2025-03-31-accounts

Wiltshire North District Scout Council

ANNUAL TRUSTEE REPORT AND ACCOUNTS

for the year ending

31[st] March 2025

Charity Number

305942

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Wiltshire North District Scout Council

Trustees’ Annual Report for the year to 31[st] March 2025

Section A Objectives and activities

Section A Objectives and	activities
Summary of the objects of the charity as set out in its governing document	The objectives of the District are its operation as a unit of the Scout Association. 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.
Summary of the main activities in relation to these objects	The District’s main function is to support the sections in achieving the aims of the Scout Association. As a District the main activities during the last twelve months have been:  Support for Groups, Explorer Scout Units and Group Lead Volunteers  Support for adult training  District events which this year have included, hikes, camps and sleepovers. The Provision of Scouting within the District is totally dependent on the contribution made by unpaid volunteers.
Public Benefit	The Trustees have paid due regard to the Charity Commission guidance on Public Benefit on deciding what activities the charity should undertake. Membership subscriptions are charged to cover the immediate running costs of the District and these do not unduly restrict membership. The District follows the principle that no one should be excluded because of their inability to pay membership subscriptions. Two key principles which demonstrate that Scouting’s aims are for the public benefit are that through the scout method young people develop towards their full potential and there is a clear link between the benefits for young people and the purpose of scouting. The safety of young people is taken very seriously and the benefits scouting activities provide far outweigh the risks. Any private benefits from scouting are incidental, other than to those as beneficiary.

Section B Achievements and performance

	Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year	This year the District saw a small decline in youth members aged 4 to 14 years, to 783 (down from 798 in 2024), whereas growth still seen in Explorer/Network numbers to 131 (121 in 2024). The decline in 4-14 year olds is within normal variations as young people age up to the next section. Volunteers were 267, a small decline from last year. The District has opened 1 scout troop, 1 cub packs and 1 squirrel drey, which have provided capacity for growth.

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Section C Financial review

Policy on Reserves	The District’s primary source of funds is from membership contributions; its primary outgoings relate to membership subscriptions payable to the Scout Association, and administrative running costs for the District. The District policy on reserves is to hold sufficient resources to continue the charitable activities of the District should income and fundraising activities fall short. The Board of Trustees considers that the District should hold a sum equivalent to 6 months running costs. This is equivalent to £3,000. The District held free reserves of £10,819 against this at year-end. The District also holds two designated funds;  The Jamboree Fund, up to £3,000, to provide help with the cost of attending Jamborees, currently at £2,410  A Restricted Fund totalling £2,201 which is a ring-fenced amount to be used for development within the District.
Further financial review details	The District does not have sufficient funds to invest in longer term investments. The District has therefore adopted a risk averse strategy to the investment of its funds. All funds are held in cash using only mainstream banks or building societies.

Section D Structure, governance and management

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Type of governing document The District governing documents are those of The Scout Association. They
consist of a Royal Charter, which in turn gives authority to the By Laws of
the Association and The Policy Organisation and Rules of The Scout
Association. The District is further governed by the District Constitution.
How the charity is constituted The District is a trust established under its 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.
Additional governance issues The District is managed by the Board of Trustees, the members of which are
the “Charity Trustees” of the Scout District that 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 applicable.
The committee consists of several Independent members who meet at least
four times a year.
Ex–officio Members:
 Chair
 District Lead Volunteer
 Treasurer
 District Scout Youth Lead Volunteer
 District 14-24 Lead Volunteer
Elected Members:
Persons elected at the District Annual General Meeting.
 These should normally be two to six in number.
The actual number must be the subject of a resolution by the District Scout
Council.
Nominated Members:
 Persons nominated by the Chair and District Commissioner
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• The nominations must be approved at the District Annual General Meeting.

• Co-opted Members:

• Persons co-opted annually by the Board of Trustees.

This Board of Trustees exists to support the Group Leaders, Explorer and Network Units in meeting the responsibilities of their appointments and is responsible for:

• Ensuring that there are sufficient resources (and reserves) to deliver high quality Scouting;

• Promoting a positive image of Scouting in the community, as well as its development;

• Ensuring that District property is appropriately managed;

• Maintaining appropriate insurance of persons, property and equipment;

• Assisting in the recruitment of leaders and other adult support;

• Appointing any sub committees that may be required;

• Appointing District Administrators and Advisors other than those who are elected; Ensuring compliance with applicable governance and charity regulations, including in respect of reporting and risk management.

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

The District maintains and regularly reviews a Risk Register of its keys risks and controls.

Section E Reference and administration details

Section E Reference and	administration details
Charity Name	Wiltshire North District Scout Council
Charity Number	305942
Charity’s principal address	Unit 177, 8 The Bridge, Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN15 1FY

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

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Trustee Name Office Dates if not for whole year
Ex Officio
1 J Purkis Chair Resigned 1 [st] February 2025
2 G Livingston District Lead Volunteer Resigned 31 [st] Jan 2025
3 E Brandley District Lead Volunteer Appointed 31 [st] Jan 2025
4 E Bennett Treasurer Appointed 1 [st] Feb 2025. Role
vacant prior to this date
Nominated
5 J Coombs 14-24 Team Lead Nominated for 3 years in July
2024
6 C Butson Group Lead Volunteer Representative Nominated for 3 years in July
2024
7 T Roberts Resigned 31 [st] Dec 2024
8 M Dando Nominated for 3 years in July
2024
Co-opted
9 G Livingston co-opted 20 [th] Mar 2025
10 A Stovell co-opted 20 [th] Mar 2025
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Name and address of advisor

Independent Examiner	Christopher David Watchman Watchman Accountants Ltd	48 The Causeway, Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN15 3DD

Section G Declaration

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

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature
Full name	E Brandley
Position held	District Lead Volunteer
Date	13 July 2025

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Examiners Report CHARITY COMMISSION Indepondant examinerfs report on the FOR EI￿lAND AM) W￿5 accounts beclion A Independent Exanlfrnor's Rèport Report to the tn&¥t On aecounts for ltte y•ar •nd•d 3119317OZJ I Charlty no Set ¥)Ut on pag•s I report to the Irusto4s on my ex3minalion of Ihe accounts of th& abo¥ charlLy i-jig T'ii%l") for lh￿ y8ar ana•a s I l oi I zgis. As eArity'8 trustees. you a'è responssble for thg prapar8tiDn of the ac¢oun:s in acc%xd?nce 4lth 14uirfmpnt4 nf the Char"f(ies kl 2Q11 (Ihe Act'l R•sponsÉbilities and basts of report I report in ¥ospccl cl my e¥JnThnaboft of TTU5t'3 out undcr soction 145 ul l'ie 2C11 and In caryirig Out my •yam'r•tion. I havc follovAd All thg. Applicaje fArDcuons gi%￿, by tli¥ Clwrily ComTiss u.ldér sKlion 145,ISXbl of Acl. Independent •uminoVs Statement I ha'￿ comp1p￿ my eXar1nats￿. I corthnr that no matorial maLl¥rs h¥v come to my >t'.cntion in rXjnr,pr.tK￿ wffh the examination (other than thai dixlvsed beltr￿ -) whh glvo% ma cA1188 to believc thai th. any m￿er￿1 resFect.' tha Arthiinling "ecords were not keFI in ac0)￿￿nc6 with 130 uf Cttanues Act.. of the arx4wnts did not accts.d wltti lh8 records.. or the amnts compli wlik, applirhSe. ￿QUirM￿n Iic&ming the fo￿ and ccnront ol aceoLJrtq ei OLrt in tfr￿ Charti ¢Ar￿A)UnIS and Ryjrtsi q(XJkAaiov.8 2008 crttter than an5r roquiroment the ac£obnts a Irué fxir. wich Is not a m8llèr ll3iLeTd &5 p&n. of an Ind•penrtent ex3mIr￿tloTr. I ha¥p nc UJI￿an$ hava CDmg. a(yD¥s no other mattws Ir ¢oni)ectio wrth the examinautjn to Att*￿tIon 3houlJ bg drawn in Ihts report in vttjer b) enabie 8 bndeThlanrling crfthe a[￿Oul1￿ lu Lw i¥¥L'lwt, . Pleatstr 110￿19 the in the brach61s M Clnw ￿. nnl 4)pty Slgn•d: 10 Nam•: UR Fop A<ro wwt c tf R•levanl prolèsslonal qualwfi¢Ntionl9) or body IER Oct 2018

(rfany): WAT Addr•ss: -'hlPP-Ihty.T. h- l.FEi. Section B Dlsclostsrc Only C(ffiip￿￿ Il itriETr Laxarninw io hyhlignr rr8tenai mattws oi concern (sa& CC32. Iiid¥yfrMiilviil v.xxiiiiiwts' JTI of L¥drily accDunts'. atr£ctioThs and guklAn(x) fty pxAminpfg) Clv• h•r• brl•f d￿al￿ of any Items that lh• •xamlMr wlshos to dlgclos•. IER Oct 2018

Wiltshire North District and Minibus Receipts and Payments Account

		Year start date	Year start date	Year end date
	For the year from	4/1/2024	To	3/31/2025
Receipts and payments
Receipts	Unrestricted funds £	Restricted funds Endowment funds £ £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 91,009 - - - - - 91,009 - - - - - - - 91,009 - 2024/25		Total funds £	2023/24 Total funds £
Donations, legacies and similar income	47,637 - 45,200 2,437 - 31,582 - 43 34,062		- - - - - - - - -
Membership subscriptions		-		47,637	39,501
Less: Membership subscriptions paid on (National/County/Area/District)		-		- 45,200	- 38,888
Net membership subscriptions retained		-		2,437	613
Donations and fundraising		-		-	699
Gift Aid reclaimed		-		-	2,201
District Events		-		31,582	21,585
Loans Repaid		-		-	-
Other similar income		- -		43 34,062	3,970
Sub total					29,068
District Minibus	- 720 - 720		- - - - -
To cover starting costs and 1st year of use		-		-	-
Hire income		-		720	1,710
Cash/cheques held		-		-	-
Other similar income		- -		- 720	-
Sub total					1,710
Badge Shop	- - -		- - - -
Badges sold		-		-	17
Cash/cheques held		-		-	-
Surplus		- -		- -	-
Sub total					17
Explorer Units	15,999 2,379 8,723 2,452 13,854 4,918 1,379 49,705		- - - - - - - -
Aye Foure (Chippenham)		-		15,999	17,547
Creoda (Crudwell)		-		2,379	3,545
Endeavour (Chippenham)		-		8,723	7,524
Jaggards (Box)		-		2,452	2,818
Sea Squad (Corsham)		91,009		104,862	29,380
Twynnoy (Malmesbury)		-		4,918	5,460
River Rats (Colerne)		- 91,009		1,379 140,714
Sub total					66,274
Investment income	- - -		- - -
Bank interest		-		-	-
Secure Trust Deposit Account		- -		- -	-
Sub total					-
Total Gross Income Asset and investment sales, etc. Total receipts
	84,487	91,009	-	175,496	97,069
	-	-	-	-	-
	84,487	91,009	-	175,496	97,069

1 LT700003

Wiltshire North District and Minibus Receipts and Payments Account

		Year start date	Year start date	Year end date
	For the year from	4/1/2024	To	3/31/2025
Receipts and payments
Payments	Unrestricted funds £	Restricted funds Endowment funds £ £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 9,316 - - - - - 9,316 - 9,316 - 2024/25		Total funds £	2023/24 Total funds £
Charitable Payments	608 - - 30,569 289 2,216 33,681	- - - - -	- - - - - - - -
Adult support and training				608	632
Donations and funding issued				-	649
Loans issued				-	-
District Events				30,569	18,898
AGM and trustee expenses				289	767
Gift Aid paid on				-	2,201
Other costs				2,216 33,681	3,968
Sub total					27,116
District Minibus	- - 330 1,019 - 1,349	- - - - - - -	- - - - - - -
Starting/running costs				-	-
Tax				-	-
MOT				330	328
Insurance				1,019	958
Other maintenance costs				-	306
Other costs				- 1,349	-
Sub total					1,593
Badge Shop	- - - - - -	- - - - - -	- - - - - -
Badge stock bought				-	108
Stock written off				-	-
Debtors				-	-
Excess funds transferred				-	-
Loss				- -	-
Sub total					108
Explorer Units	17,510 1,975 9,870 3,651 16,328 5,292 1,456 56,081	- - - - 9,316 - - 9,316	- - - - - - - -
Aye Foure (Chippenham)				17,510	16,989
Creoda (Crudwell)				1,975	3,548
Endeavour (Chippenham)				9,870	7,436
Jaggards (Box)				3,651	2,466
Sea Squad (Corsham)				25,644	15,857
Twynnoy (Malmesbury)				5,292	5,811
River Rats (Colerne)				1,456 65,397	-
Sub total					52,105
Total Gross Expenditure Asset and investment purchases, etc. Total payments Net of receipts/(payments) Transfers between funds Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end
	91,111	9,316	-	100,427	80,923
	-	-	-	-	-
	91,111	9,316	-	100,427	80,923
	- 6,624	81,693	-	75,069	9,749
	- 1,339 44,914	1,339 11,619	- -	-
				56,533
	36,951	94,651	-	131,602	56,533

2 LT700003

Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the year

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||||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---| |31st March 2025|31st March 2024| |Unrestricted|Restricted|Endowment|Total funds|Total funds| |funds|funds|funds| |£|£|£|£|£| |Cash funds| |District bank current account|4,249|12,957|-|17,206|18,251| |Minibus bank current account|11,181|-|-|11,181|10,461| |Scout Shop bank current account|-|-|-|-|-| |Explorer Units bank current accounts|21,501|81,693|-|103,194|27,513| |Scout Shop STIS account|-|-|-|-|-| |Explorer Units cash/floats|20|-|-|20|308| |Total cash funds|36,951|94,650|-|131,601|56,533| |Other monetary assets| |District hall hire deposit held by 1st Chippenham| |Scout Group|-|-|-|50| |Insurance/Tax claim| |-|-|-|-|-| |Sub total|-|-|-|-|50| |Investment assets| |Investment property - detail|-|-|-|-|-| |Quoted investments|-|-|-|-|-| |Other investments - detail|-|-|-|-|-| |Sub total|-|-|-|-|-| |Non monetary assets for charity's| |Badge stock| |75|-|-|75|-| |Land and buildings|-|-|-|-|-| |Motor vehicles - District Minibus|8,394|-|-|8,394|8,394| |Scouting equipment, furniture etc|-|-|-|-|-| |Other|-|-|-|-|-| |Sub total|8,469|-|-|8,469|8,394| |Liabilities| |Accounts not yet paid|103|-|-|103|-| |Expenses incurred but not invoiced|-|-|-|-|-| |Subscriptions not yet paid|-|-|-|-|-| |Loan - detail|-|-|-|-|-| |Other liabilities|-|-|-|-|-| |Sub total|103|-|-|103|-|

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Contingent liabilities and future obligations

None None

The above receipts and payments account and statement of assets and liabilities were approved by the Trustees on xx June 202x (the date of the Executive Committee meeting that approved the accounts) and signed on their behalf by

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||| |---|---| |Signature|Print Name| |Ed Brandley (acting) Chair| |LIZ BENNETT Treasurer|

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CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trustees WILTSHIKE ryoRTI4 ofsTftfffj £CQvr Cpu On accounts for the year ended 31103lzozJ Charity no (if any) 2os qLÉz Set out on pages 1￿member to include the oAoo niimbp.rs nf a6ditinng1 I I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity ("the Trust'} for the year ended 311 o i 1792S. Responsibilities and basls of report As the charitys trustees. you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ("the Act"). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under seclion 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 examinerfs statement I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that disclosed below.) which gives me cause to believe that in. any material respect: the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act., or the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the fomi and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement Ihat the accounts give a 'true and fair. view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. 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 accounts to be reached. Please delete the words in the brackets rf they do not apply. Signed.. Date: 10 61is Name: ÈIRIS FVP (JArfio WhT C(IMA4/ Relevant professional qualification(s) or body IER Oct 2018

(if any): Address: 48 The Causeway. Chippenham Company No.. 13800518 Tel.. [phone] Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charty accounts: directions and guidan￿ for examiners). Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose. IER Oct 2018