Trustee and Operational Committee Meeting Minutes
Date: Wednesday January 7th Time: 7.30pm
The following persons were in attendance for the Trustee meeting: Emily Keen - Chair Matt Egan - Treasurer Claire Allman - Trustee Mike Allman - Trustee Emma Egan - Trustee
Trustee Board Meeting Agenda
● Financial Overview of 1st Ramsbury Scouts
Matt Egan presented a summary of the financial position of Scouts post year end:
- Net surplus of £15,459.96 comprising income of £35,778.95 and expenses of
£20,318.99. £11k favorable to budget due to higher-than-expected donations, fundraising and event recoveries and lower discretionary costs (e.g. equipment, badges)
- Significant items:
o Donations of £6,900 including £6,000 from Festivals
o Net Fundraising of £6,739.11 comprising Ramsbury Run (2025 event income of £3,508.34 arising in 2024/25), Quiz Night £2,169.84
o Membership fees of £8,857
- Expenditure lower than 2024 due to absence of Kandersteg and
Hut Renovations
- Account balances totaling £39,656.22 at year end
Matt requested approval from the committee to present the accounts to the scrutineer. The committee approved the request.
● Annual budget and year ahead
Matt presented the budget for the year ahead for discussion. The committee approved the following amendments to the budget.
Membership fees will remain the same given Scouts ended the year in surplus. Parents will be informed of the reason but that fees are subject to review every year and may change.
A separate provision of £1500 will be allocated to leader training. It is essential we continually train our leaders in mandatory elements such as first aid but also to support them in expanding their skillset to be able to bring more activities inhouse.
The Committee agreed to double the event allocation for each section to support offsetting event costs for parents, especially within Scouts who do more externally organised events.
The result of these changes is that we will end the year in a small deficit pre fundraising but with fundraising we are expected to end the year with a surplus of £3800.
Action: Mike to inform leaders of their budgets at the forthcoming leaders meeting. In preparation for this the following summary has been prepared:
| Guidance for leaders on annual allocation |
Meetings | Events | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beavers | 600 | 600 | 1200 |
| Cubs | 400 | 800 | 1200 |
| Scouts | 600 | 2000 | 2600 |
● Review of annual timetable
Emma reviewed and updated the annual timetable for the hut with the Trustees. Emily raised a few questions following her Trustee training:
How often is a Fire Drill undertaken? After discussion it was decided that insufficient firedrills are performed and therefore leaders will be requested to perform one at the start of every intake
Have we thought about personal evacuation plans for those with additional needs or who are injured.
Have we considered preparing a volunteer pack to be given to parents at the start of a meeting to outline their roles and responsibilities as volunteers.
Actions: Mike to inform leaders to undertake a fire drill after every intake. Mike to discuss personal evacuation plans with leaders and whether there are any current children with additional needs who may need one. This should be documented where necessary.
Emma to draft an A5 Volunteer document with key responsibilities and some do’s and don’ts to be handed to parents when they help out with sessions.
The Trustee meeting concluded.
Ramsbury Scouts Operational Board Meeting Minutes
Vicky Gray and Millie Walsh joined the committee for the Operational Committee Meeting
● Leaders expense payments
The recent issues with repayment of leaders' expense payments without receipts was discussed. The committee agreed that all leaders will be informed that expense payments will no longer be made without a valid receipt. Claire has drafted an expense claim form to be used by leaders.
For events leaders should forward any invoices received to Matt and/or Claire for payment rather than pay them, themselves.
Action: Mike to inform leaders of the expense policy going forward at the leaders meeting.
-
Use of OSM to manage events and event payments
-
Matt outlined the benefits of using OSM to manage events and event payments to help account for monies received correctly. Leaders are to be informed that all events should be set up and run through OSM going forward.
Action: Claire to see what training is available for event use on OSM and disseminate to leaders at the leaders meeting.
● New leaders update
Claire informed the Committee that Will Dennis will be joining Cubs as a new leader following Neil stepping down.
Discussions were held in relation to other people who had shown interest.
Action: Emma will email all those parents whose children are unable to join in February despite being eligible due to lack of space to see if anyone wishes to become a leader. Emma will also email Johann Helmer and Kate Lowe who have previously spoken to her about potentially becoming a leader.
● Lead volunteer update
Mike informed the committee that the heater circuits have now been updated and Mark would be fitting the final switches week commencing 12th January. This followed the results of the EICR test which highlighted that the heaters should not be switched on and off via the circuit breaker.
Mike will be attending the county/district GLV meeting and will follow up on a number of computer issues with committee and leader status’.
● Census update
Scout census is due by the end of January and will be performed by Claire and Millie. There are some issues with the backend of the system being used to perform the census which should hopefully be rectified imminently so it can be completed ontime.
● 2026 Fundraising events
The Run sub committee is meeting in January to progress the run event scheduled for May 10th. Both routes have been approved by the council. Matt has activated the web page showing run information and sponsors. Run publicity will go out as soon as possible.
The Quiz night date has been locked in and the Comptons have agreed to run the quiz again this year.
Safari supper on 28th February. Claire will put it out parents to see if they can do it.
AGM - Wednesday 1st July - date to be checked with cricket and tennis clubs.
Scouts will do the bacon butties for boundary walk - Sunday 3rd May
The committee meeting concluded.
| 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| Income | ||
| Bank Interest | 328.56 | 353.88 |
| Charity Shop | 1,825.00 | 1,300.00 |
| Donation | 6,900.00 | 1,487.00 |
| Events - Beavers | 670.90 | 560.00 |
| Events - Cubs | 170.00 | 0.00 |
| Events - Scouts | 4,085.00 | 12,262.62 |
| Fundraising | 9,523.81 | 7,914.34 |
| Gift Aid | 1,915.68 | 2,400.63 |
| Group cost offset | 351.00 | 752.50 |
| Membership Fees | 8,857.50 | 8,400.00 |
| Non-event parent contribution | 224.00 | 77.00 |
| Rent | 927.50 | 112.50 |
| Expense | ||
| Activity Equipment | 544.44 | 1,321.47 |
| Admin | 287.89 | 559.94 |
| Badges | 206.79 | 602.76 |
| Bank Fees | 60.00 | 60.00 |
| Events - Beavers | 1,016.68 | 740.30 |
| Events - Cubs | 147.46 | 55.55 |
| Events - Scouts | 4,184.00 | 14,555.85 |
| Fundraising Costs | 2,784.70 | 2,214.27 |
| Group Costs | 829.42 | 2,535.62 |
| Insurance | 1,637.85 | 1,430.40 |
| Meetings - Beavers | 248.61 | 686.10 |
| Meetings - Cubs | 64.03 | 63.15 |
| Meetings - Scouts | 906.54 | 289.02 |
| Membership Costs | 3,350.00 | 3,400.50 |
| Utilities | 919.86 | 1,035.19 |
| Venue Maintenance | 3,130.72 | 16,982.90 |
| Account balances | ||
| CAF Cash Account 00023778 | 23,120.40 | 9,877.76 |
| CAF Deposit Account 00090613 | 16,258.02 | 14,040.70 |
| Cash float | 277.80 | 277.80 |
| Summary | ||
| Account balance brought forward | 24,196.26 | 35,108.81 |
| Total income | 35,778.95 | 35,620.47 |
| Total expenditure | 20,318.99 | 46,533.02 |
| Net income | 15,459.96 | -10,912.55 |
| Account balance carried forward | 39,656.22 | 24,196.26 |
Independent examinerf8 roport to the Irustees of 1•t Ramsbury Scout Group. I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the 1 st Ramsbury Scout Group for the year ended 31 December 2025. Responsibilits•s and basis of roport As the charty trustees of the 1st Ramsbury Scout Group you are responsible for the preparation of the atxounts in accordan w¢th requirements of the Charities Act 2011 {'the Act,). I report in respect of my examination of the 1st Ramsbury Scout Group accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5){b) of the Act. Independent examlnerfs stat•m•nt I have completed my examination. I confirm that no rnaterial matters tlave come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect: 1. accounting records re not kept in respect of the 1st Ramsbury Scout Group as required by section 130 of the Act; or 2. the accounts do not accord with those records. I have no concems 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 actounts to b8 r8ach8d. Name.. Relevant professional qualffication or membership of professional bodies (rf any).. l (hEO Add$. CHÉYn rttr 6- cAh7d Jzcwuttr Date: cty Dn) A-A,