Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Jane Murphy and Councillor Robin Bennett (substituted by Councillor Jenny Hannaby).

Please see guidance note

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 22 August 2024.

The minutes of the meeting held on 22 August 2024 were approved.

Report by Director of Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer

It is the duty of registered charities to prepare annual accounts and submit an annual return. The Council is the Trustee of a registered charity and responsibility for compliance with statutory requirements rests ultimately with it.

The Committee is RECOMMENDED to

(a)             Approve the Statement of Financial Activities for the year to 31 March 2024 annexed to this report; and

(b)             Authorise a Council officer to submit data from the Statement to the Charity Commission online before midnight on 31 January 2025 so that annual financial reporting obligations are complied with.

The Committee considered the report on financial activities for the 2023/24 financial year.

Richard Hodby summarised the report.  There had been little activity in the period of the report.  The Trust received garage rental income and higher than expected interest. There had been no expenditure.  The County Council donated back the accountancy fees so makes no profit from the accountancy work.

The Chair put the recommendations to the Committee and they were agreed.

RESOLVED to

(a)                  Approve the Statement of Financial Activities for the year to 31 March 2024 annexed to this report; and

(b)                  Authorise a Council officer to submit data from the Statement to the Charity Commission online before midnight on 31 January 2025 so that annual financial reporting obligations are complied with.

Members of the public who wish to speak at this meeting can attend the meeting in person or ‘virtually’ through an online connection. 

To facilitate ‘hybrid’ meetings we are asking that requests to speak are submitted by no later than 9am four working days before the meeting i.e., 9am on Monday 27 January 2025.  Requests to speak should be sent to colm.ocaomhanaigh@oxfordshire.gov.uk

If you are speaking ‘virtually’, you may submit a written statement of your presentation to ensure that if the technology fails, then your views can still be taken into account. A written copy of your statement can be provided no later than 9am 2 working days before the meeting. Written submissions should be no longer than 1 A4 sheet.

The Chair agreed to a request to speak from Gill Bindoff.

Gill Bindoff expressed her frustration that no date had been set yet for a meeting of the Committee to make any substantive decisions despite the Committee meeting with some urgency last August.  She was concerned that with the County Council election due in May the Trust’s interests would be low on the agenda.

She was further concerned that the Government’s plan for devolution introduced further uncertainty.  She asked that informal discussions be held soon in advance of a Committee meeting.

Members gave assurances that there would be no lack of interest in the business of the Committee and agreed to aim to hold a meeting again by March.