## **AYLESBURY DISTRICT SCOUT COUNCIL** ## **ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS** ## **2024 - 2025** To be presented to the Annual General Meeting 15 September 2025 1 ## **AYLESBURY DISTRICT SCOUT COUNCIL** ## Annual General Meeting Tuesday 15 September 2025 – 7.30pm 5[th] Aylesbury Headquarters ## **AGENDA** ## **1. Introduction and welcome** ## **2. Apologies for absence** ## **3. Governance topics** - a. Approve the minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on 29[th] October 2024 - b. Adopt the model constitution from Policy, Organisation and Rules (POR) Rule 5.4. - c. Note the District’s financial year - d. Agree the number of members that may be appointed to the Trustee Board (9) - e. Agree the quorum for future meetings of the District Scout Council (excluding this AGM) ## **4.** ## **Review of the previous year** - a. The District Lead Volunteer’s review of Scouts in the Aylesbury District. - b. Receive and consider the Annual Report of the District Trustee Board, including the annual Statement of the Accounts for 2024/2025 ## **5. Trustee appointments** - a. Appointment of the District Chair and two Trustee Board members. - b. Appoint the Scrutineer - Mr. Anthony Richardson - c. Nominate representatives of the District Scout Council to represent the District on the County Scout Council ## **Closing remarks** 2 ## **Aylesbury District Scout Council** **District Trustee Board Annual Report for the year ending 31[st] March 2025** ## **Minutes of the Aylesbury District AGM meeting held on Tuesday 29[th] October 2024** ## **Held @ 5[th] Aylesbury HQ – 7.30pm** ## **Present** Chris Harper District Chair James Williamson County Lead Volunteer/Acting District Lead Volunteer Sarah Marsh District Treasurer Representatives of the District Trustee Board, District Team, District Scout Active Support, District Scout Network, District Explorer Scouts and the Groups were also in attendance. ## **Welcome** The Chair welcomed all the Leaders, supporters, guests, members of the County. **Apologies:** Ron Murray, Jayne Littlejohn, Pat Hiscock, Ed Ryan, Christine Hales, Murray Dobbie, Sarah Ashbourn-Stacey, Fiona McParland, Iain Stanley, Eris Roberson and Paul Sypko. ## Governance Topics ## **Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on Tuesday 11th July 2023** There were no amendments to the minutes and the Chair asked that they be accepted as a true record. The minutes approved by all present with no objections. ## **Adoption of The Model Constitution under Rule 5.4 of PORs** In line with the recommendation from Scout Headquarters, the District Trustee Board proposes we adopt the model constitution from Chapter 5 of Policy, Organisation and Rules. This was approved by all present with no objections. ## **Note the Financial Year** Sarah confirmed the Aylesbury District Scout Council financial year runs from the 1[st] April to the 31[st] March. ## **Agree the number of members that may be appointed to the Trustee Board.** The outgoing Trustee Boards recommendation to the District Scout Council is to appoint 9 members to the Trustee Board including Ex-officio members (DLV & DYL) This was approved by all present with no objections. 3 ## **Agree the quorum for future meetings of the District Scout Council (excluding this meeting)** The outgoing Trustee Board’s recommendation to the District Scout Council is the quorum be set at 19 members including Trustee Board members. This was approved by all present with no objections. ## Review of the Previous Year ## **The District Lead Volunteer’s review of Scouting in Aylesbury District.** Chris explained that Murray stepped down as DLV recently and highlighted Murray’s report. Murray will continue to support the District as a member of the Support Team. Chris and James thanked Murray for his work in Aylesbury District, not just as the DLV but his time supporting in various roles over the years. ## **Approval of the Annual Report and Accounts** The Chair invited Sarah Marsh to go through the Accounts who confirmed that there were no anomalies and that they had been approved by the Independent Examiner. An overview of the Accounts was given. Sarah asked the AGM to approve the annual transfer of monies from the General Fund into the International Fund to support our Young People attending International Experiences such as the World Scout Jamboree. She also explained that an international experience includes events in the UK with an International nature. The figure being requested this year is £3000.00, the same as last year. This was approved by all present with no objections. Chris thanked Sarah for her work as District Treasurer and thanked the Scrutineer – Mr Anthony Richardson, for once again reviewing the accounts this year. Chris commended the report to the meeting, this was approved by all present with no objections. ## Trustee Appointments ## **Appointment of the District Chair** Chair passed the meeting to James Williamson; James explained that Chris will be stepping down to take on the role of District Lead Volunteer from the 1[st] November. James thanked Chris for his work during his time as District Chair, James advised the meeting that Celia Riordan will take over the role and it was approved by all present. This was approved by all present with no objections. 4 ## **Appointment of the District Treasurer and Trustee Board** Chris explained the open selection process agreed by the Trustee Board. The recommendation to the District Scout Council is that: |Role|Name|Appointment Term| |---|---|---| |District Chair|Celia Riordan|3 years| |District Treasurer|Sarah Marsh|3 years| |Member|Chris Ross|3 years| |Member|Jeanne Wise|2 years| |Member|Anders Christensen|2 years| |Member|Alex Monro|1 Year| |Member|Fiona McParland|1 Year| |**Ex Officio**||| |District Lead Volunteer|Chris Harper|| |District Youth Lead|Kyra McParland|| should be appointed as members of the District Trustee Board. This was approved by all present with no objections. ## **Appointment of Independent Examiner for the District Accounts** Sarah Marsh proposed Mr. Anthony Richardson be appointed, once again, as the Accounts Scrutineer. This was approved by all present with no objections. ## **Nominate Representatives of the District Scout Council to the County Scout Council** The Chair proposed Hilary Walker as the District representative to the County Scout Council. This was approved by all present with no objections. ## **Closing Remarks** The Chair, in closing the meeting, thanked everyone for attending the Annual General Meeting Meeting closed at 19:48 5 **Scout Association Registration Number Charities registration number** 10615 300653 The Trustees present their report and the audited financial statements for the year ended 31[st] March 2024. The District Scout Council co-ordinates the activities of all Scout Groups within the Aylesbury District under the conditions and rules laid down by the Scout Association. The Aylesbury District Scout Council is a Charity established under the rules that are common to all Scouting organisations. Trustees are appointed in accordance with the Policy, Organisation and Rules of the Scout Association. The Majority of the Council’s income is obtained from a levy on each Member of the Movement. Additional income is obtained from various grants, from investment income and from receipts from various activities organised by the Scout Council. Full details of all sources of income are given in the attached accounts, which reflect the activities of the Scout Council only, and not those of the underlying Groups. The Accounts have been drawn up on a receipts and payment basis, which is consistent with previous years. ## **Treasurer’s report to accompany the 2024/25 accounts** The following notes accompany the 2024/25 accounts: 1. During the year the District was successful in obtaining a £3,500 grant from the Scout Association to set up a Young Leaders unit. The grant income has been assigned to donations/grants in the Receipts and Payments (R&P) account. The Young Leader Training expenditure code has been used mainly for purchases from the Young Leader grant, rather than create in year a new cost centre. These purchases have included a laptop and a projector which have been insured. 2. The Young Leaders grant was deposited into the Lloyds Deposit Account to ensure it was ringfenced and earn a higher level of interest than the Lloyds Current Account. During 2025/26 the Trustees will undertake a fundamental review of its bank accounts to ensure monies held are working in the best interest of the District. 3. Donations/grants under income includes a £130.47 contribution cost from the Matrix Explorers Unit for their share of insurance costs. 4. As in previous years section activities tend to be self-financing, such that income received on the whole covers expenditure incurred. This is the same for 2024/25. 5. A new expenditure cost centre was set up the District Youth Lead for 2024/25. Monies have been spent on the hire of Braid Wood to hold Scout Youth Council weekends and the purchases of scarves. 6 6. Also new for 2024/25, a transformation expenditure code has been set up as part of the wider UK Scouting transformation programme. Monies were spent on flyers to attract adult volunteers. 7. Insurance costs were reduced by working with our insurers, Unity. 8. A further two laptops were purchased for District use and have also been insured. This cost has been attributed to Purchase of Equipment. As well as the cost of a leaflet holder. 9. Miscellaneous expenses are made up as follows: |Miscellaneous expenses are made up as follows:|| |---|---| |**Descripton**|**Amount**| |Payment to the 1st Aylesbury Scout Group for storage of District
equipment for 2024/25|£250.00| |Leaving gif for our previous District lead Volunteer|£25.00| |Scoutng business cards|£38.95| |Certfcate envelopes|£6.99| |Total|£320.94| ## **Fund allocation** District monies are split across three funds, with the General Fund being unrestricted and the other two being self-explanatory – see table below. |**Fund type**|**Year End**
**2024/25**|**Year End**
**2023/24**| |---|---|---| |General Fund|£34,067.24|£34,155.12| |International Fund|£15,074.75|£12,074.75| |Development and Emergency Fund|£10.078.10|£10,078.10| |**Total**|**£59,220.09**|**£56,662.97**| The International Fund includes a transfer of £3,000 from the General Fund as agreed at the 29 October 2024 AGM. **\** 7 ## **Reserves Policy** The Trustees have established a policy whereby the unrestricted funds should be maintained at a level sufficient for them to be able to continue the current activities of the District Scout Council in the event of a significant drop in funding. It would obviously be necessary to consider how the funding would be replaced or the level and type of activity changed. The Trustees considered that the level of free reserves required should be equivalent to between 12 and 18 months of the annual budget income, which equates to between £5,830 and £8,745. At the end of 2024/25, the General Fund stood at £34,067. The Trustees, therefore, consider this to be adequate and have set the District’s budget accordingly. Funds are transferable if the necessity arises. ## **International Fund** Since 1996 an International Fund has been established to assist Young People of Aylesbury District to attend any international Scouting event either at home or abroad. It has primarily been used to send a small number of delegates (as agreed by the District Trustee Board) to each World Jamboree, on the premise that 50% of the cost would be met through delegate fundraising. However, this is not the sole purpose of the International Fund, and any member of the District can apply for funding by making a representation to the District Trustee Board, with each case determined on its own merits. Fundraising for the Jamboree is monitored by the District Trustee Board, who will decide how any shortfall, should it arise, will be met. During 2017/18 the District Executive Committee was made aware of the decision at the 1996 District AGM that 26% of the District Membership fee would be placed into the International Fund annually. Despite not knowing this the Committee had generally on an annual basis allocated money from the General Fund into the International Fund. The Committee revisited the 1996 decision and agreed a fixed percentage uplift each year to the International Fund was both restrictive and unsustainable, as it is dependent on the accounts making a surplus each year. To ensure availability of funds for International Scouting activities (home and abroad) the District Trustee Board will therefore recommend for AGM approval a figure to be transferred each year from the General Fund into the International Fund, being mindful of the Reserves Policy. The cost for the 4 Jamboree participants for last year’s World Jamboree was £12,700. The participants were expected, collectively, to fundraise 50% of the costs. They raised over £9,000 in total. A transfer of £3,000 is proposed from the General Fund into the International Fund, being the same as last year’s. Poland is to host the 26th World Scout Jamboree in 2027. ## **Development and Emergency Fund** As its name suggests the Development and Emergency Fund has been set up to assist the growth and development of Scouting with the Aylesbury District, or to support significant unforeseen (emergency) expenditure. This includes setting up new Groups or expanding existing ones. In recent years there has been no emergency spend from the fund, instead being used, for example, to assist the setup a Squirrel Drey at Berryfields towards the end of 2023/24. There has been no use of the Development and Emergency Fund during 2024/25. 8 Use of the Development and Emergency Fund will be at the discretion of the District Trustee Board and its use reported to each AGM. As with the International Fund, any transfer of funds from the General Fund into this fund will be subject to approval at the AGM, being mindful of the Reserves Policy. No transfer is proposed. ## **Responsibilities of the Trustees** The Trustees are required to prepare financial statements for each financial year, which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Scout Council as at the balance sheet date, and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including income and expenditure, for the financial year. In preparing these financial statements the Trustees should: - Follow best practice and select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently. - Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; and - Prepare financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to assume that the Scout Council will continue on that basis. The Trustees are responsible for maintaining proper accounting records, which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Scout Council and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements meet the requirements of the Charity Commission. The Trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Scout Council and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. ## **Scrutineer** Mr. Anthony Richardson has again been good enough to take on the role for this year. ## **Meetings** - The full Trustee Board met four times during the year excluding the AGM - The Finance Sub Team met three times in the year. - Members of the Trustee Board have attended Group and County meetings. ## **The following issues were covered during the year:** - The formulation and approval of the District budget and the annual levy on Groups. - The approval and monitoring of various expenditures. - The approval of the investment policy for District funds. - Approving and acting on the recommendations of the various Sub Committees. - Administrating and recording the appointment of adults within the District. - Monitoring the management, development, and the administration of the Groups in the District. - The ongoing monitoring of buildings management, Health and Safety and Insurance of buildings and property. - Monitoring the management of the Explorer Scout Section. - Attendance at activities and meetings as required by the County Scout Council. 9 ## **Future Plans include:** ## **All of the above and:** - Continued support of administrators within the District and the Groups. - Assisting as required with the development of the Explorer Scout Section. - Working towards ensuring a Scouting presence in the new developments in the town. - Proactive adult recruitment activities. - Implementation of the new Scouting Transformation Plan - The above report has been prepared in accordance with the statements of recommended practice - Accounting and Reporting by Charities. 10 ## **District Chair’s Report** I would like to say a huge thankyou to all those who volunteer their time and efforts into everything that we do to deliver the very best scouting experiences to the young people in our District here in Aylesbury. Without the army of adults / young leaders and helpers working hard to provide high quality programs, keeping buildings safe and clean, writing risk assessments, learning new skills and so much more we would not be able to offer scouting to so many young people. It is wonderful to think that scouting and all it provides to young people continues to show that young people want to be scouts and our figures show that young people more than ever want to be scouts. Thinking ahead with the ever-growing new homes in Aylesbury it remains an essential goal to think of the future of scouting in our District. Chris and the District team have an ongoing development plan for our future; while maintaining the best we do day today and encouraging more adults into our scout district family to ensure we can grow our sections. To form new groups and support our children in providing skills for life no matter if they are 4 years old or 18 years old locally, and even then, with network until they are 25, all are welcome. As a district team I believe that we should never underestimate how much our leadership teams do to support their sections, but also the roles of our trustee boards. They are unwavering in supporting their groups, lead volunteers and teams in enabling them to deliver the hands on scouting each week to the children. I thank all our trustee teams for the contributions you make to ensure that scouting is purposeful and run in accordance with the guidelines of Scouting UK. It is important that all trustee boards within the district are cohesive in their approach, enabling them to fully support the opportunities offered to their scout sections by dynamic forward thinking section leaders. The future of scouting in Aylesbury is bright with exciting projects underway to forge greater community links and deliver more scouting to our communities. I look forward to developing, supporting and engaging with you all in the coming year. I thank you all in your commitments, and that you all continue to make a difference in providing skills for life to all our young people, but also to have amazing scouting adventures of your own. Celia Riordan **District Chair** 11 ## **District Lead Volunteer Report** Scouting is alive and strong in Aylesbury District! Over the last year we’ve been preparing for the new online system. It’s finally arrived, and we’ve all survived the switch over from Compass to ‘My Membership’! Well done to all the Groups who have embraced the new membership system. The system does have many advantages, including online award nominations, online NAN forms and Permit applications, and online learning modules for Safety, Safeguarding, Growing Roots and Branching Out. Over the last year we have agreed the framework for how this will work in Aylesbury District, establishing the District team leads, as well as inviting members to join the four teams of Programme, Volunteer Development, Support and 14 to 24. Our young people have continued to be involved in many activities, camps, walks and hikes within Groups, District and County. We’ve awarded impressive numbers of Chief Scout awards in all sections this year, with many awardees attending the County Awards day at PACCAR Scout Camp at Chalfont. As always, we had a fantastic turn out at the town’s St George’s Day event and at the November Remembrance Service. I’d like to take the opportunity to thank the District Cub Team, who organised a fantastic weekend in France for the Cubs with over 60 young people attending from around the District. The District Youth Team have been working with the young members in both Cubs and Scouts at forums across the District, to capture their ideas and passion for the activities they would like to participate in. Garnering these views helps us to build strong, relevant programmes. Scouting in Aylesbury District continues to grow and develop. Over the last year, the District has been working to establish a District Growth Plan. Due to the success of our Groups and Leader teams and the great programmes being delivered on a weekly basis we, rightfully, have a larger number of ‘Want to Join’ enquiries, leading to ‘want to join’ lists in all Groups. We are working on ways to attract more adult volunteers to support the growing demands on our current teams. I’m delighted that as part of the growth within the District, we have formally spilt the 12[th] Aylesbury and established a new Group, the 11[th] Aylesbury. The 11[th] Aylesbury supports Scouting in the Meadowcroft, Quarrendon, Buckingham Park and Watermead areas. Some of you will remember many years ago, the original 11[th] Aylesbury’s Scout HQ stood on the site of the Quarrendon & Meadowcroft Community Centre. We are working on re-establishing the Beaver Colony and have plans to open at least a Squirrel Drey at Buckingham Park, at Quarrendon & Meadowcroft and, of course, at the 12[th] Aylesbury soon. I would like to thank the team who have been involved with the project. Our District continues to grow, with many housing developments underway or expanding (eg, Berryfields and Kingsbrook). New developments are planned along Tring Road and Hampden Fields. These developments will have a big impact on the requirements for Scouting in both Aylesbury and Vale of Aylesbury. All Groups in the District have growth opportunities and I continue to work with our GLVs in seeing how we can increase growth in each Group. 12 Explorer Scouting is strong within the District. The 14-24 Team are, with myself and with support from Sophie from the Growth and Communities team, focussing on splitting the Matrix – even creating a third unit by the end of the year. Our new Young Leader Unit continues to develop and support our Young Leaders in the District. The Unit’s monthly meeting focuses on their modular training programme and encouraging completion of their Missions, which will lead to their Young Leader Award. I’m delighted that several Young Leaders have taken out full Team Member roles in our Groups. During the year we have presented a number of special awards to Youth and Adult Members in the District. ## **Commendation Awards** presented to: - Rebecca Beadle (Matrix ESU) for carrying out first aid when her teacher collapsed in class. - James Allen (Matrix ESU) for carrying out first aid to an injured child at a local bike/scooter park who had a broken collar bone. - Emmett O'Farrell (4[th] Aylesbury) in recognition of their fundraising efforts for young cancer patients after having cancer himself. ## **King Scout Award:** - Edward Goodridge ## **Chief Scout's Commendation for Good Service:** |Alex Monro|District| |---|---| |Kate Christensen|District| |Kyra McParland|District| |Stephen George Hunt|3rdAylesbury| |Stephen Hansen|1stBerryfields| |Teresa Thomas|3rdAylesbury| |Laura Sinclair|12thAylesbury| ## **Award for Merit:** Chris Ross 5[th] Aylesbury Fiona McParland District Tracey Pickavance 3[rd] Aylesbury ## **Bar to the Award for Merit:** Celia Riordan District Well done to you all, a credit to Scouting in Aylesbury! 13 My grateful thanks goes to my District Team Leads, our District Trustee Board, our Group Lead Volunteers and of course all of our Leaders and Group Trustee boards for all their support in running the weekly meeting for our young people, if it wasn’t for you all, Scouting wouldn’t be alive and well in Aylesbury District. I would like to say a very big thank to everyone involved with Scouting in Aylesbury District and I look forward to working with you all in the coming year. Chris Harper **District Lead Volunteer** 14 ## **Accounts Approved by the Trustees of the** ## **AYLESBURY DISTRICT SCOUT COUNCIL** For the year ended 31 March 2025 which are set out on the previous pages and signed on their behalf by: Sign Print **District Chair** ## **District Treasurer** 15 •p•rIkn•fth••¢($4￿ts￿ithth¢ r•9uw¢ff￿nts0ItheCh•rts Ad2011 Ilhe•dl. under 5etiknn 14501th• 2011 k14NI In I hmfolmd •llthE *ppIKable DwttliDM#rrtn by lhe(h•rlty(¢h*￿th ufidws•ciw 14515llbl(*thtAcL I haw Compl￿*d mytxarnimtK￿. 1confinnth￿vIoM￿lII hh*tam•tomy•tt•n¥oDln 1. 4¢¢ounOnq rK¢4d5 wenot kept In iespectolthEAyI￿ry CAstrIrtSttyJt C4yJrfII •Jf••Ar•d 5*(kn 130dthtkL' or whlth •tt•nt*)n sknJKI b•dr•*Tbln thls rwtinudev to•n*le a propev wthr511rtdiw olt H•rfwCM179QI 16 X755 17 114 18 Matrix ESU FINANCIAL STATEMENT AS AT 31 MARCH 2025 Receipts payry￿ts 224 ¢W7.15 341 11 911.47 o. 2176 I￿)￿) 150 IObl•.72 1053509 TOT￿ PAMNT5KA 1052972 IOS3 37163A 37I63J5 374ta7Z 19 AYLESBURY DISTRICT SCOUT ACTNE SUPPORT Income & Ex￿ndItur0 Account for tho yo¥r •fid￿ 31st IAarch 2025 INC TthT o.( TOTAL INCOME SAS Nbjh TOTAL EXPÉNDtTURE 872 30 839.87 839.87 &wyl M •t 3l¥t Mvth 2025 20