Yeovil Rivers Community Trust
Trustees Annual Report for Year
1st April 2021 to 31st March 2022
The Yeovil Rivers Community Trust
19, Chilton Grove Yeovil Somerset BA21 4AN
https://yrct.co.uk
REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1180724
Executive Summary
1. Registration Name:
The Yeovil Rivers Community Trust
2. Registration Number:
1180724
3. Registration date:
16th November 2018
4. Governing Document:
The Yeovil Rivers Community Trust Constitution
5. Names of Charity Trustees serving during the year:
Mr Lorne Thomson Chair Ms Sarah Hunt. Secretary Mr Thomas Bell Mr Roger Meecham Treasurer Ms Claire Hollingsworth Ms Yasmin Khan Mr David Godwin (joined February 2022)
6. Objects of the Charity
-
To promote for the benefit of the public both locally in Yeovil and the wider public within Somerset and Dorset, the conservation protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment by promoting and maintaining biological diversity, notably, but not exclusively, in the restoration, enhancement and creation of watercourses and any other water features (including multi-function surface features as part of a sustainable drainage system) and their adjoining terrestrial areas. Maintaining biological diversity includes managing and monitoring relevant habitats for the mutual benefit of biodiversity and the public.
-
To advance the education of the public in the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment.
REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1180724
2
7. Organisation of the Charity
-
Number of elected Honorary Officers: 3
-
Number of representatives of statutory authorities: 2
-
Number of paid staff: 3
-
Note: Two of the trustees are professional ecologists who provide their professional expertise and experience to the Charity
8. Further details of the Charity
• Name and address of Bank: Barclays Bank plc, King George Street Yeovil Somerset
- Insurers: Zurich Insurance
The Zurich Centre 3000 Parkway Whiteley Fareham Hampshire PO15 7JZ
REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1180724
3
Objectives & Activities
The formation of the Yeovil Rivers Community Trust (YRCT) was spurred by the need to protect the local streams, rivers and ponds together with adjacent natural landscape features, amid growing concern for the environment expressed by the local population as well as a range of organisations including local authorities, the Environment Agency, Somerset Catchment Partnership and other NGOs.
The objectives of the Charity are to promote for the benefit of the wider public, primarily in and around Yeovil, the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment by:
-
Promoting and maintaining biological diversity, notably, but not exclusively, in the restoration, enhancement and creation of water courses and any other water features (including multi-function surface features as part of a sustainable drainage system) and their adjoining terrestrial areas.
-
Maintaining biological diversity includes managing and monitoring relevant habitats for the mutual benefit of biodiversity and the public.
-
To advance the education of the public in the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment.
Funding to support this activity is sourced solely through public donations and grants from the statutory nature conservation body (SNCO), local authorities and charitable organisations. The Charity’s work is managed and undertaken by local volunteers and a small number of part-time staff. Technical advice and project management as well as specialist services are supplied by consultants as required.
Specifically, the needs and activities addressed by the Charity are:
-
An independent overview of Planning Applications insofar as they affect the natural flow and diversity of waterbodies and habitats, this activity being undertaken in co-operation with the relevant authorities and organisations.
-
Through the deployment of volunteer working parties, undertake physical activities on streams and riverbanks, clearing rubbish, debris and invasive non-native plants and undergrowth. This work is in support of the South Somerset District and Local Councils and their Parish Rangers who have neither the time nor resource to provide this service 100% of the time.
-
To carry out surveys of local water courses checking for sustainable wildlife habitat by undertaking water sampling and checking out sources of pollution and reporting formally to the appropriate authorities.
Deliverables resulting from the work of the Charity include:
REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1180724
4
-
The provision of technical/specialist analysis and reports to the appropriate sponsor/authority of the Trusts findings.
-
Provision of hydraulic modelling studies and design drawings for new ponds, wetlands and modified riverbanks etc. as required.
-
Provision of plants, fencing, trees etc in support of new pond and wetland creations.
-
Visual and amenity improvements and ongoing maintenance to existing projects.
-
Learning opportunities for young people via formal programmes integrated with school curriculum and informal events sponsored outside school hours. We began to extend this work to local adult groups and organisations with a focus on mental and physical wellbeing and special needs from January 2022.
-
Active public engagement on environmental issues around rivers and waterways and habitats and biodiversity generally.
-
Physical improvement and extended viability to the local streams and rivers in respect of public accessibility and enjoyment. This includes a healthier and sustainable wildlife habitat. This includes identifying, designing and implementing a range of measures to restore, enhance and create aquatic and terrestrial habitats using nature based solutions (NBS) and natural flood management (NFM) techniques wherever possible within the Yeo Catchment.
The Charity continued work on the Brympton project during the financial period and commenced work on P001/3 having secured significant funding from the Green Recovery Challenge Fund. The projects numbering seven in total are described in the following section. At the time of reporting, four projects are currently not being worked on as they are held awaiting approval/clearance from sources external to the Yeovil Rivers Community Trust.
The trust also employed one full-time and one part-time staff within the year to assist the delivery of P001/3.
REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1180724
5
Achievements and Performance
The following table itemises the major project activity undertaken by the Charity during the reporting period.
| Project Identity |
Description | % Completion |
Deliverables | Funding Status |
| Dodham Brook Restoration 001 Phase 3 |
Implementation of the physical changes required for rehabilitation of the concrete flood channel containing a section of the Dodham Brook beyond the Yeovil Country Park (YCP) towards Newton Road. Works include a fish pass on the YCP weir, enhancement of the culverted channel at Tanyard Way and a small fish easement at the Newton Road weir. |
10% Programme and funding sources to be confirmed. Project go- ahead awaiting formal agreement with the SSDC |
Installation of rehabilitation features, i.e. macrophyte and habitat bays, baffles and fish easements, aquatic plant establishment, interpretation and project related public engagement. |
£196,300 secured from Green Recovery Challenge Fund (£96,800 paid in year), £3,830 from the Environment Agency also secured. |
| 004 | Restoration and long-term maintenance of Brympton Pond. Planned activity: Development of a natural pond which will be semi incorporated into a proposed business park development. Future use and maintenance to be planned. |
0% | Following discussion within the YRCT, it is considered that the site may be suitable for Biodiversity Net Gain Offsetting with no public access. Project currently on hold while BNG develops and discussions can be had with landowner and developer. |
Awaiting landowners agreement. Project on hold |
| (005, 007 and 009) Projects combined to become the Brympton Project in February 2021. |
(formerly P005) Alvington Lane Pond and Foxglove Way Basin Provision of a pond with enhanced wildlife habitats in area at the end of the hamlet Enhancement of an adjacent balancing pond. (formerly P007) The brook backwaters were monitored but were heavily damaged by human and animal activity. |
60% 70% |
With on-going BPC and SSDC support a complex habitat bank was installed at Alvington Lane along with a water vole bund, wildflower areas, woodland bulb planting and aquatic plants introduced to the pond. All enhancements are being monitored and maintained. Woodland bulbs were planted in autumn 2021 and the |
Funding secured from the Somerset County Council Climate Change Fund amounts to £23,000. This augments our funding secured in the previous year, The Somerset CCF is held by Brympton Parish Council and invoices are submitted to make |
REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1180724
6
| The efficacy of these is being evaluated and repairs considered for 2022/23 if viable. Designs were developed for the alternative site within the parish for the rehabilitation of two ponds at Oak Tree Park. This includes creating two new complex habitat banks, wildflower areas and establishing aquatic plants in both ponds. (formery P009) Agusta Park residential development. Improvements and enhancement of existing pond and SuDS. Project has been integrated with projects P005 and P007 into the Brympton Project. |
0% | establishing meadow area near the badger sett has been monitored and maintained throughout. The grassland area at Lawrence Way was surveyed and included in activities with Preston primary School. Extensive bankside tree management was delivered by SSDC. At Oak Tree Park the enhancement features have been agreed with SSDC (landowner) in principle. Surveys and design iterations were delivered through the period of the report. Site may be suitable for BNG Offsetting. Opportunity to be discussed with the developer. |
drawdown payments after delivery on a bi- monthly basis. £10635.00 was drawn down in the return period. If BNG option pursued, this would be funded by the developer with YRCT implementing. |
|
| 006 | Brimsmore housing development. Improvements and overall enhancement of the SuDS which will include: stabilisation of water level and improvements in its quality. Cleaning the outlet culvert and stream which are severely silted up. |
0% | No activity undertaken in the reporting period. Awaiting the SSDC adoption of the site |
No budget in place at this time Project on hold until site is adopted by the SSDC. This may be complicated by the move to a unitary Somerset LA. |
REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1180724
7
| 008 | Yeovil Country Park (Ninesprings) Lake, Pond and Water Vole habitat Enhancement The project aims to: Create new aquatic habitats in the lake and pond The project will provide valuable new and enhanced aquatic habitats near the centre of Yeovil which already accommodate endangered species. The proposed enhancements will also augment the works planned for the restoration of Dodham Brook which runs through the country park to the north of the lake and pond. An optimised, resilient network of habitats will thereby be created to support enhanced biodiversity. |
30% | Funding was available via the Steel Charitable Trust (see Project 001 Phase 2 above). Surveys of the lake and pond in Yeovil Country Park were carried out in the Summer of 2020 but the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions forced a delay in progressing to detailed design and implementation stages. Work programme to be drawn up with work commencing later in early 2023. |
A grant has been provided by the Swire Charitable Trust Of £5000 See funding discussion for Project 001 Phase 2 above. Further funding is required and additional bids will be made in 2022. |
| 011 | Yeovil Schools Education Outreach Project was expanded and renamed the Yeovil Wellbeing, Wildlife and Water Community Project in March 2021. |
Delayed by Covid-19 pandemic until February 2021. Ongoing. |
YRCT has further developed the practical sessions and classroom sessions for delivery to primary schools from Autumn 2022. A formal agreement has been drawn up with Wessex Water to deliver activities at Sutton Bingham Reservoir. The project activities have evolved to include other organisations, e.g. Able to Achieve, Yeovil Men’s Shed, for mental and physical wellbeing benefits. Deliverables include nature walks, volunteering activities (surveys, land management, litter picking, etc,), engagement with schools and other community groups. |
Funding secured from The National Lottery in Autumn 2021 for £10,000. Further bids to support this work will be submitted to private grant providers and the National Lottery in 2022. |
REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1180724
8
| 012 | Upper River Yeo Catchment Strategy. The project is being initiated from funding provided through the Environment Agency. The project aims to prepare a detailed catchment restoration plan for implementing at the landscape scale to address identified environmental issues. |
40% | The first phase of the project was delivered between September 2020 and March 2021. Further limited progress was made by March 2022 but further funding via the EA WEIF fund was not available for the 2022/23 financial year. Work on the strategy will be suspended until alternative funding is found. It is hoped that the strategy will be delivered over 2022/23 culminating in a final Catchment Strategy for implementing in phases over a number of years. |
A £6,000 budget was secured via the EA Partnership Grant for the 2021/22 financial year. £1290.00 was received from the SRA for project work within the catchment. Funding is being sought for 2022/23 to continue the strategy. |
Financial Review
-
At the end of the reporting period, the total income amounted to £134755 The total expenditure amounted to £52132, thus making a surplus of £82263
-
The charity does not currently have any unallocated financial reserves. The credit balance at the end of this financial year represents unspent grant funds which are largely committed to spending on the Dodham Brook Restoration Project and other current projects according to the required expediency in maintaining progress. When further funding has been secured and the prospect of a reserve being retained becomes potentially viable, a discussion will be held among the trustees to agree if such a reserve is required and if so, the amount which should be held, e.g. would a sum to cover fixed costs be an acceptable maximum?
-
Funds in deficit - None
REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1180724
9
Financial Report
The financial status of the Yeovil Rivers Community Trust for the period ending 31st March 2022 is shown in the Accounts Form CC16a for submission to the Charity Commission.
Report Prepared by: Lorne Thomson (Chair – YRCT)
Date: 05/10/2022
Report Approved by: Roger Meecham…………… (Trustee – YRCT)
Date: 17[th] October 2022
Definitions & Abbreviations
| BPC | Brympton Parish Council |
|---|---|
| CIO | Charitable Incorporated Organisation |
| EA | Environment Agency |
| FWAG | Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group |
| helophyte | plant which grows in marsh, partly submerged |
| HotSWEP | Heads of South West Local Business Groups |
| LDC | Land Drainage Consent |
| macrophyte | aquatic plant that grows in or near water |
| PA | Planning Application |
| SCC | Somerset County Council |
| SSDC | South Somerset District Council |
| SuDS | Sustainable Drainage Systems |
| YRCT | Yeovil Rivers Community Trust |
| YTC | Yeovil Town Council |
REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1180724
10
Yeovil Rivers Community Trust Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees For the Period Ended 31 March 2022
Independent examiners report to the Trustees of Yeovil Rivers Community Trust
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts for Yeovil Rivers Community Trust (“the charity”) for the period ended 31 March 2022.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity trustees of the charity you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the 2011 Act”).
I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 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 2011 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:
-
accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the 2011 Act; or
-
the accounts do not comply with these records
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.
Michelle Ferris FCA DChA
Albert Goodman LLP Chartered Accountants Goodwood House Blackbrook Park Avenue Taunton Somerset TA1 2PX
Date: 19 December 2022
Charity Name No (if any) Yeovil Rivers Community Trust 1180724 Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the period Period start date Period end date To from 01-Apr-21 31-Mar-22
| Section A Receipts and payments | Section A Receipts and payments | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 Receipts | Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ 1,180 - - - - - - 1,180 - - - 1,180 455 329 467 794 2,044 - - - 2,044 - 864 1,433 - 569 |
Restricted funds to the nearest £ - 133,575 - - - - - - 133,575 - - - 133,575 - 23,126 1,260 652 684 - 3,740 7,263 13,364 50,088 - - - 50,088 83,487 - 1,433 26,894 108,948 |
Endowment funds to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
Total funds to the nearest £ 1,180 133,575 - - - - - - 134,755 - - - 134,755 455 23,126 1,260 652 684 329 4,207 7,263 14,157 52,132 - - - 52,132 82,623 |
Last year to the nearest £ |
|
| Donations | 1,180 | 1,390 | ||||
| Grants | 40,876 | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| - | - | |||||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) |
1,180 | 42,266 | ||||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). |
||||||
| - | ||||||
| - | - | |||||
| Sub total | - | - | ||||
| Total receipts A3 Payments |
||||||
| 42,266 | ||||||
| Insurance | 455 | 453 | ||||
| ConsutancyFees | 22,022 | |||||
| Data & Services Supply | 84 | |||||
| Water samples analysis | - | |||||
| Handtools & Protective Clothing | 412 | |||||
| Website/media | 329 | 295 | ||||
| Miscellaneous /expenses | 467 | 855 | ||||
| Project Site Works | 3,976 | |||||
| Staff wages/PAYE/Pensions | 794 | 2,818 | ||||
| **Sub total ** | 2,044 | 30,915 | ||||
| A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) |
||||||
| - | ||||||
| - | ||||||
| **Sub total ** | - | - | ||||
| Total payments Net of receipts/(payments) A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end |
||||||
| 30,915 | ||||||
| - 864 | 83,487 | - | 82,623 |
11,351 | ||
| 1,433 | - 1,433 | - | - | - | ||
| - | 26,894 | - | 26,894 | 15,543 | ||
| 569 | 108,948 | - | 109,517 |
26,894 |
4932897-2 (Charity Commission Accounts 01-4-21 to 31-3-22 draft2) 1
CC16a R1 accounts (SS)
19/12/2022
| Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at | Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at | the end of the period | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Categories Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees B1 Cash funds B2 Other monetary assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use B5 Liabilities B3 Investment assets |
Signature Accountancy Fees Details Bank Current Account Bank Reserve Account Cash in hand Details Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Balance of SCC Climate Emergency Community Fund grant £22,400 re Project 007 via Brympton PC Details Details Details General & specialised handtools Protective clothing |
Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ 569 108,948 - - - - 569 108,948 OK OK Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ - 11,769 - - - - - - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) Unrestricted 500 Unrestricted 200 - - - - - - - Fund to which liability relates Amount due (optional) 480 - - - - Print Name Roger Meecham |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| OK | |||
| Endowment funds to nearest £ |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
|||
| 50 | |||
| 20 | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| When due (optional) |
|||
| Date of approval |
|||
| Roger Meecham | 16-Aug-22 | ||
4932897-2 (Charity Commission Accounts 01-4-21 to 31-3-22 draft2)
CC16a R2 accounts (SS)
2
19/12/2022