Ellon Community Allotments
Period From 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025
Charity contact information
Ellon Community Allotments
Scottish Charity Number: SC052495
Registered Address
% 16 Hillhead Road, Ellon AB41 9LF ee
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554796246890
Charity Trustees
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Objectives
are stated below:
Ellon Community Allotments Statement of Strategic Objectives
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To provide recreational facilities, and the organisation of recreational activities, with the object of improving the wellbeing of members, by providing affordable allotment spaces for cultivation of vegetables, fruit, herbs and plants, and opportunities to keep physically, mentally, and socially active.
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To provide an inclusive allotment facility that includes a number of allotments with easy access and waist-height beds for the use of people with disabilities or physical conditions that would otherwise have trouble or challenges with growing activities.
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To provide environmental benefits by raising awareness of food waste and food miles, by increasing biodiversity, encouraging composting to reduce waste, providing habitats for wildlife, encouraging pollinators, encouraging water conservation and reduced use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides.
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To provide participating members with the opportunity to gain physical and mental health benefits from the activities associated with growing and gardening which are known to improve physical fitness and assist attributes such as strength, flexibility, balance and coordination, and to reduce stress, anxiety and depression, and the risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
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To provide participating members with a sense of accomplishment, purpose and community involvement by being involved in a group of like-minded people, by organising and encouraging participation in events and local
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workshops, educational talks, and working collaboratively with local organisations, neighbours and local authority bodies.
Activities during the Year ending 31.03.25
Granting of Planning Consent
The main achievement during the year was the successful application for planning permission for the Balmacassie site. Approval was granted in July 2024. The planning consultation process was challenging even with considerable prior consultation with Aberdeenshire Council Officers during the design process. Roads Development Officers introduced new requirements for a road safety audit, new road crossing and external footpaths connecting to existing. These requirements have added nearly 10% to the project budget. ECA trustees made several representations to Officers that the requirements were disproportionate but to no avail.
The agreed site layout shown in the diagram below
Fundraising
ECA started the year with the positive news that our major bid for funds from the Scottish Government Place Based Investment Programme had been accepted. In early May Aberdeenshire Council advised that they had not received the funds due to budgeting complexities but expected it by the end of the month. This did not materialise due to the fund being subject to a review by Scottish Ministers and it was flagged that the General Election might impact on funding announcements. As the summer came and went there was no news and eventually in October we were advised that Scottish Ministers had decided that no new projects would receive funding in 2024-25. This was a devastating blow for ECA.
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In the interim, and on the advice of Aberdeenshire Council Officers, ECA continued to seek alternative sources of funding, whilst recognising that the significant Place Based Funding could not easily be matched from other sources.
We were successful in raising sums ranging from £100 - £20000 from various funders as can be seen in the accounts. This piecemeal approach to funding made planning the project very difficult as all funding is restricted. The trustees decided on a strategy that we would commence development as soon as sufficient funding was in place to make a start rather than wait for all funding to be in place.
By February 2025 we had secured sufficient funding to start construction with the formation of the site entrance, the road crossing and external paths. By the end of March we had secured funding to enable the site to be sprayed with weedkiller and some paths formed.
Community Support
During the year we have continued to promote the project on social media whilst being careful not to set unrealistic expectations due to funding uncertainties. We took part in a Participatory Budgeting exercise and attracted over 1500 votes which resulted in funding being awarded. Analysis of locations of voters showed the majority were Ellon based but we also attracted significant support from surrounding villages.
In February 2025 we opened a waiting list for allotments and the response has been excellent. After only 3 weeks we had 57 expressions of interest and we anticipate that all allotments will be let by the time the site opens.
Ellon Mens Shed have continued to be a source of advice and support during the year. We collaborated with them and two other Ellon organisations in the Participatory Budgeting exercise and have exchanged intelligence on funding opportunities and potential suppliers.
Aberdeenshire Council have continued to be very supportive with Councillors taking an interest. The External Funding staff have been very helpful in identifying a number of significant funding opportunities and our Area Manager was supportive.
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Structure, governance and management
ECA is a 2 Tier SCIO. The Board comprises 5 trustees and is supported by a steering group who provide advice to the Board and add resilience to the team.
The constitution is supported by several policies that have been developed by the trustees, including Equality, Safeguarding, Health & Safety, Ethical Procurement, Complaints, Internal Financial Controls, Code of Conduct, Register of Interests and Conflict of Interest. An ECA Site Rules document was finalised and supports the lease agreements that will be signed by tenants. The trustees meet on a monthly basis to review the project and act in accordance with the constitution. Minutes of Trustee meetings are distributed to trustees and steering group.
The Board has appointed a Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, Treasurer and Secretary. We also engaged several specialists during the planning process to assist with road crossing design, road safety audit and drainage.
The continued support of Michael Lawie as Architectural Design consultant is worthy of note as his advice and counsel assisted the trustees to navigate the design of the site and the challenges of the planning process.
Trustee recruitment and appointment
ECA maintained the same team of 5 trustees during the year.
Outcomes and Performance
The primary achievements during the year can be summarised as:
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a) Granting of Planning permission for the development.
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b) Opening of a waiting list with expressions of interest for 85% of the plots available.
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c) Start of construction with entrance, road crossing and external and some internal access ways completed.
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d) A 20 year lease for the site was signed with Aberdeenshire Council.
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e) Development of governance arrangements including additional policies.
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f) Increased support from individuals, key stakeholder organisations and funders.
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g) Our core team of volunteers have worked diligently, effectively and positively to overcome many hurdles that have threatened to derail the project.
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Financial review
Total income during the period was £63815 and expenses incurred were £25330.
ECA policy on reserves is to hold £4k of unrestricted funds. All funding awarded to date has been for specific purposes although funders have been flexible to help ECA address the ever-changing demands placed on it during the year. Reserves will only materialise when lease income is generated later in 2025 and allotmenteers hold fundraising activities.
Future plans
In 2025 we will open the site and let all 56 plots, albeit on a site which is still under development. We have identified some excellent funding opportunities for which we have either submitted applications or are in the process of doing so. Trustees remain committed to fully developing the facility as soon as possible.
The trustees would like to thank the organisations that have supported us this year to get the project off the ground.
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THE MORNINGFIELD ASSOCIATION
Rural Communities Challenge Fund Poverty Alleviation Fund
Formartine Area Committee
Aberdeenshire Council Community Food Fund
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Declaration
Signed on behalf of the charity trustees:
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Designation | Chairperson |
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TBD
Page 9
ELLON COMMUNITY ALLOTMENTS SC052495 STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (INCLUDING RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT) FOR YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
| ELLON COMMUNITY ALLOTMENTS SC052495 STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (INCLUDING RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT) FOR YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 |
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|---|---|---|---|
| RECEIPTS Notes Grants 1 Donations Receipts from Fundraising Activities Receipts from Charitable Activities Investment Income Total Incoming Resources PAYMENTS Resources Expended for Fundraising 2 Resources Expended for Charitable Activities Governance Costs - Independent Examination Total Resources Expended Net Incoming / (Outgoing) resources for Year Total Funds at 1 April 2024 Total Funds at 31 March 2025 |
Restricted Unrestricted Funds Funds £ £ 58,710 5,104 - 1 - - - - - - 58,710 5,105 25,127 83 - - - 120 25,127 203 33,583 4,902 12,904 - 46,487 4,902 |
Total Funds 2025 £ 63,814 1 - - - 63,815 25,210 - 120 25,330 38,485 12,904 51,389 |
Total Funds 2024 £ 21,447 - - - - |
| 21,447 - 8,543 - |
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| 8,543 12,904 - |
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| 12,904 |
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses in the year. The above receipts and payments are split between restricted and unrestricted funds.
Page 10
ELLON COMMUNITY ALLOTMENTS SC052495
STATEMENT OF BALANCES AS AT 31 MARCH 2025
| Cash and Bank Balances at 1 April 2024 Surplus/(deficit) for the year Cash and Bank Balances at 31 March 2025 |
Total Total Restricted Unrestricted Funds Funds Funds Funds 2025 2024 £ £ £ £ 12,904 - 12,904 - 33,583 4,902 38,485 12,904 |
|---|---|
| 46,487 4,902 51,389 12,904 |
The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees on........................... ................ and were signed on its behalf by:
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Page 11
ELLON COMMUNITY ALLOTMENTS NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
SC052495
Nature & Purpose of Funds
The organisation successfully applied for funding to support design and planning costs for the project. Resricted grant funding has been held and spent under the terms agreed with the relevant funders. Unrestricted grant funding has been used to support additional planning application fees.
Trustee Remuneration & Expenses
No remuneration or trustee expenses were paid during the period to any charity trustee or person connected to a trustee.
NOTES
1. Receipts
£
| NOTES 1. Receipts |
£ | |
|---|---|---|
| NHS Grampian Charities | 10,000 | (restricted) |
| Asda | 500 | (restricted) |
| Ellon Rotary | 450 | (restricted) |
| Morningfield Association | 100 | (restricted) |
| Arnold Clark | 500 | (restricted) |
| Formartine Rural Partnership | 1,000 | (restricted) |
| NESCAN | 500 | (restricted) |
| Vattenfall | 20,000 | (restricted) |
| CNOOC Petroleum EU | 2,000 | (unrestricted) |
| Just Transition Fund | 2,604 | (restricted) |
| CMHW Fund | 9,660 | (restricted) |
| Aberdeenshire Council Poverty Alleviation Fund | 6,000 | (restricted) |
| Co-op Food Group | 500 | (unrestricted) |
| Aberdeenshire Council (FAC award) | 10,000 | (restricted) |
| Donation | 1 | (unrestricted) |
| 63,815 | ||
| 2. Payments | ||
| Architect Fees (water plan & local authority advertising fee) | 91 | (restricted) |
| Road Crossing Drawing | 780 | (restricted) |
| Road Safety Audit | 1,080 | (restricted) |
| Drainage/Permeablity Test | 540 | (restricted) |
| Polycrub purchase | 8,262 | (restricted) |
| Entrance works | 14,076 | (restricted) |
| IBCs (part payment) | 298 | (restricted) |
| ICO (annual registration) | 47 | (unrestricted) |
| Scottish Allotments & Garden Society (membership) | 36 | (unrestricted) |
| Independent Examination Fees | 120 | (unrestricted) |
| 25,330 |
Ellon Community Allotments Registered Charity Number: SC052495
I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31[st] March 2025 which are set out on pages 9 to 11.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
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.
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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 I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.
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In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention
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which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:
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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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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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