Annual Report by the Chair of Trustees Activity Year 2022/23
In presenting this report I first want to take the opportunity to thank everyone who is involved in supporting and running our Scout Group.
As always, we are committed to putting our members at the centre of everything we do with the intention that they will benefit by acquiring life skills for use throughout their lives as well as developing lifelong friendships.
The successful relationship between the Groups parents, volunteer helpers, section leaders and trustees is evidenced by the increased membership, the positive financial position and the range of quality activities the sections delivered throughout the past year.
The following bullet points give an overview of the Queniborough Scout Group current position.
Membership:
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We operate three sections, Beavers, Cubs and Scouts
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We consistently have over 70 young people spread across the three sections.
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Each team is managed by a section leader who is supported by uniformed assistants and nonuniformed parent volunteers.
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The leadership teams deliver a range of activities throughout the year culminating with a weekend camp which is always popular, fun and ultimately exhausting!! This year was no exception.
Finance:
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Our financial position is currently good with a small surplus in the bank.
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Our main income is from:
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Membership fees
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Rental income from hiring our hall
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Occasional grants (normally for a specific project e.g. mezzanine conversion)
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Our year end accounts have been examined by an independent auditor and are now available for public viewing on the Charities Commission website.
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Membership fees and rental costs have not risen in the past year and it is the trustees intention that there will be no increase over the coming year 2023/24
Leadership
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Over the years the Group has enjoyed a consistent leadership which has been critical to seeing the Group grow to what it is today.
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Our time served leaders; Mark Allsopp, Chris King, Clive Graham and Jess Paige have all taken a step back from their roles to allow new people to take the group forward to the next phase of its
Headquarters
Queniborough Road, Queniborough, Leicester LE7 3DG Scout Association Number 306101
development. We are grateful for their incredible commitment over the years and thankful that they continue to support the Group, especially the new leaders.
- Welcome to: Richard Tassi (cubs) Rachael Chinnery (Beavers), Vicki Thomas (Scouts) Jenny Angell (Group Scout Leader) who have picked up the baton of leadership – the Trustees are very happy to have you join the team!
Technology:
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We are increasing our use of technology in order to relieve our leadership team of some of the admin burden.
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All software is third party software with the appropriate safeguards for data security.
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We use Online Scout Manager (OSM) as our principal admin software.
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OSM records our membership details and the progress to achieving awards.
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In conjunction with other software, it allows the collection of membership fees.
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This year we signed up for the accountancy module and all our accounts are now part of an integrated package making it much easier for our Treasurer to manage.
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Website and social media are work in progress.
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A separate third party software, www.hallbookingonline.com is used to manage the hire of our hall and is proving to be very effective.
The Future:
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We intend to consolidate the progress made over the last few years.
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We have funding to convert our mezzanine floor space into a meeting room and work is underway.
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We have further funding for an outside storeroom with work planned for early spring 2024.
To conclude this brief report, I am pleased to have been able to present a very positive and encouraging one. It is a team effort and so it is that I end this report at the same place I started – by thanking everyone who is involved in supporting and running our scout group!
Kind regards
Phil Iley Chair of Trustees
Headquarters Queniborough Road, Queniborough, Leicester LE7 3DG Scout Association Number 306101
| 2022-2023 | 2023-2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| Income | ||
| Bank Interest | 0.67 | 0.00 |
| Donaton | 26.60 | 126.14 |
| Electricity Refund | 17.50 | 0.00 |
| Fundraising | 161.77 | 0.00 |
| Gas Refund | 105.76 | 0.00 |
| Gif Aid | 741.71 | 0.00 |
| Grant | 12,800.00 | 12,000.00 |
| Hall Hire | 4,701.00 | 1,930.00 |
| Membership Fees | 10,918.67 | 4,692.66 |
| Refund | 0.00 | 23.90 |
| Expense | ||
| Actvity Equipment | 6,735.43 | 2,862.46 |
| Admin | 0.00 | 40.39 |
| Badges | 0.00 | 72.99 |
| Bank Fees | 0.00 | 20.00 |
| Capital Equipment Fixed Assets | 4,350.00 | 207.60 |
| Chubb Fire | 598.95 | 476.68 |
| Cleaning Costs | 1,807.91 | 727.53 |
| Electricity | 885.00 | 326.00 |
| Events - Scouts | 0.00 | 123.75 |
| Gas | 705.00 | 185.00 |
| Insurance | 1,189.19 | 382.32 |
| Loan Repayment | 2,712.00 | 904.00 |
| Meetngs - Scouts | 0.00 | 37.92 |
| Membership Costs | 3,290.00 | 1,000.00 |
| Repairs | 2,089.30 | 876.28 |
| Venue Maintenance | 0.00 | 26.28 |
| Water | 402.54 | 0.00 |
| Account balances | ||
| 25TH LEICESTER (QUENIBOROUGH) | 5,031.57 | 8,088.27 |
| Expense Account | 25.00 | 143.93 |
| Capitaton Fund | 439.99 | 439.99 |
| Loan Repayment | 291.94 | 291.94 |
| Summary | ||
| Account balance brought forward | 1,055.14 | 5,788.50 |
| Total income | 29,473.68 | 18,772.70 |
| Total expenditure | 24,765.32 | 8,269.20 |
| Net income | 4,708.36 | 10,503.50 |
| Account balance carried forward | 5,788.50 | 8,964.13 |
Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of 25[th] Leicester Queniborough Scout Group
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the 25th Leicester Queniborough Scout Group for the year ended 31[st] March 2023.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity trustees of the 25th Leicester Queniborough Scout Group 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 25th Leicester Queniborough Scout Group 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 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, that give me cause to believe that in any material respect:
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accounting records were not kept in respect of the 25th Leicester Queniborough Scout Group as required by section 130 of the Act; or
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the accounts do not accord with those records.
It has been necessary to check that the income from Activities (£268.50), Fundraising (£161.77), and Hall Hire (£30), left in the Capitation Fund account, has been correctly accounted for in the end of year accounts. It has. However, I note that the Activities figure (rounded to £269) is rather oddly included in "Membership subscriptions"; presumably because it is the most appropriate of the existing headings.
There is advice to the Scout Group chairman recorded in the 2021 annual report and accounts, from Mr Lewis Sutton (a retired chartered accountant), the first item suggests a reduction in the number of bank accounts to a maximum of two, in order to avoid any confusion caused by moving money between accounts. I note that this has not been done. However, the new Treasurer has commented (email of 12/07/2023) suggesting he intends to move to just having a current account. I would encourage this, believing it will not only avoid confusion, but would also simplify the accounts.
As part of the analytical review of the accounts (CC32, Direction 11, section 11.3) I compared the analysis of the cash received and the cash spent in the current year with the previous year to identify any significant changes from year to year! I note that expenditure on "Materials and equipment" has gone up significantly, from approximately £1k in the previous year, to the best part of £7k this year!
The trustees should note:
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1) In the year ended 31st March 2023 gross income went over the £25k threshold. This means that the Charity Commission’s requirements for the annual return are more demanding than they were last time. In addition to answers to their standard annual return questions they will also require a:
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Copy of trustee’s annual report
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Copy of the checked accounts
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Copy of the independent examiner’s report
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2) I was unable to check the opening balance on each of the three bank accounts.
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3) CC32, Direction 5.
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Ask the trustees about how they ensure the accounting records are complete.
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Ask the trustees if they carried out a review of the charity’s internal financial controls in the year reported.
Signed:
Name: Mr A M Kidner Address: Upper Church St., Syston, LE7 1HR Date: 25/07/2023