## **WORCESTERSHIRE BIOLOGICAL RECORDS CENTRE** Lower Smite Farm, Smite Hill, Hindlip, Worcester, WR3 8SZ A company limited by guarantee and registered in England No. 04416182 This company is a Registered Charity under registration No. 1096279 ## **ANNUAL REPORT FROM THE BOARD 1[st] May 2023 to 30[th] April 2024** ## **Objective of the Company** To provide a service which collects, manages and disseminates quality environmental information for the public benefit. ## **Public Benefit Statement** In addition to the public benefits arising from the availability of quality environmental information, such as assisting decision making which protects the environment, WBRC provides identification services to members of the public, and provides education on environmental issues through its support of the Worcestershire Recorders, their field events, the production of the joint journal, Worcestershire Record, and its website www.wbrc.org.uk. We aim to include records held by WBRC on the National Biodiversity Network Atlas of which WBRC is a member. WBRC has continued to supply information to all Service Level Agreement holders including Environment Agency, Worcestershire County Council and Worcestershire Wildlife Trust, together with providing data to environmental consultants and local natural history groups, with species identification assistance to members of the public on an ongoing basis as single data requests. During the year WBRC Board have been working to produce a 3 year strategic plan to cover April 2024 to March 2027 to secure and further develop the organisation. Staffing increased from 1.6 FTE to 1.8 FTE in October 2023 with 2 long-term volunteers contributing greatly during this reporting period within the areas of data processing and administrative duties. Commercial enquiries remained an important income stream, representing c.40% of total income, Service Level Agreement streams were stable during this period and all look to renew for next financial year. WBRC can report a sound financial status to end the year. The update of the Worcestershire area of the National Ancient Woodland Inventory continued during this financial year. This is a major project fully funded by Woodland Trust and in conjunction with Natural England; WBRC will continue to feed into this project until September 2024. The database has continued to grow over the year, giving access to over 1.65 million records in the county. The methods by which data is funnelled into WBRC have begun to evolve over the last few years and much more biological recording is undertaken by individuals via online portals such as iRecord. WBRC is working to update and maintain processes to ensure we collate and provide access to the best possible data for the county. ## **Review of Financial Activity** The organisation finished the year with total assets of **£66,873.78** Ruth Bourne Chair of the Board ## **Worcestershire Biological Records Centre** |**Worcestershire Biological Records Centre**
**Financial Statement - 01.05.23 to 30.04.24**
Bank Balance Brought Forward
**Income:**
Contributions
Worcs Wildlife Trust
Worcs County Council
Environment Agency
Woodland Trust (Ancient Woodland Inventory)
Sales
Bank Interest
**Income Total**
**Total Assets**|**Charity Number**
**Company Number**
78577.04
**Expenditure:**
10500
Employment Costs
Phone & Broadband
2250.00
Insurance
10133.55
Expenses/Travel
19200.00
Office/Equipment/IT
Training/Conferences
Rent/Rates
OS Licence
ALERC Membership
**Expenditure Sub Total**
39442.50
763.46
**Balance Carried Forward**
**82289.51**
**160866.55**|**1096279**
**4416182**
88062.92
736.92
683.35
214.56
1259.48
40.00
1250.00
695.54
1050.00
**93992.77**| |---|---|---| |||**66873.78**| |||| ## examiner's on the E. | CHARITY CHARITY COMMISSION COMMISSION | Independent Independent examiner's report report on the FOR ENGLAND AND WALES accounts Ca¥) _ FOR'ENGLAND AND WALES accounts |Ca¥) _|FOR ENGLAND AND WALES
FOR'ENGLAND AND WALES|FOR ENGLAND AND WALES
FOR'ENGLAND AND WALES|FOR ENGLAND AND WALES
ENGLAND AND WALES
FOR'ENGLAND AND WALES|ENGLAND AND WALES
FOR'ENGLAND AND WALES|ENGLAND AND WALES
AND WALES
WALES
accounts
FOR'ENGLAND AND WALESAND WALESWALES
accounts|ENGLAND AND WALES
AND WALES
WALES
accounts
FOR'ENGLAND AND WALESAND WALESWALES
accounts|ENGLAND AND WALES
AND WALES
WALES
accounts
FOR'ENGLAND AND WALESAND WALESWALES
accounts| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |Section
A
Section A|||||Independent
Examiner's
Report
Independent Examiner’s Report||| |Report
to
the
members
of
Reporttothetrustees/
members of|the
trustees/
trustees/|||||Worcestershire
Biological
Records
Centre
he
nies ee sale
Worcestershire Biological Records Centre|| |On
accounts
Onaccounts|accounts
for
forthe||for
the
year
ended
theyear
ended||||30"|30
th
April
Charity
no
1096279
(if
any)
30"April
Charityno |1096279
(if any)
Se
=| ||||||||:| |Set
out
Set outon pages||out
on
on pages||on
pages
on pagesi||1
i
y|| ||||||||I
report
to
the
trustees
on
my
examination
of
the
accounts
of
the
above
| report to the trustees on my examination ofthe accounts ofthe above| ||||||||charity
("the
Trust")
for
the
year
ended
charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended| |Responsibilties
Responsibilties||and
and|||||As
the
charity's
trustees,
you
are
responsible
for
the
preparation
of
the
As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation ofthe| |basis
of
report
basis of report|||||||accounts
in
accordance
with
the
requirements
of
the
Charities
Act
2011
accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011| ||||||||("the
Act").
(“the Act”).| ||||||||I
report
in
respect
of
my
examination
of
the
Trust's
accounts
carried
out
| report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out| ||||||||under
section
145
of
the
2011
Act
and
in
carrying
out
my
examination,
I
under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination,
|| ||||||||have
followed
all
the
applicable
Directions
given
by
the
Charity
Commission
have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission| ||||||||under
section
145(5)(b)
of
the
Act.
under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.| |Independent
Independent|||||||[The
charity's
gross
income
exceeded
E250,000
and
I
am
qualified
to
[The charity's gross income exceeded £250,000 and
| am qualified to| |examiner's
statement
examiner's statement|||||||undertake
the
examination
by
being
a
qualified
member
of
[insert
name
of
undertake the examination by being a qualified member of [insert name of| ||||||||applicable
listed
body]].
Delete
[
]
if
not
applicable.
applicable listed body]]. Delete[ ] ifnot applicable.| ||||||||I
have
completed
my
examination.
I
confirm
that
no
material
matters
have
| have completed my examination.
| confirm that no material matters have| ||||||||come
to
my
attention
in
connection
with
the
examination
(other
than
that
disclosed
below
*
)
which
gives
me
cause
to
believe
that
in,
any
material
come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that
disclosed below *) which gives me cause to believe that in, any material| ||||||||respect:
respect:| ||||||||•
the
accounting
records
were
not
kept
in
accordance
with
section
130
e
the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130| ||||||||of
the
Charities
Act;
or
of the Charities Act; or| ||||||||•
the
accounts
did
not
accord
with
the
accounting
records;
or
e
the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or| ||||||||•
the
accounts
did
not
comply
with
the
applicable
requirements
e
the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements| ||||||||concerning
the
form
and
content
of
accounts
set
out
in
the
Charities
concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities| ||||||||(Accounts
and
Reports)
Regulations
2008
other
than
any
requirement
(Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 otherthan any requirement| ||||||||that
the
accounts
give
a
'true
and
fair'
view
which
is
not
a
matter
that the accounts givea ‘true and fair’ viewwhich is not a matter| ||||||||considered
as
part
of
an
independent
examination.
considered as part of an independent examination.| ||||||||I
have
no
concerns
and
have
come
across
no
other
matters
in
connection
| 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.
with the examination towhich attention should be drawn in this report in
ordertoenableaproperunderstandingoftheaccountstobereached.| - * Please Please delete delete the the words words in in the the brackets brackets if if they they do do not not apply. apply. Date: Signed: a Name: Name:| SoOKWN RLAUIS Relevant professional qualification(s) qualification(s) or or body body Relevant professional CAMA Manrtac 1 JER IER 1 Oct Oct 2018 2018 ## (if any): Address: Address: | Rcse COWAGE G(bue c-temsq [Cecio ee,, SCAMScreGRVE BACHS | OCR CCS OR NG ## Section Section B B Disclosure Disclosure > Only Only complete complete if if the the examiner examiner needs needs to to highlight highlight material material matters matters of of concern concern (see (see CC32, CC32, Independent Independent examination examination of of charity charity accounts: accounts: directions directions and and guidance guidance for for examiners). examiners). > Give Give here here brief brief details details of of > any any items items that that the the > examiner examiner wishes wishes to to disclose disclose. IER IER 2 2 Oct Oct 2018 2018