## **Wiltshire North District Scout Council** # **ANNUAL TRUSTEE REPORT AND ACCOUNTS** **for the year ending** **31[st] March 2025** **Charity Number** **305942** 1 ## **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.| |---|---|---| 2 ## **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** **----- Start of picture text -----**
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
**----- End of picture text -----**
3 - 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** **----- Start of picture text -----**
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
**----- End of picture text -----**
4 ## **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**| 5 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 e*Arity'8 trustees. you a'è responssble for thg prapar8tiDn of the ac¢oun:s in acc%xd?nce 4*lth 14uirf*mpnt4 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￿ -) wh*h 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, applir*hSe. ￿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 ll3iL*eTd &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**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** **----- Start of picture text -----**
||||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---| |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|-| **----- End of picture text -----**
## **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** **----- Start of picture text -----**
||| |---|---| |Signature|Print Name| |Ed Brandley (acting) Chair| |LIZ BENNETT Treasurer| **----- End of picture text -----**
3 LT700003 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.. 01249 658059 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