REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: 05114387 (England and Wales)

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1106238

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES AND

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE PERIOD 1 APRIL 2024 TO 31 AUGUST 2025

FOR

SCARBOROUGH MUSEUMS, CULTURE

AND CREATIVE TRUST

Page

Reference and Administrative Details

1

Report of the Trustees

2

to

8

Independent Examiner's Report

9

Statement of Financial Activities

10

Balance Sheet

11

to

12

Cash Flow Statement

13

Notes to the Cash Flow Statement

14

Notes to the Financial Statements

15

to

25

TRUSTEES

Dr K M Strang

Mr J C Harris

Mrs S A Gorham

Ms L E Frostick

Mr A P Spawforth

Councillor Martin Myers

COMPANY SECRETARY

Mrs J S Lowery

REGISTERED OFFICE

Woodend

The Crescent

Scarborough

North Yorkshire

YO11 2PW

REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER

05114387 (England and Wales)

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER

1106238

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER

Fortus Limited

Business Advisors & Accountants

5 & 6 Manor Garth

Manor Court

Scarborough

North Yorkshire

YO11 3TU

The trustees who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the period 1 April 2024 to 31 August 2025. The trustees have adopted the provisions of 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).

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

Objectives and aims

The Trust's charitable objectives are "To advance the education of the public in archaeology, history, natural sciences, decorative and fine arts, antiquities and related disciplines by:

-

the establishment and maintenance of a museum and an art gallery in the Borough of

Scarborough.

-

promoting and encouraging scientific research by the disseminating of information and

knowledge.

-

promoting the preservation, access to and display of the Items, groupings, displays and

collections for the benefit of the public in the Borough of Scarborough and elsewhere.

-

Such other charitable purposes beneficial to the community consistent with the objects as the

Trustees in their absolute discretion determine.

Scarborough Borough Council transferred responsibility for the delivery of the Museums and Gallery Service and the management of the council's collections to the Trust on 1st January 2008 for an initial period of 30 years. During its early years the Trust focused on consolidating the position since the reopening of the Rotunda Museum in 2008 and the transfer of all management responsibilities to the Trust.

In May 2022, the merger of the Museum Trust with the Creative Industries Centre Trust Ltd resulted in the creation of the Scarborough Museums, Culture and Creative Trust Ltd. The Service Level Agreement (SLA) with Scarborough Borough Council which was renegotiated in 2022 transferred to North Yorkshire Council on the creation of the new Unitary Authority and from 1st April 2023, SMCCT’s SLA has been with that body.

The Strategic Plan

The draft Forward Plan represented in April 2023 covers the period 2023 - 2026 and includes:

Vision:

Shaping the world around you, means we will:

-

Create warm, accessible and inclusive places where everyone feels welcomed and represented.

-

Be a nationally and internationally recognised organisation with roots firmly within the community

we serve.

-

Develop exciting learning programmes, events and exhibitions, in our venues and externally, to

engage and inspire our audiences.

-

To inspire, engage with and invest in our team, stakeholders and partner organisations.

-

Develop projects and curate exhibitions that explore the history of Scarborough and seaside

heritage.

-

Grow visitor numbers.

-

Increase income from commercial activities to support culture in Scarborough.

Values:

-

We are warm welcomes and wow moments.

-

We are a connected community.

-

We challenge, change and evolve.

-

We look beyond Scarborough, to impact our world.

-

We are anti-racist.

Strategic Priorities:

-

Democratising the Collection.

-

Access and Inclusion.

-

Environmental Responsibility.

-

De-colonising the Museum.

-

Supporting the Creative Industries

Public benefit

As a charity, and with regard to Charity Commission guidance, the trustees recognise the Trust's duty to carry out its operations for the benefit of the public. In particular the trustees consider that the work of the Trust in the last year has advanced the arts, culture and heritage of the Borough of Scarborough and its region for the benefit of a broad audience.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

Charitable activities

In line with the charity's Objective and Aim's, a number of events took place over the course of the financial period. These included:

Exhibition Programme - Scarborough Art Gallery

Displayful

20th January - 6th May 2024

Combining new work from five regional artists, Luke Beech, Kate Fox, Wendy Galloway, Liberty Hodes and Angela Knipe, alongside historical artefacts, Displayful looked to consider new possibilities for the lives of objects.

Self Made: Derrick Santini

18th May - 1st September 2024

Visitors came face-to-face with some of the most famous people from the worlds of art, fashion, music and stage. Self Made was an exhibition of portraits of cultural icons from different generations and backgrounds, by Scarborough-born photographer Derrick Santini.

Coastal Ecologies: James Brunt

6th July - 1st September

An exhibition created using natural materials from the local coastline by Sheffield-based artist, James Brunt.

In Which Language Do We Dream?

14th September 2024 - 4th January 2025

A touring exhibition from Impressions Gallery, this multi-stranded exhibition presented an intimate perspective on the lives of displaced people. Archival family photos rescued from Syria were presented alongside contemporary photographs by Rich Wiles and the al-Hindawi family, as well as an interactive display about home life.

The Talent Inside

18th January - 3rd May 2025

An exhibition of new works created by learners studying Art at HMP Humber's Novus GRAFT Studio, inspired by the collections at Scarborough Museums.

John Atkinson Grimshaw: At Home in Yorkshire

15th February 2025 - August 2026

Atkinson Grimshaw's connections to Yorkshire were displayed by the Leeds-born artist including two of Grimshaw's moonlit Leeds scenes - 'In the Gloaming' and 'Silver Moonlight' - on loan to us from Mercer Art Gallery (North Yorkshire Council).

East Coast Open and Junior Open 2025

17th May - 13th September 2025

The Open is a celebration of creative talent by artists living and working in North Yorkshire and the East Riding of Yorkshire.

Exhibition programme - Woodend Gallery and Studios

Jason Wilsher-Mills: Jason Beside the Sea

14th September 2024 - 7th January 2025 A colourful explosion of Jason's signature printed wallpaper and giant inflatable sculptures with larger-than-life characters to reveal the stories of Jason's memories of childhood seaside holidays, 1970s working class experience and disability.

A Sense of Place

Northern Expressions

18th January - 8th March 2025

'A Sense of Place' showcased sculpture, sound, textiles, and pigeons by eight northern artists, exploring themes of home and belonging. Part of the Northern Expressions project, it celebrated Yorkshire and Humber talent without formal arts education, offering vibrant, uplifting works to brighten the winter season.

The exhibiting artists were Donna Mindart, David Kenney, Alice Kin, Miriam Hemingway, Estar May, Mouse, Jenny Sutton, and Graham Williamson

Nurture

21st March - 24th May 2025

Commissioned by Crescent Arts, this exhibition shone a spotlight on the untold stories of motherhood and celebrated care and the lived experience of what it means to be a mother. Works on display were by mothers who had not had the opportunity to display work due to their caregiving duties.

Desire Lines: Scarborough Sixth Form

27th June - 24 August 2025

Working with artist Martha Cattell and Crescent Arts Curator Joel Hague, young artists from Scarborough Sixth Form College created a new exhibition at Woodend.

Collections

Acquisitions

Scarborough Pride objects (after exhibition)

Wendy Galloway 'Fish Wives Tales' - displayed during the exhibition 'Displayful' at the Art Gallery

Alec Karn 'Still Life with Potatoes', 1955 oil on hardboard

Alec Karn, 'Snow', 1955 oil on hardboard

family photographs and documents related to Scarborough

Community

A Space to Be

This space continued to be used for community engagement and to support the learning programme. Creative Health Sessions have been held in the space and Cultural Collaborations included working with Artist Jason Wilsher Mills and Fitzpatrick Design. A new connection was made with Health & Adult Services running monthly advocacy sessions for their Learning Disability Partnership Board.

Learning

Our formal leaning provision continued to be funded by Arts Council's Museums and Schools programme. The number of pupils visiting the venues in organised groups was 2621, and 265 students were reached through outreach to schools by the learning team. 101 primary schools were engaged through the formal learning activity.

Visitor Figures (1st April 2024 to 30th June 2025)

Rotunda

Annual tickets (paid) - 10800

Repeat (free) - 3001

Art Gallery

Annual tickets (paid) - 5162

Repeat (free) - 4497

Free to both venues

Under 18s - 5826

Other free - 1821

Non-learning attendees e.g. Space 2 Be and informal activities - 948

Woodend

Total (free) - 9221

FUTURE PLANS

The charity faced a challenging year in 2023/24 which significantly reduced the cash position of the charity at the year-end and into 2024/25 and this forced the trustees to consider the future operation of the venues.

Following a review of the options the Trustees of SMCCT agreed to approach North Yorkshire Council about ending the SLA, bringing the responsibility, operation and management of the service back 'in-house'. The North Yorkshire Council executive committee voted unanimously to approve the recommendation and request from SMCCT at a meeting on the 18th March 2025 and, as a result, the charity handed back operational responsibility for the service to NYC on 1st July 2025.

The trustees and leadership team are now committed to ensuring a smooth handover process in the best interests of all stakeholders.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Governing document

Scarborough Museums Trust is a charitable company limited by guarantee and which was incorporated on 28th April 2004. It is governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association, as amended by special resolutions dated 14 January 2005, 4 March 2009, 19 May 2010, 29 July 2011,26 October 2012 and 15 September 2025 and is registered with the Charity Commission. In the event of the company being wound up, members are required to contribute an amount not exceeding £1 each.

As set out in the Articles of Association, the number of trustees shall be not less than three but no more than fifteen.

In order for the Trust to be able to transfer over any surplus funds/assets from the Charity to North Yorkshire Council, an amendment to the Articles of Association under Point 8.1 Residual Assets needed to be made. Therefore, the following Special Resolution was agreed;

That the Articles of Association of the Company be and are hereby amended by replacing Article 8 (Residual Assets) with a new Article 8 (Residual Assets) to read:

If the Charity is wound up or dissolved and after all its debts and liabilities have been satisfied there remains any property, it shall not be paid or distributed among the Members but shall be transferred to North Yorkshire Council, to be used for charitable purposes similar to the Objects, with the approval of the Trustees having obtained such consents from The Charity Commission that may be required.

Recruitment and appointment of new trustees

The board of trustees are aware of the diverse range of skills, experience and knowledge needed and will seek to ensure that they are appropriately reflected on the trustee board.

Key management remuneration

The trustees consider that the board along with the chief executive comprise the key management personnel of the charity and are in charge of directing and controlling, running and operating the Trust on a day to day basis. All the trustees give their time freely and none are remunerated. Details of expenses reimbursed during the year are shown in the notes to the accounts.

The pay of senior staff is reviewed annually and normally increased in accordance with average earnings. In view of the nature of the charity, the trustees benchmark against pay levels in other similar organisations in the North of England to ensure that the remuneration is fair and not out of line with that generally paid for similar roles.

CESSATION OF TRADING

The charitable company ceased activities on 30 June 2025.

Approved by order of the board of trustees on 5 November 2025 and signed on its behalf by:

Mrs S A Gorham - Trustee

Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Scarborough Museums, Culture and Creative Trust ('the Company')

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the period 1 April 2024 to 31 August 2025.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity's trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 ('the 2006 Act').

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity's accounts as carried out under Section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 ('the 2011 Act'). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under Section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner's statement

Since your charity's gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a listed body. I can confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, which is one of the listed bodies.

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:

1.	accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by Section 386 of the 2006 Act; or

2.	the accounts do not accord with those records; or

3.	the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of Section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or

4.

the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities (applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)).

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Mr P B Dixon FCA

Fortus Limited

Business Advisors & Accountants

5 & 6 Manor Garth

Manor Court

Scarborough

North Yorkshire

YO11 3TU

5 November 2025

Period

1.4.24

to

Year ended

31.8.25

31.3.24

Unrestricted

Restricted

Total

Total

funds

funds

funds

funds

Notes

£

£

£

£

INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM

Donations and legacies

2

8,577

148,911

157,488

330,835

Charitable activities

4

Rotunda museum and art gallery

187,188

545

187,733

118,911

Investment income

3

1,862

-

1,862

898

Local authority - Service level agreement

5

614,258

-

614,258

469,753

Total

811,885

149,456

961,341

920,397

EXPENDITURE ON

Raising funds

6

16,514

-

16,514

22,788

Charitable activities

7

Rotunda museum and art gallery

785,669

213,114

998,783

1,139,511

Other

10

49,940

-

49,940

-

Total

852,123

213,114

1,065,237

1,162,299

Net gains on investments

8,147

-

8,147

5,689

NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)

(32,091

)

(63,658

)

(95,749

)

(236,213

)

Transfers between funds

21

(16,156

)

16,156

-

-

Net movement in funds

(48,247

)

(47,502

)

(95,749

)

(236,213

)

RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS

Total funds brought forward

86,334

57,389

143,723

379,936

TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD

38,087

9,887

47,974

143,723

2025

2024

Notes

£

£

FIXED ASSETS

Tangible assets

15

-

52,262

Investments

16

-

138,007

-

190,269

CURRENT ASSETS

Stocks

17

-

10,721

Debtors

18

994

17,817

Cash at bank and in hand

51,890

45,984

52,884

74,522

CREDITORS

Amounts falling due within one year

19

(4,910

)

(121,068

)

NET CURRENT ASSETS

47,974

(46,546

)

TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES

47,974

143,723

NET ASSETS

47,974

143,723

FUNDS

21

Unrestricted funds

38,088

86,334

Restricted funds

9,886

57,389

TOTAL FUNDS

47,974

143,723

The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the period ended 31 August 2025.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the period ended 31 August 2025 in accordance with Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.

The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for

(a)	ensuring that the charitable company keeps accounting records that comply with Sections 386 and 387 of the Companies Act 2006 and

(b)

preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company as at the end of each financial year and of its surplus or deficit for each financial year in accordance with the requirements of Sections 394 and 395 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to financial statements, so far as applicable to the charitable company.

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

The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue on 5 November 2025 and were signed on its behalf by:

Mrs S A Gorham - Trustee

Cash flows from operating activities

Cash generated from operations

1

(179,747

)

(185,678

)

Net cash used in operating activities

(179,747

)

(185,678

)

Cash flows from investing activities

Purchase of tangible fixed assets

-

(8,770

)

Sale of tangible fixed assets

37,635

-

Sale of fixed asset investments

146,156

-

Interest received

1,862

898

Net cash provided by/(used in) investing activities

185,653

(7,872

)

Change in cash and cash equivalents in the reporting period

5,906

(193,550

)

Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the reporting period

45,984

239,534

Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the reporting period

51,890

45,984

1.	RECONCILIATION OF NET EXPENDITURE TO NET CASH FLOW FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES

Period

1.4.24

to

Year ended

31.8.25

31.3.24

£

£

Net expenditure for the reporting period (as per the Statement of Financial Activities)

(95,749

)

(236,213

)

Adjustments for:

Depreciation charges

14,625

12,459

Gain on investments

(8,147

)

(5,689

)

Interest received

(1,862

)

(898

)

Impairment of subsidiary investment

-

10

Decrease/(increase) in stocks

10,721

(2,801

)

Decrease in debtors

16,823

11,275

(Decrease)/increase in creditors

(116,158

)

36,179

Net cash used in operations

(179,747

)

(185,678

)

2.	ANALYSIS OF CHANGES IN NET FUNDS

At 1.4.24

Cash flow

At 31.8.25

£

£

£

Net cash

Cash at bank and in hand

45,984

5,906

51,890

45,984

5,906

51,890

Total

45,984

5,906

51,890

1.	ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of preparing the financial statements

The financial statements of the charitable company, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) '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)', Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' and the Companies Act 2006. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, with the exception of investments which are included at market value.

Income

All income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.

For donations and grants to be recognised the charity will have been notified of the amounts and the settlement date in writing. If there are conditions attached to the donation or grant and this requires a level of performance before entitlement can be obtained then income is deferred until those conditions are fully met or the fulfilment of those conditions is within the control of the charity and it is probable that they will be fulfilled.

Expenditure

Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, 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 accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.

Tangible fixed assets

Depreciation is provided at the following annual rates in order to write off each asset over its estimated useful life.

Fixtures, fittings and equipment

-

Straight line over 10 years

Computer equipment & website

-

20% on cost

Tangible fixed assets are stated at cost or valuation less accumulated depreciation and accumulated impairment losses. Cost includes costs directly attributable to making the asset capable of operating as intended.

Stocks

Stocks are valued at the lower of cost and net realisable value, after making due allowance for obsolete and slow moving items.

Cost includes all costs of purchase and is calculated using the first-in, first-out basis. Provision is made for damaged, obsolete and slow-moving stock where appropriate.

Taxation

The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.

Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds are available to spend on activities that further any of the purposes of the charity. Designated funds are unrestricted funds of the charity which the trustees have decided at their discretion to set aside to use for a specific purpose. Restricted funds are grants and donations which the donor has specified are to be solely used for particular areas of the Trust's work or for specific projects being undertaken by the Trust.

Debtors and creditors receivable / payable within one year

Debtors and creditors with no stated interest rate and receivable or payable within one year are recorded at transaction price. Any losses arising from impairment are recognised in expenditure.

Pension costs and other post-retirement benefits

The charitable company operates a defined contribution pension scheme. Contributions payable to the charitable company's pension scheme are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities in the period to which they relate.

Going concern

As mentioned in the Report of the Trustees, the charity faced has faced a particularly challenging last couple of years which put significant pressure on the cashflow of the charity and this forced the trustees to consider the future operation of the venues in the best interest of locals and visitors alike.

North Yorkshire Council owns Scarborough Art Gallery, Rotunda Museum and Woodend Gallery and Studios, along with their collections and the trustees approached the local authority with a view to them bringing operations back 'in-house' and ending the current service level agreement.

The North Yorkshire Council executive committee voted unanimously to approve the recommendation and request from SMCCT at a meeting on the 18th March 2025 and, as a result, the charity ceased to operate on the 30th June 2025. The trustees have therefore chosen not to adopt the going concern basis and appropriate adjustments have been made in the financial statements.

2.	DONATIONS AND LEGACIES

Period

1.4.24

to

Year ended

31.8.25

31.3.24

£

£

Donations

8,579

5,882

Grants

148,909

324,953

157,488

330,835

Grants received, included in the above, are as follows:

Period

1.4.24

to

Year ended

31.8.25

31.3.24

£

£

Arts Council England

135,214

246,366

National Lottery Heritage Fund

-

24,987

Museum Development Yorkshire

4,115

150

North Yorkshire County Council (Now North Yorkshire Council)

6,255

30,450

Climate 2025 Limited

-

1,000

'Culture&'

-

16,000

Anglo American Woodsmith Limited

-

5,000

Crescent Arts

-

1,000

Arcade Arts Ltd

3,000

-

Other grants

325

-

148,909

324,953

Grants received include £148,911 (2024 - £309,846) related to restricted funds.

3.	INVESTMENT INCOME

Period

1.4.24

to

Year ended

31.8.25

31.3.24

£

£

Deposit account interest

1,862

898

4.	INCOME FROM CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES

Period

1.4.24

to

Year ended

31.8.25

31.3.24

Activity

£

£

Admissions

Rotunda museum and art gallery

81,444

49,076

Retail and refreshment sales

Rotunda museum and art gallery

33,447

34,724

Miscellaneous income

Rotunda museum and art gallery

72,842

35,111

187,733

118,911

5.	LOCAL AUTHORITY - SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENT

The charity received income from the local council under the terms of a service level agreement for the operation of the museum and art gallery and this is shown separately on the face of the Statement of Financial Activities.

6.	RAISING FUNDS

Other trading activities

Period

1.4.24

to

Year ended

31.8.25

31.3.24

£

£

Purchases

16,514

22,788

7.	CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES COSTS

Direct

Support

Costs (see

costs (see

note 8)

note 9)

Totals

£

£

£

Rotunda museum and art gallery

976,909

21,874

998,783

8.	DIRECT COSTS OF CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES

Period

1.4.24

to

Year ended

31.8.25

31.3.24

£

£

Staff costs

552,125

470,395

Other staff costs

7,543

8,684

Premises

92,672

66,335

Supplies and services

164,041

179,521

Professional services

8,685

2,300

Grant project expenditure

137,215

370,423

Depreciation

14,628

12,437

Impairment losses

-

10

976,909

1,110,105

Included in the above costs are £213,114 (2024 - £414,960) relating to restricted funds.

Staff costs include salaries and related costs incurred in relation to one-off projects and funding.