Trustee Annual Report and Financial Statements
Elstree and District Scouts For the period ended 31 March 2024
Prepared by Board of Trustees
Prepared on 12 September 2024
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Table of contents
Structure, governance and management ....................................................................................................... 3 Objectives and Activities ................................................................................................................................. 5 Annual Census Figures .................................................................................................................................. 6 Update from Chair of the Trustees ................................................................................................................. 8 Update from the District Lead Volunteer ......................................................................................................... 9 Financial Highlights ....................................................................................................................................... 10
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Structure, governance and management
The Districts governing documents are those of The Scout Association. They consist of a Royal Charter, which in turn gives authority to the Bye Laws of the Association and The Policy, Organisation and Rules of The Scout Association.
The District is a trust established under its rules which are common to all Scouts.
The Trustees are appointed in accordance with the Policy, Organisation and Rules of The Scout Association by means of an open selection and voting process when either
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There is a vacancy on the Trustee Board
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Members appointments have completed the set duration, at which point they may stand for reelection
The District is overseen by the District Trustee Board, the members of which are the ‘Charity Trustees’ of the Scout District which is an educational charity. As charity trustees they are responsible for complying with legislation applicable to charities. This includes the registration, keeping proper accounts and making returns to the Charity Commission as appropriate.
The Trustee Board consists of the Chair, Treasurer and 5 Trustees (including 2 Ex Officio Trustees, and 2 co-opted Trustees) and meets every 4 months.
Members of the Trustee Board complete Being a Scouts Trustee learning within the first 6 months of joining the Board.
This District Trustee Board exists to make sure the charity is well-managed, risks are assessed and mitigated, buildings and equipment are in good working order, and everyone follows legal requirements and the organisation's policies and rules. Their support helps other volunteers run high-quality and safe programmes that gives young people skills for life.
The District is Managed by the District Leadership Team, with the majority of decisions being managed by the Senior Leadership Team, who may refer matters to either other members of the District Leadership Team or other Teams within the District Framework
Risk and Internal Control
The District Trustee Board has identified the major risks to which they believe the District is exposed, these have been reviewed and systems have been established to mitigate against them. The main areas of concern that have been identified are:
Damage to the building, property and equipment. The District would request the use of buildings, property and equipment from neighbouring organisations such as the church, community centre and other Scout Districts. Similar reciprocal arrangements exist with these organisations. The District has sufficient contents insurance in place to mitigate against permanent loss.
Injury to leaders, helpers, supporters and members. The District through the capitation fees contributes to the Scout Associations national accident insurance policy. Risk Assessments are undertaken before all activities.
Reduced income from fund raising. The District is primarily reliant upon income from subscriptions and fundraising. The District does hold a reserve to ensure the continuity of activities should there be a major reduction in income. The Board could raise the value of subscriptions to increase the income to the District on an ongoing basis, either temporarily or permanently.
Reduction or loss of leaders. The District is totally reliant upon volunteers to run and administer the activities of the District. If there was a reduction in the number of leaders to an unacceptable level in a particular section or the District as a whole then there would have to be a contraction, consolidation or closure of a section. In the worst case scenario the complete closure of the District.
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Reduction or loss of members. The District provides activities for all young people aged 4 to 18. If there was a reduction in membership in a particular section or the District as whole then there would have to be a contraction, consolidation or closure of a section. In the worst case scenario the complete closure of the District.
The District has in place systems of internal controls that are designed to provide reasonable assurance against material mismanagement or loss, these include 2 signatories for all payments and a comprehensive insurance policies to ensure that insurable risks are covered.
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Objectives and Activities
The Purpose of Scouting
Scouting exists to actively engage and support young people in their personal development, empowering them to make a positive contribution to society.
The Values of Scouting
As Scouts we are guided by these values: Integrity - We act with integrity; we are honest, trustworthy and loyal.
Respect - We have self-respect and respect for others.
Care - We support others and take care of the world in which we live.
Belief - We explore our faiths, beliefs and attitudes.
Co-operation - We make a positive difference; we co-operate with others and make friends.
The Scout Method
Scouting takes place when young people, in partnership with adults, work together based on the values of Scouting and:
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enjoy what they are doing and have fun
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take part in activities indoors and outdoors
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learn by doing
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share in spiritual reflection
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take responsibility and make choices
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undertake new and challenging activities
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make and live by their Promise.
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Annual Census Fi res gu
Census of District Membership in Elstree and District For the year ending January 2024
| Male Female Self-identify Prefer not to say Total |
|
|---|---|
| YOUTH MEMBERSHIP | |
| Squirrels Beavers Cubs Scouts Explorers (including Young Leaders) Ventures Network members TOTAL YOUTH MEMBERSHIP |
7 2 0 0 9 41 10 0 0 51 66 13 0 0 79 50 19 0 0 69 19 7 0 0 26 0 0 0 0 0 5 4 0 0 9 188 55 0 0 243 |
| PROGRAMME DELIVERY ROLES | |
| Section Leaders Assistant Section Leaders Section Assistants TOTAL ADULT PROGRAMME DELIVERY ROLES Young Leaders+ TOTAL PROGRAMME DELIVERY ROLES |
10 8 0 0 18 11 12 0 0 23 0 3 0 0 3 21 23 0 0 44 6 2 0 0 8 27 25 0 0 52 |
| LINE MANAGER ROLES | |
| Group Scout Leaders District Commissioners District ES/SN Commissioners TOTAL LINE MANAGER ROLES |
3 2 0 0 5 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 4 2 0 0 6 |
| GOVERNANCE ROLES | |
| Group Chair Group Secretary Group Treasurer Group Trustee Board members TOTAL GROUP GOVERNANCE ROLES District Chair District Secretary District Treasurer District Trustee Board members TOTAL DISTRICT GOVERNANCE ROLES TOTAL GOVERNANCE ROLES |
3 2 0 0 5 0 2 0 0 2 1 2 0 0 3 1 3 0 0 4 5 9 0 0 14 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 3 6 11 0 0 17 |
| SUPPORT ROLES | |
| Deputy Group Scout Leaders | 1 1 0 0 2 |
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| Group Administrators/Supporters Group Skills Instructors Other Group Adults TOTAL GROUP SUPPORT ROLES Deputy District Commissioners District Youth Commissioners Deputy District Youth Commissioners Assistant District Commissioners District Leaders District Administrators/Supporters District Skills Instructors Other District Support roles TOTAL DISTRICT SUPPORT ROLES Active Support TOTAL SUPPORT ROLES |
Male Female Self-identify Prefer not to say Total 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 3 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 3 3 0 0 6 |
Male Female Self-identify Prefer not to say Total 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 3 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 3 3 0 0 6 |
Male Female Self-identify Prefer not to say Total 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 3 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 3 3 0 0 6 |
Male Female Self-identify Prefer not to say Total 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 3 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 3 3 0 0 6 |
Male Female Self-identify Prefer not to say Total 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 3 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 1 3 3 0 0 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOTALS | |||||
| TOTAL YOUTH MEMBERSHIP TOTAL ADULT MEMBERSHIP |
188 55 0 0 243 34 39 0 0 73 |
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| TOTAL MEMBERSHIP | 222 94 0 0 316 |
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| Total Membership due to pay the Headquarters Membership ie Total of Youth Membership excluding Scout Network |
Subscription | 234 | |||
| UNITS | |||||
| Squirrel Dreys Beaver Colonies Cub Packs Scout Troops Explorer Units (Including YL Units) Active Support Units Young Leader Units Groups |
2 5 5 5 2 5 1 5 |
- Also includes roles in Regions/Countries; + YL totals are not included in the overall totals as Young Leaders are already included in Explorer totals.
7/13
Update from Chair of the Trustees
It has been a year of progress, reflection, and strategic action across our district, and I’d like to take this opportunity to review our successes and address some important developments that will shape our future.
First and foremost, I want to thank each of you for your continued commitment to our mission. Thanks to your efforts, we’ve been able to invest in our programmes and maintain strong governance, ensuring that we continue to offer exceptional experiences for all our members. Additionally, our recently implemented financial systems have improved transparency and accountability, helping us to better manage finances across the district.
As part of our focus on safety and governance, it’s crucial to address the ongoing work surrounding the Prevention of Future Deaths (PFD) reports. This national initiative, which resulted from tragic incidents, has prompted significant changes across the Scouts. While we are not HQ, these reforms will undoubtedly affect our operations. The reports have emphasized areas like training, safeguarding, and risk management, meaning that we too must adapt.
Specifically, we are investing in ongoing improvements to our safety protocols, ensuring that our events, equipment, and activities are conducted with the highest level of care. We have enhanced our logging and maintenance of equipment, and are currently building a comprehensive equipment inventory to track maintenance needs. We have also invested in improving the facilities where we store our equipment, protecting it from damp and damage. All of these efforts, while essential, contribute to our rising operational costs.
Additionally, we are aligning with national standards that prioritize the safety and well-being of all participants, following lessons learned from the PFD reports. This includes increased attention to risk assessments, activity oversight, and ensuring that volunteers are supported with the right resources. While we won’t have direct costs related to national staff or some of the broader structural changes, we will still need to make adjustments to how we operate at the district level, including stricter adherence to safety protocols and potentially more administrative oversight.
In terms of financial management, we have seen an increase in fixed costs, including insurance and eventrelated expenses. While we’ve been fortunate not to heavily rely on our hardship and cost-of-living grant in the past year, we’ve introduced flexible payment options to support members. However, as we look ahead to 2025 and 2026, we expect a greater need for our hardship fund to ensure young people can continue to participate in district and county events.
We recognize that many groups are facing their own financial pressures, and it is our responsibility to manage our rising costs carefully. This will enable us to protect our reserves for future investments, such as the recent purchase of a new minibus and other provisions that support the district's operations. In closing, while the landscape around us is changing and presenting new challenges, we remain in a strong financial position. We are committed to supporting our members and ensuring that the district continues to thrive. Together, we will navigate these challenges and build an even stronger foundation for the future.
Thank you all for your continued dedication and support.
8/13
Update from the District Lead Volunteer
Over the past year, we’ve made significant strides in improving our safety, governance, and programme quality, but there’s always more to achieve. We’ve raised our expectations not only for ourselves but for all our groups, ensuring we continue to audit and strive for above-average compliance and standards across the district. This approach ensures that we maintain the highest quality of experiences for all our participants.
A major highlight this year was sending two of our young people to the World Scout Jamboree. Despite the challenges faced by the UK Contingent in Korea, both participants had a fantastic experience. It’s moments like these that demonstrate the power of Scouting and the incredible opportunities it can provide.
We’ve also had some fantastic district events, including Gradbach Farm, Water Activities Day, and Beaver Badge Day. These events were a great success, with positive feedback from the groups that attended. However, managing these large-scale activities with a small team has presented challenges. I’m optimistic, though, that with our new programme lead in place, we’ll continue to deliver excellent events. We’ve even started discussions about an exciting international event in the near future.
I also want to acknowledge that we missed out on holding a Promise Renewal Day this year, which we had hoped to combine with our AGM. Unfortunately, logistical constraints prevented it, but we’ve taken this as a learning opportunity and will ensure better planning in the future.
One area we’re excited to focus on in the coming year is expanding opportunities for our Cubs and Squirrels sections. We’ve heard the feedback that these sections have been somewhat overlooked, and our new team is actively working on organising new events specifically for them.
Another highlight has been the record number of top awards earned this year, particularly within our 14-25 section. This is a tremendous achievement, and I’m optimistic that our new 14-25 lead has some exciting plans to increase this further. They’re also exploring the possibility of engaging with other districts to consider forming a joint network, which would provide even more opportunities for our young people. In terms of investments, we’ve added valuable resources like a new minibus and equipment to support group activities. Although not all groups have engaged with the events we’ve run, the feedback from those who attended has been incredibly positive. We’re looking forward to increasing participation in future events.
Our district has also continued to grow, with more young people and adult volunteers joining, as well as the opening of a new Squirrels Drey. Looking ahead, we’re in preliminary talks with a large private school in Elstree about launching a new group, and we’re exploring new ways to support existing groups in delivering stronger, more dynamic programmes.
In conclusion, this year has been filled with both challenges and successes. I’m excited about the direction we’re heading in, and with your continued support, I’m confident we’ll build an even stronger, more resilient district in the year to come.
9/13
Financial Highlights
This year has been one of significant investment for our district, and I’m pleased to present a summary of our financial activities. We have made some substantial purchases, most notably the acquisition of a minibus, for which we placed a deposit of £27,114. You will notice this reflected in the accounts, where the deposit covers 50% of the total cost. Additionally, we are fortunate to have secured a £15,000 grant from the West Herts Charity Trust, which will appear in next year’s accounts and help cover the remaining balance.
Our net receipts before the purchase of assets stand at a positive £2,784, demonstrating that despite these investments, we have managed to maintain a stable financial position.
Looking ahead, we anticipate increased usage of our hardship fund over the next financial year. With the rising cost of living, we recognize that more families may require financial assistance to ensure their young people can participate in district and county-level events. While we are committed to supporting all members, we must also acknowledge that our fixed costs have risen significantly, particularly for items such as Personal Accident and Medical Expenses Insurance, and event operations. As a result, it is likely that our annual membership fee portion may need to increase in the coming years to ensure we can continue covering these essential costs.
Although we still have reserves, we plan to use them for specific purposes, such as the purchase of new large equipment and the support of new groups within the district. Maintaining a healthy reserve is also vital as a safeguard for any unforeseen needs.
In terms of banking, I’m pleased to report that, with the help of the Harpenden Building Society, we have successfully recentralised the old Cubs bank account. This has been added to our general funds and will be managed in accordance with our district financial policies, ensuring that all funds and equipment are available for district activities and properly monitored.
Overall, I’m pleased to say that we remain in a strong financial position, despite the challenges posed by rising costs and increased demand for support. I attach the full financial statement for your review, and I’m happy to answer any questions.
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Elstree and District Scouts Receipts and payments accounts
1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024
| RECEIPTS General Activities Badge Sales Income on Hire of Equpiment Membership Fees Received Total General Activities - Income Expolorers Income Grants from other organisations Membership Fees Received Total Explorers Income Activities and Events' Income Water Activities Beavers Events Gradbach Farm Total Activities and Events' Income World Scout Jamboree Jamboree Income - Contributions from Participants Total World Scout Jamboree Income Other Income Interest received Total Other Income Total Receipts PAYMENTS Cost of Sales Badge Purchases Total Cost of Sales General activities General Engagement Membership Fees Payable IT Systems & Equipment IT Systems Website & Domain Total General Activities - Expenditure Explorers Expenditure Programme Expenditure Building Hire Reimbursement of Damages/Costs to Hiring Organisation IT Systems Membership Fees Due Total Explorers Expenditure Insurance Programme Expenditure Districtwide Events Beavers Events |
2024 £ 273 173 14,333 14,778 400 3,798 4,198 1,092 140 5,561 6,793 822 822 1,168 1,168 27,758 £ 268 268 82 12,285 426 104 7 12,904 1,411 347 250 19 1,348 3,374 442 427 123 |
2023 £ 71 - 14,022 |
|---|---|---|
| 14,093 - 1,561 |
||
| 1,561 969 - 3,256 |
||
| 4,225 4,885 |
||
| 4,885 231 |
||
| 231 | ||
| 24,995 £ - |
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| - - 12,370 - - - |
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| 12,370 943 410 - 14 1,168 |
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| 2,535 375 2,834 - |
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| Water Activities Gradbach Farm Equipment & Quartermasters Equipment Purchasing Equipment Maintainance & Servicing Jamboree Payments to County Total Programme Expenditure Support - Expenditure Outreach and Marketing Adult training Fundraising Bank and credit card charges Total Support - Expenditure Volunteer Development Expenditure Gifts & Gratuities Total Volunteer Development - Expenditure Total Payments before purchase of assets Net receipts / (payments) before purchase of assets Asset purchases Van deposit Gazebo IT Equipment Net payments for year Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end |
540 4,149 251 65 1,247 966 7,768 83 - 82 - 165 53 53 £ 24,974 2,784 27,114 - - 27,114 (24,330) 113,983 89,654 |
150 3,230 - - 1,096 6,506 |
|---|---|---|
| 13,818 138 655 58 103 |
||
| 953 - |
||
| - | ||
| £ 30,050 |
||
| (5,056) | ||
| - 1,094 1,106 |
||
| 2,200 | ||
| (7,256) 121,239 |
||
| 113,983 |
The charity does not hold restricted funds - all funds are unrestricted
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Elstree and District Scouts Statement of assets and liabilities
As at 31 March 2024
| Cash at bank and in hand Cash in hand District General Account Harpenden BS Cubs Account Equals Accounts Explorers Account Savings Account Total Cash at bank and in hand Fixed assets Van deposit Gazebo IT equipment Total fixed assets Total assets |
2024 £ - 4,390 - 193 4,788 80,283 89,654 27,114 1,094 1,106 29,314 118,968 |
2023 £ 254 4,134 1,910 158 3,913 103,615 |
|---|---|---|
| 113,983 | ||
| - 1,094 1,106 |
||
| 2,200 | ||
| 116,183 |
The charity does not hold restricted funds - all funds are unrestricted
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