**Charity number: 1052104**
## **Maidstone Mediation and Reparation Scheme**
## **Unaudited**
**Trustees' report and financial statements**
**Year ended 31 March 2025**
## **Contents**
||Page|
|---|---|
|**Reference and administrative details of the charity, its trustees and advisers**|3|
|**Trustees' report**|4|
|**Independent examiner's report**|6|
|**Statement of financial activities**|8|
|**Balance sheet**|9|
|**Notes to the financial statements**|10 - 15|
## **Reference and administrative details of the Charity, its trustees and advisers for the year ended 31 March 2025**
## **Trustees**
Chairman Cllr Clive English Secretary Mrs Pat Jeffery Treasurer Mr Geoff Willcox Members Sgt. Andrew Stringer (Maidstone Police) Mr Bryan Vizzard (JP) Retired) Ann Kemp (Tonbridge & Malling)
## **Registered Charity number 1052104**
## **Office**
Maidstone Community Support Centre Marsham Street Maidstone ME14 1HH
## **Manager**
Mrs Amanda Bell
## **Independent Examiner**
Amy Hassall FCCA
## **Bankers**
CAF Bank 25 Kings Hill Avenue Kings Hill West Malling Kent ME19 4JQ Telephone: 03000 123 222.
Page 3
## **Trustees' report For the year ended 31 March 2025**
The Trustees present their annual report together with the financial statements of Maidstone Mediation and Reparation Scheme (the charity) for the year ended 31 March 2025. The Trustees confirm that the Annual report and financial statements of the charity comply with the current statutory requirements, the requirements of the charity's governing document and the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) "Accounting and Reporting by Charities" issued in March 2015.
## **Structure, governance and management**
## **a. Constitution**
The organisation was originally established as a voluntary organisation in September 1989 and registered as a charity in 1992. The Charity and it’s operation is governed by its Constitution.
## **b. Method of appointment or election of Trustees**
Under the Constitution the Trustees are elected to serve on the Management Committee at each Annual General Meeting.
## **Objectives and Activities**
## **a. Policies and objectives**
## Objectives
Maidstone Mediation Scheme provides a free and confidential mediation service to the local community and its citizens. Mediation is a means of conflict resolution enabling people in dispute to reach a mutually acceptable agreement with the help of a mediator who is a neutral third party.
## Public Benefit
The trustees have complied with the duty in section 4 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to guidance published by the Charity Commission on public benefit.
In particular, the charity:
- provides a free, impartial and confidential service to help people involved in disputes
- reduces the potential of violence, harassment, stress and tension within the community
- promotes, for public benefit and for the better preservation of public order, the provision of mediation services for persons or groups, involved in or likely to become involved in disputes which may lead to acts of nuisance, vandalism, breach of peace, and to advance the education of the public in the methods of mediation and, in particular the nature and causes of such disputes or conflicts.
## **b. Activities for achieving objectives**
The Charity's operations are directed from the Community Support Centre in Maidstone. The Management Committee meets on a regular basis and is responsible for the management of the Charity. The mediation activities are undertaken by staff and 14 volunteers who are recruited, trained, supported and supervised by dedicated co-ordinators. Funding for the Charity has been provided by the Local Borough Councils, Housing Associations, Donations, Grants, and various training activities.
We are extremely grateful for the support of all our funders.
Page 4
## **Trustees' report (continued) For the year ended 31 March 2025**
Areas of work are:
- Neighbourhood mediation – Which is designed to resolve conflicts in the local community, particularly neighbours.
- Peer mediation and student conflict mediation in schools - We have 20 schools with peer mediators.
- Anger management courses - These are delivered with young people in schools and older people in the office, one-to-one as part of the work with individuals to help them resolve and prevent conflicts.
- Family mediation -We mediate between young people and their parents and with parents regarding child access
- Mediation for conflicts in the workplace.
- .
## **Partnership**
We work in partnership with multi- agency groups, including, The Safer Maidstone Partnership, Maidstone Borough Council, Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, Tonbridge and Malling Crime and Disorder reduction Partnership, Medway Council, The Police & Housing Associations.
## **Achievements and performance**
## **a. Review of activities**
The results for the year are set out on page 8
The loss for the year is £15,849.55
Reserves a s of 31 March 2025 amounted to £39,817.82
## **Financial review**
## **a. Reserves policy**
The Board of Trustees have established a policy whereby the unrestricted free reserves held by the Charity should be maintained at a level where it is considered that a broad business base can be laid for the Charity to continue its current activities and to explore the options for the future expansion in either restricted and/or non-restricted areas of funded activities.
The unrestricted reserves amounted to £39,817.82 as at 31 March 2025, which is within the current target range based on 1 2 months of total unrestricted incoming resources. The policy is monitored and reviewed annually.
£20,000 is reserved in the CAF Gold account should there ever be a need for a redundancy payment to staff, as well 3 month’s rent arrears liability.
## **Plans for the future**
## **a. Future developments**
The Charity continues to look for opportunities to promote the use of mediation to resolve conflicts, restore peace and improve community cohesion.
We will be looking to offer mediation to help with any conflict situation.
We are a l s o working collaboratively with a number of other organisations, bidding and tendering to deliver activities on a consortia basis county wide.
Page 5
## **Independent examiner's report For the year ended 31 March 2025**
## **Independent examiner's report to the Trustees of Maidstone Mediation and Reparation Scheme**
This report is on the financial statements of Maidstone Mediation and Reparation Scheme for the period for the year ended 31st March 2025.
## **Responsibilities of the Trustees and Independent Examiner**
The Charity's Trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts and financial statements that give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity at the end of the financial year. The Trustees’ considered that an audit for this year, under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011, is not required and that an independent examination is needed.
## **Basis of this Report**
As the appointed Independent Examiner, having satisfied myself that the Charity was not subject to audit under Company Law, and therefore eligible for an independent examination, it was my responsibility to:
- examine the accounts
- to follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commission
- to state whether any particular matters have come to my attention
- to state whether the annual report is consistent with the financial statements
## **Independent Examiner's Statement**
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention which, in my opinion, should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
The examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by Maidstone Mediation Scheme and a comparison of the accounts with those records. It also includes considering any unusual items or disclosures in the financial statements and, where necessary, seeking clarification from the Trustees In my opinion:
The financial statements give a true and fair view of the state of the Charity's affairs as at 31[st] Mach 2025 of its incoming resources and application of those resources.
Therefore, the requirements to keep accounting records and to prepare accounts in accordance with the Recommended Practice of Accounting and Reporting by Charities have been met.
## **A Hassall FCCA Independent Examiner**
Page 6
## **Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31[st] March 2025**
## **Basis of Accounting**
The financial information has been prepared under the historic cost convention and in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice - Accounting and Reporting by Charities (SORP200) issued in October 2000 and applicable accounting standards.
## **Funds**
General funds represent the funds of the Charity that are not subject to any restrictions regarding their use and are available for application on the general purposes of the Charity. Funds designated for a particular purpose by the Charity are also unrestricted.
Restricted funds are those funds that must be spent for the purpose for which they have been given and details of the funds held, and their respective restriction, are provided in the relevant notes.
The financial statements include all transactions, assets and liabilities for which the Maidstone Mediation Scheme is responsible in law.
## **Incoming resources**
Service agreements with Borough Councils, Housing Associations and Grants and donations are accounted for when paid over,
## **Resources used**
All resources used are accounted for when paid over.
## **Assets - office equipment**
Equipment used within the office of the Charity will be capitalised and depreciated on a straight-line basis over their anticipated useful economic life. Minor items of equipment with a purchase price of under £500 are written off when the asset is acquired.
## **Current assets**
Current assets include cash held on deposit at the bank. Interest entitlements are accounted for as they accrue.
Page 7
## **Maidstone Mediation and Reparation Scheme**
## **Statement of financial activities (incorporating income and expenditure Year ended 31 March 2025**
|**Incoming resources**
Incoming resources from generated funds:
Voluntary income
Investment income
**Total incoming resources**
**Resources expended**
Charitable activities
Governance costs
Partnership cost
**Total resources expended**
**Net income / (Expenditure) before**
**transfers**
Transfers between Funds
**Net movement in funds for the year**|**Unrestricte**
**d**
**funds**
**2025**
**£**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**2025**
**£**
2**42,205**
3 **601**
**42,806**
4
**58,655**
**58,655**
**(15,849)**
**-**
**-**|**Total**
**funds**
**2025**
**£**
**42,205**
**601**
**42,806**
**58,655**
**58,655**
**(15,849)**
**-**|Total
funds
2024
£
43,503
633|
|---|---|---|---|
||||44,136|
||||61,337
61,337|
||||(17,201)
-|
|||||
## **Total funds at 1 April 2024 = £ 55,667**
## **Total funds at 31 March 2025 = £39,818**
The notes on pages 10 to 15 form part of these financial statements.
Page 8
## **Charity number 1052104**
|**Balance sheet**
**As at 31 March 2025**
**Note**
**Fixed assets**
Tangible assets
**10**
**Current assets**
Debtors
**11**
Cash at bank and in hand
**Creditors:**amounts falling due within one
year
**12**
**Net assets**
**Charity Funds**
Unrestricted funds
**13**
**Total funds**|**2025**
**£**
2024
£
**39,818**
55,667|
|---|---|
||**39,818**
55,667|
||**39,818**
55,667|
||**39,818**
55,667|
The financial statements were approved by the Trustees on 01 September 2025 and signed on their behalf by: Cllr Clive English - Chairman
The notes on pages 10 to 15 form part of these financial statements.
Page 9
**Notes to the financial statements Y ear ended 31 March 2025**
## **1. Accounting policies**
## **1.1 Basis of preparation of financial statements**
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, with the exception of investments which are included at market value, and in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard for Smaller Entities (effective April 2008). The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP), 'Accounting and Reporting by Charities' published in March 2015, applicable accounting standards...
## **1.2 Charity status**
Maidstone Mediation is a registered charity No.1052104
## **1.3 Fund accounting**
General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity and which have not been designated for other purposes.
Restricted funds are funds which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors which have been raised by the charity for particular purposes. The costs of raising and administering such funds are charged against the specific fund. The aim and use of each restricted fund is set out in the notes to the financial statements.
## **1.4 Incoming resources**
All incoming resources are included in the Statement of financial activities when the Charity is legally entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy.
Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of receipt from HMRC.
## **1.5 Resources expended**
All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been included under expense categories that aggregate all costs for allocation to activities. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular activities they have been allocated on a basis consistent with the use of the resources.
Support costs are those costs incurred directly in support of expenditure on the objects of the c h a r i t y . Governance costs are those incurred in connection with administration of the Charity and compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements.
Page 10
**Notes to the financial statements Y ear ended 31 March 2025**
## **1. Accounting policies (continued)**
## **1.6 Tangible fixed assets and depreciation**
Tangible fixed assets are stated at cost less depreciation. Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write off the cost of fixed assets, less their estimated residual value, over their expected useful lives on the following bases:
Computer equipment
-
33% on cost
## **1.7 Taxation**
As a registered charity no provision is considered necessary for taxation.
## **2. Voluntary income**
|**Voluntary income**||||
|---|---|---|---|
|
**Donations**
**Grants**
**Fees**
**Misc.**
**HMRC - JRS**
Voluntary income|**Restricted**
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**2025**
**£**
**Fund**
**2025**
**£**
**2,000**
**25,950**
**14,255**
**0**
~~**0**~~
**42,205**|**Total**
**Funds**
**2025**
**£**
**2,000**
**25,950**
**14,255**
**0**
**0**|Total
funds
2024
£
25
31,153
12,325
0
0|
|||**42,205**|**43,503**|
## **3. Investment income**
|**Investment income**|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
||**Restricted**|**Unrestricted**|**Total**|Total|
||**funds**|**funds**|**funds**|funds|
||**2025**|**2025**|**2025**|2024|
||**£**|**£**|**£**|£|
|Bank Interest|**-**|**601**|**601**
|633|
Page 11
## **Notes to the financial statements Y ear ended 31 March 2025**
## **4. Expenditure by charitable activity**
## **Summary by fund type**
|Support costs
Direct costs|**Restricte**
**d**
**funds**
**2025**
**£**
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**2025**
**£**
**6,049**
**52,606**
**58,655**|**Total**
**funds**
**2025**
**£**
**5,834**
**52,821**
**58,655**|Total
funds
2024
£
8,325
53,012|
|---|---|---|---|
||||61,337|
## **5. Support costs**
|**Support costs**
Office rent and service charge
Office expenses
Membership Fees
Misc Expenditure
Publicity
Telephone Internet
DBS checks
Meetings/AGM’s
Training Expenses
Staff Supervision
Web Host Design
Bank interest/ charges|**Total 2025**
**£**
Total2024
£
**3,778**
3,389
**482**
1,064
**59**283
**353**
2,186
**0**
220
**504**
504
**0**
0
**616**
382
**0**
0
**0**
0
**197**
237
**60**
60|
|---|---|
||**6,049**
8,325|
Page 12
## **Notes to the financial statements Y ear ended 31 March 2025**
## **6. Direct costs**
|**Direct costs**|||
|---|---|---|
||**Total**|Total|
||**2025**
|2024|
||**£**|£|
|Staff costs including salaries, N.I. and pensions|**46,923**|49,927|
|Mediators’ expenses|**1,200**
|1,224|
|Ton & Malling CSP Share|**3,750**
|1,250|
|Insurance|**733**|611|
Depreciation
**52,606** 53,012
## **7. Governance costs**
|Independent examination &
AGM and Management meeting expenses|**Total Funds**
Total Funds
**2025**
2024
**£**
£
**966**
732|**Total Funds**
Total Funds
**2025**
2024
**£**
£
**966**
732|
|---|---|---|
||**966**|732|
## **8. Net income / (Expenditure)**
This is stated after charging:
Depreciation of tangible fixed assets:
||**2025**|2024|
|---|---|---|
||**£**|£|
|- owned by the charity|**Nil**|Nil|
During the year, no Trustees received any benefits in kind During the year, no Trustees received any reimbursement of expenses.
Page 13
## **Notes to the financial statements Year ended 31 March 2025**
## **9. Staff costs**
Staff costs included in “Direct Costs”
|The number of employees during the year was as follows:|**2025**|2024|
|---|---|---|
||**No.**
|No.|
||**3**|**3**|
No employee received remuneration amounting to more than £20,000 in a year.
## **10. Tangible fixed assets**
|**Cost**|**2025**|2024|
|---|---|---|
|At 1 April 2024|**Nil**|Nil|
|Depreciation|||
|Charge for the year|**Nil**|Nil|
|**Debtors**|||
|Outstanding cheques|**Nil**|Nil|
|**Creditors**|||
|Amounts falling due within one year|**Nil**|Nil|
Page 14
## **Notes to the financial statements For the year ended 31 March 2025**
## **13. Statement of funds**
|**13.**
**Statement of funds**||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|**Unrestricted funds**
General funds
33
**Restricted funds**
KCC Member Grant
Kent Probation Board
West Kent Mediation
**Total of funds**
**Summary of funds**
General funds
Restricted funds
**TOTAL OF FUNDS**||**Brought**
**Forward**
**£**
**55,667**|**Incoming**
**resource**
**s**
**£**
**42,806**|**Resources**
**Expende**
**d**
**£**
**58,655**||**Transfers**
**in/out**
**£**|**Carried**
**Forward**
**£**
**39,818**|
|||**55,667**
**Brought**
**Forward**
**£**
**55,667**
**55,667**|**42,806**
**Incoming**
**resources**
**£**
**42,806**
**42,806**||**58,655**
**Resources**
**Expended**
**£**
**58,655**
**58,655**|**Transfer**
**s**
**in/out**
**£**
|**39,818**
**Carried**
**Forward**
**£**
**39,818**|
||||||||**39,818**|
Page 15