THE_UNST_PARTNERSHIP_LTD. - Accounts

The Trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2021.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with the Charity's governing document, the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended) and "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)" (effective 1 January 2019).

As stated in its Memorandum & Articles of Association, the objectives of the charitable company are as follows:

1. To relieve poverty and unemployment among the residents of Unst, Shetland.

2. To advance education among the residents of Unst, Shetland, particularly among young people and the unemployed.

3. To promote and/or provide training skills of all kinds, particularly such skills as will assist residents in obtaining paid employment.

4. To promote trade and industry, for the benefit of the general public.

The Trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the Charity should undertake.

Summary

The year began poorly with the second-hand shop closed until August due to Covid. We furloughed our one member of staff, paying the additional 20% salary through our funds, and received Grant Support from the SIC/HIE Rural Support Fund and the Corra Foundation to keep going. We began trading in August but closed again after Christmas for Jan-February before opening again in March.

The Skip scheme continued through this period and attracted about 50 members who signed up for the year. We needed some subsidy from the shop for this scheme, along with grant aid from Unst Community Council’s “Viking” fund.

Directors wanted to expand our service in what is quite a small second-hand shop. We succeeded in getting grant aid from the Crown Estate to cover the costs of a Development Officer, Peter Sandison, and a feasibility study for a new Recycling Centre nearby at Hagdale, by Malcolmson Architects. We purchased the land from the Unst Show Committee with a SIC Community Development Fund grant. This will be one of the main projects for 2021 and into the future.

Secondhand Shop

The shop traded well despite the closure periods with numbers visiting and overall spend continuing to do well. In our third year of trading, income from the Shop from April 2020 until March 2021 was £9,066 with 2,173 people through the door, a great success in the circumstances as we were closed for 6 of those 12 months. Congratulations to all involved, particularly our Shop Manager Kathleen Johnson.

Over the course of three years, including online sales through our Facebook page, the shop has taken in approximately £1250 per month which, along with our other activities, allows us to be sustainable. We continue to sell locally made jams, marmalade and chutneys and Traidcraft items. We have also received regular donations of bannocks and plants to sell. Community support continued well when we did eventually open.

Community Skip scheme

The Community Skip scheme continued to be well supported in 2020-21 with seven Skip Saturdays taking place and over 50 residents taking out an annual Skip Membership at £45, and around 20 “occasional users” paying £20 a time. It costs over £700 for Skip Hire each Saturday and this would not have been possible without the support of the community. It still makes a loss which we subsidise from our Reserves and through grant aid.

Many thanks to Garriock Bros. Ltd, who bring our skips; and to the Shetland Amenity Trust who take the metal and white goods away. We would also like to acknowledge the work of the local volunteers who have turned out to support the Directors at these events and to Sandisons Unst Ltd. for allowing us to use the Pierhead area for drop-off.

Other Projects

We continue to write the “Isles Views” Shetland Times column and it has brought in a useful additional income stream. The “Unst Walkers are Welcome” website continues, with information on walks in Unst and Fetlar. We did not produce a paper copy of our tourist map but did put an online version on the “Unst Partnership” website.

Other income is obtained through our 6Kw Wind Turbine, trailer hire, photocopying & printing.

Broadband

The R100 Broadband for Public Buildings scheme was delayed but did eventually get laid in the summer of 2020. The link-up date for public buildings was to be Christmas 2020, with the eventual roll out of private links to that network from 2021 onwards. However, domestic users are still waiting to hear if they are going to be connected. Even if they are, it is still a few years off as an under sea cable has to be laid across Yell and Bluemull Sounds. 4G mobile phone reception is now available in some parts of the island.

Shetland Space Centre

The Space Centre project was held up for a time due to the pandemic, with pre-Planning and online public consultation in May 2020 and further consultation planned in October 2020. Planning permission has still not been granted and may take until November 2021.

NTS properties

Work on the house at Halligarth has been abandoned but the NTS have agreed to pay a contract for grass-cutting in the woods and surrounding area. They have also arranged with a local contractor to make Halligarth safe as well as to check on Roselea, the house to the north, and Houlland up near Loch of Cliff.

NTS also have outline plans for a visitor centre in the grounds of Halligarth, with more details being advertised in summer 2021.

CV-19 Anchor Organisation

As the pandemic worsened in March 2020, UP applied to HIE to become the Community Anchor organisation for Unst, in conjunction with Unst Community Council. We put in a bid for funding Food Orders for those in need (using donations to a Food bank no longer being practical) and for a Community Newsletter to keep residents informed of any changes in Health Centre operations and shop openings, etc. The Fund came to over £7000 and was designed to run from April – August/September 2020. The fund later extended to include electricity vouchers for those working with Keycard payment and for petrol costs to the volunteers delivering NHS prescriptions.

We have received further funding from Foundation Scotland, the SIC, Shetland Charitable Trust, local donations and some of our own funds to keep this going through 2021.

Unst Recycling Centre

Directors took an important step towards a Recycling Centre in Unst, reaching an agreement with the Unst Show Committee to purchase land at Hagdale for this building with grant assistance from the SIC Community Development Fund. We also received grant aid from the SIC’s Crown Estate Fund (now Coastal Communities Fund) to cover the costs of a Development Officer (Peter Sandison) for one year and the costs of a Feasibility Study by Malcolmson Architects for the building.

We plan to put out a survey to all Unst residents in April 2021 to gauge local support for the project, which would be likely to include a car park, laundry, wood store, compound for scrap items, polycrub, raised beds etc. This project will form much of our work in the next few years.

As usual, our thanks to all our Directors this year and to Bridgette Thomason and the staff at Bon Accord Accountancy for assisting with our payroll and compiling our annual accounts.

It is the policy of the Charity that unrestricted funds which have not been designated for a specific use should be maintained at a level equivalent to between three and six month’s expenditure. The Trustees consider that reserves at this level will ensure that, in the event of a significant drop in funding, they will be able to continue the Charity’s current activities while consideration is given to ways in which additional funds may be raised. This level of reserves has been maintained throughout the year.

The balance held as unrestricted funds at 31 March 2021 was £32,912 of which £32,012 are regarded as free reserves, after allowing for funds tied up in tangible fixed assets and investments. Actual 3 month cash payments totalled £13,020 The current level of reserves is therefore higher than is needed.

The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust, and constitutes a limited company, limited by guarantee, as defined by the Companies Act 2006.

The Trustees, who are also the directors for the purpose of company law, and who served during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were:

The Trustees report was approved by the Board of Trustees.

I report on the financial statements of the Charity for the year ended 31 March 2021, which are set out on pages 6 to 16.

The Charity’s Trustees, who are also the directors of The Unst Partnership Ltd. for the purposes of company law, are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the terms of the Charities and Trustee Investments (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. The Trustees consider that the audit requirement of Regulation 10(1)(a) to (c) of the 2006 Accounts Regulations does not apply. It is my responsibility to examine the financial statements as required under section 44(1)(c) of the Act and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.

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 financial statements presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the financial statements, 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 financial statements.

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:

to keep accounting records in accordance with section 44(1) (a) of the 2005 Act and Regulation 4 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations; and

to prepare financial statements which accord with the accounting records and comply with Regulation 8 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations;

to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the financial statements to be reached.

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.

All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.

The company is entitled to the exemption from the audit requirement contained in section 477 of the Companies Act 2006, for the year ended 31 March 2021.

The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 with respect to accounting records and the preparation of financial statements.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year in question in accordance with section 476.

These financial statements have been prepared and delivered in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime.

The Unst Partnership Ltd. is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in Scotland. The registered office is Unit 1, Hagdale Industrial Estate, Baltasound, Unst, Shetland, ZE2 9TW, Scotland.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charity's governing document, the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended), FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” (“FRS 102”) and the Charities SORP "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)" (effective 1 January 2019). The Charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.

The Charity has taken advantage of the provisions in the SORP for charities not to prepare a Statement of Cash Flows.

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the Charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, modified to include the revaluation of freehold properties and to include investment properties and certain financial instruments at fair value. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.

At the time of approving the financial statements, the Trustees have a reasonable expectation that the Charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the Trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.

Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives.

Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.

Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donations are recognised once the Charity has been notified of the donation, unless performance conditions require deferral of the amount. Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.

Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement, and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.

Expenditure is classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of the total of direct costs and shared costs, including support costs involved in undertaking each activity. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs which contribute to more than one activity and support costs which are not attributable to a single activity are apportioned between those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Central staff costs are allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges are allocated on the portion of the asset’s use.

Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.

Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:

The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is recognised in the statement of financial activities.

At each reporting end date, the Charity reviews the carrying amounts of its tangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment loss (if any).

Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.

The Charity has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.

Financial instruments are recognised in the Charity's balance sheet when the Charity becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.

Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.

Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.

Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and bank loans are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.

Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.

Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of operations from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

Financial liabilities are derecognised when the Charity’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.

The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received.

Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the Charity is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.

Payments to defined contribution retirement benefit schemes are charged as an expense as they fall due.

In the application of the Charity’s accounting policies, the Trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.

Grants

Subscriptions

Purchases

Rent, rates & water

Insurance

Light & heat

Telephone

Office costs

Sundry

Repairs

Memberships & subscriptions

Book keeping support

Skip hire

Donations

Project expenditure

Bank charges

Independent examiners fee

The average monthly number of employees during the year was:

Investment properties rented to another group entity have been accounted for using the cost model. The carrying value of these investment properties included within tangible fixed assets is £XXXX (2020 - £XXXX).

There were no disclosable related party transactions during the year (2020 - none).