## **Agenda item 4a**
## **DISTRICT LEAD VOLUNTEER REPORT**
2024-25 was an interesting period with UK scouting going through a transformation process. This involved executive committees changing to trustee boards and the District and groups taking on a team-based structure.
There have been lots of other changes with how we report, the use of dynamic risk assessments, a new adult system and changes to learning, including a new safety training module. Thank you and well done to all the group leads and their groups in helping make this possible.
We have seen a large variety of events for young people this year with brilliant turn outs. We held our District camp, which was full of activities. Fun was had by all. We held our Sixer and PL weekends and saw the highest number we have had at the PL weekend. The weekend included a formal meal where the County President, District Chair, District Treasurer and Verwood Group Lead Volunteer joined us for the meal.
We held a Beaver water weekend at Buddens Activity Centre where the Beavers enjoyed lots of water activities, a campfire and had the opportunity to camp for the night.
Our annual Scout night hike competition “Order of the Boot” was held in the Moors Valley Forest. Cubs also enjoyed the District Scrapheap Challenge and Scouts took part in the District shooting competition.
We are looking forwarding to lots of fun for next year and will be adding a variety of additional events such as a Scout skills weekend, Cub swimming gala and many more. We will also be having another District International event in 2026 that will be open to members who will be Scout or Explorer age in August 2026.
A huge thank you to everyone over the last year for your hard work, dedication, and for all the fantastic opportunities you have given the young people.
We look forward to hearing about all the fantastic things the young people are doing within the groups over the next year.
_**Claire Mitchell** District Lead Volunteer_
_**Andrew Thornton** Leadership Team Lead_
8
## **Agenda item 4b**
## Trustees' Annual Report
## For the period
|From start date|0|1|0|4|2|4|4|3|1|0|3|2|5|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||||||||||||
|**Section A**|||**Reference and administration details**|||||||||||
|Charity name
Other names the charity is known by
Registered charity number
HQ registration number
Charity’s principal address|||**East Dorset District Scout Council**
3
0
1
2
3
0
1
0
0
0
1
3
2
0|||||||||||
||||35 Davids Lane|||||||||||
||||Ringwood|||||||||||
|||||||||||||||
||||Postcode||||B|H|2|4|2|A|W|
Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity
|1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12|**Trustee Name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for**
**whole year**|
|---|---|---|---|
||John Godber|Chair|18/09/2024 - 31/03/2025|
||John Curtis|Chair|01/04/2024 - 18/09/2024|
||LindsayCass|Treasurer||
||ClaireMitchell|LeadVolunteer||
||Richard Caddy||18/09/2024 - 31/03/2025|
||Trevor Middleton|||
||Robert Easton||01/04/2024 - 18/09/2024|
||Richard Micklefield|||
||Sheenagh Bradford|||
||Jonathan Wragg|||
||Judith Finney|||
||Danny Cordell|||
9
## **Section B**
## **Structure, governance and management**
|**Section B**|**Structure, governance and management**|
|---|---|
|Description of the charity’s trusts
Additional governance issues
Trustee selection methods
How the charity is constituted
Type of governing document||
||The District's governing documents are those of the The Scout
Association. They consist of a Royal Charter, which in turn
gives authority to the Bye Laws of the Association and The
Policy, Organisation and Rules of The Scout Association.|
|||
||The District is a trust established under its rules, which are
common to all Scouts.|
|||
||The Trustees are appointed in accordance with the Policy,
Organisation and Rules of The Scout Association.|
|||
||The District is managed by the District Trustee Board, the
members of which are the ‘Charity Trustees’ of the Scout
District, which is an educational charity. As charity trustees
they are responsible for complying with legislation applicable to
charities. This includes the registration, keeping proper
accounts and making returns to the Charity Commission as
appropriate.
The Trustee Board consists of the Chair, Treasurer and 7
Trustees (including 2 Ex Officio Trustees) and meets every 4
months.
Members of the Trustee Board complete Being a Scouts
Trustee learning within the first 6 months of joining the Board.
This District Trustee Board exists to make sure the charity is
well-managed, risks are assessed and mitigated, buildings and
equipment are in good working order, and everyone follows
legal requirements and the organisation's policies and rules.
Their support helps other volunteers run high-quality and safe
programmes that gives young people skills for life.|
10
## **Risk and Internal Control**
The District Trustee Board has identified the major risks to which they believe the District is exposed, these have been reviewed and systems have been established to mitigate against them. The main areas of concern that have been identified are:
1. Pandemic Coronavirus The District would follow the guidance issued by The Scout Association in relation to faceto-face Scouting, encourage appropriate online Scouting activities and seek financial support from national and local govdernment.
2. Damage to the building, property and equipment. The District would request the use of buildings, property and equipment from neighbouring organisations such as the church, community centre and other Scout Districts. Similar reciprocal arrangements exist with these organisations. The District has sufficient buildings and contents insurance in place to mitigate against permanent loss.
3. Injury to leaders, helpers, supporters and members. The District through the membership fees contributes to the Scout Association's national accident insurance policy. Risk Assessments are undertaken before all activities.
4. Reduced income from fund raising. The District is primarily reliant upon income from subscriptions and fundraising. The District holds a reserve to ensure the continuity of activities should there be a major reduction in income. The Board could raise the value of subscriptions to increase the income to the District, either temporarily or permanently.
5. Reduction or loss of volunteers. The District is totally reliant upon volunteers to run and administer the activities of the District. If there was a reduction in the number of leaders to an unacceptable level in a particular section or the District as a whole then there would have to be a contraction, consolidation or closure of a section. The District has promoted the 'Grow Your Group' initiative to promote the recruitment of volunteers.
6. Reduction or loss of members. The District promotes and provides activities for all young people aged 4 to 18. If there was a reduction in membership in a particular section then there would have to be a contraction, consolidation or closure of a section.
11
|**Section C**|**Objectives and activities**|
|---|---|
|Summary of the objects of the charity set
out in its governing document
Summary of the main activities in relation
to these objects
Public benefit statement|**The Purpose of Scouting**
Scouting exists to actively engage and support young people
in their personal development, empowering them to make a
positive contribution to society.
**The Values of Scouting**
As Scouts we are guided by these values:
**Integrity -**We act with integrity; we are honest, trustworthy and
loyal.
**Respect -**We have self-respect and respect for others.
**Care -**We support others and take care of the world in which
we live.
**Belief -**We explore our faiths, beliefs and attitudes.
**Co-operation -**We make a positive difference; we co-operate
with others and make friends.
**The Scout Method**
Scouting takes place when young people, in partnership with
adults, work together based on the values of Scouting and:
- enjoy what they are doing and have fun
- take part in activities indoors and outdoors
- learn by doing
- share in spiritual reflection
- take responsibility and make choices
- undertake new and challenging activities
- make and live by their Promise.|
|||
||See Annual Review (attached as Appendix 1)|
|||
||The District meets the Charity Commission's public benefit
criteria under both the advancement of education and the
advancement of citizenship or community development
headings.|
|||
|**Section D**|**Achievements and performance**|
Summary of the main achievements of the See Annual Review (attached as Appendix 1) charity during the year
12
|**Section E**|**Financial Review**|
|---|---|
|Statement of the charity’s policy on
reserves
Further financial review details||
||The District held reserves of approximately £78,000 against
this at year end. This is significantly above the level required
for operating expenses but can be explained by the
anticipated need to fund future projects such as a District
store, camp site and supporting international events. Included
in the reserves are restricted funds (£35,681) relating to a
1986 bequest and international development and earmarked
funds (£16,035) for the Large Scale Events Team, 1st
Sturminster Marshal Scout Group and Colborne ESU.
**Reserves Policy**
The District's policy on reserves is to hold sufficient resources
to continue the charitable activities of the District should
income and fundraising activities fall short. The Ditrict Trustee
Board considers that the District should hold a sum equivalent
to six months running costs, circa £3,000.|
|||
||The District does not have sufficient funds to invest in longer
term investments. The District Trustee Board has therefore
adopted a risk averse strategy to the investment of its funds.
All funds are held in cash using only mainstream banks or
building societies with rererves held in an interest paying
account.
**Investment Policy**|
|||
|**Section F**|**Other Information**|
|Plans for future periods||
||See Annual Review (attached as Appendix 1)|
## **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)
Date
Position|**John Godber**|**L H Cass**|
|---|---|---|
||||
||John Godber|Lindsay Cass|
||||
||Chair|Treasurer|
||3rd September 2025||
||3rd September 2025||
13
## **DISTRICT TREASURER’S REPORT**
The 2024/25 Statement of Accounts set out in the following four tables has been approved by the District Executive Committee after being independently examined by Christopher (Bob) Root, the District’s Independent examiner.
The first table sets out the income and expenditure in the District’s main accounts during the year, with the corresponding figures from the previous year shown in the last column.
The second table contains the notes to the main accounts that give explanations of the less obvious transactions.
The third table shows the District’s funds that I do not administer. The names of the people who administer each of these accounts is shown in the last column.
The fourth table shows the District’s consolidated income and expenditure that combines the main accounts with those administered by others.
The final page is the Independent examiner’s report on the accounts.
I would like to thank John Curtis, John Godber, Claire Mitchell and my other colleagues on the Trustee Board for their support over the past year. Thanks are also due to the other members who administer District funds, to Bob Root and to the Group Treasurers.
After 9 years as District Treasurer, I am standing down at this year’s AGM. I wish my successor and the East Dorset Scout District the very best for the future.
## _**Lindsay Cass** District Treasurer_
14
## **East Dorset District Scout Council**
## **Independently Examined Accounts for the period 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025**
|**Expenditure, £**
**Income, £** Notes
Opening Balance on 1 April 2024
70,844.95
Membership fees from Groups and ESUs
2021 fees - 1st Heatherlands
222.05
1
2023 fees - Griffins ESU
255.00
2
2024 fees - Corfe Mullen, Griffins and Woodcutts ESUs
1,351.77
3
Funds transferred from closure of Section Lloyds Bank accounts
9,345.63
4
Funds transferred to District from closure of 1st Longham Group
8,165.19
5
Funds transferred to District from closure of 1st Sturminster Marshall Group
7,840.73
7
Bank interest
1,816.95
Contribution from Activities a/c
950.00
8
Funds transferred to District from closure of 1st Heatherlands Group
437.10
1
2023 Spanish Trip income from participants
200.00
Donation from Richard Micklefield
12.90
1
Scout Shop profit share
2.21
Refund of expenditure on District Camp 2023 from Scout Activities a/c
Refund of expenditure on Patrol Leaders weekend from Activities a/c
Refund of expenditure on 2024 Sixers weekend from Cub a/c
Refund of expenditure on Beaver Scout weekend from Activities a/c
**Total Income**
**30,599.53**
9
Funds from 1st Longham transferred to Gorsemoor Group
7,665.19
5
Purchase of trailer for Large Scale Events Team
4,500.00
6
District Team expenses
3,346.34
Hire of storage container for District equipment
1,920.00
Purchase of equipment for Large Scale Events Team
1,501.77
10
Presentaion evenings
1,006.37
11
Equipment Insurance
552.04
Refund of 1st Longham 2022 membership fees paid by Michelle Eas
500.00
5
Motion Picture Licensing
434.22
Donation to Swanage Railway from Eric Stevenson memorial
450.00
1
District website
196.00
Wimborne St Giles camp site
123.26
12
Bank charges
60.00
2023 Spanish Trip
Membership fees paid to Dorset County Scout Council
District Camp 2023 expenditure on Equals debit card
Transfer of funds to new Scout Activities Lloyds a/c
Cub Scout 2024 Sixers weekend expenditure on Equals card
1st Heatherlands
Generator
Patrol Leaders weekend expenditure on Equals debit card
First Aid kits
Grant to participants on 2023 Spanish Trip
**Total Expenditure**
**22,255.19**
9
**Closing Balance on 31 March 2025**
**79,189.29**
Held in:
A Shawbrook Bank
70,000.00
13
CAF Gold account
7,927.43
CafCash account
1,261.86
Equals FX account and card
0.00
79,189.29
**2024/25**||2023/24
92,146
701
40,545
1,484
18,976
2,320
462
651
225|
|---|---|---|
|||65,363
3,838
1,760
225
5
1,068
396
381
259
119
60
36,813
36,294
2,320
713
651
550
489
453
241
30|
|||86,664|
|||70,845
65,931
4,509
405|
|||70,845|
A Includes **Restricted Funds** totalling £35,681.15 for:
- Violet May Abbot 1987 bequest (£28,535.75)
- International Fund (£7,145.40)
and **Earmarked Funds** totalling £16,035.22 for:
- funds from closure of Section bank account for use by Large Scale Events Team (£7,843.86)
- 1st Sturminster Marshall Scout Group (£7,840.73)
- Colborne ESU (£350.63)
1
15
## **Notes to the 2024/25 accounts**
|||The 1st Heatherlands Scout Group closed and its' assets (£659.15) transferred to the District. The assets|
|---|---|---|
||1|included funds collected in memory of Eric Stevenson (£437.10) that were donated to Swanage Railway
together with a further donation of £12.90 by Richard Micklefield. The remaining balance of £222.05|
|||was used as a contribtion towards the 2021 membership fees owed by the group (£414)|
|||The Griffins (Ferndown) Explorer Scout Unit closed and its' assets (£364.27) transferred to the District's|
|2|& 3|CAF Bank account. This sum was used to fund the unpaid 2023 membership fees (£255) and a £109.27|
|||contribution towards the 2024 membership fees owed by the ESU (£159)|
|||Explorer Scout Units have the option pay their membership fees termly in arrears, based on the number|
||3|of young people in the unit each term. This payment is the fess paid by these units and Griffins (see note|
|||2)|
|||The District's Explorer, Scout, Cub and Beaver Sections Lloyds Bank accounts were closed and their funds|
||4|transferred to the District's CAF Bank account. The funds are earmarked for expenditure by the Large|
|||Scale Events Team|
|||The 1st Longham Scout Group closed and its' assets (£8,165.19) transferred to the District. These fuinds|
||5|were passed on to Gorsemoor Scout Group (the successor group) after the deduction of £500 that was
paid to Michelle East (the previous Longham Treasurer) who had personally paid the Longham 2022|
|||membership fees (£500)|
|||For a number of years the District has relied on borrowing a box trailer for transporting equipment to|
||6|large events. A second-hand box trailer has been purchased from a nearby Scout Group using some of the|
|||funds left as a bequest to the District by Violet May Abbot|
||7|The 1st Sturminster Marshall Scout Group closed and its' assets (£7,840.73) transferred to the District.
These funds are earmarked to be repaid should the group reopen within 3 years|
||8|This is a contribution towards equipment storage and insurance costs from the Large Scale Events Team
(Activities) account|
|||The total income and expenditure in 2024/25 is significantly lower than 2023/24. This is because the|
||9|2025 membership fees were collected from Groups/ESUs and paid to Dorset County Scouts in April 2025|
|||(rather than in March as in previous years), so will be included in the 2025/26 accounts|
||10|This expenditure relates to the purchase of cooking equipment and 2-way radios for the Large Scale
Events Team using some of the funds from the closed Section Lloyds Bank accounts (see note 4)|
||11|This expenditure relates to the payment of previously unclaimed expenses incurred at presentation
evenings in 2017-2020|
||12|This relates to rent and water charges for the District camp site at Wimborne St Giles|
|||The interest rate paid by the CAF Gold account reduced from 2.15% to 2.00% at the end of February|
||13|2025. To avoid a drop in interest receipts, a 60-day notice account operated by Shawbrook Bank has
been opened (which pays 3.30% AER interest) and £70,000 transferred from the Gold to the new|
|||account|
16
## **East Dorset District Scout Council**
## **Independently Examined Accounts for the period 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025**
## **District funds not administered by the District Treasurer**
||**31/03/2024**|**31/03/2024**||||**01/04/2024 - 31/03/2025**|**01/04/2024 - 31/03/2025**|**01/04/2024 - 31/03/2025**|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||Stock, £|Bank
Cash
Balance,£|||Income, £|Expenditure, £|Bank
Cash
Balance 31/03/25,£||Stock
31/03/25,£|_Administered by:_|
|Scout Shop|Not available|4,633.08|221.06||5,653.53|6,253.77|4,911.30|127.56|6,929.12|_Richard Micklefield_|
|Badges|7,162.66|4,098.38|781.65||6,359.90|5,546.98|4,911.30|546.45|7,037.67|_Helen Lynch_|
|Activities||4,373.09|||22,300.00|20,922.52|5,750.57|||_Andy Thornton_|
|Scout Network||228.07|||0.00|0.00|228.07|||_Claire Mitchell_|
|Corfe Mullen ESU||2,521.19|||2,561.36|1,815.09|3,267.46|||_Trevor Middleton_|
|Verwood ESU||147.30|||300.00|0.00|447.30|||_Charlie Dixon_|
|Woodcutts ESU||291.06|||2,748.20|1,718.27|1,320.99|||_Anthony Brown_|
|Scouts||3,929.24|35.20||||||||
|Cubs||3,918.92|||||||||
|Beavers||810.97|8.72|||Lloyds Bank accounts closed|||||
|Explorers||642.58||||(see notes 1, 2 and 4)|||||
|Ferndown ESU||364.27|||||||||
|1st Heatherlands||659.15|||||||||
|**Totals**||**26,617.30**|**1,046.63**||**39,922.99**|**36,256.63**|**20,836.99**|**674.01**|||
2
17
## **Consolidated Income and Expenditure for the period 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025**
|Main accounts
Less value of closed Lloyds Bank accounts
District funds not administered by the DT
**Totals**|**Income, £**
**Expenditure, £**
30,599.53
22,255.19
(10,369.05)
39,922.99
36,256.63|
|---|---|
||**60,153.47**
**58,511.82**|
18
CHARITY COMMISSION
FOR ENGLAND AND WALES
Independent examiner's
report on the accounts
Sectlon A
Independent Examlnerfs Report
Report to thg trusteesl
members of
On accounts for the year
ended
SY
Charity no
lif any)
31 aoa
3fjia30
Set out on pages
1+2
I report lo the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above
charity {"the Trust'l for the year ended
Responsibilities and As the charity trustee5 of the Trust. you are responsible for the preparation
basis of report of the accounts In accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act
2011 1.the Act").
I report in respect of my examination of Ihe Trust's accounts carried out
under section 145 of the 2011 Act and In carying out my examination, I
have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission
under seclion 145(5llb) of the Act.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have
come to my attention (other than thal disclosed below ") in connection with
the examination which gives me cause lo believe that in, any material
respect..
accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of
the Act or
the accounts do nol accord with the accounting records
Independent
examinees ststement
I have no concerns and have come across no olher 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.
Please delele Ihe words in the brackets illhey do not 8ppty.
Slgned:
Datg:
Name:
Relevant prolesslonal
qualificationl8) or body
(If any):
Address:
IER
OGtob&r 2018
19