** 

The trustees consider the board of trustees and the senior management team comprise the key management personnel of the charity in charge of directing and controlling, running and operating the Charity on a day to day basis. All trustees give of their time freely and no director received remuneration in the year. Details of expenses and related party transactions are disclosed in notes 7and 12 on the accounts. 

## **STATEMENT OF** 

## **RESPONSIBILITIES** 

The Trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). 

Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees have: 

- Selected suitable accounting policies and then applied them consistently; 

- Observed the methods and principles in the Charities SORP; 

- Made judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; 

- Stated whether applicable UK Accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and 

- Prepared the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in business. 

The Trustees have kept proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time of the financial position of the charitable company and this has enabled them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They have safeguarded the assets of the charitable company and hence took reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. 

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**FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31[ST] MARCH 2021** 

**THAMES ESTUARY PARTNERSHIP** 

**TRUSTEES REPORT** 

The company is limited by guarantee, and the liability of its member is limited to £1. The total number of such guarantees at 31[st] March 2021 was 4. The trustees are members of the charity, but this entitles them only to voting rights. The trustees have no beneficial interest in the charity. 

## **Independent examination** 

Haysmacintyre LLP were appointed as the independent examiners of the charitable company during the year and have expressed their willingness to continue in that capacity. 

David Wylie, Treasurer 

Date: 21 December 2021 

9 



## **REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF THE THAMES ESTUARY PARTNERSHIP** 

I report to the Trustees on my examination of the accounts of Thames Estuary Partnership for the year ended 31 March 2021 which are set out on pages 11 21. 

## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner** 

The trustees (who are also the directors of the company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the trustees are satisfied that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and have chosen instead to have an independent examination. 

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the charitable company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of the 

have followed the requirements of the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act. 

## **Independent** 

## **statement** 

£250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in the 2011 Act. I can confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a registered member of ICAEW which is one of the listed bodies. 

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention giving me cause to believe that in any material respect: 

1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or 

2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or 

3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than independent examination; or 

4. the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102). 

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. 


Siobhan Holmes (Senior Satutory Auditor) Haysmacintyre LLP 10 Queen Street Place London EC4R 1AG 

Date: 

10 



**THAMES ESTUARY PARTNERSHIP** 

## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES** 

(Incorporating an Income and Expenditure Account) 

## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021** 


**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
2021 2020<br>Unrestricted  Restricted Total Total<br>Note  £  £ £ £<br>Income from:<br>Charitable activities 3  48,271 264,954 313,225 374,356<br>Other trading activities 4  - - - 29,916<br>Investment income 5  17 - 17 56<br>Other income - - - 3,604<br>Total income  48,288  264,954  313,242  407,933<br>Expenditure on:<br>Raising funds - - 5<br>Charitable activities: 6 94,088 - 94,088 129,934<br>-<br>Projects 227,545 227,545 269,368<br>Total expenditure  94,088  227,545  321,633  399,307<br>Net income / (expenditure) for the year  (45,799)  37,409  (8,391)  8,625<br>Transfers between funds 33,941 (33,941) - -<br>Net movement in funds (11,858) 3,467 (8,391) 8,625<br>Reconciliation of funds:<br>Total funds brought forward 95,877 15,775 111,652 103,027<br>Total funds carried forward 84,019  19,242  103,261  111,652<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


All of the above results are derived from continuing activities. There were no other recognised gains or losses other than those stated above. The attached notes form part of these financial statements. 

11 



**THAMES ESTUARY PARTNERSHIP** 

## **STATEMENT OF RISK FROM IMPACTS OF COVID- 19** 

## **Risk** 

The accounts are approved during a period where there is much uncertainty as a result of the emergence and international spread of a coronavirus (COVID-19). The Charity has been able to implement contingency planning arrangements for such circumstances and been able to implement remote working. The ultimate impact of COVID-19 on the UK, the world, the economy and the Charity is yet to be seen. However, through appropriate consideration of risks as part of its normal risk management processes and mitigating actions both already taken and available to be taken, the Trustees consider it appropriate for the going concern basis to be adopted for these accounts 

12 



**THAMES ESTUARY PARTNERSHIP** 

## **BALANCE SHEET** 

## **AS AT 31 MARCH 2021** 


**----- Start of picture text -----**<br>
2021 2020<br>Note £ £ £ £<br>Current assets:<br>Debtors 10 7,833 81,888<br>Cash at bank and in hand 167,254 44,594<br>175,087 126,483<br>Liabilities:<br>Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 11 (71,826) (14,831)<br>Net current assets / (liabilities) 103,261 111,652<br>Total net assets / (liabilities)  103,261 111,652<br>Funds 13<br>Restricted funds 19,242 15,775<br>Unrestricted funds: 84,019 95,878<br>Total funds  103,261  111,652<br>**----- End of picture text -----**<br>


For the financial year in question the company was entitled to exemption under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies. No members have required the company to obtain an audit of its accounts for the year in question in accordance with section 476 of the Companies Act 2006. The directors acknowledge their responsibility for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and for the preparation of accounts. 

These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies' regime. 

Approved by the trustees on 21 December 2021 and signed on their behalf by: 

**Phil Stride Trustee** 

**David Wylie Treasurer** 

## **Company registration no. 3807387** 

The attached notes form part of the financial statements. 

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**THAMES ESTUARY PARTNERSHIP** 

## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS** 

## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021** 

## **1 Accounting policies** 

## **a) Basis of preparation** 

The Thames Estuary Partnership is a registered Charity (no 1083199) and a Company Limited by Guarantee (no: 03807387). Registered office: UCL (University College London), 26 Bedford Way, London WC1H 0AP. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102 -(Charities SORP FRS 102) (Second bulletin effective January 2019) and the Companies Act 2006. 

The charitable company meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy or note. 

## **b) Going concern** 

The Trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charity has considered its contingency plans as a result of Covid19, and the Trustees believe this will be sufficient to continue as a going concern. The charity has a low level of forward expenditure commitments, so can readily adjust to changes in income received. The charity therefore continues to adopt the going concern basis in preparing its financial statements. The financial statements do not include the adjustments that would result if the charity was unable to continue as a going concern. 

## **c) Income** 

Income is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and that the amount can be measured reliably. 

entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the grants have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably and is not deferred. Income received in advance for the provision of specified service is deferred until the criteria for income recognition are met. 

For legacies, entitlement is taken as the earlier of the date on which either: the charity is aware that probate has been granted, the estate has been finalised and notification has been made by the executor(s) to the charity that a distribution will be made, or when a distribution is received from the estate. Receipt of a legacy, in whole or in part, is only considered probable when the amount can be measured reliably and the charity has been notified of the to make a distribution. Where legacies have been notified to the charity, or the charity is aware of the granting of probate, and the criteria for income recognition have not been met, then the legacy is a treated as a contingent asset and disclosed if material. 

## **d) Donations of gifts, services and facilities** 

Donated professional services and donated facilities are recognised as income when the charity has control over the item or received the service, any conditions associated with the donation have been met, the receipt of economic benefit from the use by the charity of the item is probable and that economic benefit can be measured reliably. In accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102), volunteer time is not recognised so refer to the report for more information about their contribution. 

On receipt, donated gifts, professional services and donated facilities are recognised on the basis of the value of the gift to the charity which is the amount the charity would have been willing to pay to obtain services or facilities of equivalent economic benefit on the open market; a corresponding amount is then recognised in expenditure in the period of receipt. 

## **e) Interest receivable** 

Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the charity; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the bank. 

14 



**THAMES ESTUARY PARTNERSHIP** 

## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS** 

## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021** 

## **f) Fund accounting** 

Unrestricted funds are available to spend on activities that further any of the purposes of charity. Designated funds are unrestricted funds of the charity which the trustees have decided at their discretion to set aside to use for a specific purpose. Restricted funds are donations which the donor has specified are to be solely used for particular areas of the work or for specific projects being undertaken by the charity. 

## **g) Expenditure and irrecoverable VAT** 

- Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is classified under the following activity headings: 

   - Costs of raising funds comprise of trading costs and the costs incurred by the charitable company in inducing third parties to make voluntary contributions to it, as well as the cost of any activities with a fundraising purpose. 

   - Expenditure on charitable activities includes the costs of delivering services, exhibitions and other educational activities undertaken to further the purposes of the charity and their associated support costs. Other expenditure represents those items not falling into any other heading. 

The Company is not registered for VAT and expenses inflated by VAT cannot be recovered. VAT is charged as a cost against the activity for which the expenditure was incurred. 

## **h)[Allocation of support costs]** 

Support costs are those functions that assist the work of the charity but do not directly undertake charitable activities. Support costs include back office costs, finance, personnel, payroll and governance costs which support the Trusts artistic programmes and activities. These costs have been allocated between cost of raising funds and expenditure on charitable activities. The bases on which support costs have been allocated are set out in note 7. 

## **i) Debtors** 

- Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due. 

## **j) Cash at bank and in hand** 

- Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account. 

## **k) Creditors and provisions** 

- Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due. 

15 



## **THAMES ESTUARY PARTNERSHIP** 

## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS** 

## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021** 

## **2 Comparative Statement of Financial Activities 2020** 

|**Income from:**<br>Charitable activities:<br>Other trading activities<br>Investments<br>Other income<br>**Total income**<br>**Expenditure on:**<br>Charitable activities:<br>**Total expenditure**<br>Gross transfers between funds<br>**Net movement in funds**<br>Total funds brought forward<br>**Total funds carried forward**<br>**Net income for the year**|106,317<br>29,916<br>56<br>3,604<br>139,893<br>129,939<br>129,939<br>24,892<br>34,846<br>61,031<br>95,876<br>Unrest<br>9,954<br>2020<br>ricted<br>£|268,039<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>268,039<br>269,368<br>269,368<br>(24,892)<br>(26,221)<br>41,996<br>15,775<br>(1,329)<br>2020<br>Restricted<br>£|374,356<br>29,916<br>56<br>3,604<br>407,933<br>399,307<br>399,307<br>2020<br>Total<br>£<br>8,625<br>-<br>-|
|---|---|---|---|
||||103,027<br>111,652<br>8,625|



## **3 Income from charitable activities** 

|**Income from other trading activities**<br>Summer Event<br>Annual Forum<br>Talk of the Thames<br>Core Funding<br>Project Funding<br>**Total income from charitable activities**|Unrestricted<br>£<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>Unrestricted<br>£<br>48,271<br>-<br>~~48,271~~|Restricted<br>£<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>Restricted<br>£<br>-<br>264,954<br>~~264,954~~|2021<br>Total<br>£<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>2021<br>Total<br>£<br>48,271<br>264,954<br>~~313,225~~|Unrestricted<br>£<br>7,340<br>22,576<br>-<br>29,916<br>Unrestricted<br>£<br>106,317<br>-<br>~~106,317~~|Restricted<br>£<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>Restricted<br>£<br>-<br>268,039<br>~~268,039~~|2020<br>.<br>£<br>106,317<br>268,039|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||||~~374,356~~|
|||||||2020<br>Total<br>£<br>7,340<br>22,576<br>-|
|||||||29,916|



**4 Income from other trading activities** 

16 



**THAMES ESTUARY PARTNERSHIP** 

## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS** 

## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021** 

## **6 Analysis of expenditure** 

|_The result for the year is stated after charging:_<br>_Independent_<br>_remuneration_<br>Charitable activities 2020<br>Charitable activities<br>Project<br>£<br>£<br>Staff costs<br>Other Project Costs<br>Event Cost<br>Office cost<br>Finance<br>Other Staff Costs<br>Governance Costs<br>227,545<br>-<br>Support costs<br>Governance costs<br>Total expenditure 2021<br>-<br>88,054<br>-<br>6,034<br>227,545<br>94,088<br>Project<br>£<br>£<br>Staff costs<br>Other Project Costs<br>Event Cost<br>Office cost<br>Finance<br>Other Staff Costs<br>Governance Costs<br>-<br>269,368<br>-<br>Support costs<br>-<br> <br>124,689<br> <br>Governance costs<br>-<br>5,250<br>Total expenditure 2020<br>269,368<br> <br>129,939<br> <br>147,936<br>79,609<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>161,583<br>107,785<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-|Charitable activities|88,054<br>(88,054)<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>124,689<br>(124,689)<br> <br>-<br>-<br> <br>Support costs<br>£<br>59,906<br>-<br>768<br>6,836<br>12,386<br>8,159<br>Support costs<br>£<br>74,780<br>-<br>34,679<br>11,197<br>814<br>3,219|6,034<br>-<br>(6,034)<br>-<br>2,4<br>2,825<br>5,250 <br>-<br> <br>(5,250)<br>-<br> <br>Governance<br>costs<br>£<br>3,272<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>2,762<br>Governance<br>costs<br>£<br>6<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-|2021<br>2,640<br>2020<br>2,546<br>321,633<br>-<br>-<br>321,633<br>2,825<br>399,307<br>-<br>-<br>399,307<br>2021<br>£<br>211,114<br>79,609<br>768<br>6,836<br>12,386<br>8,159<br>2,762<br>2020<br>£<br>238,789<br>107,785<br>34,679<br>11,197<br>814<br>3,219|
|---|---|---|---|---|



16 



**THAMES ESTUARY PARTNERSHIP** 

## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS** 

## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021** 

## **7 Analysis of staff costs, trustee remuneration and expenses, and the cost of key management personnel** 

|Staff costs were as follows:<br>Salaries and wages<br>Social security costs|2021 <br>£ <br>195,982 <br>15,131 <br>211,114|2020<br>£<br>221,389<br>17,399<br>238,789|
|---|---|---|



No employees received employee benefit (excluding employer pension) during the year. 

The total employee benefits including pension contributions of the key management personnel were £32,715 (2020: £24,255). 

The charity trustees were not paid or received any other benefits from employment with the Trust in the year £nil (2020:£nil) They were reimbursed expenses during the year £Nil (2020: £194). No charity trustee received payment for professional or other services supplied to the charity £nil (2020: £nil). 

## **Staff numbers** 

The average number of employees (head count based on number of staff employed) during the year was as follows: 

|Charitable activities|2021 <br>No. <br>7 <br>7|2020<br>No.<br>7<br>7|
|---|---|---|



There were no employees with emoluments above £60,000 (2020: none) 

17 



## **THAMES ESTUARY PARTNERSHIP** 

## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS** 

## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021** 

## **8 Taxation** 

Thames Estuary Partnership is a registered charity and therefore is not liable to income tax or corporation tax on income derived from its charitable activities, as they fall within the various exemptions available to registered charities. 

## **9 Debtors** 

|**Debtors**|||
|---|---|---|
|Trade debtors<br>Prepayments<br>Accrued Income Receivable<br>Trade creditors<br>Taxation and social security<br>Other creditors<br>Accruals<br>Deferred income<br>**Creditors: amounts falling due within one year**|2020<br>£<br>7,550<br>1,278<br>-|2019<br>£<br>24,990<br>1,245<br>56,649<br>82,883|
||8,828||
||2020<br>£<br>-<br>5,286<br>50,000<br>16,540<br>-<br>71,826|2019<br>£<br>-<br>4,713<br>3,672<br>6,446<br>-<br>14,831|



## **10 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year** 

TEP secured a Bounce Back Loan of £50000 from the Government as part of the Covid-19 emergency funding measures for businesses due to the loss of two restricted revenue funding allocations and concerns over the organisational budget. This was a safety measure to support TEP during the pandemic while replacement funds were secured. The BBL terms are: 

- a. Loan of £50000 with no repayment or interest accrued over the first 12 months. The interest free offer expires 06/09/2021 and thereafter will accrue interest at 2.5% fixed interest rate over a six-year term equalling approximately £2355 in interest over that term. 

- b. Payment holidays can be made up three times within that time period and the loan can be extended to ten years should it be required. 

- c. The Board agreed to undertake the loan with reviews quarterly at the Finance Sub Committee and decisions on whether to retain or repay the loan being made at Board level. 

- d. At the time of the end of year accounts 

## **11 Related Party Transactions** 

In the opinion of the directors, the charitable company is not subject to overall control by any party. 

The Port of London Authority, Thames Water, the Environment Agency and Essex County Council are members of the charitable company and they provide core funding to the charity. Natural England and the Corporation of London are also members of the charitable company. 

Details of Trustee remuneration and expenses are contained within note 7. 

ritable company as they provide core funded staff (the Executive Director) and certain office services, the costs of which are refunded to UCL on a quarterly basis. UCL also provides office accommodation to the Partnership without charge 

The company is limited by guarantee, and the liability of its member is limited to £1. The company has 4 members (2020: 4 members). 

18 



## **THAMES ESTUARY PARTNERSHIP** 

## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS** 

## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021** 

|**12**<br>**Movements in funds**<br>Environment Agency YTT - Catchment Partnership Fund<br>CGF Marine CoLABoration<br>Environment Agency-Citizen Fish(Estuary Edges)<br>European Union MMO-FLAG Data Officer<br>John Ellerman-CPN<br>The Rivers Trust-WAMM<br>Environment Agency Rememare<br>CGF -CPN<br>Rivers Trust-CaBA<br>National Lottery Heritage Emergency Fund<br>**Total restricted funds**<br>**Total unrestricted funds**<br>**Total funds including pension fund**<br>**Comparison movements in funds 2020**<br>**Total restricted funds**<br>**Total unrestricted funds**<br>**Pension fund**<br>**Total funds including pension fund**<br>**Restricted funds:**<br>Environment Agency - RoadMap<br>CGF -OneLess<br>**Restricted funds:**<br>EA - RoadMap<br>CGF-Oneless<br>European Union MMO<br>Environment Agency YTT - Catchment partnership Fund<br>Calouste Living Thames<br>UCL-Thames Monitoring project<br>MMO-Marine Spatial Plan<br>Environment Agency-Citizen Fish<br>MMO-Flag Data officer<br>MMO & John Ellerman-Coastal Partnership<br>The Rivers Trust-WAMM<br>European Union MMO-Leigh branding<br>**Unrestricted funds:**<br>**General funds**|-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>1,233<br>14,541<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>15,775<br>95,878<br>~~95,878~~<br>111,652<br>41,996 <br>61,031<br>61,031<br>-<br>103,027 <br>At the start<br>of the year<br>£<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>9,393<br>0<br>125<br>4,170<br>22,026<br>-<br>6,281<br>-<br>-<br>At the start<br>of the year<br>£|7,500<br>1,600<br>21,398<br>426<br>31,600<br>30,000<br>9,918<br>80,000<br>4,000<br>48,700<br>Income &<br>gains<br>£<br>27,812<br>2,000|7,000<br>1,600<br>16,193<br>-<br>31,356<br>28,834<br>7,891<br>69,033<br>4,000<br>41,924<br>Expenditure<br>& losses<br>£<br>17,714<br>2,000|-<br>-<br>(5,205)<br>(426)<br>-<br>(11,976)<br>(1,294)<br>(10,406)<br>-<br>-<br>Transfers<br>£<br>(4,635)<br>-|500<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>1,477<br>3,731<br>733<br>561<br>-<br>6,776<br>19,242<br>At the end<br>of the year<br>£<br>5,463<br>-|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||264,954|227,545|(33,941)||
|||48,288|94,088<br>94,088|33,941<br>33,941|84,019|
||||||84,019|
|||~~48,288~~||||
||||321,633|-|103,261|
|||~~313,242~~||||
|||47,961<br>5,000<br>41,769<br>7,500<br>7,800<br>4,221<br>4,975<br>31,850<br>16,721<br>35,638<br>33,000<br>31,604<br>Income &<br>gains<br>£|47,945<br>4,074<br>52,732<br>14,497<br>6,985<br>3,992<br>2,200<br>28,275<br>17,919<br>40,686<br>18,459<br>31,604<br>Expenditure<br>& losses<br>£|(17)<br>(926)<br>10,964<br>(2,397)<br>(815)<br>(354)<br>(6,945)<br>(25,601)<br>1,198<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>Transfers<br>£|-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>1,233<br>14,541<br>-<br>At the end<br>of the year<br>£|
|||203,434|219,306|(24,892)|15,775|
|||139,894|129,939|24,892|95,878|
|||139,894|129,939|24,892|95,878|
|||-<br>343,328|-<br>349,245|-<br>-|-<br>111,652|



19 



## **THAMES ESTUARY PARTNERSHIP** 

## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS** 

## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021** 

## **13 Movements in funds continued** 

## **Purposes of restricted funds** 

Each of the restricted projects to be described in more detail below and explain any transfers. 

**Environment Agency - Roadmap** - to deliver the Greater Thames Fish Migration Roadmap. This is a large scale project covering the Thames River Basin (all the tidal Thames and up to 30km upstream of the tidal extents of all the tributaries) to map spatial data about barriers to fish migration. We will use this 'roadmap' to engage communities and create fish migration passage plans and prioritise rivers for work. This will also help identify opportunities for environmental enhancements to be delivered as part of commercial riverside development and places where additional public space and access and habitat can be created. 

**Oak Foundation/Gulbenkian #OneLess Campaign -** To support the campaign to enable London to elimate the use of single-use plastic water bottles and reduce the amount of plastic pollution entering the ocean vie the Thames. We do this through helping disseminate learning, advocatin for the approach and bringing in organisations seeking to achieve the system change necessary to fulfil the objectives. We look for opportunities to scale the project to national level through the Coastal Partnerships Network. 

**Environment Agency - Catchment Partnership -** to co-host the Your Tidal Thames Catchment Partnership in collaboration with Thames21 and seek to help improve water quality and create habitat. 

**Calouste Marine CoLABoration -** funded time from Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation to be a member of the Marine CoLABoration and drive forward the Horizon Scanning workstream. 

**Environment Agency - Estuary Edges (previously Citizen Fish) -** to develop long term monitoring programme of ecological surveys across the Estuary Edges sites through developing post graduate student training days and citizen science. 

**MMO - FLAG Data Officer -** to complete data analysis on the existing environmental data publicly available on the Thames to identify trends and compare fisheries data from the last 25 years. 

**John Ellerman - Coastal Partnership** Network (CPN)- to provide a dedicated national Coastal Partnerships Officer to coordinate the knowledge exchange and partnership working between 87 Coastal Partnerships and wider coastal initiatives around the UK. 

**The Rivers Trust - WAMM -** Wholescape Approach to Marine Management (WAMM) is a national project to improve collaboration between Catchment and Coastal Partnerships for whole catchment management. This is to improve water quality and river/estuary habitat across an entire river corridor source to sea. 

**Environment Agency - ReMeMaRe -** Restoring Meadows, Marsh and Reef (ReMeMaRe) is a national project to restore coastal habitats for climate resilience in line with the Government's 25 Year Environment Plan targets. We support the national EA estuaries and coasts 

**CGF - CPN -** strategic development of the Coastal Partnerships Network (CPN) to evolve from a volunteer run network to a professionalised one working with a facilitator to complete a Theory of Change and establish a 10-Year Strategy and 5 year Business 

**Rivers Trust - CaBA -** Chairing a naitonal Estuaries and Coasts Working Group to further work to improve the water quality and restore habitats ine stuaries and coasts under the Catchment Based Approach. 

**National Lottery Heritage Emergency Fund -** crisis funding to support TEP during Covid-19 secured to support improvement of our digital communications and start an organisational strategy refresh. 

**Transfers of funds between restricted income and unrestricted income are completed where there has been an underspend or overspend as per grant agreements.** 

20 



## **THAMES ESTUARY PARTNERSHIP** 

## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS** 

## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021** 

|**14.**|**Analysis of net assets between funds**|2021||2021||2021|2020|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||**Restricted**|**Unrestricted**||**Total**||**Restricted**|
||Debtors|-||7,833||7,833|-|
||Cash and bank|19,242||148,012||167,254|15,775|
||Creditors|-|-|71,826|-|71,826|-|



## **15 Legal status of the charity** 

The charity is a company limited by guarantee and has no share capital. Each member is liable to contribute a sum not exceeding £1 in the event of the charity being wound up. 

21