IBS Annual Review 2018.Pdf
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Established 1849 Includes summary financial statement for year ended 30 November 2018 growing closer One of the most significant events of the year was the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation, a complex project which we worked efficiently and diligently to comply with. Membership and branches Chairman’s summary 4 As a mutual we place great importance on the 170 Years of “The Old Freehold” 5 satisfaction and support of our members and work All In 6 to meet their needs. Community matters 8 The demand for our face-to-face services saw us Savings & Mortgages 10 open new premises at a time when other financial Introducing our Board 12 service providers have closed branches. We are Summary Financial Statement 14 facing increasing demand for complementary Directors’ Remuneration Report 18 online services and are making good progress with this project which will remain a focus in the coming year. Supporting home ownership Looking back By employing an expert, manual approach to underwriting we understand the personal at 2018 circumstances behind each mortgage A welcome from Richard Norrington, application enabling us to be innovative with Chief Executive our mortgage lending. We introduced new products specifically designed With a backdrop of continuing economic for borrowers aged 50 plus, offering no maximum uncertainty, we began our financial year positively age restriction at the end of the mortgage deal. with a commitment to our face-to-face services, Borrowing in later life brings with it a set of unique opening two new premises in the existing branch needs as well as changing sources of income towns of Ipswich and Woodbridge. and lifestyle which our underwriters take The economic outlook into consideration. We witnessed another increase in the Bank of We identified and addressed a gap in our range England’s Base Rate - the second successive for 75% Loan To Value products and responded annual upturn. There is, inevitably, much to demand for a limited tranche of five year speculation about how the Base Rate may be fixed deals. affected by Brexit and this is something we will be closely monitoring. We improved our offering for those either building, or remortgaging, a property using The Autumn Budget was positive news for would- Modern Methods of Construction and can now be first time buyers, with initiatives including the also help shared ownership homeowners looking abolition of stamp duty for shared ownership to remortgage. properties up to £500,000 backdated to November 2017. 2 Fit for the future Along with the Board I am mindful of the need Key results to ensure we have the appropriate senior staff in place to lead the Society through the coming Mortgage years. We have made two internal promotions, assets welcoming Rebecca Newman to our Executive team as General Manager Legal and HR (formerly £536m Society Secretary and Legal Counsel) and Ian (2017: £521m) Brighton to our Board as Operations Director (formerly General Manager Operations). In addition, as highlighted in our 2017 Review, Trevor Retail savings Slater joined the Society as Finance Director in balances January 2018. £572m It is also prudent to ensure our Board has the skills (2017: £567m) needed to ensure the long-running sustainability of the Society. I am delighted to welcome Fiona Profit before tax Ryder as Non-Executive Director, bringing over 25 years’ experience across the broadcasting, digital £3.3m and commercial sectors. (2017: £3.1m) We implemented a new tool to measure employee satisfaction and engagement, enabling us to Management monitor initiatives and invite suggestions on how expenses to improve as an employer. We consecutively increased our quarterly engagement score and £9.3m implemented several suggestions. (2017: £8.9m) We pledged our support for the Women In Finance charter, to achieve a greater level of Total regulatory gender diversity. capital £37m As we now enter our 170th year it gives me great (2017: £34m) satisfaction to report that the Society is in a strong position, well placed to continue our success into 2019. Richard Norrington Chief Executive 3 Chairman’s summary The Society remains committed to providing Underpinning our Board oversight is our Enterprise long term sustainable value to members through Risk Management Framework (ERMF), core to our competitively priced products. decision-making and incorporating the control structures and mechanisms to safeguard against Our business model remains very straightforward threats, especially from fraud and cyber attack. and we performed strongly by continuing to attract This is, quite rightly, a crucial area of focus for and retain personal savings, and then using these our regulators. funds to lend responsibly to mortgage borrowers. Support from key mortgage intermediaries, The economic and political uncertainty associated particularly those on our Prestige Panel, were with Brexit continues and the UK political again at the heart of our success. landscape is changing. Whilst the Society’s business model means it is largely protected from We made several strategic investments including any direct adverse implications of Brexit, it could the opening of new premises, the testing of new be impacted by the wider economic changes. shared services, including Estate Agencies, and Although the Society’s simple operating model upgrading key components of our IT infrastructure. and high-quality loan book improves its resilience, We are committed to retaining a branch network these risks are nevertheless at the front of our but will ensure that it is one which is fit for purpose thoughts and additional business controls and in a rapidly changing market place where the monitoring are being put in place. introduction of Open Banking, and the rise of the In concluding this report I thank the Society’s FinTech’s, will lead to further changes. We are employees for their valued personal contributions. therefore investing in both technology and people Last year was difficult and demanding with many to ensure that we look after members’ interests and changes affecting the Society. With this level of maintain high standards of service. commitment, I am confident that although 2019 High quality member service is at the heart of our will be just as demanding we are well placed to business model. Our staff have again worked to continue to build the business for the future. the highest standards, consistently demonstrated in our satisfaction results and supported by a low level of complaints. Our Board structure, oversight controls and Alan Harris information are central to governance. A Board Chairman Effectiveness Review was conducted externally and highlighted the strength of our current governance but also gave ideas to further improve and modernise what we do. 4 170 years of “The Old Freehold” We were established in 1849 as the Ipswich Between 1866 and 1933 the Society built and Suffolk Freehold Land Society and the houses, developing over 50 estates in Ipswich and Ipswich & Suffolk Permanent Benefit Building across Suffolk including Felixstowe, Stowmarket, Society. In 2019 we celebrate 170 years of Lowestoft, Framlingham and Hadleigh. service as Suffolk’s only homegrown financial services provider. The Ipswich & Suffolk Freehold Land Society (FLS) was part of a national movement to create ‘forty shilling freeholders’, giving the ordinary man the chance to buy enough land to gain the right to vote. The Society aimed to “improve the social position and promote the moral elevation of the unenfranchised population of this country”. People Ipswich branch counter, 1940s would be able to invest their savings with that money used to purchase areas of freehold land. This land During this time the Society operated from a single would be divided into plots of sufficient size to confer Ipswich town centre office. In 1979, to better serve on its owner the right to vote. our members, we opened our first satellite branch in Hadleigh. Further branches soon followed. At the first meeting on 4 December 1849 the Society enrolled 140 members with 150 shares taken. Within In 2016 the Society purchased the Grade II a week this had increased to 400 shares. listed ‘Parr’s Bank’ building in Ipswich, which was to be the new flagship premises. After a much In 1850, the Society acquired its first piece of land acclaimed refurbishment the building opened (98 acres). By 1858 the first come, first served as ‘Mutual House’, reflecting the long-standing model of allocating plots to members was replaced values of “the old Freehold”. by balloting. Members interested in a particular development would submit their ballot paper to the Our archive materials are on permanent loan Secretary; should their numbered ball be drawn out to Suffolk Records Office, where they can be they could proceed to purchase outright or through accessed for family and house history research. an Ipswich & Suffolk Permanent Benefit Building Visit www.suffolkarchives.co.uk to find out more Society mortgage. Ballot box from 1858 5 Better for everyone Being a member is more than being a customer; you’re part of something special. This is why we created All In. Rather than aiming to please shareholders, as a Discover hidden treasures mutual business we’re here to serve your interests and Our events programme is primarily an opportunity to those of the community. All In strengthens the bond reward members with social activities, but our events between members and the Society, ensuring our also bring valuable footfall, funding and awareness members feel like owners of the business. We want of Suffolk organisations and attractions. It’s so easy to our members to get involved with us, to discover hidden overlook what is on our doorstep. treasures on special events and to benefit from offers with partner organisations. Enjoy partnership benefits All In occasionally includes discounts at a few local and Get involved nationally available businesses and organisations.