Quarterlytics / Technology / Information Technology Services / Triad Group

Triad Group

trd · LSE Technology
Claim this profile
Ticker trd
Exchange LSE
Sector Technology
Industry Information Technology Services
Employees 51-200
← All annual reports
FY2016 Annual Report · Triad Group
Loading PDF…
Triad Group Plc
Annual Report & Accounts

2 0 1 5 –1 6

Table of contents

Triad Group Plc  |  Annual report for the year ended 31 March 2016

02
07
10
14
20
23
24
25
26
27
43
44
45

Strategic report

Directors’ report

Corporate governance report

Directors’ remuneration report

Independent auditors’ report to the members of Triad Group Plc

Statements of comprehensive income and expense

Statements of changes in equity

Statements of financial position

Statements of cash flows

Notes to the financial statements

Five year record

Shareholders’ information and financial calendar

Corporate information

Strategic report

Financial highlights
•  Revenue for the year ended 31 March 2016: £28.3m 

(2015: £23.5m)

•  Profit before tax: £0.86m (2015: £0.35m)
•  Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and 
amortisation (EBITDA): £1.13m (2015: £0.54m)

•  Profit after tax: £1.21m (2015: £0.35m)
•  Gross profit as a percentage of revenue: 15.0%  

(2015: 14.1%)

Chairman’s statement

Dr John Rigg, Executive Chairman

I am very pleased to report that the Group has built on the 
progress announced in the last interim results, delivering 
further growth in revenue and profit. Our improved business 
model has resulted in a significant increase in Triad teams 
of permanently employed consultants, associates and 
contractors delivering services to a growing number of key 
clients.  This has generated a stronger and more balanced 
client portfolio and sales pipeline.

We believe that we are now in a position to undertake 
a significant strengthening of our base of permanently 
employed consultants.  To this end, the numbers of 
permanent employees will be increased in order that the 
Group can receive the benefit of the natural longevity of 
their relationship with the Group, underpinned by contracts 
of permanent employment, share options and other 
benefits. Without altering the final price and therefore 
attractiveness of our offering to the client, this will enable 
the Group to retain a significantly higher proportion 
of gross profits.   We also intend to move towards 
strengthening of top management in the area of permanent 
consultant operations. The public image of our permanent 
consultant operation will be significantly enhanced by 
attention to our marketing activities. 

For the year to 31 March 2016 Group revenue has 
increased by 20.6% to £28.32m (2015: £23.48m). The 
Group reports a profit before tax in the year of £0.86m 
(2015: £0.35m), an increase of 145.2%. Profit after tax has 
increased to £1.21m (2015: £0.35m). Included in this figure 
is a £0.35m credit in recognition of a deferred tax asset 
relating to historical trading losses brought forward.   

Our footprint across the public and private sectors has 
expanded, with new clients including UK Export Finance, 
Department for Business, Innovation & Skills and Highways 
England.  In addition, we have been awarded new contracts 
to deliver additional services to long established clients 
including Home Office, Ministry of Justice, and IMServ.  

2 

|  Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016

We have also secured substantial increases in the call-
off limits for two of our central government contracts, 
providing us good visibility of potential work in to the next 
financial year.

Contract renewals and extensions are a key indicator 
of success, and the company has been very careful to 
maintain its excellent levels of service delivery whilst 
growing the business.

During the year the Group was involved in a wide range 
of assignments. This range needs to be further expanded 
in the coming year. We have been successful in securing 
a two-year call-off agreement with an existing Central 
Government client, allowing us to provide a range of 
resources around delivery management, development and 
webops/devops.  This represented a substantial win, and 
the work we are doing on projects of national importance 
has helped us attract some of the country’s leading talent.  

Triad consultants developed a new search platform for 
the Electoral Commission, enabling interested parties 
to interrogate the Party Election Funding database 
to understand who has donated what to whom.  The 
application used pioneering user research techniques to 
come up with a very intuitive system that matched the 
varied needs of its users, and it was accessed extensively 
during the period of the 2015 General Election.

Our involvement with a large central government 
department with a nationwide estate continues, helping 
them to digitise its services.  As well as Agile development 
resources, we have also provided the bulk of the platform 
engineering team and a number of consultants involved in 
the wider programme activities.  This on-going relationship 
also included tight collaboration with one of the largest 
System Integrators in the UK, with Triad being recognised 
for its exemplary ability to generate results from this multi-
faceted team.

Frameworks within the public sector remain an important 
route to market, and the Group was successful in qualifying 
for both the Digital Services Framework 2 (DSF 2) and its 
successor, Digital Outcomes and Specialists (DOS).  The 
advent of DOS within months of DSF 2 illustrates the need 
to stay abreast of the Government’s ICT agenda, as did 
our successful participation in g-cloud 7.  Presence on 
these frameworks has been crucial in terms of winning 
new business and competing for new services with existing 
clients, and Triad has established a significant position 
across the Government Digital Marketplace.

In the private sector Triad has reinforced its long-term 
relationship with one of the leading providers of GIS 
Engineering capability, establishing itself as the preferred 
provider of resources.

Strategic report

We have also been working with a long-standing client to 
develop a new platform for end-clients to use in relation to 
their energy consumption.  This project is in its early stages 
and has significant on-going potential.

Triad has been successfully raising its profile throughout 
the year. Our presence on a number of key programmes 
has been the significant driver in this, together with our 
contribution at events including the Government Digital 
Services roadshow to promote DSF and g-cloud, and at 
a presentation run by the Association for Geographic 
Information (AGI) promoting careers in GIS for young people.

Outlook

Further to the progress achieved during the year we have 
started the new financial year with a strong order book and 
healthy pipeline of opportunities. Underpinning the Group’s 
success will be our ability to develop new and existing 
accounts and deliver successful outcomes for our clients. 

In order to capitalise on the opportunities being developed 
efforts to strengthen our business model continue. A key 
aspect is the need to increase the headcount across the 
business.

Employees

On behalf of the Board I would like to thank all our staff for 
their efforts during the past year.

John Rigg 
Chairman 
10 June 2016

Organisation overview

Triad Group Plc is engaged in the provision of IT 
resourcing, consultancy and solutions services to the 
public and private sectors.

Principal objectives

The principal objectives of the Company are to;

•  Provide clients with industry leading service in our  

core skills.

•  Achieve sustainable profitable growth across the 

business and increase long term shareholder value.

The key elements of our strategy to achieve our objectives are;

To provide a range of specialist services relevant to our 
clients’ business

•  Our services include consultancy, change leadership, 
project delivery, software development, mobility 
services and business insights.  Further capacity and 
expertise is provided via our resourcing services.

•  We continue to adopt a “business first, technology 

second” approach to solving our clients’ problems.   
A cornerstone of our service offer is our consultancy 
model, offering advice and guidance to clients in terms 
of technology investments.

To develop long term client relationships across a broad 
client base

•  Enduring client relationships fuel profitability.   

A hallmark of our recent improvements has been the 
frequency of repeat business, which itself has been a 
function of outstanding delivery and proactive business 
development within existing accounts.

•  Our consistent track record in this regard is our major 
asset when developing propositions for new clients, 
along with the use of case studies and references.

•  We have structured our service offering to enable 

clients to engage early, thus enabling the building of 
trust and confidence from the outset.

To work with partners

•  Our strategy includes working with carefully chosen 
partners operating under their client frameworks in 
addition to the frameworks on which Triad is listed.  
This will expose more opportunities whilst reducing the 
cost of sale.  

Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016 

|  3

Strategic report

To leverage group capability and efficiency to increase 
profitability

•  We continue to develop synergies across the Group’s 
activities both externally and internally, driving better 
outcomes for clients whilst improving efficiency and 
effectiveness. The management team sets objectives 
to ensure that these synergies are exploited.

•  We enable our clients to benefit from access to a full 

range of ICT services, delivered through a single, easy 
to access, point of sale.

•  We will continue to strive to provide the highest quality 
of service through the provision of niche resources 
using market experts, and the supply of IT services 
though our team of skilled consultants.

•  We will strengthen our pipeline of work through 

the development of fulfilling and productive client 
relationships.

Business model

The Group provides services to the public and private 
sectors in the provision of IT consultancy and solutions 
services, and IT resourcing (both contract and permanent). 
Typically, this entails the supply of our own permanent 
consultants, the supply of carefully chosen associates and 
contractors, or a combination of these.

The Group operates in the United Kingdom from offices in 
Godalming (registered office) and Milton Keynes.

Principal risks and uncertainties

The Group’s business involves risks and uncertainties, 
which the Board systematically manages through its 
planning and governance processes.

The Board carries out a robust assessment of the principal 
risks facing the Group on an annual basis, examining the 
Group’s operating environment, scanning for potential 
risks to the health and wellbeing of the organisation. The 
Directors factor into the business plan the likelihood and 
magnitude of risk in determining the achievability of the 
operational objectives. Where feasible, preventive and 
mitigating actions are developed for all principal risks.  

Senior management review the risk register and track the 
status of these risk factors on an on-going basis, identifying 
any emerging risks as they appear.

The outputs of this management review form part of  
the Board’s governance process, reviewed at regular  
Board meetings.

4 

|  Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016

The principal risks identified are:

IT services market

The demand for IT services is affected by UK market 
conditions. The creation of new services, acquisition of new 
clients and the development of new commercial vehicles 
is important in protecting the Group from fluctuations in 
market conditions. 

Revenue visibility

The pipeline of contracted orders for time and materials 
consultancy work can be relatively short. The Board 
carefully reviews forecasts to assess the level of risk 
arising from business that is forecast to be won.

Availability of staff

The ability to recruit and retain staff, and access to 
appropriately skilled resources are key to ensuring the 
ability to win and deliver IT services to our clients. The 
Group continues to recruit quality individuals, and ensures a 
resilient network of associate resources is maintained. 

Competition

The Group operates in a highly competitive environment. 
The markets in which the Group operates are continually 
monitored to respond effectively to emerging opportunities 
and threats. 

There are or may be other risks and uncertainties faced 
by the Group that the Directors currently deem immaterial, 
or of which they are unaware, that may have a material 
adverse impact on the Group.

Viability Statement

In accordance with provision C.2.2 of the 2014 Corporate 
Governance Code the Directors have assessed the 
Company’s viability over the next five financial years. 

This assessment of viability has been made with reference 
to the Group’s current financial and operational positions, 
revenue projections, cash flows, availability of required 
finance, commercial opportunities and threats, and the 
Group’s experience in managing adverse conditions in the 
past. The Company was founded in 1988 and has survived 
successfully since then.

The assessment also considered the impact of severe, yet 
plausible, scenarios based on the principal risks set out 
above. Sensitivities around revenue growth, gross margins, 
and availability of funds to meet operational requirements 
were considered.

Based on this assessment the Directors have concluded 
that there is a reasonable expectation that the Company 
and Group will continue in operation and meet its liabilities 
as they fall due over the next five years. 

Strategic report

Given the Group’s business model and commercial and 
financial exposures the Directors consider that five years 
is an appropriate period for the assessment. The maximum 
period of visibility of commercial arrangements with 
clients is currently two years, however in considering the 
assessment period assumptions have been made beyond 
this immediate timeframe.

Directors

Senior managers

Employees

Male

Female

Total

5

1

36

42

—

1

12

13

5

2

48

55

Environment and greenhouse gas reporting

The Group is committed to ensuring that the actual 
and potential environmental impact of its activities is 
understood and managed effectively.

The annual quantity of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions for 
the period 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2016 in tonnes of carbon 
dioxide equivalents (tCO2e) is shown in the table below.

Emission source:

Combustion of fuel 

Electricity and heat 
purchased for own use

Total

tCO2e per £1m revenue

2016
tCO2e *

2015
tCO2e *

23

91

114

4.0

25

109

134

5.7

*  The calculation of tCO2e for each source has been prepared 

in accordance with DEFRA guidelines for GHG reporting.

Social, community and human rights issues

We do not report on social, community and human rights 
issues as the Group has no significant matters to report 
that would be required to understand the performance of 
the Group’s business.

Performance assessment, financial  
review and outlook 

Financial and non-financial key performance indicators 
(KPIs) used by the Board to monitor progress are revenue, 
profit from operations, gross margin, net borrowings and 
headcount. Financial KPIs are discussed in more detail in 
the Financial Review below. The outlook for the Group is 
discussed in the Chairman’s statement on page 2.

The KPIs are as follows;

2016

2015

Revenue

£28,317,000

£23,482,000

Profit from operations 

£980,000

£462,000

Earnings before interest, 
tax, depreciation and 
amortisation (EBITDA)

Gross margin 

Average headcount

£1,133,000

£543,000

15.0%

52

14.1%

52

Corporate social responsibility

Our employees

The Group is committed to equal opportunities and 
operates employment policies which are designed to 
attract, retain and motivate high quality staff, regardless 
of gender, age, race, religion or disability. The Group has a 
policy of supporting staff in long term career development. 

The Group recognises the importance of having effective 
communication and consultation with, and of providing 
leadership to, all its employees. The Group promotes the 
involvement of its employees in understanding the aims and 
performance of the business.

The following table shows the number of persons, by 
gender, who at 31 March 2016 were directors, senior 
managers or employees of the Company.

Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016 

|  5

Intangible assets

Amortisation relating to the internally developed software, 
Zubed was £0.03m (2015: £0.03m). An impairment charge 
of £0.07m has been recognised in the year further to a 
review undertaken at the year end. This has resulted in the 
Zubed intangible asset being written down to £nil (2015: 
£0.10m). There were no development costs capitalised 
during the year (2015: £nil).

Net assets

The net asset position of the Group at 31 March 2016 was 
£2,056,000 (2015: £839,000). The increase over the year 
was due to the profit for the year.

Share options

No options were granted during the year. An expense of 
£4,438 (2015: £8,229) has been recognised in the year 
relating to options granted in September 2014. 

By order of the Board

Nick Burrows 
Finance Director 
10 June 2016

Strategic report

Financial review

Group performance

The Group reports the following results for the financial 
year ended 31 March 2016: 

Group revenue has increased to £28.3m (2015: £23.5m) 
primarily due to growth in key accounts and an increase in 
the length of client engagements.   

The Group reports an increase in profit from operations 
to £0.98m (2015: £0.46m). Earnings before interest, tax, 
depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) is £1.13m (2015: 
£0.54m). The Group reports a profit after tax of £1.21m 
(2015: £0.35m). Included in this figure is a £0.35m credit 
in recognition of a deferred tax asset relating to historical 
trading losses brought forward.   

Gross margin has increased to 15.0% (2015: 14.1%). The 
unified business model is enabling the Group to undertake 
more profitable projects in terms of the number of assigned 
staff, the rates charged, and assignment duration. 

Cash and cash equivalents at the year-end have increased 
to £955,000 (2015: £390,000).

Overheads

Administrative expenses for the year have increased to 
£3.26m (2015: £2.85m). This is further to increases in staff 
costs, additional dilapidation provisions (see note 18) and 
the impairment charge relating to intangible assets (see 
below). There has also been an increase in marketing, 
recruitment and training costs associated with the 
increased activity across the business. 

Staff costs have increased to £3.67m (2015: £3.40m). 
The average headcount for the year is unchanged at 52 
(2015: 52), however strengthening our teams remains a top 
priority for the business.

Cash flows

Cash and cash equivalents at 31 March 2016 stood at 
£955,000 (2015: £390,000). There was a net cash inflow 
from operating activities of £621,000 (2015: £498,000). 
The net cash outflow from investing activities was £50,000 
(2015: £107,000).

Tangible assets

Tangible assets were purchased totalling £42,000  
(2015: £97,000).

6 

|  Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016

Directors' Report

The Directors present their Annual Report on the activities 
of the Group, together with the financial statements for the 
year ended 31 March 2016. The Board confirms that these, 
taken as a whole, are fair, balanced and understandable, 
and that they provide the information necessary for 
shareholders to assess the company’s position and 
performance, business model and strategy, and that the 
narrative sections of the report are consistent with the 
financial statements and accurately reflect the Group’s 
performance and financial position. 

The Strategic Report provides information relating to the 
Group’s activities, its business and strategy and the principal 
risks and uncertainties faced by the business, including 
analysis using financial and other KPIs where necessary. 
These sections, together with the Directors’ Remuneration 
and Corporate Governance Reports, provide an overview of 
the Group, including environmental and employee matters 
and give an indication of future developments in the Group’s 
business, so providing a balanced assessment of the 
Group’s position and prospects, in accordance with the 
latest narrative reporting requirements. The Group’s principal 
subsidiary undertakings are disclosed in the notes to the 
financial statements. 

Corporate Governance disclosures required with the 
Directors’ Report have been included within our Corporate 
Governance Report beginning on page 10.

Share capital and substantial 
shareholdings

Share capital

As at 31 March 2016, the Company’s issued share capital 
comprised a single class of shares referred to as ordinary 
shares. Details of the ordinary share capital can be found in 
note 19 to these financial statements.

Voting rights

The Group’s articles provide that on a show of hands at a 
general meeting of the Company every member who (being 
an individual) is present in person and entitled to vote shall 
have one vote and on a poll, every member who is present 
in person or by proxy shall have one vote for every share 
held. The notice of the Annual General Meeting specifies 
deadlines for exercising voting rights and appointing a 
proxy or proxies to vote in relation to resolutions to be 
passed at the Annual General Meeting.

Transfer of shares

There are no restrictions on the transfer of ordinary shares 
in the Company other than as contained in the Articles:

•  The Board may, in its absolute discretion, and without 

giving any reason for its decision, refuse to register any 
transfer of a share which is not fully paid up (but not 
so as to prevent dealing in listed shares from taking 
place) and on which the Company has a lien. The 
Board may also refuse to register any transfer unless it 
is in respect of only one class of shares, in favour of no 
more than four transferees, lodged at the Registered 
office, or such other place as the Board may decide, 
for registration, accompanied by a certificate for the 
shares to be transferred (except where the shares are 
registered in the name of a market nominee and no 
certificate has been issued for them) and such other 
evidence as the Board may reasonably require to 
prove the title of the intending transferor or his right to 
transfer the shares.

Certain restrictions may from time to time be imposed by 
laws and regulations, for example:

Insider trading laws; and

• 
•  The Listing Rules of the Financial Conduct Authority 
whereby certain employees of the Group require the 
approval of the Company to deal in the Company’s 
ordinary shares.

Appointment and replacement of directors

The Board may appoint Directors. Any Directors so 
appointed shall retire from office at the next Annual General 
Meeting of the Company, but shall then be eligible for re-
appointment.

The current Articles require that at the Annual General 
Meeting one third of the Directors shall retire from office 
but shall be eligible for re-appointment. The Directors to 
retire by rotation at each Annual General Meeting shall 
include any Director who wishes to retire and not offer 
himself for re-election and otherwise shall be the Directors 
who, at the date of the meeting, have been longest in office 
since their last appointment or re-appointment.

A Director may be removed from office by the service of a 
notice to that effect signed by at least three quarters of all 
the other Directors.

Amendment of the Company’s Articles of Association

The Company’s Articles may only be amended by a special 
resolution passed at a general meeting of shareholders.

Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016 

|  7

Directors' Report

Substantial shareholdings

In addition to the disclosure on page 17 of the interests of 
Directors who held office at the end of the financial year, 
the Company is aware of the following holdings of 3% or 
more of the share capital of the Company at 31 March 2016 
and at 1 June 2016, being the latest practicable date prior 
to the publication of this annual report and accounts: 

Percentage of issued share capital

31 March 2016

1 June 2016

M Makar 

29.76%

29.76%

Liontrust Investment 
Services Ltd

The Chatham Trust

T Charlton

Dividends

9.61%

4.46%

3.20%

9.61%

4.46%

4.19%

The Directors have neither declared an interim dividend 
nor do they recommend that a final dividend be paid in 
respect of the year ended 31 March 2016 (2015: nil per 1p 
ordinary share).

Financial instruments

The Board reviews and agrees policies for managing 
financial risk. These policies, together with an analysis of 
the Group’s exposure to financial risks are summarised in 
note 3 of these financial statements.

Research and development activity

Research and development activities are undertaken with 
the prospect of gaining new technical knowledge and 
understanding, and developing new software.

Directors’ interests in contracts

Directors’ interests in contracts are shown in note 22 to 
the accounts.

Directors’ insurance and indemnities

The Company maintains directors’ and officers’ liability 
insurance which gives appropriate cover for any legal 
action brought against its directors and officers. The 
Directors also have the benefit of the indemnity provisions 
contained in the Company’s Articles of Association.  

These provisions, which are qualifying third-party 
indemnity provisions as defined by Section 236 of the 
Companies Act 2006, were in force throughout the year 
and are currently in force.

Disclosure of information to auditors

All of the current Directors have taken all the steps that 
they ought to have taken to make themselves aware of 
any information needed by the Company’s auditors for the 
purposes of their audit and to establish that the auditors are 
aware of that information. The Directors are not aware of any 
relevant audit information of which the auditors are unaware.

Forward-looking statements

The Strategic Report contains forward-looking statements. 
Due to the inherent uncertainties, including both economic 
and business risk factors, underlying such forward-looking 
information, the actual results of operations, financial 
position and liquidity may differ materially from those 
expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. 

Going concern

The Group’s business activities, together with the factors 
likely to affect its future development, performance and 
position, are set out in the Strategic Report. The financial 
position of the Group, its cash flows, liquidity position 
and borrowing facilities are described in the Strategic 
Report, and in note 17 to the financial statements. In 
addition, note 3 to the financial statements includes the 
Group’s objectives, policies and processes for managing 
its capital, its financial risk management objectives, details 
of its financial instruments and hedging activities, and its 
exposure to credit risk and liquidity risk. As highlighted in 
note 17 to the financial statements, the Group meets its 
day to day working capital requirements through an invoice 
finance facility. 

The Group’s projections, taking account of reasonably 
possible changes in trading performance, show that the 
Group should be able to operate within the level of its 
current facility. The facility may be terminated by either 
party with one month's written notice. The Board receives 
regular cash flow and working capital projections to enable 
it to monitor its available headroom under this facility. 
These projections indicate that the Group expects to 
have sufficient resources to meet its reasonably expected 
obligations. The bank has not drawn to the attention of the 
Group any matters to suggest that this facility will not be 
continued on acceptable terms.

8 

|  Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016

Directors' Report

After making enquiries, the Directors have a reasonable 
expectation that the Group has adequate resources to 
continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. 
Accordingly, they continue to adopt the going concern 
basis in preparing the annual report and accounts. 

Auditors

BDO LLP have indicated their willingness to continue in 
office. Accordingly, a resolution to reappoint BDO LLP 
as auditors of the Company will be proposed at the next 
Annual General Meeting.

Environment and greenhouse gas 
reporting

Carbon dioxide emissions data, is contained in the Corporate 
Social Responsibility section of the Strategic Report.

Statement of Directors’ responsibilities

The Directors are responsible for preparing the annual 
report and the financial statements in accordance with 
applicable law and regulations. 

Company law requires the Directors to prepare financial 
statements for each financial year.  Under that law the 
Directors are required to prepare the Group financial 
statements and have elected to prepare the Company 
financial statements in accordance with International 
Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) as adopted by 
the European Union.  Under company law the Directors 
must not approve the financial statements unless they are 
satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of 
affairs of the Group and Company and of the profit or loss 
for the Group and Company for that period.  

The Directors are responsible for keeping adequate 
accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain 
the company’s transactions and 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 2006 and, as regards the 
Group financial statements, Article 4 of the IAS Regulation.  
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 ensuring the annual 
report and the financial statements are made available 
on a website.  Financial statements are published on 
the company’s website in accordance with legislation 
in the United Kingdom governing the preparation 
and dissemination of financial statements, which 
may vary from legislation in other jurisdictions.  The 
maintenance and integrity of the Company's website 
is the responsibility of the Directors.  The Directors' 
responsibility also extends to the ongoing integrity of the 
financial statements contained therein.

The Directors confirm to the best of their knowledge:

•  The Group financial statements have been prepared 
in accordance with International Financial Reporting 
Standards (IFRSs) as adopted by the European Union 
and Article 4 of the IAS Regulation and give a true and 
fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and 
profit and loss of the Group.

•  The annual report includes a fair review of the 

development and performance of the business and 
the financial position of the Group and the Parent 
Company, together with the description of the principal 
risks and uncertainties that they face.

In preparing these financial statements, the Directors are 
required to:

By order of the Board

• 

select suitable accounting policies and then apply them 
consistently;

•  make judgements and accounting estimates that are 

reasonable and prudent;

• 

state whether they have been prepared in accordance 
with IFRSs as adopted by the European Union, subject 
to any material departures disclosed and explained in 
the financial statements; 

•  prepare a Directors’ Report, Strategic Report and 

Director’s Remuneration Report which comply with the 
requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

Nick Burrows 
Company Secretary 
10 June 2016

Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016 

|  9

Corporate governance report

The Board has considered the principles and provisions 
of the UK Corporate Governance Code 2014 (“the Code”) 
as set out in the Listing Rules of the UK Listing Authority 
and applicable for this financial period. The following 
statement sets out the Group’s application of the principles 
of the Code and the extent of compliance with the Code’s 
provisions, made in accordance with the requirements of 
the Listing Rules.

The Board

The Directors who held office during the financial year were:

Executive Directors 

John Rigg, Chairman 

Nick Burrows, Finance Director 

Adrian Leer, Commercial Director 

Independent non-executive Directors

Alistair Fulton, senior independent  
non-executive Director

Steven Sanderson

John Rigg is Chairman.  He is a Chartered Accountant.  
 He was a founder of Marcol Group Plc and was its 
Managing Director from 1983 until 1988. Marcol was floated 
on the Unlisted Securities Market in 1987. He was Chairman 
of Vega Group plc from 1989 until 1996, holding the post 
of Chief Executive for much of this period. Vega floated on 
the main market in 1992.  He was a founder shareholder 
of Triad and served as the Chairman of the Company 
from 1988 up to just before its flotation in 1996, when he 
resigned to develop new business interests overseas. He 
was appointed as non-executive Chairman in June 1999: 
in May 2004 he became part-time executive Chairman. 
Between 4 February 2005 and 5 September 2007 John 
was acting Group Chief Executive.

Alistair Fulton is a non-executive Director. He is a 
Chartered Engineer and member of the British Computer 
Society. He was the founding Managing Director of Triad. 
He continued in this role until February 1997 when he 
became non-executive Chairman, a position he retained 
until June 1999, when he took up his present position. 

Steven Sanderson is a non-executive Director. He is a 
Chartered Accountant.  He was appointed non-executive 
Director in January 2007. He has extensive experience 
at executive director level in the IT services and 
telecommunications sectors.  His background includes 
public flotations, plc directorship, fund raising, acquisition 
and disposal activities.

10 

|  Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016

Nick Burrows is the Finance Director. He is a Chartered 
Accountant who joined Triad in 2001 as Financial Controller 
of the Consulting & Solutions business. He was appointed 
Company Secretary in 2008 and executive Finance 
Director in October 2009.

Adrian Leer was appointed to the Board as Commercial 
Director on 3 March 2015. He initially joined Triad in 2009 
in a consultative capacity, providing advice to the business 
regarding its fledgling geospatial product, Zubed, and 
helping to secure significant wins with major clients. In 
2010, he became General Manager of Zubed Geospatial. 
In 2012 Adrian became Commercial Director of Triad 
Consulting & Solutions. 

The Board exercise full and effective control of the Group 
and has a formal schedule of matters specifically reserved 
to it for decision, including responsibility for formulating, 
reviewing and approving Group strategy, budgets and major 
items of capital expenditure.

Regularly the Board will consider and discuss matters 
which include, but are not limited to:

•  Strategy;
•  Financial performance and forecast;
•  Human resources; and
•  City and compliance matters.

The Executive Chairman, John Rigg, is responsible for 
the leadership and efficient operation of the Board. This 
entails ensuring that Board meetings are held in an open 
manner, and allow sufficient time for agenda points to be 
discussed. It also entails the regular appraisal of each 
director, providing feedback and reviewing any training or 
development needs.

The Board meets regularly with senior management to 
discuss operational matters. The Non-Executive Directors 
must satisfy themselves on the integrity of financial 
information and that financial controls and systems of 
risk management are robust. Following presentations by 
senior management and a disciplined process of review 
and challenge by the Board, clear decisions on the policy or 
strategy are adopted. The responsibility for implementing 
Board decisions is delegated to management on a 
structured basis and monitored at subsequent meetings.

During the period under review, and to date, the Executive 
Chairman has not held any significant commitments outside 
the Group.

Alistair Fulton is the nominated senior independent 
non-executive Director.  He has long standing industry 
experience. He is also free from any business or other 
relationship which could materially interfere with the 

Corporate governance report

exercise of his independent judgement. The Board benefits 
from this experience and independence, when he brings 
his individual judgement to Board decisions.  He has been 
a non-executive Director for eighteen years but the Board 
consider that he continues to remain independent for the 
reasons stated above.

The Group has a procedure for Directors to take independent 
professional advice in connection with the affairs of the Group 
and the discharge of their duties as Directors. 

The Board has an Audit Committee, comprised of the 
Executive Chairman John Rigg, and the independent non-
executive Directors, Alistair Fulton and Steven Sanderson.  
The Committee is chaired by Alistair Fulton. 

The Board has a Remuneration Committee, comprised of 
the Executive Chairman John Rigg, and the independent 
non-executive Directors, Alistair Fulton and Steven 
Sanderson.  The Committee is chaired by Alistair Fulton.

The following table shows the attendance of Directors 
at scheduled meetings of the Board and Audit and 
Remuneration Committees during the year ended 31 
March 2016 and shows that the Board are able to 
allocate sufficient time to the company to discharge their 
responsibilities effectively.

Board

Audit         
Committee

Remuneration  
Committee

Number of meetings held

11

2

Number of meetings 
attended

Executive Directors:

John Rigg (Chairman)

Nick Burrows

Adrian Leer 

Non-executive Directors:

Alistair Fulton

Steven Sanderson 

11

11

11

10

11

2

n/a

n/a

2

2

1

1

n/a

n/a

1

1

Audit Committee

The members of the Audit Committee are shown above.

The Board believe that John Rigg and Steven Sanderson, 
both Chartered Accountants with broad experience of the 
IT industry, and Alistair Fulton, who has been a Director of 
companies in the IT sector for over 20 years, have recent 
and relevant financial experience, as required by the Code.

The Audit Committee is responsible for reviewing the 
Group’s annual and interim financial statements and other 
announcements.  It is also responsible for reviewing 
the Group’s internal financial controls and its internal 
control and risk management systems. It considers the 
appointment and fees of external auditors, and discusses 
the audit scope and findings arising from audits. The 
Committee is also responsible for assessing the Group’s 
need for an internal audit function.

Consideration of significant Issues in relation to the 
financial statements

The Audit Committee have considered the following 
significant issues in relation to the preparation of these 
financial statements;

Revenue recognition: The Committee has considered 
revenue recognised in consultancy and development 
projects during, and active at the end of, the financial year 
to ensure revenue has been recognised correctly.

Going concern: The Committee has reviewed budgets 
and cash flow projections against borrowing facilities 
available to the Group to ensure the going concern basis of 
preparation of the results remains appropriate.

Meetings with auditors and senior finance team

The Audit Committee met with the auditors prior to 
commencement of the year end audit to discuss;

•  Audit scope, strategy and objectives
•  Key audit and accounting matters
• 

Independence and audit fee

Further meetings were held following completion of the 
audit with the senior finance team and the auditors to 
assess the effectiveness of the audit and discuss audit 
findings.

Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016 

| 

11

Corporate governance report

Effectiveness of external audit process 

Internal controls and risk management

The Board has applied the internal control and risk 
management provisions of the Code by establishing 
a continuous process for identifying, evaluating and 
managing the significant risks faced by the Group.  The 
Board regularly reviews the process, which has been in 
place from the start of the year to the date of approval 
of this report and which is in accordance with Internal 
Control: Revised Guidance for Directors on the Combined 
Code. The Board is responsible for the Group's system of 
internal control and for reviewing its effectiveness.  Such 
a system is designed to manage rather than eliminate risk 
of failure to achieve business objectives, and can only 
provide reasonable and not absolute assurance against 
misstatement or loss.

In compliance with the Code, the Audit Committee 
regularly reviews the effectiveness of the Group's systems 
of internal financial control and risk management. The 
Board’s monitoring covers all controls, including financial, 
operational and compliance controls and risk management.  
It is based principally on reviewing reports from 
management to consider whether significant weaknesses 
and risks are effectively managed and, if applicable, 
considering the need for more extensive monitoring.   

The Board has also performed a specific assessment for the 
purpose of this annual report.  This assessment considers all 
significant aspects of internal control and risk management 
arising during the period covered by the report.

The key elements of the internal control and risk 
management systems are described below:

•  Clearly documented procedures contained in a 

series of manuals covering Group operations and 
management, which are subject to internal project audit 
and external audit as well as regular Board review.

•  An appropriate budgeting process where the business 
prepares budgets for the coming year, which are 
approved by the Board.

•  Close involvement in the day to day management of the 

business by the executive Directors.

•  Regular meetings between the executive Chairman, 
executive Director and senior managers to discuss 
and monitor potential risks to the business, and to 
implement mitigation plans to address them.

The Committee conducts an annual review of the 
effectiveness of the annual report process. Inputs into the 
review include feedback from the finance team, planning 
and scope of the audit process and identification of risk, 
the execution of the audit, communication by the auditor 
with the Committee, how the audit adds value and a review 
of auditor independence and objectivity. Feedback is 
provided to the external auditor and management by the 
Committee, with any actions reviewed by the Committee.

Auditor independence and objectivity

The Committee has procedures in place to ensure that 
independence and objectivity is not impaired. These 
include restrictions on the types of services which the 
external Auditor can provide, in line with the FRC Ethical 
Standards on Auditing. The external auditors themselves 
have safeguards in place to ensure that objectivity and 
independence is maintained and the Committee regularly 
reviews independence taking into consideration relevant 
UK professional and regulatory requirements. The external 
auditors are required to rotate audit partners responsible 
for the Group audit every five years. 

Non-audit fees

The Committee reviews all non-audit work to ensure it is 
appropriate and the fees justified. In relation to the non-
audit services provided by BDO LLP during the year, the 
Committee reviewed and approved management’s reasons 
for selecting BDO LLP as the best placed adviser on a 
case-by-case basis. This decision was typically based on 
the merit of using BDO’s existing knowledge of the Group. 

Appointment of external auditor

BDO LLP was appointed external auditor in 2006 following 
a tendering process.

BDO LLP has confirmed to the Committee that they remain 
independent and have maintained internal safeguards to 
ensure that the objectivity of the engagement partner and 
audit staff is not impaired. 

The Committee has considered the level of non-audit 
fees and the nature of non-audit services provided and is 
satisfied that auditor independence has been maintained.

Internal audit

The Audit Committee has considered the need for a 
separate internal audit function this year but does not 
consider it appropriate in view of the above controls, and in 
light of the size of the Group. The Group is certified to ISO 
9001: 2008.

12 

|  Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016

Corporate governance report

Remuneration Committee

Statement of compliance

The Remuneration Committee is responsible for setting 
remuneration for executive directors and the Chairman 
in accordance with the remuneration policy below. In 
addition, the Committee is responsible for recommending 
and monitoring the level and structure of remuneration for 
senior management.

The Group’s Remuneration Committee is authorised to 
take appropriate counsel to enable it to discharge its duty 
to make recommendations to the Board in respect of all 
aspects of the remuneration package of Directors.

The Directors Remuneration Report can be found on page 14.

Whistleblowing

Staff may contact the senior independent non-executive 
Director, in confidence, to raise genuine concerns of possible 
improprieties in financial reporting or other matters. 

Directors’ training  

Any new Board members are made fully aware of their 
duties and responsibilities as Directors of listed companies, 
and are supported in understanding and applying these 
by established and more experienced Directors. Further 
training is available for any Director at the Group’s expense 
should the Board consider it appropriate in the interests of 
the Group.

Relations with shareholders

Substantial time and effort is spent by Board members 
on meetings with and presentations to existing and 
prospective investors. The views of shareholders derived 
from such meetings are disseminated by the Chairman to 
other Board members.

Private shareholders are invited to attend and participate at 
the Annual General Meeting.

The Board considers that it has been compliant with the 
provisions of the Code for the whole of the period, except 
as detailed below:

A.2.1 

B.2.1/2.4  

B.6  

B.2.3 

B.7.1 

The roles of chairman and chief executive 
should not be exercised by the same individual. 
John Rigg is the Executive Chairman. The 
Board currently has no plans to recruit a 
Chief Executive Officer, as it considers that 
the duties are being satisfactorily covered 
by members of the Executive Board and the 
Group’s senior management. 

There should be a nominations committee 
which should lead the process for board 
appointments and make recommendations to 
the board.  The Board considers that because 
of its size, the whole Board should be involved 
in Board appointments.

The board should undertake a formal 
and rigorous annual evaluation of its own 
performance and that of its committees and 
individual directors. There is a process of 
continuous informal evaluation, due to the 
small size of the Board.

Non-executive directors should be appointed 
for specified terms subject to re-election.  
Although not appointed for fixed terms, Non-
executive Directors are subject to re-election 
in accordance with the Company’s Articles of 
Association at the Annual General Meeting.  
Their contracts are subject to a notice period 
that does not exceed one month. 

Non-executive directors who have served longer 
than nine years should be subject to annual  
re-election. The Board consider that because 
of its size, re-election by rotation in accordance 
with the Company’s Articles of Association at 
the Annual General Meeting is sufficient.

Terms of reference

The terms of reference of the Audit and Remuneration 
Committees are available on request from the Company 
Secretary.

By order of the Board

Nick Burrows 
Company Secretary 
10 June 2016 

Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016 

| 

13

 
 
 
 
Directors’ Remuneration report 

On the following pages we set out the Remuneration Report for the year ended 31 March 2016. The members of the 
Remuneration Committee are shown in the Corporate Governance Report on page 11.

This report has been prepared in accordance with the Companies Act 2006 and the new requirements of the Large and 
Medium Sized Companies and Groups (Accounts and Reports) (Amendment) Regulations 2014, and is split into two sections 
as follows;

1. 

 The Directors’ remuneration policy. This will be subject to a binding shareholder vote at this years’ Annual General Meeting.

2. 

 The Annual report on remuneration. This will be subject to an advisory shareholder vote at this years’ Annual General 
Meeting.

No major decisions or changes were made to Directors’ remuneration during the year. 

Directors’ remuneration policy

The remuneration policy sets out the framework within which the Company remunerates its Directors. The Company’s 
remuneration policy was put to a shareholder vote at the 2015 Annual General Meeting of the Company and was approved by 
100% of shareholders. There is no requirement to vote on the policy in 2016 unless any changes to the policy are proposed, 
and the Committee does not intend making any changes to the policy at this time.

Policy table—executive Directors

Element

Base salary

Benefits in kind

Relevance to short and 
long term strategic 
objectives

Reflects the individual’s 
skills, responsibilities and 
experience. 

Supports the recruitment 
and retention of Executive 
Directors.

Protects the well-being of 
directors and provides fair 
and reasonable market 
competitive benefits.

Operation

Maximum payable

Performance metrics

None, although individual 
performance is 
considered when setting 
salary levels.

None.

Ordinarily, salary 
increases will be in 
line with average 
increases awarded to 
other employees in the 
Company.

Benefits are set at a 
level considered to 
be appropriate taking 
into account individual 
circumstances.

Reviewed annually 
taking into consideration 
individual and 
companywide 
performance and the 
wider employee pay 
review.

Benefits in kind include 
company cars or 
allowances, private 
medical insurance, life 
cover and permanent 
health insurance.

Benefits are reviewed 
periodically.

Pension 

Provides competitive 
post-retirement benefits 
to support the recruitment 
and retention of Executive 
Directors.

The Company pays 
contributions into a 
personal pension scheme 
or cash alternative.

The Company matches 
individual contributions up 
to a maximum of 5%.

None.

Share option 
scheme

Encourages share 
ownership amongst 
employees and aligns 
their interests with the 
shareholders.

The Company operates an 
EMI share option scheme. 
Discretionary awards are 
made in accordance with 
the scheme rules.

The potential value of 
options held rises as the 
Company’s share price 
increases.

Specific performance 
criteria are specified 
at the time of awarding 
the share options to 
ensure alignment with the 
interests of shareholders.

14 

|  Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016

Directors’ Remuneration report 

The award of share options is at the discretion of the Remuneration Committee: there is no scheme providing entitlement to 
share options, and there is no long-term incentive scheme. The Group does not believe that performance related bonuses are 
appropriate at the present time. The Executive Directors’ existing interests in shares and share options are expected to align 
their interests with those of shareholders.

Policy table—non-executive Directors

Element

Fees

Relevance to short and 
long term strategic 
objectives

Competitive fees to 
attract experienced 
directors

Operation

Maximum payable

Performance metrics

Reviewed annually 

Not applicable.

In general, the level of fee 
increase for the non-
executive directors will be 
set taking account of any 
change in responsibility.

The remuneration of the non-executive Directors is agreed by the Board. However, no Director is involved in deciding their 
own remuneration.

Approach to recruitment remuneration

The Group’s remuneration policy is to provide remuneration packages which secure and retain management of the highest 
quality. Therefore, when determining the remuneration packages of new executive Directors, the Remuneration Committee 
will structure a package in accordance with the general policy for executive Directors as shown above. In doing so the 
Committee will consider a number of factors including:

• 
• 
• 
• 

the salaries and benefits available to executive Directors of comparable companies;

the need to ensure executive Directors’ commitment to the continued success of the Group;

the experience of each executive Director; and

the nature and complexity of the work of each executive Director.

Directors’ service contracts and policy

The details of the Directors’ contracts are summarised as follows:

J C Rigg

A M Fulton

S M Sanderson

N E Burrows

A Leer

Date of contract

Notice period

01/07/1999

19/02/1997

01/01/2007

03/03/2015

03/03/2015

1 month

1 month

1 month

6 months

6 months

All contracts are for an indefinite period. No contract has any provision for the payment of compensation upon the 
termination of that contract.

Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016 

| 

15

Directors’ Remuneration report 

Illustrations of application of remuneration policy

As there are currently no performance related or variable elements of executive director remuneration it is not appropriate 
to prepare illustrations required under the legislation.

Policy on payment for loss of office

It is the Group’s policy in relation to Directors’ contracts that:

•  executive Directors should have contracts with an indefinite term providing for a maximum of six months’ notice by either 

party.

•  non-executive Directors should have terms of engagement for an indefinite term providing for one month notice by either 

party.

• 

there is no provision for termination payments to Directors.

Consideration of employment conditions elsewhere in group

In setting the executive Directors’ remuneration the Committee takes into account the pay and employment conditions 
applicable across the Group in the reported period.  As with employees elsewhere in the Group there were no substantial 
increases to Directors’ remuneration terms since the prior year. No consultation has been held with employees in respect of 
executive Directors’ remuneration.

Consideration of shareholders views

The policy is unchanged from the previous year as endorsed by the unanimous vote in favour of the approval of the 
Directors’ Remuneration Report at the Annual General Meeting in August 2015.

Annual report on remuneration (audited)

Directors' remuneration—single total figure of remuneration

The remuneration of each of the Directors for the period they served as a Director are set out below:

2016

Director

Basic salary & fees

Benefits in kind

£’000

£’000

Pension 

£’000

Total

£’000

Executive

J C Rigg

N E Burrows

A Leer 

Non-executive

A M Fulton

S M Sanderson

25

91

99

25

20

—

12

8

—

—

—

18

9

—

—

25

121

116

25

20

16 

|  Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016

Directors’ Remuneration report 

Director

Basic salary & fees

Benefits in kind

£’000

£’000

Pension 

£’000

Total

£’000

2015

Executive

J C Rigg

N E Burrows

A Leer (appointed 3 March 2015)

Non-executive

A M Fulton

S M Sanderson

25

91

8

25

20

—

11

1

—

—

—

16

1

—

—

25

118

10

25

20

Benefits in kind include the provision of company car and medical insurance. 

Pension includes a 5% employer contribution together with contributions made under a employee salary sacrifice scheme.

No performance measures or targets were in place for either the year ended 31 March 2016, or any prior financial year, upon 
which any variable pay elements could become payable during the year.

Two Directors are members of a money purchase scheme into which the Group made contributions  
during the year. 

Payments to past Directors

There were no payments to past Directors during the year.

Payment for loss of office

There were no payments for loss of office during the year.

Directors’ interests in shares

The Directors who held office at the end of the financial year had the following beneficial interests in the ordinary shares of 
the Company. No change has occurred between the year end and the date of this report.

A M Fulton

J C Rigg

S M Sanderson

N E Burrows

A Leer

1 April 2015

    354,100

 4,509,400

    104,089

         7,893

        5,379

31 March 2016

354,100

4,509,400

104,089

7,893

5,379

Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016 

| 

17

Directors’ Remuneration report 

Directors’ share options

The interests of executive Directors in share options were as follows:

N E Burrows:

granted 07.03.06

granted 07.08.08

granted 23.09.11

granted 18.09.14

A Leer:

granted 23.09.11

granted 18.09.14

At beginning 
of year

Granted 
during year

Lapsed 
during year 

At end  
of year

Exercise 
price

Exercise period 

20,000

25,000

100,000

25,000

50,000

100,000

320,000

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

(20,000)

—

—

—

—

—

—

25,000

100,000

25,000

50,000

100,000

(20,000)

300,000

51.5p

14.0p

13.5p

11.0p

13.5p

11.0p

07.03.09 to 07.03.16

07.08.11 to 07.08.18

23.09.14 to 23.09.21

18.09.17 to 18.09.24

23.09.14 to 23.09.21

18.09.17 to 18.09.24

175,000 share options were exercisable at the end of the year (2015: 195,000)

Share options are exercisable provided that the relevant performance requirement has been satisfied. 

• 

that the Group shall have achieved positive earnings per share in any financial year commencing at least one year after 
the date of grant of the option. This performance requirement is the same as that applying to employee share options 
granted at the same time.

The total share based payment expense recognised in the year in respect of Directors’ share options is £1,585 (2015: £1,005).

The market price of the Company’s shares was 29p at 31 March 2016 and the range during the year was between 11p and 41p.

18 

|  Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016

Directors’ Remuneration report 

Annual Report on Remuneration (Unaudited)

Performance graph

The following graph shows the Group’s performance, measured by total shareholder return, compared with the performance 
of the FTSE Fledgling Index (“FTSEFI”) also measured by total shareholder return (“TSR”). The FTSEFI has been selected 
for this comparison because it is an index of companies with similar current market capitalisation to Triad Group Plc.

TRD v FTSE Fledging Index

Fledging 
Triad  

x
e
d
n

I

200

180

160

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

—

Mar 10

Mar 11

Mar 12

Mar 13

Mar 14

Mar 15

Mar 16

Chief executive remuneration 

There have been no changes to the remuneration of the Executive Chairman during the year.

Relative importance of spend on pay

During the year there were no dividends or other cash distributions to shareholders (2015: £nil). The total employee 
remuneration (including directors) during the year was £3.308m (2015: £3.045m).

Consideration of matters related to directors’ remuneration

During the year there were no meetings held relating to directors’ remuneration other than to review the remuneration policy 
for inclusion in the 2016 Annual Report and Accounts.

Statement of voting at last general meeting 

At the last annual general meeting the Directors’ Remuneration Report was approved with 78.17% of votes cast in favour of 
the resolution. There were 4,520,451 votes withheld. 

Alistair Fulton 
Chairman, Remuneration Committee 
10 June 2016

Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016 

| 

19

Independent auditors’ report  to the members of Triad Group Plc

Opinion on the financial statements

In our opinion: 

• 

• 

• 

the financial statements give a true and fair view of the state of the Group’s and the Parent Company’s affairs as at 31 
March 2016 and of the Group’s and Parent’s profit for the year then ended;

the Group financial statements have been properly prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting 
Standards (IFRSs) as adopted by the European Union; and

the financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006; and, as 
regards the Group financial statements, Article 4 of the IAS Regulation.

The financial statements of Triad Group Plc for the year ended 31 March 2016 comprise:

•  The Group and Parent Company statement of comprehensive income;
•  The Group and Parent Company statements of financial position;
•  The Group and Parent Company statements of changes in equity;
•  The Group and Parent Company statements of cash flows; and
•  The notes to the financial statements.

The financial reporting framework that has been applied in the preparation of the Group and Parent Company financial 
statements is applicable law and IFRSs as adopted by the European Union.  

This report is made solely to the Company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies 
Act 2006. 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 auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by 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

As explained more fully in the statement of directors’ responsibilities, the directors are responsible for the preparation of 
the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view. Our responsibility is to audit and express 
an opinion on the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and International Standards on Auditing (UK and 
Ireland). Those standards require us to comply with the Financial Reporting Council’s (FRC’s) Ethical Standards for Auditors. 

Scope of the audit of the financial statements

A description of the scope of an audit of financial statements is provided on the FRC’s website at www.frc.org.uk/
auditscopeukprivate.

Auditor commentary

Our application of materiality

The objective of our audit is to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from 
material misstatements, whether due to fraud or error, thereby enabling us to express an opinion on whether the financial 
statements are prepared, in all material respects, in accordance with an applicable financial reporting framework. We apply 
the concept of materiality in assessing the risks of material misstatement and in determining the nature, timing and extent of 
our audit procedures to gather sufficient appropriate audit evidence. For the purposes of determining whether the financial 
statements are free from material misstatement we define materiality as the magnitude of misstatement that makes it probable 
that the economic decisions of a reasonably knowledgeable person, relying on the financial statements would be changed or 
influenced. Based on out professional judgement, we determined materiality for the Group financial statements as a whole to 
be £282,000, which approximates to 1% of revenues.

20 

|  Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016

Independent auditors’ report  to the members of Triad Group Plc

We agreed with the Audit Committee that we would report to them misstatements identified during our audit above £6,000 
as well as misstatements below that amount that in our view warranted reporting for qualitative reasons. 

An overview of the scope of our audit

The Group financial statements are a consolidation of six companies made up of one trading company (the Parent Company) 
which provides consultancy and development services and five dormant companies.  In establishing the overall approach to the 
Group audit, we determined the type of work that needed to be performed on each company.  The Group operates solely in the 
United Kingdom. Our Group audit was scoped by obtaining an understanding of the Group and its environment, including the 
Group’s system of internal control, and assessing the risks of material misstatement in the financial statements at the Group level.

Based on our assessment we performed an audit of the complete financial information of the Parent Company as the only 
trading company.  

In our audit, we tested and examined information, using sampling and other auditing techniques, to the extent we considered 
necessary to provide a reasonable basis for us to draw conclusions. Our audit evidence was largely obtained through 
substantive procedures. 

Our assessment of risks of material misstatement

In preparing the financial statements, the Directors made a number of subjective judgements around significant accounting 
estimates which involved making assumptions on future events which are inherently uncertain. Our assessed risks of 
material misstatements include those areas of particular subjective judgement and had the greatest impact on the audit 
strategy and the allocation of resources in the audit.

The following risk of material misstatement identified were discussed with the Audit Committee and are included within their 
report on those matters they considered to be significant issues in relation to the financial statements set out on page 11. 

Risk of material misstatement

Our response to the risks identified

Revenue recognition

Revenue is predominantly recognised on an approved timecard 
basis and we consider there to be a significant risk over the 
completeness of revenue due to missing or late timecards or 
contractor invoices.

The ISA’s (UK & Ireland) presume there is a risk of fraud in 
revenue recognition because of the pressure management may 
feel to achieve expected results. We consider this risk could lead 
to inappropriate manual journals being posted around the year 
end to incorrectly defer or accrue revenue. 

Our procedures included understanding and testing the controls 
in respect of billing from approved timecards and testing the 
revenue recognised in the period.

We substantively tested a sample of sales invoices to approved 
timecard and agreed revenue recognised.

We tested a sample of approved timecards along with billings 
either side of the balance sheet date and compared these to 
recorded revenue, accrued revenue and costs and deferred 
revenue.

We have reviewed and considered all material or unexpected 
journals posted to revenue during the year.   

Opinion on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion:

• 

• 

the part of the directors’ remuneration report to be audited has been properly prepared in accordance with the 
Companies Act 2006; and

the information given in the Strategic Report and the Directors’ Report for the financial year for which the financial 
statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements. 

Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016 

|  21

Independent auditors’ report  to the members of Triad Group Plc

Statement regarding the directors’ assessment of principal risks, going concern and longer term viability of the company

We have nothing material to add or to draw attention to in relation to:

• 

• 
• 

• 

the directors’ confirmation in the annual report that they have carried out a robust assessment of the principal risks 
facing the entity, including those that would threaten its business model, future performance, solvency or liquidity;

the disclosures in the annual report that describe those risks and explain how they are being managed or mitigated;

the directors’ statement in the financial statements about whether they considered it appropriate to adopt the going 
concern basis of accounting in preparing them and their identification of any material uncertainties to the entity’s ability 
to continue to do so over a period of at least twelve months from the date of approval of the financial statements; or

the directors’ explanation in the annual report as to how they have assessed the prospects of the entity, over what 
period they have done so and why they consider that period to be appropriate, and their statement as to whether they 
have a reasonable expectation that the entity will be able to continue in operation and meet its liabilities as they fall due 
over the period of their assessment, including any related disclosures drawing attention to any necessary qualifications 
or assumptions.

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

We have nothing to report in respect of the following:

Under the ISAs (UK and Ireland), we are required to report to you if, in our opinion, information in the annual report is: 

•  materially inconsistent with the information in the audited financial statements; or 
•  apparently materially incorrect based on, or materially inconsistent with, our knowledge of the Group acquired in the 

course of performing our audit; or 

• 

is otherwise misleading. 

In particular, we are required to consider whether we have identified any inconsistencies between our knowledge acquired 
during the audit and the directors’ statement that they consider the annual report is fair, balanced and understandable and 
whether the annual report appropriately discloses those matters that we communicated to the audit committee which we 
consider should have been disclosed.

Under the Companies Act 2006 we are required to report to you if, in our opinion:

•  adequate accounting records have not been kept by the parent company, or returns adequate for our audit have not 

been received from branches not visited by us; or

• 

the parent company financial statements and the part of the directors’ remuneration report to be audited are not in 
agreement with the accounting records and returns; or

•  certain disclosures of directors’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or
•  we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.

Under the Listing Rules we are required to review:

• 
• 

the directors’ statements, set out on pages 4 and 8, in relation to going concern and in relation to longer-term viability; and 

the part of the corporate governance statement relating to the Company’s compliance with the provisions of the UK 
Corporate Governance Code specified for our review.

We have nothing to report in respect of these matters.

Anna Draper (senior statutory auditor) 
10 June 2016

For and on behalf of BDO LLP, statutory auditor 
London 
United Kingdom

22 

|  Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016

Statements of comprehensive income and expense 
for the year ended 31 March 2016

Group and Company

Note 

Revenue

Cost of sales

Gross profit

Administrative expenses

Profit from operations

Finance expense

Finance income

Profit before tax

Tax credit

Profit for the year and total comprehensive income 
attributable to equity holders of the parent

Basic earnings per share

Diluted earnings per share

All amounts relate to continuing activities.

5

6

8

10

10

2016 
£’000

28,317

(24,081)

4,236

(3,256)

980

(118)

1

863

350

1,213

8.01p

7.72p

2015 
£’000

23,482

(20,171)

3,311

(2,849)

462

(110)

—

352

—

352

2.32p

2.32p

Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016 

|  23

Statements of changes in equity  for the year ended 31 March 2016

Group

At 1 April 2014

Profit for the year and total  
comprehensive income

Share-based payments

At 1 April 2015

Profit for the year and total  
comprehensive income

Share-based payments

At 31 March 2016

Company

At 1 April 2014

Profit for the year and total  
comprehensive income

Share-based payments

At 1 April 2015

Profit for the year and total  
comprehensive income

Share-based payments

At 31 March 2016

Share  
Capital 

£’000

151

—

—

151

—

—

151

Share 
Capital 

£’000

151

—

—

151

—

—

151

Share 
premium 
account

Capital 
redemption 
reserve

£’000

562

£’000

104

—

—

562

—

—

562

—

—

104

—

—

104

Share 
premium 
account

Capital 
redemption 
reserve

£’000

562

£’000

104

—

—

562

—

—

562

—

—

104

—

—

104

Retained 
earnings 

Total 

£’000

(338)

352

8

22

1,213

4

£’000

479

352

8

839

1,213

4

1,239

2,056

Retained 
earnings 

Total 

£’000

(343)

352

8

17

1,213

4

1,234

£’000

474

352

8

834

1,213

4

2,051

Share capital represents the amount subscribed for share capital at nominal value.

The share premium account represents the amount subscribed for share capital in excess of the  
nominal value.

The capital redemption reserve represents the nominal value of the purchase and cancellation of its own shares by the 
Company in 2002.

Retained earnings represents the cumulative net gains and losses recognised in the statement of comprehensive income 
and expense.

24 

|  Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016

 
 
Statements of financial position  at 31 March 2016

Non-current assets

Intangible assets

Property, plant and equipment

Deferred tax

Current assets

Trade and other receivables

Cash and cash equivalents

Total assets

Current liabilities

Trade and other payables

Financial liabilities

Short term provisions

Non-current liabilities

Financial liabilities

Long term provisions

Total liabilities

Net assets

Shareholders’ equity

Share capital

Share premium account

Capital redemption reserve

Retained earnings

Total shareholders’ equity

Note

11

12

8

14

15

16

17

18

17

18

19

  Group

  Company

2016

£’000

13

120

350

483

4,683

955

5,638

6,121

2015

£’000

112

124

—

236

4,011

390

4,401

4,637

2016

£’000

13

120

350

483

4,683

955

5,638

6,121

2015

£’000

112

124

—

236

4,011

390

4,401

4,637

(3,496)

(3,133)

(3,501)

(3,138)

(7)

(254)

(6)

(248)

(7)

(254)

(6)

(248)

(3,757)

(3,387)

(3,762)

(3,392)

(11)

(297)

(308)

(18)

(393)

(411)

(11)

(297)

(308)

(18)

(393)

(411)

(4,065)

(3,798)

(4,070)

(3,803)

2,056

839

2,051

834

151

562

104

1,239

2,056

151

562

104

22

839

151

562

104

1,234

2,051

151

562

104

17

834

The financial statements on pages 23 to 42 were approved by the Board of Directors and authorised for issue on 10 June 
2016 and were signed on its behalf by:

Nick Burrows 
Director

Alistair Fulton 
Director

Triad Group Plc is registered in England and Wales with registered number 2285049. 

Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016 

|  25

 
 
Statements of cash flows  for the year ended 31 March 2016

Group and company

Note

Cash flows from operating activities

Profit for the year before taxation 
Adjustments for:

Depreciation of property, plant and equipment

Amortisation/impairment of intangible assets

Interest expense

Share-based payment expense

Changes in working capital

Increase in trade and other receivables

Increase in trade and other payables

Decrease in provisions

Cash generated by operations

Interest paid

Net cash flows from operating activities

Investing activities

Purchase of intangible assets

Purchase of property, plant and equipment

Net cash used in investing activities

Financing activities

Finance lease principal payments

Net cash flows from financing activities

Net increase in cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period

Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period

15

2016

£’000

863

46

107

10

4

(672)

363

(90)

631

(10)

621

(8)

(42)

(50)

(6)

(6)

565

390

955

2015

£’000

352

31

50

11

8

(575)

778

(146)

509

(11)

498

(10)

(97)

(107)

(5)

(5)

386

4

390

26 

|  Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016

 
Notes to the financial statements  for the year ended 31 March 2016

1.  Principal accounting policies

Intangible assets

Basis of preparation

The principal accounting policies adopted in the 
preparation of the financial statements are set out below. 
The policies have been consistently applied to all the years 
presented, unless otherwise stated.

These financial statements have been prepared in 
accordance with International Financial Reporting 
Standards (IFRS and IFRIC interpretations), as adopted 
by the European Union (EU), issued by the International 
Accounting Standards Board (IASB) and with those parts 
of the Companies Act 2006 applicable to companies 
preparing their accounts under IFRS. 

Expenditure on internally developed products is capitalised 
if it can be demonstrated that:

• 

it is technically feasible to develop the product so that it 
will be available for use or sale;

•  adequate resources are available to complete the 

development;

• 

• 
• 

there is an intention to complete the product and use or 
sell it;

it is able to be used or sold;

the product will generate future economic benefits, 
internally and/or externally; and

These financial statements have been prepared on a going 
concern basis.

•  expenditure attributable to the development of the 

product can be measured reliably.

These financial statements have been prepared on a 
historical cost basis and are presented in sterling, the 
functional currency of the Company.

Basis of consolidation

Where the Company has control over an investee, it is 
classified as a subsidiary. The Company controls an 
investee if all three of the following elements are present: 
power over the investee, exposure to variable returns from 
the investee and the ability of the investor to use its power 
to affect those variable returns. The consolidated financial 
statements present the results of the Company and its 
subsidiaries (“the Group”) as if they formed a single entity. 
Intercompany transactions and balances between Group 
companies are therefore eliminated in full.

Property, plant and equipment

Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost, net of 
accumulated depreciation and any impairment in value.

Depreciation is calculated so as to write off the cost of 
assets, less their estimated residual values, on a straight 
line basis over the expected useful economic lives of the 
assets concerned.  The principal annual rates used for this 
purpose are:

Computer hardware

Fixtures and fittings

Motor vehicles 

%

25–33

10–33

25–33

Intangible assets are stated at cost, net of accumulated 
amortisation and any impairment in value. The cost of 
internally developed software is the attributable salary 
costs and directly attributable overheads. 

Amortisation is calculated so as to write off the cost 
of assets, less their estimated residual values, on a 
straight line basis over the expected useful economic 
lives of the assets concerned. Amortisation is charged to 
administration expenses in the statement of comprehensive 
income and expense. The principal annual rates used for 
this purpose are:

Purchased computer software

Internally developed software

%

25–33

10–25

Impairment of non-financial assets

Non-financial assets are subject to impairment tests 
whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate 
that their carrying amount may not be recoverable. Where 
the carrying value of an asset exceeds its recoverable 
amount the asset is written down accordingly. Impairment 
is charged to administration expenses in the statements of 
comprehensive income and expense.

Trade and other receivables

Trade and other receivables are recognised initially at fair 
value, and subsequently measured at amortised cost using 
the effective interest method, less provision for impairment.

Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016 

|  27

Notes to the financial statements  for the year ended 31 March 2016

Amounts are charged to an impairment account when 
there is objective evidence that an impairment loss has 
occurred. Amounts are written off against the carrying 
amount of trade receivables when it is certain that the 
receivable will not be realised.

Income from the sale of Zubed licences, or the Zubed 
licence component of any contract, is fully recognised 
at the point of sale, less any amounts attributable to 
maintenance and support, which are recognised over the 
life of the licence.

Cash

Exceptional items

Cash in the balance sheet comprises cash held on demand 
with banks. For the purpose of the consolidated cash flow 
statement, cash and cash equivalents consist of cash, as 
defined above, net of bank borrowings due on demand.

Trade and other payables

Trade and other payables are recognised initially at fair 
value, and subsequently measured at amortised cost using 
the effective interest method.

Items which are both material and non-recurring are 
presented as exceptional items within their relevant 
category in the statement of comprehensive income and 
expense. The separate reporting of exceptional items helps 
to provide a better indication of the Group’s underlying 
business performance. Events which may give rise to the 
classification of items as exceptional, if of a significantly 
material value, include non-routine movements in provisions, 
litigation and similar settlements, and asset impairments.

Borrowings

Taxation

Borrowings are recognised initially at fair value, and 
subsequently measured at amortised cost using the 
effective interest method.

Leases

Costs in respect of operating leases are charged to the 
statement of comprehensive income and expense on a 
straight line basis over the lease term.

Finance lease payments are apportioned between the 
finance charge and the reduction of the outstanding 
liability. The finance charge is allocated so as to produce a 
constant periodic rate of interest on the remaining balance 
of the liability.

The charge for taxation is based on the profit or loss for 
the year as adjusted for disallowable items. It is calculated 
using tax rates that have been enacted or substantively 
enacted by the balance sheet date.

Full provision is made for deferred tax on all temporary 
differences resulting from the difference between the 
carrying value of an asset or liability and its tax base, and 
on tax losses carried forward indefinitely. Deferred tax 
assets are recognised to the extent that it is probable that 
the deferred tax asset will be recovered in the foreseeable 
future. Deferred tax is calculated at the tax rates that are 
expected to apply to the period when the asset is realised 
or liability is settled.

Foreign currencies

Pension costs 

Contributions to defined contribution plans are charged to 
the statements of comprehensive income and expense as 
the contributions accrue.

Share-based payments

Share-based incentive arrangements are provided to 
employees under the Group’s share option scheme. Share 
options granted to employees are valued at the date of 
grant using an appropriate option pricing model and are 
charged to operating profit over the performance or vesting 
period of the scheme. The annual charge is modified to 
take account of shares forfeited by employees who leave 
during the performance or vesting period and, in the case 
of non-market related performance conditions, where it 
becomes unlikely the option will vest.

Assets and liabilities expressed in foreign currencies are 
translated into sterling at the exchange rate ruling on the 
balance sheet date. Transactions in foreign currencies are 
recorded at the exchange rate ruling as at the date of the 
transaction. All differences on exchange are taken to the 
statement of comprehensive income and expense in the 
year in which they arise.

Revenue

Revenue, which excludes value added tax, represents the 
invoiced value of goods and services supplied: where a 
service has been provided, but not yet invoiced, the amount 
is included in the financial statements as accrued income. 

Income from consultancy contracts, which are on a time 
hire basis, is recognised as the services are provided.

Income from maintenance and fixed price consultancy and 
development contracts, is recognised over the life of the 
contract, using the percentage of completion method, and 
is deferred to the extent that it has not been earned.

28 

|  Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016

Notes to the financial statements  for the year ended 31 March 2016

Provisions

Surplus property

A provision is recognised when the Group has a legal or 
constructive obligation as a result of a past event and it 
is probable that an outflow of economic benefits will be 
required to settle the obligation. If the effect is material, 
expected future cash flows are discounted using a current 
pre-tax rate that reflects the risks specific to the liability. 
Calculations of these provisions require judgements to be 
made. The Group has provided for property dilapidation and 
vacant property as detailed in note 18.

New standards and interpretations 

The Group has adopted with effect from 1 April 2015 certain 
mandatory new standards, amendments and interpretations. 
Adoption of these standards, amendments and 
interpretations did not have any impact on the results, cash 
flows or financial position of the Group or their presentation. 

There are also certain standards, amendments and 
interpretations which have been issued but which are 
not yet mandatory (and in some cases had not yet been 
adopted by the EU). The Group has not applied these 
standards and interpretations in the preparation of these 
financial statements. 

IFRS 16 was published in January 2016 and will be 
effective for the Group from 1 April 2019, replacing IAS 
17 ‘Leases’ subject to EU endorsement. The standard 
requires lessees to recognise assets and liabilities for 
all leases unless the lease term is 12 months or less or 
the underlying asset is of low value. The impact of future 
adoption of IFRS 16 is under review.

The Directors do not anticipate that the adoption of other 
standards and amendments will have a material impact on the 
Group’s financial statements in the period of initial application.

2.  Critical accounting estimates  
and judgements

Estimates and judgements are continually evaluated 
based on historical experience and other factors, 
including expectations of future events that are believed 
to be reasonable under the circumstances. The Group 
makes estimates and assumptions concerning the future. 
The resulting accounting estimates will, by definition, 
seldom equal the related actual results. The estimates 
and assumptions that have a significant risk of causing a 
material adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and 
liabilities within the next financial year are discussed below.

Provision has been made to meet the estimated liabilities of 
any property surplus to the requirements of the business. 
All ongoing costs net of estimated future rental income 
are charged to the provision. The provision is discounted, 
unless the effect of the time value of money is not material 
(see note 18).

Management exercises judgement in estimating costs, 
rental incomes and the discount rate used in the calculation 
of the provision.

Were the discount rate to increase or decrease by 1% 
this would increase or decrease net income and equity 
by £7,000.

Were 50% of the vacant property to be let through to the 
end of the lease at a rent that was the same as the rent paid, 
this would increase net income and equity by £232,000.

Deferred tax asset

A deferred tax asset of £350,000 (2015: £nil) has 
been recognised in accordance with the accounting 
policy on page 28. A deferred tax asset of £1,081,000 
(2015: £1,646,000) has not been recognised due to the 
assumptions and judgments made by management on the 
certainty and timing of future profits. 

3.  Financial risk management

The Group uses financial instruments that are necessary to 
facilitate its ordinary purchase and sale activities, namely 
cash, bank borrowings in the form of a receivables finance 
facility and trade payables and receivables: the resultant 
risks are foreign exchange risk, interest rate risk, credit 
risk and liquidity risk. The Group does not use financial 
derivatives in its management of these risks.

The Board reviews and agrees policies for managing these 
risks and they are summarised below. These policies are 
consistent with last year.

3.1  Financial risk factors

Foreign exchange risk

There are a small number of routine trading contracts 
with both suppliers and clients in euros. In all such 
circumstances the “back to back” contracts with supplier 
and client will be in the same currency thereby mitigating 
the Group’s exposure to movements in exchange rates. 
Payments and receipts are made through a bank account in 
the currency of the contract therefore balances held in any 

Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016 

|  29

Notes to the financial statements  for the year ended 31 March 2016

foreign currency are to facilitate day to day transactions. 
With a functional currency of sterling there are the 
following foreign currency net assets:

The Group also has credit risk from cash deposits with 
banks (note 15). The Group only banks with financial 
institutions with a good credit rating.

Group and company

Note

2016

2015

The Group’s maximum exposure to credit risk is:

£'000

£'000

Note

2016

2015

Currency: Euros

Net cash

Trade and other receivables

Trade and other payables

15

14

16

47

20

(24)

43

66

19

(28)

57

Trade and other receivables

Accrued income

Cash and cash equivalents

14

14

15

£'000

£'000

3,489

3,420

1,036

955

411

390

5,480

4,221

Any change in currency rates would have no significant 
effect on results.

Interest rate risk

The Group’s interest rate risk arises from its borrowings, 
which are at a rate that fluctuates in relation to movements 
in bank base rate. This facility, as detailed in note 17, is 
secured by way of a debenture over all assets. At the year 
end borrowing under this facility totalled £nil (2015: £nil).

Cash balances are held in short term interest bearing 
accounts, repayable on demand: these attract interest rates 
which fluctuate in relation to movements in bank base rate. 
This maintains liquidity and does not commit the Group to 
long term deposits at fixed rates of interest. 

A 1% change in interest rates would have changed net 
income and equity by £4,000 (2015: £4,000).

Credit risk

The Group is mainly exposed to credit risk from credit 
sales. It is Group policy to assess the credit risk of new 
customers before entering into contracts. Each new 
customer is assessed, using external ratings and relevant 
information in the public domain, before any credit limit 
is granted. In addition, trade receivables balances are 
monitored on a regular basis to minimise exposure to bad 
debts. The amount charged to the income statement during 
the year in respect of bad debts was £12,000 being 0.04% 
of revenue (2015: £28,000). 

The Group is also exposed to credit risk from accrued 
income, being revenue earned but not yet invoiced (note 14).

Financial assets that are past due but not impaired are 
analysed in note 14. Each balance has been reviewed by 
management to assess its recoverability.

Liquidity risk

The Group’s liquidity risk arises from its management of 
working capital. The Group has a facility to borrow an 
amount up to 90% of approved trade debtors subject to 
a maximum limit of £2.5m. The facility may be terminated 
by either party with one month’s written notice. The Board 
receives regular cash flow and working capital projections 
to enable it to monitor its available headroom under 
this facility. At the balance sheet date these projections 
indicated that the Group expected to have sufficient liquid 
resources to meet its reasonably expected obligations. 
Maturity of financial liabilities is set out in notes 16 and 17.

Capital risk management

The Group’s capital comprises both borrowings and 
shareholders’ equity. Its objectives when managing capital 
are to safeguard the Group’s ability to continue as a 
going concern in order to maximise shareholder value. 
To maintain or adjust the capital structure the Group may 
adjust the dividend payment to shareholders, return capital 
to shareholders, issue new shares or alter the level of 
borrowings.

3.2 Fair value estimation

The carrying value of financial assets and liabilities 
approximate their fair values.

4.  Revenue

The Group operates solely in the UK. All material revenues 
are generated in the UK.

40% (2015: 26%) of revenue was generated in the public 
sector. The largest single customer contributed 24% (2015: 
35%) of Group revenue and was in the private sector.

30 

|  Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016

Notes to the financial statements  for the year ended 31 March 2016

5.  Profit from operations

Profit from operations is stated after charging:

Depreciation of owned assets

Amortisation of intangible assets

Impairment of intangible assets

Operating leases for land and buildings

Other operating leases

Impairment of receivables

Auditors' remuneration:

 Audit of financial statements: Group and company

  Taxation services

6.  Finance expense

Bank interest payable 

Other interest payable

Total interest expense 

Unwinding of discount on provisions

Net foreign exchange loss

Total finance expense

2016

£'000

46

38

69

479

50

12

50

5

2016

£'000

8

2

10

108

—

118

2015

£'000

31

50

—

453

31

28

50

4

2015

£'000

8

3

11

87

12

110

Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016 

|  31

 
Notes to the financial statements  for the year ended 31 March 2016

7.  Employees and directors

Group and company

Average number of persons (including executive Directors) employed

2016

Number

2015

Number

Senior management

Fee earners

Sales

Administration and finance

Staff costs for the above persons (including executive Directors)

Wages and salaries

Social security costs

Defined contribution pension costs

Equity settled share-based payments

Directors

Emoluments

Money purchase pension contributions

4

26

14

8

52

2016

£'000

3,040

358

264

4

3,666

2016

£'000

280

27

307

Two Directors (2015: one) had retirement benefits accruing under money purchase pension schemes.

8.  Tax credit

Current tax

Current tax on profits for the year

Deferred tax

Recognition of previously unrecognised deferred tax asset

Total tax credit for the year

32 

|  Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016

2016

£'000

—

(350)

(350)

4

24

16

8

52

2015

£'000

2,793

356

244

8

3,401

2015

£'000

181

17

198

2015

£'000

—

—

—

Notes to the financial statements  for the year ended 31 March 2016

The differences between the actual tax credit for the year and the standard rate of corporation tax in the UK applied to 
profits for the year are as follows:

Profit before tax

Profit before tax multiplied by standard rate of corporation tax in the UK of 
20% (2015: 21%)

Effects of:

Expenses not deductible for tax purposes

Brought forward losses utilised against taxable profits

Recognition of previously unrecognised deferred tax asset on losses 

Tax credit for the year

Deferred tax asset

The movement is deferred tax is as follows:

At 1 April 2015

Recognised in profit and loss

Recognition of previously unrecognised deferred tax asset on losses

At 31 March 2016

2015

£'000

352

74

1

(75)

—

—

2016

£'000

863

173

24

(197)

(350)

(350)

£'000

—

350

350

Deferred tax assets have been recognised in respect of tax losses where the Directors believe it is probable that the assets 
will be recovered. A deferred tax asset amounting to £1,081,000 (2015: £1,646,000) has not been recognised in respect of 
trading losses, which can be carried forward indefinitely.

9.  Dividends

No dividends have been paid or proposed for year ended 31 March 2016 (2015: nil).

Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016 

|  33

Notes to the financial statements  for the year ended 31 March 2016

10.  Earnings per ordinary share

Earnings per share have been calculated on the profit for the year divided by the weighted average number of shares in 
issue during the period based on the following:

Profit for the year

Average number of shares in issue 

Effect of dilutive options

Average number of shares in issue plus dilutive options

Basic earnings per share

Diluted earnings per share

2016

£1,213,000

15,149,579

554,919

15,704,498

8.01p

7.72p

2015

£352,000

15,149,579

—

15,149,579

2.32p

2.32p 

11.  Intangible assets

Group and Company

Cost

At 31 March 2014

Additions

Disposals

At 31 March 2015

Additions

At 31 March 2016

Accumulated amortisation/impairment

At 31 March 2014

Charge for the year

Disposals

At 31 March 2015

Charge for the year

Impairment

At 31 March 2016

Net book value

At 31 March 2016

At 31 March 2015

34 

|  Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016

Purchased 
software 

£'000

Internally  
developed  
software

£'000

625

10

(371)

264

8

272

610

16

(371)

255

4

—

259

13

9

1,110

—

—

1,110

—

1,110

973

34

—

1,007

34

69

1,110

—

103

Total 

£'000

1,735

10

(371)

1,374

8

1,382

1,583

50

(371)

1,262

38

69

1,369

13

112

 
Notes to the financial statements  for the year ended 31 March 2016

12.  Property, plant and equipment

Group and company

Computer 
hardware

£'000

Fixtures 
& fittings

£'000

Motor 
vehicles

£'000

Total 

£'000

Cost

At 31 March 2014

Additions

Disposals

At 31 March 2015

Additions

At 31 March 2016

Accumulated depreciation

At 31 March 2014

Charge for the year

Disposals

At 31 March 2015

Charge for the year

At 31 March 2016

Net book value

At 31 March 2016

At 31 March 2015 

302

37

(37)

302

29

331

280

13

(37)

256

21

277

54

46

964

60

(318)

706

13

719

959

9

(318)

650

15

665

54

56

42

—

—

42

-

42

11

9

—

20

10

30

12

22

1,308

97

(355)

1,050

42

1,092

1,250

31

(355)

926

46

972

120

124

The net carrying amount of property, plant and equipment includes £12,000 (2015: £22,000) in respect of assets held under 
finance leases.

Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016 

|  35

Notes to the financial statements  for the year ended 31 March 2016

13. Investments

Company

Investments are:

(a)  Generic Software Consultants Limited (“Generic”), a 100% subsidiary undertaking, in respect of both voting rights and 
issued shares, which is registered in England and Wales and has an issued share capital of 5,610 US$1 ordinary shares. 
The investment is stated in the Company’s books at £440.

   Up to 31 March 2009 Generic acted as an agent for the business, but did not enter into any transactions in its own 

right: its business was included within the figures reported by the Company. On 1 April 2009 the agency agreement was 
terminated and all business is now conducted directly by the parent company through its Generic business.

(b)  Triad Special Systems Limited, Generic Online Limited, Zubed Geospatial Limited, Zubed Sales Limited, are all 100% 
subsidiaries which are registered in England and Wales. They are dormant companies, which have never traded. Each 
has a share capital of £1.

14.  Trade and other receivables

Group and company

Trade receivables

Less: provision for impairment of trade receivables

Trade receivables-net

Accrued income

Prepayments

2016

£'000

3,507

(18)

3,489

1,036

158

4,683

2015

£'000

3,448

(28)

3,420

411

180

4,011

The fair value of trade and other receivables approximates closely to their book value.

Trade receivables are normally on 30 days payment terms. As at 31 March 2016 trade receivables of £603,000 (2015: 
£850,000) were past due but not impaired. They relate to customers with no default history. The total number of customer 
ledger balances at 31 March 2016 was 65 (2015: 73). The ageing analysis of these receivables is as follows:

Group and company

Up to 30 days past due

30 to 60 days past due

Over 60 days past due

2016

£'000

518

63

22

603

2015

£'000

617

204

29

850

36 

|  Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016

 
Notes to the financial statements  for the year ended 31 March 2016

Movements on the provision for impairment of trade receivables is as follows:

Group and company

At beginning of the year

Charged to income statement

Credited to income statement

At end of the year

2016

£'000

28

12

(22)

18

The carrying amount of the Group’s trade and other receivables are denominated in the following currencies:

Group and company

Sterling

Euros

15.  Cash and cash equivalents

Group and company

Cash available on demand

2016

£'000

4,505

20

4,525

2016

£'000

955

The fair value of cash and cash equivalents approximates closely to their book value.

The carrying amount of the Group’s cash and cash equivalents is denominated in the following currencies:

Group and company

Sterling

Euros

2016

£'000

908

47

955

For the purpose of the consolidated cash flow statement, cash and cash equivalents consist of cash,  
as detailed above, net of bank borrowings repayable on demand.

2015

£'000

—

28

—

28

2015

£'000

3,812

19

3,831

2015

£'000

390

2015

£'000

324

66

390

Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016 

|  37

Notes to the financial statements  for the year ended 31 March 2016

16.  Trade and other payables

Trade payables

Accruals 

Owed to subsidiary

Deferred income

Other taxation and social security

The maturity date of trade and other payables is as follows:

Up to 3 months

3 to 6 months

6 to 12 months

  Group

  Company

2016

£’000

1,945

968

—

2,913

109

474

3,496

2015

£’000

1,889

692

—

2,581

142

410

3,133

2016

£’000

1,945

968

5

2,918

109

474

3,501

  Group

  Company

2016

£’000

2,637

156

120

2015

£’000

2,452

33

96

2016

£’000

2,642

156

120

2015

£’000

1,889

692

5

2,586

142

410

3,138

2015

£’000

2,457

33

96

2,913

2,581

2,918

2,586

The fair value of trade and other payables approximates closely to their book value.

The carrying amount of trade and other payables is denominated in the following currencies:

Sterling

Euros

  Group

  Company

2016

£’000

2,889

24

2,913

2015

£’000

2,553

28

2,581

2016

£’000

2,894

24

2,918

2015

£’000

2,558

28

2,586

38 

|  Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016

 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the financial statements  for the year ended 31 March 2016

17.  Financial liabilities

Group and company

Current

Finance lease obligations

Non-current

Finance lease obligations

2016

£'000

7

11

2015

£'000

6

18

The fair value of bank borrowings approximates closely to their book value.

The carrying amount of the Group’s financial liabilities is all denominated in sterling.

Bank borrowings are in the form of a receivables finance facility to borrow an amount up to 90% of approved trade debtors 
subject to a maximum limit of £2.5m. This facility is secured by way of a debenture over all the assets of the Group. Bank 
borrowings are repayable upon demand.

The receivables finance facility is included as part of cash and cash equivalents for the purpose of the cash flow statement 
as it forms an integral part of the Group’s cash management.

18.  Provisions

Group and company

At 1 April 2015

Charged to income statement

Utilised in year

Unwinding of discount: passage of time (note 6)

At 31 March 2016

Provision for vacant 
properties

Provision for  property 
dilapidation

£’000

609

—

(252)

108

465

£’000

32

54

—

—

86

Total 

£’000

641

54

(252)

108

551

The discount rate applied in the calculation of the provision for vacant properties is 5.84% (2015: 6.44%).

Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016 

|  39

Notes to the financial statements  for the year ended 31 March 2016

Group and company

Provision for vacant 
properties

Provision for  property 
dilapidation

£’000

£’000

The maturity profile of the present value of provisions is as follows:

Current

Non-current

238

227

465

16

70

86

Total 

£’000

254

297

551

The provision for vacant properties covers the anticipated future costs of rent, rates and other outgoings in respect of 
unoccupied property, less anticipated future rental income. It has been calculated on the basis of when the property is 
anticipated to be sub-let. These liabilities have been discounted therefore there is no material difference between the value 
of the provision recorded in the accounts and the fair value. The maturity profile of the carrying amount of this provision as 
at 31 March 2016 is as follows:

Group and company

In one year or less

In more than one year, but not more than 2 years

In more than 2 years, but not more than 5 years

2016

£'000

238

227

—

465

2015

£'000

225

202

182

609

The provision for property dilapidation covers the estimated future costs required to meet obligations under property leases 
to redecorate and repair property.

19.  Share capital

Ordinary shares of 1p each

Issued, called up and fully paid:

Number

Nominal value

Authorised:

 Number

 Nominal value

2016

2015

15,149,579

£151,496

33,500,000

£335,000

15,149,579

£151,496

33,500,000

£335,000

40 

|  Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016

Notes to the financial statements  for the year ended 31 March 2016

20.  Share-based payments

At 31 March 2016 1,268,000 options granted under employee share option schemes remain outstanding:

Date option granted

7 August 2008

23 September 2011

18 September 2014

Number

138,000

730,000

400,000

Exercise price

Period options exercisable

14.0p

13.5p

11.0p

7 August 2011 to 7 August 2018

23 September 2014 to 23 September 2021

18 September 2017 to 18 September 2024

Under the terms of the scheme, options vest after after a period of three years continued employment and are subject to the 
following performance condition:

In any financial year commencing at least one year after the date of grant, the Company shall have achieved a positive 
basic earnings per share (subject to adjustment to exclude identified exceptional items), as reported in its audited annual 
accounts.

The options outstanding at 31 March 2016 had a weighted average remaining contractual life of 6.1 years (2015: 6.4 years).

Options have been valued using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. No performance conditions were included in the 
fair value calculations. 

There were no options granted during the year (2015: 405,000).

In respect of the options granted last year the fair value per option granted and the assumptions used in the calculation 
were as follows;

Date of grant:

Number of options granted:

Weighted average share price:

Weighted average exercise price:

Expected volatility:

Expected life:

Risk free rate:

Expected dividends:

Fair value:

18 September 2014

405,000

11p

11p

40%

4 years

2.5%

0

3.80p

The expected volatility is based on historic volatility over the last three years. The expected life is the expected period 
to exercise. The risk free rate of return is the yield on zero-coupon UK government bonds of a term consistent with the 
assumed option life.

The total expense recognised in the year is £4,000 (2015: £8,000).

Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016 

|  41

Notes to the financial statements  for the year ended 31 March 2016

A reconciliation of option movements over the year to 31 March 2016 is shown below:

Outstanding at start of year

Granted

Forfeited

Lapsed

Outstanding at end of year

Exercisable at end of year

  2016

  2015

Number 

of options

1,476,000

—

(32,000)

(176,000)

1,268,000

868,000

Number of 
options

Weighted 
average 
exercise 
price

Pence

17.4

—

15.5

51.5

12.8

13.6

1,183,000

405,000

(112,000)

—

1,476,000

1,071,000

Weighted 
average 
exercise  
price

Pence

19.7

11.0

17.7

—

17.4

19.9

There were no options exercised during the year. The above figures include options held by Directors which are set out in 
the Directors’ Remuneration Report on page 18.

21.  Commitments

The Group had capital commitments totalling £nil at 31 March 2016 (31 March 2015: £nil).

The future aggregate minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases are: 

Not later than 1 year

Later than 1 year and no later than 5 years

2016

£'000

552

685

1,237

2015

£'000

512

1,237

1,749

22.  Related party transactions

The Group rents two of its offices under contracts expiring in 2018. The current annual rents of £395,000 were fixed, 
by independent valuation, at the last rent review in 2008. JC Rigg, a Director, has notified the Board that he has a 50% 
beneficial interest in these contracts. The balance owed at the year end was £nil (2015: £nil).

Key management comprises the Board of Directors and their remuneration is set out in the Directors’ Remuneration Report 
on page 16.

42 

|  Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016

 
 
Five year record

Consolidated income statement

Years ended 31 March

Revenue

Gross profit

Profit/(loss) before tax

Tax credit

Profit after tax

Dividends

Retained profit for the  financial year

Basic profit per ordinary share of 1p each (pence)

Balance sheet

As at 31 March

Non-current assets

Current assets

Current liabilities

Non-current liabilities

Net assets 

Share capital

Share premium account

Capital redemption reserve

Retained earnings

Equity shareholders’ funds

2016

£’000

28,317

4,236

863

350

1,213

—

1,213

8.01

2016

£’000

483

5,638

2015

£’000

23,482

3,325

352

—

352

—

352

2.32

2015

£’000

236

4,401

2014

£’000

19,702

2,863

11

—

11

—

11

2013

£’000

18,880

2,704

28

—

28

—

28

0.07

0.18

2014

£’000

210

3,544

2013

£’000

233

3,343

2012

£’000

19,447

3,239

(76)

277

201

—

201

1.33

2012

£’000

291

4,491

(3,757)

(3,387)

(2,705)

(2,513)

(3,474)

(308)

2,056

151

562

104

1,239

2,056

(411)

839

151

562

104

22

839

(570)

(665)

(948)

479

151

562

104

(338)

479

398

151

562

104

(419)

398

360

151

562

104

(457)

360

Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016 

|  43

Shareholders’ information and financial calendar

Share register

Equiniti maintain the register of members of the Company.  
If you have any questions about your personal holding of 
the Company’s shares, please contact:

Equiniti 
PO Box 4630 
Aspect House 
Spencer Road 
Lancing 
West Sussex 
BN99 6QQ

Telephone:  0870 6015366

If you change your name or address or if the details on the 
envelope enclosing the report, including your postcode, are 
incorrect or incomplete, please notify the registrar in writing.

Shareholders’ enquiries

If you have an enquiry about the Group’s business, or about 
something affecting you as a shareholder (other than 
queries which are dealt with by the registrar) you should 
contact the Company Secretary, by letter or telephone at 
the Company’s registered office.

Company Secretary and registered office:

Nick Burrows 
Triad Group Plc 
Weyside Park 
Catteshall Lane 
Godalming 
Surrey 
GU7 1XE

Telephone: 

  01908 278450 

Email:  

investors@triad.co.uk

Website: 

  www.triad.co.uk

Financial calendar

Annual General Meeting

Summer 2016

Financial year ended 31 March 2017: expected 
announcement of results

Half year

November 2016

Full year preliminary 
announcement

June 2017

44 

|  Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Corporate information 

Executive Directors

John Rigg, Chairman

Nick Burrows

Adrian Leer 

Non-executive Directors

Alistair Fulton

Steven Sanderson

Secretary and registered office

Nick Burrows 
Triad Group Plc 
Weyside Park 
Catteshall Lane 
Godalming 
Surrey 
GU7 1XE

Telephone: 

  01908 278450

Email: 

  investors@triad.co.uk

Website: 

  www.triad.co.uk

Country of incorporation and domicile  
of parent company

United Kingdom

Legal form

Public limited company

Company number

2285049

Registered Auditors

BDO LLP 
55 Baker Street 
London 
W1U 7EU

Solicitors

Allen & Overy LLP 
One Bishops Square 
London 
E1 6AO

Bankers

Lloyds Bank plc 
City Office 
11-15 Monument Street 
London 
EC3V 9JA

Registrars

Equiniti 
Aspect House 
Spencer Road 
Lancing 
West Sussex 
BN99 6DA

Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016 
Triad Group Plc Annual Report and Accounts 2016 

|  45
|  45

 
 
 
 
 
 
Godalming office:

Weyside Park 
Catteshall Lane 
Godalming 
Surrey  GU7 1XE

Milton Keynes office:

 37 Sunningdale House  
Caldecotte Lake Business Park 
 Milton Keynes  MK7 8LF

  01908 278450

  triad.co.uk