# **ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS HERTFORDSHIRE EAST BRANCH**
**ANNUAL ACCOUNTS 2020**
Registered Charity Number: 208244
## **RSPCA HERTFORDSHIRE EAST BRANCH**
## **REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES for the Year Ended 31 December 2020**
## **IMPORTANT NOTICE**
Anyone witnessing, or having knowledge of acts of cruelty or neglect to animals or birds should immediately contact the RSPCA National Call Centre Tel: 0300 1234 999
Complainants may rest assured their names will not be divulged without their consent
The Trustees prepare their annual report with the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31st December 2020.
**TRUSTEES:** Ms H Nicholls, Hon. Chairperson Miss B Smyth, Hon. Secretary Miss T Aldwin, Hon. Treasurer (resigned 31 December 2020) Mr D Briance (appointed 12 August 2020) Ms S Burke Mrs P Cope Mrs K Fletcher Mrs A Harvey Mr B Hingston Ms L Jeffrey Mrs D Sharp (resigned 25 August 2020) Ms J White (appointed 13 May 2020)
**CHARITY NUMBER:** 208244
## **PRINCIPAL ADDRESS**
Ground Floor, Room 5 Units 11 & 12 Baldock Industrial Estate London Road Baldock SG7 6NG
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER:** Mr M Ebrahim
2
## **RSPCA HERTFORDSHIRE EAST BRANCH**
## **Trustees report For the year ended 31 December 2020**
## **Structure, governance and management**
The RSPCA Hertfordshire East Branch is a registered charity, registered on 22 September 1962 and governed by the RSPCA Branch rules dated 1 January 2012.
The Trustees are elected by the members at the Annual General Meeting. Following a new appointment, the appointed trustee receives a pack of rules and guidance from RSPCA Head Office.
The charity is organised so that the board of trustees vote in order for decisions to be made. Trustees meet monthly, including the Annual General Meeting. Ad hoc expenditure is authorised by the charity secretary or treasurer. The board approves all major expenditure.
## **Objectives and activities**
The charity’s objects in the year under review were that of promoting the work and objects of the R.S.P.C.A. (charity number 219099). This entails preventing cruelty, promoting kindness, and alleviating suffering of animals, in particular within the area of the branch.
The charity aims to achieve this through providing a telephone helpline, taking in and rehoming signed over and stray animals, and providing financial assistance towards veterinary treatment for those on lower incomes.
## **Public benefit**
The Trustees have read the general guidance provided by the Charities Commission with regard to a statement on the benefit of the public. The charity has established activities to achieve its objectives for the public benefit. The charity aims to achieve these objectives by promoting the work and objects of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, by providing support and financial assistance to those people whose animals are in need and who are unable to finance it themselves, promoting good care and welfare of animals, and re-homing abandoned or abused pets, all within the area of the branch.
## **Achievements and performance**
The impact of the Coronavirus pandemic was felt by the branch, the shop was required to close for approximately half the year, in person fundraising activities ceased, and animal rehoming was severely constrained by the restrictions in place. Despite this, we managed to keep operations open at some level throughout the year, and financially the government support proved invaluable to bridging the gap from lost income.
During the year the charity:
- took 1,364 (2019: 2,530) telephone calls, providing animal owners with care and welfare advice.
- provided 99 (2019: 339) financial support vouchers for animals in the East Herts area towards financial support for veterinary costs.
- took in and treated 44 (2019: 89) animals, including strays and abandoned pets, 43 (2019: 81) of which were rehomed, reunited with owners or
transferred to other RSPCA areas. As a branch we never euthanise a healthy animal, only on welfare grounds by vet recommendation. 3
## **RSPCA HERTFORDSHIRE EAST BRANCH**
## **Trustees report (continued) For the year ended 31 December 2020**
## **Principal risks**
The most significant risk to the future of the branch is recruitment and retention of volunteers and trustees. To mitigate this we are maximising the profile of the branch as much as possible to attract new volunteers, and ensuring key tasks are adequately documented and knowledge shared between key positions to avoid reliance on any one individual.
## **Financial review**
Expenditure exceeded income by £6,919 (2019: £9,249). Sales income from the branch shop totalled £33,927 (2019: £71,884), the reduction due to restrictions on opening due to Covid-19.
Veterinary costs of treating animals in RSPCA care and providing financial assistance to those that cannot afford it totalled £12,576 (2019: £21,167), boarding and fostering RSPCA care animals until permanently re-homed totalled £11,413 (2019: £13,527). Re-homing income amounted to £880 (2019: £2,795), but this remains a fraction of the cost of caring for these animals. The costs of running the shop amounted to £55,900 (2019: £64,248) which meant the shop sustained a pre-grants deficit of £21,973 (2019: net income of £7,596). Grant income received in respect of the shop activities amounted to £33,576, meaning the shop contributed £11,603 to welfare activities after receipt of grant income.
## **Reserves Policy**
The current designated capital reserve is £180,000 designated for branch expansion, and during the year the committee has been working towards our ambition of a small animal clinic. £10,000 has been designated towards shop capital costs and commitments, and the remaining reserves of £42,715 represent 4 months operating expenditure, within our policy to hold 3-6 months in reserves.
## **Future Developments**
The coronavirus pandemic continues to disrupt our fundraising and welfare work. The shop remains closed in the early part of 2021 and re-homing activities have again been restricted. Whilst 2021 will be a challenging year for the branch, with government support and careful cash management the Trustees are confident the branch will be able to continue to operate through this difficult period.
Despite these challenges we continue to work on our aim to expand the capacity and reach of the branch through establishing a small animal clinic. With veterinary costs ever increasing we believe this will be of greatest welfare benefit in our local area by assisting those on low incomes to obtain essential veterinary care for their animals. Please do contact the branch if you think you can help with this or any other voluntary role.
## **ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD:**
DATE 23[rd] February
S Burke – Treasurer 2021
## 4 **Independent Examiner’s Report to the trustees on the unaudited accounts of RSPCA Hertfordshire East Branch**
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of RSPCA Hertfordshire East Branch for the year ended 31 December 2020 which comprise the receipts and payments accounts, the statement of assets and liabilities and the related notes.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the Charity trustees 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 Trustee’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 s. 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 accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; or
- (2) the accords do not accord with those records
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
M Ebrahim FCA Date: 23[rd] February 2021
Embee Oak Chartered Accountants Basing House, 46 High Street, Rickmansworth, Herts, WD3 1HP
## **RSPCA HERTFORDSHIRE EAST BRANCH**
## **Receipts and Payments account For the year ended 31 December 2020**
|**Receipts**
Branch Fund Raising (Note 1)
Subscriptions
Bank interest
Legacies
Donations (Note 6)
EBay sales
Pet Insurance/Recycling
Door to Door Grant
Other Grant Income
Rehoming
Shop income
VAT refunded
Gift aid receipts
Other income
**Payments**
Shop (Note 4)
Fundraising expenses
Region 5 contribution
Branch insurance
Veterinary costs & C4 scheme
Boarding & fostering
Grants & donations paid
Ofce assistance, NI & pension
Ofce rent, heat & light
Sundry expenses (Note 3)
Telephone & internet
Postage expenses
Stationery and computer
expenses
Advertising
AGM & meeting costs
Travelling expenses
Independent examination
VAT paid
Equipment purchases
**Excess of receipts over**
**payments**|**Unrestrict**
**ed**
**2020**
**£**
1,657
602
1,306
-
5,741
886
60
25,173
44,620
880
33,927
4,557
6,344
22
**125,775**
55,900
322
456
620
12,576
11,413
5,000
32,127
4,013
528
1,403
65
2,126
455
42
1,079
600
3,713
256
**132,694**
**(6,919)**|**Unrestrict**
**ed**
**2019**
**£**
12,243
-
1,546
56
11,209
1,190
28
26,708
-
2,795
71,844
3,436
8,561
190|
|---|---|---|
|||**139,806**
64,248
1,208
500
620
21,167
13,527
-
34,060
3,190
507
1,445
215
1,609
-
171
509
1,200
4,879
-|
|||**149,055**|
|||**(9,249)**|
6
## **RSPCA HERTFORDSHIRE EAST BRANCH**
## **Statement of assets and liabilities As at 31 December 2020**
|**ASSETS RETAINED FOR THE**
**CHARITY'S OWN USE (AT**
**COST)**
Shop fxtures and fttings
Ofce computers and furniture
**CASH FUNDS**
Bank accounts
Cash and credit card receipts
**Total cash funds**
**OTHER MONETARY ASSETS**
VAT refund
Gift aid
Rent and insurance paid in
advance
Subscriptions & donations
receivable
Grants receivable
Commissions
**LIABILITIES**
Suppliers accounts not yet paid
Independent Examiners Fee
December PAYE
December pension|**2020**
**£**
13,265
696
**13,961**
230,646
2,069
**232,715**
696
6,500
6,372
658
651
-
**14,877**
(1,133)
(600)
-
-
**(1,733)**|**2019**
**£**
13,265
440|
|---|---|---|
|||**13,705**|
|||237,668
1,966|
|||**239,634**|
|||2,319
6,085
6,427
1,818
-
26|
|||**16,650**|
|||(2,407)
(600)
-
(309)|
|||**(3,316)**|
Signed on behalf of the Trustees
………………………………………………… S Burke – Treasurer
DATE 23[rd] February 2021
## **RSPCA HERTFORDSHIRE EAST BRANCH**
## **Notes to the financial statements As at 31 December 2020**
|**Note 1 – Branch fundraising**
**Breakdown by area**
Baldock
The Hadhams
Harpenden
Hertford
Hitchin (includes Winter Fayre)
Letchworth Garden City
Stevenage
Ware
Welwyn Garden City
Other fundraising (includes One Fun
Day)
Marketing team
Sunday book sales|**2020**
**£**
197
-
-
80
-
55
118
83
-
-
1,124
-
**1,657**|**2019**
**£**
74
57
391
392
704
70
314
264
296
1,935
6,164
1,582|
|---|---|---|
|||**12,243**|
## **Note 2 – Reimbursements**
During the year 2 trustees (2019: 2) were reimbursed expenses totalling £813 (2019: £515) in respect of mileage and fundraising expenses.
||**2020**|**2019**|
|---|---|---|
||**£**|**£**|
|**Note 3 – Sundry expenses**|||
|Bank charges|133|72|
|Accountancy|90|-|
|Miscellaneous costs|304|435|
||**528**|**507**|
||**2020**|**2019**|
||**£**|**£**|
|**Note 4 – Shop expenses**|||
|Goods purchased|556|286|
|Staf costs|22,627|31,471|
|Premises costs|26,159|28,028|
|Cleaning and refuse|834|943|
|Telephone & stationery|526|515|
|Consumables|755|415|
|Repairs & renewals|2,391|1,261|
|Other costs|1,300|566|
|Bank and credit charges|752|763|
||**55,900**|**64,248**|
## **RSPCA HERTFORDSHIRE EAST BRANCH**
## **Notes to the financial statements As at 31 December 2020**
## **Note 5 – Unrestricted fund balances**
|**General**
**funds**
General funds
**Designated**
**funds**
Grant funds
Capital
reserve
Shop reserve
**Total cash**
**funds**|**2019**
**Defcit**
**for year**
**Transfers**
**2020**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**51,634**
(6,919)
(2,000)
**42,715**
**-**
-
-
**-**
**180,00**
**0**
-
-
**180,000**
**8,000**
-
2,000
**10,000**|
|---|---|
||**239,63**
**4**
**(6,919)**
**-**
**232,715**|
General Funds of £42,715 represent approximately 4 months expenditure.
Funds of £180,000 have been designated to fund a capital project, such as a clinic, within the branch's area, in memory of Mrs Diana Russell and Pat Trussell.
Funds of £10,000 have been designated to fund potential capital costs or commitments on the shop lease.
## **Note 6 – Legacies, donations & in memoriam**
The branch would like to extend grateful thanks to all those who have donated during 2020