## **Annual Report: 1st November 2021 - 31st October 2022** ## **1. Organisational Structure** **Trustees:** Jagruti Amin, Marcus Dearden, Joseph Wheatley, Christopher Willetts, Andrew Morris, Brendan Murphy, Fiona Dunne, Diane Fairfax, Maureen Carney **Co-Chair of Trustees:** Fiona Dunne, Andrew Morris **Secretary:** Maureen Carney **Treasurer:** Jagruti Amin **Biathlon Organisers:** N/A at present **Former Trustees:** Isaac Wilkinson, David Heseltine, Matthew Martindale, Richard Holmes, Anna Mdee, Polly Skerratt, Ros Dawson, Mark Shaw, Jenny Woodward. ## **1. Pool Closure** Bingley Pool was closed by Bradford Metropolitan District Council (BMDC) during 2021 following years of physical decline culminating in ceiling fabric in the pool hall falling into the pool and onto the pool deck. The pool was closed at the time due to covid restrictions. BMDC subsequently decided to close the pool permanently as repair assessments carried out were deemed unaffordable by BMDC (£1.25m to £4.25m range). The Gym (only) subsequently reopened. Opening times are shown below: ## _**Gym (only) opening times…**_ |Monday|10am to 12.30pm| |---|---| |Tuesday|
10am to 5.30pm| |Wednesday|10am to 2.30pm| |Saturday|9amto1pm| ## **2. Post-Closure Action (Levelling-up funding and contingency Plan B)** BMDC’s decision to close the pool was a great disappointment to the Friends of Bingley Pool (FOBP) and to the Bingley Community, which had been preparing to lease and operate the pool under a Community Asset Transfer (CAT). For the CAT to work as intended, though, BMDC was required to provide the pool in good working order. Unfortunately, BMDC failed to provide 1 the operational asset required by the CAT. BMDC’s subsequent decision to close the pool also ended any further CAT planning. However, further to continued lobbying by FOBP, the Pool (and the Princess Hall Building) remains a formally declared Asset of Community Value (ACV 97) to the Bingley Community, a status which was reassuringly reconfirmed by Bingley Town Council and BMDC on 1st August 2022. This will next be assessed in 2027. Since pool closure, FOBP has continued to make the case to BMDC for a pool within Bingley and has continued to restate that permanent closure of the pool without either a refurbishment or a new build within the next 3 to 5 years would not be acceptable to the Bingley Community. Meetings took place with the then BMDC Director of Regeneration (Place), Jason Longhurst. Following helpful and constructive discussions it was agreed BMDC would submit an application for National Levelling-up funding for a refurbished pool (submitted during July 2022). Also,that in the event of the Levelling-up application being unsuccessful, a ‘Plan B’ BMDC-led Public Private Partnership with an appropriate developer would be subsequently progressed. The outcome of the Levelling-up bid is awaited (see _Activities_ below for more information on the Levelling-up bid). In the meantime discussions with Jason Longhurst’s interim successor, Alan Lunt, to receive any Levelling-up funding update, and to further discuss Plan B, continue. ## **3. Activities** Trustees have continued to meet on an approximate monthly basis to receive updates and review reports including Treasurer reports. Meetings have been held by either Zoom or face to face, as appropriate, in a covid-safe manner. Further initiatives to engage the public and maintain the high profile of the community’s need for a new pool have taken place at Bingley Market (November 2021), and with a targeted market assessment exercise, respectively. Other activities have included: - Examples of successful pool CATs and reprovision campaigns have been reviewed including Minsthorpe Pool and Bramley Baths. - Regular Facebook and Newsletter updates on closure and post closure progress to the Bingley Community. - Trustee representatives have fed back to Bingley Town Council when invited to do so. 2 - Visits to the pool to continue to highlight the current closed state and to continue to raise awareness of our campaign. - Making a preliminary enquiry with the National Lottery Heritage Fund to potentially apply for National Lottery funding towards future pool development. - Supporting BMDC and Faithful & Gould in the preparation of the Levelling-up funding bid to ensure the compelling and robust case for a new pool within Bingley is included within the bid. In outline, the bid comprises: _‘A regeneration plan centred around Bingley Pool:_ _• Full refurbishment of Bingley Pool (25m* 6-lanes) to create a vibrant community leisure centre, addressing local need, improving health and wellbeing outcomes, and increasing footfall in the town centre._ _• Landscaping the public space between the new leisure centre and other town centre attractions, makes this area more attractive, accessible, and usable, as well as facilitating movement between town centre destinations._ _• A glazed canopy over part of the market square supports delivery of events and growth of the market.’_ The total bid value is £16,069,124 and includes £1,606,912 of capital from BMDC. We would like to thank everyone for taking part in the SurveyMonkey survey that ran for a week in June 2022. 558 responses were received giving us a 95% confidence interval in interpretation of the responses. The survey formed part of our report to BMDC for the Levelling Up Fund Bid (attached document). ## **4. Membership** Current membership stands at 244. Membership continues to be free to all with donations appreciated. ## **5. Community SOS Save Our Swimming Campaign** We launched a community based public letter writing campaign in November 2021 in response to Sport England revisiting their swimming provision 3 modelling exercise (which was previously undertaken in 2013). The previous model was significantly outdated and included pools that the public had restricted access to. Examples included previous inclusion of the Bingley Grammar School Pool (now closed) and Nuffield, Cottingley (a private gym & pool requiring paid membership). We would like to thank all of those who supported us in this campaign. ## **6. Fundraising** Local author, Alan Cattell penned a book on the history of Bingley Baths with all the proceeds going to FOBP. Sponsorship was received from local businesses who each contributed £100 each. Our thanks go to: - Wilkinson & Whitley Ltd. Motor Engineers - Five Rise Locks Café - Bingley Physiotherapy & Sport Injury Clinic (Richard Kunz) - Tax Assist Accountants - Illingworth Mcnair Ltd Insurance Brokers We would like to thank The Stationery Cupboard, Bingley, who donated 10% of the proceeds of selling their 2021 Bingley Calendar to FOBP. We have continued to receive donations from members over the last year, for which we are very grateful. Despite the current situation, our finance and fundraising team have continued to look at methods of funding any model that is proposed for maintaining a swimming and leisure facility in Bingley. ## **7. Bingley Biathlon** Due to the fact that the pool was not reopened and also the ongoing situation with regard to Covid there was no Biathlon in 2021. At present it is unlikely that we will be able to organise one in 2022 due to the continued closure of the pool. ## **8. Accounts** Please see the attached Treasurer’s report. Our bank account was transferred from Barclays Bank Plc to The Cooperative Bank in May 2022. To bring our accounting year in line with our AGM we have changed our accounting period 4 with the Charity Commission to run from 1st November to 31st October, this means that from the year 2021-22 the accounting period will be from 02/09/2021-31/10/22 to bring us in line. ## **9. Governance** All trustees are required to provide a Conflict of Interests Declaration. Further Governance documents are being constructed using NCVO templates and guidance. ## **10.Plans for 2022– 2023** FOBP remains committed to ensuring Bingley is provided with either a refurbished or new build pool within the next 3 to 5 years through either the Levelling-up funding route (Plan A) or a BMDC-led Public-Private Partnership with an appropriate developer (Plan B); also, that the BMDC capital contribution to the Levelling-up funding bid of £1,606,912 is preserved for Plan B in the event the Levelling-up application is unsuccessful. It is also FOBP’s plan to further develop communications with the National Lottery Heritage Fund for contributory funding in due course. FOBP extend their thanks to everyone who has supported us over the past year; we must now press on further, with the help of residents, to raise our profile and campaign for a new build or refurbished pool. We will do all we can to retain swimming in our town. 5 **Treasurer’s Report 2nd September 2021 - 31st October 2022** **Charity No. 1162758** ## **1. Change Of Bank Account** A Community Direct Plus Account was opened with the Cooperative Bank on 23rd May 2022. The existing Barclays Community Account was closed on 14th July 2022 with the transfer of all the funds £4668.07 to the new account. ## **2. Change of Financial Year** To move in line with the annual AGM the accounting year registered with the Charities Commission has been altered to run from 1st November - 31st October. This has resulted in an extended accounting period for 2021-22 that runs from 2nd September 2021 - 31st October 2022. ## **3. HMRC (Gift Aid & Corporation Tax)** Friends Of Bingley Pool is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation and is exempt from corporation tax. Although registered with Companies House we are also exempt from making returns to Companies House. A request for a corporation tax return was made during Covid lockdown and was missed, resulting in a fine of £100. The trustees were liable for this and paid the fine from their own funds. ## **4. Accounts** Attached are 2 separate accounting sheets for the period 2nd September 2021 - 31st October 2022. The first is for the purposes of the AGM, whilst the second is for the purposes of the Charities Commission Annual Return (which operates under very specific accounting rules). AGM Figures Total income = £1397.35 Total Expenditure = £1199.48 Balance on 31.10.2022 = £4390.02 Charity Commission Figures Total income= £1070.64 (Excludes £326.71 included in 2020-21 accounts) Total Expenditure= £1199.48 ## **5. Financial Audit** A financial audit was carried out (Best Practice Charity Commission) to address any issues of governance and fraud prevention. The following issues have been addressed: - FOBP will operate a no cash in hand policy with all cash deposited within 2 working days - Trustees will receive reimbursement of costs by submitting claims and invoices at monthly trustee meetings. Reimbursement will be by electronic bank transfer - All invoice payments will be made by bank transfer - 4 trustees have access to online e banking - The treasurer and secretary have a FOBP debit card for depositing money and also withdrawing money for float if required. - Bank account details need to be changed on the website, membership forms and Paypal Page 1 - A trading agreement needs to be in place for any retail sales that benefit the FOBP (Charity Commission Best Practice) Page 2 Page 3 ## **6. Gifts** Trustee Joesph Wheatley paid £20 for the hire of the AGM venue for 2021 and asked not to be reimbursed. Page 4 Page 5