Gravesham District Scout Council
Trustees’ Annual Report and Accounts For the year ended 31 March 2024
Registered Charity No. 303399
Trustees who have served at any point in the year
Henson Appleby (District Commissioner until 31 December 2023) Fraser Patrick (District Lead Volunteer from 1 January 2024) Paul Livett Chair (until 7 September 2023) Keith Jones (Chair from 22 September 2023) Pat Duncumb Secretary Susan Livett Treasurer Dave Moesli District Explorer Scout Commissioner Lucy Stanford District Scout Network Commissioner Jack Reeves District Youth Commissioner Alan Skelton Darren Stanford Hannah Booth Janet Jones Myles Sullivan Marion Weston Richard Ruddick Richard Painting Terry Duncumb Rob Viner James Treadwell (from 22 September 2023)
Custodian Trustee: The Scout Association Trust Corporation Contact address: Mr F Patrick, 3 Michele Cottages, Chalk Road, Higham, ME3 7JZ
Structure, Governance and Management
Description of the charity’s trusts
Gravesham District Scouts (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. 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 and the constitution of the District.
Risk and internal controls
The District has in place systems of internal controls that are designed to provide reasonable assurance against material mismanagement or loss, these include dual approval for payments, regular reports to the trustees including emerging issues and comprehensive insurance policies to ensure that relevant insurable risks are covered.
Trustees need to be alerted to possible conflicts of interest which may arise. Trustees are required to identify and declare any conflict of interest; trustees are removed from any decision making process where a conflict of interest is declared or identified; details of discussions and decisions made when a conflict has been identified are recorded and care is given to managing the conflict of interest once a decision has been made.
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Objectives, activities and achievements
Objectives
The objectives of the District are as a unit of The Scout Association. Scouting exists to actively engage and support young people in their personal development, empowering them to make a positive contribution to society. As Scouts we are guided by these values:
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Integrity - We act with integrity; we are honest, trustworthy and loyal.
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Respect - We have self-respect and respect for others.
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Care - We support others and take care of the world in which we live.
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Belief - We explore our faiths, beliefs and attitudes.
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Co-operation - We make a positive difference; we cooperate with others and make friends.
Activities and achievements
The District operates four Explorer Scout units for 14-18 year olds and a Network Scout unit for young people aged 18-25 and supports 13 groups across Gravesham which provide Scouting to 4-14 year old girls and boys. It also operates a campsite (Hopehill in Meopham).
The District has run a full programme of activities for all section which have been well attended and are documented in the blog on the website.
Hopehill remains busy and has benefitted from fibre-optic internet, a tomahawk range and completion of security upgrades this year. Work on updating the toilet block continues with a new electricity supply installed and planning underway.
The annual census at 31[st] January showed an 8% increase in youth membership with growth in 9 out of 13 groups. Explorers at 99 members have reached an all time high.
Scouting in the District is entirely dependent on the volunteer Scouters and other adults who give their time and energy to plan and run activities and provide support for the benefit of the young people.
Public benefit
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. The trustees have regard to the guidance on public benefit issued by the Charity Commission when exercising any powers to which the guidance may be relevant.
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Financial review
Performance in the year
The accounts show a deficit due to expenditure on projects, largely the toilet block. Scout HQ have closed their deposit account and we have used some of the funds for this. Operating returns on a comparable basis are similar to last year.
The Clifford Allen Memorial Trust (which is included in the accounts) has increased its cash holding in readiness for funding towards the toilet block; it showed an increase in carrying value of 6%.
Reserves and investments
The District continues to maintain sufficient reserves to provide for the ongoing operation of its activities, including future capital requirements for its properties in the short and long term. Cash is held in various current and deposit accounts. Investments are managed under a low to moderate investment risk and balanced income & capital growth investment objective and made in accordance with the recommendations of our advisors, Brewin Dolphin.
Plans for the future
The District will continue to provide activities for Scouts in Gravesham (including hill walking, water activities, camps, clay pigeon shooting, archery and many more). The Scouts transformation project which includes embedding a team based volunteering culture is moving forward and will be implemented in the next financial year, including adopting a new constitution at the next AGM. At Hopehill, the project to refurbish the Madeline Allen toilet block will continue with pre-planning approval received and environmental studies ongoing
The trustees declare that they approved this report on 10[th] September 2024
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Signed on their behalf by:
Keith Jones
Fraser Patrick
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Receipts and Payments Account for the year ended 31 March 2024
| Receipts This year £ Note Membership subscriptions 50,297 Less paid over (39,062) 11,235 Adult training 580 Donations and grants 331 Interest 514 Investment income 13,935 14,449 District activities 26,751 Explorer activities 11,433 38,184 Property receipts 57,707 Insurance claim - 57,707 Sub total 122,486 Sale of investment assets 81,204 Total receipts 203,690 Total payments (169,084) Net receipts / (payments) 34,606 |
Payments Last year This year £ £ Note 34,189 (35,696) (1,508) Administration 1,583 353 Adult training 334 257 Grants to groups - Purchase of equipment 422 793 14,063 Investment management costs 2 4,793 14,855 25,404 District activities 28,650 7,049 Explorer activities 15,811 32,452 44,461 54,470 Property running costs 51,441 2,738 Insurance replacements 95 57,208 Property improvements 56,555 108,091 103,618 Sub total 159,684 93,344 Purchase of investment assets 9,400 196,962 Total payments 169,084 (204,639) (7,677) |
Last year £ 825 368 - 390 4,940 31,598 10,078 41,676 46,244 2,512 6,012 54,768 102,966 101,673 204,639 |
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Statement of Assets and Liabilities As at 31 March 2024
| Note Monetary assets Cash held Bank current accounts Bank deposit accounts Clifford Allen cash held 2 Scout Association Charity Deposit Account Investments Quoted securities at market value 2 Debtors Due from Scout Groups Gift Aid from HMRC Non monetary assets held for charity use Stock for resale at cost Land at cost 3 Buildings and equipment at insurance value 3 |
This year £ 1,481 28,229 48,246 97,983 - 175,939 434,821 - 1,480 1,480 1,423 75,000 1,500,964 1,577,387 |
Last year £ 1,077 44,503 10,128 17,036 68,589 141,334 485,046 5,050 1,415 6,465 1,249 75,000 1,500,964 1,577,213 |
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Signed on behalf of all the trustees on 10 September 2024 :
Susan Livett
Fraser Patrick
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Notes to the accounts
for the year ended 31 March 2024
1 - Basis of preparation
These accounts are prepared on a receipts and payments basis. The statement of Assets and Liabilities includes cash and investments at market value, land and stock for resale at historic purchase price and other assets at insurance / replacement value.
They include all the activities of Gravesham District, including Hopehill Scout Campsite, four Explorer Scout units, a Network Scout and Active Support units and the Clifford Allen Memorial Trust. The thirteen Scout Groups in the District are separate charities and are not included.
| 2 - Clifford Allen Memorial Trust Market value at 1 April Grants to District Investment management fees Net investment returns Market value at 31 March |
This year £ 502,082 - (4,793) 35,515 532,804 |
Last year £ 554,228 (10,000) (4,940) (47,206) 502,082 |
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This comprises Quoted Securities of £434,821 (last year £485,046) and cash of £97,983 (last year £17,036)
3 - Property
The District owns the land and buildings at Hopehill Campsite and the land at Istead Rise Scout Hut.
| 4 - Hopehill campsite Camp fees Building hire Site activities . Tuck shop Insurance claim Other Ongoing expenditure Utilities Insurance Running costs Activity maintenance Tuck shop Cleaning Maintenance Ongoing equipment replacements Insurance replacements Projects Security upgrade Toilet and Shower block Tomahawk range Income |
This year £ 36,503 14,599 4,253 2,253 - 99 57,707 (23,340) (9,853) (1,121) (2,444) (1,309) (3,507) (9,690) (177) (95) (51,536) (12,616) (43,372) (567) (56,555) (50,384) |
Last year £ 32,311 11,977 5,363 2,425 2,738 2,394 57,208 (23,241) (8,780) (1,234) (1,238) (1,582) (3,025) (6,527) (616) (2,512) (48,756) (648) (5,364) - (6,012) 2,440 |
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Independent Examiner's Report
to the Trustees of Gravesham District Scout Council (Registered Charity No, 303399) on accounts for the year ended 31[st] March 2024 set out on pages 5 to 7
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the District”) for the year ended 31st March 2024.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
I report in respect of my examination of the District’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent Examiner's statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
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accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act; or
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the accounts do not accord with the accounting records
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Name: Luke Anderson Professional qualification: ACA Address: 21 Goodall Close, Parkwood, Gillingham, Medway, ME8 9NG Date: 24 November 2024