Teesside Astronomical Science Centre
Trustees Annual Report for the year 2020-2021
This report covers the period from 1 July 2020 to the end of our seventh financial year on 30 June 2021.
Teesside Astronomical Science Centre (TASC) was established in 2014 to act as an independent organisation to operate the Wynyard Planetarium and Observatory taking over management of the facility from Stockton Borough Council (SBC) who withdrew from running the Planetarium. We are a Charitable Incorporated Organisation registered as Charity No 1156793.
Chairman's Report
This year has continued to be highly unusual, because of the Covid pandemic. At the start of the year we were under the strict first Covid lockdown and the Planetarium and Observatory were closed with no presentations or other events taking place. There were occasional visits to ensure the safety of the buildings and thanks are due particularly to Peter Hanna and Simon Gotch for undertaking these visits.
The discussions with Stockton Council about site improvements, particularly in the coaldrop area continued into the summer. Although we had reservations about the lighting that was proposed as part of this, we supported the development and commented on the Planning Application on the basis that it is deliberately planned that the lighting will be switched off at dusk.
During the year, following an initial suggestion by CaDAS members and a subsequent independent approach by the family via Stockton Borough Council, we were asked if we could rename the Observatory as the Jack Youdale Observatory. The Trustees considered this and following approval from SBC agreed this and arranged for the signage on the Observatory and Planetarium to be changed to reflect the new name to meet what would have been Jack’s Birthday in March 2021.
As the Covid pandemic developed we trialled and ran a small number of presentations online using the Zoom service. Although successful as such we found it difficult to reproduce the planetarium experience on line and there was limited demand for these.
The Planetarium and observatory Fire Alarm and Intruder Alarm systems we updated to meet current requirements and equipment was purchased to improve Covid safety in the Observatory.
Discussions on renewal of our lease from Stockton Borough Council we started well in advance of the then current lease expiry date (December 2021).
Finance
At the start of year the balance was £28487 and at the end £22525. With no live presentations our income was limited to £681. Expenditure including on new equipment was £6643 so we had a current deficit of £5962. Overall our finances remain healthy, although thus far we have not had to spend significantly on specific Covid 19 related matters.
At present we do not have a formal policy on reserves, but generally aim to retain a minimum of 3 months expenditure as a reserve. Throughout the report year, actual reserves substantially exceeded this minimum figure.
| List of Trustees who served throughout the year from | List of Trustees who served throughout the year from | 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Office | |
| John Gargett | ||
| Simon Gotch | ||
| Peter Hanna | Treasurer | |
| Jon Mathieson | Communications Officer and Membership Secretary | |
| Jonathan Roberts | Chairman | |
| Jürgen Schmoll | Secretary |
Simon Gotch and John Gargett were re-elected as Trustees at the 2020 AGM.
Approved by the Trustees on 25 April 2022 and signed on their behalf by the Chair of trustees Mr Jonathan Roberts.
J W Roberts 25 April 2022
| Teesside Astronomical Science Centre (TASC) | Teesside Astronomical Science Centre (TASC) | 1156793 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Receipts and payments accounts | CC16a | ||
| Jun-20 For the period from Period start date |
To | Period end date Jun-21 |
| Section A Receipts and payments | Section A Receipts and payments | Section A Receipts and payments | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 Receipts | Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ |
Restricted funds to the nearest £ |
Endowment funds to the nearest £ |
Total funds to the nearest £ |
Last year to the nearest £ |
|||
| - | ||||||||
| - | ||||||||
| Internet Receipts | 434 | 434 | 3,541 | |||||
| Special Interest | 232 | 232 | 1,724 | |||||
| Cadas room fee | - | - | 330 | |||||
| Member's Subs | - | - | 24 221 |
|||||
| Donations | 15 | 15 | ||||||
| - | ||||||||
| Small Business Grant | - | 10,000 | ||||||
| - | ||||||||
| - | ||||||||
| - | ||||||||
| - | ||||||||
| - | ||||||||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) |
681 |
681 | 15,830 | |||||
| - - 681 |
681 | |||||||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). |
||||||||
| - | - | |||||||
| - | ||||||||
| Sub total | - | - | ||||||
| Total receipts | ||||||||
| 681 | 681 | 15,830 |
A3 Payments
| A3 Payments | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | |||||||||
| Insurance for Trustees and Volunteers | 259 | 259 | 245 | ||||||
| Travel Expenses for Volunteers | 54 | 54 | 478 | ||||||
| BuildingInsurance & Utilities | 491 | 491 | 628 | ||||||
| Equipment (Projectors PC Software) | 2,342 | 2,342 | 1,994 | ||||||
| New Fire and Security Systems | 3,497 | 3,497 | - | ||||||
| - | |||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| **Sub total ** | 6,643 | 6,643 | 3,345 | ||||||
| A4 Asset and investment | |||||||||
| purchases, (see table) | |||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| Sub total | - | ||||||||
| Total payments | 6,643 | 6,643 | 3,345 | ||||||
| Net of receipts/(payments) | - 5,962 | - 5,962 | 12,485 | ||||||
| A5 Transfers between funds | - | ||||||||
| A6 Cash funds last year end | 28,487 | 28,487 | 16,002 | ||||||
| Cash funds this year end | 22,525 | 22,525 | 28,487 |