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Scottish Charitable Number SC 28253


Entrust Enrolment Number 472053

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Falkirk Environment Trust ANNUAL REPORT, April 2006 – March 2007
CONTENTS
/

Page

About the Trust / 3
1. FET Directors’ Report / 4
  1. Examples of Projects Funded

2.1 Main Grants Scheme / 6
2.2 Community Small Grants / 9
2.3 Project Summary / 14
3. FET Development – Some Key Issues / 14
4. FET Accounts -
4.1 to 4.5 – Notes on FET Accounts / 15
4.6 Annual Accounts Extracts for FET / 16

About the Trust

The Falkirk Environment Trust was established on the 6th of August 1998 and is a non-profit distributing independent trust.

Its registered office is c/o Falkirk Council Development Services, Abbotsford House, David’s Loan, Falkirk, FK2 7YZ. It is a private company limited by guarantee. Company number: 188303.

The Trust is enrolled as an Environmental Body by the Landfill Tax regulator (enrolment number 472053) and it is recognised as a charity by the Inland Revenue (charity number SC 28253).

The Trust exists to improve the environment of the Falkirk area and enhance the quality of life for residents and visitors, based on the values and principles of sustainable development.

The Trust is a partnership of local and national agencies that pools its resources and expertise. It is governed by a board of 12 Directors.

Board Details

Environmental Organisations

  • Dave Gorman, Scottish Environmental Protection Agency

  • Graeme Anderson, British Trust for Conservation Volunteering,Scotland

  • Angus Smith, Scottish Wildlife Trust

  • Mary Travers, CentralScotlandForest Trust

  • Katrina Marshall, Scottish Natural Heritage

  • David Donaldson, Drumbowie Environmental Action Group

Other

  • Maria Montinaro, Shieldhill and California Community Council & Shieldhill Environment Group

  • Andrea French, BP Exploration & Production Operating Co Ltd

  • Nicky Whyte, ForthValleyCollege

  • Peter Buck Company Secretary

Falkirk Council
  • Alan Rodger, Planning and Environment Manager

  • Councillor John McLuckie

Officers:
  • Chair:Angus Smith

  • Vice Chair:John McLuckie

  • Secretary:Peter Buck

  • Treasurer:

Auditors:WDM Associates
Development Manager:Arthur Berg

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1.0FET Director’s Report 2007/08

1.1General information

This is the 10th annual report of Falkirk Environment Trust (FET), covering the period 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008 and summarising the activities of FET in securing and distributing funds to deliver environmental projects in the Falkirk Council area.

FET would like to thank all of its supporters and partners. In particular, FET wishes to acknowledge the financial support of partner organisations such as BP, Falkirk Council, SNH, Avondale Environmental Ltd, and Environmental Bodies Scotland (EB Scotland). These organisations have been crucial in releasing landfill tax and other funds for allocation to projects, as well as contributing to the core funding of the organisation. This support is greatly appreciated by the FET Board

FET has allocated over £1.9m over the first 10 year’s of its existence contributing to environmental projects in the Falkirk Council area of a total value of over £10m. This financial period has seen a further increase in Landfill Communities Funds available and has changes in the core funding of the organisation.

1.2Funding and allocations

1.21The accounts show a healthy cash reserve in the bank. Some of the cash is in the form of project allocations awaiting claims from applicants and is not available for future project allocation. FET has been successful, during this financial period, in reducing the proportion of funds held in this category

1.22The period has seen the allocation of approximately £283,000 to projects in the main grant scheme. These are detailed in the grants summary tables (Pgs 13 & 14). Allocation is up from approximately £77,000 in the year 2006 to 2007These allocations are not all shown in the FET accounts as a large proportion of landfill tax funds are held by EB Scotland and do not generally flow through the FET accounts

1.23FET has always had a standard arrangement to secure access to LFT arising from the Falkirk Council waste contract with the local landfill operator. In recent years, FET has gained access to significant additional amounts of LFT for allocation to projects. To achieve this FET has been able to obtain contributions (10% of value of LFT) from partners such as BP and Falkirk Council, as a third party contribution in accordance with Landfill Tax Legislation. These amounts enable the release of the additional funding. There is an ongoing need to secure sponsors/donors to continue this arrangement and gain access to additional funds

1.24The period has further seen the allocation of approximately £18,000 through the small grant scheme in line with the performance for 2006/2207.

1.3 FET Development Issues

During the year the FET Board conducted a strategic review of FET operations through a series of Special Board Meetings and the input of external management consultants. Actions resulting from this review are outlined in Section 2 – FET Development Issues

1.31For several years FET operations have been supported mainly through the employment of a Development Manager, funded through grants from a partnership of agencies including Falkirk Council, SNH, BP and EB Scotland. Changes to the regulation of Landfill Tax (LFT) have made it more difficult to fund the post in the same way and some partners are in the process of reducing their funding package after many years of strong support.

1.32During this year FET have established an approach to part fund their operations through charging an appropriate management fee for active projects. This has been fully discussed and agreed with Entrust and EB Scotland.

1.33The Board is in the process of updating the forward FET Business Plan in line with the strategic review.The FET Board and Development Manager are seeking within the Business Plan to widen the range of organisations funded and, where possible, to achieve a more even distribution of grants across local communities

1.34The Board is in the process of updating their contractural standing with EB Scotland (who hold all Landfill Tax sums arising from Avondale Environmental Ltd – the major source of FET project monies). As part of this the FET application and review processes are being updated and aligned, as much as possible, between FET and EB Scotland. A contract is being sought to secure the Avondale funding for FET over future years.

1.35The FET application and review processes are also being designed to minimise the workload and difficulties for both grant applicants and the FET Development Manager.

VISION

“The Trust aims to become recognised as one of Scotland’s leading local authority area based environmental trusts, supporting a wide range of environmental and sustainable development projects. It will work closely with partners and local communities to facilitate projects and build consensus through the design and delivery of projects. The Trust will work to secure its long-term viability, acting as a source of match funding and using its resources to make a significant contribution tolocal environmental priorities.”

The Objects of F.E.T. – There follows an extract from the articles of Memorandum of Falkirk Environment Trust

  1. The protection, conservation and amelioration of the natural and built environments in the Falkirk area from pollution and waste, including all necessary provision of rights of public access, education, research, promotion and publicising of the same.
  1. The reclamation, remediation, restoration or any other operation intended to facilitate the social or environmental use of land for the benefit of the public where its use has been prevented or restricted because of previous use and where public benefit will ensue.
  1. Any operation intended to prevent or reduce any potential for pollution or to remedy or mitigate the effects of any pollution on land covered by a previous activity, provided that public benefit will ensue.
  1. Research and development, education or collection and dissemination of information about waste management practices, the purpose of which is to encourage the use of more sustainable waste management practices, and provided that the results of such research are made publicly available.
  1. The provision of financial, administrative and other similar services to enrolled charitable environmental bodies, for the purpose of improving the efficiency of those charities in direct pursuit of their objects.

2 Examples of projects funded

The following section of the report gives examples of the range of projects funded

2.1 Main Grants Scheme

2.2 Small Grants

The following section of the report gives examples of the range of projects funded through the FalkirkEnvironment Trust Small Grants scheme

Small Grants Section

2.3Project Summary

Main Grants

The following tables reflects all FET Main & Small Grants awards, including funding from GR Service Company, EB Scotland held monies, covering the April 2007 to March 2008 period

FET RefProject Name Applicant FET Grant Project Value

FET MG 097 / Mill lade Phase 1 / CSFT / £15,000 / £50,000
FET MG 098 / Belmont Avenue
Greenspace phase 1 / CSFT / £8,000 / £20,000
FET MG 099 / Broomage Greenspace / CSFT / £29,588 / £90,088
FET MG 100 / RoughcastleCommunityForest / FARAG / £34,560 / £232,071
FET MG 101 / Cleuch CommunityWoodland Project / Lionthorn Comm Woodland Group / £16,000 / £139,247
FET MG 102 / Chacefield CommunityWoodland Project / FARAG / £41,168 / £140,786
FET MG 103 / Callendar House Walled Garden / FEL DIB / £40,221 / £40,221
FET MG 105 / GairdochPark Initiative / Gairdoch Initiative / £43,680.00 / £97,736
FET MG 104 / River Avon
Restoration Phase 2 / Slamannan Anglers / £31,847 / £31,847
FET MG 106 / MuiravonsideConservation activities / BTCV Scotland / £12,000 / £12,000
FET MG 107 / Bo'ness Old Kirk Stained Glass Restorations / Old Kirk Parish Committee / £11,000 / £16,150
Total Main Grants / £283,064 / £870,146

Small Grants

FET RefProject Name Applicant FET Grant

4.Falkirk Environment Trust Accounts

4.1This is the 10th financial year for FET. The accounts were audited by WDM Chartered Accountants.

4.2The audit is performed on an accrual accounting basis. FET has maintained a healthy cash position but it should be noted that some of this is in the form of ring fenced funds already allocated to projects and held pending claims from applicants

4.4In accordance with the original aims of FET administrative expenditure and running costs have been kept very low and as a result the funding available for projects is maximised.

4.5The accounts do not fully reflect the whole of FET activity in allocating funds to projects. The FET Board recommends project funding to EB Scotland. When the recommendation is accepted EB Scotland acts as banker and passes the funds direct to the applicants. FET acts to help develop and assist applications and carry out monitoring. These funds, in most cases, do not pass through FET accounts.

4.6Annual Accounts Extracts for FALKIRK ENVIRONMENT TRUST

Profit and Loss Account

For the Year Ended 31 March 2007

2008 / 2007
Notes / £ / £

TURNOVER

/ 174,473 / 96,523

Direct Costs

/ 170,247 / 73,927

GROSS PROFIT

/ 4,226 / 22,596
Administrative Expenses / 4,888 / 3,318

OPERATING PROFIT

/ 2 / (662) / 19,278
Interest receivable and
similar income / 9,389 / 7,521

PROFIT ON ORDINARY ACTIVITIES

/ 8,727 / 26,799
Surplus brought forward / 116,433 / 89,634
RETAINED PROFIT CARRIED FORWARD / 125,160 / 116,433

Falkirk Environment Trust

Statement of Financial Activities

For the Year Ended 31 March 2006

2008 / 2007
£ / £

INCOME & EXPENDITURE

Incoming Resources

Landfill Tax / - / 36,503

Other Grants

/ 62,473 / 53,313
Movement in Deferred Income / 112,000 / 6,707
Bank Interest / 9,389 / 7,521

TOTAL INCOMING RESOURCES

/ 183,862 / 104,044

RESOURCES EXPENDED

Direct Charitable Expenditure / 170,247 / 73,927
Administration and Overheads / 4,888 / 3,318

TOTAL RESOURCES EXPENDED

/ 175,135 / 77,245

NET INCOMING RESOURCES

/ 8,727 / 26,799

FALKIRK ENVIRONMENT TRUST

Balance Sheet

31March2008

20082007

Notes£ £

CURRENT ASSETS:

Cash at bank 250,673 347,206

CREDITORS: Amounts falling

due within one year3 125,513 230,773

NET CURRENT ASSETS: 125,160 116,433

TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT

LIABILITIES: £125,160 £116,433

RESERVES:

Profit and loss account 125,160 116,433

£125,160 £116,433

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions of Part VII of the Companies Act 1985 relating to small companies and with the Financial Reporting Standard for Smaller Entities (effective June 2002).

Application and contact details

Falkirk Environment Trust operate two grant systems

Small grants of up to £4,500

Main Grants of up to £50,000

Our grants can be made to community groups, in the Falkirk Area, for environmental improvement projects.

Examples of these might be projects focussing on public footpaths community gardens, biodiversity or heritage building restoration.

Please make contact with the Development Manager to discuss the possibility of your project being suitable for a FET grant, or visit our website for further information

Contact Details

Falkirk Environment Trust

Abbotsford House

Davids Loan, Bainsford

Falkirk FK2 7YZ

Telephone - 01324 504816

Email –

Website -

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Please see page 20 for contact and application details









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Please see page 20 for contact and application details