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Trustees Annual Report

For the year ended 31 December 2023

Charity name: Sutton District Scout Council Registered charity number: 303841 HQ registration number: 10001096 Charity principal address: Sutton District Scout HQ, 72b Woodcote Road, Wallington, Surrey. SM6 0LY

Names of the trustees who manage the charity:

manage the charity:
Trustee	Office	Dates acted if not for the whole year: from	No of years continuing
Ian Bowdler	Chair	1 October 2023	3 (to 2027)
Janet Cantrill	Treasurer	1 September 2023	3 (to 2027)
Susan Jones	Trustee	15 July 2023	2 (to 2026)
Gavin Merivale	Trustee	15 July 2023	1 (to 2025)
Lisa Watson	Trustee	15 July 2023	1 (to 2025)
Katie Hollis	Trustee	15 July 2023	1 (to 2025)
Paul Littlechild	District Lead Volunteer		Ex-officio
Mike O’Donnell	District Explorer Leader		1 (to 2025)
Lorenzo Heitmeyer	District Youth Lead Volunteer	15 July 2023	Ex-officio

The trustees have indicated that they are willing to continue their roles for the number of years as indicated above. At the end of their term, they may choose to be considered for reelection. The roles will also be advertised to promote interest (internal and external) in joining the trustee board. The trustee board are responsible for recommending trustees to the District Scout Council, which ratifies (or not) their recommendation(s) at the AGM.

Mike O’Donnell is relinquishing the District Explorer Leader role by the end of 2024 but has indicated he wishes to continue as a trustee for a further one year. The board of trustees recommend his appointment.

Bankers and other advisers:

Barclays Bank plc
CCLA Investment Management Limited

Structure, Governance and Management

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.

How the charity is constituted:

The District is a trust established under the Scout Association’s rules which are common to all Scouts.

Trustee selection methods:

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

Organisational structure:

The District is managed by the District Trustee Board, the members of which are the ‘Charity Trustees’ of the 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 (from the 2024 AGM) consists of the Chair, Treasurer and six Trustees (including two exofficio Trustees – the District Lead Volunteer and District Youth Lead Volunteer) and meets five times a year.

Members of the Trustee Board complete Trustee learning within the first six 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.

Risk and Internal controls:

The Trustees have examined the major strategic, business and operational risks which the District faces and confirm that systems have been established to enable regular reports to be produced so that the necessary steps can be taken to lessen those risks.

Objectives and activities:

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.

Sutton District Scout Council is responsible for Scouting in the London Borough of Sutton. The membership as at the 2024 census consists of 1,597 young people of both sexes between the ages of 6 and 18 years. The leadership of these young people is provided by adult volunteers, all of whom are unpaid. They are trained and appointed in accordance with the Scout Association's Policy, Organisation & Rules.

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 cooperate 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.

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.

Achievements and performance:

The District continued to pursue its objective of promoting and assisting in the running of Scouting in the London Borough of Sutton. Full details of developments, activities and achievements during the year are contained in the reports of the Chair, District Lead Volunteer and others, which are contained within this annual report.

Financial Review:

The District recorded a surplus for the year of £3,515 (2022 – deficit £18,579).

Investment policy:	The District does not have a formal investment policy. It	The District does not have a formal investment policy. It	The District does not have a formal investment policy. It	The District does not have a formal investment policy. It
	endeavours to obtain the best possible return on its
	investments and cash balances. Fluctuations in	investments and cash balances. Fluctuations in		investments and cash balances. Fluctuations in
	markets can, however, result in the value of
	investments going down as well as up.	investments going down as well as up.	investments going down as well as up.
Reserves Policy:	The accumulated reserves are represented by the
	General Fund and are free reserves which have been			General Fund and are free reserves which have been
	built up over time to cover future expenditure on	built up over time to cover future expenditure on
	projects and meet ongoing running costs. It is	projects and meet ongoing running costs. It is
	considered that the minimum reserve to be held at any			considered that the minimum reserve to be held at any
	one time should equate to twenty-four months running
	costs for the District’s properties excluding associated	costs for the District’s properties excluding associated
	income, which is approximately £30,000.
Responsibilities of the Trustees:	Charity law requires Trustees to prepare accounts for		Charity law requires Trustees to prepare accounts for
	each financial year which give a true and fair view of		each financial year which give a true and fair view of
	the state of affairs of the charity and its incoming		the state of affairs of the charity and its incoming
	resources and application of resources, including the
	net income or expenditure for the year.
	In preparing those accounts, the Trustees are required	In preparing those accounts, the Trustees are required
	to:
	1. select suitable accounting policies and apply them
	consistently;
	2. make judgements and estimates that are reasonable
	and prudent;
	3. state whether applicable accounting standards and
	statements of recommended practice have been
	followed, subject to any material departure disclosed
	and explained in the accounts;
	4. and prepare the accounts on the going concern
	basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the	basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the
	charity will continue in business.
	The Trustees are responsible for having proper
	accounting records kept, which disclose with
	reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position
	of the charity. They are also responsible for
	safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence taking
	reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of
	fraud and other irregularities.

Declaration:

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above. Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature: Full name: Ian Bowdler

Position: Chair, Board of trustees, Sutton District Scout Council: Date: 22 May 2024

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SUTTON DISTRICT SCOUT COUNCIL

Statement of financial activities summary For the year ended 31 December 2023

General Fund Notes Total incoming resources 2 Total resources expended 3 Net incoming (outgoing) resources Unrealised gain on investment assets 5 Loss on investment redemption Surplus (Deficit) for year Fund balance brought forward General and restricted funds balance carried forward	2023 £ 76,066 77,684 (1,618) 5,133 0 3,515 206,542 210,057	2022 £ 67,601 78,830
		(11,229) (7,350) 0
		(18,579) 225,121
		206,542

The accompanying notes on pages 8-12 are an integral part of the financial statements.

Balance sheet As at 31 December 2023

Notes Fixed assets Leasehold land and buildings 4 Investments 5 Current assets Stocks 6 Loan debtor – groups Sundry debtors and prepayments Cash at bank - District Council Accounts - District Section Accounts Current Liabilities Sundry creditors and accruals Net current assets Net assets Represented by Restricted Fund General Fund Total Funds	2023 £ 52,401 60,992 113,393 6,893 0 55,524 39,570 45,990 147,977 (51,313) 96,664 210,057 11,248 198,809 210,057	2022 £
		55,021
		55,859
		110,880
		7,121 0 5,668 59,242 39,608
		111,639 (15,977)
		95,662

		206,542
		22,494 184,048
		206,542

The financial statements on pages 6 & 7 were approved by the trustees on 22 May 2024 and signed on its behalf by:

Ian Bowdler, Chair, Board of trustees Janet Cantrill, Treasurer.

Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 31 December 2023

1. Principal accounting policies

Accounting basis and standards

The financial statements are prepared under the historical cost convention as modified by the inclusion of investments at market value, and in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP 1995), with the Financial Reporting Standard for Smaller Entities and with the Charities Act 1993.

The accounts have been drawn up on an accruals basis, which is consistent with prior years.

Leasehold land and buildings

The leasehold land was acquired at no cost. The buildings are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is calculated on a straight line basis in order to write the asset off over a period of fifty years.

Investments

Investments are stated at market value, as required by the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP 1995).

Stocks

Stocks are recorded at the lower of cost or net realisable value.

Income

Income is included in the accounts when due and quantifiable.

Notes to the financial statements (continued) For the year ended 31 December 2023

2. Incoming resources

Membership subscriptions Investment income - Dividends and interest Section Activities - Beaver Scouts - Cub Scouts - Scouts - Explorer Scouts - Network -Sundry -Badges / scarves -Caving & Sailing Headquarters letting income Grants Total incoming resources	2023 £ 4,460 1,674 6,134 274 2,880 1,305 42,547 0 108 4,121 11,101 62,336 7,596 0 76,066	2022 £ 0 1,668
		1,668 949 108 15,213 32,685 83 87 3,738 0
		52,863 5,069 8,001
		67,601