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2023-12-31-accounts

Trustees' Annual Report for the period

Period start date Period end date Day Month Year Day Month Year From 1 1 2023 To 31 12 2023

Section A Reference and administration details

Charity name Other names charity is known by

Merseyside County RAYNET

Merseyside RAYNET

Registered charity number (if any) 1192411

Charity's principal address 90 Plymyard Ave

Bromborough Wirral Postcode CH62 6BR

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

1
2
3
4		 Trustee name Office (if any) Dates acted if not for whole
year		 Name of person (or body) entitled
to appoint trustee(if any)
Mr S A Wood Chair / Secretary
Mr L J T Boylan Treasurer
Mr A Ward
Mr P A Robinson 13/04/2023 - 31/12/2023

Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)

Name Dates acted if not for whole year

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Type of adviser Name Address

Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

Section B Structure, governance and management

Description of the charity’s trusts

Constitution 19 November 2020 as amended on 15 Apr 2023. Type of governing document

Charitable Incorporated Organisation - Association How the charity is constituted

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March 2012

1

Trustees are appointed or reappointed annually at the Annual General Meeting held in April.

Trustee selection methods (eg. appointed by, elected by)

Additional governance issues (Optional information)

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant, about:

Merseyside County RAYNET is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) with voting members other than its charity trustees and was first Registered on 19 November 2020.

The day to day running of Merseyside RAYNET is overseen by the Merseyside County RAYNET Committee and the Committee seeks the views of all RAYNET members on Merseyside. Full Membership of the Committee is at the discretion of the Committee and is open to persons aged 18 or over, having demonstrable interest in furtherance of the Committee’s objects.

Merseyside RAYNET is a member of the Merseyside Local Authorities’ Local Resilience Forum (LRF) Telecoms Working Group, and the LRF Community Resilience Working Group, through which we plan and coordinate our services . RAYNET can also be called upon at any time by any of the emergency services and is an integral part of the Merseyside Resilience Forum UNITY Plan and the Merseyside Emergency Response Plan.

RAYNET members are registered members of RAYNET-UK and are subject to RAYNET-UK codes of conduct. RAYNET-UK also provides members insurance cover for Public Liability and Personal Accident.

Section C Objectives and activities

Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document

The objects of the Group are the protection of human life and property for the public benefit, by providing an additional source of communications for emergencies or disasters or the prevention thereof.

We provide a freely accessible Merseyside wide communication system for civil emergencies, search and rescue, and community events.

In planning our activities for the year we kept in mind the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit.

Our main purposes and activities are as follows:

(i) To assist the Local Authorities’ Resilience Forum, the emergency services, and other organisations involved in rescue services and in Summary of the main protecting human life and property in the event of a local or national activities undertaken for the emergency, or public event, by supplementing existing communications public benefit in relation to or providing alternative forms of communications. these objects (include within (ii) To provide: (a) a team of trained and equipped volunteers/radio this section the statutory operators to undertake the purposes of Merseyside RAYNET; (b) a declaration that trustees have Merseyside wide PBR Repeater system, and flexible communication had regard to the guidance facilities, to undertake the purposes of Merseyside RAYNET. issued by the Charity (iii) To assist organisations that provide activities in the interests of social Commission on public welfare for recreation and other leisure time occupations with the object benefit) of improving conditions of life, health and wellbeing, and public safety; by supplementing existing communications or providing alternative forms of communications.

(iv) To promote such other charitable purposes as may from time to time be determined by the Merseyside County RAYNET Committee.

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2

The direct benefits flowing from our organisation’s purposes are:

The particular relevance of our role where the communications of the frontline emergency services, and the public, have become compromised such as for instance at major events or emergencies when the mobile phone network fails and/or becomes overloaded.

An improvement in the efficiency and effectiveness of charities, and organisations whose purposes are charitable, in direct pursuit of their objects by the provision of resilient communications and ancillary services.

Event organisers that do not have their own communications expertise or equipment are able to ensure public safety and security at their activities in a flexible, cost effective, and sympathetic way.

A direct public benefit from purpose (i) above, our involvement in supporting the Local Authorities’ Resilience Forum, the emergency services, and other organisations involved in rescue services and protecting human life and property, is that the additional capacity, the interoperability our systems offer, and the resilience of our systems enhance the effectiveness of the emergency response and can help provide a more beneficial outcome for members of the community affected. Some of the voluntary emergency responders benefit from relying on our communication systems, either entirely, or as a supplementary resource.

The direct public benefit that flows from purpose (iii) above is the increased efficiency and effectiveness of the community and voluntary groups and organisations that use the facilities, resulting in enhanced outcomes and service delivery, and consequently, improved quality of life for those who benefit from the work of these groups and organisations.

Some of the organisations would be unable to operate their activities, or activities on such a scale, without our support. Therefore an indirect public benefit is increased opportunities to engage in new activities that bring people together, leading to greater social cohesion and fulfilment, enhanced active citizenship, and involvement in community life.

Specifically:

Purpose (ii) above: A direct benefit is that the lead organisation for a community event, and the emergency services in the event of a local emergency, can delegate less urgent/routine activities allowing more of their resources to be deployed to front line more urgent tasks.

Purpose (iv) above: Many of the events we support raise money for specific charities and over the years we have helped to raise millions of pounds for good causes.

Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)

You may choose to include further statements, where relevant, about:

All trustees, other members of the Committee, and RAYNET members, give their time voluntarily and receive no remuneration or other benefits.

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March 2012

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Section D Achievements and performance

Throughout 2023 our MEARL Community Repeater system continued to Summary of the main provide 24/7/365 operational communications facilities for Merseyside achievements of the charity Search and Rescue as well as standby communications for: St John during the year Ambulance Merseyside; the local authorities; and the voluntary organisations involved in the Merseyside Resilience Forum UNITY Plan. The MEARL System was remotely monitored and operationally tested several times a week throughout 2023 to ensure 24/7/365 readiness, and members own equipment was maintained at Standby Status Green - ready to go, charged and readily accessible. Events supported in 2023 included: • April: Provision of comms and safety for the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation “Adventures in Wonderland” sponsored walk. • June: Annual provision of comms for the Wirral Coastal Walk. Supporting the Wirral Branch of Rotary International - one of the MRF Voluntary Sector Partners. Ensuring our provision remains appropriate to the needs of other MRF voluntary partners’ abilities and requirements. • June: Annual MOD Exercise Blue Ham. Practical exercise communicating with Air Cadets and their supervising Officers. Maintaining awareness of MOD’s protocols and procedures. • June: Wirral Endurance Horse Ride – as well as supporting a local community charity this allowed us to practice collating and passing event situation reports and management information. Support involved setting up specialist Amateur Radio equipment, and using our MEARL PBR handhelds operated by the organisers. • June: Provided management and safety coms support along the route for the Rainford Walking Day Parade. • June: Provided back-up communications in support of St John Ambulance at the Southport Armed Forces Day Parade. • July: Took part in the National RAYNET NVIS test across the UK • October: DMR Awareness / Training day We participated in the National government Exercise Mighty Oak concerning a National Power Outage (NPO) scenario, as well as completing our resilience arrangements in the event of local power shedding, and providing information and advice to the Community Resilience member groups regarding the imminent PSTN telephone shut down and the effect this would have on their own callout procedures under the Local Authority Emergency Plan. Throughout 2023 RAYNET has continued to attend the Merseyside Resilience Forum Telecoms Working Group alongside the blue light and other Category 1 and 2 Responders and the Merseyside Community Resilience Working Group where we have a key place providing expertise regarding communications. Although we have lost a handful of members due to retirement we have continued to attract new members and our membership is stable. However our committee has reduced in size and in April 2023 we changed our Articles of Association, and Constitution, Quorum for meetings to “ 50%+1 of members ” in order to ensure it would be easier to achieve a quorum.

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Section E Financial review

Brief statement of the charity’s policy on reserves

Cash at the bank at 31/12/2023 was £4861.18 in unrestricted funds. The main financial risk to the charity is loss of funding from the Local Authorities and reduced donations.

Sufficient funds are held to cover each 12 month operational programme costs in the event of a loss of income and to meet any unforeseen expenditure that may occur

Details of any funds materially Not applicable in deficit

Further financial review details (Optional information)

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant about:

Our principal source of funds this year has again been the regular annual grant of £1575 from the Merseyside Local Authorities. Income from the usual community and charitable events that we provide services for remained reduced. However the cash reserves at the financial year end remain approximately the same as the previous year end.

The major expenditure this year has again been the running and upkeep of the Mobile Control Vehicle, upkeep of the MEARL Repeaters, and our OFCOM area wide repeater radio licence.

We will continue to support charitable and community events during 2024; not just to assist their own charitable aims but to keep and develop our existing skills, and as a source of income through donations received from the event organisers.

Section F Other optional information

Future Plans

Exercise Mighty Oak, a major National Exercise took place in 2023, and in 2024 we will continue to strengthen our role in co-ordinating the support of other Radio Amateurs expected to come forward spontaneously in the event of an extended local or National Power Outage. In collaboration with the Merseyside Resilience Forum Community Resilience Working Group we will support other voluntary agencies regarding alternative call-out procedures and ongoing communications in the event of a sudden immediate power outage – particularly in respect of the effect of the rolling out of the replacement of the PSTN phone network with digital optical fibre.

Section G Declaration

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s) Full name(s) Stanley Alexander Wood Lee James Thomas Boylan Position (eg Secretary, Chair, Secretary Treasurer etc) Date 17/04/2024

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Charity Name
Merseyside County RAYNET		 Charity Name
Merseyside County RAYNET		 Charity Name
Merseyside County RAYNET		 Charity Name
Merseyside County RAYNET		 Charity Name
Merseyside County RAYNET		 No (if any)
1192411		 No (if any)
1192411		 No (if any)
1192411		 CC16a
For the period
from		 Period start date
01/01/2023		 To Period end date
31/12/2023
Section A Receipts and payments
A1 Receipts Unrestricted
funds
to the nearest £
600
1,575
-
100
-
-
-
-
2,275
-
-
-
2,275
787
643
250
116
56
-
315
-
-
-		 Restricted
funds
to the nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-		 Endowment
funds
to the nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-		 Total funds
to the nearest £
600
1,575
-
100
-
-
-
-
2,275
-
-
-		 Last year
to the nearest £
Events 600 571
Grants 1,575 1,575
From Groups to County - 150
Misc Income 100 1,598
- -
- -
- -
- -
Sub total(Gross income for
AR)		 2,275 3,894
A2 Asset and investment sales,
(see table).
- -
- -
Sub total - -
Total receipts
A3 Payments
2,275 3,894
787
643
250
116
56
-
315
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2,167
-
-
-
2,167
108
2020 Vehicle Insurance,Tax,MOT 787 - - 787 756
MCV RunningCosts 643 - - 643 -
OFCOM Licence 250 - - 250 250
GroupMemberships 116 - - 116 -
Insurance 56 - - 56 225
2021 Bank Charges - Total for 2021 - - - - 17
Misc Expenditure 315 - - 315 683
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
- - - - -
**Sub total ** 2,167 - - 2,167 1,931
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
1,931
108 108 1,963
- - -
4,754 4,754 2,791
4,861 4,861 4,754

CCXX R1 accounts (SS)

15/03/2024

1

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
Categories
B5 Liabilities
B3 Investment assets
B2 Other monetary assets
B4 Assets retained for the
charity’s own use
B1 Cash funds		 Details
n/a
Details
Total cash funds
(agree balances with receipts and payments
account(s))
n/a
Available Cash in Bank
Details
Details
Mobile Control Vehicle and its equipment
Two MEARL Systems
Five EVX5300 Transceivers
23 x Vertex EVX531
Details
n/a		 Unrestricted
funds
to nearest £
4,861
-
-
4,861
OK
Unrestricted
funds
to nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fund to which
asset belongs
Fund to which
asset belongs
Unrestricted
Unrestricted
Unrestricted
Unrestricted
Fund to which
liability relates		 Restricted
funds
to nearest £
-
-
-
-
OK
Restricted
funds
to nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
-
Cost (optional)
-
-
-
-
-
Cost (optional)
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Amount due
(optional)
-
-
-
-
-		 Endowment
funds
to nearest £
-
-
-
-
OK
Endowment
funds
to nearest £
-
-
-
-
-
-
Current value
(optional)
-
-
-
-
-
Current value
(optional)
1,410
590
700
2,461
-
-
-
When due
(optional)
n/a -
-
-
-
-
Signed by one or two trustees on
behalf of all the trustees		 Signature Print Name
Lee James Thomas Boylan		 Date of
approval
Lee James Thomas Boylan 17/04/2024

CCXX R2 accounts (SS)

15/03/2024

2