2023-12-31-accounts

Regency Society of Brighton and Hove

Report of the trustees for the year ended 31 December 2023

President Sir Simon Jenkins FRSL Vice-presidents Sir John Kingman FRS Prof Gavin Henderson CBE

Trustees (as at 31 December 2023) Chair David Fisher (elected 3 May 2022) Vice-chair Dr Helen Walker (elected 3 May 2022) Honorary secretary Roger Hinton (resigned 3 April 2023) This position is currently vacant Honorary treasurer Rupert Radcliffe-Genge (elected 8 September 2021) Committee Desmond Lavery (elected 12 April 2023) Frances Lindsay-Hills (elected 12 April 2023) Catherine Page (elected 12 April 2023) David Robson (appointed 28 November 2023) Dr David Sears (appointed 30 May 2023) James Tulley (appointed 28 November 2023) Paul Zara (elected 8 September 2021, resigned 12 February 2024)

Trustees serve for three years after election and can then be nominated for re-election.

Registered address 2 Royal Crescent Mews, Brighton BN2 1AW Charity number 210194

Membership secretary

Suzanne Hinton, 12 Abbotts, 129 Kings Road, Brighton BN1 2FA

Independent examiner

Stephen Pavey ACMA

Chair’s overview

In 2022 we were still recovering from the impact of the pandemic. Activities had been patchy for a couple of years and the society’s important social element of meeting in person had suffered. Your committee was depleted and, despite some online talks and occasional ones in person, there was a sense that the society was becalmed and losing focus.

With a renewed committee, we have been able to start moving out of the doldrums. In August the trustees held a one-day focus meeting (an ‘awayday’) to review our status and map out ideas to fulfil the society’s objectives of promoting and protecting the city’s built environment, and advancing information and education about our heritage. Some intriguing and energising activities are in prospect.

It is a privilege and pleasure to work with such enthusiastic, knowledgeable and creative colleagues.

Membership

As at 31 December 2023 the Society had 304 members (325 in 2022), as listed below. We recover Gift Aid on members’ subscriptions when possible.

We have revived the monthly news updates to keep members informed about our activities.

Events in 2023

On 10 June we held a garden party in the Kemp Town Secret Garden. More than 60 guests enjoyed good weather, good refreshments and good conversation. We were pleased to welcome invited guests, including the city’s mayor, Councillor Jackie O’Quinn. A presentation was made to Roger Hinton in recognition of his work as chair and honorary secretary.

All the lectures listed below have been well attended, most close to capacity in the regular venue, The Hove Club in Fourth Avenue. Lectures are on Wednesday evenings, remain open to all and most are free and do not require booking.

Date

Topic Venue

11 January Brighton & Hove Art Collection Hove Club Speaker: Nicola Coleby, Partnerships and Development Manager at the Royal Pavilion & Museums Trust

15 February Housing: Status and Future Hove Club Speakers: Liz Hobden, head of planning at BHCC, Rob Sloper, senior development director at U+I, and Kelvin MacDonald, chair of the BHT Sussex

15 March John Every Phoenix Iron Works Hove Club Speaker: John Blackwell, chair of Sussex Industrial Archaeology Society 12 April AGM and John Small Lecture: Hove Club Wilds & Busby Revisited Speaker: David Robson, architectural historian and writer

13 September Royal Pavilion Garden Through Time Music Room, Royal Pavilion Speakers: Alexandra Loske, Royal Pavilion curator; Rob Boyle, head gardener and Chloe Tapping, RPMT director of conservation

Followed by drinks in the banqueting hall.

11 October William Burges—Gothic Revival Genius Church of St Michael Jointly with Friends of St Michael’s and all Angels Speaker: Matthew Williams, emeritus curator of Cardiff Castle Preceded and followed by drinks in the nave.

15 November Seaside Hotels Hove Club Speaker: Karen Averby, buildings historian and heritage research consultant

13 December Coming Soon to a Street Near You Hove Club Speakers: David Fisher, David Robson, Helmut Lusser and Jeremy Mustoe

At the first lecture of the new year, about the city’s extensive fine art collection, members expressed regret that the city does not have a dedicated art gallery to compare with the likes of those in Eastbourne and Chichester. The society hopes to champion such an ambition.

We are now looking to return to organising visits and tours, which have been a popular feature of the society’s calendar, and to expanding our range and types of events.

Governance and finance

The constitution of the society allows for up to 14 trustees. We began the year with five elected and two appointed (co-opted) trustees. Roger Hinton stood down as honorary secretary and trustee, reducing the elected total to four. Following the AGM at which three trustees were elected (see below), three more trustees were subsequently appointed: Dr David Sears in May, David Robson and James Tulley in November. This brought the total up to 10.

The annual general meeting was held on 12 April 2023. The Chair explained that the constitution was not clear on whether appointed trustees should stand for election at the AGM following their co-option. To maintain customary and preferred practice, the coopted trustees, Catherine Page and Desmond Lavery, who were appointed in 2022, and Frances Lindsay-Hills, appointed in February 2023, were elected by a show of hands at the AGM to serve for three years.

The committee of trustees met formally 10 times during 2023. All the year’s meetings returned to being in person. In September 2023 the trustees appointed a clerk, Jane Tew, to a paid position to fulfill most functions of an honorary secretary.

The financial statements for the year are shown on the following pages. The trustees reviewed the reserve funds, and investment policies during the year. We are grateful to Stephen Pavey who has served for several years as our independent financial examiner. Steve is a Regency Society member and undertakes the role on a voluntary basis.

Conservation, protection and improvement

Our Planning Forum, which is run jointly with Hove Civic Society, took a little while to settle down—partly due to a reduction in the number of notable applications coming forward—but face-to-face meetings resumed in December. We commented on four applications that would benefit from improvement.

In December we were invited to a presentation about the proposed development in Benfield Valley by the developers, Hollybrook, their architects, planning and heritage consultants.

One trustee, Rupert Radcliffe-Genge, and a member, Alasdair Glass, continued to be members of Brighton & Hove City Council’s Madeira Terraces advisory committee, the latter as chair. We continued to monitor proposals for the gasworks site in Kemp Town as a member of a coalition of local amenity groups.

Advancement of education

We have initiated the process of revising the society’s website to enliven content and improve navigation. It was not initially foreseen that this would involve clarifying the society’s identity, ‘brand’ and strategic objectives.

Our project to improve the accessibility and usefulness of the James Gray photographic collection has continued during the year, thanks to the hard work of a committed team of volunteers.

Funding

The lecture programme and publications are available largely free of charge to members and equally to the public; they are funded from members’ subscriptions and other revenues.

Property and assets

The lease on a storeroom in Regency Square, Brighton, held in trust for the Society by the Official Custodian of Charities, was sold at auction on 31 May 2023. The money raised will be used for the society’s future activities.

The Society owns a small number of heritage assets, the most notable being the James Gray photographic collection. There is also a small collection of other historic artworks and artefacts owned by the Society, which are on loan to the Brighton Royal Pavilion and Museums Trust. A bust of George IV was included in the exhibition commemorating his coronation to mark the coronation of Charles III and has been returned temporarily to storage; other items are on permanent display.

Reserves

The trustees have designated three unrestricted reserve funds for purposes directly related to the Society’s charitable objects:

Campaigning fund : a reserve to meet the cost of campaigning for or against proposed development activity, which the trustees consider likely to improve or to damage the city’s physical and built environment. During 2023 the fund was not used and currently stands at £24,000.

Conservation and improvement fund : this reserve is held for use in supporting projects which the trustees believe will conserve, protect or improve the city’s physical and built environment. It was not drawn on during 2023 and currently stands at £24,000.

Education fund : this reserve is held to enable the Society to subsidise events designed to educate the public in the history, conservation, protection and improvement of the city’s physical and built environment. As mentioned above, the cost of the Society’s educational activities is met largely from annual revenue. The education fund is held to meet the cost of any significant additional educational activity that cannot be fully funded in the usual way. It has not been drawn on during 2023 and currently stands at £12,000.

Now circumstances have returned to normal, the trustees will be seeking appropriate opportunities to apply these funds.

Signed on behalf of the trustees David Fisher Chair 9 March 2024

Statement of financial activities (unrestricted funds) for the year ended 31 December 2023

2023 Income and endowments from: Subscriptions 3,969.40 £ Lecture series + events 1,975.72 £ James Gray collection 232.48 £ Dividend income 2,003.47 £ Donations + Gift Aid 615.00 £ Interest received 584.82 £ Storeroom sale 19,643.60 £ Total income Expenditure on: Lecture series + events 5,195.66 £ Subscriptions 391.50 £ Committee, AGM costs 1,221.76 £ Donations 1 350.00 £ Internet and website costs 1,878.02 £ Insurance 337.56 £ Printing and postage and publications Bank charges 98.37 £ Storeroom costs 500.00 £ Total expenditure Net income or (net expenditure) Gains (losses) on revaluation of investment assets Net movement in funds Total funds brought forward at 1 Jan Total funds carried forward at 31 December Balance sheet at 31 December 2023 Fixed assets Tangible fixed assets at cost Furniture on loan to the Royal Pavilion T 1,715.00 £ James Gray Photographic Collection 10,000.00 £ Investments at market value CAF ESG Income & Growth Fund 99,783.62 £ Total fixed assets Current assets Bank account – CAFBank current 1,000.00 £	2023 2022 4,139.85 £ 2,537.93 £ 462.50 £ 2,030.40 £ 4,592.02 £ 82.15 £ 29,024.49 £ 3,154.28 £ 389.50 £ 142.00 £ 525.00 £ 184.61 £ 318.63 £ 531.17 £ 81.00 £ 9,972.87 £ 19,051.62 £ 5,627.24 £ 24,678.86 £ 131,870.73 £ 156,549.59 £ 2023 2022 1,715.00 £ 10,000.00 £ 11,715.00 £ 92,152.91 £ 99,783.62 £ 111,498.62 £ 1,000.00 £	2022 13,844.85 £ 5,326.19 £ 8,518.66 £ -£5,167.70 3,350.96 £ 128,519.77 £ 131,870.73 £ 2022 11,715.00 £ 92,152.91 £ 103,867.91 £

Bank account – CAFBank deposit £ 38,475.13 £ 22,073.05 Bank account – Lloyds Bank current £ 5,575.84 £ 4,929.77 Total current assets £ 45,050.97 £ 28,002.82 NET ASSETS £ 156,549.59 £ 131,870.73

Unrestricted funds3
General fund		£	96,549.59		£	71,870.73
Designated – campaigning		£	24,000.00		£	24,000.00
Designated – conservation or improvem		£	24,000.00		£	24,000.00
Designated – education		£	12,000.00		£	12,000.00
		£	156,549.59		£	131,870.73

Approved by the trustees on 10 February 2024 and signed on their behalf by David Fisher, chair

1 2023: £350 to Antony Dale Trust (general fund); 2022: £325 to Antony Dale Trust (general fund), £200 to Vic Soc at request of speaker (general fund)

2 – The assets lent by the Society to the Royal Pavilion Trust are accounted for at cost: valuations are unchanged from 2010, checked in 2020, and are reported as follows: 1. Candlesticks £5,000; 2. Circular table in elm £25,000; 3. State armchair £30,000; 4. Bust of George IV £10,000.

3 – Funds designated by trustees, May 2014

Rupert Radcliffe-Genge

Honorary treasurer