## **TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] MARCH 2021 MAJOR ACTIVITIES AND ACHIEVEMENTS FOR THE YEAR** The 8[th] Wyre Forest Scout Council is the governing body of the 8[th] Wyre Forest (St John’s) Scout Group providing leadership, advice and support for the Beaver Scouts, Cub Scouts, Scouts, their leaders and young leaders who meet at the Group HQ in Habberley Playing Fields, Habberely Road, Kidderminster. It is the electoral body which supports Scouting in our locality and it elects and appoints members of the Group Executive Committee which manages the Scout Group The aim and method of the Scout Association and the object and description of the Charitable Trusts are well known and are set out in the Policy, Organisation and Rules (POR) of the Scout Association. During the last year the Group has been unable to provide young people and adult leaders with the opportunity to camp due to COVID 19 restrictions. But plans are in place to resume a limited camping programme in the summer of 2021. International camps planed in Rotterdam are however on hold. Fundraising activities such as the biweekly quiz, Scout Post and Bag packing were also curtailed 2020 / 2021 due to the pandemic. The Group took some major funding changes in the past year, increasing monthly fees from £9 to £12 to ensure the Group could continue without making a loss and less reliance on traditional, but at risk, fundraising. Work is ongoing on a fiscal plan for the next two years. During the past year the Committee took advantage of several COVID 19 schemes to bring in much needed finance. WF8 Scout Group owns and manages its own HQ which was valued at £159,980 in 2015. The surrounding land is on a nominal lease from Wyre Forest District Council. The use is restricted to use as a Scout HQ at present so the Executive committee considers that no useful purpose would be served by revaluation. The buildings, contents and equipment are all insured for replacement value. Towards the end of 2021 a full evaluation and inventory of equipment will be carried out as this has not been done for some time. It will be a good time to do this as we plan to demolish the existing outside store replacing it with a new, larger unit at a cost of approx. £12k including new concrete footings. The Group Council pays substantial running costs for the Group which includes administration and some training costs. During the past year, due to a reduction in volunteers, professional cleaning and compound maintenance have again been engaged and we see that as progressing in the short to medium term. Volunteers have been increasingly hard to bring into the Group although much work is being done to source this valuable commodity. A procurement exercise for utilities was carried out in 2020 resulting in changes of providers for the best value. Ongoing maintenance, repairs and renewals continued at pace despite the pandemic last year. A plan of action was prepared & agreed with the Group Executive and Leader team involvement towards the end of 2019 & spend of £20,000 on renovations and upgrades started with many projects complete. As a result, a good part the substantial funds held by the Group and Sections were used to fund this alongside grants from supporters. Further details of individual projects can be found on our website. This continues to be our major voice in the future. http://www.8thwyreforest.scoutsonline.co.uk/ The Group Executive has again relaxed its reserve from £5000 to £3000. This to enable the Group to still maintain its obligations. This is not a fixed amount and will be subject to fluctuations. During the regular committee meetings, the Executive seek to identify major risks that they believe the Group is exposed. We now have a Safety Officer engaged who reports regularly and recommendations remain an absolute priority. Due to its age, the Group building contains an Asbestos risk. An internal asbestos risk survey was carried out in 2019 by a reputable firm and is reviewed annually. A risk register is being prepared and will be complete in 2021. ACM was detected in some areas but with no risk if left undisturbed. The Group Chair and GSL have created clear lines of responsibility for Officers and Leaders. Their plan has been shared with the leader team. The Group is a Trust established under its rules which are common to all Scout Groups. The rules were last reviewed last in 2019 when the change to the Group name (from KD8 to WF8) was made. In the past year bi monthly full Executive meetings have been held since the last AGM. There are no formal sub committees although this may change in the coming year. The attached accounts have been drawn up on a receipts and payments basis which is consistent with the previous years and were approved, with reservations, by the Trustees at the Financial Review meeting in May 2021. The accounts submitted note the use of a new financial reporting product for the past year and appreciate the reporting is in transition as there was no fair way of reconciliation with the previous method of reporting. The Trustees have authorised that unaudited accounts be signed by the Group Chair, the Group Secretary, the Group Treasurer and GSL. The Group Treasurer has been asked to work with the Group auditor to bring the accounts to an approved position by 31[st] October at the latest. Approved by the Group Executive Committee and signed by the Chair on 20[th] May 2021 Mrs Louise Alltree, Chair WF8 Scout Group WF8 St John's Scout Group Scrutlneerfs Report for the TNstees I report on the account of the WF8 St John's Scout Group lor the year ended 31 March 2021 whlch Is attached. Respectlve Responslbllltles of Trustees and Scrutlneer As the 8roup's trustees you are responslble lor the preparatlon of the accounts: you conslder that nelther the audlt nof Independent examlnatlon requlrements of the Charltles Act 1993 apply. It Is my responslblllty wlthout carrylni out In audlt or Ind•pendent examlnatlon lo scrutlnlse the reports and report to you. ol Scnrtln••rfJ Stal•m•nt In •e¢ord•nce wlth tho dlfQrtlons In tho Group'i tonsiltutlon I suutlnlsed the Records •nd Accounts sel oyl on iho •ttach•d p•ieJ. In rny oplnlon th• •r• In Ktord•n¢• f*•lth th• r•￿dI produt•d io rn• •nd comply wlth lh• c0nstliuij¢￿. Nam•: Fr*nc•sc4 Watson FIW Servk•s Tel: 07917 694 166