Annual Report of the
Trustee of the WG Little Scholarship
and Band Concert Fund 2024/2025
Welcome!
This report details what has happened with the WG Little Trust Fund (“the Trust”) over the last financial year. It also contains the information that the Trustee needs to include to follow Charity Commission requirements, plus the financial statements that show the areas of income & expenditure and the Trust balance sheet.
Trust Details
The below information contains the ‘administrative’ information surrounding the Trust:
Registered Name: WG Little Scholarship and Band Concert Fund Other Names Known by: None Charity Number: 309497 Principle Address of the Charity: Swindon Borough Council Civic Offices Euclid Street Swindon SN1 2JH
| Principle Address of the Charity: | Swindon Borough Council Civic Offices Euclid Street Swindon SN1 2JH |
|---|---|
| CharityTrustee: | Swindon Borough Council |
| Charity Directors: (being Executive Members of Swindon Borough Council) | |
| Cllr Kevin Small | Cabinet Member for Finance |
| Cllr Adorabelle Shaikh | Cabinet Member for Education Services |
| Lisa Hall | Chief Legal Officer |
Structure, Governance & Management
The Council of the Borough of Swindon was the original Trustee of the Fund when it was bequest in 1965. Though reorganisation of Local Government has been witnessed in the years since then, the Trust still remains with the Swindon Borough Council.
As a Corporate Trustee, responsibility of the Trust lies with senior executive members of the Council. Grant disbursements are dealt with within the Finance function after referral to Senior Offices and Members.
Staffs involved with the Trust, either by way of administering awards or through the compilation of the financial statements and this report, follow the policies of the Borough Council. All decisions on the use of the Trust funds lies with the Members and Senior Officers.
The following chart shows where Finance, that administers the Trust, is within the Council:
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Finance & Audit
Other Directorates Finance
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Objectives & Activities
The original governing document of the Trust dates back to 1932 and dictated that the income of the Trust should be used for the provision of scholarships and band concerts in the pleasure grounds of the borough.
Over time the needs and abilities that the original bequest was based upon have changed. The use of the Fund is undergoing review and has recently been used more for one-off awards.
Grant Awarding Policy
• Due to the review of the Fund, all requests for one-off funding is considered through discussion with Officers and Members, whilst prior award criteria for uniform grants is no longer active.
Grants Awarded
The following table summarises the number and value of grants made during the year stated:
| year stated: | year stated: | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | 2024-25 | ||
| Grants | Value £ | Grants | Value £ |
| Nil | n/a | Nil | n/a |
| Financial Summary |
The following statements represent the income and expenditure incurred by the Trust for the stated years, and the assets, liabilities and equity that belong to the Trust.
The Statement of Financial Activities
All income and expenditure in the years shown below took place within unrestricted funds, for which the income is designated for the provision of assisting towards school clothing, but which will also cover any governance costs.
| 2023-24 | 2024-25 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Funds | Total Funds | Note | |
| £ | £ | ||
| Incoming Resources: | |||
| Income & Investments | (27,166) | (28,467) | 1 |
| Resources Expended: | |||
| Grants | 0 | 0 | |
| Other Expenditure | 0 | 0 | |
| Other(Gains) / Losses | |||
| (Gains)/Losses on investment assets | 0 | 0 | |
| Reconciliation of Funds: | |||
| Brought Forward | (496,385) | (523,551) | |
| Balance for Year | (27,166) | (28,467) | |
| Carried Forward | (523,551) | (552,017) |
Notes to the Statement of Financial Activities
Note 1: Income & Investments
Income and investments represent the income to the Trust through its main income source - interest from investments. Other income represents external funds donated.
| donated. | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | 2024-25 | |
| £ | £ | |
| Investment Interest | (25,098) | (25,955) |
| Other Income | (2,068) | (2,512) |
| Total Income | (27,166) | (4,981) |
The Balance Sheet
The balance sheet of the Trust shows the assets and liabilities, the things it owns and owes, at the balance sheet date.
| Fixed Assets: Investment Property Current Assets: Investments Cash in Bank Net Assets Funds of the Charity: Unrestricted Endowment Revaluation Reserve Net Equity |
As at 31/03/23 As at 31/03/24 Total Funds Total Funds Note £ £ 0 0 0 0 554,511 582,977 554,511 582,977 223,551 252,017 330,960 330,960 0 0 554,511 582,977 |
|---|---|
Accounting Policies
The financial statements in this report have been prepared on a going-concern basis; that is that the Trust will continue in operation for the foreseeable future. They have followed the principles of the Charities SORP 2015 (FRS 102).
Future Periods
The Trust has been operated in such a manner that from one year to the next its principal activity has historically not changed. However, the fund is under review which should see this and a number of smaller trust funds amalgamated.
The intention is to greater align the fund with the aims of the original bequest, which would expect to result in fewer, but higher value, awards being made.