King Alfred District Scout Council
ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS For year ended 31 March 2025
Registered Charity 300518
1
King Alfred District Scout Council
Annual Report of the district Executive Committee For year ended 31 March 2025
| Scout Registration Number | 14813 |
|---|---|
| Charity Commission Number | 300518 |
| Trustees: |
| Trustees: | ||
|---|---|---|
| District Chairman | Chris Harrison | |
| District Treasurer | Mark Turner | w.e.f. 1/8/24 |
| Trustee | Peter Trafford | |
| Trustee | Paul Brame | |
| Trustee | Robert Cotter | |
| Treasurer contact name & address: | Mark Turner The Cobb, Muster Point Featherbed Lane Wantage Oxfordshire OX12 8JF |
Bankers:
Barclays Bank Plc 17 Market Place Wantage Oxfordshire OX12 8AG
2
Main achievements and activities of the Trustees Board
The Census towards the end of this reporting period showed that the number of Young People (YP) in the District had risen from 715 to 746, a pleasing 4% increase. The census has sharpened the focus on Explorer provision in the District however with some Units facing significant challenges resulting in the Explorer headcount falling by 28% year-on-year. This is already a focus for the DLV Team.
In setting the membership fee to be collected in the 25/26 financial year, we maintained the principle of determining the District element by setting a District budget and then dividing the total funding requirement across all the Young People in the District. As planned and announced, this year we continued to phase in the cost of the District Secretary with a full 100% contribution. The significant change of asset ownership described below has resulted in a significant fall in the District element of the Membership Fee of 14%. This means that the 12% increase in the much larger National element has been significantly offset and the overall Membership Fee rise is only 4%.
After considerable analysis, discussion and negotiation over many years, the Board of Trustees decided to transfer the ownership of the District Headquarters site in Wantage to the Wantage Scout Group. This was enacted in March with an effective date of 1st April 2025. WSG is now fully responsible for the site and all the associated liabilities. As part of the negotiation, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the District and WSG. This MoU sets out the on-going District use of the site so that the Board of Trustees, District events and Groups within the District can continue to make use of DHQ on a very similar basis as before. One result of the asset transfer is that the District no longer needs to collect funds from the Groups to ‘pay’ for the District use of the site as it has done in previous years. This has resulted in the District element of the Membership Fee falling by 14%. Several practical arrangements are yet to be transferred from District to WSG but already WSG has seen a blossoming of volunteers willing to help with DHQ’s maintenance and development.
Another significant change is the retirement of Kathryn Murkett from the DLV Team. Kathryn has been a stalwart in Scouting for many years both with her local Group and the District. We are losing a very significant team member who brought a wealth of experience, huge commitment and humour to the DLV Team role. It is going to be hard to replace her but, supported by County, the search has started.
The Board of Trustees has a new Treasurer; Mark Turner has very kindly offered to replace Sam Riley who stepped down at the last AGM. Mark, whose daughter went through Scouts, has picked up the role with great aplomb and we are very pleased to have him on the Board.
Finally, after seven years in the role, Chris Harrison has announced that he would like to step down from the role of District Chair. The open selection process has started and Chris has indicated that he will continue to serve for a short time as a successor is identified and a hand-over can take place.
Signed……………………………………………….
Chris Harrison, District Trustee Board Chair
3
Notes to the Accounts for The King Alfred Scout District Council 2024-25
The annual Charity Commission Return for the 2023/24 year was completed and returned.
Provision has been made for the outstanding liabilities for the year ending 31 March 2025. These have been settled shortly after the end of the reporting period.
There are no endowment funds within the committee’s management. The Stuart Rae fund is designated and carried forward from year to year.
The Scout District is made up of seven Groups along with three Explorer Scout units: Goodlake ESU, Ridgeway ESU and White Horse ESU. Membership income for the District, after settling the County and National components, was £7k for the 2024/25 year, almost the same as the previous year.
Rental income from the Wantage Scout groups has remained much the same with the rents unchanged since July 2023. Other rental income from the Scout Lodge ceased effectively at the end of the 2023 calendar year. The modest amount for the 2024/25 year is from the District Council for various Polling days.
District level Scouting activities, including Stuart Rae Challenge covered their costs during the year with any surplus being retained to support future years’ expenditure.
There was no grant income received during the financial year.
District HQ expenditure increased by 9% to £18.4k. Slightly lower energy costs balanced higher cleaning and insurance costs. The main cause of the increase was £1.3k on essential work to manage trees and shrubs on the site
After spending over £14k in the 23/24 year on improvements to the District HQ, there was no expenditure in the 24/25 year.
Risk & Reserve Policy Statement
Financial risks are reduced by the preparation and consideration of regular Receipts & Payments Accounts by the Trustees Board. Payments are made electronically and approved by two of the Trustees or by Direct Debit. Comprehensive buildings insurance is in place to ensure that insurable risks are covered.
The District's policy on reserves is to hold sufficient resources to continue the charitable activities of the District, including the running and maintenance costs of the District HQ should income and fundraising activities fall short. The District Trustee Board considers that it should hold a sum equivalent to 12 months running costs, circa £25k, which will be reviewed annually as circumstances change.
We are grateful to Domenic Grillo at Chapman Worth, for undertaking the independent examination of the accounts and providing helpful advice and comment.
Signed……………………………………………………..
Mark Turner, District Trustee Board Treasurer
4
King Alfred District Scout Council As at 31 March 2025
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
| Account | 31 Mar 2025 31 Mar 2024 |
|
|---|---|---|
| Current Assets | ||
| Cash at bank and in hand | ||
| Community Account | 18,539.29 50,988.80 |
|
| Total Cash at bank and in hand | 18,539.29 50,988.80 |
|
| Accounts Receivable | 37,242.13 0.00 |
|
| Prepayments and other debtors year |
48,863.00 793.47 |
|
| Total Current Assets Creditors: amounts falling due within one |
104,644.42 51,782.27 |
|
| Accounts Payable | 0.00 263.78 |
|
| Accruals | 61,096.34 0.00 |
|
| Total Creditors: amounts falling due within one year Capital and Reserves |
61,096.34 263.78 |
|
| Net Current Assets (Liabilities) | 43,548.08 51,518.49 |
|
| Total Assets less Current Liabilities | 43,548.08 51,518.49 |
|
| Net Assets | 43,548.08 51,518.49 |
|
| Current Year Earnings | (7,970.41) (10,816.77) |
|
| Retained Earnings | 49,536.21 58,806.64 |
|
| Stuart Rae Fund | 1,982.28 3,528.62 |
|
| Total Capital and Reserves | 43,548.08 51,518.49 |
5
Statement of Receipts and Payments
King Alfred District Scout Council For the year ended 31 March 2025
| Account | 2025 2024 |
|
|---|---|---|
| Income | ||
| Membership | ||
| Annual membership District Headquarters |
50,543.85 47,279.68 |
|
| Rent - Scout use | 8,345.00 8,037.50 |
|
| Rent - leisure activities | 1,555.00 1,864.00 |
|
| Rent - other | 960.00 10,013.01 |
|
| Total District Headquarters Activities |
10,860.00 19,914.51 |
|
| Activities: Beavers/Cubs | 138.00 0.00 |
|
| Activities: District Patrol Campincome | 0.00 2,100.00 |
|
| Stuart Rae Challenge | 3,644.03 3,304.64 |
|
| Total Activities | 3,782.03 5,404.64 |
|
| Miscellaneous income | 219.50 0.00 |
|
| Activities: Canoeingtrips | 335.00 430.00 |
|
| Contribution to DHQ improvement | 250.00 0.00 |
|
| Total Income Expenditure |
65,990.38 73,028.83 |
|
| Membership | ||
| Annual membership paid District Headquarters |
43,257.50 40,228.00 |
|
| CleaningContract | 4,236.08 3,889.94 |
|
| Electrical maintenance | 120.00 0.00 |
|
| Electricity | 2,746.38 3,048.42 |
|
| Fire/heatingsystem maintenance | 1,317.27 1,480.86 |
|
| Gas | 3,600.46 4,113.74 |
|
| General repairs | 1,564.28 85.30 |
|
| Insurance and licences | 2,713.13 2,038.44 |
|
| Scout Lodge electricity | 402.00 682.53 |
|
| Telephone and broadband | 1,079.25 1,003.56 |
|
| Water | 620.64 549.47 |
|
| Total District Headquarters Activities |
18,399.49 16,892.26 |
|
| Activities expenditure | 48.98 716.70 |
|
| Activities: Beaver/Cubs | 565.00 0.00 |
|
| District Patrol Campexpenditure | 0.00 1,496.01 |
|
| Stuart Rae Challenge expenditure | 5,190.37 1,201.95 |
|
| Total Activities Other |
5,804.35 3,414.66 |
|
| District Executive expenses | 5,706.20 7,905.18 |
|
| Miscellaneous | 66.00 147.60 |
|
| Total Other | 5,772.20 8,052.78 |
|
| Activities: Canoes & trailer | 547.25 352.70 |
|
| DHQ improvements | 0.00 14,725.20 |
|
| Website | 180.00 180.00 |
|
| Total Expenditure |
73,960.79 83,845.60 |
|
| Surplus /(deficit) | (7,970.41) (10,816.77) |
6
Independent Examinerfs Report to the Trustees of the King Alfred Distrlrt Scout Council I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the King Alfred Distritt Scout Council (the charity) forthe year ended 31 March 2025 which are set out above. RÈ5ponslbilltles and basls of rep A5 the trustees of the charity, you are responsible for the Preparat]n of the acciwnts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 20111'the Art'l. I report in respect of my examination of the charity's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act. In carrying Out my examination I have followed all the applicable Direction$ given by the Charity Commission under settion 14515llbl of the Act. Independent examlner'5 Statement I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connectlon wlth the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect: accounting records were not kept in sPeCt of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act.. or the atcounts do not accord with those records. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in cOnneCtft wrth the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understandinB of the accounts to be re ched. ELLLJLOL(6C> Si8ned'. Name: Anna Chapman FCA Relevant professional qualification: Chartered Accountant Address.. Unit 2 The Old Estate Yard. Hi8h Street. East Hendred, Wantage. OX12 8JY Oate: 6 JLILQ aoAC