The Annual Accounts for 2009 can be downloaded here as a spreadsheet.
The Annual Report, and the Report of the Independent Examiner, follow below.
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2009
Reference and administration details
St Albans Civic Society is a charity registered with the Charity Commission, number 200330. Its reference address is 9, Upper Lattimore Road, St Albans AL1 3UD. The charity trustees are:
Peter Trevelyan(Chairman) Peter Newby(Deputy Chairman) Marion Hammant(Secretary) John Thomson(Treasurer) appointed 16 May 2008 Bryan Hanlon Jane Journet Alan McCartney Jill Singer
Structure, governance and management
The Society is an unincorporated association governed by its constitution. The charity trustees are its officers and its committee. They are elected annually at the Annual General Meeting. The Society has no employees and is run entirely by volunteers.
Objectives and activities
The objectives of the Society are set out in its constitution and are in summary:
To encourage high standards of architecture and town planning in and around St Albans.
To stimulate public interest in, and care for, the beauty, history and character of the City and its surroundings.
To encourage the preservation, development and improvement of the conditions in which we live and work.
To pursue these ends by meetings, exhibitions, publications, schemes and co-operation with other interested parties.
The Society shall have no political or religious activities and is non-profit making.
The principal activities that have been undertaken to fulfil these objectives have been the same as in previous years. We have opposed planned developments which have been considered as being not to required standards by campaigning and lobbying local planning officers and politicians, and have represented its views to the Council at a variety of meetings and discussion groups. At the annual Awards Evening we have given recognition to those architectural and environmental projects which we consider to be the best. We have held a series of Speaker Evenings and organised a series of visits to other towns and cities. The quarterly Newsletter is our main means of communication with the membership. In the summer season the Society provides volunteers to open the Clock Tower to the public.
Achievements and performance
Some of the main activities in 2008/9 have been:
Planning and development: The Society has contributed significant input to the Council’s City Vision project. Every few weeks the Society’s planning team scrutinise the many incoming applications to the Council and alert the committee to those of special significance to the City. The Society continues to monitor ongoing planning and development issues, such as Tesco, Oaklands College, the railfreight terminal, city centre cinema and the Odeon. Members have also spoken at Public Inquiries and Hearings.
Conservation and Design: The Society has campaigned vigorously to oppose cuts in the Council’s Conservation and Design team.
Communication: Members of the Society write a topical article each month for the Review newspaper. Members also feature regularly in the letters pages of the local press, in matters of clarification (why the Society welcomed the demise of the Henry Davidson cinema contract) and information (why and how to oppose the Antringham Hertfordshire House application. The Society acted regularly as a source of comment and informed opinion for the local press on breaking planning news.
Representation: The Society has been represented on many local committees, including the Historic Forum, the Verulamium Park Forum and the City Centre Reference Group. It also sent representatives to conferences further afield, such as those run by the Association of North Thames Amenity Societies (ANTAS).
Awards Evening: This year’s award winner was the transformation of the former motor spares workshop into Loch Fyne restaurant in Verulam Road. The Society commended three other developments, the replacement windows at 29 Alma Road, the conversion of a grade 2 listed warehouse to accommodation in St Peter’s Mews and the refurbishment of the Tudor Tavern to the Thai Square restaurant in St George’s Street.
Retailer of the year: The Society worked with the Council and the Review Newsletter to set up and organise the inaugural Retailer of the Year event, the success of which meant that it is to be repeated in 2009.
Clock Tower: From Easter through September, the Society provided volunteers to open the Clock Tower to the public. The Society also opened the Clock Tower for the Residents First Weekend in January and attracted over 200 visitors.
Visits: This year’s visits were to Ely and to Faversham and Broadstairs. There were also two walks devised and run for the St Albans Festival and the Civic Trust inspired Heritage Open Days. This year the subject was the St Peter’s area of the City, with particular reference to the local architect Percival Blow.
Speaker evenings: Topics this year included “New beginnings at the refurbished Old Town Hall” (Richard Brown), “Museum of St Albans – where next” (Chris Green), “Saving green spaces in St Albans” (Peter Cook and Geraint John), “Arriving at our winners” (Civic Society Awards committee – Roy Darby, Jude Dyson, Marion Hammant andDonato Cinicolo), “Retailer of the year award scheme” (Roma Mills).
Samuel Ryder: The Society acted as a crucial presence on the working parties pushing forward the Samuel Ryder Trail and Statue projects.
Financial review
The trustees consider the state of finances to be sound. The Society is non-profit making and this year made a surplus of income over expenditure of £328 (2008: £2,214). The accumulated surplus of unrestricted funds of £11,978 (2008: £11,650) represents approximately 17 months of normal expenditure (2008: 23 months). The reserve is available to cover any unusual expenditure which might be necessary.
The trustees declare they have approved the Trustees’ Report above.
Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees:
Signed …………………………………… Date…15 May2009…………………….
Peter Trevelyan, Chairman
REPORT OF THE INDEPENDENT EXAMINER TO THE TRUSTEES
I have examined the attached financial statements and related notes of the St Albans Civic Society (charity number 200330) for the year ended 31 March 2009.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 43(2) of the Charities Act 1993 (the Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
examine the financial statements under section 43 of the Act;
follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 43(7)(b) of the Act; and
state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of independent examiner’s statement
My examination was carried out in accordance with General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the financial statements presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the financial statements, and seeking explanations from you as 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 financial statements.
Independent examiner’s statement
In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that, in any material respect, the trustees have not met the requirements to ensure that (a) proper accounting records are kept in accordance with section 41 of the Act; and (b) financial statements are prepared which agree with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirement of the Act; or
2. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the financial statements to be reached.
John Barker Date:15 May 2009 Chartered Accountant For and on behalf of Hillier Hopkins LLP 64 Clarendon Road, Watford WD17 1DA