BITTERN COUNTRYSIDE COMMUNITY INTEREST COMPANY

Company Registration Number:
06363720 (England and Wales)

Unaudited statutory accounts for the year ended 30 September 2024

Period of accounts

Start date: 1 October 2023

End date: 30 September 2024

BITTERN COUNTRYSIDE COMMUNITY INTEREST COMPANY

Contents of the Financial Statements

for the Period Ended 30 September 2024

Directors report
Profit and loss
Balance sheet
Additional notes
Balance sheet notes
Community Interest Report

BITTERN COUNTRYSIDE COMMUNITY INTEREST COMPANY

Directors' report period ended 30 September 2024

The directors present their report with the financial statements of the company for the period ended 30 September 2024

Principal activities of the company

A Summary of the Company's Activities is as follows: Our Business Plan for 2022-2026 higlighted 3 categories we are addressing. 1: Protect and Restore Nature, 2: Build a waste free world and 3: Fix our Climate. These three are all interconnected and working towards one of the aims will have benefits for the other 2. In order to enable everyone to take their part in protecting and restoring Nature, people need to know about and enjoy the Flora and Fauna of our area. The Wildlife Atlases continue to facilitate this. The Sustainable Schools’ Project enabled us to work with the primary schools to help their pupils with this as well as enabling them to reduce their carbon footprint. 2023 was the year that the AONB turned into a National Landscape. As well as a new logo there are lots of new opportuntities and challenges. We will do all we can to help. The Sustainable Schools’ Project has left a lasting legacy and we will be building on this over the next 2 years. We have been given a grant of £12,000 (£2,000 for 2023/4 and £10,000 for 2024/5) to work with the ASNL unit and our local schools and community organisations such as Sustainable Arnside with an emphasis on Climate and Nature. . Work is well underway on the Arnside/Silverdale National Landscape Nature Recovery Strategy. Some of our shareholders are working with the ASNL team and other volunteers to bring this about. One of the projects is a 5 year initiative to study the flora of the ASNL in a more scientific manner. We are hosting this on our website. Financially we remain on a sound footing and we have managed to further our aims. We always welcome suggestions from our shareholders as to further possible initiatives. The Company continues to maintain a Website hosted by A2A Advertising Ltd. The website enables anyone to download resources on Nature and energy saving for free.

Company policy on disabled employees

The company has no employees but encourages voluntary participation from all persons interested in its activities, regardless of age and ability.



Directors

The directors shown below have held office during the whole of the period from
1 October 2023 to 30 September 2024

Fiona Allan
David Askew
Robin Horner
Ann Kitchen
Valerie Stevens
Malcolm Stevens


The director shown below has held office during the period of
1 October 2023 to 26 April 2024

Ray Anslow


The director shown below has held office during the period of
26 April 2024 to 30 September 2024

Caroline Howard


Secretary Kenneth Kitchen

The above report has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions in part 15 of the Companies Act 2006

This report was approved by the board of directors on
12 November 2024

And signed on behalf of the board by:
Name: Ann Kitchen
Status: Director

BITTERN COUNTRYSIDE COMMUNITY INTEREST COMPANY

Profit And Loss Account

for the Period Ended 30 September 2024

2024 2023


£

£
Turnover: 6,832 10,616
Cost of sales: ( 6,426 ) ( 9,988 )
Gross profit(or loss): 406 628
Distribution costs: 0 0
Administrative expenses: ( 697 ) ( 646 )
Other operating income: 0 0
Operating profit(or loss): (291) (18)
Interest receivable and similar income: 0 0
Interest payable and similar charges: 0 0
Profit(or loss) before tax: (291) (18)
Tax: 0 0
Profit(or loss) for the financial year: (291) (18)

BITTERN COUNTRYSIDE COMMUNITY INTEREST COMPANY

Balance sheet

As at 30 September 2024

Notes 2024 2023


£

£
Fixed assets
Intangible assets:   0 0
Tangible assets:   0 0
Total fixed assets: 0 0
Current assets
Cash at bank and in hand: 17,102 9,393
Total current assets: 17,102 9,393
Prepayments and accrued income: 0 0
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year:   0 0
Net current assets (liabilities): 17,102 9,393
Total assets less current liabilities: 17,102 9,393
Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one year:   0 0
Provision for liabilities: 0 0
Accruals and deferred income: ( 10,000 ) ( 2,000 )
Total net assets (liabilities): 7,102 7,393
Capital and reserves
Called up share capital: 12,010 12,010
Profit and loss account: (4,908 ) (4,617 )
Total Shareholders' funds: 7,102 7,393

The notes form part of these financial statements

BITTERN COUNTRYSIDE COMMUNITY INTEREST COMPANY

Balance sheet statements

For the year ending 30 September 2024 the company was entitled to exemption under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit in accordance with section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.

The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts.

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

This report was approved by the board of directors on 12 November 2024
and signed on behalf of the board by:

Name: Ann Kitchen
Status: Director

The notes form part of these financial statements

BITTERN COUNTRYSIDE COMMUNITY INTEREST COMPANY

Notes to the Financial Statements

for the Period Ended 30 September 2024

  • 1. Accounting policies

    Basis of measurement and preparation

    These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions of Section 1A (Small Entities) of Financial Reporting Standard 102

    Turnover policy

    Turnover represents the total amount of dona?ons and grants received plus the total invoice value, excluding value added tax, of sales made during the year. The total turnover of the company for the year has been derived from its principal ac?vity wholly undertaken in the UK.

BITTERN COUNTRYSIDE COMMUNITY INTEREST COMPANY

Notes to the Financial Statements

for the Period Ended 30 September 2024

  • 2. Employees

    2024 2023
    Average number of employees during the period 0 0

BITTERN COUNTRYSIDE COMMUNITY INTEREST COMPANY

Notes to the Financial Statements

for the Period Ended 30 September 2024

3. Financial Commitments

As described on the Balance Sheet the Directors are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements of the Bittern Countryside Community Interest Company for the year ended 30th September 2024 set out on pages 3 ot 7 from the Company's accounting records and from other financial information. This report is made solely to the Board of Directors of the Bittern Countryside Community Interest Company, as a body, in accordance with the company's articles. The work has been undertaken solely to prepare for approval the financial statements of the Bittern Countryside Community Interest Company and state those matters have been agreed to report to the Board of Directors of the Bittern Countryside Community Interest Company. It is the Board's duty to ensure that the Bittern Countryside Community Interest Company has kept adequate accounting records and to prepare statutory financial statements that give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position, and profit of the Bittern Countryside Community Interest Company. Iconsider that the Bittern Countryside Community Interest Company is exempt from the statutory audit requirement for the year. The Board have agreed that a ful audit or a review of the financial statements of the Bittern Countryside Community Interest Company is not required. For this reason, the accounting records or information and explanations provided have not been externally verified After taking advice the Company has decided that the Grant of £12,000 received from the Lancaster City Council for the Climate and Nature Programme specified in an Agreement between The Company and the Arnside/Silverdale National Landscape Partnership can be split into the two years of its currency with £2,000 for 2023/24 and £10,000 for 2024/25. The AONB Partnership has been advised the Company has adopted this procedure which is shown as Deferred Income in the Company's accounts. In accordance with these statements, I have inspected the unaudited financial statements prepared by the Directors along with accounting records, bank statements and other information available with the purpose of assisting the Board fulfil their statutory responsibilities (see page 7)

COMMUNITY INTEREST ANNUAL REPORT

BITTERN COUNTRYSIDE COMMUNITY INTEREST COMPANY

Company Number: 06363720 (England and Wales)

Year Ending: 30 September 2024

Company activities and impact

The Company is served by a Board of Directors whose members are drawn from representatives of conservation organisations and local volunteers. There has been one change in the Board in the Year with Ray Anslow resigning as a director at the end of his 3 year term and Caroline Howard being elected as a Director. It comprises seven directors with three vacancies. The Company has an environmental and conservation focus concerned with implementing sustainable development opportunities in and around the Arnside Silverdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (Now the Arnside/Silverdale National Landscape) within the context of and supporting the National Landscapes's statutory Management Plan. At the end of the Company’s financial year (30/9/24) the Company had net assets of £7,102 and a called up share capital of £12,010. A Summary of the Company's Activities is as follows: Our Business Plan for 2022-2026 higlighted 3 categories we are addressing. 1: Protect and Restore Nature, 2: Build a waste free world and 3: Fix our Climate. These three are all interconnected and working towards one of the aims will have benefits for the other 2. In order to enable everyone to take their part in protecting and restoring Nature, people need to know about and enjoy the Flora and Fauna of our area. The Wildlife Atlases continue to facilitate this. The Sustainable Schools’ Project enabled us to work with the primary schools to help their pupils with this as well as enabling them to reduce their carbon footprint. 2023 was the year that the AONB turned into a National Landscape. As well as a new logo there are lots of new opportuntities and challenges. We will do all we can to help. The Sustainable Schools’ Project has left a lasting legacy and we will be building on this over the next 2 years. We have been given a grant of £12,000 (£2,000 for 2023/4 and £10,000 for 2024/5) to work with the ASNL unit and our local schools and community organisations such as Sustainable Arnside with an emphasis on Climate and Nature. . Work is well underway on the Arnside/Silverdale National Landscape Nature Recovery Strategy. Some of our shareholders are working with the ASNL team and other volunteers to bring this about. One of the projects is a 5 year initiative to study the flora of the ASNL in a more scientific manner. We are hosting this on our website. Financially we remain on a sound footing and we have managed to further our aims. We always welcome suggestions from our shareholders as to further possible initiatives. The Company continues to maintain a Website hosted by A2A Advertising Ltd. The website enables anyone to download resources on Nature and energy saving for free.

Consultation with stakeholders

Stakeholders include those who live or work within or adjoining the Arnside Silverdale AONB, land holding and farming/forestry interests, tourism and leisure operators, members and other representatives of conservation bodies with interests in the area including Natural England, RSPB, Cumbria and Lancashire Wildlife Trusts, the Woodland Trust and our Asset Lock body, the Arnside Silverdale AONB Landscape Trust. The Company keeps stakeholders and the public up to date with its activities through a website currently hosted by A2A Advertising Ltd (URL bitterncountrysidecic.org.uk). The Company's AGM was held in April. The Company also writes a thrice yearly article for Keer To Kent, the journal of our asset locked body. The Company invites feedback from stakeholders on its activities through the website and at the AGM. Stakeholders have been generally very supportive of the Company. There has been no feedback in this financial year that has required a specific response from the Board.

Directors' remuneration

No remuneration was received

Transfer of assets

No transfer of assets other than for full consideration

This report was approved by the board of directors on
12 November 2024

And signed on behalf of the board by:
Name: Ann Kitchen
Status: Director