2025-03-31-accounts - Blackwater Valley District Scout Council

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Trustees' Annual Report

For the period

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From (start date to end date
Section A Reference and administration details
Charity name Blackwater Valley District Scout Council
Other names the charity is known by
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Registered charity number (if any)
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HQ	registration number

c/o		Mr A Blake
		11 WisleyGardens
		Farnborough
		Postcode			G	U	1	4	0	R	S

Charity’s principal address

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

Trustee Name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year
Michael Hughes	Chair
Pamela Mikulskis	Treasurer
Andrew Blake	Secretary
Dawn Mahoon	District Lead Volunteer
Colin Slatter
Emma Buckett
Linda Moyle
Claire Hewitson
Rebecca Riley
MelodyBaxter

Ellie Williams	YouthCommr.
John Glanville

(These will be published in the annual report of the charity and the Charity Register if reporting for a Registered Charity with a charity regulator)

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Names and addresses of advisers (optional information but encouraged as best practice) (These will be published in the annual report of the charity)

Type of advisor Name Address

Section B Structure, governance and management

Description of the charity’s trusts

Type of governing document

The district’s governing documents are those of 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.

(e.g. trust deed, constitution)

How the charity is constituted

The district is a trust established under rules which are common to all Scouts.

(e.g. trust, association, company)

Trustee selection methods

(e.g. appointed by, elected by)

The Trustees are appointed in accordance with the Policy, Organisation and Rules of The Scout Association.

Additional governance issues (optional information but encouraged as best practice)

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant, about:

Policies and procedures adopted for: a) the induction and training of trustees. b) trustee' consideration of major risks and the systems and procedures to manage them

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 10 trustees. The District Lead Volunteer is an ex-offico trustee by virtue of the role.

Members of the Trustee Board complete Being a Scouts Trustee, Safety, Safeguarding, GDPR and Who we are and what we do learning within the timescales prescribed in POR.

The District Trustee Board exists to make sure the charity is well-managed, assesses risk, mitigates risk, and ensures buildings and equipment are in good working order, and that 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.

Section B Structure, governance and management (continued) 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 put in place to mitigate against them. The main areas of concern that have been identified are:

Damage to the building, property and equipmen t.

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.

Injury to leaders, helpers, supporters and members.

The district through the membership fees contributes to the Scout Associations national accident insurance policy. Risk Assessments are undertaken before all activities.

Reduced income from fund raising.

The district is primarily reliant upon income from subscriptions and surplus generated by Scout Shop trading. 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 on an ongoing basis, either temporarily or permanently.

Reduction or loss of leaders.

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 then there would have to be a contraction, consolidation or closure of a section. In the worst-case scenario, the complete closure of the district.

Risk and Internal Control

The district has in place systems of internal controls (Standing Orders) that are designed to provide reasonable assurance against material mismanagement or loss, these include 2 signatories for all payments and a comprehensive insurance policy to ensure that insurable risks are covered.

Section C Objectives and activities	Section C Objectives and activities
Summary of the objects of the charity set out in its governing document	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.

Section C
Objectives and activities

Summary of the objects of the charity
set out in its governing document

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.

Summary of the main activities in relation to these objects

The Trustee Board supports and promotes a range of activities, across all sections, to encourage the sharing of skills, fun and adventurous activities by supporting training of skills instructors to either scout permit level or National Governing Body accreditation by contributing 50% of the cost of training.

Additional details of the objectives and activities (optional information but encouraged as best practice)

You may choose to include further The Trustee Board makes small grants to groups within statements, where relevant, about: the District to enable completion of projects that enhance their property or equipment for the benefit of young people. £5k is allocated to this annually from reserves. • policy on grant making. Hardship • contribution made by volunteers. Cases of hardship are treated considerately, on a case• policy on investments. by-case basis, by the Trustee Board. Investment Policy The Trustee Board invests excess funds in Charity Bonds, covered by FSCA guarantee, at favourable rates on fixed term basis over 2 & 3 years

Public benefit statement

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.

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Section D Achievements and performance
Summary of the main achievements of The Trustee Board
the charity during the year Made good choices in investing surplus
funds at high interest rates
Assisted in funding a successful St Georges Day
Supported and encouraged all groups to adopt
trustee best practice.
Supported the DLV in developing leader
recruitment.
Made grants to four group to enable
improvements and purchase of activity equipment.
Supported the new District Lead Volunteer.
Continued as a partner with Hampshire County
Council in the management of Runways End Outdoor
Centre.
Reduced the District Levy in recognition of the
additional burden of cost of living.
Managed the recovery of one group following
financial mismanagement.
Opened four additional Squirrel Dreys.
Provided financial support to 4 [th] Aldershot Scout
group following financial mismanagement by the
previous Lead Volunteer. Charity Commission
informed and Hampshire Police are dealing with the
matter.
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Section E		Financial Review
Brief statement of the charity’s policy on reserves		Reserves Policy Many years ago, the district sold a property which gave the district around £120K reserve. Whilst holding
		sufficient funds in the current account the remainder is
		held in fixed term charity bonds providing an income to
		support the grant making policy. Additionally, the
		Trustees have adopted the stance that its funds should,
		where possible, only support the improvement of local
		scouting.
Quantify and explain any designations		The district held reserves of approximately £80k against
		this at year end. This is above the level required for
		operating expenses. However, this can be explained by
		using the income from the surplus to support the local
		development of scouting
Details of any funds materially in deficit		None
(circumstances plus steps to eliminate)

Further financial review details (optional information)

You may choose to include additional information, where Investment Policy relevant, about: The District's Income and Expenditure are well • the charity’s principal sources of funds balanced. In 2024-25 its income was substantially (Including any fundraising); below that required to operate the district following a decision to reduce the District Levy by 60% to alleviate the burden on groups, because of cost increases in utilities and general rises in other costs. The trustees decided to use some of their reserves to support district expenditure. Surplus reserves are invested in Charity Bonds, over one and two years, with interest supporting the expenditure. All other funds are held in cash using only mainstream banks.

• how expenditure has supported the key objectives of the charity. The District Trustee Board regularly monitors the levels of bank balances, and the interest rates received to ensure the district obtains maximum value and income from its banking arrangements. Occasionally this may involve using an account that requires a period of notice before funds may be • investment policy and objectives. withdrawn, before doing so the District Trustee

Section F Other Optional Information

Plans for future periods (details of any significant activities planned to achieve them)

Section G Declaration

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s) Michael John Hughes Full name(s) Chair

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