Chair's Report

As you probably know, your previous Chair, Dave Hewitt, stood down earlier this year and the Committee invited me to take his place. I consider this a very great honour, and thank the Committee for offering it to me. I'd like to start this report with a very warm vote of thanks to Dave, for all his hard work as both Chair and Newsletter Editor over the last 5 years, and for keeping (along with other Committee members) the Friends of the Ochils alive and a creditable and honourable organisation during that period. We are very glad that Dave has, despite his many other commitments, agreed to stay on as Newsletter Editor, and as a member of the Committee.

I am so glad that the Friends of the Ochils exists. There has never before been a time when this organisation is so badly needed, to act as a focus and a voice for those who love the Ochils. Set up as we are by our constitution, to 'promote and conserve the landscape, natural beauty and wildlife of the Ochils, and to protect the historical and social character of the surrounding communities', we are particularly well positioned to challenge the many appallingly large scale developments of wind farms and giant pylons with which the Ochils are threatened.

We are striving to our utmost to challenge them and are, we believe, punching well above our weight. But we are hampered by being just a small organisation, and one with insufficient resources. When we stand up in Public Inquiries and Council meetings to make the case for the Ochils and against these awful proposals, it would enhance our credibility considerably if we could claim more than 500 members, rather than fewer than 200. We could make still greater impact, if more members would get actively involved in our work. And we need a lot more funds. The power companies and developers that we're fighting know they stand to make many millions of pounds if they get their way. It makes sense for them to put millions into pushing for their proposals, and they're pushing harder and harder to mow down all opposition. In some of these fights, we need to employ expert witnesses and legal representatives, if we are to have a chance of winning, and these don’t usually come cheap.

So this really is the time for us to ask all members to do whatever you can to support the existence and the work of the Friends of the Ochils, by finding us new members, by offering your expertise to the campaigns, or to the Committee, and by offering donations for the fighting fund.

Many of you have been doing a splendid job in writing to Clackmannanshire Council about the Burnfoot wind farm proposals, and to politicians to let them know how much you care. This is a really valuable contribution: it can’t be over-emphasised how much politicians need their constituents (and their 'virtual constituents', in the case of the hills) to tell them what they care about, and how much. We've had example after example of politicians being initially uncaring about these issues, but then coming round to support us when they realise just what the issues are and how many people care passionately about them – so keep up the good work!

We have, very sadly indeed, lost the first fight, and a wind farm is being built by Scottish Power at Green Knowes, in Glen Devon. It will dominate much of the Ochils landscape for at least a generation. And we are of course faced with imminent public inquiries into 4 more wind farms – at Lochelbank, Little Law, Mellock Hill and Snowgoat Glen – as well as the application for Burnfoot wind farm, that Clackmannanshire Council have yet to decide on. Then in the west, we have the Beauly to Denny power line with its giant pylons and heavy duty construction tracks, with its public inquiry process also now underway. If any or all of these were also to be given the go-ahead, all or most of the Ochils landscapes would lose much of their wild and natural qualities for the rest of most of our lives. The stakes really could not be higher.

And there are smaller but still important issues developing. Stirling & Clackmannanshire are revising their Structure Plan; we must put pressure on them to retain a 'green' southern boundary for the Ochils. All Councils are preparing their Core Paths plans, as part of the Access legislation: we are planning to set up an open meeting of representatives from all 3 councils, to talk to Friends of the Ochils members about the implications of this initiative.

I’d like to end this report with a very warm vote of thanks to Stuart Dean, now Vice Chair, for all he's been doing to defend the Ochils from wind farm developments. He puts heart and soul, and about 25 hours a day, into this, on our behalf. I'd also like to say a special thank you to David Gordon, our Treasurer, for keeping our finances healthy and transparent, and the organisation well-placed in relation to Charities law, as well as offering many other services; and to the other members of the Committee for their contributions during the year.

Committee (Trustees) for 2005/06

			Year of initial election	Current period of office
President Rennie McOwan	Stirling		n/a	n/a
Chair Nicki Baker	Logie	01786 833399 nicki.baker@btinternet.com	2005	2005-08
Vice-Chair Stuart Dean	Dollar	01259 781551 spdean@lineone.net	2005	2005-08
Treasurer, Membership, Governance David Gordon	38 Anchorscross, Dunblane, FK15 9JW (address for FotO in Scottish Charity Register)	01786 823745 david.kathryn@btinternet.com	1995	2004-07
Ian Buchanan	Alva,	01259 760482	2003	2003-06
Dave Hewitt	Cambuskenneth	01786 450047 bencleuch@googlemail.com	1998	2004-07
Robin Kelsall	Blairlogie	01259 761303 rakelsall@tiscali.co.uk	1994	2003-06
Dave Prentice	Tibbermore, Perth	01738 583345 dave_prentice@btinternet.com	2002	2005-08

We gratefully acknowledge the assistance provided by several people who are not among the elected trustees

Purpose and Governance

The objects for which Friends of the Ochils was established are identified in the Constitution (last amended November 2001):

a] To promote and conserve the landscape, natural beauty and wildlife of the Ochils, and to protect the historical and social character of the surrounding communities.

b] To promote appropriate study of and research into relevant fields of interest pertaining to the Ochils and its local communities, and to promote dissemination of the results of such study and research.

c] To support responsible and well behaved public access to the Ochils consistent with both the conservation of the features mentioned above, and the legitimate needs of those who earn their living on and from the hills.

d] To encourage consistent implementation of good planning policies appropriate to the other objects, and the area of activity of the Association.

Committee members are elected from the membership for a 3-year period. Nominations are sought through the Newsletter and at the AGM. The Committee members constitute the Trustees with responsibility for governance consistent with Scottish charity law and regulations. Policy and strategy are agreed at regular Committee meetings: five were held in 2005/06. Within agreed strategic frameworks, operational discretion is delegated to specific Committee members leading on particular activities.

Changes have been made in the governance of Friends of the Ochils to comply with new charity regulations, including accounting regulations, as they apply to small charities. These include constitutional amendments to be proposed at the AGM on 14 November 2006.

Membership Report

Membership increased in 2005/06 for the third consecutive year. Nonetheless, it is a small membership for an area that is the backdrop to the daily lives of hundreds of thousands of people and visited by tens of thousands every year. Almost all new members join using the membership form in the Friends of the Ochils leaflet. The Committee would welcome ideas for how we can increase further its distribution.

Membership at 31 August

	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006
Honorary Life	-	-	-	1	1	1	1
Life	15	13	12	13	14	14	13
Family	28	27	27	25	30	32	34
Individual	44	46	44	44	50	57	61
Concession	39	41	39	38	40	39	42
(Total personal)*	(154)	(154)	(149)	(145)	(164)	(175)	(185)
Community	6	6	6	6	7	5	7
Corporate	1	1	1	-	-	-	-

* Family counted as two members

Finance Report

The accounting period runs from 1 September to 31 August. The table overleaf shows income and expenditure during the year 2005/06 and the year end position. The accounts are examined by an independent examiner annually (Dr Brian Jamieson, Blairlogie). The accounts for 2005/06 were approved without qualification.

Income for the year was £1,720. The increase of £732 was mainly attributable to donations, particularly a restricted donation to enable Friends of the Ochils (FotO) to contribute to a national advertisement against the Beauly-Denny power line.

Expenditure of £1,942 – an increase of 170% on 2004/05 – reflected the increased activity in the year. Campaigning against the proposed pylon line and wind turbines were the main activities, accounting for 73% of expenditure. Publicity accounted for most of the rest. Most publicity both raises awareness of the Ochils and raises the profile of FotO.

Only 5% of expenditure went on administration. Bulk buying of stationery has lasted us for several years. However, stocks are almost exhausted and restocking in 2006/07 will increase expenditure substantially. Low administration costs also reflect the negligible expense claims made by Committee members other than for reimbursement of direct, authorised, expenditure on our charitable objects.

There was a deficit of £221 for the year. Against reserves of £3,205 this is manageable, and in the context of the multiple threats to the landscape of the Ochils is probably far too small.

Friends of the Ochils has no formal reserves policy. The implicit policy has been to maintain a reserve of £1,000, represented by money deposited in a 12-15 month bond. A formal policy will be agreed in 2006/07.

Accounts for year 1 September 2005 to 31 August 2006 (1)

			2005/06		2004/05
INCOME
		Subscriptions	740.00		663.00
		Donations	781.04	(2)	120.68
		Gift Aid	84.19		90.96
		Bank interest	115.64		113.87
			1720.87		988.51
EXPENDITURE
	On charitable objects
		Landscape campaigning	1423.64		} 233.50
		Of which pylon line	1169.49
		wind turbines	233.15
		Publicity: newsletter and Annual Review	302.24		193.25
		Publicity: other	120.00	(3)	191.40
	On administration
		General administration	66.33		85.16
		Other	30.00	(4)	12.05
			1942.21		715.36


SURPLUS (DEFICIT) FOR YEAR			(221.34)		273.15
		ADD balance at 31 August 2005	3426.73		3153.58
BALANCE AT 31 AUGUST 2006			3205.39		3426.73

REPRESENTED BY
		Bank of Scotland current account	316.53		498.83
		Standard Life Bank instant access account	1888.86		1927.90
		Standard Life Bank 15-month bond	1000.00		1000.00

NET ASSETS			3205.39	(5)	3426.73

Notes to accounts

(1) Accounts are prepared on an income and expenditure basis.

(2) Includes restricted donation of £500 for advertising against Sherrifmuir pylon line.

(3) Website annual maintenance fee.

(4) Donation to Ochils Mountain Rescue Team (AGM speaker).

(5) FotO owns a Reflecta Classic slide projector and Sopar projection screen (bought Aug 2000, cost £190). Both are treated as having nil current value.

· No remuneration was paid to any Committee member or any relative of a Committee member.

· No expenses were paid to any Committee member except for receipted costs (e.g. postage).

David S Gordon, Treasurer; For and on behalf of the Executive Committee, October 2006

Annual Review and Financial Report 2005/06

Chair's Report