Agenda item

The Executive Shareholder and Trustee Committee considered a report related to the proper administration of Charities administered by Guildford Borough Council. The report set out the legal requirement to submit the Charity’s Annual Trustee Report to the Charity Commission. The Executive Shareholder and Trustee Committee was asked to review and note the accounts. The Guildford Sportsground charity was the only charity overseen by the Executive Shareholder and Trustee Committee whose income exceeded £25,000 and consequently required a separate Trustees Report to accompany the annual accounts. The Lead Councillor for Resources was in attendance and spoke to the report.  

The meeting heard that the rental income for Allen House Grounds (from the Matrix Trust) and Sports Pavilion did not cover its upkeep and it was dependent upon donations. A donation of just over £63,000 had been made by the Council during the accounting period, an increase from £23,800 donated the previous year.  

The Burpham War Memorial Recreational Grounds Charity had been bequeathed to the Council. The rental income was insufficient for its upkeep and a donation of £54,711 had been made by the Council during the accounting period. This was up from £4,084 donated by the Council the previous year. Total income was £61,034. This was up from £4,084 the previous year.  

The Racks Close Open Spaces Charity had received no income for the accounting period apart from a donation of £514 from the Council down from £2,081 in the previous year. 

The Committee observed that it would be useful for the accounting report to include some detail of the background as to how and why the Council had become responsible for the various charities. In addition, detail provided on the expenditure of the donated funds made by the Council might be included as well as why the donations varied, sometimes greatly, year on year. The Specialist Solicitor (Projects, Corporate and Commercial) was able to provide a verbal report setting out some history of the Council’s role and relationship with the properties and the legacies associated with them. In all cases there were public access mandates associated with the bequest. It was noted that all the charities had been affected by the Pandemic due to the public access issues arising and this would be more significantly reflected in the accounts for 2020-21.  

The Committee requested more context setting and explanation in future reports, including the legacy, location and public activities undertaken in the various locations during the accounting year. There should also be more detail in spreadsheet format drawn from the Council’s own budgetary accounts to set out in what ways a capital donation to a charity had been spent. 

RESOLVED 

(1)  That the review and approval of the charitable accounts for the Guildford Sportsground Charity be delegated to the Leader of the Council in consultation with the Director of Resources and the Director of Service Delivery; and  

(2)  That the charitable accounts for:  

(a) The Burpham War Memorial Recreational Grounds Charity 

(b) The Public Walks and Pleasure Grounds Charity 

(c) The Racks Close Open Spaces Charity  

(d) The Allen House Charity

be approved  

(3)  That the Specialist Solicitor (Projects, Corporate and Commercial) be authorised in consultation with the Director of Resources to complete any documentation pursuant to the submission of charitable accounts to the Charity Commission.