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Perth Festival of the Arts lends its voice to ‘Stop the Cuts’

Perth Festival of the Arts has joined with other local arts organisations as well as pupils to call for Perth and Kinross Council to reverse its decision to cut the Instrumental Music Service.

https://www.perthfestival.co.uk/Council-called-to-reverse-cuts-to-Instrumental-Music-Service

Let the Children Play – Protect Instrumental Music in Perth & Kinross!

Young musicians in Perth & Kinross have taken a stand against devastating cuts to the Instrumental Music Service (IMS), which threaten access to music education for hundreds of children. Led by Eva Seba, they have gathered over 5,000 signatures in a petition urging Perth & Kinross Council to reverse the decision.

These cuts—totalling £227,000 over three years—have already resulted in fewer music instructors, new fees for Central Music Groups and Music Camps, and the withdrawal of IMS tuition from several primary schools. A Freedom of Information request has confirmed a worrying drop in participation, with numbers in Central Groups falling sharply since these charges were introduced.

Music changes lives. It nurtures confidence, discipline, and creativity. Yet, opportunities for young musicians are being stripped away without proper consultation. Alongside other local music organisations, Perth and Kinross Music Foundation is calling on the Council to reverse these cuts before more young people miss out.

How can you help?
If you believe every child deserves the chance to play, please contact your local Councillor today and urge them to restore funding for instrumental music. Let’s stand together and ensure that music remains at the heart of our community.

#LetTheChildrenPlay #SaveMusicInPKC

 

Newsletter, January 2025

Issue 14                                                                                                                                 

January 2025

Welcome to the 14th issue of Perth & Kinross Music Foundation’s 6 monthly Newsletter.  The Trustees hope that you and your families are all well and had a very enjoyable Festive Season?  

In this issue, we bring you up to date with what we have been up to over the last 6 months and give you some information on our plans for the future.   

What have we been up to over the last 6 months?

The Trustees have been very busy over the last 6 months campaigning to Perth & Kinross Councillors, as well as local MPs and MSPs about the Council’s decision to make staff cuts and reintroduce charges for some instrumental music service activities from August 2024.  We have been part of a group of local organisations which have been lobbying the people who took that decision seeking their reversal, or at least deferral, when the Council meets in February 2025 to confirm its budget for 2025/26.  A deferral would at least give the new Co-Ordinator, Lynsey Patterson the chance to carry out a review of all activities to make the service more efficient but still deliver efficiency savings without having to cut staff posts.

The charge for young musicians attending Central Groups has been set at £100 per academic year from August 2024 through to April 2025.  The Trustees have already seen applications from families who simply cannot afford these charges and without the Foundation’s support, these young musicians would have to withdraw from the Central Groups that they attend….

Ultra Marathon raises funds for music charity

Local Scone resident Bryan Johnston took part in an Ultra Marathon run earlier this year and raised £750 for Perth & Kinross Music Foundation.  This challenge saw Bryan running 70 miles from Carlisle to Newcastle in just under 18 hours.  Bryan recently presented a cheque for the sum raised to Perth & Kinross Music Foundation Treasurer, Neil Copland.  

Neil commented “the Music Foundation is very grateful to Bryan for his fantastic effort to raise this magnificent sum of money.  The amount donated will cover the Perth & Kinross Council charges for more than 7 young musicians allowing them to participate in Central Music Group and Orchestra activities”. 

(L-R) Neil Copland (PKMF) with – Bryan Johnston with son and daughter, Cameron and Lauren

2023-24 Accounts

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

The Trustees have pleasure in presenting their annual report and financial statements for the Charity for the year ended 30 June 2024.

Registered Charity Name Charity Registration Number 
Perth & Kinross Music FoundationSCO 27457

THE TRUSTEES

The Trustees who served the Charity during the reporting period were as follows:
Mrs M MacKinnon (Chairperson) 
Mr A Mitchell (Vice Chairperson)
Mr N Copland (Treasurer)
Ms L Paterson
Mr G Murch

Selection was by way of personal approach

SECRETARY
Mrs Sheila Herron

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER
Mr Scott Walker, CPFA BA

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT

The Charity was established in 1998 and is governed by, and in accordance with, its constitution which was reviewed andupdated in February 2020. The updated constitution document was approved by OSCR in March 2020.

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

The objects of the Charity are to raise funds to pay the fees charged (or associated costs incurred) by Perth & Kinross Councilfor instrumental music tuition fees, and/or attendance at Central Groups. We aim to fund fees charged to young musiciansacross the Perth & Kinross Council area who come from financially challenged families, and support the Instrumental MusicService to provide music tuition for all Perth & Kinross school children. To further these objects, we aim to obtain grant funding(where possible), seek donations, and organise fund raising events. In January 2019, Trustees agreed to establish a Reserve Fund up to an initial maximum value of £25,000 to meet unanticipated future events. The full Policy is set out on page 8 of thisdocument.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

Fund raising events generated £0 (2023 £zero). Gift Aid Recovered from HMRC totalled £163 (2023 £646). Donations received amounted to £1,932 (2023 £652). Grants received from Trusts/Awarding Bodies totalled £0 (2023 £zero).

During the year, grants totalling £18,790 (2023 £14,999) were paid out. This sum covered the grant paid to the InstrumentalMusic Service to support the increase in young people applying for tuition, following the abolition of fees by theScottishGovernment from August 2021. Perth & Kinross Council has confirmed that music tuition fees were formallyabolished by them from August 2022.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

The net outgoing resources for the year ended 30 June 2024 were £15,651 (2023 outgoing £13,226).

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF PERTH & KINROSS MUSIC FOUNDATION

I have examined the Management Committee’s report, the Charity’s accounting records, the Receipts and Payments Account, theStatement of Balances, and the attached notes for the year ended 30 June 2024 of Perth & Kinross Music Foundation (CharityNumber SCO 27457) as set on pages 5 to 8 of this report.

RESPECTIVE RESPONSIBILITIES OF TRUSTEES AND EXAMINER

The Charity’s Trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the terms of the Charities and TrusteeInvestment (Scotland) 2005 Act, and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. The Charity Trustees consider that theaudit requirements of Regulation 10(1) (a-c) of the Accounts Regulations does not apply. It is my responsibility to examine theaccounts as prepared under section 44(1)(C) of the Act and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.

BASIS OF INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT

My examination is carried out in accordance with Regulation 11 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. Thisexamination included a review of the accounting records kept by the Charity, and a comparison of the accounts presented fromthose records. I also included consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts and sought explanations from theTrustees concerning such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently, no opinion is given as to whether these accounts present a ”true and fair view”, and this report is limited only to those matters set out in the statements below.

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S STATEMENT

In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention,

  1. Which gives me reasonable cause to believe in any material respect that the requirements
    1. to keep accounting records in accordance with Section 44 (1)(a) of the 2005Act and Regulation 4 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations; and
    1. to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with Regulation 9 of the 2006 Accounting Regulations; have not been met: or
  • To which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Scott Walker, CPFA BA Perth

Scotland

1O August 2024

Newsletter, July ’24

Whilst colleagues at Perth & Kinross Council Education & Childrens Services have confirmed that all PKC music tuition fees were formally abolished as of August 2022, this matter has not yet been passed into legislation by the Scottish Parliament, so there is still the possibility of them being reinstated by a future Scottish Government – of whatever political hue!  

That said, Perth & Kinross Council (PKC) decided in February 2024, when setting their budget for 2024-2026, to re-introduce fees for certain aspects of the Instrumental Music Service (IMS) activities – i.e. attendance at Central Groups/Orchestras and Music Camps, with an income target of £48,000 per annum being set.

They also agreed to reduce the staffing levels in the Service by 3.5 full time equivalent staff thus saving £199,000 over the next 3 years.  Due to the rural/urban nature of provision across Perth & Kinross, several members of staff work part time in order the achieve the most flexible provision of instrumental tuition across the whole Council area.  This means that effectively, there could be as many as 10 jobs lost over the next 3 years to achieve these savings…

Fundraising for PKMF

Perth and Kinross Music Foundation is grateful to Bryan Johnston who plans to run the Wall Ultra Marathon in aid of our funds to help families who are seeking to access funding for music tuition.

PKC have cut the funding for central group orchestra, the equivalent of 3.5 full time teachers and the cost of tuition. Sadly many children will now miss out in such a great opportunity to learn music and meet new friends.

I am running the Wall Ultra marathon on June 15th 2024 A 70 mile race from Carlisle to Gateshead. Video and event link below. Any little donation is appreciated.

https://www.ratrace.com/the-wall