Charity Registration No. 1159088
**THE MERSEA HARBOUR PROTECTION TRUST**
**ANNUAL REPORT AND UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
**FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2020**
## **THE MERSEA HARBOUR PROTECTION TRUST LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION**
Trustees Alan Bird Mark Dixon Jonathan French Richard Taylor Alan Mogridge Simon Plater David Stoker Charity number 1159088 Secretary Jane Dixon 1 City Road West Mersea Colchester CO5 8NE
## **THE MERSEA HARBOUR PROTECTION TRUST**
## **CONTENTS**
||**Page**|
|---|---|
|Trustees' report|1 - 3|
|Independent Examiners report|4|
|Statement of financial activities|5|
|Balance sheet|6|
|Notes to the accounts|7 - 9|
## **THE MERSEA HARBOUR PROTECTION TRUST**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2020**
The trustees present their report and accounts for the year ended 31 October 2020.
The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the accounts and comply with the charity's constitution, the Charities Act 2011 and the Statement of Recommended Practice, "Accounting and Reporting by Charities", issued in March 2015.
## **Objectives and activities**
The objectives of the Trust are to promote for the benefit of the public the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment in the area of West Mersea Harbour, involving:
Protection of West Mersea harbour including the BAP European Flat Oyster beds from excessive erosion by climate change induced storm waves but still allow natural coastal process to apply and impact.
Providing new and more robust nesting sites for the BAP Little Tern.
Enhancing wherever possible within the project, the conservation designation integrity of protected species and habitats.
Preservation of the long term viability of the harbour for maritime commercial and leisure interests.
Preservation of the character of the Mersea waterside area.
This will be achieved by a Recharge to reinforce the seaward faces of Cobmarsh, Packing Marsh and Old Hall and Tollesbury Wick frontage which protect the harbour from erosion by storm waves with up to 98,000 cu meters of sand and shingle from a new planned dredge of the approaches to Harwich Harbour.
Before the Recharge can proceed consent to undertake the work was required from the Marine Management Organisation (MMO). A licence was granted on 26 March 2018.
We were then able to negotiate with Harwich Harbour Authority (HHA) for supply and delivery of the material from their dredge.
The trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the charity should undertake.
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## **THE MERSEA HARBOUR PROTECTION TRUST**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED)**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2020**
## **Achievements and performance**
The Application for consent from the Marine Management Organisation was granted, with conditions, in March 2018, valid for 10 years.
During the current year we have been working with the Environment Agency to to confirm the £350,000 which they have committed to the Trust for the anticipated charge from Harwich Harbour Authority for supply and delivery of the recharge material and other costs.
We have been maintaining contact with Harwich Harbour Authority in anticipation of their decision to commence their dredge operation which will supply the material for the Mersea Recharge. We have also been communicating with the Environment Agency around the financial arrangements by which HHA will invoice them directly for the supply and delivery of the material. Meanwhile we are working with RSPB who are generously carrying out bird surveys required by the MMO licence.
We have also been formulating the procedures and activities involved in the actual Recharge and subsequent monitoring as required by the MMO licence.
## **Financial review**
Expenditure during the year was £260 which brings total expenditure since April 2014 to £84,413. During the year we received donations of £50, bringing the total funds raised since April 2014 to £88,787 (see the Financial Statements).
It is the policy of the charity that unrestricted funds which have not been designated for a specific use should be maintained at a level equivalent to between three and six month's expenditure. The trustees consider that reserves at this level will ensure that, in the event of a significant drop in funding, they will be able to continue the charity's current activities while consideration is given to ways in which additional funds may be raised.
The trustees have assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed, and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate exposure to the major risks.
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## **THE MERSEA HARBOUR PROTECTION TRUST**
## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED)**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2020**
## **Structure, governance and management**
The charity was established as a charitable incorporated organisation by a constitution dated 29 September 2014.
The trustees who served during the year were: Alan Bird Mark Dixon Jonathan French Richard Taylor Alan Mogridge Simon Plater David Stoker
None of the trustees has any beneficial interest in the company. All of the trustees are members of the company and guarantee to contribute £1 in the event of a winding up.
The trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
………………………………..
**Richard Taylor** Trustee 24 April 2021
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## **THE MERSEA HARBOUR PROTECTION TRUST**
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES ON THE UNAUDITED STATUTORY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF THE MERSEA HARBOUR PROTECTION TRUST FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2020**
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of The Mersea Harbour Protection Trust for the year ended 31 October 2020.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the charity trustees of the trust 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 Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 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:
1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the trust as required by section 130 of the Act; or
2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or
3. the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of the accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 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.
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.
## **Louisa Tippett ACA**
24 April 2021
121 Colchester Road West Bergholt Colchester CO6 3JX
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## **THE MERSEA HARBOUR PROTECTION TRUST**
## **STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2020**
|**Notes**
**Income from :**
Donations and legacies
3
Grants received
4
**Total income**
**Expenditure on :**
Charitable activities
5
Governance costs
**Total expenditure for the year**
Net movement in funds
Fund balances at 1 November 2019
Fund balances at 31 October 2020|**2020**
**£**
50
-
50
260
-
260
-210
4,896
4,686|**2019**
**£**
1,050
-|
|---|---|---|
|||1,050|
|||1,206
-|
|||1,206|
|||-156
5,052|
|||4,896|
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.
All income and expenditure arises from continuing activities.
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## **THE MERSEA HARBOUR PROTECTION TRUST**
## **BALANCE SHEET**
## **AS AT 31 OCTOBER 2020**
|**Notes**
**Current assets**
Debtors
10
Cash at bank and in hand
**Creditors: amounts falling due**
**within one year**
Net current assets
**Income funds**
Unrestricted funds|**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
-
-
4,686
4,896
4,686
4,896
-
-
4,686
4,896
4,686
4,896
4,686
4,896
**2020**
**2019**|**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
-
-
4,686
4,896
4,686
4,896
-
-
4,686
4,896
4,686
4,896
4,686
4,896
**2020**
**2019**|
|---|---|---|
||||
|||4,896|
|||4,896|
The accounts were approved by the Trustees on 24 April 2021
………………………………..
## **Richard Taylor**
Trustee
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**THE MERSEA HARBOUR PROTECTION TRUST**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2020**
## **1 Accounting policies**
## **Charity information**
The Mersea Harbour Protection Trust is a Community Incorporated Organisation, registered with the Charity Commission on 6 November 2014.
## **1.1 Accounting convention**
These accounts have been prepared in accordance with FRS "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland" (FRS 102), "Accounting and Reporting by Charities" the Statement of Recommended Practice for charities applying FRS 102, the Charities Act 2011 and UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice as it applies from 1 January 2015. The charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.
The accounts are prepared in sterling which is the functional currency of the charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.
The accounts have been prepared under the historical convention. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.
## **1.2 Going concern**
At the time of approving the accounts, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the accounts.
## **1.3 Charitable funds**
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives unless the funds have been designated for other purposes.
## **1.4 Incoming resources**
Income is recognised when the charity is legally entitled to it after any performance conditions have been met, the amounts can be measured reliably, and it is probable that income will be received.
Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donations are recognised once the charity has been notified of the donation, unless performance conditions require deferral of the amount.
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## **THE MERSEA HARBOUR PROTECTION TRUST**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2020**
## **2 Critical accounting estimates and judgements**
In the application of the charity's accounting policies, the trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.
## **3 Donations and legacies**
|Donations and gifts
Grants received for core activities
**4**
**Grants received**
Save Mersea Harbour
**5**
**Charitable activities**
Share of support costs (see note 6)|**2020**
**£**
50
-
50
**2020**
**£**
-
**2020**
**£**
260|**2019**
**£**
1,050
-|
|---|---|---|
|||1,050|
|||**2019**
**£**
-|
|||**2019**
**£**
1,206|
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## **THE MERSEA HARBOUR PROTECTION TRUST**
## **NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)**
## **FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2020**
## **6 Support costs**
|Accountancy
Analysed between
Charitable activities|**Support**
**Governance**
**costs**
**costs**
**£**
**£**
-
-
-
260|**2020**
**2019**
**Basis of allocation**
**£**
**£**
-
-
Governance
260
1,206|
|---|---|---|
## **7 Trustees**
None of the trustees (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration.
## **8 Employees**
There were no employees during the year.
## **9 Creditors**
|**Amounts falling due within one year:**
Accruals
**10**
**Debtors**
**Amounts falling due within one year:**
Prepayments and accrued income|**2020**
**£**
-
**2020**
**£**
-|**2019**
**£**
-|
|---|---|---|
|||**2019**
**£**
-|
## **11 Related party transactions**
There are no related party transactions to be disclosed for the year (2019 - none).
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