Registration Form • Feb 18, 2016
Registration Form
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THIS DOCUMENT IS IMPORTANT AND REQUIRES YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION. IF YOU ARE IN ANY DOUBT ABOUT THE CONTENTS OF THIS DOCUMENT OR AS TO WHAT ACTION YOU SHOULD TAKE, YOU ARE RECOMMENDED TO SEEK YOUR OWN FINANCIAL ADVICE IMMEDIATELY FROM YOUR STOCKBROKER, BANK MANAGER, SOLICITOR, ACCOUNTANT OR OTHER INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL ADVISER AUTHORISED UNDER THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS ACT 2000 (FSMA). THIS DOCUMENT CONSTITUTES A REGISTRATION DOCUMENT (THE REGISTRATION DOCUMENT) ISSUED BY HAZEL RENEWABLE ENERGY VCT 1 PLC AND HAZEL RENEWABLE ENERGY VCT 2 PLC (THE COMPANIES). ADDITIONAL INFORMATION RELATING TO THE COMPANIES ARE CONTAINED IN A SECURITIES NOTE ISSUED BY THE COMPANIES (THE SECURITIES NOTE). THIS REGISTRATION DOCUMENT, THE SECURITIES NOTE AND A SUMMARY (THE SUMMARY) HAVE BEEN PREPARED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROSPECTUS RULES MADE UNDER FSMA AND HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY THE FINANCIAL CONDUCT AUTHORITY (FCA) IN ACCORDANCE WITH FSMA AND CONSTITUTE A PROSPECTUS ISSUED BY THE COMPANIES DATED 18 FEBRUARY 2016 (THE PROSPECTUS). THE PROSPECTUS HAS BEEN FILED WITH THE FCA IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROSPECTUS RULES AND YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ THE PROSPECTUS IN FULL.
THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN PREPARED FOR THE PURPOSES OF COMPLYING WITH THE PROSPECTUS DIRECTIVE, ENGLISH LAW AND THE RULES OF THE UKLA AND THE INFORMATION DISCLOSED MAY NOT BE THE SAME AS THAT WHICH WOULD BE DISCLOSED IF THIS DOCUMENT HAD BEEN PREPARED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF A JURISDICTION OUTSIDE ENGLAND.
The Companies' Existing Shares are listed on the premium segment of the Official List of the UK Listing Authority and traded on the London Stock Exchange's main market for listed securities.
Howard Kennedy Corporate Services LLP (Howard Kennedy), which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom for the conduct of investment business by the Financial Conduct Authority, is acting as sponsor exclusively for the Companies and for no one else in connection with the Offers, and, subject to the responsibilities and liabilities imposed by FSMA or the regulatory regime established thereunder, will not be responsible to any person other than the Companies for providing the protections afforded to customers of Howard Kennedy or for providing advice to them in relation to the Offer. Howard Kennedy is not making any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the contents of this document.
Copies of this Registration Document, the Securities Note and the Summary (and any supplementary prospectus published by the Companies) are available free of charge from the offices of the Companies' investment adviser, Hazel Capital LLP, at 2nd Floor 227 Shepherds Bush Road, London, W6 7AS and on the Companies' website: www.hazelcapital.com/currentoffers.
None of the New Shares have been, nor will be, registered in the United States under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (the Securities Act) or under the securities laws of Canada, Australia, Japan or South Africa (each a Restricted Territory) and they may not be offered or sold directly or indirectly within the United States or any of the Restricted Territories or to, or for the account or benefit of, US Persons (as defined in Regulation S made under the Securities Act) or any national, citizen or resident of the United States or any of the Restricted Territories. No offer of the New Shares has been, nor will be, made, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or any of the Restricted Territories or in any other jurisdiction where to do so would be unlawful. In particular, prospective Shareholders who are resident in the United States or any Restricted Territory should note that this document is being sent for information purposes only.
The distribution of this document in jurisdictions other than the UK may be restricted by law and, therefore, persons into whose possession this document comes should inform themselves about and observe any of these restrictions. Any failure to comply with any of those restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities law of any such jurisdiction. Any person (including, without limitation, custodians, nominees and trustees) who may have a contractual or legal obligation to forward this document should read the paragraph entitled "Overseas shareholders'' on page 30 of this document before taking any action.
| Risk Factors | 3 |
|---|---|
| Part I: The Directors, the Investment Adviser and the Company | 5 |
| Part II: Investment Policy of the Companies | 11 |
| Part III: Financial Information on the Companies | 13 |
| Part IV: Portfolio Information | 16 |
| Part V: General Information | 17 |
| Part VI: Definitions | 31 |
| Corporate Information | 33 |
The following are those risk factors which are material to the Companies and of which the Directors are aware. Material risk factors relating to the New Shares are contained in the Securities Note. Additional factors which are not presently known to the Directors, or that the Directors currently deem immaterial, may also have an effect on the Companies' business, financial condition or results of operations.
a VCT before Qualifying Investors have held their Shares for five years, the income tax relief obtained on the amount subscribed in the Companies will have to be repaid by such investors. Dividends paid in an accounting period where VCT status is lost will become taxable and a Qualifying Investor will generally be liable to income tax on the aggregate amount of the dividend and the notional tax credit equal to 1/9th of the dividend. The notional tax credit will discharge the income tax liability of a basic rate tax payer. Qualifying Investors who also pay tax at the higher or additional rate can use the notional credit against their tax liability.
• Where approval as a VCT is not maintained the Companies will also lose its exemption from corporation tax on capital gains.
The Directors are responsible for the determination of the Companies' investment objective and policy and have overall responsibility for the Companies' activities including the review of investment activity and performance.
The Directors are all non-executive and (other than Ben Guest and Bozkurt Aydinoglu) are all independent of the Investment Adviser. Save for Ben Guest and Bozkurt Aydinoglu (who are members of the Investment Adviser and are, therefore, interested in those contracts with the Companies referred to in paragraph 4 in Part IV below), there are no potential conflicts of interest between any duties owed to the Companies by its Directors and their private interests and/or their other duties.
With the exception of the limited items outlined below, the Companies comply with the provisions set out in Section 1 of the UK Corporate Governance Code.
The Board of each Company is responsible for the overall control and management of that Company with responsibility for its affairs, including determining its investment policy. However, investment proposals will be originated and decided on by the Investment Adviser under the relevant investment management agreement between each Company and the Investment Adviser.
Each Board meets at least 4 times a year. Additionally, special meetings take place or other arrangements are made when Board decisions are required in advance of regular meetings.
The audit committee of VCT1 is chaired by Stephen Hay and its other member is Michael Cunningham. The audit committee of VCT2 is chaired by Alex Hambro and its other member is Peter Wisher.
The audit committees meet not less than once a year. The Companies' auditors and the senior executives of the Investment Adviser may attend and speak at audit committee meetings.
A summary of the terms of reference of each audit committee is as follows: the committee has responsibility for, among other things, the planning and reviewing of the relevant Company's annual and half-yearly financial statements and the supervision of its auditors in the review of such financial statements. The audit committee will focus particularly on the relevant Company's compliance with legal requirements, accounting standards, financial and regulatory reporting requirements, the Listing Rules and the Prospectus Rules and ensuring that effective systems for internal financial control and for reporting non-financial operating data are maintained. The ultimate responsibility for reviewing and approving the annual report and accounts and half yearly statements will remain with the Board of the relevant Company.
The nomination committee of VCT1 is chaired by Stephen Hay and its other member is Michael Cunningham. The nomination committee of VCT2 is chaired by Alex Hambro and its other members are Peter Wisher and Christian Yates.
The nomination committees meet on an ad hoc basis. The committees have responsibility for considering the size, structure and composition of the Boards, the retirement and appointment of Directors, and will make appropriate recommendations to the relevant Board in relation to these matters.
The remuneration committee of VCT1 is chaired by Stephen Hay and its other member is Michael Cunningham. The remuneration committee of VCT2 is chaired by Alex Hambro and its other members are Peter Wisher and Christian Yates. The remuneration committees meet on an ad hoc basis. The committees have responsibility for considering matters relating to remuneration and will make appropriate recommendations to the relevant Board in relation to these matters.
The Companies do not intend to appoint a senior independent director.
Michael Cunningham (Chairman) has worked in the investment management business for over 25 years and, within Rathbones, was an investment director with responsibility for VCTs, Rathbones' EIS Portfolios and an IHT Service, which together raised over £100 million. He is also a non-executive director of Helios Underwriting plc and previously of Downing Distribution VCT 1 plc and Downing Income VCT 3 plc.
Ben Guest founded Hazel Capital LLP in April 2007. He has 22 years' investment experience, most of which have been in the technology and cleantech sectors. In cleantech, Ben's experience spans the investment spectrum, from clean energy infrastructure, to public equities and venture capital. Ben leads the infrastructure team at Hazel Capital and oversees all aspects of investment origination, execution and on-going portfolio management. Ben is responsible for the development of Hazel Capital's pipeline of UK infrastructure assets and also oversees the firm as a whole. In addition to being a nonexecutive director of VCT1 he is also non-executive director of the Companies' investee companies and of other clean technology companies. Prior to founding Hazel Capital, Ben was a co-founder of Cantillon Capital, where he successfully managed over \$1 billion in a global technology hedge fund called Cantillon Technology from 2003 to 2006. Ben started his career in 1994 at Lazard Asset Management having graduated from Imperial College, London with a BEng in Mechanical Engineering.
Stephen Hay is a self-employed business consultant. He is a former managing director of Goldman Sachs, where he worked for 20 years in a variety of roles including as director of equity research in London. . He is a non-executive director of NHS Tayside , a director of PilotLite Ventures and an independent director of Rhino Doors.
The Directors of VCT 1 are currently or have been within the last five years, a member of the administrative, management or supervisory bodies or partners of the companies and partnerships mentioned below:
| Michael Cunningham | |
|---|---|
| Current directorships/partnerships | Past directorships/partnerships (five years) |
| Equine Rescue Services Limited | Downing One VCT plc |
| Hazel Renewable Energy VCT1 plc | Downing Income VCT 3 plc*** |
| Helios Underwriting plc | First Care Limited |
| H M C Consulting (UK) Limited | Doubletake Studios Limited**** |
| Ben Guest | |
| Current directorships/partnerships | Past directorships/partnerships (five years) |
| AEE Renewables UK 3 Limited | AEE Renewables UK 6 Limited |
| AEE Renewables UK 13 Limited | AEE Renewables UK 14 Limited |
| AEE Renewables UK 15 Limited | AEE Renewables UK 16 Limited |
| AEE Renewables UK 18 Limited | AEE Renewables UK 21 Limited* |
| AEE Renewables UK 26 Limited | AEE Renewables UK 24 Limited* |
| AEE Renewables UK 33 Limited | AEE Renewables UK 29 Limited |
| Archletter Limited | Archletter Limited* |
| Ayshford Solar (holding) Limited | Causilgey Solar (Holding) Limited* |
| A&B Corp Limited | Cave Farm Solar Limited* |
| Beechgrove Solar Limited | Folly Farm Solar Park Limited |
| Blankney Solar Limited | Hazel Renewables Limited |
| Ewerby Solar Limited | Higher Tregarne Solar (Holding) Limited* |
| Frith Solar Limited | Higher Tregarne Solar (UK) Limited |
| Gloucester Wind Limited | Ingenious Film Partners 2 LLP |
| Hazel Capital LLP | Nowhere Solar Limited |
| Hazel Capital Development LLP | Owl Lodge Solar (Holding) Limited* |
| Hazel Capital Development (Wrangle) Limited | Quiet Revolution Limited**** |
| Hazel Capital Solar 1 LLP | TV Pixie Limited** |
| Hazel Capital Solar 2 LLP | Wymeswold Solar Farm Limited |
| Hazel Capital Solar 3 LLP | Yonder Netherton Solar (Holding) Limited* |
| Hazel Capital Solar 1 Financing Limited | |
| Hazel Renewable Energy VCT1 plc | |
| Hewas Solar Limited | |
| HRE Willow Limited |
| Lumicity 1 Limited Lumicity 2 Limited Lumicity 4 Limited Lunar 1 Limited Lunar 2 Limited Lunar 3 Limited Lux Energy Limited Lux Energy (Wind) Limited Minsmere Power Limited New Energy Era Limited Oxis Energy Limited Park & Spark Limited Penhale Solar Limited Priory Farm Solar Farm Limited Roskrow Solar Limited Silverstone Green Energy Limited Small Wind Generation Limited South Marston Renewables Limited South Marston Solar Limited ST Columb Solar Limited The European Film Partners III LLP Tumble Solar Limited Tumblewind Limited Vicarage Solar Limited West Down Solar Limited ZW Parsonage Limited Stephen Hay Current directorships/partnerships Past directorships/partnerships (five years) NHS Tayside Ingenious Film Partners 2 LLP 32 Fellows Road Limited West Herts NHS Trust (Co-opted Non-Executive Director) Freeland Services Limited Homerton NHS Trust (Non-Executive Director) Hazel Renewable Energy VCT1 plc NHS Tayside (Non-Executive Director) Pilotlight Innovation limited Rhino Systems Limited Strathallan School |
|
|---|---|
* Dissolved through voluntary strike off
** Dissolved through compulsory strike off
*** In liquidation – members' voluntary
**** In liquidation – creditors' voluntary
Save as set out in paragraph 1 above, no Director is
VCT2
Peter Wisher (Chairman) is currently Managing Director and owner of Milland Partnership Limited, a consulting company that provides financial training to the international banking sector and strategic advice to growing companies. He is chairman of Angel Publicity and has a background in senior operating positions in service related businesses. Previous positions include Chief Operating Officer of Carbon Leadership LLP and Baines Gwinner Limited, Finance Director of Pauline Hyde Limited and 10 years at merchant bank, Charterhouse, latterly as head of mergers and acquisitions.
Christian Yates was closely involved in establishing both Companies in 2010 whilst a Partner at Hazel Capital from 2009 to 2012. Having started his career in financial services in 1988 he has worked for a number of investment houses holding senior positions at Bear Stearns Asset Management, Julius Baer, Chase Asset Management and Lazard Asset Management. Whist his focus has been on building and managing businesses he has gained broad investment experience across many asset classes including a private equity, hedge funds, infrastructure and real estate. He remains active, both as an investor and developer, in the field of renewable energy. He is now a private equity investor and director of and adviser to SMEs and funds covering a number of sectors including real estate, natural resources and emerging technology. He also sits on the advisory board of a UK wealth manager.
Alexander Hambro has been in the private equity industry for 23 years during which time he has acted as a principal investor, manager and sponsor of private equity and venture capital teams. Alex managed the venture capital and private equity fund investment portfolio for Hambros plc, prior to its sale to Société Générale in 1998. He is chairman of Crescent Capital, a Belfast-based venture capital fund manager and an independent consultant for a number of private equity and venture capital fund management groups and family office investors, advising them on the establishment of alternative investment funds and investment strategies. In addition to his private equity activities, Alex is chairman of Judges Scientific plc, Benchmark Holdings plc and Octopus Eclipse VCT plc, and a director of Hazel Targa VCT plc.
Bozkurt Aydinoglu has been a Partner of Hazel Capital LLP since 2008 and has 23 years of experience in the financial sector. At Hazel Capital he focuses on asset management, transaction execution, commercial negotiations and general management. Bozkurt has been exclusively focused on the clean energy industry since 2002 as an entrepreneur and investor. He co-founded New Energy Finance, the industry's leading research and information service, which was sold to Bloomberg in 2009, and has wide experience of investing in the industry across asset classes. Bozkurt dedicated the first nine years of his career to capital raising, advisory and asset management work in the telecommunications and technology industries. He trained and developed his financial analysis, transactional and commercial skills working for Nomura, Salomon Brothers (now part of Citigroup), Deloitte and Touche and Groupe Arnault. He received his MSc in Electrical Engineering from Imperial College, London in 1993.
The Directors of VCT 2 are currently or have been within the last five years, a member of the administrative, management or supervisory bodies or partners of the companies and partnerships mentioned below:
| Peter Wisher (Chairman) | |
|---|---|
| Current directorships/partnerships Angel Publicity Limited Future Digital Footprint Limited Guarantee Holdings Limited Guarantee Laundries Limited Guarantee Linen Services Limited Hazel Renewable Energy VCT2 plc Heritage Square Limited Milland Partnership Limited Puma Heritage plc Sherborne Laundry Limited Wilsco 712 Limited |
Past directorships/partnerships (five years) Carbon Leadership LLP Carbon Search Limited Firing Line Limited Wilsco 710 Limited* |
| Alexander Hambro | |
| Current directorships/partnerships Bacit (UK) Limited Bapco Closures Holdings Limited Bapco Closures Research Limited Benchmark Holdings plc Crescent Capital II GP Limited Crescent Capital III GP Limited Crescent Capital NI Limited First Magazine Limited Halkin Development Limited Hazel Renewable Energy VCT2 plc Hazel Targa VCT plc HF Partnership LLP Izon Science Limited Izon Science Limited New Zealand Judges Scientific plc Octopus Eclipse VCT plc Octopus Eclipse VCT 4 plc Welbeck Capital Partners LLP Whitley Asset Management Limited |
Past directorships/partnerships (five years) Aldersgate House Limited Chloride Extraction Technologies Limited Welbeck Investment Partners Member Limited |
| Christian Yates | |
|---|---|
| Current directorships/partnerships 127 Picadilly plc Cherif Barnes Developments Limited Cherif Hampton Row Holdco Limited Cherif Investment Properties Limited CJK & RA Yates LLP Hazel Renewable Energy VCT2 plc New Radiation LLP The Citymark Partnership Limited W4B (UK) Limited |
Past directorships/partnerships (five years) AEE Renewables UK 26 Limited Emerging Technology Venture Partners LLP Empirical Property Group Limited Hazel Capital LLP Hazel Capital Services Company Limited Hewas Solar Limited Penhale Solar Limited Pennoyer Resources LLP Puma Bioenergy plc ST Columb Solar Limited W4B Bristol Limited*** |
| Bozkurt Aydinoglu | |
| Current directorships/partnerships AEE Renewables UK 3 Limited AEE Renewables UK 26 Limited Beechgrove Solar Limited Blankney Solar Limited Copthorne Investments Limited Ewerby Solar Limited Frith Solar Limited Hazel Capital LLP Hazel Capital Development LLP Hazel Capital Development (Wrangle) Limited Hazel Capital Services Company Limited Hazel Capital Solar 1 LLP Hazel Capital Solar 2 LLP Hazel Capital Solar 3 LLP Hazel Capital Solar 1 Financing Limited Hazel Renewable Energy VCT2 plc Lumicity 2 Limited Lunar 1 Limited Lunar 2 Limited Lunar 3 Limited Priory Farm Solar Farm Limited Roskrow Solar Limited South Marston Solar Limited Sunhazel UK Limited Tumble Solar Limited West Down Solar Limited |
Past directorships/partnerships (five years) Folly Farm Solar Park Limited Nowhere Solar Limited Sims Venture Capital Limited** |
* Dissolved via voluntary strike off
** Dissolved via compulsory strike off
*** In liquidation – members' voluntary
**** In liquidation – creditors' voluntary
Save as set out in paragraph 1 above, no Director is
Hazel Capital is the Companies' investment adviser and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Reg. No. 468385).
Hazel Capital is a limited liability partnership incorporated and registered in England and Wales on 30 April 2007 under number OC327915. The
registered office of Hazel Capital is 2nd Floor 227 Shepherds Bush Road, London, W6 7AS. Hazel's principal place of business is 2nd Floor 227 Shepherds Bush Road, London, W6 7AS (telephone number 020 3434 1010). Hazel is authorised to advise on investments, arrange deals in investments and to make arrangements with a view to transactions in investments. The principal legislation under which Hazel operates is the Limited Liability Partnership Act 2000 and the applicable provisions of CA 2006 (and regulations made thereunder).
Hazel Capital provides investment advisory services to the Companies for a fee equivalent to 2% of net assets per annum. The agreement is for a minimum term of six years, effective from 20 October 2010, with a twelve month notice period on either side thereafter.
Downing LLP provides administration services to each of the Companies for a fee of £35,000 (plus VAT, if applicable) per annum. The agreement is for a minimum term of six years, effective from 20 October 2010, with a twelve month notice period on either side thereafter. It is intended that this fee will be increased to £40,000 per annum for each Company on the launch of the B Share class.
As is common in the VCT industry, Hazel Capital receives a performance incentive, in the form of "A" Shares. The structure of the "A" Shares, whereby Management owns one third of the "A" Shares in issue, acts as a performance incentive mechanism. "A" Share dividends will be increased if, at the end of each year, the hurdle of 5p per Ordinary Share, per annum, is met in respect of the Existing Shares.
It is proposed, subject to shareholder approval at the General Meetings, that Hazel Capital, will be paid investment management and performance fees in respect of the New Shares on the following basis:
The following section contains a description of the investment policy of the Companies.
Each of the Companies' objective is to maximise tax free capital gains and income to shareholders from dividends and capital distributions by investing the Companies' funds in:
within the conditions imposed on all VCTs under current and future VCT legislation applicable to the Companies.
The Companies will seek to invest in investee companies that they believe are materially de-risked and will provide shareholders with a reliable source of tax free income and maximise the potential for capital preservation. Companies will generally reflect the following criteria:
The Companies will invest at least 70 % of their funds in Qualifying Investments. Initially, whilst suitable Qualifying Investments are being identified, the funds will be invested in a mixture of deposits, institutional money market funds, or short term fixed income securities. Progressively, this portfolio will be realised in order to fund investments in Qualifying Investments.
Although under VCT legislation the Companies must have 70 % of their funds invested in Qualifying Investments within 3 years, the Companies intend to invest up to 90 %. Accordingly, the Companies' maximum exposure to Qualifying Investments will be 90 %. The Companies intend to retain their remaining funds in non-Qualifying Investments to fund the annual running costs of the Companies, to reduce the risk profile of the overall portfolio of their funds and to provide investments which can be realised to fund any further investments in their investee companies.
It is expected that once 70% of funds raised have been invested in Qualifying Investments, each Company will have at least 8 investments (assuming full subscription) to provide diversification and risk protection, with a maximum investment in each Qualifying Investment of £1 million. In any case, an investee company's gross assets will not exceed £7 million prior to investment to ensure compliance with VCT legislation. In relation to the Company, no single investment (including loans to investee companies) will represent more than 15% of the aggregate net asset value of its fund.
The structure of the Companies' funds, and their investment strategies have been designed to reduce risk as much as possible.
The main risk management features include:
It is not intended that either Company will borrow. However, each Company will have the ability to borrow up to 15% of its net asset value. There are no plans to utilise this ability at the current time.
A material change in the investment policy of either Company will only be effected with the prior approval of the relevant Company's shareholders in accordance with the Listing Rules.
The Companies have produced annual statutory accounts for the three financial years ended 30 September 2013, 30 September 2014 and 30 September 2015. The auditors, BDO LLP of 55 Baker Street, London, W1U 7EU have reported on these statutory accounts without qualification and without statements under sections 495 to 497 of CA 2006 .
The annual reports referred to above, were prepared in accordance with UK generally accepted accounting practice (GAAP), the fair value rules of CA 2006 and the Statement of Recommended Practice 'Financial Statements of Investment Trust Companies and Venture Capital Trusts'. The annual reports contain a description of the Companies' financial condition, changes in financial condition and results of operation for each relevant financial year and are being incorporated by reference and can be accessed at the following websites: www.downing.co.uk/shareholder-information/hazel-renewable-energy-vct1-plc and www.downing.co.uk/shareholderinformation/hazel-renewable-energy-vct2-plc.
The Companies and the Directors confirm that the financial statements of the Companies for the periods ended 30 September 2014 and 30 September 2015 (prepared under United Kingdom Generally Accepting Accounting Practice) have been presented and prepared in a form which is consistent with that which will be adopted in the Companies' next published annual financial statements (which will be prepared under Financial Reporting Standard 102) having regard to accounting standards, policies and legislation applicable to such annual financial statements in so far as there are no material differences between the financial statements for these years prepared under these two accounting frameworks.
Where these documents make reference to other documents, such other documents are not incorporated into and do not form part of this document. Those parts of the annual statutory accounts referred to above which are not being incorporated into this document by reference are either not relevant for investors or are covered elsewhere in this document.
| Description | 2013 Annual Report | 2014 Annual Report | 2015 Annual Report |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balance sheet | Page 29 | Page 31 | Page 33 |
| Income statement (or equivalent) | Page 28 | Page 30 | Page 32 |
| Statement showing all changes in equity (or equivalent note) | Page 28 | Page 30 | Page 42 |
| Cash flow statements | Page 30 | Page 32 | Page 34 |
| Notes to the Financial Statements | Pages 31-44 | Page 33-48 | Pages 35-49 |
| Auditors' report | Page 25 | Page 26 | Pages 28-31 |
| Description | 2013 Annual Report | 2014 Annual Report | 2015 Annual Report |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balance sheet | Page 29 | Page 31 | Page 33 |
| Income statement (or equivalent) | Page 28 | Page 30 | Page 32 |
| Statement showing all changes in equity (or equivalent note) | Page 28 | Page 30 | Page 42 |
| Cash flow statements | Page 30 | Page 32 | Page 34 |
| Notes to the Financial Statements | Pages 31-44 | Pages 33-48 | Pages 35-49 |
| Auditors' report | Page 25 | Page 26 | Page 28 |
The Companies' published annual report and accounts for the three financial years ended 30 September 2013, 30 September 2014 and 30 September 2015 contain, on the pages specified in the table below, descriptions of the Companies' financial condition (in both capital and revenue terms), details of the Companies' investment activity and portfolio exposure and changes in its financial condition for each of those periods:
| Description | 2013 Annual Report | 2014 Annual Report | 2015 Annual Report |
|---|---|---|---|
| Objective | Page 2 | Page 2 | Page 2 |
| Performance summary | Page 3 | Page 3 | Page 5 |
| Results and dividend | Page 15 | Page 18 | Page 3 |
| Investment policy | Page 16 | Page 14 | Page 15 |
| Chairman's statement | Page 3 | Page 3 | Page 3 |
| Investment Adviser' review | Page 5 | Page 5 | Page 5 |
| Portfolio summary | Page 7 | Page 7 | Page 8 |
| Valuation policy | Page 31 | Page 33 | Page 35 |
| Description | 2013 Annual Report | 2014 Annual Report | 2015 Annual Report |
|---|---|---|---|
| Objective | Page 2 | Page 2 | Page 2 |
| Performance summary | Page 3 | Page 3 | Page 5 |
| Results and dividend | Page 15 | Page 18 | Page 3 |
| Investment policy | Page 16 | Page 14 | Page 15 |
| Chairman's statement | Page 3 | Page 3 | Page 3 |
| Investment Adviser' review | Page 5 | Page 5 | Page 5 |
| Portfolio summary | Page 7 | Page 7 | Page 8 |
| Valuation policy | Page 31 | Page 33 | Page 35 |
The key figures that summarise the Companies' financial position in respect of the three financial years ended 30 September 2013, 30 September 2014 and 30 September 2015 which have been extracted without material adjustment from the historical financial information referred to above, are set out in the following table:
| Description | 2013 Annual Report | 2014 Annual Report | 2015 Annual Report |
|---|---|---|---|
| Profit/loss on ordinary activities before taxation (£'000) | 2,094 | 7,899 | 1,809 |
| Earnings per Ordinary Share (p) | 9.2 | 33.5 | 7.4 |
| Earnings per A Share (p) | - | - | - |
| Dividends declared per Ordinary Share (p) | 5.0 | 7.3 | 5.0 |
| Dividends declared per A Share (p) | - | 3.7 | - |
| Net assets (£'000) | 22,497 | 28,308 | 28,890 |
| NAV per Ordinary Share (p) | 98.8 | 115.2 | 117.6 |
| NAV per A Share (p) | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
VCT 2
| Description | 2013 Annual Report | 2014 Annual Report | 2015 Annual Report |
|---|---|---|---|
| Profit/loss on ordinary activities before taxation (£'000) | 2,077 | 7,882 | 1,791 |
| Earnings per Ordinary Share (p) | 9.1 | 33.3 | 7.3 |
| Earnings per A Share (p) | - | - | - |
| Dividends declared per Ordinary Share (p) | 5.0 | 7.3 | 5.0 |
| Dividends declare per A Share (p) | - | 3.7 | - |
| Net assets (£'000) | 22,545 | 28,327 | 28,888 |
| NAV per Ordinary Share (p) | 98.8 | 115.0 | 117.3 |
| NAV per A Share (p) | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
The audited net asset value per Share as at 30 September 2015 (being the most recent NAV per Share published by the Companies prior to the publication of this document) was 117.6p per Ordinary and 0.1p per "A" Share in respect of VCT 1 and 117.3p per Ordinary Share and 0.1p per "A" Share in respect of VCT 2.
There has been no significant change in the financial or trading position of the Companies since 30 September 2015 (being the last date up to which the Companies have published financial information).
The investment portfolio of the Companies as at the date of this document is shown below (the valuations being the latest valuations carried out by the Boards as comprised within the audited report and accounts of the Companies as at 30 September 2015). The information on the investment portfolio below represents more than 50% of the NAV of the Companies and each of the investments which have a value of greater than 5% of the Companies' gross assets.
| Cost | Valuation | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % of portfolio | |||||
| £'000 | £'000 | ||||
| Lunar 2 Limited* | 2,976 | 12,202 | 39.7% | ||
| Ayshford Solar (Holding) Limited | 1,987 | 3,073 | 10.0% | ||
| Tumblewind Limited* | 2,449 | 2,175 | 7.1% | ||
| Lunar 1 Limited* | 124 | 2,076 | 6.8% | ||
| Hewas Solar Limited | 1,000 | 1,748 | 5.7% | ||
| St. Columb Solar Limited | 708 | 1,419 | 4.6% | ||
| New Energy Era Limited | 884 | 1,369 | 4.5% | ||
| Vicarage Solar Limited | 871 | 1,181 | 3.8% | ||
| Penhale Solar Limited | 825 | 1,075 | 3.5% | ||
| Gloucester Wind Limited | 1,000 | 1,041 | 3.4% | ||
| Minsmere Power Limited | 975 | 920 | 3.0% | ||
| HRE Willow Limited | 875 | 780 | 2.5% | ||
| Small Wind Generation Limited | 975 | 682 | 2.2% | ||
| Sunhazel UK Limited | 1 | - | 0.0% | ||
| 15,650 | 29,741 | 96.8% | |||
| Non-VCT qualifying investments | |||||
| AEE Renewables UK 3 Limited | 900 | 900 | 3.0% | ||
| ZW Parsonage Limited | 15 | 15 | 0.0% | ||
| 915 | 915 | 3.0% | |||
| 16,565 | 30,656 | 99.8% | |||
| Cash at bank and in hand | 56 | 0.2% | |||
| Total investments | 30,712 | 100.0% |
* Part-qualifying investment
Notes:
** Save for general movements in cash/listed fixed income balances for general working capital purposes, since 30 September 2015, (being the date on which the valuations were undertaken) there has been no material change to the valuations used to prepare the above analysis.
All venture capital investments are incorporated in England and Wales
| A Shares: | GB00B4L13999 |
|---|---|
| Ordinary Shares: | GB00B4M2G812 |
| B Shares: | GB00BD982C19 |
| VCT 2 | |
| A Shares: | GB00B4KWC525 |
| Ordinary Shares: | GB00B43GVJ82 |
| B Shares: | GB00BD9MY492 |
(i) the Directors were generally and unconditionally authorised in accordance with Section 551 of that Companies Act 2006 (the "Act") to exercise all the powers of the Company to allot:
This authority to expire at the conclusion of the Company's next Annual General Meeting, or on the expiry of 15 months following the passing of the resolution, whichever is the later (unless previously revoked, varied or extended by the Company in general meeting), but so that this authority shall allow the Company to make before the expiry of this authority offers or agreements which would or might require shares to be allotted or rights to be granted to subscribe for or to convert any security into shares in the Company after such expiry and all previous authorities given by the Directors in accordance with Section 551 of the Act be and are hereby revoked, provided that such revocation shall not have retrospective effect;
(ii) the Directors were empowered, during the period commencing on the passing of this resolution and expiring at the conclusion of the Company's next Annual General Meeting, or on the expiry of 15 months following the passing of the resolution, whichever is the later (unless previously revoked, varied or extended by the Company in the general meeting), pursuant to Section 570 of the Act, to allot equity securities (as defined in Section 560(1) of the Act) for cash pursuant to the authority given in accordance with Section 551 of the Act, pursuant to resolution (I) above, as if Section 561(1) of the Act did not apply to any such allotment but so that this authority shall allow the Company to make offers or agreements before the expiry and the Directors may allot equity securities in pursuance of such offers or agreements as if the powers conferred hereby had not so expired.
At the general meeting of each of the Companies convened for 14 March 2016, the following resolutions are to be proposed: That:
the maximum aggregate number of B Shares authorised to be purchased is 5,000,000 or, if less, 14.9% of the B Shares (as such term is defined in the circular to shareholders dated 18 February 2016);
the maximum price which may be paid for a B Share is an amount equal to the maximum amount permitted to be paid in accordance with the rules of the UK Listing Authority in force as at the date of purchase;
| Director | No. of Ordinary Shares | % of issued Ordinary Shares |
No. Of "A" Shares | % of issued "A" Shares |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Cunningham | 27,221 | 0.11% | 27,221 | 0.07% |
| Stephen Hay | 104,000 | 0.42% | 104,000 | 0.28% |
| Ben Guest | 552,760 | 2.25% | 11,507,366 | 31.27% |
VCT 2
| Director | No. of Ordinary Shares | % of issued Ordinary Shares |
No. Of "A" Shares | % of issued "A" Shares |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peter Wisher | 20,800 | 0.08% | 20,800 | 0.06% |
| Alexandra Hambro | 15,600 | 0.06% | 15,600 | 0.04% |
| Christian Yates | 19,673 | 0.08% | 2,616,069 | 7.09% |
| Bozkurt Aydinoglu | Nil | 0.00% | 2,688,331 | 7.28% |
The annual directors' fees payable to the Directors for the periods ended 30 September are; £50,000 (2015) (VCT2: £65,000), £50,000 (2014) (VCT2: £65,000) and £50,000 (2013) (VCT2: £65,000). The Directors receive no other remuneration benefits, nor pension, retirement or similar benefits, in addition to their fees detailed above. It is estimated that the aggregate amount payable to the Directors by each Company for the financial period ending on 30 September 2016 under the arrangements in force at the date of this document will not exceed £50,000 (VCT2: £65,000) plus out-of-pocket expenses.
Save as disclosed in this paragraph, the Companies has not entered, other than in the ordinary course of business, into any contract which is or may be material to the Companies within the two years immediately preceding the publication of this document or into any contract which contains any provision under which the Companies has any obligation or entitlement which is material to the Companies as at the date of this document:
(i) An offer agreement dated 18 February 2016 between the Companies, the Directors, Howard Kennedy and the Investment Adviser, pursuant to which Howard Kennedy has agreed to act as sponsor to the Offers and the Investment Adviser has undertaken, as agent of the Companies, to use its reasonable endeavours to procure subscribers under the Offers. Neither Howard Kennedy nor the Investment Adviser is obliged to subscribe for New Shares under the Offers. Under the agreement the Companies have agreed to pay the Investment Adviser a promoter fee of either 2 % or 4 % of gross subscriptions under the Offers and the Investment Adviser has agreed to meet the costs of the Offers. Under the agreement, which may be terminated by Howard Kennedy and the Investment Adviser in certain circumstances, certain warranties have been given by the Companies and the Directors to Howard Kennedy and the Investment Adviser, subject to certain limitations. The Companies have also agreed to indemnify Howard Kennedy in respect of its role as sponsor. The warranties and indemnity are in the usual form for a contract of this type. The agreement may be terminated by Howard Kennedy if any statement in the Prospectus is untrue, any material omission from the Prospectus arises or any breach of warranty occurs.
| Lender | Date | Amount of Loan |
|---|---|---|
| HRE Willow Limited | 07-Sep-15 | £167,500 |
| Gloucester Wind Limited | 28-Sep-15 | 80,000 |
| Minsmere Power Limited | 07-Sep-15 | 151,701 |
| Hewas Solar Limited | 07-Sep-15 | £65,000 |
All of the above loans are interest free and are repayable only after 5 years and one day from the draw down date.
The Articles of each Company are identical and contain provisions, inter alia, to the following effect:
(a) Limited Liability
The liability of the members of the Companies is limited to the amount, if any, unpaid on the shares held by them.
(b) Objects
The Articles provide that each of the Companies' principal objects are to carry on the business of a venture capital trust.
(c) Variation of Rights
Whenever the share capital of the Companies is divided into different classes of shares, the special rights attached to any class may, subject to the provisions of the Acts and every other statute for the time being in force concerning companies and affecting the Companies ("the Statutes"), be varied or abrogated in respect of the whole or any part of that class either (a) in such manner (if any) as may be provided by such rights or (b) in the absence of such provision with the consent in writing of the holders of three-quarters in nominal value of the issued shares of the class or with the sanction of a special resolution passed at a separate meeting of the holders of the shares of the class (but not otherwise). At every such separate meeting the necessary quorum shall be at least two persons present holding or representing by proxy at least one-third in nominal value of the issued shares of the class (but so that at any adjourned meeting any holder of shares of the class present in person or by proxy shall be a quorum).
(d) Alteration of Share Capital
Each of the Companies may from time to time by ordinary resolution:
Subject to the provisions of the Statutes, each of the Companies may by special resolution:
The provisions of Section 561 of the 2006 Act (which, to the extent not disapplied pursuant to Section 570 of the 2006 Act, confer on Shareholders' rights of pre-emption in respect of the allotment of equity securities which are, or are to be, paid up in cash) apply to any shares which the Companies may issue under an authority passed by each of the Companies in general meeting, except to the extent disapplied by such Company in general meeting. Subject to the provisions of the Statutes relating to authority, pre-emption rights and otherwise and of any resolution of each of the Companies in general meeting passed pursuant thereto, all shares shall be at the disposal of the Directors and they may allot (with or without conferring a right of renunciation), grant options over or otherwise dispose of them to such persons, at such times and on such terms as they think proper.
The shares are in registered form and are freely transferable. All transfers of shares must be effected by a transfer in writing in any usual form or any other form approved by the Directors. The instrument of transfer of a share shall be executed by or on behalf of the transferor and, in the case of a partly paid share, by or on behalf of the transferee. The Directors may refuse to register any transfer of a partly paid share, and may also refuse to register any instrument of transfer unless:
Subject to any disenfranchisement as provided in the Articles the Ordinary Shareholders and the A Shareholders are entitled to receive notice of, to attend, speak and vote at any general meeting. Subject to (h) below, every Ordinary Shareholder present in person or by proxy shall upon a show of hands have one thousand votes for every Ordinary Share held by him and every Ordinary Shareholder present in person or by proxy shall upon a poll have one thousand votes for every Ordinary Share held by him. Subject to (h) below, every A Shareholder present in person or by proxy shall upon a show of hands have one vote for every A Share held by him and every A Shareholder present in person or by proxy shall upon a poll have one vote for every A Share held by him
Where the resolution to be considered by a meeting of Shareholders is in respect of a variation to the rights of the A Shareholders or where a Takeover Offer (as defined in the Articles) remains open for acceptance at the time of the relevant meeting, the voting rights of the A Shareholders shall rank pari passu with those of the Ordinary Shares. At such meetings each Ordinary Shareholder and A Shareholder present in person or by proxy shall upon a show of hands each have one vote for every Share held by each of them and every Ordinary Shareholder and A Shareholder present in person or by proxy shall upon a poll each have one vote for every Share held by each of them.
On the final closing date of the Offers, any Management A Shares in excess of one third of the total number of issued A Shares will be converted into and redesignated as Deferred Shares pro rata to each holder's respective holdings of A Shares. The Deferred Shares shall entitle the holders thereof to the following rights (subject to the following restrictions) in relation to their Deferred Shares:
(i) as regards dividends, the holders of Deferred Shares shall not be entitled to any dividends or other distributions in respect of their holding of such shares;
The Holders of Shares shall, subject to the provisions of the Articles, be entitled to receive in that capacity such dividends as the Directors may resolve to pay out of net assets attributable to the Shares and from income received and accrued from the income portfolio attributable to the Shares;
The Company may in general meeting by ordinary resolution declare dividends to be paid to members, provided that no dividend shall be payable in excess of the amount recommended by the Directors. The Directors may pay such interim dividends as appear to them to be justified. No dividend or other monies payable in respect of a share shall bear interest as against the Company. There are no fixed dates on which entitlement to a dividend arises. All dividends unclaimed for a period of twelve years after being declared or becoming due for payment shall be forfeited and shall revert to the Company.
The Directors may, with the prior sanction of an ordinary resolution of the Company, offer Shareholders the right to elect to receive in respect of all or part of their holding of shares, additional shares credited as fully paid instead of cash in respect of all or part of such dividend or dividends and (subject as hereinafter provided) upon such terms and conditions and in such manner as may be specified in such ordinary resolution. The ordinary resolution shall confer the said power on the Directors in respect of all or part of a particular dividend or in respect of all or any dividends (or any part of such dividends) declared or paid within a specified period but such period may not end later than the date of the annual general meeting next following the date of the general meeting at which such ordinary resolution is passed.
Notwithstanding the above provisions, the profits of the relevant Company available for dividends and resolved to be distributed and any other distributions and reductions of share capital shall be applied in accordance with the respective rights of the Ordinary and A Shares as set out in Part III of this document.
There are no redemption provisions affecting the Shares.
Each of the Redeemable Shares carries the right to a fixed dividend of 0.1% per annum on the nominal amount thereof, but confers no right to vote except where the rights of the holders of those shares are to be varied or abrogated. On a winding-up the Redeemable Shares confer the right to be paid the nominal amount paid upon such shares. The Redeemable Shares are redeemable at any time by the relevant Company for a sum equivalent to the amount paid up on each share.
A Director may hold any other office or place of profit except that of Auditor in conjunction with the office of Director and may act by himself or through his firm in a professional capacity to the Companies. Subject to the provisions of the Act, no such contract, arrangement, transaction or proposal entered into by or on behalf of the Companies in which any Director or person connected with him is in any way interested, whether directly or indirectly, shall be avoided, nor shall any Director who enters into any such contract, arrangement, transaction or proposal or who is so interested be liable to account to the relevant Company for any profit realised by any such contract, arrangement, transaction or proposal by reason of such Director holding that office or of the fiduciary relationship thereby established subject to the nature and extent of the Director's direct or indirect interest having been disclosed by him to the other Directors and authorisation being obtained from the Directors for the above in accordance with the provisions of the Act.
Save as set out in the Articles, a Director shall not vote in respect of any contract, arrangement, transaction or any other proposal whatsoever in which he has any direct or indirect interest otherwise than by virtue of his interests in shares or debentures or other securities of or otherwise in or through the relevant Company unless the Director has made a declaration disclosing the nature and extent of such interests and has obtained from the other Directors their authorisation for the above in accordance with the provisions of the Act. A Director shall not be counted in the quorum at a meeting in relation to any resolution on which he is debarred from
A Director shall (in the absence of some other material interest than is as indicated below) be entitled to vote (and be counted in the quorum) in respect of any resolution concerning any of the following matters, namely:
A Director shall not vote or be counted in the quorum on any resolution concerning his own appointment as the holder of any office or place of profit with the relevant Company or any company in which such relevant Company is interested including fixing or varying the terms of his appointment or the termination thereof.
Where proposals are under consideration concerning the appointment (including fixing or varying the terms of appointment) of two or more Directors to offices or employments with the relevant Company or any company in which the relevant Company is interested, such proposals shall be divided and considered in relation to each Director separately and in such cases each of the Directors concerned (if not otherwise debarred from voting) shall be entitled to vote (and be counted in the quorum) in respect of each resolution except that concerning his own appointment.
The ordinary remuneration of the Directors (other than an executive director appointed under the Articles) shall not exceed £100,000 per year, to be divided among them in such proportions and manner as the Directors may determine (and any additional amount as is approved by the relevant Company in general meeting). The Directors shall also be paid by the relevant Company all travelling, hotel and other expenses they may incur in attending meetings of the Directors or general meetings or otherwise in connection with the discharge of their duties.
Any Director who, by request of the Directors, performs special services or goes on any special journey for any purposes of the relevant Company may be paid such extra remuneration as the Directors may determine.
The emoluments and benefits of any executive director for his services as such shall be determined by the Directors and may be of any description, including membership of any pension or life assurance scheme for employees or their dependants or, apart from membership of any such scheme, the payment of a pension or other benefits to him or his dependant on or after retirement or death.
At the annual general meeting of the relevant Company next following the appointment of a Director he shall retire from office. A Director shall also retire from office at or before the third annual general meeting following the annual general meeting at which he last retired and was re-elected. A retiring Director shall be eligible for re-election.
If any member or other person appearing to be interested in shares of the relevant Company is in default in supplying within 28 days (or, if the shareholding is at least 0.25% of the share capital, 42 days) after the date of service of a notice requiring such member or other person to supply to such Company in writing all or any such information as is referred to in Section 793 of the 2006 Act, the Directors may, for such period as the default shall continue, impose restrictions upon the relevant shares. The restrictions available are the suspension of voting and rights of attendance at meetings of the Companies in respect of the relevant shares and, additionally, in the case of a shareholder representing at least 0.25% by nominal value of any class of shares of the relevant Company then in issue the withholding of payment of any dividends on and the restriction of transfer of the relevant shares.
On a winding-up of either of the Companies any surplus assets will be divided amongst the holders of the Shares. The Articles provide that the liquidator may, with the sanction of a special resolution and any other sanction required by the Act, divide amongst the members in specie the whole or any part of the assets of each of the Companies in such manner as he may determine.
The Board shall procure that at the fifth Annual General Meeting of the Company in 2016 (and at five (5) yearly intervals thereafter) an ordinary resolution will be proposed to the effect that the Company shall continue in being as a venture capital trust. If at any such meeting, such resolution is not passed, the Board shall within four months of such meeting convene an extraordinary general meeting of the Company at which a special resolution requiring the Company to be wound-up voluntarily shall be proposed.
If the special resolution referred to in this Article is not passed, the Company shall continue as a venture capital trust.
It is proposed at the Companies' annual general meeting convened for 7 March 2016 that this provision is removed.
(t) Investment Company Status
At any time when each of the Companies has given notice in the prescribed form (which has not been revoked) to the Registrar of Companies of its intention to carry on business as an investment company ("a Relevant Period"), distribution of each of the Companies' capital profits (within the meaning of section 833(2)(c) of the 2006 Act) shall be prohibited, except for the purpose of redeeming or purchasing its own shares in accordance with the 2006 Act, and the Directors shall establish a reserve to be called the capital reserve. During a Relevant Period, all surpluses arising from the realisation or revaluation of investments and all other moneys realised on or derived from the realisation, payment off of or other dealing with any capital asset in excess of the book value thereof and all other moneys which are considered by the Directors to be in the nature of accretion to capital shall be credited to the capital reserve. Subject to the 2006 Act, the Directors may determine whether any amount received by each of the Companies is to be dealt with as income or capital or partly one way and partly the other. During a Relevant Period, any loss realised on the realisation or payment off of or other dealing with any investments or other capital assets and, subject to the Act, any expenses, loss or liability (or provision therefor) which the Directors consider to relate to a capital item or which the Directors otherwise consider appropriate to be debited to the capital reserve shall be carried to the debit of the capital reserve. During a Relevant Period, all sums carried and standing to the credit of the capital reserve may be applied for any of the purposes for which sums standing to any revenue reserve are applicable except and provided that notwithstanding any other provision of the Articles no part of the capital reserve or any other money in the nature of accretion to capital shall be transferred to the revenue reserves of each of the Companies or be regarded or treated as profits of each of the Companies available for distribution (as defined by Section 829(1) of the 2006 Act), except for the purpose of redeeming or purchasing its own shares, or be applied in paying dividends on any shares in each of the Companies. In periods other than a Relevant Period, any amount standing to the credit of the capital reserve may be transferred to the revenue reserves of each of the Companies or be regarded or treated as profits of each of the Companies available for distribution or applied in paying dividends on any shares in each of the Companies.
An annual general meeting shall be held within six months of the financial year end. The Directors may, whenever they see fit, and shall
on requisition in accordance with statute, proceed with proper expedition to convene a general meeting.
Subject to the Acts, an annual general meeting shall be called by at least 21 clear days' notice in writing, and any other general meeting shall be called by at least 21 clear days' notice by the relevant Company unless, in either case, it is proposed to pass a resolution for which special notice has to be given by the relevant Company, in which case 28 days' notice is required. Notice shall be given to all members, other than those who are not entitled under the Articles to receive notice, to the Directors and to the Auditors. A general meeting may be called by shorter notice if it is agreed: (i) in the case of an annual general meeting, by all the members entitled to attend and vote; and (ii) in the case of a general meeting, by a majority in the number of the members having a right to attend and vote, being a majority together holding at least 95% in nominal value of the shares giving that right.
Every notice calling a general meeting shall specify the place, day and hour of the meeting. Every notice must include a prominent statement that a member entitled to attend and vote is entitled to appoint a proxy or proxies to attend and, on a poll, vote instead of him and that a proxy need not be a member of the relevant Company.
In the case of any general meeting at which businesses other than routine business is to be transacted, the notice shall specify the general nature of such business. The notice shall say whether any resolution is to be proposed as a special resolution. In the case of an annual general meeting, the notice shall also specify the meeting as such. "Routine business" shall include only business transacted as an annual general meeting of the following classes; declaring dividends; receiving and/or adopting the accounts, the reports of the directors and auditors and other documents required to be attached or annexed to the accounts; appointing or re-appointing directors to fill vacancies arising at the meeting on retirement whether by rotation or otherwise; reappointing the retiring auditors (other than auditors last appointed otherwise than by the relevant Company in general meeting); and fixing the remuneration of the auditors or determining the manner in which such remuneration is to be fixed.
Valuation of listed investments and investments traded on AIM or other public stock markets will be stated at closing bid prices. Where quoted investments are subject to restrictions, an appropriate discount to the latest market price may be applied with regard to International Private Equity and Venture Capital ("IPEVC") valuation guidelines.
Unquoted investments are stated at the Directors' valuation. The Directors will value these investments in accordance with the IPEVC valuation guidelines.
Investments will be valued by each of the Boards on 31 December and 30 June of each year and these net asset values will be communicated to Shareholders through the Regulatory News Service. Each Company will also announce when there has been a major change to net asset value, for instance as a result of a disposal of an investment or if that Company undertakes a fundraising and needs to announce an interim valuation. The Directors do not anticipate any circumstances arising under which the calculation of the net asset value may be suspended.
The Companies have to satisfy a number of tests to continue to qualify as a VCT. A summary of these tests is set out below. The following information is based on current UK law and practice and is subject to changes therein, is given by way of a general summary and does not constitute legal or tax advice.
To qualify as a VCT, a company must be approved as such by HMRC. To obtain such approval it must:
(i) not be a close company;
The term "eligible shares" means shares which carry no preferential rights to assets on a winding-up and no rights to be redeemed, although they may have certain preferential rights to dividends. For investments made before 6 April 2011, "eligible shares" means shares which do not carry any rights to be redeemed or a preferential right to dividends or to assets on a winding up.
(b) Qualifying Investments
A Qualifying Investment consists of shares or securities first issued to the VCT (and held by it ever since) by a company satisfying the conditions set out in Chapter 4 of Part 6 of the Tax Act 2007.
The conditions are detailed, but include that the company must be a Qualifying Company, have gross assets not exceeding £15 million immediately before and £16 million immediately after the investment, have fewer than 250 fulltime equivalent employees, apply the money raised for the purposes of a qualifying trade within a certain time period, cannot be controlled by another company and at the time of investment did not obtain more than £5 million of Risk Finance State Aid investment in the twelve month period ending on the date of the investment by the VCT. In certain circumstances, an investment in a company by a VCT can be split into a part which is a qualifying holding and a part which is a non-qualifying holding.
(c) Qualifying Companies
A Qualifying Company must be unquoted (for VCT purposes this includes company whose shares are traded on the ISDX and AIM) and must carry on a qualifying trade. For this purpose certain activities are excluded such as dealing in land or shares or providing financial services. The qualifying trade must either be carried on by, or be intended to be carried on by, the Qualifying Company or by a qualifying subsidiary at the time of the issue of shares or securities to the VCT (and at all times thereafter). The company first commercial sale must be less than seven years before the first investment from Risk Finance State Aid (ten years for a Knowledge Intensive Company) or the investment must meet a turnover test. The company must have a permanent establishment in the UK, but the companies need not be UK resident. A company intending to carry on a qualifying trade must begin to trade within two years of the issue of shares or securities to the VCT and continue it thereafter. A Qualifying Company may have no subsidiaries other than qualifying subsidiaries which must, in most cases, be at least 51% owned.
With effect from 6 April 2012 a "disqualifying purpose" test was introduced under which an investment will not be a Qualifying Investment if the investee company has been set up for the purpose of accessing tax reliefs or is in substance a financing business.
VCT funds cannot be used by an investee company to fund the purchase of shares in another company or to acquire an existing trade or intangible assets in use in a trade.
A VCT must be approved at all times by HMRC. Approval has effect from the time specified at approval. A VCT cannot be approved unless the tests detailed above are met throughout the most recent complete accounting period of the VCT and HMRC is satisfied that they will be met in relation to the accounting period of the VCT which is current when the application is made. However, where a VCT raises further funds, VCTs are given grace periods to invest those funds before those funds need to meet such tests. The Company has received approval as a VCT from HMRC.
Approval of a VCT may be withdrawn by HMRC if the various tests set out above are not satisfied. The exemption from corporation tax on capital gains will not apply to any gain realised after the point at which VCT status is lost. Withdrawal of approval generally has effect from time to time when notice is given to the VCT but in relation to capital gains tax of the VCT only can be backdated to not earlier than the first day of the accounting period commencing immediately after the last accounting period of the VCT in which all of the tests were satisfied.
The Investment Adviser may be involved in other financial, investment or professional activities that may on occasion give rise to conflicts of interest with the Companies. In particular, it currently does, and may continue to, provide investment management, investment advice or other services in relation to a number of other funds or accounts that may have similar investment objectives and/or policies to that of the Companies and may receive ad valorem and/or performance-related fees for doing so. As a result, the Investment Adviser may have conflicts of interest in allocating investments among the Companies and other clients and in effecting transactions between the Companies and other clients. The Investment Adviser may give advice or take action with respect to such other clients that differs from the advice given or actions taken with respect to the Companies. The Board of the Companies have noted that the Investment Adviser has other clients and have satisfied themselves that the Investment Adviser has procedures in place to address potential conflicts of interest.
The Companies and the Directors (whose names are set out on page 33) accept responsibility for the information contained in this document. To the best of the knowledge of the Companies and the Directors (who have taken all reasonable care to ensure that such is the case) the information contained in the document is in accordance with the facts and does not omit anything likely to affect the import of such information.
(g) None of the Companies' capital is under option, nor are there any conditional or unconditional agreements for any part of the Companies' capital to be put under option.
(h) Shareholders will be informed by means of the interim and/or annual report or through a public announcement if the investment restrictions which apply to the Companies as a VCT (as detailed in this document) are breached.
(s) The Directors and the Investment Adviser may, from time to time, become interested in transactions with or in certain companies in which each of the Companies has invested or proposes to invest, subject to full disclosure, Board approval and compliance with the Listing Rules. If the Board of either Company is required to pass any resolution regarding the continuing appointment of the Investment Adviser as the Companies' investment adviser or other matters concerning the Investment Adviser, only directors independent of the Investment Adviser will vote on such resolutions.
(t) There is no withholding tax on dividends paid by a UK company and consequently each of the Companies does not assume responsibility for the withholding of tax at source.
Copies of the following documents will be available for inspection during usual business hours on weekdays, weekends and public holidays excepted, at the offices of Howard Kennedy LLP at No.1 London Bridge, London SE1 9BG, whilst the Offer is open:
In this document, the following words and expressions have the following meanings:
| Admission | the respective dates on which the New Shares allotted pursuant to the Offer are listed on the premium segment of the Official List and admitted to trading on the London Stock Exchange's main market for listed securities |
|---|---|
| Articles | the articles of association of the Companies |
| Board or Directors | the board of directors of the Companies or either Company from time to time |
| Business Day | any day (other than a Saturday or Sunday) on which clearing banks are open for normal banking business in sterling |
| B Shares | "B" Ordinary Shares of 0.1p each in the capital of the relevant Company |
| CA 2006 | the Companies Act 2006 (as amended) |
| Circular | the circular to the Shareholders of the Companies dated 18 February 2016 |
| UK Corporate Governance Code | the UK Corporate Governance Code issued by the Financial Reporting Council in September 2014 |
| Company or VCT 1 or VCT 2 | Hazel Renewable Energy VCT 1 plc and/or Hazel Renewable Energy VCT 2 plc |
| CREST | the computerised settlement system to facilitate the transfer of title to securities in uncertificated form operated by Euroclear UK & Ireland Limited |
| Existing Shares | ordinary shares of 0.1p each and/or "A" Ordinary Shares of 0.1p each (and each a Share) |
| FCA | the Financial Conduct Authority |
| FSMA | the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (as amended) |
| General Meeting | the general meeting of the Companies to be held on 14 March 2016 (or any adjournment thereof) at which Shareholders' approval will be sought to, among other things, approve the Offers |
| HMRC | Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs |
| IMA | the investment management and administration agreement dated 20 October 2010 (as varied) between the Companies and Hazel under which Hazel acts as the Companies' investment adviser for an initial term of six years and thereafter on one year's notice either side, further details of which are set out on page 21 |
| IMA Deed of Variation | the deed of variation to the IMA dated 18 February 2016 between the Companies and Hazel, details of which are set out in paragraph 4(ii) of Part VI |
| Listing Rules | the listing rules made by the UK Listing Authority under section 74 of FSM |
| London Stock Exchange | London Stock Exchange plc |
| Hazel Capital or Hazel or the Investment Adviser |
Hazel Capital LLP, the Investment Adviser to the Companies (registered in England and Wales under number OC327915) whose registered office is at 2nd Floor 227 Shepherds Bush Road, London, W6 7AS |
| NAV or net asset value | the net asset value of a Share calculated in accordance with the relevant Companies' |
|---|---|
| accounting polices | |
| New Articles | the Articles that are proposed to be adopted at the General Meeting |
| Offer | the offer for subscription of New Shares in the Companies contained in the Prospectus |
| Official List | the official list of the UK Listing Authority |
| Prospectus | this Registration Document, the Securities Note and the Summary |
| Qualifying Company | an unquoted (including ISDX-traded and AIM-traded) company which satisfies the requirements of Part 4 of Chapter 6 of the Tax Act |
| Qualifying Investor | an individual aged 18 or over who satisfies the conditions of eligibility for tax relief available to investors in a VCT |
| Qualifying Investment | shares in, or securities of, a Qualifying Companies held by a VCT which meet the requirements of Part 4 of Chapter 6 of the Tax Act |
| Qualifying Shareholder | a Shareholder in the Companies who satisfies the conditions of eligibility for tax relief available to investors in a VCT in respect of his or her shareholding |
| Registrars | Capita Asset Services |
| Receiving Agent | Downing LLP |
| Registration Document or this document |
this document dated 18 February 2016 |
| Restricted Territories | Canada, Australia, Japan and South Africa |
| Securities Note | the securities note issued by the Companies dated 18 February 2016 in connection with the Offer |
| Shareholders | holders of Shares in the Companies (and each a Shareholder) |
| Summary | the summary issued by the Companies dated 18 February 2016 in connection with the Offer |
| Tax Act | the Income Tax Act 2007 (as amended) |
| UK Listing Authority or UKLA | the FCA in its capacity as the competent authority for the purposes of Part VI of the FSMA |
| United States | the United States of America, its states, territories and possessions (including the District of Columbia) |
| VCT Value | the value of an investment calculated in accordance with section 278 of the Tax Act |
| VCT | a venture capital trust as defined in section 259 of the Tax Act |
VCT 1 Directors (all Non Executive)
VCT 2 Directors (all Non-Executive)
Companies Secretary and Registered Office of the Companies
Investment Adviser of the Companies Hazel Capital LLP
Receiving Agents of the Companies Downing LLP
Registrars of the Companies Capita Asset Services
Registered Auditors of the Companies BDO LLP
Bankers to the Companies Royal Bank of Scotland
Michael Cunningham (Chairman) Stephen Hay Ben Guest all of 2nd Floor 227 Shepherds Bush Road, London, W6 7AS
Peter Wisher (Chairman) Alexander Hambro Christian Yates Bozkurt Aydinoglu all of 2nd Floor 227 Shepherds Bush Road, London, W6 7AS
Grant Whitehouse 5th Floor, Ergon House, Horseferry Road, London, SW1P 2AL
2nd Floor 227 Shepherds Bush Road, London, W6 7AS
Administrator of the Companies Downing Management Services Limited 5th Floor, Ergon House, Horseferry Road, London, SW1P 2AL
5th Floor, Ergon House, Horseferry Road, London, SW1P 2AL
The Registry, 34 Beckenham Road, Beckenham, Kent, BR3 4TU
55 Baker Street, London, W1U 7EU
Sponsor to the Offers Howard Kennedy Corporate Services LLP No.1 London Bridge, London, SE1 9BG
VCT Advisers to the Companies Philip Hare & Associates Limited 4-6 Staple Inn, Holborn, London, WC1V 7QH
119/121 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6RA
Solicitors to the Offers Howard Kennedy LLP No.1 London Bridge, London, SE1 9BG
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