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2023-03-31-accounts

Trustees' Annual Report

For the period

From 1st April 2022 to 31st March 2023

Charity name: 3rd Sevenoaks (Riverhead and Dunton Green) Scout Group

Registered charity number: 303437

Charity’s principal address: Bradbourne Vale Road, Sevenoaks

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

  1. Andrew Holland – Chairman

  2. Chris McCann – Scout Leader

  3. Robert Downard – Group Administrator

  4. Martin Denton – Trustee Board Member

  5. Maki Baxter – Treasurer

  6. Stevo Durbaba – Assistant Cub Scout Leader

  7. James Holman – Secretary

  8. Ian Manuel – Group Scout Leader

  9. Paul Heath – Cub Scout Leader

  10. Tom McKeen -Quarter Master

  11. James Finley – Beaver Leader

The Group is managed by the Trustee Board, the members of which are the ‘Charity Trustees’ of the Scout Group 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 Committee consists of 3 independent representatives, Chair, Treasurer and Secretary together with the Group Scout Leaders, individual section leaders and parents representation and meets every 2 months. The Group'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 Trustees are appointed in accordance with the Policy, Organisation and Rules of The Scout Association. The Group is a trust established under its rules which are common to all Scouts. The Trustees are elected by the Group Council at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). Where their appointment is made during the year, they are subject to the vote of the Group Council at the next AGM.

Risk and Internal Control

The Group Executive Committee has identified the major risks to which they believe the Group 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:

Reduction or loss of members. The Group provides activities for all young people aged 6 to 18. If there was a reduction in membership in a particular section or the group as whole then there would have to be a contraction, consolidation or closure of a section. In the worst case scenario the complete closure of the Group.

Damage to the building, property and equipment. The Group would request the use of buildings, property and equipment from neighbouring organisations such as the church, community centre and other Scout Groups. The Group has sufficient buildings and contents insurance in place to mitigate against permanent loss.

Injury to leaders, helpers, supporters and members. The Group through the capitation fees contributes to the Scout Associations national accident insurance policy. Risk Assessments are undertaken before all activities.

Reduced income from fund raising. The Group is primarily reliant upon income from subscriptions and fundraising. The group does hold a reserve to ensure the continuity of activities should there be a major reduction in income. The Committee could raise the value of subscriptions to increase the income to the group on an ongoing basis, either temporarily or permanently.

Reduction or loss of leaders. The group is totally reliant upon volunteers to run and administer the activities of the group. If there was a reduction in the number of leaders to an unacceptable level in a particular section or the group as a whole then there would have to be a contraction, consolidation or closure of a section. In the worst case scenario the complete closure of the Group.

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

Objectives and Activities

The objectives of the group are as a unit of the Scout Association.

The Aim of The Scout Association is to promote the development of young people in achieving their full physical, intellectual, social and spiritual potentials, as individuals, as responsible citizens and as members of their local national and international communities. The method of achieving the Aim of

the Association is by providing an enjoyable and attractive scheme of progressive training, based on the Scout Promise and Law and guided by adult leadership. The Group meets the Charity Commission's public benefit criteria under both the advancement of education and the advancement of citizenship or community development headings.

A comprehensive discussion of the activities undertaken by each section follows this report.

Reserves Policy

The Group’s policy on reserves is to hold sufficient resources to continue the charitable activities of the Group should income and fundraising activities fall short. The Group Executive Committee considers that the group should hold a sum equivalent to 6 months running costs, which is around £9,500. This figure was reviewed this year, and was increased by £1,000

The Group held reserves of £39,623 at the year end, which is above the level required to meet ongoing operating costs. Reserves include £1,133 (2022: £1,133) remaining of an amount donated in the memory of Andrew Wood, which will be used as needed to maintain the environmental area.

The Group adopts a risk averse approach to the investment of its funds. All funds are held in cash with mainstream banks.

2023 Financial Review

Review of the year

The net result for the year was a deficit of receipts over payments of £4,944. Together with bank and deposit balances brought forward at the beginning of the year, the cash balance carried forward at 31st March, 2023 totalled £39,623.

The subscriptions figure was higher this year (2023: £16,906, 2022: £16,230).

Donations (2023: £1,040, 2022: £9,890). We received two matched corporate donations as well as a one off cash donation.

Gift Aid received in the year (2023: £3,308, 2022: £624) is claimed on subscriptions received in the previous financial year.

Fundraising: Due to the timings of the passing of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, coinciding with the date of the Carnival, we made the decision to cancel it for 2022. We retained £650 in stall fees which will be carried over to next 2023. We were unable to recoup back some of the costs we purchased. (2023: £284, 2022: £5,281). Fireworks night was very well received and successful (2023: £5,292, 2022: £5,211).

We noticed a significant increase in General expenses for this year. We modernised our electricity and added lighting to external areas. We also spent £6031 in fencing, ensuring a safe place for our Scouts to meet. £2,671 was paid to cover waste, sewage and rubbish, double of what we spent last year. An additional £2,568 was paid for utilities (gas, electric and water).

For 2023-24, we plan to renovate the very old kitchen. We will also be continuously reviewing our equipment and replacing/repairing as needed.

3rdSe¥er•k$lR￿8rhe4d4ffld fjreenl ScwGrn Rece4AS and Phymebtt5aÉCthrt% fL¥t￿Year{l￿n I WI 202Z 31 Nknh20Z3 2423 2022 fte￿Ipts rknbLYthipwbscription5 LessmemberyhlpwbsLrlptlonspaldtodlJtrlci DonationSlGralts/Se￿￿thStrlcIRestWtGra)f GpfrAid Oth 16.906 16.230 L040 3.308 350 9,890 624 Fundr¥ng 790 7.219 Imanu¥AI {mInu￿> 7,971 7,511 Flrvworks Sponsor￿￿1$ Oth¥ InsurF￿Ce0aM (m￿j￿1 Bankint£T oihErlncome Tota recelpts 207 19.795 Tr<]0p￿dpxk￿J￿tl Ra)t watLTanO5pw￿1nd rubbish Il¢ctrlt1ty￿d InSur￿e Ropairs 1,329 125 2.568 2,671 1.411 10.186 a,146 733 1,550 375 l.577 1,267 L,04a 5.53l 836 1,0 [nini5tr￿l?rt Qmpin[ome 12.5a2 10.8Q7 16,573 14,768 ComributiunLolfromt￿￿P[o5tS Uniforms hw -1.806 1,352 I￿3 Futsdr4ar¢e¥tyer￿s 506 1,927 (Tnwuall 2.651 1,301 24,739 18.814 NetofYe¢eiptsl(p*tyerts) 4.944 44.567 30.154 C4ththndsthls¥v¥•nd 39.623 44,574 P4￿10F2

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