TRUSTEES REPORT 2023
Held in the main hall at Newport Village Hall on Monday October 30[th] at 7.30pm. Attended by 14 people – volunteers, hirers and villagers.
The Chair of the Volunteer Group, Steve Clarke delivered the Trustees Report and Treasurer Colin Benstead, the Financial report.
A new working document - last year’s open meeting was only attended by three of the committee so an agm was impossible. Therefore the decision was taken to implement a new working document whereby those involved in the running of the hall would be known as volunteers and be part of a volunteer group for as long as they wished. We no longer have an agm. This was written in as an amendment to the existing constitution. It has worked well since January 2023. This year a CCTV policy has been written at the request of the Pre School, the cleaning contract updated and a cleaning checklist has been in place since Sept 23.
Improvements – The new kitchen in the small hall donated by Howdens was installed in between October and December 22 and is an asset but it required more work for the volunteers than had been anticipated. Thanks go to Stew Cundill who managed the project for us. Fishers have upgraded the alarm systems which are now digital. New lights were installed on the eastern side to make it safer for pedestrians leaving the car park and entering from Main Road. Some more of the emergency lights have been upgraded. There have been some ongoing repairs particularly in the toilets of the new hall which is now over 20 years old so things are wearing out. Most of this work is able to be done by the volunteers. However, the flat roof above the kitchen and office in the main hall was replaced in January 2023.
Volunteers – NVH is operated on the good will of a very small cohort of volunteers and I wish to thank them all very much for their efforts and just give people a sense of what sort of things these people do in order for your village hall to operate. The only people who are paid are our cleaners who continue to give us great service. Thank you Amy, Catty and Chantel. Volunteers are needed to keep the diary, open and close for non-regular hirers, maintain the recreation field, cut the grass at the front of the hall, liaise with contractors – we try to arrange all our annual system checks and visits for February half term and this works well. The white lines in the car park need to be repainted annually and the recycling bins need to be monitored. Unfortunately people leave things which should not be left – the latest being a flat screen television which we will have to dispose of. This is fly tipping. This year there have been two big events, a large wedding party for nearly 100 people and the Coronation Ball for over 50 people. Both these events were successful but required a lot of setting up and cleaning up afterwards by the volunteers. The monthly bingos are a vital source of extra income to NVH and are welcomed by the officianadoes but two have had to be cancelled because we did not have enough volunteers available on the night to run them. It is a lot of work for Rhonda and Paula to set them up and I
thank them very much. Our monthly quizzes from Sept to May each year are attended by a small regular group of supporters. Their attendance helps to top up the funds. We would have loved to have used the hall as a warm space for the village over the winter of 2022-23 and there was money available to support it but we just did not have enough volunteers available to support it. Several of us have been involved with the hall for over 30 years and are not getting any younger. We desperately need people to join us in order to keep the hall going for the future. Is there anyone out there ?
Finance – The 2022-23 accounts are currently at the auditors ahead of the Charity Commission annual submission before the end of the year. The hire of the hall remains similar to the previous year at approximately £20k but heavily reliant on Pre School, Dog Training and Aerial. Expenditure has increased, of which the flat roof replacement was a ‘one off’, the drastic increase in energy cost is not. EDF, the gas supplier has proved very challenging with bill problems and particularly unhelpful telephone support. He believes that we have been under charged by in excess of £2k. Fortunately the contract ends in November 2023. The energy costs plus increase in other costs means expenditure was just over £24k , income just over £21k but fund raising at just over £3k takes NVH into a small profit on the year which could become a £2k if EDF ‘discover’ a final bill. The fund raising, though modest is therefore not insignificant. The Treasurer thanks the Prize Bingo volunteers and Steve Clarke for organising monthly quizzes which since 1994 has raised thousands of pounds for NVH.
The picture for 2023-24 eight months in is not optimistic. Income is likely to be similar to 22-23 but the gas bill is predicted to be £6k this year and we now have to pay for grass cutting of the recreation field as E Riding CC have withdrawn support. This will be approximately £1200 per year. The Parish Council have given a one off donation of £400 this year. It is helpful that parties has brought in more that last year already. A loss of in excess of £5k is predicted this year. Prices for hiring the premises did go up modestly in Sept 23 but these losses will have to come from reserves and they are finite so if this situation continues particularly re. energy costs, those reserves will have gone in a few years. This would be made worse if we had an unforeseen ‘big expense’. The additional worry is that Pre School is losing £300 a week due to lack of numbers. If it folded it would be a big blow to NVH.
The Chair thanked Colin for his work on the finances for the organisation over the past few years. He has invested an awful lot of time on the finances this year and it should not be necessary to keep such a forensic check on the meters because of the incompetence of EDF. I know it has caused him sleepless nights. I don’t know what we would do without him.
External Factors –
Early last year we were heartened by the news in May 22 that there was a Platinum Jubilee fund especially for village halls as we had a project in mind. By last year’s open meeting the government had not decided how the fund was to be administered
and the queen had already died. Eventually it was announced in mid December 22 and halls had less than three weeks over Xmas to submit their bids – thanks ! It turned out that very little money was available for each project and ours no long seemed to fit the criteria. Any grant source involves a significant contribution from the organisation, rightly so. Given our financial position any expensive projects are on the back burner for now.
Earlier this year our insurers informed us that they were not prepared to insure bouncy castles in halls unless those booking checked the supplier had insurance and that, if they were supervising themselves, that they take out insurance as Allied Westminster would not accept liability. Bouncy castles are popular for children’s parties. We have to make hirers aware of these terms and that they book bouncy castles at their own risk.
We recently learned of Martyn’s Law currently going through parliament and named after a victim of the Manchester Arena bombing. Basically all venues with 100+ seating capacity must have a terrorism risk assessment, train volunteers/staff and have a ‘lock in’ system in place. ACRE are agitating for the lower limit to be increased to 250. There will be cost implications for training.
Support and Usage – NVH is very grateful to our regular hirers who have supported us for many years and help us enormously. We rely on Pre School, Paul’s Dog Training classes (and thank him for the £300 donation from their Xmas raffle in Dec 22), Lucy’s Aerial classes, Krista’s Pilates sessions, Beth’s fitness classes and Jane’s Sewing sessions for regular income. This is supplemented by income from the Recreation field via Newport CC and more recently Gilberdyke FC, use of the hall as HQ for cycling events and for parties. However, the hall is by no means fully booked out on a regular basis. We need to increase the usage to reduce our current deficit. I have details of the times when the hall is regularly available and our rates of hire and can pass them on after the meeting.
The Future – Colin has explained the financial situation and the implications for the future and that we are likely to run at a significant loss for the foreseeable future unless energy costs come down and usage goes up. Our reserves will only last so long and what happens then I really don’t know. I would add that I have real concerns about the running of the hall falling on the heads of a very small band of volunteers who will not be there for ever. Can you help us ? Will you help us ?
Questions
Volunteers Amy and Catty presented several new ideas for increasing revenue for NVH – the children’s halloween night was well supported and will be repeated with a Xmas theme in December, suggested offering a bouncy castle in support of the parties, plan to hold a family prize bingo in December.
Gordon Shields suggested approaching businesses to sponsor the village hall. The Chair replied that he had already received one tentative offer of support in this way. He felt it was important to have a hirer’s agreement for all bouncy castle bookings.
He suggested the NVH volunteers look at CIC as grant funding for running costs would be difficult when reserves were at the current level. It was worth reviving the previously mentioned project as there was money out there. Stew Cundill informed the meeting that the landlord of the Jolly Sailor was interested in co-operating with NVH in putting on wedding receptions and band acts in the hall which she would organise.
The Chair thanked everyone for their attendance at the meeting which ended at 8.30pm
Steve Clarke
Chair / Sec NVH Volunteer Group.
NEWPORT VILLAGE HALL ACCOUNTS – April 1st 2022 – Mar 31st 2023
Income
Expenditure
| Hire of Hall | £18903.00 |
|---|---|
| Main users :- | |
| Pre School | £7407.00 |
| Dogs | £3084.00 |
| Aerial | £2907.50 |
| Sewing | £909.00 |
| Parties | £828.00 |
| HIIT | £826.00 |
| Pilates | £785.00 |
| Cycling | £776.00 |
| Howden u3a | £359.00 |
| Art | £285.00 |
| Caravanners | £195.00 |
| Gold Man | £130.00 |
| Canine Training | £110.50 |
| Photography | £110.50 |
| Tea Dance | £52.00 |
| Gilberdyke WI | £45.50 |
| Band Practice | £45.00 |
| Meeting – First Responders | £20.00 |
| Parish Council | £18.00 |
| Cricket Meeting | £10.00 |
| Roof Repair – Refund (Pearsons) | £2500.00 |
| Gilberdyke and District Volunteers | £327.93 |
| Cricket Club | £150.00 |
| Field Hire | £60.00 |
| Cleaning | £5782.08 |
|---|---|
| Flat Roof Replacement | £5262.00 |
| Gas – Pozitive Energy +EDF Energy | £2506.75 |
| Electric – Opus Energy | £1960.62 |
| Fishers – Alarms (+ Addition) | £1527.62 |
| Insurance – Allied Westminster | £1395.20 |
| Yorkshire Water (now Business Stream) | £1179.63 |
| Kitchen – Small Hall | £893.06 |
| Daisy Comms – WiFi | £768.87 |
| ERYC – Bins | £509.60 |
| Consumables | £347.87 |
| Performing Rights (PPLPRS) | £319.94 |
| ERYC – L399 – Supplies | £312.24 |
| TM Electrical – PAT Testing | £303.05 |
| MEC Humber – Boiler Serv. /Heating Repair | £180.00 |
| Premises Licence (DPS) | £180.00 |
| ERYC – Pest Control | £172.30 |
| Fridge | £120.00 |
| Miscellaneous | £102.57 |
| Vacuum Cleaner | £100.00 |
| UK Hub – CCTV | £83.94 |
| Bank Charges | £76.72 |
| Printer Cartridge | £73.99 |
| ER Rural Community Buildings -Memb Fees | £60.00 |
| TSOHOST Domain Renewal | £57.46 |
| Data Protection Fees | £40.00 |
| Keys/Door bolts | £31.10 |
| KM Business Services – Account Audits | £20.00 |
| Identity Check – Shares | £12.75 |
| Sub Total | £21940.93 |
|---|---|
| Fund Raising Income | |
| Donations | £386.22 |
| Book Sale | £4.00 |
| Quiz | £727.79 |
| Bingo | £1933.32 |
| Interest | £90.29 |
| Fun Day | £82.20 |
| Teas – Tea Dance | £29.50 |
| Sub Total | £3253.32 |
| Opening Balances | |
| HSBC Savings Acc | £19056.12 |
| HSBC Current Acc | £21034.11 |
| Cash in Hand – General | £436.32 |
| Cash in Hand – Fund Raising | £375.56 |
| Bingo float | £75.00 |
| Tea money float | £34.48 |
| Prizes float | £200.00 |
£41211.59 £66405.84
| Sub Total | £24379.36 |
|---|---|
| Fund Raising Expenditure | |
| Fun Day | £50.00 |
| Bank Charges | £7.50 |
| Sub Total | £57.50 |
| Closing Balances | |
| HSBC Savings Acc | £22209.91 |
| HSBC Current Acc | £18702.94 |
| Cash in Hand – General | £329.06 |
| Cash in Hand – Fund Raising | £342.59 |
| Bingo float | £100.00 |
| Tea money float | £34.48 |
| Prizes float | £250.00 |
| £41968.98 |
£66405.84
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Sectlon A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trustsesl memb•r• of Newport Recreation Club On accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023 Charity no (if any) 1005662 Set out on pages I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity ("the Trust.) for the year ended Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordan with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act"). I report in respecl of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Direciions given by the Charity Commission under section 145{5)Ib) of the Act. I hav8 completed my examination. I confinn that no material matters have come to my attention (other Ihan that disclosed telow ") in connection with Ihe examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any malenal respect.. accounting records were not kept in accordan wilh section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not ac¢ord with the accounting records Independent axaminerfs statement I have no concems and have come across no other matters in conneclion with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply. Signed: Date: 0710112024 Name: K. Wainman Relevant professional qualification{s) or body (if anyl: MA4T Address: Clementhorpe Cottage, Clementhorpe Road, Gilberdyke. East Yorkshire, HU15 2UE IER October 2018
Section B Disclosure Only complete If the examiner needs lo highlighl rnatters of concem Isee CC32, IndeFendent examination of Charty accounts.. difèCtion8 and guidanc• for examiners}. Glve here brief details of any itsms that the examiner wishes to dl3¢lose. None. IER O¢tob•r 2018