3. SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Statements of Standard Accounting Practice. The principal accounting policies adopted are as follows:
Income recognition
Annual subscription income is accounted for as it is received, except that amounts received from new members joining after 31 October in any year are carried forward into the following year.
Income relating to life memberships is taken into account in five equal instalments, commencing with the year in which it is received.
The Society's journal
Provision is made each year for the estimated cost of printing the journal published for the previous year. Only those members who have paid their subscriptions in full in any year are entitled to receive the previous year's journal. No value is attributed to journals remaining in stock at the balance sheet date.
Other publications and stocks
As and when the Society commissions other publications or purchases other items for resale, the stock of such items is carried at net cost to the Society, less provision to reduce the balance to estimated net realisable value.
Purchase of books
The cost of books purchased for the Society's library is written off in the year in which it is incurred.
Investments in securities
Investments in securities are recognised on a trade date basis and are initially measured at cost.
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