East London District Scout Council Annual Report & Accounts
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For the period 1[st] January to 31[st] December 2023
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Creating the do-ers, and give-it-a-goers in the London Boroughs of Tower Hamlets and Hackney in 2023 www.eastlondonscouts.org.uk
East London District Scout Council Annual Report & Accounts (1st January 2023 to 31 December 2023)
Bankers:
Unity Trust Bank Plc, Nine Brindley Place, Birmingham, B1 2HB
Principle Address: 60 Watchouse Road, Galleywood, Chelmsford, CM2 8PU Custodian Trustees: The Scout Association Charity Registration Number: 281576 (England and Wales) Scout Association Registration: 10001028 Trustee Board Ex-Officio Members District Commissioner: Mr J. Ellison (Until 30/11/23) Mr K. Bridge (From 01/12/23) Youth Commissioner: Position Vacant Explorer Commissioner: Ms B Mesquita De Oliveira Pegado District Officers Chair: Mr A. Hands (Until 21/09/23) Position Vacant (From 22/09/23) Treasurer Mr K. Yousaf Elected Members Mrs J. Bridge Mr G. Davis Mr J. Poole Co-Opted Members Mr B. Bench Mr C Greenslade Ms K. Leggett Nominated Members Mrs J. Sacarello Vice Presidents Mr A. Hands Mr P. Final Independent Examiner Rob Handworker
East London District Scout Council Annual Report & Accounts (1st January 2023 to 31 December 2023)
Description of the charity’s trust
The District's governing documents are those of 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.
Organisation:
The Scout District is led by a District Commissioner and managed by a Board of Trustees.
The Board of Trustees exists to support the District Commissioner in meeting the responsibilities of their appointment and is accountable to the East London District Scout Council for the satisfactory running of the District.
The East London District Scout Council is an unincorporated charitable association under the umbrella of the Scout Association. It operates within the guidelines laid down in Policy, Organisation and Rules (POR) by the Scout Association.
The Trustee Board meets formally five times a year and is responsible for:
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Promoting the development of Scouting in the District
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Acting with the District Commissioner and District Team in all matters relating to finance and property
Presenting an Annual Report and annual statement of accounts to the General Meeting of the Scout Council.
Risk and Internal Control
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 comprehensive insurance policies to ensure that insurable risks are covered.
Our Purpose and Method
Scouts gives young people skills for life. We actively engage and support them in their personal development, empowering them to make a positive contribution to society.
In partnership with adults, young people take part in fun indoor and outdoor activities. They learn by doing, by sharing in reflection and by taking responsibility. They make choices, try new and challenging activities, and live their Scout Promise.
Scouts’ Trustees have a duty to report on our public benefit in this Annual Report. We’ve assessed our aims, activities and charitable objectives, which are to contribute to the development of young people in achieving their full potential as individuals, as responsible citizens, and as members of their local, national and international communities.
We believe we’ve met the Charity Commission’s public benefit criteria for both the advancement of education, and the advancement of citizenship and community development. Scouts follows two key principles set by the Commission with regard to public benefit:
East London District Scout Council Annual Report & Accounts (1st January 2023 to 31 December 2023)
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Identifiable benefit - The way we help young people in their personal development and empower them to make a positive contribution to society. This benefit is directly linked to the purpose of Scouts.
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Public benefit - We’re open to all young people aged 4–24 and adult volunteers who are willing to make the Scout Promise. We help young people step up, speak up and dream big. Most importantly, we help them gain the skills they need to succeed in life. We’re proud that all young people from all backgrounds and communities can benefit from our programme and aren’t constrained by their ability to pay to take part.
East London District Scout Council Annual Report & Accounts (1st January 2023 to 31 December 2023)
District Commissioner’s (Lead Volunteer) Report – Kevin Bridge
It gives me great pleasure to present our Trustees Annual Report and Accounts for the year ending 31[st] December 2023.
I have never been prouder to be a part of the team and feel privileged to volunteer with such a fantastic group of adults and young people to help move Scouting forward in East London District. My thanks go to my fellow Trustees, the District Team and to all those who support Scouting in East London Scout District.
A special thank you is reserved for three people who have given East London Scout the District so much of their time and dedication over many years.
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Jon Ellison completed more than 5½ years as District Commissioner of East London District. With his direction and support the District has increased its annual membership and for the first time ever recorded over a 1000 Young Members within the District.
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Alan Hands completed nearly 5½ years as Chair of East London Scout District and The Roland Philipps Fund for Scouts Trust. He has brought his energy and vast professional experience into the careful management of the charity’s trusteeship, which has been highly valuable. He has single-handedly raised the funding which has provided the exciting District Programme as well has supported the numerous District tasks and activities, which have been invaluable.
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Judy Phillips provided 15 years’ service as the District Appointments Secretary. It is a thankless role and quite often her face was the first one they saw from another Group, she made people feel at ease and provided support and assistance whenever required and no matter how hard the task was to succeed.
Our founder, Robert Baden-Power, always emphasised that Scouts are a Movement. They need to keep developing, changing and growing. They will not survive if they are allowed to become static.
East London District has for the last 5 years recorded an increase in membership and we are now providing a programme for 841 young members. Whilst there are 226 adults volunteering their time in providing programme delivery across 14 Scout Groups and 5 Explorer Units within the London Boroughs of Tower Hamlets and Hackney.
We are committed to our programme for young people from 4–24 years old. We’re there for young people at every stage of their journey!
In addition to all those working directly with young people on programme delivery we have a variety of teams helping to ensure governance, safeguarding, safety, finances and facilities are outstanding. Many of these are quietly working away in the background helping to make the magic happen including our wonderful volunteers looking after Charles Watts Memorial Hall and Fairmead Scout Camp Site.
We are very thankful to generous financial supporters of East London Scouting.
This external funding of over £64,000 including £15,000 grant from Jack Petchey Foundation for camp site improvement has made it possible to make Scouting open for all during these tough times for many of our families.
The Trustee Board is pro-active finding ways to support more young people benefit from Scouting. Speak to your elected trustee if you have any innovative ideas.
East London District Scout Council Annual Report & Accounts (1st January 2023 to 31 December 2023)
Annual Census of Membership (31/01/2023)
| Youth Members | Adult Volunteers | Total | |
| 2nd East London (Isle of Dogs) | 122 |
52 | 174 |
| 3rd Bethnal Green | 24 |
10 | 34 |
| 4th Poplar (Ss. Mary and Joseph) | 18 |
3 | 21 |
| 4th Stoke Newington | 22 |
7 | 29 |
| 5th Tower Hamlets (West) | 113 |
42 | 113 |
| 6th Hackney | 36 |
8 | 44 |
| 7th Stoke Newington | 24 |
11 | 35 |
| 8th East London | 68 |
26 | 94 |
| 9th Stepney | 9 |
10 | 19 |
| 10th Stepney (Hayaat) | 85 |
18 | 103 |
| 14th Hackney (St John at Hackney) | 47 |
9 | 56 |
| 16th East London | 68 |
50 | 118 |
| 23rd Poplar | 45 |
28 | 73 |
| 63rd Hackney | 62 |
10 | 72 |
| Explorer Scouts | 98 |
9 | 107 |
East London District Scout Council Annual Report & Accounts (1st January 2023 to 31 December 2023)
East London District Scout Council (Charity Registration Number 1114589)
Receipts and Payments account
| Receipts and payments | Year start date | Year start date | Year end date | Year end date | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st January 2023 | To | 31st December 2023 | ||||
| 2022 £ |
||||||
| 2023 £ |
||||||
| Receipts | ||||||
| Programme - activities | 4,660 | 192 | ||||
| Programme - badges | 650 | 664 | ||||
| Campsite fees and electricitycharge | 29,826 | 20,820 | ||||
| Hall hire - Charles Watts Memorial Hall (Bouverie Road) |
565 | 15,157 | ||||
| Donations and grants Note 2 |
64, 359 |
33,377 | ||||
| Membershipfees | 46,910 | 4,655 | ||||
| Bank and buildingsocietyinterest | 67 | 11 | ||||
| Miscellaneous income | 1,372 | |||||
| Total receipts | 148,409 | 74,877 |
| Payments | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Programme: Activities | 5,776 | 13,190 | |||
| Programme: Badges | 4,678 | 5,059 | |||
| Programme: Jamboree support | 400 | 6,750 | |||
| Administration | 46 | ||||
| Campsite: Maintenance/ improvements Note 3 |
47,035 | 36,900 | |||
| Charles Watts Memorial Hall: Maintenance/improvements |
7,565 | 5,535 | |||
| Bank charges | 72 | 72 | |||
| Training | 426 | 180 | |||
| Membershipfees | 34,155 | 31,024 | |||
| Promotion/recruitment/retention | 1,057 | 709 | |||
| Sundry payments | 29 | ||||
| 2022 AGM | 1,080 | ||||
| Miscellaneous expenses | 120 | ||||
| Total payments | 102,409 | 99,448 | |||
| Net of receipts/(payments) Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end |
|||||
| 45,999 | -24,571 | ||||
| 125,850 170,559 |
150,422 | ||||
| - | 125,850 |
East London District Scout Council Annual Report & Accounts (1st January 2023 to 31 December 2023)
| Statement of assets and liabilites at the end of the year |
2022 £ |
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|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 £ |
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| Cash funds |
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| East London Scouts | 69,807 | 16,346 | |
| Charles Wats Memorial (Bouverie Rd) Note 4 |
83,597 |
90,598 | |
| Fairmead camp site | 17,155 | 18,906 | |
| Total cash funds |
170,559 | 125,850 | |
| Non-monetary assets for charity's own use |
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| Equipment | 3,040 | 3,200 | |
| Badge stock | 400 | 800 | |
| Charles Wats Memorial (Bouverie Rd) | 403,001 | 403,001 | |
| Fairmead camp site | 414,105 | 414,105 | |
| Sub total |
820,546 | 822,097 | |
| Total net assets | 991,105 | 972,519 |
Notes to the accounts
1. The accounts incorporate the funds administered by the District Scout Council and do not include any of the funds administered by the individual Scout Groups within East London Scout District
| 2. Donatons | 2023 | 2022 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK Government Covid reliefgrant | £4,024 | |||
| Amazon | £22.84 | £14 | ||
| Much Loved | £1,056.52 | |||
| Pemberton Barnes Will Trust | £48,000 | £24,000 | ||
| Jack PetcheyFoundaton | £15,000 | |||
| Tesco Foundaton | £1,125 | |||
| 29th HackneyScout Group | £1,357 | |||
| Red Panda | £280 |
3. Camp site improvements include £32,028 for new equipment to improve facilities. Jack Petchey Foundation have approved a £15,000 grant in 2022 and received in this period.
4. Funds held to replace roof on this grade 2 listed building - quotes received to date are for £80,000 plus. There will be £2000 - £3000 expected costs for surveys and consultations.
East London District Scout Council Annual Report & Accounts (1st January 2023 to 31 December 2023)
The above receipts and payments account and statement of assets and liabilities were approved by the Trustees on Thursday 5[th] September 2024 signed on their behalf by
Kevin Bridge
Kevin Bridge District Commissioner (Lead Volunteer) East London District
East London District Scout Council Annual Report & Accounts (1st January 2023 to 31 December 2023)
Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of The East London District Council Annual Report
Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of the East London District Scout Council
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the East London District Scout Council for the year ended 31[st] December 2023.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity trustees of the East London District Scout Council you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).
I report in respect of my examination of the East London District Scout Council accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiner’s statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
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accounting records were not kept in respect of the East London District Scout Council as required by section 130 of the Act; or
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the accounts do not accord with those records.
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.
Signed: Rob Handworker
Name: Rob Hardworker
Address: Thirfteen Accounting and Management Services Ltd, E18 1DW
East London District Scout Council Annual Report & Accounts (1st January 2023 to 31 December 2023)