SRP Chair’s annual report
The Charitable Trust has continued to work with NRW to get the Pillar repaired, as the Charity has no direct input into what NRW do, it is on times a little frustrating but we continue to push for updates from the Project Manager and try to get them to commit to deadlines.
Summer 2023 started off very positively, news that the work was due to start on the Pillar, scaffolding was being erected, which in itself was a major hurdle, however the positivity soon came to an end, when for weeks there was no apparent activity around the Pillar, we received the news that none of us wanted to hear, the condition of the Pillar was worse than expected and too dangerous to continue working on.
How the Pillar was originally constructed has always been a question that no one could answer with 100% certainty, several suggestions from experts had been considered, but until the scaffolding was in place it had been impossible to have any in depth inspection into the core of the Pillar, this was one of the first actions for the Contractors, to try and find out how the Pillar was constructed to allow them to know how to carry out the repairs to the Pillar. What they found was that the construction of the Pillar is an outer ring of stone built using lime mortar and then infilled with loose stone and fines, the problem is that the infill has somehow gone, just leaving the outer ring of stone, which with the large crack and bulging has made the stability of the Pillar very unpredictable and the reason the Contractors could not continue working on the Pillar.
NRW now believe that the most appropriate course of action is for the Pillar to be dismantled and rebuild it, NRW along with their consultants and working with Cadw, are coming up with a plan of how this can be done in a sympathetic manner and agreeable to all, whilst they have not yet decided on how to progress, they have stated that that there is no funding available for the work to be done in the 2024 financial year, their funding has been cut by the Welsh Government and they are now looking at what projects can be done and when, and at present there is no indication of when the work to the Pillar will restart.
The Trustee’s are continuing to push NRW to progress the work asap, and will do whatever we can to put as much pressure on them to get it put into their 2025 finance plan, in the meantime we are now looking into alternative funding options such as the Heritage Lottery, to support any funding that NRW may be able to put forward.
We started this financial year on a very positive note however it is ending with more uncertainty than we have had since the Trust was set up, the positive out of it all is that we now know what work is required and that a straight forward repair is not an option, but the possible cost to rebuild will be far more than the original cost to repair and the reason NRW are now having to look at how they can fund this project and more importantly when. Since May 2021 when NRW stated they would carry out the repairs to the Pillar, the Trust has worked alongside NRW and endeavoured to progress the work but we have been mainly a bystander, as we have little or no influence over how NRW have carried out the work to date, I do feel that in the next financial year the Trusts position will need to become far more proactive if we are likely to get it rebuilt before the Pillar actually falls down, in 2018 it was thought it would last two years, five years later and now knowing it is in a more serious condition than first thought, it is only a matter of time before the inevitable happens and the Pillar collapses.
Bill Lee
Chair of Trustee’s
Save Rodney’s Pillar, Charitable Trust.
CHARITY REGISTRATION NUMBER 1186259
SAVE RODNEY’S PILLAR
ACCOUNTS
YEAR ENDED 30[TH] SEPTEMBER 2023
Robert Davies & Co 4 Sweetlake Court Mercian Close Shrewsbury SY3 9GE
SAVE RODNEY’S PILLAR
Year Ended 30[th] September 2023
| LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION | |
|---|---|
| CHARITY NUMBER: | 1186259 |
| ADDRESS OF CHARITY: | The Crest |
| Llandysilio | |
| Llanymynech | |
| SY22 6QZ | |
| TRUSTEES: | David Roberts |
| Elizabeth Dawson | |
| William James Lee | |
| Stephen Williams | |
| Heather Hobman | |
| Frances Buckingham | |
| BANKERS: | Natwest |
| P O Box 5 | |
| Owain Glyndwr Square | |
| Aberystwyth | |
| Ceredigion | |
| SY23 2NB | |
| INDEPENDENT EXAMINER: | Mr Robert Davies |
| Robert Davies & Co | |
| 4 Sweetlake Court | |
| Mercian Close | |
| Shrewsbury | |
| SY3 9GE |
TRUSTEES REPORT:
Save Rodney’s Pillar became a registered charity on 11 November 2019 as a Service Provider.
The objectives of the charity are to restore and preserve the monument “Rodney’s Pillar”
The charity is controlled by trustees elected at general meetings and is run on a democratic basis.
The charity has undertaken fund raising activities during the year ended 30[th] September 2023 and raised awareness of the campaign to save Rodney’s Pillar.
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SAVE RODNEY'S PILLAR
RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT
Year Ended 30 September 2023
----- Start of picture text -----
2023 2022
Income £ £ £ £
Donations 13 164
13 164
Expenses
Postage 19 14
Ballot software 76 45
95 59
Net (Deficit)/Surplus -82 105
----- End of picture text -----
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SAVE RODNEY'S PILLAR
BALANCE SHEET
As at 30 September 2023
| Current Assets Natwest Bank Current Account Current Liabilities Creditors Represented by: Accumulated Fund Brought forward (Deficit)/Surplus from Receipts and Payments Account |
2023 £ 2,722 2,722 0 2,722 2,804 -82 2,722 |
2022 £ 2,863 2,863 59 2,804 2,699 105 2,804 |
|---|---|---|
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INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF
SAVE RODNEY’S PILLAR TRUST
I report on the accounts of the Trust for the year ended 30[th ] September 2023 which are set out on pages 2 to 3.
Respective Responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner
The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this period under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) or under Regulation 10(1)(d) of The Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (the 2006 Accounts Regulations) and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
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examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 and section 44(1)(c) of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 (the 2005 Act)
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to follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act
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to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of Independent Examiner’s Report
My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commission and is accordance with Regulation 11 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair view’ and the report is limited to those matters set out in the next statement.
Independent Examiners Statement
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
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which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements
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to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act and section 44(1)(a) of the 2005 Act and Regulation 4 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations and
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to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act and section 44(1)(b) of the 2005 Act and Regulation 9 of the 2006 Regulations
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have not been met or
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to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
ROBERT DAVIES ROBERT DAVIES & CO
4 Sweetlake Court, Mercian Close, Shrewsbury, SY3 9GE Date: 28[th] February 2024
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