2022-12-31-accounts - Little Gems's Pre-School Basildon

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AGM

Tuesday 10th October 2023 9:15am Little Gem’s Preschool

Attendess: Michele Jolley, Megan McCreedy, Clare Gseir, Emily Davey, Riley Nice, Kallie Templeton and Velichka Shapkova Absent: Dinah Sharp, Rachel Long, Louise Barnett

Matters from Previous Meetings

Minutes of the last AGM and last committee meeting dated (19.10.2022 and 11.07.2023 respectively) were read and agreed. No new matters arose from the minutes that differed from the agenda already presented.

Agenda

Welcome and absentees
Finance Report (Michele)
Staff Report (Kallie)
Fundraising
General Maintenance
Resources
Policies and Constitution
Member Elections
Next Meeting

1. Welcome and Absentees

Clare and Michele welcomed those who had attended the meeting. Attendees were reminded the content of all meetings is private and confidential. Velichka and Riley updated members on the status of their paperwork in order to join the committee. Velichka had received her DBS certificate and signed up for the update service. A copy of her certificate was taken to keep on file and she planned to post it to Ofsted following the meeting in order to complete her EY2 application. Due to personal circumstances, Riley had been unable to complete her EY2 application within three months of reieving her DBS certificate and had not signed up to the update service. She had already begun the process again and is awaiting her certificate in the post to be able to complete her EY2 application. The members who were absent from the meeting have all decided to step down from their role on the committee. For Louise and Rachel, their children have now transitioned from Little Gem's

and therefore they feel their involvement with the committee is not necessary. Dinah has started a new employment which means she will be unable to attend meetings during session times.

2. Finance Report (See Attached)

Michele read the Finance Report to members. She emphasised the fact 36 children will be transitioning to Reception at the end of the academic year with only 12 remaining. This is a much lower number of children remaining than in previous years. In January 2024 the intake will include more children who were born before September 2020 in order to have more children remaining in September. Michele also emphasised the accounts are in good shape. She also informed members the government are increasing the funding levels again this year.

3. Staff Report (See Attached)

Kallie read the Staff Report to members. Members had nothing further to add and moved on to discuss fundraising ideas.

4. Fundraising

Michele outlined the fundraising which had taken place in the last year.

Fundraising that had taken place last year was discussed during the Staff Report. Members made suggestions for fundraising which could be tried in the upcoming year. Ideas included a Christmas Raffle with local companies asked to make donations of prizes, a 50:50 Raffle which worked well at a previous Summer Fete, St Luke's Christmas Fun Run, Colour Run and Lottery Bonus Ball Syndicate. The St Luke's Christmas Fun Run and Colour Run, while good ideas were decided due to logistics of needing the space to complete them would be very tricky to complete. Clare is going to look into spaces/ideas for a sponsored walk in the Spring or Summer Term. Members suggested one of the reasons for a low uptake in fundraising lately is a combination of the cost of living crisis as well as a more cashless society following the COVID 19 pandemic. Michele confirmed there are some fundraising events coming up. Little Urchins are due in November to take photographs. There will be a Halloween Party where tickets will be £5 each, every child will receive a snack and there will be small prizes for party games. Michele was reluctant to do a Christmas Raffle as the past year there had been very little take up from parents/carers. Members suggested asking local companies and businesses for donations of prizes. Clare suggested a present buy event for the children, where each child could give a small donation (£2) for a small present (box of chocolates, biscuits or similar) wrapped up for their parent on Christmas morning especially as there are some single parents who may not get a present like this otherwise. Michele liked the idea of presents for the parents but felt it was unfair to use it as a fundraising event.

5. General Maintenance

Clare asked if there were any maintenance issues or repairs which should be raised. Michele explained over the Summer Holiday some of the playground area had been renovated with astroturf. The guttering had also been repaired and where needed it was replaced. Next Summer there are plans to improve the outside ramps and to revamp the garden area on the walkway to the entrance area. Mitie have completed some maintenance work to the inside of the building including repairs to the doors. During the Summer Holiday there were also foxes back underneath the building. Michele explained she contacted the pest control company that had been dealing with the issue in the past. The fencing around

the perimeter was repaired. They also installed a one way cat flap into the fencing which meant once the foxes had left they would no longer be able to get back in. So far, this has worked well.

6. Resources

Michele explained there had been many new resources purchased over the Summer Holidays in preparation for the new academic year. The main ones were a new wooden collapsible climbing frame which can be folded and put away and changed to make it new and different each time to replace the old plastic slide and climbing frame which had been removed. There had also been some gardening equipment purchased including a new greenhouse and storage cupboard.

7. Policies and Constitution

The following policies were read and agreed by all members; Making a complaint, Sharing information, Children’s records, Admissions, Privacy notice, Provider records, Confidentiality and client access to records, Parental involvement, Role of the key person and settling in, No smoking, Fire safety and emergency evacuation and Health and safety general standards. The Constitution was also read, agreed and signed by the relevant members.

8. Member Elections

All current members with a role in the committee stepped down. Megan was reelected and agreed to be Treasurer. Clare was elected and agreed as Chairperson. Velichka was elected and agreed to be Secretary. Members discussed the need to encourage more new members to join the committee. It was suggested many parents work while their child is attending sessions which may be why there is a generally low uptake of new parents. All new parents are given information about what the committee is when they attend their Open Day and settling in sessions. All parents are informed of meetings using the Little Gem’s Facebook Page. There is a hope new parents may join in the new January intake.

9. Next Meeting

It was agreed by all members that meetings would be held three times a year, roughly once a term. The next meeting is scheduled and agreed for Monday 15th January 2024 at 9:15am. Michele explained that due to using one of the setting rooms for the meeting, the meeting may need to be rearranged depending on the weather. She explained if the weather was particularly poor, the children would need to use the inside space.

LITTLE GEMS PRE - SCHOOL BASILDON

ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022

LITTLE GEMS PRE - SCHOOL BASILDON

Registered Charity Number: 1028673 Chairperson: C Gsier Treasurer: M McCreery Secretary: E Davey

Independent Examiner: D Parker Sterlings Accountancy Solutions Ltd 131-133 Roman Road Mountnessing Brentwood Essex CM15 0UD

Bankers:

Barclays Bank Plc 2 East Walk Basildon Essex SS14 1HH

Independent Examiner's Report To The Trustees Of Little Gems Pre - School Basildon On The Accounts For The Year Ended 31 December 2022 Set Out On Pages 1 to 3

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

The charity’s trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity’s trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Charities Act”) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to:

examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act,
to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act, and

to state whether particular matters have come to my attention. Basis of independent

examiner’s statement My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given by the Charity Commission.

Basis of independent examiner's statement

My examination was carried out in accordance with general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a ‘true and fair’ view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below

David Parker Sterlings Accountancy Solutions Ltd 131-133 Roamn Road Mountnessing Brentwood Essex CM15 0UD

Date: 13 June 2023

Little Gems Pre - School Basildon Statement of Income and Expenditure Year ended 31 December 2022

Little Gems Pre- School Basildon Statement of Income and Expenditure Year ended 31 December 2022
Incoming resources from generated funds Essex County Council Other Incoming resources from charitable activities Fees Total incoming resources Interest recieved Resources expended Charitable activities Wages Employer's pension Rent Water rates Light & heat Security Repairs & renewals Equipment and materials Refreshments Telephone Cleaning, refuse & hygiene Postage & stationery Training Independent examiners fees Sundry Insurance Subscriptions DBS Food vouchers Bank charges Travel Licenses Activities Legal fees Total resources expended Net incoming/(outgoing) resources Total funds brought forward Total funds carried forward	£ £ £ £ 172,206 132,070 2,071 1,504 13,222 7,230 187,499 140,804 23 28 121,444 124,454 1,992 2,110 8,819 9,185 181 203 6,490 2,709 879 1,043 7,187 3,255 4,556 1,476 1,239 834 1,022 1,026 1,025 1,667 471 1,680 1,147 0 1,151 1,151 1,518 532 581 775 329 252 290 330 0 0 187 169 80 45 394 329 60 550 1,740 0 162,782 153,775 24,740 -12,943 56,643 69,586 81,383 56,643 2022 2021

		-12,943 69,586
		56,643

Llttl• Geffls Pre- Seh Balanc• Sheot At 31 Doc•mbgr 2022 Unr•strl¢W funds 2022 2021 Current asstyts Bank account Debtors Cash 82.831 1.879 62.T 84,710 62.798 Credftors falling dug wlthln on• y••r 3,327 6.155 81,383 56.643 CharFty funds UnreslrKted funds 81.383 56,843 Th$ financial statements have boen prepared in ac(xwrJance vrith FRS102 SORP. Approved and agr•èd Megan Mccwry Treasur•r Chalrporson Date: 02...(¥....2.023........

Little Gems Pre - School Basildon Notes To The Accounts

For The Year Ended 31 December 2022

1 Basis of accounting

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention,and in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS102) issued on 16 July 2014, and the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS102).

2 Accounting policies

Incoming resources

Grants are included in the SOFA when the charity has unconditional entitlement to the resource. Fees are included in the SOFA when the charity becomes entitled to the income.

Expenditure and liabilities

Liabilities are recognised as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to pay out resources.

Governance costs include costs of the preparation and examination of statutory accounts, the costs of trustee meetings and cost of any legal advice to trustees on governance or constitutional matters.

3 Staff costs

The average number of full time equivalent employees during the year was 9. All of these worked within charitable activities.

Finance Report 2023

I would like to start with going through our income and expenditure of the year 2022.

Our total income for this year was £187’499.00, this was made up of 2yr funding, 3/4yr FEEE funding, 30 hour funding, Fee’s, fundraising, SEN payments, EYPP and voluntary snack contributions.

Our total income increased by £46’695.00 from the previous year, this was due to an increase of hours for children on roll and fee-paying parents, also the government raised the price of funded children and we increased the hourly childcare rate to £5 per hour.

Our expenditure was £9’007.00 more an the previous year due to the heightening costs of electric and gas, repairs and renewals (patio in garden) staff training and legal fee’s (lease renew).

At the start of January 2023, we had £64’378.18 in our bank account.

We currently have 9 members of staff on roll.

Minimum wage increased again in April of this year, taking the minimum wage up to £10.42ph, which will again contributed considerably to our monthly wage outgoings.

We are currently up from last year and now have 46 families enrolled. 25 children are – 3/4yr funded (4 of those pay extra for more hours) 9 children are 30 hours

7 children are – 2yr funded

5 children are fee paying.

The majority of children that are on our registers at present will be leaving for school in July 2024 so January’s intake will be made up of children who were born after 1[st] September 2020.