## **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:
1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the 2011 Act; or
2. 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