Trustees’ responsibilities

Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities

The Trustees (who are also directors of the North of England Zoological Society for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Annual Report (including the Strategic Report) and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulation.

Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law the Trustees have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Accounting Standards, comprising FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland”, and applicable law (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). Under company law the Trustees must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of the affairs of the charitable company and the Group and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable group for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Trustees are required to: • Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently • Observe the methods and principles in the Charities

Statement of Recommended Practice (FRS102) • Make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent • State whether applicable UK Accounting Standards, comprising FRS 102, have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements • Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable group will continue in business.

The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the charitable company’s transactions, and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and the Group and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and the Group and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Disclosure of Information to Auditor

Each of the persons who are Trustees at the date of approval of this report confirms that: • So far as the Trustee is aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the Society’s auditor is unaware • The Trustee has taken all the steps that he/she ought to have taken as a Trustee in order to make himself/herself aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the Society’s auditor is aware of that information.

The confirmation is given and should be interpreted with the provisions of section 418 of the Companies Act 2006.

The Trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

Independent Auditor

A resolution to formally reappoint Grant Thornton UK LLP as independent auditors will be proposed at the Annual General Meeting.

The Trustees Annual Report and Financial Statements were approved by the Trustees on 6 May 2022 and signed on their behalf by:

Malcolm Ardron Chair of Trustees

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Independent Auditor’s Report..................................54 Financial statements................................................58 Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.....66