Annual Report of the Council for 2001

KENT ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COUNCIL FOR 2001 The Council of the Society presents its 143rd report and statement of accounts for the year ending the 3 l December 2001. The Society is established to promote the study and publication of archaeology and history in all their branches, especially within the ancient county of Kent. The Society's activities are carried out throughout the ancient county of Kent. It has no staff and its officers are only paid out-of-pocket expenses. It co-operates with its affiliated societies and the organizations to which it is affiliated or of which it is a member. In particular it co-operates with the Canterbury Archaeological Trust in promotion of education and the Council for the Protection of Rural England (Kent Branch) in the protection of historic buildings through a joint committee. The Society's activities are carried out by its Council, committees and officers. REVIEW OF THE YEAR Annual General Meeting: The Society's AGM was held at Maidstone on Saturday 23 June 2001 when the Council's annual report and the accounts for 2000 were accepted and Messrs Reeves and Neylan were re-appointed auditors. The officers and members of the Council were elected; see below under Legal and Administrative Information. Changes were made to the following of the Society's rules: 12(b), 17, 18, 19, 2 I, 22 and 25(a). These changes I imit the President's term of office to 7 years, reduce the number of Vice Presidents from five to four, remove an ambiguity about when officers retire, give the Council more powers to co-opt a replacement for an Officer who ceases to hold office, reduce the number of members of the Council from 24 to 16 over a period of four years, clarify how vacancies are filled, limit their period of office to 12 years and limit members of a committee to a term of I O years. 449 ANNUAL REPORT Fieldwork: Another training excavation, attended by 31 trainees, was held at the Roman villa site at Minster-in-Thanet where building IV and part of a boundary wall were excavated and a resistivity survey carried out. Several sites were surveyed by groups and individuals using the Society's resistivity meter. Liaison with metal detectorists continued and the Society held a joint meeting of archaeologists and detectorists. A group continued archiving records from past excavations and an application to the Heritage Lottery Fund to finance publication of unpublished sites was prepared. Three grants were made for equipment and to support excavations. Publications: Two volumes of Archaeologia Cantiana were published, CXX (2000) and CXXI (2001), the latter being a Memorial Volume to Dr Alec Detsicas and Kenneth Gravett. There were two other publications: Kent Records volume XXIX Kent Hearth Tax Assessments Lady Day 1664, edited by Duncan Harrington with an Introduction by Sarah Pearson, and Parts 4, 5 and 6 (Volume 3) in the New Records Series. Grants of £500 and £50 were made from the Kent Local History Fund. The Society is sponsoring pub I ication of An Historical Atlas of Kent and substantial progress was made. Churches and Historic Buildings: Visits to Kent churches were continued with visits to Westerham, Dartford and Darenth and to Brookland and Ivychurch. Work on compiling a database of Kent churches continued slowly and more help would be welcomed. Churches asking for help with the preparation of church guides have been given guidance and assistance. The Kent Historic Buildings Committee continued to keep a watchful eye, and make representations, on proposals affecting listed buildings and buildings in conservation areas. However, this task is made difficult by the lack of timely information from planning authorities. Library and collections: The Library's catalogue was made available on computer and work on cataloguing material bequeathed by members and electronic storage of the collection of visual images continued. Because of a lack of space a review of the Library's holdings was started to identify little used and extraneous material for disposal. The Hon. Curator continued work on the catalogue of the Society's collections with checking and adding further material. Conservation of several small items in the collections was completed. Education: The Education Committee continued to monitor the work of the CAT's Education Service to which it gives substantial financial support. It received detailed reports from the Trust's Education Officer and was able to assist in developing proposals for new initiatives. These included an educational guide to a major series of excavations in Canterbury and the publication of A Journey to Medieval Canterbury, a successor volume to Roman Canterbury, both designed to fit in with the national curriculum. Links were maintained with other bodies and the regional liaison officer of the CBA and a leader of a Young Archaeologists Club joined the Committee. 450 ANNUAL REPORT Membership: The year saw the new Hon. Membership Secretary, Mrs S. Broomfield, taking over the reins from Mrs M. Lawrence. The Society welcomed 123 new members (including 6 affiliated societies) during the year and ended the year with a membership of 1,612. Activities for members: Mrs Lawrence continued as chairman of the Membership and Publicity Committee and arranged a Spring Social Evening at Oxenhoath House, West Peckham attended by 87 members. Members attending the Christmas lunch at the Hop Farm Country Park, Paddock Wood, were entertained by performers from Tonbridge Oast Theatre and were able to visit nearby Preston Hall. An interesting variety of subjects was provided in the winter series of lectures arranged by Mr D.G. Anstey who inaugurated a new series of Lectures in the Library. The Hon. Excursions Secretary, Mrs J. Saynor, organised a week excursion to Southern Ireland in June which was followed by day excursions to Lullingstone Park and Castle, the Royal Engineers' Museum at Gillingham and Fort Amherst, and to Sheerness. Relations with other bodies: The Society appoints members or representatives to a number of other organisations. In particular, it has received regular reports from CBA South East and the Standing Conference on London Archaeology. There was a further meeting of representatives of the county archaeological societies in southern England which provides a useful forum to discuss matters of common interest and learn about what other societies are doing. The Society has regularly been represented at meetings of the Kent History Federation. The Society's role: The implications of the report of working party established to review the future role and structure of the Society were considered by Committees. In particular one of its main recommendations, the appointment of an Information Officer whose duties include editing an expanded Newsletter, was implemented by the appointment of Mrs L. Palmer and approval of plans for enlarged and more frequent issues of the Newsletter. An IT Working Party had been set up and its recommendations were being implemented by the Society. REVIEW OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES AND AFFAIRS The accompanying financial statements show the current state of the Society's finances which its Council considers to be sound. They comply with the Council's understanding of the current statutory requirements and the requirements of the Society's rules. Investments: The trustees seek, in the management of their investments, a balance between income and capital growth. The Finance Committee oversees the management of the Society's investments. 451 ANNUAL REPORT The portfolio, managed by Laing and Cruickshank Investment Management Ltd, decreased by I 9% to £ I ,057 ,840 and currently yields 3.66%. The C.O.I.F. investments, which currently yield 3.33% per cent, fell in value from £85,006 to £73,164. Reserves: The Council budgets each year to spend a sum considerably in excess of current income and tries to maintain reserves appropriate to allow this to continue. The Society relies on its officers and other members giving their time freely to organise its activities. Without those contributions it would have to spend a substantial sum on salaries. Allen Grove Local History Fund: The Society administers the Allen Grove Local History Fund which was given in the will of the late Allen Grove. Its objects, consistent with those of the Society, are to promote research, preservation and enjoyment of local history. It is a restricted fund and is invested separately from the Society's other investments. In accordance with the terms of the legacy, decisions on how the fund is to be spent are taken by the Society's officers. During the year eight grants totalling£ 1,600 were made towards the costs of producing publications on local history and displays at exhibitions. LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION The Society is a charity registered with the Charity Commission under number 223382. It is an unincorporated association governed by its rules which are published in Archaeologia Cantiana from time to time and copies of which can be obtained from the Hon. General Secretary. It is also registered as a charity with the Inland Revenue which has made a direction under section 201 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 which permits certain members (generally those whose employment is related to the Society's activities) to obtain income tax relief on their subscriptions to the Society; further details can be obtained from the Hon. General Secretary. The principal address of the Society is The Museum, St Faith's Street, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 lLH. However, correspondence should be addressed to the relevant officer. The governing body of the Society is the Council whose members are its charity trustees and are elected by the members of the Society at its annual general meeting in May each year. During the period covered by this report they were as listed on the following page (p. 453). 452 P.E. Oldham A.I. Moffat R.G. Thomas S. Broomfield * F.H. Panton T.G. Lawson J. Saynor M.C.W. Still C.W. Chalklin R.H. Hiscock *** L.D. Lyle E. Melling J. Whyman N.R. Aldridge *** D.G. Anstey D. Bacchus D.A.H. Cleggett ANNUAL REPORT President Hon. General Secretary Hon. Treasurer Hon. Membership Secretary Hon. Librarian Hon. Editor Hon. Excursions Secretary Hon. Curator Vice President Vice President Vice President Vice President Vice President E.P. Connell * B.T. Cousins * P. Cullen A.J. Daniels *** P.A. Harlow L.E. llott D. Killingray M. Lawrence *** R.F. LeGear A. Miles M.A. Ocock K. Parfitl ** R.N. Rolinson R.J. Spain A. Thompson A.F. Ward* C.P. Ward * Denotes re-elected at the AGM (23/06/0 I); **elected at the AGM (23/06/0 I): ***Retired at the AGM (23/06/0 I). The officers (other than the Vice Presidents) hold office for one year, the Vice Presidents for seven years and the other members for four years. The Society's main agents and advisers are: Bankers: National Westminster Bank pie, 3 High Street, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 lXU Auditors: Reeves & Neylan, 37 St Margaret's Street, Canterbury, Kent, CTI 2TU Solicitors: Martin Tolhurst Partnership, 7 Wrotham Road, Gravesend, Kent, DAI l OPD Stockbrokers: Laing & Cruickshank Investment Management Ltd, 5 Appold Street, London, WC2A 2DA Stockbrokers' nominee company holding the Society's investments: Productive Nominees Ltd, 5 Appold Street, London, WC2A 2DA. The Society's activities are restricted by the terms of its objects set out elsewhere in this report. In particular its area of benefit is mainly (but not exclusively) the ancient county of Kent which is considered to be the administrative County of Kent, Medway Council and the London Boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich and part of Lewisham. The Society's investment powers are those contained in the Trustee Investments Act 1961 as amended. Its rules do not give it any special investment powers. The Council has delegated some of its investment powers to Laing & Cruickshank Investment Management Ltd in accordance with a scheme made by the Charity Commissioners ( 18 April I 994). A. I. Moffat, Hon. General Secretary on behalf of the Council 23 February 2002 453 ANNUAL REPORT ABRIDGED FINANCIAL I NFORMATION Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 December 2001 Unrestricted Designated Restricted fund funds funds £ £ £ Income resources Subscriptions 28,225 683 Donations Grams Investment income 9,207 38,947 1,600 Other income 27,670 Transfers between funds 39,386 (39,386) Total incoming resources 104,488 244 1,600 Resources expended Direct charitable expenditure: Archaeologia Calll/ana expenses 39,978 Excursions, Events and Lectures 19,771 Committees' Expenditure 23,246 275 Newsletters and information Officer 9,756 Minster training excavation 6,042 Grants 50 Subscriptions to other bodies 251 Allen Grove awards 1,600 O1her expenditure: Fundraising and Publicity costs Management and administration 5,899 10 Investment Management fees 6,927 Depreciation 2,403 1,250 Total expenditure 114,323 275 2,860 Net (outgoing)/incoming resources for the year (9,835) (31) (1,260) Gains/(Losses) on investments (22,893) (228,370) (7,268) Net movement in funds (32,728) (228,401) (8,528) Funds brought forward at I January 200 I 198,410 1,223,602 56,436 ----t"\·""'""""'.: L.: ........... __ 􀀊 . ·- Funds carried forwnrd ;1131 December 2001 165,682 995,201 47,908 Total 2000 £ £ 28,908 28,514 44 5,000 49,75 4 48,323 27,670 24,495 106,332 108,596 39,978 20,393 19,771 17,914 23,521 31,463 9,756 5,278 6,042 50 3,900 251 216 1,600 1,700 5,909 8,482 6,927 6,320 3,653 2,363 117,458 98,029 (11,126) 10,567 (258,531) 85,333 (2