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Resolution for the Grand Lodge
The President of the Board of General
Purposes to move:
Annual Contributions to the Grand Charity 2005
“That in pursuance of Rule 271, Book of
Constitutions, there shall be payable to the
Grand Charity in respect of each member
of a Lodge in a Metropolitan Area or a
Province, or in England and Wales that is
unattached, for the year 2005 a contribution
of not less than £7.50. (No payment is due
in respect of members of Lodges overseas).”
The Resolution was approved.
Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter meetings
The Annual Investiture will beheld on 28 April
2004 and the Quarterly Communication of
the Grand Lodge will be held on 8 September
2004, 8 December 2004, 9 March 2005, 8 June
2005. Convocations of Supreme Grand
Chapter will be held on 29 April 2004, 10
November 2004, 28 April 2005.
New Lodges
List of new Lodges for which Warrants have
been Granted by the MW The Grand
Master showing the date from which their
Warrants became effective:
Date of Warrant; No. & Name of Lodge,
Location, Area:
12 November 2003; 9780 Ernest Moss
Cowes, Hampshire & Isle of Wight
10 December 2003; 9782 Admiral Lord
Nelson Downham Market, Norfolk
Announcements
The MW The Grand Master has appointed
W Bro Barry Ross to be Provincial Grand
Master for Suffolk in succession to RW Bro
Robert Tile, who is to retire on 16 April.
Bro Ross is due to be installed on 9 July.
Report on the Accounts
The operating results for 2003 show a
deficit after tax of £239,300 compared with
£168,200 for 2002. This year we have
incurred reduced costs on MQ magazine
of £615,100 (2002: £834,000), which we
expect to reduce further in 2004, increased
depreciation costs relating to the new computer
system of £132,000 (2002: £74,000) and
additional costs on security at Freemasons’
Hall of £80,300 (2002: £9,600).
A professional valuation of the
investment properties was carried out
as at 31 December 2003 by Gerald Eve
(Chartered Surveyors). This resulted in a fall
of £364,000 in the value of these properties
in the accounts.
On 1 October 2003 the Metropolitan
Grand Lodge of London took over the
assets and liabilities of London Management
and the management of the Craft in
London. It received the ‘London element’
of all dues received from that date,
consequently reducing both our income
and expenditure for 2003.
We have this year reflected the realised
and unrealised gains on property and equity
investments as separate items after the
operating deficit for the year, in line with
current practice for charities and other not for-profit entities.
Consequently, we have now combined
the reserves into one figure on the balance
sheet. The total recognised gains and losses
for the year were a gain of £700 (2002:
deficit of £1,537,700).
Grand Lodge made gifts to the Library
and Museum Charitable Trust of £365,800
(2002: £453,300) and to the Trust for
Research into Freemasonry at Sheffield
University of £50,000 (2002: £35,000).
The disclosure under Financial
Reporting Standard 17 on pensions shows
a deficit on pension assets of £3,579,000
compared to a deficit of £5,346,000 as at
31 December 2002. An actuarial valuation
of the pension scheme was carried out in
2003 and we have temporarily increased
the employers’ contribution to 25%.
The new Lodge membership and
computer database has been operational
since the early part of 2003, but we are
continuing to enhance its capabilities and,
in particular, its development to meet the
needs of the Provinces and Districts.
The Board is satisfied that the finances
of Grand Lodge are in good order. Much
has been achieved over the last four years,
especially the upkeep of Grand Lodge
and the refurbishment of our premises,
the launch of MQ and the development
of computerisation.
Although further major expenditure
is forecast, the Board hopes that it will be
possible to restrict increases in dues to the
rate of inflation.
Lastly, 2003 was another challenging
year for the Grand Lodge staff. I am
very grateful for the support and help
they have given the Craft, and on your
behalf I offer them all our personal thanks
for their efforts.
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