This year, for the first time, SGA has spent slightly more than our income. We are showing a deficit of just under £250.00 for the year. However, given that the balance sheet shows cash of just under £6,000.00 at the bank, this seems to me to be quite satisfactory, as we are here to be a pro-active association for the good of the community, not to accumulate funds.
Income was up very slightly on last year and ahead of the average for the last four years.
Expenditure was higher than ever before. The largest single item was the sponsorship of trees on Southgate Green, which has seen quite a few changes recently with the loss of so many fine chestnut trees because of disease.
We also spent more than previously on the Roundabout, so it came as a great shock to see that an officer at the council had seen fit to erect 4 large sponsorship advertisements on the roundabout, in contravention of the agreement between SGA and the council, our own small discrete sign having been mysteriously lost by the council previously. It is a great surprise and disappointment that officers and councillors alike have proved unable as yet to have these wildly inappropriate signs removed.
The cost of food and drink for events was greater than last year, but we still managed useful surpluses on these as well as providing very congenial settings for meeting our neighbours and other community figures and airing topics of serious interest.
We look forward to continuing in the same vein.
Peter Rust