Catsfield Village Hall
Registered Charity Number: 1001062
Trustees Annual Report for the period 1[st] January to 31[st] December 2024
Aims and Purposes
Catsfield Village Hall’s function is as a central gathering place for the community, offering a versatile space that encourages social connections, supports various activities, and enhances residents' wellbeing. By hosting numerous groups, events, and services, this helps reduce social isolation and also serves as an essential resource during emergencies as well as being host to our local history.
Objectives and Activities
The object of the Charity is the provision and maintenance of a village hall for the use of the inhabitants of the Parish of Catsfield without distinction of political, religious or other opinions, including use for meetings, lectures and classes, and for other forms of recreation and leisure-time occupation, with the object of improving the conditions of life for the said inhabitants.
The said land and building shall be held upon trust for the purposes of a village hall as aforesaid.
Achievements and Performance
Recent Improvements and Maintenance Works
Fire Safety Upgrades: The installation of a new fire alarm system has been successfully completed, enhancing the safety of the premises for all users.
Storage and Facility Adjustments: The Catsfield Pre-School store has been relocated to the old committee room. Initial adjustments have also been made to the new hall store, ensuring it is now functional and fit for purpose.
Interior Redecoration: Redecoration works have been carried out throughout the building, including the hall, stairs and snooker room, providing a refreshed and welcoming environment.
Soft Furnishings: New curtains have been installed in all relevant areas, further improving the appearance and comfort of the facility.
Flooring Improvements: Laminate flooring has been fitted in both the entrance foyer and the servery,
offering a clean and durable surface for these high-traffic areas.
Roof Repairs: The flat roof above the ladies’ toilet has been repaired; however, it has yet to be fully tested under adverse weather conditions.
External Lighting Enhancements: New external lighting has been installed at the main entrance, together with an additional light by Hermon Cottage. The system now features an electronic timer with a dusk sensor, eliminating the need for frequent manual adjustments.
Hermon Cottage Carpet Cleaning: The carpet in Hermon Cottage has been professionally cleaned. Although its appearance has significantly improved, it appears to be beyond full restoration.
Financial Review
The following statement of accounts shows a summary of income received and payments made during 2024.
Catsfield Village Hall
Year End 31st December 2024 - Receipts & Payments Account
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Balance as at
31-Dec-24
Cash in Hand (Petty Cash) 8.27
Bank Balance 4,109.14
CCLA 10,886.02
15,003.43
31-Dec-23 Income 31-Dec-24
11,247.33 Main Hall 14,142.22
1,075.00 Hermon Cottage 4,302.00
1,986.00 Snooker Bookings 1,481.00
14,308.33 19,925.22
Other Income
1,095.06 Catsfield 100 Club 900.55
192.00 Sundry (Grants /
legacies etc) 9,101.44
760.53 COIF Interest 771.43
2,047.59 10,773.42
16,355.92 TOTAL INCOME 30,698.64
Expenditure
4,098.00 Commissions 4,362.00
1,529.27 Insurance/Rates 1,564.12
2,072.43 Housekeeping 2,304.34
6,500.21 Maintenance 22,575.11
2,273.10 Oil 1,631.50
1,085.00 Electricity 1,075.00
187.71 Water 918.59
317.58 Licences 596.92
604.80 Snooker 604.80
136.36 Communications 621.61
205.59 Sundries 251.34
19,010.05 36,505.33
19,010.05 TOTAL EXPENDITURE 36,505.33
(2,654.13) Surplus / (Deficit) (5,806.69)
COIF transfer
0.00 From COIF to Bank 0.00
Balances carried forward as represented
31-Dec-23 by 31-Dec-24
262.14 Cash in Hand (Petty Cash) 8.27
2,433.39 Bank Balance 4,109.14
18,114.59 COIF Maintenance incl. interest 10,886.02
20,810.12 15,003.43
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CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND ANO WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner s Report Report to the trustées c6CsFIÉLP VILLA6£ IklLL On accounts for the year ended I PF_cÉN&£ £02 Charlty no loologL Set out on pages 1relrerrt to vdtsoe Ihe page .br$ of add.Iior)al sheeisy I report to the trustees M My examination of the tharity (Ihe Tfusf) for the year ended ?1 / i i As the thartys trustees. ar8 r8sp)nsible for the prèparat of the accounts in ac)rdance hilh the uirernents of th8 Charities A(# 2011 {Ihe Acr). ccounts of the above Responslbllltles and basls of roport I reFQrt in respect of my examination of the Trusys accounts carried ¢)ut undw section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carnwng out my examinalion. I have followed all the app.cable Directions given by the Charity Commission under sedion 1445Xb) of the Act. Independent examinerfs statement I have c¢xnpleted rny examinatlon. I confirm ttjat no materfal matters have ome to my attentK)n in cOnneCn w7th the examination (gtk8F -di9de") gNes rne cause to believe that li, any material the accountirKJ recirds Ere not kept in aCCCdan *ith sectron 130 of Ihe Charilies Act; or the acrA)unts not accord wlh the aCUntIng records; or the accounts dkl not ts)mply the applicable requirements conceming the fomi and content of accounts set c1 in the Chartties (knunts and Repts} RegUlats'C 2008 other Ihan any requirement that the accounts give a Irue and fairf view which is not a matter considered as part of an ind8FW)dent examination. I have no concems and have CL)me auoss no other matters in connection witt) the examination to attention shoukl be dravm in this report in order to enat4e a proper understandirvJ of th6 accounts to be reached. . Fyease delete the in the brackets rfthey do not awy. Slgnod: Namo: (110y cARi£Ko HeAffjF4 Rolevant profosslonal qualification($) or body Prt<- QuALcfv¢2 ql/iL(FJz EP IER Oct 2018
The accounts have been checked by an Independent Examiner - Tony Heath and no issues were raised.
Bank and Cash Balances:
Though our overall cash balances have dropped we continue to be in a healthy position. As at 31-Dec24 we held £15,003 compared with £20,810 for the previous year. We are reporting a deficit of £5,807 for the year.
Income:
Our overall income for the year was £30,699 and is explained below:
Hire: Total hire income of £19,925 was up on last year by £5,617. Hermon Cottage saw a significant increase.
Snooker bookings were down. The Committee agreed to implement a small rate increase in May 2024 on the Village groups and societies + 2 other regular hirers fees. We aim to support our local organisations as much as possible but with forever increasing costs we occasionally have to increase fees.
Other: The '100 Club' once again provided a welcome contribution of £901. Thank you to Victoria for organising everything and to all those who continued to contribute, this goes a long way to supporting the premises maintenance.
Interest on our COIF account of £771 was marginally up on last year and is a welcome bonus.
We were fortunate to receive grants from Rother DC of £1,867 towards insulating the hall, £500 from Sussex Police PPAF towards new security locks, £6,000 from the Parish Council to install a new fire alarm system and a donation of £529 from the disbanded Catsfield Triangle Association for redecorating the snooker room
Expenses:
The overall expenses of £36,505 was significantly up on last year's expenses of £19,010 as explained below:
We undertook some major maintenance of the hall across the year, which was partially covered by grants and donations, the rest coming out of our maintenance fund.
Like everyone else, we are suffering with the ever-increasing costs in utilities, materials and labour, but putting aside maintenance costs the overall running expenses of the hall had not increased.
In conclusion:
Over the past 3 years we have reported a deficit, but this has been due to a catch-up on necessary maintenance works.
We have an obligation to ensure the hall is a safe environment for all our users to be in and this sadly comes at a cost. We, as a committee, are proud of the hall and want to provide pleasant surroundings for everyone to enjoy.
Structure, governance and management
The structure, governance and management of the hall is detailed in the Constitution sealed by Order of the Commissioners on 30[th] September 1991.
Reference and administrative details
The current contact is Mrs. Paula Barker - Secretary
The charity’s bank account is held at Barclays Bank.
This report was approved by the Trustees at their AGM held on 15[th] April 2025
Signed by: Mrs. Carol Hodgson Date: 15[th] April 2025
Treasurer to Catsfield Village Hall Management Committee