Charity Registration No. 1096327 Company Registration No. 4530443 (England and Wales) PORTSMOUTH DISABILITY FORUM (PDF) (LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES' REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2015 PORTSMOUTH DISABILITY FORUM (PDF) (LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION Trustees Sharon Smithson - Chair Alasdair Carnegie - Vice Chair Renata Evans Wendy Roberts Paul Taylor - Honorary Treasurer Christine Rains Stuart Elsom Peter Cairns George Semmens Ivor Grayson Smith Secretary Lynne Rigby Charity number 1096327 Company number 4530443 Principal address Frank Sorrell Centre Prince Albert Road Eastney Portsmouth Hampshire P049HR Registered office Frank Sorrell Centre Prince Albert Road Eastney Portsmouth Hampshire P049HR Auditors Jones Avens Limited Piper House 4 Dukes Court Bognor Road Chichester West Sussex PQ19 8FX Bankers Co-operative Bank pic PO Box 250 Delf House Southway Skelmersdale WN8 6WT PORTSMOUTH DISABILITY FORUM (PDF) (LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) CONTENTS Page Trustees' report 1-6 Statement of trustees' responsibilities 7 Independent auditors' report 8-9 Statement of financial activities 10-11 Balance sheet 12 Notes to the accounts 13-25 PORTSMOUTH DISABILITY FORUM (PDF) (LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2015 The trustees present their report and accounts for the year ended 31 March 2015. The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the accounts and comply with the charity's governing document, the Companies Act 2006 and the Statement of Recommended Practice, "Accounting and Reporting by Charities", issued in March 2005. Structure, governance and management The charity is a company limited by guarantee. The charity's objects are to promote the care, welfare, interest, education and advancement of disabled people their families and personal assistants and their independence and inclusion within the community of Portsmouth and the surrounding areas. Portsmouth Disability Forum (known as PDF) is a charitable company limited by guarantee. Starting as the Handicap Action Committee in 1981, PDF was incorporated on the 10th September 2002, company number 4530443 and granted charitable status on the 4th March 2003, charity number 1096327. The company is governed by its memorandum and articles of association and a set of standing orders which refer to the daily working of the Forum's working groups. The trustees, who are also the directors for the purpose of company law, and who served during the year were: Sharon Smithson - Chair Alasdair Carnegie - Vice Chair Renata Evans Wendy Roberts Paul Taylor - Honorary Treasurer Christine Rains Laura Collinson Stuart Elsom Peter Cairns George Semmens Ivor Grayson Smith The Trustees as charity trustees have control of the Charity and its property and funds. The Trustees when complete consist of at least 6 and not more than 12 individuals, all of whom must be members. Every Trustee must sign a declaration of willingness to act as a charity trustee of the Charity before he or she is eligible to vote at any meeting of the Trustees. No person shall be eligible for election as a Trustee unless not less than two weeks before the AGM their name and nomination have been given to the Secretary in writing. One third (or the number nearest one third) of the Trustees must retire at each AGM, those longest in office retiring first and the choice between any of equal service being made by drawing lots. Retiring Trustees shall be eligible for re-election. The Trustees meet at least six times per year in addition to regular Forum meetings and the AGM. None of the trustees has any beneficial interest in the company. All of the trustees are members of the company and guarantee to contribute £1 in the event of a winding up. PDF Currently has 68 formal members, who are either individuals, other disability organisations or statutory organisations, as well as an electronic network in excess of 130. PORTSMOUTH DISABILITY FORUM (PDF) (LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2015 Trustees arid Induction Training PDF will provide an induction day for new Trustees, they are also supplied with a trustees guide and folder including the Roles and Responsibilities of trustees, Annual Report and Accounts, Staff Diagrams, Polices and procedures for the organisation. Trustees are encouraged to attend appropriate training courses and conferences for which PDF has a limited budget. Trustees also meet with other staff members on a frequent basis, through PDF's working activities. Management The PDF Principal Officer is line managed by the Chair of PDF using a formal appraisal system on a regular meeting basis. The PDF Principal Officer currently line manages two assistants, the caretaker, two DIAL assistants, the Parent Voice Coordinator, the Shopmobility Coordinator and Assistant using a formal appraisal system on a regular meeting basis. An independent contracted Service Manager is responsible for the PIASS, WBPIASS, PIS and WBPV staff, the service manager reports directly to the Principal Officer. The trustees have assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed, and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate exposure to the major risks. The trustees has assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed, and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate exposure to the major risks. Objectives and activities Our schedule of forum meetings is planned to respond to the changing needs of our members and the work PDF undertakes as well as recognizing the developments taking place around us. 'Open Access' and 'Feature' Forums have successfully continued through 2014-2015. PDF runs twelve Open Access Forums and six Feature Forums per year as well as twelve meetings of Empowering Children and Families, and Health Cafe meetings. In addition PDF will run meetings on specific topics as and when required. Through these Forums members are able to discuss issues and collectively decide on the action they believe should be taken to resolve or move on an issue. These issues can be brought to the Forum by its members, the general public, other agencies or may be specific issues of national interest. PDF undertakes issues which will impact on numbers of people, if possible we will help or at the least signpost people whose issues impact purely on them as an individual. PDF runs at least six trustee meetings per year and additional meetings on demand as required. The trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the charity should undertake. PORTSMOUTH DISABILITY FORUM (PDF) (LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) TRUSTEES' REPORT (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2015 Achievements and performance Projects Shopmobility We are now in our third year of PDF managing Shopmobility, through the determined efforts of the Traci Beetlestone (Cane) and Nikki Brooklyn and their team of volunteers we continue to provide a well-respected and valuable service to members of the public. PDF signed a one year agreement with the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard PHD to provide vehicles on site within the visitor centre to enable ease of access to the attractions. This service runs all the time the dockyard is open which is only possible with the additional support of volunteers. Sean Hovells has joined us as the PHD Assistant. DIAL- Disability Information Advice Line Maria Graham and Derek Biggs work 16 hours per week each with support from volunteers and the PDF administration staff. They have been a good team offering a sympathetic and supportive service to every one of the diverse people who access the service. Derek due to circumstances beyond his control has been absent for a period this year which Maria has kindly covered.There has been an increase in the number of parents and young people they deal with, following the PIASS service becoming part of our family and from Autism Hampshire as one of our tenants. PCC had continued to fund the DIAL but advised us in the last week of March 2015, that funding would be withdrawn from the 1st April 2015. This is currently being challenged, therefore researching and accessing additional funds is a priority, we continue to receive donations to support the service from many people who cannot really afford it, but want to show their appreciation for the excellent support they have received enabling them to access benefits they are entitled to, which makes maintaining the availability of this service even more important. Portsmouth Parent Voice (PPV) PDF as the lead organisation along with Enable Ability, Partnership for Active Leisure Service and Portsmouth Autism Support Network re applied and received funding for Portsmouth Parent Voice. Whose purpose is to enable and encourage Parents of Disabled Children in Portsmouth to speak up about the services they receive for their disabled child. Continued funding from Portsmouth City Council has meant that we employed a part time coordinator Mary Ive who continued in this role making many valuable contacts and developing PPV's profile within PCC and the region. When Mary left we were very fortunate to have Barbara MacDougall apply for the role, during the year Barbara has settled quickly into her and has benefitted greatly from the valuable support provided by Deirdre Smith who has also extended her role into supporting Parent Engagement with PCC. As part of their role PPV has been pivotal in establishing 'Dynamite' a group for young disabled individuals, to encourage and support them in making their voice heard. Our thanks to Marie Devlin and Eleanor Grace who were in at the start of the development. Portsmouth Information and Advice Service (PIASS) Formally known as the Portsmouth Parent Partnership, PDF was approached by the current providers Ask Wiltshire, to take on the remaining period of their contract as unfortunately due to circumstances beyond their control Ask was shutting down as a charity.