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2023-03-31-accounts

Registered company number: 07713172 (England and Wales)

Registered charity number: 1145188

NORTHUMBERLAND RIVERS TRUST

COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE

TRUSTEES REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Northumberland Rivers Trust Cragend Rothbury Northumberland NE65 7XN www.northumberlandriverstrust.co.uk

NORTHUMBERLAND RIVERS TRUST YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Contents Page
Charity information 3
Trustee’s report 4
Examiner’s report 9
Statement of financial activities 10
Balance sheet 11
Notes to the financial statements 13
Detailed income and expenditure account 21

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NORTHUMBERLAND RIVERS TRUST YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

CHARITY INFORMATION

Company Registration Number

07713172

Charity Registration Number

1145188

Registered Office

Time Central, c/o Muckle LLP, 32 Gallowgate, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 4BF

Trustees

S M Renwick (Chairman) A E Collingwood-Cameron G C Hodgson J W Jackson Ms J C Jonczyk R J Inverarity G R Clewes

Company Secretary

P Kerr

Independent Examiner

Counting North, Salvus House, Aykley Heads, Durham City, Durham, DH1 5TS

Bankers

Natwest, 4 Bridge Street, Morpeth, Northumberland, NE61 1NG

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NORTHUMBERLAND RIVERS TRUST YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

TRUSTEES REPORT

Introduction

The Trustees (who are also directors of the Charity for the purposes of the Companies Act) submit their annual report and the financial statements of Northumberland Rivers Trust (the charitable company) for the year ended 31 March 2023. The Trustees confirm that the annual report and financial statements of the charitable company comply with current statutory requirements, the requirements of the charitable company's governing document and the provisions of the Charities SORP (FRS102).

Legal Status

Northumberland Rivers Trust is a charitable company limited by guarantee, company number 7713172, and is a registered charity, number 1145188. The charity was established under a Memorandum of Association, which established the objectives and powers of the company, and is governed under its Articles of Association. The members of the company are the current trustees and the liability of the members is limited. Every member of the charity promises, if the charity is dissolved while he or she is a member (or within twelve months after he or she ceases to be a member), to contribute such sum (not exceeding £1) as may be demanded of him or her towards the payment of the debts and liabilities of the charity incurred before he or she ceases to be a member, and of the costs, charges and expenses of winding up. For the purposes of company law, the trustees of the charity are directors of the company.

Method of Appointment of Trustees

The management of the charitable company is the responsibility of the Trustees who are appointed under the terms of the Memorandum and Articles of Association. At each annual general meeting one fifth of the directors retire and are eligible for re-election.

Organisational structure and decision making

The Trustees attend Board meetings throughout the period as required (roughly every 2 months), and these meetings form the basis of strategic decision making.

Pete Kerr is the Secretary of the Trust and is employed to work within the Trust on average 2 days per month. Pete Kerr is also commissioned to deliver projects for the Trust through his separate service companies. This approach allows some flexibility of resource in a climate of generally decreasing funds in this sector.

Risk Management

The Trustees have established systems to mitigate risk appropriate to the size of the charity with a focus on finance and Health and Safety. Processes and procedures are reviewed annually by the Trustees and annual refreshment of Health and Safety procedures takes place for all staff, Trustees and volunteers.

Wider network

Northumberland Rivers Trust is part of a growing movement: there are now over fifty rivers trusts in England and Wales, covering most of the river catchments. The rivers trusts are affiliated to an umbrella organisation, The Rivers Trust, which acts as a point of liaison between them, sharing information and best practice, and coordinating/administering the bids and delivery of specific government / trust funds.

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NORTHUMBERLAND RIVERS TRUST YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Objectives

The aims of the Trust are as set out in the Memorandum and Articles of Association, namely, to restore and safeguard Northumberland’s rivers and streams.

We are committed to:

Undertake environmental projects with communities and angling clubs to restore and improve habitats;

Share and promote awareness of environmental issue and best practice;

Work in partnership with communities, angling clubs, environmental organisations and others to deliver lasting improvements;

Help deliver a Catchment Based Approach to works.

Our area of working is all the rivers and streams that flow into the North Sea north of the Tyne and south of the Tweed as shown by the map below:

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NORTHUMBERLAND RIVERS TRUST YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Activities

The Northumberland Rivers Trust continued to deliver an exciting range of projects during this period to improve the rivers and streams of Northumberland.

The largest and most complex of these was the Bluespaces project to improve public access and enjoyment of streams and wetlands funded by Northumbrian Water. The project focused on the Lyne and Longdike Burn and included seven new wetlands, the planting of 7,000 trees at Linton with volunteers and various path improvements in the catchments.

We also continued to deliver the three year project funded by Coca Cola in the Wansbeck catchment. We planted 3,000 trees with volunteers and created five new wetlands. We also hosted the Coca Cola graduate team for a week to create a timber viewing platform and some otter holts. The Coke national management team also visited to open the Middleton bird hide.

Protecting native white clawed crayfish continued to be a focus of activity in this period. We built 7 underwater barriers to slow the spread of invasive Signal Crayfish and undertook extensive survey work to explore potential ‘ark sites’ to move populations of native crayfish to, and to establish the extents of different type of crayfish. In the autumn we moved nearly 1,000 native crayfish to ark sites in North Northumberland. We continued to communicate the risks to this species through community events, leaflets and riverside signs.

We carried out extensive walkovers of the Belford and Embleton Burn catchments in North Northumberland. This work identified a series of wetland opportunities and areas where trees could be planted. It is anticipated that this work will help inform future delivery opportunities.

We installed two fish passes on the Hartburn to help sea trout and salmon get to their spawning grounds.

We also had a series of meetings with farmers in North Northumberland to explore establishing a ‘farmer cluster’. This work concluded with the establishment of a group on the South Low.

In the autumn we started an exciting project with the Garfield Weston Foundation to manage invasive plants across Northumberland. Work started on clearing Japanese Knotweed from an area near to the river Lyne. Work over the winter focused on mapping and planning the physical work for the following spring and summer.

Our work in this period continued despite the COVID 19 pandemic and we managed to deliver some exciting measures with local communities.

Public Benefit

The trustees have had due regard to the guidance published by the charity commission on public benefit.

The work of the Northumberland Rivers Trust benefits rivers, river wildlife and the people who enjoy rivers and who gain their livelihood from rivers.

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NORTHUMBERLAND RIVERS TRUST YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Community engagement is a key element of all our projects as we recognise that people are only likely to care for their river if they enjoy and understand it. This is achieved by running events and holding informative public meetings.

Financial Review

In the period reported, income decreased from £279,078 to £190,665. Much of the funding received is from tranches of local and national government grant monies for major projects, working with partners such as the Environment Agency and Rural Payments Agency. This year we have actively sought to broaden the funding base with some success in securing funding from National Lottery, Natural England, National Trust and Groundwork. We believe that this broader financing will become increasingly important in the coming years.

Due to the decreased funding, there was also a decrease in expenditure from £321,383 to £186,183, but in an overall increase in reserves from £111,921 to £116,403.

Reserves Policy and Going Concern

The trustees have reviewed the charity’s needs for reserves in line with guidance issued by the Charity Commission.

The Trustees keep their reserves policy and level of reserves held under review, monitoring the level of reserves held throughout the year as part of the normal monitoring and budgetary process. The main risks to both Income and expenditure are highlighted, and the level of committed expenditure taken into account. The majority of the charity’s income continues to be project specific, this limits our ability to create a reserve, however the Trust continues to look to bring in other non-specific income and will look at ways to use this to create a reserve to secure the Trusts future.

The Trustees

The trustees who served the charity during the year were as follows:

S M Renwick Dr J B Hogger – Resigned 31/10/22 A E Collingwood-Cameron G C Hodgson J W Jackson Ms J C Jonczyk R J Inverarity

Plans for the future

Looking forward, we secured a significant Heritage Lottery project to work with young people on rivers in South Northumberland. Funding for environmental projects continues to be tight, although our track record suggests that we should be able to secure sufficient funding to keep our limited team of project managers very busy.

Statement of Trustees Responsibilities

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

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NORTHUMBERLAND RIVERS TRUST YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

The law applicable to charities in England and Wales 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 charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charity for that period. In preparing those financial statements, the trustees are required to:

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations and the provisions of the constitution. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Small Company Provisions

This report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies entitled to the small companies’ regime.

The trustee’s annual report was approved and signed on behalf of the Board of Trustees by:

S M Renwick (Chairman)

13[th] September 2023

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NORTHUMBERLAND RIVERS TRUST YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF NORTHUMBERLAND RIVERS TRUST

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the financial statements of the Northumberland Rivers Trust (“the Company”) for the year ended 31 March 2023.

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

As the charity’s trustees of the Company (who are also the directors of the company for the purposes of company law), you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (“the 2006 Act”).

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited for this year under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (“the 2011 Act”). In carrying out my examination, I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner's statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention which gives me cause to believe that:

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.

Gerald Henderson FCA FCCA Counting North Chartered Accountants and Registered Auditors Salvus House Aykley Heads Durham City Durham 13[th] September 2023

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NORTHUMBERLAND RIVERS TRUST YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

Notes
Income
Income from charitable
activities
4
Other
5
Total
Expenditure
Raising funds
6
Charitable activities
7
Total
Net income /
(expenditure) before
transfers
Transfers
Net movement in funds
Reconciliation of funds
Total funds brought
forward
16
Total funds carried
forward
16		 Unrestricted
Funds
2023
£
Restricted
Funds
2023
£
Total
Funds
2023
£
Total
Funds
2022
£
3,993
179,802
183,795
274,287
1,100
5,770
6,870
4,791
5,093
185,572
190,665
279,078
-
-
-
-
7,797
178,386
186,183
321,383
7,797
178,386
186,183
321,383
(2,704)
7,186
4,482
(42,305)
1,007
(1,007)
-
-
(1,697)
6,179
4,482
(42,305)
49,029
62,892
111,921
154,226
47,332
69,071
116,403
111,921

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NORTHUMBERLAND RIVERS TRUST YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

BALANCE SHEET

Notes
Fixed assets
Tangible assets
12
Current assets
Debtors
13
Cash at bank and in hand
Creditors: amounts due
within one year
14
Net current assets
Total assets less current
liabilities
Creditors: amounts due
after more than one year
Total assets less
liabilities
Charity funds
Unrestricted funds
15
Restricted funds
15		 Unrestricted
Funds
2023
£
Restricted
Funds
2023
£
Total
2023
£
Total
2022
£
39
931
970
1,294
1,310
17,026
18,336
86,495
50,944
51,114
102,058
26,557
52,254
68,140
120,394
113,052
(4,961)
-
(4,961)
(2,425)
47,293
68,140
115,433
110,627
47,332
69,071
116,403
111,921
-
-
-
-
47,332
69,071
116,403
111,921
47,332
-
47,332
49,029
-
69,071
69,071
62,892
47,332
69,071
116,403
111,921

The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 31 March 2023.

The members have not required the charitable company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2023 in accordance with Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.

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NORTHUMBERLAND RIVERS TRUST YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

The trustees acknowledge their responsibility for

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small charitable companies.

The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees on 13[th] September 2023 and were signed on its behalf by:

S M Renwick (Chairman)

The notes on pages 14 to 22 form part of these financial statements.

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NORTHUMBERLAND RIVERS TRUST YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

1. General information

The charity is a private company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales and a registered charity in England and Wales. The address of the registered office is Time Central, c/o Muckle LLP, 32 Gallowgate, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 4BF

2. Statement of compliance

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS102) and the Companies Act 2006. The financial statements are prepared in sterling which is the functional currency of the charity.

Northumberland Rivers Trust meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy note.

3. Accounting policies

Income

All incoming resources are included in the Statement of financial activities when the charitable company is legally entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy.

Gifts in kind donated for distribution are included at valuation and recognised as income when they are distributed to the projects. Gifts donated for resale are included as income when they are sold. Donated facilities are included at the value to the charitable company where this can be quantified, and a third party is bearing the cost. No amounts are included in the financial statements for services donated by volunteers.

Donated services or facilities, which comprise donated services, are included in income at a valuation which is an estimate of the financial cost borne by the donor where such a cost is quantifiable and measurable. No income is recognised where there is no financial cost borne by a third party.

Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.

Expenditure

All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been included under expense categories that aggregate all costs for allocation to activities. Where costs cannot be directly attributable to particular activities, they have been allocated on a basis consistent with the use of the resources.

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NORTHUMBERLAND RIVERS TRUST YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Fundraising costs are those incurred in seeking voluntary contributions and do not include the costs of disseminating information in support of the charitable activities. Support costs are those costs incurred directly in support of expenditure on the objects of the charitable company. Governance costs are those incurred in connection with administration of the charitable company and compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements.

Fund accounting

General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charitable company and which have not been designated for other purposes.

Restricted funds are funds which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors which have been raised by the charitable company for particular purposes. The cost of raising and administering such funds are charged against the specific fund. The aim and use of each restricted fund are set out in the notes to the financial statements.

Investment income, gains and losses are allocated to the appropriate fund.

Tangible fixed assets

Tangible fixed assets are stated at cost less depreciation. Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write off the cost of fixed assets, less their estimated residual value, over their expected useful lives on the following bases:

Office equipment – 25% reducing balance

Taxation

As a registered charity, the company is exempt from income and corporation tax to the extent that’s its income and gains are applicable to charitable purposes only. Value Added Tax is only applied to projects which are operated on a commercial rather than charitable basis.

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NORTHUMBERLAND RIVERS TRUST YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

4. Charitable activities

Environmental projects
Total		 Unrestricted
funds
2023
£
Restricted
funds
2023
£
Total
funds
2023
£
Total
funds
2022
£
3,993
179,802
183,795
274,287
3,993
179,802
183,795
274,287

5. Other income

Donations
Other
Total
enditure on raising funds
Fundraising
Total		 Unrestricted
funds
2023
£
Restricted
funds
2023
£
Total
funds
2023
£
Total
funds
2022
£
1,100
5,770
6,870
4,291
-
-
-
500
1,100
5,770
6,870
4,791
Unrestricted
funds
2023
£
Restricted
funds
2023
£
Total
funds
2023
£
Total
funds
2022
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-

6. Expenditure on raising funds

7. Expenditure on charitable activities

Environmental projects
Total		 Direct
expenses
2023
£
Support costs
2023
£
Total
2023
£
Total
2022
£
147,048
39,135
186,183
321,383
147,048
39,135
186,183
321,383

15

NORTHUMBERLAND RIVERS TRUST YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

8. Direct costs

Project materials and third party services
Time costs
Consumable tools and equipment
Direct expenses
Mileage and travel costs
Other project costs
port costs
Directors’ costs
Pensions
Rent
Insurance
Printing, stationery, postage and telephone
Accountancy
Independent examiners fees
Loan interest
Bank charges
General expenses
Depreciation		 Total
2023
£
Total
2022
£
116,409
192,734
20,118
47,123
2,756
13,326
23
608
5,081
9,031
2,661
5,388
147,048
268,210
Total
2023
£
Total
2022
£
26,058
41,580
823
1,234
190
490
1,779
1,670
1,703
1,315
4,104
4,104
1,782
1,560
-
(549)
78
113
2,294
1,593
324
63
39,135
53,173

9. Support costs

16

NORTHUMBERLAND RIVERS TRUST YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

10. Fees for examination of the financial statements

Examiners fees
Total		 Unrestricted
funds
2023
£
Restricted
funds
2023
£
Total
funds
2023
£
Total
funds
2022
£
1,782
-
1,782
1,560
1,782
-
1,782
1,560

11. Staff costs

Staff salaries
Pension costs
Total		 2023
£
2022
£
26,058
41,580
823
1,234
26,881
42,814

No employees received employee benefits for the reporting period of more than £60,000.

Average headcount in the year
Fundraising
Charitable activities
Governance
Total		 Total
2023
Total
2022
-
-
1
1
-
-
1
1

17

NORTHUMBERLAND RIVERS TRUST YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

12. Tangible fixed assets

Office Equipment

Cost
As at 1 April 2022
Additions
As at 31 March 2023
Depreciation
As at 1 April 2022
Charge for the year
As at 31 March 2023
Net book value
As at 31 March 2023
As at 31 March 2022		 2,705
-
2,705
1,411
324
1,735
970
1,294

13. Debtors

Trade debtors
Prepayments and accrued income		 2023
£
2022
£
-
-
18,336
86,495
18,336
86,495

14. Creditors amounts falling due within one year

Accruals and deferred income
Other creditors		 2023
£
2022
£
1,782
1,560
3,179
865
4,961
2,425

18

NORTHUMBERLAND RIVERS TRUST YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

15. Analysis of funds
UNRESTRICTED FUNDS
General funds
RESTRICTED FUNDS
Acklington
Aln Smart River
Barratt – Delf Burn
Barratt – Crayfish
Barratt – Crayfish Bar
Barratt – Easeme
Barratt – Fencing
Blue Spacing Longdyke
Blue Spacing Lyne
Chris Lucas
Coca Cola
Coquet 2020
Crayfish
Garfield & Weston
INNS
Long Nanny
River Health
St Aidans Stream
Thropton Community
Wansbeck Barrage
Total		 Brought
forward
Incoming
resources
Resources
expended
Transfers
in/out
Carried
Forward
£
£
£
£
£
49,029
5,093
(7,797)
1,007
47,332
714
-
(857)
750
607
-
975
(975)
-
-
25,732
1,400
(12,136)
-
14,996
10,206
-
(6,373)
-
3,833
7,630
-
(7,360)
-
270
14,139
-
(10,071)
-
4,068
2,970
-
(559)
(2,411)
-
-
14,270
(14,110)
-
160
-
16,000
(14,963)
-
1,037
1,501
-
(220)
(750)
531
-
45,500
(44,331)
(1,169)
-
-
1,460
(1,535)
75
-
-
21,806
(20,224)
(1,582)
-
-
50,000
(10,512) -
39,488
-
600
(844)
4,093
3,849
-
657
(552)
(105)
-
-
1,411
(1,411)
-
-
-
27,993
(27,928)
(65)
-
-
3,500
(3,268)
-
232
-
-
(157)
157
-
62,892
185,572
(178,386)
(1,007)
69,071
111,921
190,665
(186,183)
-
116,403

19

NORTHUMBERLAND RIVERS TRUST YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

16. Company limited by guarantee

The Charity is a company limited by guarantee and does not have any share capital. The company is incorporated in England. If upon winding up or dissolution of the charity there remains any assets, after the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities, the assets represented by the accumulated fund shall be transferred to some other charitable body or bodies having similar objects to the charity.

17. Related party transactions

During the year the charity had transactions with Riverworks Ltd, a company controlled by the Trust Secretary, Peter Kerr. The charity paid Riverworks Ltd £72,860 (2022 - £70,850) for services rendered.

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NORTHUMBERLAND RIVERS TRUST YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

DETAILED INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT

Income
Charitable activities
Other income
Total income
Direct expenses
Project materials and third
party services
Time costs
Consumable tools and
equipment
Direct expenses
Mileage and travel costs
Other project costs
Operating expenses
Directors’ costs
Rent
Pensions
Insurance
Printing, stationery,
postage and telephone
Accountancy
Independent examiners
fees
Bank charges
Loan interest
General expenses
Depreciation
(Deficit)/Surplus for the
year
Funds brought forward
Funds carried forward		 2023
£
183,795
6,870		 2023
£
190,665

(147,048)



(39,135)		 2022
£
274,287
4,791		 2022
£
279,078

(268,210)



(53,173)
116,409
20,118
2,756
23
5,081
2,661		 192,734
47,123
13,326
608
9,031
5,388
26,058
190
823
1,779
1,703
4,104
1,782
78
-
2,294
324		 41,580
490
1,234
1,670
1,315
4,104
1,560
113
(549)
1,593
63
4,482
111,921		 (42,305)
154,226
116,403 111,921

21