FERMANAGH COMMUNrrY TRANSPORT REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 The trustees. who are also dlrectors of the charlty for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present thelr report wlth the flnandal statements of the charlty for the year ended 31 March 2024. The trustees have adopted the provlslons of Accounting and Reportlng by Charltles: Statement of Recommended Practice appllcable to charities preparlng their accounts in accordance wlth the Flnanclal Reporting Standard applicable In the UK and Republlc of Ireland (FRS 102) (effectlve l January 2019). OBJECTIVES AND AcnvmES Objectlves and alms The principal objectlves are to reduce soclal excluslon by providing an affordable, acce5s1ble and rellable transport servlce In rural areas of Fennanagh. Actlvltles and a¢hlev•m•nts Charltabl• Attlvlti•s Rural Dlal a Uft Door to S•Thl¢• Comparlng 2023124 agaSnst 2019120, performance of the Rural Dlal-a-Llft Sen4lce by number of trlps In 2024 {27,529) Is at 102% of the 2020 (27,037 trlps) performance. In 2022123, Fermanagh Communlty Transport {Fcf) achleved 26,777 Rural Dlal a Llft trlps. Thls represented an Increase of 752 or 2.8%. Thls Is undoubtedly a posltSve achlevement wlthln the contlnulng context of Increaslng Costs and ongolng fundlng uncertalnty. However, In counterbalance to thls, Fcf has wltnessed a slgnlficant Increase In the number of 'Refusals' In 2023124. Thls phenomenon demonstrates that Fcf has reached saturatlon polnt In terms of operatlonal capaclty afforded through the level of fundlng recelved through the Department of Infrastructure'5 Rural Transport Fund. Need and demand wlthln and across our rural communlty wlthln County Fermanagh are exceedlng our capaclty to meet It. Thls Is Incredlbly frustratln9 glven the Ilfe-llne nature of our servlce and Its crltlcallty to ensurlng access to baslc and essentlal servlces for those most removed from publlc transport and or wlthout access to a car and who are predomlnantly older people, people wlth dlsabllltles and women. Most of our members/ passengers are multlple Sdentlty In that they are often older, wlth a dlsablllty and female. The largest purpose by category Is day opportunltles whlch stands at 12,408 or 45% of totsl Rural Dlal a Llft Trlps. Thls represents a 1.2% rlse on the total for day opportunlty trlp number In 2022123. Thls Indlcates that an Increaslng number of d15abled and elderly rural Indlvlduals rely on our servlce to get them to thelr day opportunltles. Rural Dlal a Llft TrlPSX PuFpose 2023124 R•i¥+Jl 451
FERMANAGH COMMUNfTY TRANSPORT REPORT OF THE TRusfEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 ..contlnued In second place Is shopplngl personal buslnessl soclal vlslts whlch account for 30.3010, a rlse of 0.6% on 2022123 (8,033 trlps to 8,341 trlps). Educatlon came in at IO% compared to 9.6Wo In 2022123 (2,571 trlps to 2,722 trips). The training and employment category has fallen in absolute terms from 1,687 trips to 886 trlps, representlng a reductlon In relatlve terms from 6.3% to 3%. Thls Is Ilkely attrlbutable to our Increaslng Inability to offer the trlp needs of those who would wlsh to Use the servlce for tra5nlng and employment. FCT cannot provide the dally tlme span to accomrnodate this category to the extent which Is sought. Health related trips accounted for a comblned IO% of total DAL trlp numbers In 2023124, a rlse of 0.3% on 2022123 (2,597 trips to 2,797 trlps). Dl•ablllty Actlon Trnnsport Scheme Comparlng 2023124 against 2019120, the Dlsablllty Actlon Transport Scheme achleved 1,678 trlps compared to 1,900 In the financlal year 2019120. 11010 (222) fewer trlps were achleved In 2023124 compared to 2019120. In relatlon to 2022/23, 1,705 trlps were achleved. 2023124 has therefore achleved 27 fewer trlps. Thls Is a hlghly positive result glven the uncertalnty and relatlve reductlon In the fundlng made avallable for the Dlsablllty Actlon Transport Scheme. The relatlve breakdown of the Dlsablllty Actlon Transport Scheme trlps by purpose for the flnanclal year 2023124 1$ shown below. DlsabilltyA¢t5on Transport Scheme Trlps x Purpose 2023124 IhpppipwP•T¥PMI. Ih&th-Lo¢ai E&utail= J* 68% (1,141) of DATS trlps In 2023124 were for day opportunltles. This compares to a relatlve flgure of 63.6% In 2022123. The total trlps for day opportunltles In 2022123 was 1.084. Health related appolntments both to Hospltal and GP have rlsen by 0.6%, up from 314 to 317. Shopplng accounted for 9% (155 trips) In 2023124, compared to (9.7 % ) (166 trlps) In 202V23. Both the DAL and DATS flgures remaln strong wlthln the contlnulng context of relatlve fundlng uncertalnty and relatlve fundlng redurtlons, but the Increaslng level of 'Refusals' across both DAL and DATS clearly demonstrates that we have reached our maxlmum capaclty and are beglnnlnq to show slgns of reduction. We cannot do more wlth less and less year on year.
FERMANAGH COMMUNrrY TRANSPORT REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 ..continued Motablllty Out of Arn• Home to Hospltal, Health and Wellbelng Serv1¢• The Motabllity Out of Area Home to Hospltal, Health and Wellbelng Seniice which has been funded by the Motablllty Foundatlon for a 3-year perlod as part of the overall £3.4 mllllon collaboratlve Programme whlch Is being led by Easilink in Strabane, Omagh and Foyle, along with North Coast Communlty Transport and CDM Communlty Transport commenced properly although tentatively In September 2023. The ple chart below shows that Fcf has dellvered 162 trlps slnce September 2023 to the 31st March 2024. By far and away the largest category of trlp has been for attendan at hospltal appolntments outslde of the Fermanagh area. Over thls early perSod Sn the servlce roll-out, members have been taken to Altnagelvln Hospital, Mld-ulster Hospltal, Omagh Hospltal and Health Complex and the Clty Hospital In Belfast. Motabllltyscheme H•8lih. Oih•r 146. A•ereollon Volunteer Soclal Car S¢h•me Last year FCT had 8 volunteers under Its volunteer soclal car scheme. Thls has rlsen to 15 In 2023-24. Our Volunteer Soclal Car Scheme drlvers have been absolutely outstandlng In 2023124. In a year where we have been operatlng for much of the tlme below par In terms of pald drlvers due to fundlng uncertalnty and reductlons, the volunteers have stepped up and met the need and demand, especlally for the Increaslng hospital and health related trlps across both the DAL and DATS, and wlthln the new Motablllty Scheme Out of Area Service whlch started to corne onllne tentatlvely last September (2023). Group Hlre Wlth and Wlthout Fcf Drlver Group hlre on a self-drlve basls has begun to show some upllft In 2023/24. Thls appears to have been drlven by the increaslng cost pressures and constraints faced by many of our local communityi voluntary and sport groups for whom prlvate transport Is becomlng an Increasingly unviable optlon. Our servlce has enabled several groups to contlnue to offer their group members the opportunlty to travel to varlous sporting and communlty events within Fermanagh, across Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom. We had 2 accesslble mlnlbuses whlch spent 2 weeks in England in the Summer of 2023. Whilst we anticipate that this trend in group self-hire will contlnue, It w511 not add any signlflcant dege of earned Income to the organlsatlon's resources, especlally In any way toward making up for the reduction In fundlng from the Department for Infrastwcture. The fact remains and has been impressed on the Department for Infrastructu on numerous occasions and as reported wlthln the Trustee Report 2023, 'Fermanagh does
FERMANAGH COMMUNITY TRANSPORT REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 .contlnued not have the slze or denslty of populatlon of the other counties in Northern Ireland, nor does it have the economic value. Fermanagh records the lowest economlc value of the other countles in Northern Ireland. As such, the vehlcle h1 wlth driver market is simply not there. Of the groups in the past who did avall of thls servlce, many have gone out of operatlon due to an end of fundlng Streams and the rlslng costs of operation,, Membershlp Number• Membership of Fcf's Rural Dial a Lift Door to Door Serv1 stands presently at 941. A recent Ilst cleanslng exerclse brought the number of registered members down below 850 from over 1,000 members. It Is Important to note that we are not attlvely promotlng the Dlal a Llft Servlce due to the budget clrcumstances, yet we are seelng our membershlp upllft from the reduced membershlp followlng the Ilst cleanslng exerclse In early 2024. Thls trend wlll undoubtedly contlnue considerlng the agelng demographlc wlthln the County, the lack of avallable, sultable and accesslble publlc transport, the prohlbitive cost of taxis and the continuing c05t of Ilvlng pressures whlch contlnue to rlse albeit at a slower rate from 2022123. F contlnues to lialse and collaborate wlth Fermanagh and Omagh Distritt Council Communlty a'nd Voluntary Sector Forum, Communlty Planning Anti-Poverty Group, South West Agelng Partnership, Communlty Transport Assoclatlon UK, RCTPS Managers. Forum and DfI, Queens Unlverslty of Belfast, Dlsablllty A¢tlon, RNIB, the Eallng CT Soclal Value Calculator Revlsion and Update Group, the Large Communlty Transport Operators Group (UK), our Motablllty Programme Partners, as well as supportlng numerous other Inltlatlves locally, reglonally and UK wlde. Publ1¢ b•n¢flt The Trustees of Fermanagh Community Transport conflrm that they have complled wlth thelr duty under sectlon 4(6) of the Charltles Art (Northern Ireland) 2008 to have regard to the Charlty Commlsslon for Northern Ireland's guldance on public beneflt and that the publlc benefit requlrement has Informed the actlvltles of the charltable company In the year ended 31 March 2024. Flnanclal revlew Flnan¢lal posltlon Sources of fundlng for the Charlty have remained stable wlth the charlty generatlng a surplus durlng the year of £50,737 (2023: deflclt £100,724). The Charity uses Its reserves to cover any deficlts In Ilne with the Charlty's Reserves Pollcy. Reserves polley Fermanagh Community Transport's current pollcy Is to trade and dellver senilces, employ staff, rent premlses, purchase/hlre/lease vehicles and equlpment, purchase goods and servlces. The Fermanagh Communlty Transport Trustees must ensure that it has sufflclent resources. It Is consldered g¢xJd practice to seek to bulld financial reserve5 whlch will enable the organlsatlon to meet future commitments or unforeseen expenses without a negative impact on the ablllty to dellver servlces or develop our buslness In the manner planned. By holdlng reserves, the organisation will be able to. • absorb setbacks and take advantage of changes and opportunltles; demonstrate a plan for viability beyond the Immediate future and provlde rellable servlces over the longer demonstrate to funders that the organlsatlon has glven conslderatlon to long-term plans and vlablllty.
FERMANAGH COMMUNrrY TRANSPORT REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 ..contlnued Prlnclpal rlsks and uncertalntles The Trustees have conducted a review of the key rlsks facing the charity and have establlshed procedures to manage those rlsks. Slgnificant external rlsks In relation to fundlng have led to the development of a strateglc plan which allows for the dlversmcatlon of funding and activltles. Internal risks are minimlsed by the Implementation of procedures for authorisation of all transactions and to ensure consistent quality of dellvery for all operational aspects of the charlty. These procedures are perlodlcally vIewed to ensure that they stiii meet the needs of the charlty. Golng Concern The financlal statements are prepared on a golng concern basls, whlch assumes the charlty wlll be In operatlonal exlstence for a period of at least 12 months from the date the accounts have been slgned. STRATEGIC REPORT STRucfuRE. GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT Gov•rnln9 document The charlty Is controlled by Its governlng document, a deed of trust, and constitutes a Ilmlted company• limited by guarantee, as deflned by the Companles Att 2006. Oryanlsatlonal structure Fermanagh Communlty Transport Is a company Ilmlted by guarantee, not havlng a share capltal. It Is reglstered as a charfty wlth the Charlty Commlsslon NI. The charltable company was established under a Memorandum of Assoclatlon whlch establlshed the objects and powers of the charltable company and Is governed under Its Artlcles of Assoclatlon. Anyone wlthin the area of beneflt who subscrlbes to the objects of the Company can become a member of the Company. Sultable new Trustees are recrulted from among the members by the current trustees and presented to the AGM to be appointed as per the Governlng Document.
FERMANAGH COMMUNrrY TRANSPORT REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 .contlnued REFERENCE AND ADMINisfRATIVE DETAILS Registered Company number N1610269 (Northem Ireland) R•gl8t•red Charlty number 101626 Regl•tered offlc• 42 Ennlskillen Buslness Centre Lackaghboy Industrlal Estate Enniskillen BT74 4RL Tru•t•es and dlrectors Barry Boyle Elleen Drumm Allison Forbes Catherlne Magowan Barry Mcmanus - appolnted 27 June 2023 David Monaghan Company Secr•tary Davld Monaghan REFERENCE AND ADMINisfRATIVE DETAILS Audltor• CavanaghKelly Chartered Accountants and Statutory Audltors 36-38 Northland Row Dungannon Co. Tyrone 8T71 6AP
FERMANAGH COMMUNrrY TRANSPORT REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 ..contlnued srATEMENT OF TRusfEES' RESPONSIBILrriES The trustees (who are also the directors of Fermanagh Communlty Transport for the purposes of company law) are responslble for preparlng the Report of the Trustees and the flnanclal statements In accordance wlth appllcable law and Unlted Klngdom Accounting Standards (Unlted Kingdom Generally Accepted Accountlng Practlce). Company law requlres the trustees to prepare flnancial statements for each financlal year which glve a true and falr vlew of the state of affalrs of the charltable company and of the incoming resources and applicatlon of resources, Includlng the Income and expendlture, of the charitable company for that perlod. In preparing those financlal statements, the trustees are requlred to: select suitable accountlng policles and then apply them conslstently; observe the methods and prlnclples In the Charlty SORP; make Judgements and estlmates that are reasonable and prudent; prepare the financial statements on the golng concem bas15 unless It Is Inapproprlate to presume that the charltable company wlll contlnue In buslness. The trustees are responslble for keeplng proper accountlng cordS whlch dlsclose wlth reasonable accuracy at any tlme the flnanclal position of the charltable company and to enable them to ensure that the financlal statements comply wlth the Companles Att 2006. They are also responslble for safeguardlng the assets of the charltable company and hen for taklng reasonable steps for the preventlon and detectlon of fraud and other Irregularlties. In so far as the trustees are aware: there Is no relevant audlt Informatlon of whlch the charltable company's audltors are unaware; and the trustees have taken all steps that they ought to have taken to make themselves awa of any relevant audlt Informatlon and to establlsh that the audltors are aware of that Informatlon. AUDITORS The audltors, CavanaghKellyi wlll be proposed for re-appolntment at the forthcomlng Annual General Meetlng. Report of the trustees, Incorporatlng a strateglc report, approved by order of the board of trustees, as the company dlrectors, on 25 June 2024 and slgned on the l>oard's behalf by: Cathe Trust e Mago