Meldrum Paths Group SCIO
Scottish Charity Number SC051977
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Trustees’ Annual Report and Accounts Year Ending 30 April 2025
Meldrum Paths Group SCIO trustees’ annual report and accounts for 2024/25
Page 1 of 7
Trustees’ Annual Report for the period to 30 April 2025
Reference and Administrative Information
Charity name Meldrum Paths Group SCIO
Charity number SCO51977
Address
Westbank Cottage Lower Cowgate Oldmeldrum Aberdeenshire ABS1 OPP
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Trustees
Our trustees appointed at the AGM of 28 October 2024
Structure, Governance and Management
Constitution
Meldrum Paths Group is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIQ). It was registered in its current legal form on 2 September 2022. Meldrum Paths Group had existed as a formally constituted unincorporated association since 2012. The assets of the unincorporated association were transferred to the SCIO on the 2 September 2022. Meldrum Paths Group SCIO has a two-tier structure with members who attend meetings and appoint a board. The board control the activities of the organisation and meet regularly throughout the year. The people serving on the board are referred to in the constitution as CHARITY TRUSTEES.
Appointment of trustees
Up to 7 charity trustees may be elected to the board or appointed by the board from the membership and a further 4 trustees who are non-members may be co-opted to the board. For 2024/25 we have had 5 charity trustees serving the board.
Meldrum Paths Group SCIO trustees’ annual report and accounts for 2024/25
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Objectives and Activities
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The high level charitable purposes recognised by OSCR that Meldrum Paths Group address through their objectives and activities are: * The advancement of citizenship or community development. e The provision of recreational facilities, or the organisation of recreational activities, with the object of improving the conditions of life for the persons for whom the facilities are primarily intended.
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¢ The advancement of environmental protection or improvement.
To meet these high level purposes the group’s specific objectives are:
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To improve the local path network in the Oldmeldrum area for the benefit of the residents of Oldmeldrum and the surrounding communities.
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® The provision of recreational facilities, or the organisation of recreational activities, with the object of improving the conditions of life for the persons for whom the facilities are primarily intended,
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¢ The advancement of environmental improvement and community development.
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Activities, Achievements and Performance
2023/24 was the first full year of the group operating as a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO). There have been some significant areas of progress across the group’s objectives.
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OBJECTIVE 1 - To improve the local path network in the Oldmeldrum area for the benefit of the residents of Oldmeldrum and the surrounding communities.
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Meldrum Meg Way: For the last 13 years we have been working hard to deliver a safe, all-ability active travel pathway linking Oldmeldrum and Inverurie. This has been a priority for the Inverurie and Meldrum, Bourtie & Daviot community councils since the early 2000s, and was identified as the top priority for the Oldmeldrum community in the community council’s Future Vision community consultation that published in 2019. Our campaigning and advocacy for the development of this route was rewarded through the commissioning of a Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG) study by Aberdeenshire Council in 2024. During 2024-25 we have worked in partnership with the Council to promote an online public consultation to inform the study.
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Construction of the Meldrum Academy — Forsyth Drive active travel link pathway was completed and handed over to the charity. This short link has proved extremely successful in terms of usage and enables a large number of staff, pupils and other parties to access the academy site direct from the town.
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co We secured the services of a consultant to consider the options to improve and extend the Distillery Burn path that links Benview Gardens and King Street. This route, that is subject to increased footfall following the developments at Chapelpark and the Glebe, suffered from flood damage following an intense rainfall event.
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We participated in the Regional Active Travel Network (RATN) consultation carried out by NESTRANS and through that consultation a number of local routes that we
Meldrum Paths Group SCIO trustees’ annual report and accounts for 2024/25
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recommended for shared space/quiet road designation have been accepted for
inclusion in the finalised RATN.
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¢ OBJECTIVE 2 - The provision of recreational facilities, or the organisation of recreational activities, with the object of improving the conditions of life for the persons for whom the facilities are primarily intended.
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Oldmeldrum Community eBike project is supported by Cycling Scotland, Aberdeenshire Live Life, The Energy Saving Trust and Aberdeenshire Council. During 2024/25 we also received valuable financial support from Oldmeldrum Rotary Club.
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OQ During 2024/25 the eBike project, that provides the community with a low cost and zero carbon means of transport, has expanded to make available 2 conventional bikes in addition to our 8 ebikes. We also increased the flexibility of our bike loan regime to meet local demands. The loans regime includes daily and long-term loan periods.
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We facilitated the installation of a bike maintenance station in front of our ebike lockers in the Commercial Road car park.
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© We published and distributed 1000 copies of the first edition of our local routes leaflet. This leaflet provides details and maps of local routes for walking and riding.
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® OBJECTIVE 3 - The advancement of environmental improvement and community development.
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Throughout 2024/25 the group has continued in its work to advance environmental improvement and community development through its activities. We have engaged with a wide range of local and national bodies including, Aberdeenshire Council, Meldrum Heritage Society, Meldrum Bourtie & Daviot Community Council, NESTRANS and Paths for All. The trustees have also been involved in public engagement activities with a promotional stall in the town square during local events and evening sessions with local groups and societies.
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We have continued with our path maintenance strimming and trimming work to facilitate pathway use.
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Our online presence has continued to show an increased level of public interest and engagement in our activities and enabled the group to promote responsible access and provide the public with route information.
Our plans for the future
Looking ahead, the trustees will continue to seek to build on their past successes.
In relation to Objective 1, we anticipate significant progress in our work towards local path development and connecting communities with safe active travel routes. In particular we anticipate that 2025/26 will see a step change in the long-standing Meldrum Meg Way project that seeks to link Oldmeldrum, Daviot and Inverurie. We also anticipate further partnership working with Aberdeenshire Council and NESTRANS towards the designation of shared space routes on specific minor roads in the Oldmeldrum area.
Meldrum Paths Group SCIO trustees’ annual report and accounts for 2024/25
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In relation to Objective 2, we hope to build on our ebike and conventional bike provision services to actively promote this carbon-free mode of transport to under-represented groups within our local community. We aim to use our led rides, as a means to provide practical help towards enabling individuals to make small modal shifts towards this means of transport.
Progress in our activities in relation to Objectives 1 and 2 will help us meet our Objective 3. We are hoping to further increase ebike use and cycling across the community through targeted led rides. We also hope to increase community engagement through the recruitment of volunteers to assist with pathway and ebike maintenance. Our ongoing work to increase our online presence and provide route information for walkers and wheelers (including cyclists) will impact positively on environmental improvement and community development.
We continue to support moves towards social prescribing and following a change in local healthcare provision we hope to play an active part in enabling such an initiative, that could provide significant community benefits in terms of improved well-being, to come into being.
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Meldrum Paths Group SCIO trustees’ annual report and accounts for 2024/25
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Financial review
Reserves policy
The trustees’ policy is to use ebike hire funds to pay for ebike maintenance equipment and repairs.
Meldrum Paths Group SCIO accounts for the period to 30 April 2025
Statement of receipts and payments for the year ended 30 April 2025
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|Unrestricted|Restricted|Year|Year|
|Funds|Funds|ended|ended|
|30|April|30|April|
|2025|2024|
|Receipts|
|E|Bike|Hire|Fees|£1,100.00|£0.00|||£1,100.00|£675.00|
|Local|Authority|Grants|£2,728.16|£0.00|£2,728.16|£736.32|
|Donations|£1,328.00|£0.00|£1,328.00|£0.00|
|Total|Receipts|£5,156.16|£0.00|£5,156.16|£1,411.32|
|Payments|
|Maintenance|e|Bikes|-£225.57|-£225,57|£0.00|
|Brochure|£0.00|£0.00|-£620.00|
|Hall|Hire|-F.10.00|-£10.00|-£30.00|
|Insurances|-£670.45|-F670.45|-£B28.47|
|CAPEX|-|Unrestricted|-£5,598.00|-£5,596.00|-£100.48|
|CAPEX -|Unrestricted|-£2,759.85|-£2,759,85|-£423.30|
|Total|Payments|-£9,263.87|£0.00|||-£9,263.87|-£2,002.25|
|surplus|/|Deficit for the|Year|-£4.107.71|£0.00|||-£4,107.71|-£590.93|
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|Unrestricted|Restricted|Year|Year|
|Funds|Funds|ended|ended|
|30|April|30|April|
|2025|2024|
|Opening|Cash|at|Bank|||£6,1741.93|£6,762.86|
|Surplus|/|Deficit|for the|Year|-£4,107.74|£0.00|||-£4,107.71|-£§90.93|
|Closing|Cash|at|Bank|£2,064.22|£6,171.93|
|Assets|
|E|Bikes|£9,446.68|£9,570.00|
|Strimmers|£2,759.85|£0.00|
|Container|£1,800.00|£2,700.00|
|£14,006.53|£12,270.00|
|Liabilities|
|Huntly|Bikes|Hire|Pilot|3|£0.00|-£450.00|
|Depreciation|is|over|5 years|
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Notes to the accounts - for the year ended 30 April 2025
Meldrum Paths Group SCIO trustees’ annual report and accounts for 2024/25
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1 Basis of accounting
These accounts have been prepared on the Receipts and Payments basis in accordance with the Charities & Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended).
2 Nature and purpose of funds
Unrestricted funds are those that may be used at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the objects of the charity. Ebike hire income was £1,100.
Restricted funds may only be used for specific purposes. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for specific purposes. During the year the charity received grant of £2,728.16 and donations of £1,328.
3 Related party transactions
No remuneration was paid to the trustees or any connected persons during the year.
4 Income generated from rental income of eBikes.
This year rental income totalled £1,100.
5 Grants received
Aberdeenshire council - Income External Grant Funding £2,728.16 Aberdeenshire Council. Funds used in full to procure 2 heavy duty Strimmers to facilitate the maintenance of the extensive path network around Oldmeldrum and Bourtie.
6 Cost of charitable activities
| Ebike maintenance | -£225.57 |
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| Map leaflet production | £0.00 |
| Town hall hire | -£10.00 |
| Insurances | -£670.45 |
| Total | -£906.02 |
7 Governance costs ~
Zero in this financial year.
8 Transfers between funds
No Transfer between funds this financial year.
Meldrum Paths Group SCIO trustees’ annual report and accounts for 2024/25
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independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of Meldrum Paths Group SCIO $C051977
| report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 30 April 2025 which are set out on pages 6 to 7 of the Trustees’ Annual Report and Accounts.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the terms of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities
Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended). The charity trustees consider that the audit requirement of Regulation 10(1) (d) of the 2006 Accounts Regulations does not apply. It is my responsibility to examine the accounts as required under section 44(1) (c) of the Act and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of independent examiner’s statement
My examination is carried out in accordance with Regulation 11 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeks explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently | do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.
Independent examiner’s statement
In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention [other than disclosed below*]
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which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:
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e to keep accounting records in accordance with Section 44(1) (a) of the 2005 Act and Regulation 4 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations
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e to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with Regulation 9 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations
have not been met, or
- to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
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Name:
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Address:
Ao NESKHewe PROG, OrsnEDon , ABS
Date: x
GS So DOA.
Please delete the words in brackets if they do not apply. If the words do apply set out those matters
which have come to your attention.
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MG
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20250430 MPG accounts independent examiner report