Roughton Land Trust (No 1082184)
Annual Report April 2009

The last year we have been busy trying to fill in the gaps in information we require to make it easier to manage the charity. We have still only been passed incomplete and patchy records.

There have been two changes in our membership. One being the resignation brought on by an unwarranted attack on the integrity of Richard Jordan by a former Trustee and Parish Councillor, A Musker, which was referred to the Standards Board for England and which was later proved to be completely unfounded. We thank Dick for all the help he gave us and wish him well.

Secondly, we thank Colin Harrold, who stood down at the end of October last year, after many years of diligent service as a trustee. We wish him well in his retirement.

After having advertised the two vacancies around the village, we appointed Mr Jim Spiller of Tops Hill Road, Thorpe Market, and Mr Roger Crouch of Red Lion Street, Aylsham. No other applications were received.

Despite having to fund new leases and other expenses, we were able to make a payment to the Robert Brown Trustees for the Poor of £933.89, from the letting of the two donkey allotments. This slightly odd sum equates to two unauthorised cheques from 2007, noted in last year’s accounts. Barclays Bank promptly refunded the cheques as they should not have let them go through.

We were also able to make a payment of £250 to the Robert Brown Trustees for St Mary’s Primary School from the letting of Poors allotment.

We also maintain the Norwich Road Recreation Ground. With the end of last year’s experiment of Car Boot Sales, we would welcome any other positive ideas for the use and funding of this facility.

I don’t know if anyone else noticed in the national media just before last Christmas reports that social security hardship loans would incur interest on their repayments. There was debate as to whether the interest rates were high or not! I hope other residents of Roughton will agree, especially in these difficult times, that we have a far better system through the Robert Brown Charity for the Poor, who simply give grants to people in particular need. We are proud to play our part by providing substantial funds for this each year.

Finally I would like to thank Rachel Parkin for producing 2008-09 accounts and the other trustees, Jim, Roger, and Roy MacDonald for all their help.

This report, along with our Annual Accounts are available online at www.roughtonvillage.co.uk

Peter Crouch, Chairman
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