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← Essex And Suffolk Rivers Trust

2024-05-31-accounts

ESSEX AND SUFFOLK RIVERS TRUST

ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS

YEAR ENDED 31 MAY 2024

Registered Charity Number 1157392 Registered Company Number 08834787 (England and Wales)

Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust

CONTENTS

Reference and Administrative Details 3
Trustee Report 4
Independent Examiner’s Report 10
Statement of Financial Activities 11
Balance Sheet 12
Notes to the Accounts 13

Annual Report and Accounts year ended 31 May 2024 2

Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust

Administrative and Reference Details

Legal name

Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust

Registered Office 8 Gorse Road Reydon Southwold Suffolk IP18 6NQ Registered Charity Number 1157392 Registered Company 08834787 Number (England and Wales) Website www.essexsuffolkriverstrust.org

Trustees

A E Ruggles-Brise, Chair, appointed 4 October 2023 J M Burch, Vice Chair, appointed 4 October 2023 S L Morton, Treasurer, appointed 4 October 2023 A Woods, Secretary, appointed 4 October 2023 H C Wilkes, appointed 4 October 2023 T L Arnold, appointed 4 October 2023 A Martin-Edwards W H Robinson A C J Wood A G Davies , Chair until 4 October 2023, resigned 10 October 2024 C I McArthur, Vice Chair until 4 October 2023, resigned 10 October 2024 D C D Dignum, resigned 4 October 2023

Principal Bankers CAF Bank 25 Kings Hill Avenue Kings Hill West Malling Kent ME19 4JQ Independent Examiner Alex Stone FCCA Edmund Carr LLP Chartered Accountants & Statutory Auditor 146 New London Road Chelmsford Essex CM2 0AW

Annual Report and Accounts year ended 31 May 2024 3

Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust

Trustee Report

The Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust is both a registered charity (number 1157392) and a registered company limited by guarantee (number 08834787). The Trustees, whose details are set out on page 3, are both Trustees of the charity and Directors of the company.

This document reports on the activities of the Trust in the year to 31 May 2024 and sets out the financial accounts of the company for the same period. It aims to satisfy the reporting requirements that apply to the Trust as both a charity and a company. This annual report also includes the requirements of a Directors’ report, as required by company law.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in the notes to the accounts and comply with the Trust’s Memorandum and Articles of Association, the Charities Act 2011 and The Charities Statement of Recommended Practice (Financial Reporting Standard 102), effective from January 2019.

Objectives

The objectives for which the charity is established are:

Overview of Activities

The ambition and activity of the Trust again increased significantly this year. As leaders of two catchment partnerships (collaborative government-endorsed planning and delivery groups) covering almost all our operational area, we have continued to play an influential role in tackling both the climate and biodiversity crises. Locally and regionally, the Trust continues to be recognised for its consistent delivery and thoughtful, considered leadership. This is exemplified by our successes in raising funds and our leading role in the Recovering the Deben partnership, for which we developed the action plan, launched in May 2024.

During this very successful year we raised £323,135 in grants and donations. We also

Annual Report and Accounts year ended 31 May 2024 4

Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust

We were saddened to hear, at the end of 2023, of the death, following a long illness, of Brendan Joyce OBE, our first Director. He joined the Trust in 2020 and made a significant contribution to the Trust’s growth and standing.

In Spring 2023, the Board went through an open recruitment process for new Board members in anticipation of planned retirements. New Board members were formally appointed at the AGM on 4 October 2023. At the same meeting we thanked Andrew Davies (Chair) and Chris McArthur (ViceChair) for their long and valued service to the Trust as officers and appointed Archie Ruggles-Brise as Chair and Jane Burch as Vice-Chair.

Our strong and diverse Board provides advice and guidance to the staff team through the Director. Trustees come from consultancy, businesses, banking, agriculture, water companies and voluntary conservation bodies. The Board met quarterly during the year.

We thank all our Trustees, volunteers, partners and funders for their ongoing support for the Trust in 2023-24. Our plans for 2024-25 include further developing and implementing new projects, extending our reach, engaging with partners and local communities, growing the organisation, and delivering even more for the water environment. During the year we continued to work on our strategy for 2024-30 and aim to publish this in Spring 2025.

We have a Director (part-time, 3 days/week) and an Administration and Communications Officer and Natural Rivers Manager (both full-time). We further strengthened our team this year by recruiting a Project Support Officer (from 22 January 2024) and Blue Spaces Delivery Manager (from 25 March 2024) (both full time). We rented offices in Stowmarket to provide a central office hub and moved in on 10 June 2024.

We remain part of the Anglian Rivers Hub, which brings together local Rivers Trusts to share ideas, work together, and provide a collective voice (e.g. on policy matters). Our Director and two trustees participated in a course on governance organised through the Hub and delivered by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations. As hosts for two catchment partnerships, for East Suffolk and the Combined Essex rivers (Essex Rivers Hub) we have worked on building capacity, catchment planning, coordinating projects, and upgrading websites. During the year, the River Deben Recovery Plan was the main focus of the Suffolk Partnership (see below). In Essex, the Partnership agreed the process for taking forward catchment plans and discussed a partnership project to develop ‘River Schools’.

During the year we strengthened links with many other bodies, including the Essex Flood Partnership Board, Anglian Water, Essex & Suffolk Water, Environment Agency, Nature Recovery Partnerships, National Landscapes, Forestry Commission, Woodland Trust, Affinity Water, North Essex Farm Cluster, and Water Resources East. Two Trustees are members of the Anglian Eastern Regional Flood and Coastal Committee and the Director and a further Trustee are members of Anglian Water’s River Health Expert Panel.

Project delivery

Suffolk Water Environment Improvement Fund projects

Annual Report and Accounts year ended 31 May 2024 5

Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust

Essex Water Environment Improvement Fund projects

Recovering the Deben from Source to Sea

Working through the East Suffolk Catchment Partnership, we played a leading role in this multistakeholder partnership to develop an Action Plan to restore and enhance the river. The Plan was launched publicly on 13 May 2024 and received significant media coverage on local television and radio. We launched a new mini site on the ESRT website for the project. At the year end, we were awaiting a decision on our bid to the Department of the Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) for funding to lead implementation of the Plan.

Blackwater Catchment Restoration Plan

We are developing projects to restore and enhance the rivers Blackwater and Pant, as contributions to local and regional nature recovery plans. As part of a Fluvial Audit, a workshop for local landowners, parish councillors and NGOs was held in May 2024 to inform site surveys. A further workshop in October 2024 discussed the findings and consulted on the plan. Our Project Support Officer, who started in January 2024, is supporting this major project.

Invasive Non-Native Species (INNS) control

Bluespaces programme

This Essex and Suffolk Water project aims to increase public access to ‘Bluespaces’ (rivers, ponds, bogs, the coast, saltmarsh and other blue spaces), increase biodiversity and improve water quality. Our Bluespaces Delivery Manager, who joined us in March 2024, will support delivery in the fifth and final year of this 2020-25 project.

Annual Report and Accounts year ended 31 May 2024 6

Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust

Citizen Science

Working through the Essex Rivers Hub, we developed tutorial videos, a webpage and information sheets, to support the Essex Riverwatch Pilot project on the River Brett (Stour catchment). We will then roll-out the initiative across Essex in summer 2024 with established Citizen Science groups and involving new interested groups and individuals.

Future work

Initiatives on which we plan to take a leading role in 2024-25 include:

Financial Review

Our accounts show income of £323,449 (2022-23: £269,677), expenditure of £211,513 (2022-23: £166,559), and a net surplus for the year of £111,936 (2022-23: £103,118). The year-to-year variation reflects some timing differences between income and expenditure on projects. Our balance sheet shows total funds of £271,305 (2022-23: £159,369) of which £235,186 is restricted (2022-23: £143,192) and £36,119 is unrestricted (£2022-23: £16,177).

Our main sources of income are project grants and donations. We received all the grant income expected in the year and were able to show our funders how this had been spent. We acknowledge, with gratitude, critical funding towards core costs and/or project costs received from businesses, public bodies, charitable funders and individual donors.

Significant supporters of our work during the year included:

Annual Report and Accounts year ended 31 May 2024 7

Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust

Some 38 individual and corporate donors (including some listed above) helped us to raise £6,827 in April from the Big Give Green Match Fund. This will support the Essex RiverWatch scheme, which was launched in summer 2024.

We made good progress in further developing a fundraising strategy embracing consultancy, Biodiversity Net Gain, project grants, corporate fundraising and public donations. We continued to improve our website and those of the two catchment partnerships.

Expenditure was in line with our budget for the year. Costs generally increased in line with the expansion of our activities. We continue to keep our insurance requirements under review and to strengthen these where necessary (e.g. in relation to our rented office space). We shall continue to keep our core costs under close review in 2024-25.

At the year-end, the Trust is in a stronger financial position than in previous years and we are confident that it remains a going concern. During the year we strengthened our staffing, delivered new projects, and identified new partnerships, opportunities to grow our delivery team, and significant new projects, to build on our achievements to date.

Policy on reserves

Our current policy is to maintain £20,000 of unrestricted reserves and, with known forecast income, we are confident that we can continue to maintain our reserves at this level. Free reserves at 31 May 2024 were £35,995.

Risk management

The Trust has a comprehensive Risk Register and the Trustees continue to monitor risks to the business. Our banking arrangements with CAF Bank are robust and accountable, with two signatories required on all significant transactions.

In our day-to-day work, we have a strong focus on staff health and safety, particularly as regards lone working, and have strengthened our risk assessment processes. Our Natural Rivers Manager participated in training on the Construction Design and Management Regulations, which are particularly relevant to some of our bigger construction projects.

Public benefit

The Trustees confirm that they have complied with the requirements of section 71 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the Charity Commission's guidance on Public Benefit in reviewing the Trust's aims and objectives and in planning its activities.

Annual Report and Accounts year ended 31 May 2024 8

Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust

Small companies provision statement

This report has been prepared in accordance with the small companies regime under the Companies Act 2006.

The annual report was approved by the trustees of the charitable company on 16 January 2025 and signed on its behalf. Hela A E Ruggles-Brise Bets

Chair and Trustee

Annual Report and Accounts year ended 31 May 2024 9

Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust

Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust (“the Company”)

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the company for the year ended 31 May 2024 which are set out on pages 11 to 20.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity trustees of the company (and also its directors 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 under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your company’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

Since the company’s gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, which is one of the listed bodies.

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

  1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or

  2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or

  3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view’ which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or

  4. the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).

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.

…………………..

Alex Stone FCCA 146 New London Road Chelmsford Essex CM2 0AW 27th January 2025

Annual Report and Accounts year ended 31 May 2024 10

Statement of Financial Activities (Incorporating Income and Expenditure Account)

For the year ended 31 May 2024 Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust

Note
Donations and legacies
2
Investment income
3
Other income
4
Charitable activities
5
Net expenditure
Transfers between funds
Net Movement in Funds
Reconciliation of Funds
Funds brought forward
Funds carried forward
Income and Endowments from:
Expenditure on:		 Unrestricted
Funds
Restricted
Funds
Total 2024
£
£
£
13,293
309,842
323,135
314
-
314
-
-
-
13,607
309,842
323,449
9,857
201,656
211,513
9,857
201,656
211,513
3,750
108,186
111,936
16,192
(16,192)
-
19,942
91,994
111,936
16,177
143,192
159,369
36,119
235,186
271,305		 Unrestricted
Funds
Restricted
Funds
Total 2023
£
£
£
1,359
268,003
269,362
116
-
116
199
-
199
1,674
268,003
269,677
4,498
162,061
166,559
4,498
162,061
166,559
(2,824)
105,942
103,118
-
-
-
(2,824)
105,942
103,118
19,001
37,250
56,251
16,177
143,192
159,369

Annual Report and Accounts year ended 31 May 2024

11

Balance Sheet

For the year ended 31 May 2024 Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust

Note 2024 2023
£ £
Fixed Assets:
Tangible fixed assets 7 124 437
Current assets:
Debtors 8 123,613 2,459
Cash at bank and in hand 162,169 162,562
Total Current assets: 285,782 165,021
Liabilities
Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year 9 14,601 6,089
Net current assets 271,181 158,932
Total net assets 271,305 159,369
Total funds of the charity
Expendable Endowment funds
Restricted Funds 235,186 143,192
Unrestricted Funds 36,119 16,177
Total Funds of the Charity 271,305 159,369

For the year ending 31 May 2024 the company was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

Directors' responsibilities:

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

The financial statements on pages 10 to 19 were approved by the Trustees, and authorised for issue on 10/12/2024 and signed on their behalf by:

Hla ____ Bets A E Ruggles-Brise Chair and Trustee

Annual Report and Accounts year ended 31 May 2024

12

Notes to the Accounts

For the year ended 31 May 2024 Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust

Charitable Company Status

The charitable company is limited by guarantee, incorporated in England & Wales, and consequently does not have share capital. Each of the members is liable to contribute an amount not exceeding £1 towards the assets of the charitable company in the event of liquidation

1. Accounting Policies

Summary of significant accounting policies and key accounting estimates

The principal accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all the years presented, unless otherwise stated.

Statement of compliance

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement

of Recommended Practice (applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)) (issued in October 2019) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006.

Basis of preparation

Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy notes. The financial statements are prepared in sterling which is the functional currency of the Charity and rounded to the nearest pound.

Going concern

The Trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charitable company's ability to continue as a going concern nor any significant areas of uncertainty that affect the carrying value of assets held by the charitable company.

Income and endowments

All income is recognised once the charitable company has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount of the income receivable can be measured reliably.

Donations and legacies

Donations are recognised when the charitable company has been notified in writing of both the amount and settlement date. In the event that a donation is subject to conditions that require a level of performance by the charitable company before the charitable company is entitled to the funds, the income is deferred and not recognised until either those conditions are fully met, or the fulfilment of those conditions is wholly within the control of the charitable company and it is probable that these conditions will be fulfilled in the reporting period.

Grants receivable

Grants are recognised when the charitable company has an entitlement to the funds and any conditions linked to the grants have been met. Where performance conditions are attached to the grant and are yet to be met, the income is recognised as a liability and included on the balance sheet as deferred income to be released.

Investment income

Dividends are recognised once the dividend has been declared and notification has been received of the dividend due.

Expenditure

All expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to that expenditure, it is probable settlement is required and the amount can be measured reliably. All costs are allocated to the applicable expenditure heading that aggregate similar costs to that category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated on a basis consistent with the use of resources, with central staff costs allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges allocated on the portion of the asset’s use. Other support costs are allocated based on the spread of staff costs.

Charitable activities

Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charitable company in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them.

Support costs

Support costs comprise those costs incurred in central functions and not related to direct activties.

Governance costs

These include the costs attributable to the charity’s compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements, including independent examination costs.

Annual Report and Accounts year ended 31 May 2024

13

Notes to the Accounts continued

1. Accounting Policies continued

Taxation

The charitable company is considered to pass the tests set out in Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 of the Finance Act 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes. Accordingly, the charitable company is potentially exempt from taxation in respect of income or capital gains received within categories covered by Chapter 3 Part 11 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992, to the extent that such income or gains are applied exclusively to charitable purposes.

Tangible fixed assets

Significant individual fixed assets are initially recorded at cost, less any subsequent accumulated depreciation and subsequent accumulated impairment losses.

Depreciation and amortisation

Depreciation is provided on tangible fixed assets so as to write off the cost or valuation, less any estimated residual value, over their expected useful economic life as follows:

Computer equipment: 33.33%

Trade debtors

Debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid after taking account of any discounts due.

Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash on hand, bank accounts and bank deposits.

Trade creditors

Creditors and accruals are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and accruals are normally recognised at their settlement amount.

Fund structure

Unrestricted income funds are general funds that are available for use at the Trustees's discretion in furtherance of the objectives of the charitable company. Restricted income funds are those donated for use in a particular area or for specific purposes, the use of which is restricted to that area or purpose.

Pensions and other post retirement obligations

The charitable company operates a defined contribution pension scheme which is a pension plan under which fixed contributions are paid into a pension fund and the charitable company has no legal or constructive obligation to pay further contributions even if the fund does not hold sufficient assets to pay all employees the benefits relating to employee service in the current and prior periods. Contributions to defined contribution plans are recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities when they are due. If contribution payments exceed the contribution due for service, the excess is recognised as a prepayment.

Financial instruments Classification

The charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value.

Annual Report and Accounts year ended 31 May 2024

14

Notes to the accounts continued

2. Donations and legacies

Unrestricted
Funds Restricted Funds
Total 2024
£
£
£
Donations
11,353
-
11,353
Grants
1,940
309,842
311,782
13,293
309,842
323,135
3. Investment Income
Unrestricted
Funds Restricted Funds
Total 2024
£
£
£
Bank interest
314
-
314
314
-
314
4. Other income
Unrestricted
Funds Restricted Funds
Total 2024
£
£
£
Consultancy
-
-
-
-
-
-
5. Expenditure on charitable activities
Unrestricted
Restricted
Total 2024
£
£
£
Direct activites
3,882
171,375
175,257
Support costs
5,975
30,281
36,256
9,857
201,656
211,513
Analysis of expenditure
2024
2023
£
£
Programs
Water quality improvements
44,008
50,765
Partnership projects
28,053
7,368
Improvements to river and wetland lan
84,494
53,518
Community engagement
3,812
-
Invasive species research and projects
14,890
16,469
175,257
128,120		 Unrestricted
Funds
Restricted
Funds
Total 2023
£
£
£
1,359
-
1,359
-
268,003
268,003
1,359
268,003
269,362
Unrestricted
Funds
Restricted
Funds
Total 2023
£
£
£
116
-
116
116
-
116
Unrestricted
Funds
Restricted
Funds
Total 2023
£
£
£
199
-
199
199
-
199
Total 2023
£
128,120
38,440
166,560

Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust Annual Report and Accounts year ended 31 May 2024

15

Notes to the accounts continued

Note 5. Expenditure on charitable activities, Analysis of expenditure continued

Support costs allocated to charitable activities

Administration
Office costs
IT
Rent
Salaries
Travel and subsistence
Depreciation
Governance
Audit and accountancy fees
Total Support Costs
6. Employee costs
Salaries
Social Security costs
Pension costs
Average number of employees		 2024
£
13,617
1,657
2,077
8,513
4,416
313
30,593
5,663
5,663
36,256
2024
£
101,268
3,218
2,159
106,645
2024
4		 2023
£
15,011
6,487
749
5,506
4,785
899
33,437
5,003
5,003
38,440
2023
£
69,889
522
1,374
71,785
2023
3

No employee received remuneration of more than £60,000.

Trustees consider the key management personnel of the organisation to be the Trustees and Director. The total remuneration is £28,867.

Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust Annual Report and Accounts year ended 31 May 2024

16

Notes to the accounts continued

7. Fixed Assets

Cost
At 1 June 2023
Additions
At 31 May 2024
Depreciation
At 1 June 2023
Charge for year
At 31 May 2024
Net book value 31 May 2024
Net book value 31 May 2023		 Computer
Equipment
£
5,020
-
5,020
4,583
313
4,896
124
437		 Total
£
5,020
-
5,020
4,583
313
4,896
124
437

Notes to the accounts continued

8. Debtors

Prepayments
Accrued Income		 Unrestricted
Funds
Restricted
Funds
2024
£
£
£
-
2,910
2,910
-
120,703
120,703
-
123,613
123,613		 2023
£
2,459
-
2,459

9. Creditors

Other taxation and social security
Other creditors
Accruals		 Unrestricted
Funds
Restricted
Funds
2024
£
£
£
-
2,073
2,073
674
9,424
10,098
-
2,430
2,430
674
13,927
14,601		 2023
£
1,000
2,359
2,730
6,089

Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust Annual Report and Accounts year ended 31 May 2024

17

Notes to the accounts continued

10. Movement of Funds

Restricted Funds
Chelmer and Wid Restoration
Essex Community Engagement
Get River Positive (Deben)
Get River Positive (Fiddlers Hill)
Big Give Trust
Anglia Water CSO
Suffolk CPF
Environment Agency WEIF Fiddlers Hill
Environment Agency WEIF ICH
WEIF
ERH
Essex and Suffolk Water (Branch Out)
Essex County Council
Essex Waterways
ESW (Blackwater Fund - Fluvial)
ESW (Blackwater Fund - Restoration)
Northumbrian Water Bluespaces
The Rivers Trust
Total Restricted Funds
General Funds
Total Funds		 Opening
balance
Income
Expenditure
Transfers
Closing
Balance
£
£
£
£
£
61,900
-
(4,763)
(10,000)
47,137
75,000
-
-
(10,000)
65,000
-
20,000
(13,256)
-
6,744
-
35,000
-
-
35,000
-
1,990
(1,990)
-
-
-
4,000
(4,000)
-
-
6,332
15,000
(21,332)
-
-
-
50,000
(50,000)
-
-
-
30,000
(30,000)
-
-
(3,808)
-
-
3,808
-
3,768
15,000
(18,768)
-
-
-
25,000
(17,500)
-
7,500
-
1,500
(991)
-
509
-
1,000
(896)
-
104
-
50,000
(14,075)
-
35,925
-
35,000
(17,501)
-
17,499
-
25,258
(5,490)
-
19,768
-
1,094
(1,094)
-
-
143,192
309,842
(201,656)
(16,192)
235,186
16,177
13,607
(9,857)
16,192
36,119
159,369
323,449
(211,513)
-
271,305

An amount of £3,808 is transferred from unrestricted reserves for overspend on the WEIF fund in 2022/23

£10,000 is transferred from Chelmer and Wid Restoration fund and £10,000 from Essex Community Fund to general funds to support overhead costs, as permitted within the terms of the grants.

2023 Comparative
Chelmer and Wid Restoration
Essex Community Engagement
East Sussex Rivers PPP
ERH
Suffolk CPF
Essex Crayfish
Essex Rivers Catchment
WEIF
Himalayan Balsam
Topsoil
Water for Tomorrow
Total Restricted Funds
General Funds
Total Funds		 Opening
balance
Income
Expenditure
Closing Balance
£
£
£
£
-
61,900
-
61,900
-
75,000
-
75,000
-
5,211
5,211
-
5,543
15,000
16,775
3,768
21,671
15,000
30,339
6,332
-
15,000
15,000
-
(88)
88
-
-
(13,747)
64,620
54,681
(3,808)
8,686
-
8,686
-
(2,467)
8,548
6,081
-
17,652
7,636
25,288
-
37,250
268,003
162,061
143,192
19,001
1,674
4,498
16,177
56,251
269,677
166,559
159,369

Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust Annual Report and Accounts year ended 31 May 2024

18

Notes to the accounts continued

10. Movement of restricted funds continued

Details of restricted funds

Chelmer and Wid restoration is a donation from Anglian Water donation following a historic pollution incident on the River Wid to support restoration work on the Chelmer and Wid and citizen science work throughout Essex.

Essex Community Engagement is a donation from Anglian Water to support engagement with coastal communities around the River Colne following a pollution incident at Jaywick.

Get River Positive (Deben) is a grant from Anglian Water to support the landscape scale project 'Recovering the Deben from Source to Sea'. Get River Positive funding is used to accelerate efforts to protect and enhance rivers.

Get River Positive (Fiddlers Hill) is a grant from Anglian Water to deliver the wetland creation project for Fiddlers Hill Meadow in Essex. Big Give Trust is a donation raised through crowd funding for the Essex River Watch citizen science project Anglia Water CSO is funding received from Anglian Water for completing surverys on combined sewer overflows within the Essex and Suffolk area. Suffolk CPF is a grant from the Environment Agency for projects the charity is managing as hosts of the East Suffolk Catchment Partnership. Environment Agency WEIF Fiddlers Hill is a grant from the Environment Agency to plan, design and prepare for the wetland creation project for Fiddlers Hill Meadow in Essex. Environment Agency WEIF ICH is a grant from the Environment Agency to improve connectivity and habitat within the East Suffolk Catchment at several different sites including The Grove, Little Bealings, Rosemary Bridge, Tuddenham, Framlingham town centre and the River Fynn. Water Environment Improvement Fund (WEIF) is a grant from the Environment Agency for river restoration and tree planting in Suffolk. ERH is the Essex Rivers Hub Catchment Partnership host funding. It covers the costs of running the Catchment partnership for Essex and comes from the Environment Agency Water Environment Improvement Fund. ESW (Branch Out - Balsam)is a grant from the Essex and Suffolk Water Branch Out scheme for the control of invasive, non-native Himalayan Balsam. Essex County Council is a match-funding donation from Essex County Council to support crowd funding for the Essex River Watch citizen science project ESW (Blackwater Fund - Fluvial) is a grant from Essex and Suffolk Water for a project to conduct a fluvial audit of the rivers Blackwater and Pant. This is a detailed study of the river and its surrounding environment ESW (Blackwater Fund - Restoration) is a grant from Essex and Suffolk Water to support creating the Blackwater and Pant restoration plan following results of the fluvial audit, including project support officer salary. Northumbrian Water Bluespaces is a grant to cover the Bluespaces Delivery Manager salary as part of the Bluespaces partnership working agreement with Essex and Suffolk Water (Northumbrian Water). The Rivers Trust is funding from the Rivers Trust to cover CIWEM Training costs and Bluespaces job advert recruitment costs East Suffolk Rivers Preventing Plastic Pollution (PPP)– These are funds from the Rivers Trust who received funding from a European Interegg Project across France and England capturing and recording data about sources of plastic pollution. Himalayan Balsam is a fund for the removal of Himalayan Balsam, an invasive species damaging our rivers. Essex Crayfish is fund used to undertake eDNA sampling of waterbodies across Essex to check for the presence of native white-clawed crayfish. Topsoil consists of two projects which are part of the EU Project Topsoil. One project looks at sediment in Layer Brook in Essex and one trials Managed Aquifer Recharge in the Sandlings area in Suffolk. Water for Tomorrow is a programme of information dissemination on water resource issues. It is part of a wider project funded by the Rivers Trust who are the Lead partner receiving their funding from EU INTERREG VA France (Channel)

Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust Annual Report and Accounts year ended 31 May 2024

19

Notes to the accounts continued

11. Analysis of Funds

Fixed Assets
Current Assets
Current Liabilities		 Unrestricted
Funds
Restricted
Funds
Total 2024
£
£
£
124
-
124
36,669
249,113
285,782
(674)
(13,927)
(14,601)
36,119
235,186
271,305		 Unrestricted
Funds
Restricted
Funds
Total 2023
£
£
£
437
-
437
15,740
149,281
165,021
-
(6,089)
(6,089)
16,177
143,192
159,369

12. Related Party Transactions

There were no related party transactions in 2024 or 2023.

13. Trustee remuneration and expenses

In 2024, one trustee was paid £87 for travel expenses (2023: £Nil)

14. Taxation

The charitable company is a registered charity and therefore exempt from taxation

14. Net income/expenditure

Net income/expenditure for the year includes:

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2024 2023
£ £
Independent examination
1,530 1,530
fee
Other non-audit services - 1,200
Depreciation 313 899
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Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust Annual Report and Accounts year ended 31 May 2024

20