Athelney Trust Plc
Annual Report 2008

Plain-text annual report

Annual Report for the year ended 31 December 2008 Athelney Trust plc CONTENTS Directors of the Company Chairman's Statement and Business Review Corporate Governance Statement Investment and Portfolio Analysis Report of the Directors Directors’ Remuneration Report Independent Auditors’ Report Income Statement Reconciliation of Shareholders’ Funds Balance Sheet Cash Flow Statement Notes to the Financial Statements Officers and Financial Advisers Notice of Annual General Meeting Notes Form of Proxy 2 3 - 7 8 - 11 12 - 14 15 - 18 19 - 20 21 - 22 23 24 25 26 27 - 35 36 37 38 39 – 40 1 Athelney Trust plc DIRECTORS OF THE COMPANY The Directors of the Company are: Mr Hugo Deschampsneufs, non-executive Chairman Hugo Deschampsneufs, aged 63, has spent his entire working career in finance and is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (FCA). He qualified with Binder Hamlyn. He has worked for the Rank Organisation and National CSS Inc., a subsidiary of Dunn & Bradstreet. In 1979 he joined Manchester Exchange & Investment Bank, leaving in 1989 as Director of Leasing Operations. Since then, he has held the position of Finance Director of Longriver Holdings Limited, a group with assets of £70 million, specialising in the leasing of fixture-type assets to local authorities, in which his diverse roles encompass the disciplines of marketing and legal. His work in both the accounting profession and investment banking has given him extensive knowledge in a wide-ranging variety of business sectors. He has considerable experience of asset management both as a non-executive Director of Dunbar Boyle & Kingsley Holdings, the holding company of a firm of stockbrokers, and as a Director of Athelney Trust plc since its formation. David Horner, non-executive Director David Horner aged 49, qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1985 with Touche Ross & Co before joining 3i Corporate Finance Limited in 1986 where he was a manager giving corporate finance advice. In May 1993, he joined Strand Partners Limited and was appointed a Director in January 1994, where he carried out a range of corporate finance assignments identifying, structuring and managing investments in quoted and unquoted companies. In October 1997 he left to set up Chelverton Asset Management Limited, which specialises in managing portfolios of private companies and small to medium-sized public companies. He was responsible for setting up Chelverton Growth Trust plc and, since May 1999, has managed the Small Companies Dividend Trust plc. Mr Robin Boyle, Managing Director The assets of the Company have been managed since formation by Robin Boyle, the managing Director of the Company. Aged 64, he has spent the last forty years in a number of different roles with institutional fund management and stock broking firms but always retaining an intense interest in Small Caps. His first job in the City of London was with the company that eventually became Gartmore; he then went on to Panmure Gordon, Hoare Govett and Capel-Cure Myers before becoming founder, major shareholder and Managing Director of a private stock broking business, Dunbar Boyle & Kingsley, which he sold in 1994. From 2000 to 2006 he was co-manager of Small Companies Dividend Trust run by Chelverton Asset Management. Between 2006 and 2008 he was non-executive Director of Capcon Holdings plc, an AIM- traded commercial investigations and stocktaking business. 2 Athelney Trust plc Waterside Court, Falmouth Road, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 8AW Telephone: 01326 378 288 Email: hugo@athelneytrust.co.uk CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENT AND BUSINESS REVIEW I enclose the results for the year ended 31 December 2008. The salient points are as follows: • Like-for-like NAV is 102.3p per share (31 December 2007: 173.1p) a fall of 40.9 per cent. • Audited Net Asset Value (“NAV”) of 95.2p per share a decrease of 45 per cent. • Gross Revenue increased by 2.9 per cent to £123,951 (31 December 2007: £120,488). • On a like-for-like basis gross revenue increased by 9.2 per cent and dividend income increased by 5.6 per cent (in 2007 the Company was in receipt of a special dividend of £6,961). • Revenue return per ordinary share was 5.5p, an increase of 41.2 per cent (31 December 2007: 3.9p). • Recommended dividend of 4.7p per share (2008: 3.5p), an increase of 34.3 per cent Review of 2008 Lord Alvanley, a member of the Victorian landed gentry, used to say that his greatest pleasure was to sit in the window of his club (Watier’s) and ‘watch it rain on all the damned people.’ Well, it certainly feels as if it has been raining on me all year and I do not suppose that there is an investor in the land who does not agree with me. Just look at these statistics: London (the FTSE100 Index) down 31 per cent, New York by 39 per cent, Tokyo 42 per cent, Paris 43 per cent and Frankfurt 40 per cent. Amongst lesser markets, China fell by 65 per cent, India by 53 per cent, Russia 67 per cent and Iceland an eye-watering 95 per cent. Re-visiting the London market, the FT 250 Index was down by 40 per cent, the FT Small Cap Index finished 45 per cent down and the Aim Index by 62 per cent (Athelney has 48 per cent of its funds invested in this last area) - in short, it was the worst year since 1974. In a normal year, Athelney would have comfortably out-performed two of its main benchmarks, the FT Small Cap. and AIM Indices, but 2008 was the year that the Directors, after careful consideration, decided to move the Trust from AIM to a full listing in order to qualify for authorized investment trust status. There were several reasons for taking this course of action. As an investment trust, Athelney would no longer be liable to Corporation Tax on any capital gains. We believe we will have large capital gains in the future and not having to pay tax will result in a higher Net Asset Value per share than would otherwise be the case. Your Directors also expect that regulatory costs will be lower on the main market. Finally shareholders will be able to put their shareholding into a PEP or ISA, which we hope will attract new investors enabling the company to increase in size and thus lower costs per share. Professional fees and other costs of £128,782 were incurred in the move to investment trust status, which resulted in an NAV of 95.2p rather than 102.3p on a like-for- like basis, a fall of 45% and 40.9% respectively. Banks and insurance companies set out to be monuments of stone and steel but the best and greatest of them have splintered into matchwood. A few short months saw the nationalization, failure or rescue of the world’s biggest insurer with assets of $1 trillion, two major investment banks with combined assets of $1.5 trillion and two U.S. mortgage giants with another $1.8 trillion. In Europe, Bradford & Bingley has gone and Britain’s largest mortgage lender, HBOS, has fallen into the arms of Lloyds TSB for a mere £4 billion following a huge fall in the share price. Alliance & Leicester, hounded by short-sellers, was bought at a knock-down price by Banco Santander. In the rest of Europe, Fortis, Dexia, Hypo Real Estate and all the Icelandic banks have been rescued by state intervention. The bankruptcy of Lehmann Brothers and Merrill Lynch’s rapid sale to Bank of America were shocking enough but the U.S. Government’s rescue of AIG in September marked a new low in a grim year. AIG is a mostly safe, well-run insurer but its financial products division, which accounted for just a fraction of total revenue, wrote enough derivatives business to destroy the firm and shake Wall Street to the core. Bankers have always earned their crust by committing money for long periods and financing that with short-term deposits and borrowing. Today, that model looks under stress. Many of the banks’ assets are unsaleable even as they return to the market every day to ask lenders for further support. No wonder the banks are hoarding cash. 3 Athelney Trust plc CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENT AND BUSINESS REVIEW (CONTINUED) That is why politicians on both sides of the Atlantic who set the interests of Main Street/High Street against those of Wall Street/Lombard Street are wrong. Sooner or later, money markets affect every business. Companies face higher interest charges and the fear that one day they may lose access to bank loans altogether. So they, too, hoard cash, cancelling acquisitions and investments in order to pay down debt. Managers delay new products, leave factories unbuilt, pull the plug on loss-making subsidiaries and cut costs and jobs. Car-makers and other manufacturers may no longer extend credit and loans could become both elusive and expensive, consumers would suffer and unemployment rise. Even if credit markets work well, the developed economies would slow as the asset-price bubble pops. The Bank of England base rate finished the year at 2%, thus matching 1951 when the average house price was £2,000 and Winston Churchill was promising that he would never permit the dismemberment of the Empire. And as for oil, it rose to $147 in early July on its way, it was said, to $200, but all commodities except gold collapsed in price as the credit crunch bit and so oil finished the year at $40. Thus emboldened, the Bank of England was able to embark on its fierce programme of rate cuts from a starting level of 5.5 per cent. As rates fell, so did the confidence of overseas investors in the U.K. generally and the pound in particular, so Sterling dived from $1.9929 to $1.4427, a collapse of no less than 28 per cent. Back to Pontin’s this Summer, then! I make no apology for returning to the subject of the banks, which are, after all, at the heart of the credit crunch. Nor do I intend to stick rigidly to my brief, which finishes on 31 December. We start in October, when Mr Brown thought that he had saved the banks (and, as he later said, ‘saved the world’) by the injection of £37 billion. He was told then that that sum of money would merely re-capitalize the banks and not provide any scope for increased lending by them and, of course, he refused to listen. So a second attempt was made on 19 January, nearly three weeks after Athelney’s year end. The Treasury’s new measures were wide-ranging. The Bank of England will set up a £50 billion facility to buy private-sector assets such as corporate bonds and commercial paper. This would create a framework within which the Bank could conduct ‘quantitative easing’ – printing money to buy assets – if that proves necessary. Northern Rock, nationalized early in 2008, will no longer be forced to slash its mortgage book. The Government will also try to encourage lending by guaranteeing up to £50 billion in asset-backed securities and the Financial Services Authority helpfully said that the new capital recently injected into the banks could, in fact, be used for both mopping up losses and new lending. The heart of the package was an Asset Protection Scheme, ‘asset’ being a euphemism for those toxic assets hindering a return to financial health. Rather than setting up a ‘bad bank’ to take those assets off balance sheet, the Treasury has decided to turn itself into a kind of catastrophe insurer. In exchange for the payment of a premium and agreeing to take the first chunk of any loss (my car insurer would call it an ‘excess’), the banks would be able to turn to the taxpayer for any further write- down. But what of those two options – bad banks and insurance? Mr Brown and his advisers chose insurance alone and, to my mind, he has made a (another) mistake. My suspicion is that he preferred insurance for political reasons because it is a cheap promise-now and pay-later scheme. It would have been better to have reached for the kitchen sink (in fact, done the building trade a favour and bought a larger sink) and do both – buy the worst assets at their market value and put them into a bad bank as well as insure the healthy assets that remain against any catastrophe. Is it all a little impractical? In 1988, America’s Mellon Bank spun off its bad energy and property loans into Grant Street National Bank, which was financed by junk bonds and private equity. Seemed to work quite well at the time. More controversially, Lloyds of London hived off huge asbestos and pollution liabilities relating to policies originally written as far back as the 1930s into a new company christened Equitas in 1996. And wasn’t it difficult to prise bank directors and senior managers away from their desks, even with hammer and cold chisel, into the world of no-work! I have absolutely no sympathy at all for them who, like the condemned men in the old Scottish tale, protest their innocence and complain at the injustice of their fate. You may remember that, as they head towards the eternal flames of hell, the sinners cry out: ‘Oh Lord, we didna ken, we didna ken!’ And the Lord answered: ‘Well, ye ken the noo.’ Well, that’s quite enough about banks. 4 Athelney Trust plc CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENT AND BUSINESS REVIEW (CONTINUED) In this recession, we are all followers of John Maynard Keynes now, aren’t we? We all believe in hiring a man to dig a hole and another to fill it up again, thus keeping two off the dole. And isn’t this Labour government going to enjoy spending lots of money and, in the process, beggaring our children and grandchildren! Except in one respect, that is spending on defence generally and our armed forces in Afghanistan in particular – but we must not just blame Mr Brown and his political cohorts. George Bernard Shaw once half-joked that ‘the British soldier can stand up to anything except the British War Office.’ The generals have failed to update their counter-insurgency doctrine and units still rotate every six months, which leads to discontinuity and short-term thinking. American soldiers stay for 12. But back to the Labour politicians who must take the bulk of the blame for the air force’s transport fleet being in a poor state and the navy shrinking. But it is the army that is worst off. It was not designed to fight two protracted wars and the strains are made worse by shortages of men and equipment. Battalions can be one-fifth below strength with a further fifth ill, injured or otherwise unfit to employ. A multi-million pound hole in the equipment budget means that new systems have to be scaled back or delayed. Buying kit is so expensive and takes so long that spending is completely out of line with current needs - most money now goes on fighter jets, aircraft carriers and submarines, much of which is of little use in Afghanistan. Like any form of insurance, defence policy must cover a range of risks: the safety of sea lanes is vital to move supplies in wartime and to trade in times of peace; the supremacy of the skies is essential for success on land or sea but Afghanistan is the priority. That war will be won or lost on the ground and the army needs more soldiers, helicopters, drones and personnel carriers. More money, a lot more money must be spent. Abandoning Afghanistan, leaving a vacuum for the Taliban to fill, would mean a victory for extremism everywhere, a destabilized Pakistan and a less safe world. Losing today’s war may mean fighting another some time in the future, this time on the streets of Britain. And while we are on the subject of our unelected Prime Minister and former Chancellor of the Exchequer, I think that it is timely to remind you, Gentle Shareholder, of his final Budget speech in March 2007. The opening section was in praise of his own genius, a tribute to a decade of tinkering and tampering (aka micromanagement). ‘We will never return to the old boom and bust’ he boasted, unencumbered by humility or wit. He had, of course, said it before but this time I think that he really believed it. He genuinely thought that he had found a way to halt, Canute-like, the flow of free-market activity. He then went on to explain that, thanks to him, Britain was doing better than everyone else and that the economy would expand by between 2.5 per cent and 3 per cent in 2009, all of which would be underpinned by ‘monetary discipline’ and ‘fiscal discipline.’ According to the International Monetary Fund, Britain’s economy is forecast to shrink by 2.8 per cent this year, compared with 1.5 per cent in the U.S., 2 per cent in the eurozone and 2.5 per cent in Japan. Oh dear! The Americans are fond of expressions like, ‘Never give a sucker an even break’ and ‘Always kick a man when he’s down. If you can’t, what chance have you got when he’s standing up?’ I was reminded of suchlike expressions when reading a farrago of nonsense from Jim Rogers, the iconoclastic co-founder of the Quantum hedge fund which famously broke the Bank of England and forced sterling out of the Exchange Rate Mechanism in 1992. The pound, he says, has no underpinning and should fall against the dollar and the euro and reflects the UK’s dire economic situation: ‘It is simple. The UK has nothing left to sell.’ Mr Rogers says that the two pillars of support for sterling have been North Sea oil and the City of London. But just as North Sea oil is running out, so London’s standing as a financial centre is set to suffer: ‘I don’t think that there is a sound bank now. At least if there is one I don’t know about it. The City of London is finished, the financial centre of the world is moving east. All the money is in Asia. Why would it go back to the west?’ asks Mr Rogers. He goes on to allege that the UK housing market is in a worse state than that of the US and that our economy is in worse shape economically than the eurozone. ‘If the UK discovers more oil, I might change this view,’ he says ‘but I don’t see that happening’. 5 Athelney Trust plc CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENT AND BUSINESS REVIEW (CONTINUED) Where do I start with my rebuttal? Well, certainly the UK has been a net importer of oil for the last four years and any new finds will be in deep waters and of medium size rather than the gushers of the past. The rest of what he says is, in my opinion, complete balderdash (origin 16th Century, meaning an incongruous mixture of alcohol such as beer and wine). Take the US housing market, which is about to suffer its second great shock with the re-setting of the so-called Alt-A mortgages. He is not the first person to think that the City of London is all about banking – what about insurance, stockbroking, fund management, ship broking and foreign exchange broking for a start? The UK is the world’s sixth largest manufacturer with strengths in aerospace, defence, pharmaceuticals, scientific instruments and expensive audio systems. Manufacturing accounts for 13 per cent of UK output, which is roughly in line with France and the US, but if support services at present outsourced, all the way from legal work to cleaning, were ‘added back’ together with design and development, it would add several percentage points to the figure. Rolls-Royce is a world-class engineer with an operations centre that tracks electronically the performance of every single engine in the air. What about some of our other strengths such as law, accountancy and consultancies covering so many trades and professions like civil engineering, building and quantity surveying, facilities management and logistics? For fear of boring you, I shall stop now. The man has obviously ‘shorted’ sterling again and wants to make a quick buck. But you and I both know that there is very little substance to what he is saying. We have a difficult 2009 and 2010 ahead but we will be back with a new government and new ideas that will surprise Mr Rogers and all his friends. Results Gross Revenue increased by 2.9 per cent compared to 2007. A breakdown of the companies paying dividends is given below: Companies paying dividends Companies sold (therefore no true comparison) Companies purchased (therefore no true comparison) Increased total dividends in the year Reduced total dividends in the year No change in dividend Corporate Activity Number 80 11 14 45 5 5 Three of our companies were taken over for cash: Broker Network Holdings; Financial Objects and Gibbs &Dandy producing a profit of 285 per cent, 166 per cent and 648 per cent respectively. During the year the Company incurred actual realised capital losses arising on the sale of investments in the sum of £88,385. Portfolio Review Holdings of Gaming VC, Hill and Smith, Interior Services Group, Nationwide Accident Repair, Victoria and Vitec were all purchased for the first time. Acertec, Ambrian Capital, Belgravium Technologies, Blue Oar, Character Group, Colliers CRE, Davenham Group, Dowgate Capital, Enterprise Inns, Flying Brands, International Greetings, Litho Supplies, Lookers, LSL Property Services, Media Square, SCS Upholstery, Somero Enterprises and Trifast were all sold. In addition, a total of nine holdings were top-sliced to provide capital for the new purchases. Dividend The Board is pleased to recommend an increased annual dividend of 4.7p per ordinary share (2008: 3.5p). This represents an increase of 34.3 per cent over the previous year. Subject to shareholder approval at the Annual General Meeting on 6 May 2009, the dividend will be paid on 8 May 2009 to shareholders on the register on 14 April 2009. 6 Athelney Trust plc CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENT AND BUSINESS REVIEW (CONTINUED) Update The unaudited NAV at 28 February 2009 was 91.7p whereas the share price on the same day stood at 97.5p. Further updates can be found on www.athelneytrust.co.uk Outlook I look into my crystal ball with some trepidation, after all, John Kenneth Galbraith, the economist, once said, ‘There are two classes of forecasters: those that don’t know and those that don’t know they don’t know.’ I expect the economy to contract by 3.5 per cent in 2009 and show no growth in 2010. Lower mortgage payments coupled with falling house prices will result in minimal retail price inflation – the average house to ‘bottom’ at £140,000 compared with £163,000 at present. Weak economic conditions will result in a sharp increase in unemployment with the number of people in work falling by 1.5 million over the next two years and the unemployment rate rising to 8 per cent. UK company profits and dividends are likely to fall by 25 per cent this year with the banks and mining companies being the worst affected at, perhaps, 50-60 per cent down on 2008. Following the heavy fall in markets last year, I am expecting a decent bounce some time in 2009 with small caps finishing the year 12-17 per cent up on 2008. And if the Bank of England continues with quantitive easing, begins credit easing and the Treasury sets up a bad bank, then the outcome could be better than that. H.B. Deschampsneufs Chairman 7 Athelney Trust plc CORPORATE GOVERNANCE STATEMENT Combined Code The Board is committed to achieving and demonstrating high standards of Corporate Governance as set out in the Combined Code on Corporate Governance published in June 2006. The Board considers that it has complied with all the provisions of the Combined Code except in matters identified and explained below. The Board also confirms that, to the best of its knowledge and understanding, procedures were in place to meet the requirements of the Combined Code relating to internal controls throughout the year under review. This statement describes how the principles of the Combined Code have been applied in the affairs of the company. The Company has not complied with the provisions of the Combined Code in respect of the following: • Due to the size of the Board, formal performance evaluations of the Chairman, the Board, its committees and individual Directors are not undertaken. Instead it is felt more appropriate to address matters as and when they arise. • Due to the size of the Board, it is felt inappropriate to appoint a senior independent non-executive director. • All the Directors have service contracts but no limit has been imposed on the overall length of service, however all Directors are required to retire and, if appropriate, seek re-election at least every three years. The recommendation of the Code is for fixed term renewable contracts. • The Company has just one employee, other than Board members, the Company Secretary, whose line of communication in relation to whistle-blowing is to the Chairman of the Company. • The Company does not have a Nominations Committee, as a Board of only three Directors who liaise continuously throughout the year and are aware of their obligations to consider recruitment of further directors as and when the occasion occurs. The Board The Board currently comprises: Robin Boyle, Managing Director Hugo Deschampsneufs, Chairman (Non-executive) David Horner, Non-executive The two non-executive directors are members of the audit committee and the remuneration committee, David Horner being Chairman of each committee. Board responsibilities and relationship with Investment Manager The Board is responsible for the investment policy and strategic and operational decisions of the Company and for ensuring that the Company is run in accordance with all regulatory and statutory requirements. These matters include: • The maintenance of clear investment objectives and risk management policies, changes to which require Board approval; • The monitoring of the business activities of the Company, including investment performance and annual budgeting; and • Review of matters delegated to the Investment Manager and Company Secretary. 8 Athelney Trust plc CORPORATE GOVERNANCE STATEMENT (CONTINUED) The Investment Manager ensures that Directors have timely access to all relevant management and financial information to enable informed decisions to be made and contacts the Board as required for specific guidance. The Company Secretary and Investment Manager prepare monthly reports for Board consideration on matters of relevance, for example current valuation and portfolio changes, dividend comparisons with previous years, cash availability and requirements and a breakdown of shareholdings by listing and sector. The Board takes account of Corporate Governance best practice. In consequence of being a company with only three Directors, a Directors’ and Officers’ Liability Insurance policy has not been arranged but is a matter constantly under review by the Board. Committees of the Board The Board has appointed a number of Committees as set out below to which certain Board functions have been delegated. Each of these Committees has formal written terms of reference, which clearly define their responsibilities and incorporate the best practice recommendation and requirements of the Combined Code. Board Membership At the year end the Board consisted of three Directors. The Directors believe that the Board has the balance of skills, experience, ages and length of service to enable it to provide effective leadership and proper governance of the Company. The Directors possess a range of business and financial expertise relevant to the direction of the Company and consider that they commit sufficient time to the Company’s affairs. Brief biographical details of the Directors can be found on page 2. The Directors of the Company meet at regular Board Meetings, held at least once a quarter and additional meetings and telephone meetings are arranged as necessary. During the year to 31 December 2008, the Board met eight times and all Directors were present at all Board Meetings. Chairman and Senior Independent Director The Chairman, Mr Hugo Deschampsneufs, is independent. He considers himself to have sufficient time to commit to the Company’s affairs. Given the size and nature of the Board it is not considered appropriate to appoint a senior independent director. Directors’ Independence In accordance with the Listing Rules for investment entities, the Board has reviewed the status of its individual Directors and the Board as a whole. The non-executive Directors are considered by the Board to be independent and free of any business or other relationship which could interfere with the exercise of their independent judgement. In accordance with the terms of the Articles of Association, one-third of Directors will retire by rotation at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting and no Director shall serve a term of more than three years before re-election. The Board has reviewed the appointment of Mr Robin Boyle who is retiring at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting and recommends that shareholders vote for him as it believes his performance to be effective, that he demonstrates commitment to his role and has actively contributed throughout the year. Audit Committee The Audit Committee comprises the independent Directors, with David Horner as Chairman. The Committee met twice during the year ended 31 December 2008. Both Committee members were present. It is intended that the Committee will meet at least once a year, to approve the Company’s Annual Report and Accounts. 9 Athelney Trust plc CORPORATE GOVERNANCE STATEMENT (CONTINUED) The primary responsibilities of the Audit Committee are: to review the effectiveness of the internal control environment of the Company and monitor adherence to best practice in corporate governance; to make recommendations to the Board in relation to the re-appointment of the Auditors and to approve their remuneration and terms of engagement; to review and monitor the Auditors’ independence and objectivity and the effectiveness of the audit process and to provide a forum through which the Company’s Auditors report to the Board. The Audit Committee also has responsibility for monitoring the integrity of the financial statements and accounting policies of the Company and for reviewing the Company’s financial reporting and internal control procedures. Committee members consider that individually and collectively they are appropriately experienced to fulfil the role required. The Audit Committee has direct access to the Company’s Auditors, Clement Keys Chartered Accountants. A formal statement of independence is received from the external auditors each year. The Chairman of the Audit Committee will be present at the Annual General Meeting to deal with any questions relating to the accounts. The Committee met twice during the year. Remuneration Committee The Remuneration Committee comprises Mr Hugo Deschampsneufs and Mr David Horner. Mr Horner is Chairman. The Committee will meet as necessary to determine and approve Directors’ fees, following proper consideration of the role that individual Directors fulfil in respect of Board and Committee responsibilities, the time committed to the Company’s affairs and remuneration levels generally within the Investment Trust Sector. Under Listing Rule 15.6.6, the Code principles relating to directors’ remuneration do not apply to an investment trust company other than to the extent that they relate specifically to non-executive directors. Detailed information on the remuneration arrangements can be found in the Directors’ remuneration report on pages 19 to 20 and in note 4 to the financial statements. The Committee met three times during the year and both committee members were present at all three meetings. Company Secretary The Company Secretary, John Girdlestone FCA, is responsible for ensuring that Board and Committee procedures are followed and that applicable regulations are complied with. The Secretary also ensures timely delivery of information and reports and that the statutory obligations of the Company are met. Independent Professional Advice There is an agreed procedure for Directors to seek independent professional advice if necessary at the Company’s expense. Institutional investors – use of voting rights The Investment Manager and Managing Director, Mr Robin Boyle, in the absence of explicit instruction from the Board, is empowered to exercise discretion in the use of the Company’s voting rights. Going Concern After due consideration, the Directors have concluded that the Company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. For this reason, they continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements. 10 Athelney Trust plc CORPORATE GOVERNANCE STATEMENT (CONTINUED) Internal control review The Board is responsible for establishing and maintaining the Company’s systems of internal control and for reviewing their effectiveness. Adequate internal controls are in place for identifying, evaluating and managing risks faced by the Company. This process, together with key procedures established with a view to providing effective financial control, has been in place for the full financial year and up to the date the financial statements were approved. Internal control assessment process The Directors acknowledge their responsibility for the Company’s system of internal controls and for reviewing its effectiveness on a regular basis. The system of internal controls is designed to manage rather than eliminate risk and can only provide reasonable but not absolute assurance against material misstatement or loss. This responsibility covers the key business, operational, compliance and financial risks facing the company. The procedures in place ensure that consideration is given regularly to the nature and extent of the risks facing the Company and that they are being actively monitored. Where changes in risk have been identified during the year they also provide a mechanism to assess whether further action is required to manage the risks identified. The Board confirms that these procedures have been in place throughout the Company’s financial year, are operating effectively and continue to be in place up to the date of approval of this Report. Internal Audit The company does not have an internal audit function. The day-to-day management functions are dealt with by the Managing Director, Mr Robin Boyle, and Company Secretary, Mr John Girdlestone, where each is aware of the daily undertakings of the other. The Board as a whole receives regular monthly reports clearly setting out the transactions of that month. The Audit Committee carries out an annual review of the need for an internal audit function. The Committee continues to believe that the compliance and internal control systems and the internal audit function provided by the Investment Manager and Company Secretary give sufficient assurance that a sound system of internal control, which safeguards shareholders’ investment and the Company’s assets, is maintained. An internal audit function, specific to the trust, is therefore considered unnecessary. Dialogue with Shareholders The Board place great importance on communication with shareholders and all Directors are available to enter into dialogue with shareholders. Major shareholders of the Company are offered the opportunity to meet with the independent non-executive Directors of the Board to ensure that their views are understood. The Annual General Meeting provides a forum for communication with all shareholders, who are encouraged to attend and vote. During the AGM, the Board, including the Investment Manager, are available to discuss issues affecting the Company and shareholders have the opportunity to address questions to them. The Annual and Half Yearly Reports of the Company are prepared by the Board and its advisers to present a full and readily understandable review of the Company’s performance. Copies are available for downloading from the Company’s website www.athelneytrust.co.uk and on request from the Company Secretary on 01326 378288. Copies of the Annual Report are mailed to shareholders who have requested paper copies. Voting Policy The Company has given discretionary voting powers to the Investment Manager, Mr Robin Boyle. The Manager votes against resolutions he believes may damage shareholders’ rights or economic interests. 11 Athelney Trust plc INVESTMENT AND PORTFOLIO ANALYSIS AT 31 DECEMBER 2008 Aerospace and defence Aero Inventory Stock Chemicals Construction and materials Umeco Treatt Clarke (T) Galliford Try Renew Holdings Electronic and electrical equipment XP Power Ltd Food and beverages Finsbury Food Group General financial Nichols Shepherd Neame "A" Wynnstay Group Albemarle & Bond Holding 14,000 13,750 10,500 18,000 38,000 35,000 20,000 50,000 13,050 3,900 25,000 15,000 Arbuthnot Banking Group 10,000 Cost (£) Current Price (p) SECTOR Value (£) £ % 43,937 53,951 24,605 19,938 14,143 31,180 45,885 25,283 24,415 11,473 22,348 14,999 34,134 228 31,955 250 34,375 66,330 197 20,685 20,685 4.00% 1.25% 110 19,800 32 12,160 45 15,750 47,710 129 25,800 25,800 2.88% 1.56% 11 5,500 200 26,100 670 26,142 158 39,500 97,242 5.87% 200 30,000 255 25,500 Camellia 1,200 28,749 4,950 59,400 Charles Taylor Consulting 8,000 19,021 20,169 32,817 23,901 19,541 45,289 36,212 16,430 36,366 33,940 11,888 4,300 32,930 21,903 9,958 30,788 22,317 22,946 6,787 15,908 25,053 29,787 16,269 23,948 27,465 35,408 8,022 22,012 21,009 31,807 6,701 6,692 250 20,000 125 31,250 15 30,000 235 18,800 40 24,490 66 24,200 263,640 38 28,500 28,500 15.91% 1.72% 32 7,680 23 8,395 115 28,750 44,825 2.70% 135 14,850 1,040 72,800 200 40,000 162 32,350 600 24,000 233 37,280 221,280 13.35% 237 42,660 345 31,050 360 28,800 102,510 210 36,750 36,750 6.19% 2.22% 18 5,400 50 10,500 27 7,830 24 8,400 77 20,020 55 12,100 64,250 685 61,650 61,650 3.88% 3.72% 2,300 40,250 300 12,000 52,250 3.15% 160 27,200 48 5,760 130 71,500 104,460 6.30% Jarvis Securities Park Group S & U Tenon Group Vantis Tristel Healthcare equipment and services House, leisure and personal goods Havelock Europe Smallbone Victoria Industrial engineering Gooch & Housego Industrial transportation Insurance Media Goodwin Hill & Smith Severfield-Rowen Slingsby (H.C) Vitec Braemar Shipping Clarkson Fisher (James) Avesco Chime Communications Creston Huntsworth M&C Saatchi Plc Quarto Group Inc Com Personal Group Holdings 17,500 Pharmaceuticals and biotechnology Genus Real estate Retailers Mountview Estates Smart (J) & Co. H & T Group Mallett Stanley Gibbons 25,000 200,000 8,000 62,000 36,667 75,000 24,000 36,500 25,000 11,000 7,000 20,000 20,000 4,000 16,000 18,000 9,000 8,000 30,000 21,000 29,000 35,000 26,000 22,000 9,000 1,750 4,000 17,000 12,000 55,000 12 Athelney Trust plc INVESTMENT AND PORTFOLIO ANALYSIS AT 31 DECEMBER 2008 (CONTINUED) Cost (£) Current Price (p) SECTOR Value (£) £ % 27,662 42,424 7,401 25,204 37,194 11,707 15,857 8,807 21,150 31,591 27,525 14,074 30,480 17,434 11,052 40,533 9,898 40,605 £ £ £ £ 79 39,500 107 125 17 85 95 57 16 240 123 25,948 17,500 16,500 25,500 38,000 5,130 2,000 28,800 30,750 55 27,500 196 31,360 288,488 17.4% 57 15,675 195 29,250 5 5,800 168 442 31,126 81,851 4.94% 22,100 90 27,000 49,100 2.96% 100% 1,657,321 58,655 - 1,715,976 1,802,802 Support services Stock Dawson Holdings Interior Services Group Latham (James) Macfarlane Group Nationwide Accident Repair N.W.F Group OPD Group Prime People RWS Holdings VP Waterman Group WSP Group Technology software and services FDM Group Travel and leisure Group NBT Pennant International Phoenix IT Air Partner Gaming VC Portfolio Value Net Current Assets Deferred Tax TOTAL VALUE Shares in issue Audited NAV Holding 50,000 24,250 14,000 100,000 30,000 40,000 9,000 12,500 12,000 25,000 50,000 16,000 27,500 15,000 116,000 18,500 5,000 30,000 95.2p 13 Athelney Trust plc INVESTMENT AND PORTFOLIO ANALYSIS AT 31 DECEMBER 2008 (CONTINUED) Portfolio by Sector 4.94% 2.96% 17.4% 17.41% 6.30% 3.15% 3.72% 4.00% 1.25% 2.88% 1.56% 5.87% 15.91% 1.72% 2.70% 3.88% 2.22% 6.19% 13.35% Aerospace and defence Construction and materials Food and beverages Healthcare equipment and services Industrial engineering Insurance Pharmaceuticals and biotechnology Retailers Technology softw are and services Chemicals Electronic and electrical equipment General financial House, leisure and personal goods Industrial transportation Media Real Estate Support Services Travel and leisure Portfolio by Listing 1.58% 48.15% 50.27% Full AIM Plus 14 REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS OF Athelney Trust plc The directors present their report and audited financial statements of the Company for the year ended 31 December 2008. Principal Activity and Business Review The principal activity of the Company is that of an investment company. The investment objectives of the Company are to achieve long term capital growth while at the same time producing a progressive income return. Investments made by the Company are primarily in the equity securities of both unquoted and quoted UK companies, including smaller companies with a market capitalisation of below £50 million. During the period, the Company followed the normal activities of an investment company. Details of these are given in the Chairman’s Statement and Business Review on pages 3 to 7. Environmental Issues The Board has taken steps to reduce any adverse impact on environmental issues and will continue to address this important matter. Social and Community Issues The Company has only two employees and, as far as the Board is aware, no issues exist in respect of social or community issues. Principal Risks and Risk Management The major risks associated with the Company are market and liquidity risk. The Company has established a framework for managing these risks. The Directors have guidelines for the management of investments and financial instruments. The Company’s assets consist mainly of listed securities and it principal risks are therefore market-related. The Company is also exposed to currency risk in respect of a small number of investments held in overseas markets. More detailed explanations of these risks and the way which they are managed are contained in note 16 to the accounts. Directors and Their Interests The directors who held office during the year and their interest in the ordinary shares of the Company are stated below: H. Deschampsneufs R.G. Boyle D.A. Horner 31 December 2008 78,038 443,970 20,000 1 January 2008 78,038 443,970 20,000 H.B. Deschampsneufs’ interest includes 19,163 (2007: 19,163) shares held in his Self-Invested Personal Pension. R.G. Boyle’s interest includes 16,970 (2007: 16,970) shares held in his Self-Invested Personal Pension. D.A. Horner’s interest includes 20,000 (2007: 20,000) shares owned by a pension fund in which D.A. Horner has an interest. There have been no changes in the above Directors’ interests up to 24 March 2009. The Company does not have any contract of significance subsisting during the year, with any other company in which a Director is or was materially interested. Statement of Directors’ Responsibilities The directors are responsible for preparing the Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations. 15 REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS OF Athelney Trust plc (CONTINUED) Company law requires the directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law the directors have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law). The financial statements are required by law to give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company and of the result for the company for that period. In preparing those financial statements, the directors are required to: select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; - - make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; - state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in business. - The directors are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 1985. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. The directors are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the company's website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions. Changes to the Articles of Association At an Extraordinary General Meeting on 21 August 2008, the shareholders adopted revised Articles. Authority to Repurchase the Company’s Ordinary Shares At an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Company held on 21 August 2008, it was resolved that the Company be authorised to purchase in the market up to 270,240 Ordinary Shares (14.99 per cent of its Ordinary Share Capital in issue at the time). The Company has not entered into any contracts since the year end to purchase any of its own shares. Move from AIM to a Full Listing The Company moved to a Full Listing on 24 September 2008 (see note 7, page 31). Capital Structure At 31 December 2008 the Company’s capital structure consisted of 1,802,802 Ordinary Shares of 25p each (2007 1,802,802). Dividends The Ordinary Shares carry a right to receive dividends which are declared from time to time by an Ordinary Resolution of the Company (up to the amount recommended by the Directors) and to receive any interim dividends which the Directors may resolve to pay. Capital Entitlement On a winding up, after meeting the liabilities of the Company, the surplus assets will be paid to ordinary shareholders in proportion to their shareholdings 16 REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS OF Athelney Trust plc (CONTINUED) Voting On a show of hands, every ordinary shareholder present in person or by proxy has one vote and on a poll every ordinary shareholder present in person has one vote for every share he/she holds and a proxy has one vote for every share in respect of which he/she is appointed. Information on the deadlines for proxy appointments can be found on pages 39 and 40. Results and Dividends The return on ordinary revenue activities before dividends for the year is £99,603 (2007: £70,528) as detailed on page 23. It is recommended that an annual dividend of 4.7p (2008: 3.5p) per ordinary share be paid. Significant Shareholders At 30 March 2009, the Directors had been notified of the following major shareholdings in the Company: Mr R.G. Boyle Mr G.W. & Mrs D.J. Whicheloe NS Salvesen and Salvesen Family Trust Mr H.D. Deschampsneufs Mrs E. Davison Mr J. Sutton Mr D.C. & Mrs B.I. Mattey Tax Status Ordinary Shares 443,970 114,000 87,500 78,038 75,000 60,000 60,000 % of issue 24.63 6.32 4.85 4.32 4.16 3.33 3.33 The Directors have considered the Close Company Tax Status of the Company and do not believe that the Company is a Close Company. Payment of Suppliers It is the Company’s policy to obtain the best possible terms for all business and, therefore, there is no consistent policy as to the terms used. The Company contracts the terms on which business will take place throughout the year with its suppliers. There were invoiced trade creditors outstanding at the end of the year, together with accrued expenses, all appearing as creditors in the balance sheet. Disclosure of Information to Auditors Each of the persons who are directors at the time when this Directors’ Report is approved has confirmed that: - - so far as that each Director is aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the Company’s auditor is unaware, and that each Director has taken all the steps that ought to have been taken as a Director in order to be aware of any information needed by the Company’s auditor in connection with preparing its report and to establish that the Company’s auditor is aware of that information 17 REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS OF Athelney Trust plc (CONTINUED) Auditors A resolution proposing that Clement Keys be re-appointed as auditors of the Company will be put to the annual general meeting. Waterside Court Falmouth Road Penryn Cornwall TR10 8AW BY ORDER OF THE BOARD J. Girdlestone Secretary 30 March 2009 18 Athelney Trust plc DIRECTORS’ REMUNERATION REPORT The Board has prepared this Report in accordance with Schedule 7A to the Companies Act 1985. An Ordinary Resolution will be put to the members to approve the Report at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting The law requires the Company’s Auditors to audit certain disclosures provided. Where disclosures have been audited, they are indicated as such. The Auditors’ opinion is included in their report on pages 21 and 22. Remuneration Committee The Company has a Remuneration Committee comprising Mr Hugo Deschampsneufs and Mr David Horner. Mr Horner chairs the meetings. The Committee considers and approves Directors’ remuneration. Policy on Directors’ Fees The Board’s policy is that remuneration of non-executive Directors should reflect the experience of the Board as a whole and is determined with reference to comparable organisations and appointments. It is intended that this policy will continue for the year ended 31 December 2009. The fees of the non-executive Directors are determined within the limits set out in the Company’s Articles of Association. Directors are not eligible for bonuses, pension benefits, share options, long-term incentive schemes or other benefits. Directors’ Service Contracts All the Directors have a service contract with the Company. The terms of their appointment provide that a Director shall retire and be subject to re-election at the first annual general meeting after their appointment and at least every three years after that. The Managing Director Mr Robin Boyle has a service contract commencing 21 August 2008 which provides for retirement by the Company giving one year’s written notice and by Mr Robin Boyle giving six months’ written notice. The service contracts for the two non-executive Directors, Mr Hugo Deschampsneufs and Mr David Horner, provide for their contract to continue until the Annual General Meeting following the appointment and for renewal at each subsequent Annual General Meeting. Their service contracts commenced 21 August 2008 and 19 August 2008 respectively. Company Performance The graph below compares, for the five financial years ended 31 December 2008, the total return (assuming all dividends are reinvested) to ordinary shareholders compared to the total shareholder return on a notional investment made up of shares in the component parts of the AIM All-Share Index and Small Caps Index. The comparison is made between AIM All-Share and Small Caps. as the majority of investment holdings by the Company are a constituent of one or the other of these two indices. Athelney's Shareholder Return and NAV against Benchmarks of AIM All-Share and Small Caps (figures have been rebased to 100 at 31 December 2004) 180.00 160.00 140.00 120.00 100.00 80.00 60.00 40.00 20.00 - Dec-04 Dec-05 Dec-06 Year End Dec-07 Dec-08 NAV Shareholder Return * AIM All Share Small Caps *Assuming all dividends are reinvested Past Performance is no guarantee of future performance. 19 Athelney Trust plc DIRECTORS’ REMUNERATION REPORT (CONTINUED) Directors’ emoluments for the year (audited) The Directors who served in the year received the following emoluments in the form of salaries: Hugo Deschampsneufs (Chairman, non-executive) Robin Boyle (Managing Director) David Horner (Non-executive) 2008 £ 2007 £ 6,667 35,000 5,833 5,000 30,000 5,000 47,500 40,000 Approval The Directors’ Remuneration Report was approved by the Board on 30 March 2009. J. Girdlestone Company Secretary 20 INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF ATHELNEY TRUST PLC We have audited the financial statements of Athelney Trust plc for the year ended 31 December 2008, which comprise the Income statement, the Reconciliation of Shareholders Funds, the Balance Sheet, the Cash Flow Statement and the related notes. These financial statements have been prepared under the accounting policies set out therein. We have also audited the information in the Directors’ Remuneration Report that is described as being audited. This report is made solely to the company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Section 235 of the Companies Act 1985. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the company’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditors’ report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by the law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the company and the company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed. Respective responsibilities of directors and auditors The Directors’ responsibilities for preparing the Annual report, the Directors’ Remuneration Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice) are set out in the Statement of Directors’ Responsibilities. Our responsibility is to audit the financial statements and the part of the Directors’ Remuneration Report to be audited in accordance with relevant legal and regulatory requirements and International Standards on Auditing (UK and Ireland). We report to you our opinion as to whether the financial statements give a true and fair view and whether the financial statements and the part of the Directors’ Remuneration Report to be audited have been properly prepared in accordance with the Companies Act 1985. We also report to you whether, in our opinion, the information given in the Directors’ Report is consistent with the financial statements. This information includes specific information presented in the Chairman’s Statement and Business Review that is cross referred from the Business Review section of the Directors’ Report. In addition, we report to you if, in our opinion, the company has not kept proper accounting records, if we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit, or if the information specified by law regarding Directors’ remuneration and other transactions is not disclosed. We review whether the Corporate Governance Statement reflects the Company’s compliance with the nine provisions of the 2006 FRC Combined Code specified for our review by the Listing Rules of the Financial Services Authority, and we report if it does not. We are not required to consider whether the Board’s statements on internal control cover all risks and controls, or form an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s corporate governance procedures or its risk and control procedures. We read other information contained in the Annual Report and consider whether it is consistent with the audited financial statements. This other information comprises only the Directors of the Company, Chairman’s Statement and Business Review, Corporate Governance Statement, Investment and Portfolio Analysis, Report of the Directors’, the unaudited part of the Directors’ Remuneration Report, and Officers and Financial Advisers. We consider the implications for our report if we become aware of any apparent misstatement or material inconsistencies with the financial statements. Our responsibilities do not extend to any other information. 21 INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF ATHELNEY TRUST PLC (CONTINUED) Basis of audit opinion We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK and Ireland) issued by the Auditing Practices Board. An audit includes an examination, on a test basis, of evidence relevant to the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements and the part of the Directors’ remuneration Report to be audited. It also includes an assessment of the significant estimates and judgements made by the Directors in the preparation of the financial statements, and of whether the accounting policies are appropriate to the company’s circumstances, consistently applied and adequately disclosed. We planned and performed our audit so as to obtain all the information and explanations which we considered necessary in order to provide us with sufficient evidence to give reasonable assurance that the financial statements and the part of the Directors’ Remuneration Report to be audited are free from material misstatement, whether caused by fraud or other irregularity or error. In forming our opinion we also evaluated the overall adequacy of the presentation of information in the financial statements and the part of the Directors’ Remuneration Report to be audited. Opinion In our opinion: • • • the financial statements give a true and fair view, in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice, of the state of the Company’s affairs as at 31 December 2008 and net return for the year then ended; the financial statements and the part of the Directors’ Remuneration Report to be audited have been properly prepared in accordance with the Companies Act 1985; and the information given in the Directors’ Report is consistent with the financial statements. Clement Keys Chartered Accountants Registered Auditors 39/40 Calthorpe Road Edgbaston Birmingham B15 1TS 30 March 2009 22 Athelney Trust plc INCOME STATEMENT (INCORPORATING THE REVENUE ACCOUNT) 31 December 2008 31 December 2007 Note Revenue Capital Total Revenue Capital Total Losses on investments Income Investment Management expenses Other expenses Exceptional items Net return on ordinary activities before taxation Taxation 9 2 3 3 7 5 Net return on ordinary activities after taxation 14 £ £ £ £ £ £ - (1,482,105) (1,482,105) - (362,778) (362,778) 123,951 - 123,951 120,488 - 120,488 (4,466) (41,700) (46,166) (9,893) (28,979) (38,872) (19,882) (44,947) (64,829) (52,362) - (128,782) (128,782) - - - (52,362) - 99,603 (1,697,534) (1,597,931) 58,233 (391,757) (333,524) - 256,283 256,283 12,295 81,248 93,543 99,603 (1,441,251) (1,341,648) 70,528 (310,509) (239,981) Net return per ordinary share 6 5.5p (79.9)p (74.4)p 3.9p (17.2)p (13.3)p Dividend per ordinary share paid during the year 3.5p 3.25p The total column of this statement is the profit and loss account for the Company. All revenue and capital items in the above statement derive from continuing operations. No operations were acquired or discontinued during the above financial years. A statement of movements of reserves is given in note 14. A Statement of Total Recognised Gains and Losses is not required as all gains and losses of the Company have been reflected in the above Statement. The notes on pages 27 to 35 form part of these financial statements. 23 Athelney Trust plc RECONCILIATION OF SHAREHOLDERS’ FUNDS For the Year Ended 31 December 2008 Called-up Share Capital £ 450,700 Share Premium £ 405,605 - - - - - - - - - - - - Capital reserve realised £ 892,893 (88,385) Capital reserve Revenue reserve £ 132,441 unrealised £ 1,239,083 Total Shareholders’ Funds £ 3,120,722 - (1,393,720) - - (88,385) (1,393,720) (215,429) - - - 256,283 - - - - 99,603 (63,098) (215,429) 256,283 99,603 (63,098) 450,700 405,605 589,079 101,646 168,946 1,715,976 For the Year Ended 31 December 2007 Called-up Share Capital £ 450,700 Share Premium £ 405,605 - - - - - - - - - - - - Capital reserve Revenue reserve £ 120,504 unrealised £ 1,723,399 Total Shareholders’ Funds £ 3,419,294 Capital reserve realised £ 719,086 239,645 - (602,423) (28,979) (36,859) - - 118,107 - - - - 70,528 (58,591) - - 239,645 (602,423) (28,979) 81,248 70,528 (58,591) - - 450,700 405,605 892,893 1,239,083 132,441 3,120,722 Balance at 1 January 2008 Net losses on realisation of investments Decrease in unrealised appreciation Expenses allocated to capital Taxation Profit for the year Dividend paid in year Shareholders’ Funds at 31 December 2008 Balance at 1 January 2007 Net gains on realisation of investments Decrease in unrealised appreciation Expenses allocated to capital Taxation Profit for the year Dividend paid in year Shareholders’ Funds at 31 December 2007 The notes on pages 27 to 35 form part of these financial statements. 24 Athelney Trust plc BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2008 Note Fixed assets Investments at fair value through profit and loss Current assets Debtors Cash at bank and in hand 9 10 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 11 Net current assets Total assets less current liabilities Provisions for liabilities and charges 12 Net assets Capital and reserves Called up share capital Share premium account Other reserves (non distributable) Capital reserve - realised Capital reserve - unrealised Revenue reserve Shareholders' funds - all equity Net Asset Value per share 13 14 14 14 14 17 2008 £ 2007 £ 1,657,321 3,167,818 65,090 26,038 91,128 (32,473) 58,655 1,715,976 - 1,715,976 450,700 405,605 589,079 101,646 168,946 1,715,976 95.2p 205,773 45,335 251,108 (41,921) 209,187 3,377,005 (256,283) 3,120,722 450,700 405,605 892,893 1,239,083 132,441 3,120,722 173.1p Approved by the board of directors on 30 March 2009 ………………………………. R.G. Boyle The notes on pages 27 to 35 form part of these financial statements 25 Athelney Trust plc CASHFLOW STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2008 Net cash inflow/(outflow) from operating activities Taxation Corporation tax paid Financial Investment Purchases of investments Sale of investments Net cash inflow from Financial Investment Equity dividends paid (Decrease)/increase in cash in the year Reconciliation of operating net revenue to net cash inflow from operating activities Revenue on ordinary activities before taxation Decrease / (increase) in debtors Increase in creditors Investment management expenses charged to capital Other expenses charged to capital Exceptional items charged to capital (note 7) Reconciliation of net cashflow to movement in net debt Cash at bank and in hand £ 2008 £ 39,973 (24,564) £ 2007 £ (69,440) (34,916) (975,591) 1,003,983 (1,247,174) 1,422,970 28,392 (63,098) (19,297) £ 99,603 140,683 15,116 (41,700) (44,947) (128,782) 39,973 175,796 (58,591) 12,849 £ 58,233 (100,170) 1,476 - - (28,979) (69,440) Net funds at 31.12.2007 £ 45,335 Cashflow £ (19,297) Net funds at 31.12.2008 £ 26,038 The notes on pages 27 to 35 form part of these financial statements 26 Athelney Trust plc NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2008 1. Accounting Policies 1.1 Basis of Preparation of Financial Statements The financial statements are prepared under the historical cost convention modified to include fixed asset investments at valuation. The financial statements are prepared in accordance the Companies Act 1985, applicable UK accounting standards and the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice “Financial Statements of Investment Trust Companies” (SORP) issued in January 2003, as revised December 2005. 1.2 Income Income from investments including taxes deducted at source is recognised when the right to the return is established (normally the ex-dividend date). UK dividend income is reported net of tax credits in accordance with FRS 16 “Current Tax”. Interest is dealt with on an accruals basis. 1.3 Investment Management Expenses Of the two directors involved in investment management, 10% of their salaries have been charged to revenue and the other 90% to capital. All other investment management expenses have been charged to capital. The Board propose continuing this basis for future years. 1.4 Other Expenses Expenses (including VAT) and interest payable are dealt with on an accruals basis and charged through the Revenue Account, with a greater allocation to capital than previously. The Board consider this to be a fairer distribution of the costs incurred. 1.5 Investments Listed investments comprise those listed on the Official List of the London Stock Exchange. Profits and losses on sales of investments are taken to realised capital reserve. Any unrealised appreciation or depreciation is taken to unrealised capital reserve. Investments have been classified as “fair value through profit and loss” upon initial recognition. Subsequent to initial recognition, investments are measured at fair value with changes in fair value recognised in the Income Statement. Securities of companies quoted on a recognised stock exchange are valued by reference to their quoted bid prices at the close of the year. 1.6 Taxation The tax effect of different items of income and expenses is allocated between capital and revenue on the same basis as the particular item to which it relates, using the Company’s effective rate of tax for the year. 27 Athelney Trust plc NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2008 1. Accounting Policies (continued) 1.7 Deferred Taxation At the year end there is no provision for deferred taxation (2007: £256,283) as the Company had unrealised net losses for Capital Gains Tax purposes. The Directors believe the Company satisfies all the conditions of a Fully Listed Investment Company to ensure it has no liability to Corporation Tax on its Capital Gains in the future. 1.8 Capital Reserves Capital Reserve – Realised Gains and losses on realisation of fixed asset investments are dealt with in this reserve. Capital Reserve – Unrealised Increases and decreases in the valuations of fixed asset investments are dealt with in this reserve. 2. Income Income from investments UK dividend income Bank interest Other income Total income UK dividend income UK listed investments AIM investments Other investments 2008 £ 113,571 10,230 150 123,951 2008 £ 56,920 55,707 944 113,571 2007 £ 114,513 5,574 401 120,488 2007 £ 43,164 70,188 1,161 114,513 28 Athelney Trust plc NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2008 3. Return on Ordinary Activities Before Taxation The following amounts (inclusive of VAT) are included within investment management and other expenses: Directors’ remuneration: - Services as a director - Otherwise in connection with management Auditors’ remuneration (also see note 7): - Audit Services - Statutory audit - Audit Services - Audit related regulatory reporting - Further assurance services – Advice on accounting matters Miscellaneous expenses: - Other wages and salaries - Nominated Adviser’s fees - PR and communications - Stock Exchange subscription - Sundry investment management and other expenses 4. Employees Costs in respect of directors: Wages and salaries Social security costs Costs in respect of administrator: Wages and salaries Social security costs Total: Wages and salaries Social security costs Average number of employees: Chairman Investment Administration 29 2008 £ 12,500 35,000 7,665 999 1,840 17,170 10,406 6,285 7,961 11,169 110,995 2008 £ 47,500 3,991 51,491 15,833 1,337 17,170 63,333 5,328 68,661 1 2 1 4 2007 £ 10,000 30,000 7,200 910 862 10,620 5,711 10,759 6,831 8,341 91,234 2007 £ 40,000 3,171 43,171 10,000 620 10,620 50,000 3,791 53,791 1 2 1 4 Athelney Trust plc NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2008 5. Taxation Revenue 2008 Capital Total Revenue 2007 Capital £ £ £ £ £ Total £ (i) The tax charge for the year is based on the return for the year Corporation tax for current year Tax relief on management expenses charge to income Deferred taxation - - - - - - - 24,564 24,564 - (256,283) - (256,283) (12,295) - 12,295 (118,107) - (118,107) (256,283) (256,283) (12,295) (81,248) (93,543) (ii) Factors affecting the tax charge for the year The tax charge for the period is lower than the average small company rate of corporation tax in the UK (21 per cent). The differences are explained below: Total return on ordinary activities before tax (1,597,931) (333,524) 2008 £ 2007 £ Total return on ordinary activities multiplied by the average small company rate of corporation tax 21% (2007: 20%) (335,566) Effects of: UK dividend income not taxable Revaluation of shares not taxable Indexation relief for capital gains Unrelieved management expenses Losses carried forward Other Change in tax rate Current tax charge for the year (23,850) 292,681 (2,858) 48,225 21,545 (177) - - (66,705) (22,902) 120,485 (5,775) - - (80) (459) 24,564 There is no charge to UK Corporation Tax at 31 December 2008 as the Company has unrelieved management expenses of £229,641 and £102,597 of capital losses for Corporation Tax purposes and which are available to be carried forward to future years. These have not been recognised as a deferred tax asset because the Company is not expected to generate taxable income in a future period in excess of the deductible expenses of the future period and, accordingly, it is unlikely that the Company will be able to reduce future tax liabilities through the use of existing surplus expenses. 30 Athelney Trust plc NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2008 5. Taxation continued (iii) Factors affecting the tax charge in future years At the appropriate time the Company will request approval from HM Revenue and Customs that all conditions relevant to a fully listed investment trust have been satisfied and therefore the Company will not in future be liable to Corporation Tax on any realised investment gains. 6. Return per Ordinary Share The calculation of earnings per share has been performed in accordance with FRS 22 “Earnings Per Share”. 2008 2007 Attributable return on ordinary activities after taxation £ Revenue £ Capital £ Total £ Revenue £ Capital £ Total 99,603 (1,441,251) (1,341,648) 70,528 (310,509) (239,981) Number of shares 1,802,802 1,802,802 Return per ordinary share 5.5p (79.9)p (74.4)p 3.9p (17.2)p (13.3)p 7. Exceptional Items The exceptional item represents the total costs incurred by the Company in moving from AIM to a Full Listing. Included in the total costs is an amount of £14,599 paid to the Company’s Auditors in connection with the Company obtaining a Full Listing. 8. Dividend Dividend in respect of 2008 of 3.5p (2007 – 3.25p) per share 63,098 2008 £ 2007 £ 58,591 Set out below is the total dividend payable in respect of the financial year, which is the basis on which the requirements of Section 842 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 are considered. An annual dividend of 4.7p (2008 – 3.5p) per share amounting to a total of £84,732 (2008 - £63,098) is proposed by the Board. The dividend proposed will not be accounted for until it has been approved at the Annual General Meeting. Revenue available for distribution Proposed dividend in respect of financial year ended 31 December 2008 Undistributed Revenue Reserve 2008 £ 99,603 (84,732) 14,871 31 Athelney Trust plc NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2008 9. Investments Movements in year Valuation at beginning of year Purchases at cost Sales - proceeds - realised (losses)/gains on sales Decrease in unrealised appreciation Valuation at end of year Book cost at end of year Unrealised appreciation at the end of the year UK Listed AIM PLUS Gains on investment Realised (losses)/gains on sales Decrease in unrealised appreciation 2008 £ 3,167,818 975,591 (1,003,983) (88,385) (1,393,720) 1,657,321 1,533,219 124,102 1,657,321 833,193 797,986 26,142 1,657,321 2008 £ (88,385) (1,393,720) (1,482,105) 2007 £ 3,706,392 1,247,174 (1,422,970) 239,645 (602,423) 3,167,818 1,650,667 1,517,151 3,167,818 1,553,403 1,537,414 77,001 3,167,818 2007 £ 239,645 (602,423) (362,778) The purchase and sales proceeds above include transaction costs of £3,176 (2007: £4,678) and £4,546 (2007: £5,817) respectively. 10. Debtors Amounts falling due within one year: Investment transaction debtors Other debtors 2008 £ 59,148 5,942 65,090 2007 £ 202,940 2,833 205,773 32 Athelney Trust plc NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2008 11. Creditors Corporation tax Social security and other taxes Other creditors Accruals and deferred income 12. Deferred Tax 2008 £ - 3,087 4,272 25,114 32,473 Tax on unrealised gains net of losses Balance at beginning of year Charge to the capital element of the Statement of Total Return Balance at end of year 2008 Provided Not Provided £ - - £ - - 2008 £ 256,283 (256,283) - 2007 Provided £ 256,283 256,283 2007 £ 374,390 (118,107) 256,283 2007 £ 24,564 6,938 159 10,260 41,921 Not Provided £ - - Tax is provided at the latest known rates on all taxable gains net of losses which would arise if investments were sold at the market value included in the balance sheet at the end of the financial year. 13. Called Up Share Capital Authorised 10,000,000 Ordinary Shares of 25p Allotted, called up and fully paid 1,802,802 Ordinary Shares of 25p 2008 £ 2007 £ 2,500,000 2,500,000 450,700 450,700 33 Athelney Trust plc FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2008 NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 14. Reserves Balance at 1 January 2008 Net losses on realisation of investments Decrease in unrealised appreciation Expenses allocated to capital Taxation Profit for the year Dividend paid in year Share premium account £ 405,605 - - - - - - 2008 Capital reserve realised £ 892,893 (88,385) - (215,429) - - Capital reserve unrealised £ 1,239,083 - (1,393,720) 256,283 - - Revenue reserve £ 132,441 - - - - 99,603 (63,098) Balance at end of year 405,605 589,079 101,646 168,946 15. Reconciliation of Movement on Shareholders’ Funds Retained net revenue for the year after taxation Dividend Total recognised losses for the year Shareholders' funds at beginning of year Shareholders' funds at end of year 16. Financial Instruments 2008 £ 99,603 (63,098) 36,505 (1,441,251) (1,404,746) 3,120,722 1,715,976 2007 £ 70,528 (58,591) 11,937 (310,509) (298,572) 3,419,294 3,120,722 The Company’s financial instruments comprise equity investments, cash balances and debtors and creditors that arise directly from its operations, for example, in respect of sales and purchase awaiting settlement. Short term debtors and creditors are excluded from disclosure. Fixed asset investments (see note 9) are valued at market bid price where available which equates to their fair values. The fair values of all other assets and liabilities are represented by their carrying values in the balance sheet. The major risks associated with the Company are market and liquidity risk. The Company has established a framework for managing these risks. The directors have guidelines for the management of investments and financial instruments. 34 Athelney Trust plc FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2008 NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 16. Financial Instruments (continued) Market Risk Market risk arises from changes in interest rates, valuations awarded to equities, movements in prices and the liquidity of financial instruments. At the end of the year the Company’s portfolio was invested in UK securities with the exception of 2.36 per cent, which was invested in overseas securities. Liquidity Risk Liquidity Risk is the risk that the Company may have difficulty in meeting obligations associated with financial liabilities. The Company has no borrowings, therefore there is no exposure to interest rate changes. The company is able to reposition its investment portfolio when required so as to accommodate liquidity needs. 17. Net Asset Value Per Share The net asset value per share is based on net assets of £1,715,976 (2007: £3,120,722) divided by 1,802,802 (2007: 1,802,802) ordinary shares in issues. Net asset value 2008 95.2p 2007 173.1p 35 Athelney Trust plc OFFICERS AND FINANCIAL ADVISERS Directors: Secretary: Registered Office: H.B. Deschampsneufs (Chairman) Email: hugo@athelneytrust.co.uk R.G. Boyle (Managing Director) Email: robin171@btinternet.com D.A. Horner Email: dah@chelvertonam.com J. Girdlestone Waterside Court Falmouth Road Penryn Cornwall, TR10 8AW Waterside Court Falmouth Road Penryn Cornwall, TR10 8AW Email: john@athelneytrust.co.uk Tel: 01326 378 288 Website: www.athelneytrust.co.uk Email: info@athelneytrust.co.uk Tel: 01326 378 288 Company Number: (Registered in England) 2933559 Stockbroker: Auditor: Banker: Registrar: Speirs & Jeffrey Limited 36 Renfield Street Glasgow, G2 1NA Clement Keys 39/40 Calthorpe Road Edgbaston Birmingham, B15 1TS The Royal Bank of Scotland plc London City Office 62/63 Threadneedle Street London City Office, EC2R 8LA Share Registrars Limited Craven House West Street Farnham Surrey, GU9 7EN Email: wgd@speirsjeffrey.co.uk Tel: 0141 248 4311 Email: mike.meakin@clementkeys.co.uk Tel: 0121 456 4456 Email: enquiries@shareregistrars.uk.com Tel: 01252 821 390 Public Relations Consultants: City Road Communications 42-44 Carter Lane London, EC4V 5EA Email: cityroad@cityroad.uk.com Tel: 0207 248 8010 36 Athelney Trust plc NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the fifteenth Annual General Meeting of the Company will be held at the offices of Dowgate Capital Advisers Limited, 46 Worship Street, London, EC2A 2EA on Wednesday 06 May 2009 at 4.30p.m. for the following purposes: As Ordinary Business 1. To receive and adopt the Company’s Accounts and the Report of the Directors and Auditors for the year ended 31 December 2008. 2. To declare an annual dividend of 4.7p per ordinary share. It is intended that dividend cheques in respect of the dividend will be posted on Friday 08 May 2009 to all shareholders on the register of members at close of business on Friday 14 April 2009. 3. To approve the Directors’ Remuneration Report for the year ended 31 December 2008. 4. To re-elect Mr R.G. Boyle as a Director of the Company. 5. To re-elect Mr H.B. Deschampsneufs as Director of the Company until the date of the next Annual General Meeting. 6. To re-elect Mr D.A. Horner as a Director of the Company until the date of the next Annual General Meeting. 7. To re-appoint Clement Keys as Auditors and to authorise the Directors to fix their remuneration. By Order of the Board John Girdlestone Secretary 30 March 2009 Registered Office: Waterside Court, Falmouth Road, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 8AW NOTES (i) A member entitled to attend and vote at the Meeting is entitled to appoint a proxy to attend and vote in his/her stead. A proxy need not be a member of the Company. A form of proxy is enclosed with this Notice for use at the Meeting. To be valid, completed forms of proxy (together with any Power of Attorney or other authority under which it is executed or duly certified copy of any such Power or authority) must be deposited at the Company’s Registered Office not less than 48 hours before the time fixed for this meeting. Completion and return of a form of proxy will not prevent the member from attending and voting at the Meeting in person. (ii) The register of Directors’ interests kept in accordance with Section 325 of the Companies Act 1985 and copies of Directors’ service contracts will be available for inspection during normal business hours on any weekday (Saturdays and public holidays excepted) at the Company’s Registered Office from the date of this Notice until the date of the Meeting. 37 Athelney Trust plc NOTES 38 (cid:6) Athelney Trust plc FORM OF PROXY To be used at the Annual General Meeting to be held at 4.30pm on 06 May 2009 I/We ____________________________________________________________________________________ of ______________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________ Being (a) shareholder(s) of Athelney Trust plc, hereby appoint the Chairman of the Meeting or (see Note (ii)) ________________________________________________________________________________________ BLOCK CAPITALS PLEASE as my/our proxy to vote for me/us on my/our behalf at the Annual General Meeting of the Company to be held at the offices of Dowgate Capital Advisers Limited, 46 Worship Street, London, EC2A 2EA on Wednesday 06 May 2009 at 4.30p.m. (the “Meeting”), on the Ordinary Business to be submitted to the Meeting and at any adjournment thereof. Please indicate with an X in the appropriate space how you wish your votes to be cast. To abstain from voting on any item in the notice, select the “Vote Withheld” box. A vote withheld is not a vote in law, which means that the vote will not be counted in the calculation of votes for or against the individual issue in respect of which voting is taking place. If no voting indication is given, your proxy will vote or abstain from voting at his or her discretion. Your proxy will vote (or abstain from voting) as he or she thinks fit in relation to any other matter which is put before the Meeting. Ordinary Business For Against Vote withheld 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 To receive and adopt the accounts for the year ended 31 December 2008 To declare a dividend of 4.7p per Ordinary Share To approve the Directors’ Remuneration Report for the year ended 31 December 2008 To re-elect Mr R.G. Boyle as a Director To re-elect Mr H.B. Deschampsneufs as a Director until the date of the next Annual General Meeting To re-elect Mr D.A. Horner as a Director until the date of the next Annual General Meeting To re-appoint Clement Keys as Auditors and authorise the Directors to fix the Auditors’ Remuneration Signed_______________________________________________________Dated_________________________________ NOTES (i) As a shareholder of the Company you are entitled to appoint a proxy to exercise all or any of your rights to attend, speak and vote at a general meeting of the Company. You can only appoint a proxy using the procedures set out in these notes. (ii) If you wish to appoint as your proxy some person other than the Chairman of the Meeting please insert in block capitals the full name of the person of your choice, delete the words “the Chairman of the Meeting” and initial the 39 (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) (vii) alteration. A proxy need not be a shareholder of the Company but must attend the Meeting to represent you and you are responsible for ensuring that they attend the Meeting and are aware of your voting intentions. You may appoint more than one proxy provided each proxy is appointed to exercise rights attached to different shares. You may not appoint more than one proxy to exercise rights attached to any one share. To appoint more than one proxy, you must contact the Company Secretary at the Registered Office of the Company (Waterside Court, Falmouth Road, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 8AW). To be entitled to attend and vote at the Meeting (and for the purpose of the determination by the Company of the number of votes cast), shareholders must be registered in the Register of Members of the Company at 4.30p.m. on 14 April 2009 (or, in the event of any adjournment, 4.30p.m. on the date which is 48 hours before the time of the adjourned meeting). Changes to the Register of Members after the relevant deadline shall be disregarded in determining the rights of any person to attend and vote at the Meeting. To be valid, this proxy form, together with the power of attorney or other authority (if any) under which it is signed, or notarially certified copy of such power of attorney, must be deposited at the Registered Office of the Company (at the address set out in note (iii) above) not later than 48 hours before the time appointed for the Meeting. In the case of a corporation, this proxy form must be executed either under seal or under the hand of an officer or attorney duly authorised. In the case of joint holders, the vote of the senior shareholder who tenders a vote will be accepted to the exclusion of the votes of the other joint holders. Seniority will be determined by the order in which the name stands in the Register of Members. (viii) Any person to whom this notice is sent who is a person nominated under section 146 of the Companies Act 2006 to enjoy information rights (a “Nominated Person”) may, under an agreement between him and the shareholder by whom he was nominated, have a right to be appointed (or to have someone else appointed) as a proxy for the Meeting. If a Nominated Person has no such proxy appointment right or does not wish to exercise it, he may, under any such agreement, have a right to give instructions to the shareholder as to the exercise of voting rights. (ix) Completion of this proxy form will not prevent a shareholder from attending the Meeting and voting in person should he or she wish. If you have appointed a proxy and attend the Meeting in person, your proxy appointment will be automatically terminated. 40 

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