4[th] Frodsham (Overton) Scout Group 1 Hillside Road, Overton Frodsham WA6 6AW Website: htps://4thfrodsham.mwscouts.org/ Email scoutgroup@4thfrodshamscoutgroup.org.uk ## **4[th] Frodsham (Overton) Scouts** ## **Trustees’ Annual Report for 2024/25 AGM** ## **Reference and administrative information** Charity number: 1147166 Principal address: 1 Hillside Road, Frodsham, Cheshire, WA6 6AW ## **Members of the Board of Trustees** |**Members of the Board of Trustees**|| |---|---| |**Name**|**Role**| |Geof Tantum|Chair| |Dave Sconce|Treasurer| |Alex Atkinson|GroupScout Leader| |Louise Foy|Trustee| |Geraldine Fleming|Trustee| |Michele Hardwick|Trustee| |Ron Sayle|Trustee| Tony Smart has agreed to continue as independent examiner ## **Governance, structure and management** The Group is an unincorporated association. It registered as a charity with the Charity Commission in May 2012. ## **Governing document** The governing document of the Group is the model constitution for Scout Groups contained within the Policy, Rules and Organisation (POR) of the Scout Association, in particular Rules 3.22 and 3.23. ## **Trustee appointment and recruitment** Members of the Board of Trustees are appointed by several processes in accordance with POR. Trustees are elected by the AGM, where any person can put themselves forward through a selection process. The board nominate and vote for candidates. The Trustees will be appointed by the Scout Council at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) The appointment of the Chair is approved at the AGM. The Treasurer is elected by the AGM and serve as Trustees ex-officio. The Group Scout Leader is an ex-officio Trustee. Outside of the AGM, the Board of Trustees may co-opt Trustees, but the number of such co-opted Trustees cannot exceed in number those elected by the AGM that are not ex-officio Trustees. ## **Trustee induction and training** New Trustees are required to undergo Trustee training which is provided by the Scout Association. Training is facilitated online. ## **Decision making processes** Page **1** of **4** Registered Charity No: 1147166 England and Wales 4[th] Frodsham (Overton) Scout Group 1 Hillside Road, Overton Frodsham WA6 6AW Website: htps://4thfrodsham.mwscouts.org/ Email scoutgroup@4thfrodshamscoutgroup.org.uk The Trustees of the Group are the members of the Board of Trustees. In this report the terms ‘the Trustees’, ‘the Board’ or the ‘Board of Trustees’ are used interchangeably. The Board of Trustees is accountable to the Group Scout Council for the management of the Group. The Trustees have ultimate legal responsibility for the running of the Group. The Board meets about once every two month and considers reports from the Chair, Treasurer, Group Scout Leader and Section Leaders on a regular basis. It receives updates on the Group’s financial situation and any reports of recent safety incidents at every meeting. The Group Scout Leader’s meeting serves as the primary Leaders Committee and is responsible for coordinating activity between the three sections. It is chaired by the Group Scout Leader and composed of all Leaders. The Group Scout Council serves as the electoral body for the Group. A comprehensive description of its composition can be found in POR, but primarily it is composed of Scout Patrol Leaders, Leaders and volunteers, all parents of Beavers, Cubs and Scouts and any supporters or friends of the Group. It normally meets only once a year as the Group Annual General Meeting. While the Board of Trustees is responsible for the overall management of the Group, the day-to-day running of the Group is the responsibility of the Group Scout Leader, who is accountable in this regard to the District Commissioner. In turn, the running of the Beaver, Cub and Scout Sections is the responsibility of the individual Section Leaders. ## **Related parties, subsidiaries and custodian funds** Although an independent charity in its own right, the Group is integrally involved with the wider Scouting movement. In all matters, the Group is required to act in accordance with policies and decisions made by the Scout Association at a national level, and Cheshire County Scouts and Mersey Weaver Scout District at a regional level. There is a direct line management structure from the County Commissioner down to individual leaders in the Group. The Group in turn exerts an influence on all of these organisations through their representative structures. All three Sections (Beavers, Cubs and Scouts) share a single bank account. This is in place to provide convenience to the sections and gives a clear separation between the income and expenditure of the Sections and the Group. This arrangement is regularly reviewed by the Board of Trustees and all expenditure must be signed for in accordance with a policy set by the Board. Bank accounts require dual authorisation. ## **Risk management statement** The Trustees are responsible for ensuring that the Group adequately manages the risks and uncertainties it faces. The Trustees believe the primary risks facing the Group are as follows: - Safeguarding of young people: the Group takes responsibility for groups of young people on a regular basis and consequently is responsible on these occasions for their health and wellbeing. To mitigate this risk, the Group complies fully with the policies of the Scout Association in this regard, including requiring volunteers to undergo DBS checks and requiring leaders to receive comprehensive training. All Leaders are required to be qualified Page **2** of **4** Registered Charity No: 1147166 England and Wales 4[th] Frodsham (Overton) Scout Group 1 Hillside Road, Overton Frodsham WA6 6AW Website: htps://4thfrodsham.mwscouts.org/ Email scoutgroup@4thfrodshamscoutgroup.org.uk first aiders and to thoroughly report all incidents and near misses. The Group takes out relevant insurance through the Scout Association. The Board also review all incidents on a regular basis. - Loss of income: the Group is a charitable, voluntary organisation and is vulnerable to the withdrawal of funding or other loss of income. To mitigate this risk, the Trustees review the Group’s financial situation at every meeting and look to ensure the Group draws on a varied and broad range of funding sources, so that the loss of any one source does not adversely affect the Group. - Loss of leaders/volunteers: The Group has no employees and is entirely dependent upon volunteers for all aspects of its work, from the running of activities in the Sections through to the administration of its finances and the work of the Trustees. Turnover of volunteers also carries with it an associated risk of loss of knowledge or experience. However, the Board remain confident that, thanks to its large base of friends and supporters, the Group will be able to maintain sufficient level of volunteers to continue its operations in the coming year. - Financial misconduct or fraud: All organisations, but particularly those that are purely reliant on volunteers, are to some degree exposed to the risk of financial misconduct or fraud. The Board has put in place new financial procedures to add extra checks and balances to mitigate this risk. Our accounts already require two signatures to spend money, and Sections have been required to present accounts to the Treasurer on a regular basis. In addition, the Board have mandated that a responsible person (e.g. the Section Leader or Group Chairman) must authorise the expenditure in principle before funds can be signed for out of the Section or Group accounts. In practice, most significant payments are authorised the whole Board of Trustees through decisions in writing. Subscriptions cannot be paid in cash and the Group is increasingly using online banking and payments to add extra scrutiny and minimise cash handling. The Trustees believe these major risks are being adequately mitigated but regularly review the situation. ## **Aims and objectives** The objective of the Group is to promote the development of young people in achieving their full physical, intellectual, social and spiritual potentials as individuals, as responsible citizens and as members of their local, national and international communities. The Group provides Sections for Beavers (age 6-8), Cubs (age 8 to 10 ½ ), and Scouts (age 10 ½ to 14). ## **Review of the previous year – achievements and performance** The Group is in a strong position as regards numbers of children both attending the group and being on the waiting list. This is testimony to the dedication and commitment shown by our volunteer leaders. Words can never be found to convey the thanks to these individuals both in the past, presently and into the future. Without people giving up their time to help run the sections the overall group would not exist. 4[th] Frodsham has a strong reputation for providing a ‘best in class‘ Scouting experience and our aim is to preserve this for future generations. Page **3** of **4** Registered Charity No: 1147166 England and Wales 4[th] Frodsham (Overton) Scout Group 1 Hillside Road, Overton Frodsham WA6 6AW Website: htps://4thfrodsham.mwscouts.org/ Email scoutgroup@4thfrodshamscoutgroup.org.uk This year really has been fantastic, all sections have been on camps, gone climbing, done cooking, made campfires, participated in hikes, worked towards their badge programmes, helped in the community and not to mention celebrating Remembrance Day and St Georges Day. There are simply too many other activities to mention in this report. All of these exciting activities were arranged and supported by our fantastic team of leaders, helpers and young helpers and are designed to teach our young people skills for life. The Board of Trustees has also been very busy supporting the group. Once again thanks to Ron and Joyce Sayle and to Cynthia George for maintaining the building to such a high level and for managing all of our hirers, of which we have had a number of new ones this year. Hiring the building is the number 1 source of funding for the group and it is so important to continue to have hirers use our facility. This was even more important as the Group finances have been impacted from 3 years cancelled plant sales. So many thanks to all the Leaders, Young Leaders, Parent helpers, Exec committee members for making it all happen for our young people in 2024/25. Our primary focus going forward will be recruiting more leaders and continuing to deliver the HQ improvement projects. ## **Summary of financial performance in year** A copy of our financial position will be made available in advance of the AGM. In summary the Group is on a relatively strong financial footing. The waiting list is now a district waiting list with 4[th] Frodsham being in high demand. Collection of subscriptions is efficient via ‘online scout manager‘. Special mention to Ron, Joyce and Cynthia as a serious contribution to Funds has come from the hire of HQ to local community groups when not required for Scouting purposes. We are eternally grateful for the excellent management of our facility and furthermore delighted that local groups can benefit from it at minimal cost. ## **Going concern** The Trustees have a reasonable expectation that the Group has adequate resources to continue in existence for the foreseeable future. ## **Reserves policy** The Trustees have agreed to adopt of policy of holding 12 months operating costs as reserves. The Group has maintained throughout the year, and continues to maintain, sufficient funds to meet this criterion. ## **Public benefit statement** The Trustees confirm that they have complied with the duty in section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to guidance published by the Charity Commission regarding Public Benefit. Page **4** of **4** Registered Charity No: 1147166 England and Wales •5 2￿.￿.[6 IZ716AI 6.fffjl.)7 3m). 4rf1.12 70.61 111J.13 1.rn.18 1.*.SB 3.C83.ai irn. 131145 Wlo a.￿.(￿ 19101 1.11#* 141 51 4.515.10 $51 1247&5 24.4WSS 2J21310 lo CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner s Report Report lo the tru$teesl membets of 4th Frodsham (Overton) S(x)uts Group On accounts forthe year ended 2024 Charlty no 111 any) 1147166 Sat out on pagos I report to the INstees on my examinaiDn of the accounts of Ihe above harity (Ihe Trust") for the year ended 3111212024 Responslbllliles and As the chaiity trustees ol Ihe Trust, you are RSFonstsle for the preparath?n bas1$ of rftport of the ac£ounts in xcordm *?th the reqUErwn￿ts of the Charities Act 2011 Acr). I report in r8sped of my examination of the Trust's attounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Art and in carrying out my examination. I have foU(Avod th• app1h￿Ie Dirodions gI￿n by th• Charity Commission under sedK)n 145(5Xb} of the Ad. I have cfjmpkted my examination. I confimi that no mateiial matters have come to my attentw)n in connection wilh the e￿nIna1￿)n which gives r cause to bdieve that in, any mateiial resped.. cl￿nt￿g records were not kept in accordance v#ith sectM)n 130 of the Act the a(xxJunts thj not ￿0rd with the accounting fecords Independent examinerfs statement I have no con￿M$ arKI have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to vthich attenlion shoukl be drawn in order to enable a proper ur￿ethnding of Ihe aw)unts to be reached. . Please delete Ihe wollts in brn￿ets if Ihey do not 8pWy. S5gned: 1010212025 Name: Antony Rasrynond Smart Relevant professlonal CIMA (retired) Ilf any): Address: 60 Bales Lane Frodsham WA6 9LF IER October 2018 Section B Disclosure Onty complete rf the examiner ne&Js to highloht matters d (Y)ncem (see CC32, Independent examIn￿10n of chatty xo)unts: ￿reCt￿)nS and guidan￿ for examinws). Glve here brlef detslls of any items that tho examiner wishes to disclose. KJlfrY IER October 2018