
Spot colour is remapped and will be correct when PDF is made.
See ink aliases or overprint preview!
Mountview Estates P.L.C. Annual Report and Accounts 2025
Corporate Governance
The Board is committed to establishing and sustaining
stakeholders. A key component of this approach is a strong
corporate governance processes that reflect all of the
focus on remaining up to date on current and emerging
prevailing UK Corporate Governance Code (2018 Code),
developments in our markets, legislation and regulation
the Group’s circumstances and structure and the external
and the governance environment. This we achieve through
challenges and constraints that we face. Prior challenges,
a combination of reading, contact with our advisers and
including Covid-19, have strengthened our processes by
Directors attending updates, including via webinars, and
testing them under ‘stress’. As we describe in our discussion
then sharing salient points raised with the rest of the Board
of summary prospects for the Group on page 9, we face
for discussion during Board meetings. In addition, we have
both continuing and new uncertainties that will bring
again worked closely with PRISM Cosec our corporate
their own challenges to all processes – both operational
governance consultants, and our other advisers to identify
and governance. The last financial year has been another
the best ways to build evolving practice into our approach.
successful one for the Group and we view effective
We are mindful that our structure, which has evolved
governance, together with our Purpose, culture and values
through our history and is aligned with our culture and
as essential ingredients for this long-term success and the
values, is not fully compliant with some of the provisions in
generation of sustainable value for all our stakeholders. The
the 2018 Code or the 2024 Code.
result is that since we first reported under the 2018 Code
Equally, we recognise the value of bringing different
our processes have evolved, but throughout your Board
perspectives to bear on issues arising within the business in
has:
terms of both contribution to debate and risk management
• operated as normal, meeting both remotely and in
and mitigation. We manage this by involving our various
person for Board and Committee meetings as well as
advisers when matters relevant to their areas of expertise
having informal discussions between meetings
arise. In this way we are able to ensure that we get the
• retained close oversight of our operations and the
necessary expert input when it is needed.
continuing suitability of our strategy
Taking account of the 2018 Code in the context of our size,
• monitored our existing and emerging risks, updating
with 25 employees plus six Directors, our shareholdings
our risk matrix as needed to ensure we have good risk
and the nature of our operations where we have a focused,
management and controls in place
stable and enduring strategy, and stable workforce and
Throughout we believe that our purpose, culture and
suppliers, we have looked at each of the principles and
values have informed and supported the decisions that
provisions of the 2018 Code to consider the spirit behind
we have taken, supported by the commitment, experience
them as well as the actual wording used. Given this context
and creativity of all at Mountview. In addition, effective
where the Board and the Executives in particular are much
engagement with our stakeholders, as described in our
closer to the employees and operations than is likely to
Section 172 statement on page 14 has underpinned our
be the case for many quoted companies, we have, as
work during the year using both traditional and electronic
envisaged by the 2018 Code, adopted alternative solutions
means. Contact with stakeholders, is key to understanding
to provisions where we believe this to be appropriate.
their views and receiving their feedback. As a result a
We are of the view that throughout we are operating
considerable amount of Board time has been taken up
within the spirit behind the principles of good corporate
with reporting back on contact with shareholders and other
governance – in a manner that is appropriate to our
stakeholders and discussing and responding to points that
business, our size and our economic footprint. In particular,
they have raised.
as a small Board, we recognise that there are matters
concerning the size and composition of the Board that
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE CODE
fall into this category. The Board and also shareholders,
COMPLIANCE STATEMENT
when consulted, are at one with their view that new Board
In respect of the year ended 31 March 2025, the Company
positions should be created only when there is a clear need
was subject to the 2018 Code, a copy of which can be found
and when the appointee will add capacity or skills that are
at www.frc.org.uk/corporate/ukcgcode.cfm. The Board
needed by the business in order for it to continue to pursue
confirms that the Company applied the principles, with
its strategy.
details throughout this annual report, and complied with
the provisions of the 2018 Code, except as disclosed in
Below we note the areas where we believe we comply with
this section. In addition, in anticipation of the coming into
the spirit of the 2018 Code but do not currently adhere
force and application of the 2024 Code for the financial year
completely to the detailed requirements in the provisions.
commencing 1 April 2025, the Board has chosen to adopt
These matters are kept under constant review as a whole by
early certain provisions as described on page 53 in the
the Board.
section 2024 Code.
Should there be a material change in the Company’s
We remain committed to the benefits of a robust
strategy, business model, structure or risk environment then
governance framework and believe that through our
these points would be revisited and, after consulting with
approach we are able to best safeguard the interests of,
shareholders on proposals, we would make such changes as
and deliver long term value to, our shareholders and other
are appropriate given the changed circumstances.
36
3267032670MountviewMountviewAR2025.inddAR2025.indd363607/07/202507/07/202513:31:4413:31:44