2025-03-31-accounts - The Community Council For Somerset

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) (A Charitable Company Limited by Guarantee) Annual Report and Financial Statements

For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Company Number: 03541219 Charity Registered in England and Wales Number: 1069260

The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Contents For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

	Page
Reference and Administrative Details	1
Trustee Directors’ Report	2 – 25
Independent Auditors’ Report	26 – 29
Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities	30
Consolidated and Charity Balance Sheets	31
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows	32
Notes to Financial Statements	33 – 53

The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Reference and Administrative Details For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Trustee Directors	J Braisby
	G Francis
	C Gautam
	M Kitchen
	R Lawy
	D Taylor
Secretary	V Bishop
Chief Executive Officer	V Bishop
Charity Number	1069260
Company Number	03541219
Principal Address and Registered Office	Fitzwarren House
	Queen Street
	Taunton
	England
	TA1 3UG
Auditors	Albert Goodman LLP
	Goodwood House
	Blackbrook Park Avenue
	Taunton
	Somerset
	TA1 2PX
Bankers	Lloyds Bank
	31 Fore St
	Taunton
	Somerset
	TA1 1HN
	Charities Aid Foundation (CAF)
	25 Kings Hill Avenue
	West Mailing
	ME19 4TA

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Trustee Directors’ Report For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

The Trustees, who are also directors of the Charity for the purposes of the Companies Act, present their annual report and the audited financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025. The financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006, the Charity’s governing document and the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP FRS 102- implemented 1 January 2019).

The full name of the Charity is The Community Council for Somerset. It was incorporated 13 December 1999 as a company limited by guarantee. Its company registration number is 03541219. Its Charity registration number is 1069260. The registered office is Fitzwarren House, Queen Street, Taunton, England, TA1 3UG.

References and Administrative Details

The trustees are pleased to present their report together with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2025. The financial statements comply with current statutory requirements, the Memorandum and Articles of Association (updated and agreed September 2011), Amended Articles of Association (adopted December 2020) and the Charities SORP (FRS 102).

Directors and Trustees

The directors of the Company are the Charity’s trustees for the purpose of charity law and throughout this report are collectively referred to as the Trustees.

The Trustees serving during the year and since the year-end are as follows:

J Braisby (appointed 1 May 2024)
J Chidgey-Clark (appointed 1 May 2024, resigned 3 June 2025)
G Francis
C Gautam
M Kitchen
R Lawy
E Lower (resigned 4 June 2025)
S Tudor (resigned 16 June 2025)
D Taylor (appointed 5 September 2024)

None of the Trustees have any beneficial interest in the Company. All the Trustees are members of the Company and guarantee to contribute £1 in the event of a winding up.

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Trustee Directors’ Report For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Structure, governance and management

The Community Council for Somerset was incorporated on 1 April 1998 and is governed by the Memorandum and Articles of Association as amended 20th September 2011.

On 3 December 2020, a General Meeting of Members was held at which amended Articles of Association were adopted, changing to a Foundation model of Governance.

The charity is a company limited by guarantee, Company Number: 3541219.

Membership

Membership of the company is by application to the office and will involve a guarantee for a contribution of £1 in the event of a shortfall of assets on winding up.

Directors and Trustees

The directors of the charitable company (“the charity”) are its Trustees for the purpose of charity law and throughout this report are collectively referred to as the Trustees. Trustees are elected at the Annual General Meeting. At each AGM one third of the Trustees who are subject to retirement by rotation shall retire from office.

The President

The General Meeting is empowered to elect a President, who may elect to be a trustee as a result of being so elected.

Policies and Procedures for the Recruitment, Selection, Induction and Training of Trustees

Trustee vacancies are advertised on the CCS website and through social media, and we use a website to match with volunteer Trustees. Potential candidates first meet with the Chief Executive then have an interview with the Chair and at least one other Trustee. They are invited to meet other Trustees either as an observer at a Board meeting or at a more informal event. There is a person specification for Trustees and tailored versions for specific roles such as the Chair and Honorary Treasurer. If specific skill needs are identified by the Board, separate person specifications are developed. An application is submitted and considered by the Board. The decision to co-opt a new Trustee is put to the Board to vote.

Trustees now have their own CBL pathway on the Learning Hub. Trustees meet members of staff, receive support and training in IT as required, and receive information about entitlement to and reimbursement of any approved expenses incurred in undertaking the role of a Board member. Trustees’ skills audits are undertaken regularly.

Organisational Structure

The Board delegates day to day management of the charity to the Chief Executive and Senior Leadership Team. Each larger programme of delivery has a manager, with additional Team Leads where needed.

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Trustee Directors’ Report For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Core staff are split into teams by functions, each with a manager. An organisational restructure was implemented alongside the strategy development during 2023-24 and a new organisational structure came into place on April 1 2024, this has continued to work for CCS and is under constant evaluation as the charity changes to meet the need of its beneficiaries.

Pay Structure and Framework

A staffing and pay structure and framework was adopted in 2018, to ensure that CCS salaries are consistent with similar local organisations. This was used during the year alongside the Pay Policy.

Trading Subsidiary

Smart Communities Limited (SCL), CCS’s trading subsidiary, remains a component of our operations, though it was not actively utilised during the year 2024/25. While the activities typically handled by SCL were integrated into the Programmes Team for better alignment with our charitable objectives, SCL retains its structure and purpose, ready to support consultancy and project initiatives as needed in the future.

Partnership Working

CCS works collaboratively with a range of organisations in the VCFSE sector in Somerset. Where we subcontract work as part of a commission or grant, we have partnership agreements in place.

OBJECTIVES OF THE CHARITY AND PRINCIPAL ACTIVITIES

Purpose of the Charity.

The Charity’s objects (“the Objects”) are as follows: -

“To promote any charitable purposes for the benefit of the community in the administrative County of Somerset and in particular the advancement of education, the protection of health and the relief of poverty and distress and physical and mental sickness and disability”.

2.2 The Charity has the following powers, which may be exercised only in promoting the Objects:
to do anything within the law which promotes or helps to promote the Objects.
to carry out campaigning and advocacy, provided that the Trustees are satisfied that any proposed campaigning and advocacy will further the Objects to an extent justified by the resources committed and that such activity is not the dominant means by which the Charity promotes the Objects.
to pay out of the funds of the Charity the costs of forming and registering the Charity both as a company and as a charity.
to provide advice or information.
to carry out research.
to co-operate with other bodies.

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Trustee Directors’ Report For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

to support, administer or set up other charities.
to act as a Charity Trustee of a charitable trust.
to acquire, merge with or enter into any partnership or joint venture arrangement with any other body for the purposes of any of the Objects.
to convert to a charitable incorporated organisation.
to accept or refuse gifts and donations and to raise funds (but not by means of Taxable Trading).
to borrow money.
to give security, including but not limited to guarantees, for loans or other obligations (but only in accordance with the restrictions imposed by the Charities Act).
to acquire or hire property of any kind.
to borrow money.
to let or dispose of property of any kind (but only in accordance with the restrictions imposed by the Charities Act).
to set aside funds for special purposes or as reserves against future expenditure.
to deposit or invest its funds in any manner including without limitation with a view to: (a) directly furthering the Charity’s purpose; (b) achieving a financial return for the Charity; or (c) achieving both of the objectives described at (a) and (b) above in accordance with and provided that the Trustees comply with their duties under Part 14A of the Charities Act, (but to invest wholly or partly with a view to achieving a financial return only after obtaining such advice from a Financial Expert as the Trustees consider necessary and having regard to the suitability of investments and the need for diversification);
to delegate the management of investments to a Financial Expert, but only on terms that: (a) the investment policy is set down in writing for the Financial Expert by the Trustees; (b) timely reports of all transactions are provided to the Trustees; (c) the performance of the investments is reviewed regularly with the Trustees; 9 (d) the Trustees are entitled to cancel the delegation arrangement at any time; (e) the investment policy and the delegation arrangement are reviewed at least once a year; (f) all payments due to the Financial Expert are on a scale or at a level which is agreed in advance and are notified promptly to the Trustees on receipt; and (g) the Financial Expert must not do anything outside the powers of the Charity;
to arrange for investments or other property of the Charity to be held in the name of a Nominee Company acting under the direction of the Trustees or controlled by a Financial Expert acting under their instructions, and to pay any reasonable fee required; 3.20 to deposit documents and physical assets with any company registered or having a place of business in England or Wales as Custodian, and to pay any reasonable fee required;
to insure the property of the Charity against any foreseeable risk and take out other insurance policies to protect the Charity when required.
to provide Indemnity Insurance for the Trustees and officers of the Charity in accordance with the restrictions imposed by the Charities Act.

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Trustee Directors’ Report For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

subject to Article 8.3, to employ or engage paid or unpaid agents, staff, or advisers and where appropriate: 10 (a) to provide for them to benefit under pension and other staff benefit arrangements for them and their dependants; and (b) to enter into compromise and settlement arrangements with them.
to enter into contracts and agreements of any kind, including without limitation contracts to provide services to or on behalf of other bodies; and
to establish or acquire subsidiaries.

2.3 Our Vision

Supporting Somerset's communities to thrive together

Mission

We enable change by listening, responding to need and building connections between people and communities

Values

We are kind and compassionate

We act with honesty and integrity

We value equality and inclusion

2.4 Public Benefit

In planning our activities, the trustees have had regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit. In particular, these activities meet our charitable objects as described above.

Review of Activity 2024/2025: Building Thriving Communities in Somerset

Our Vision Supporting Somerset’s communities to thrive together

Introduction

This report serves as a comprehensive account of our activities, achievements, and financial performance over the past year. Our mission is to enable change by listening, responding to need, and building connections between people and communities. We are committed to transparency, accountability, and effective communication with our stakeholders.

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Trustee Directors’ Report For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Purpose of the Report

The Trustee Annual Report is designed to ensure that we remain accountable to our donors, beneficiaries, and the public for the stewardship and management of our funds. It provides a transparent overview of our activities and achievements, celebrating our successes and addressing the challenges we have faced. Additionally, this report meets all legal and regulatory requirements, ensuring that we adhere to relevant laws and guidelines.

Highlights of the Year

Over the past year we have made significant strides in achieving our objectives. Our dedicated team has worked tirelessly, and we are proud to share the impact of our work through our detailed case studies and examples. Financially, we have continued to manage our accounts in line with our projections, ensuring responsible resource management.

Our work is dedicated to supporting communities in Somerset to thrive. This commitment translates into:

More resilient communities: Strengthening our communities to better withstand external crises.
Better connected communities: Fostering collaboration between community organizations and public services, ensuring people have access to the amenities and opportunities they need.
Amplifying the voice of communities: Listening to the needs of Somerset's residents and sharing these insights with local, regional, and national change-makers to inform policy.

Together, we are building a stronger, more connected, and resilient Somerset.

Acquisition of Diversity Voice – April 2025

In April of 2025, the board approved the acquisition of a charity called Diversity Voice (DV), this is aligned with the CCS mission and strategic plan, as DV operate in an area of delivery that CCS is closely aligned to, with its ongoing work delivering the Somerset Diverse Community Programme.

The acquisition of DV will strengthen our offer and service in the sector, we are excited to see this area of work continue to grow and thrive with our leadership and the talents of the employees at DV as they become one with CCS.

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Trustee Directors’ Report For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Strategic Goal 1

Somerset communities are resilient and thriving

Village Agent SPLW

Village Agents (Social Prescribing Link Workers) or SPLWs continue to play a vital role in supporting individuals referred through GP surgeries and other services. They connect people with non-clinical, community-based support focused on improving wellbeing—such as social groups, mental health resources, assistance with housing or financial concerns, and opportunities for community engagement. By addressing the broader social and personal factors that influence health, SPLWs help individuals gain a greater sense of control over their wellbeing. This holistic approach has led to positive outcomes, including reduced loneliness, increased confidence, and improved overall life satisfaction.

In addition to their one-to-one client support, Village Agents actively engaged with 159 community solutions, activities, and groups over the past year. This engagement reflects their vital role as connectors within the wider community infrastructure. By building and maintaining strong relationships with a diverse range of local services and initiatives—including peer support groups, social clubs, wellbeing activities, and practical support organisations—Village Agents are able to offer clients a rich menu of tailored options. This networked approach not only broadens the scope of support available but also strengthens the resilience and cohesion of the communities they serve.

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Trustee Directors’ Report For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Village Agents (Connect Somerset)

Village Agents (Connect Somerset) play a key role in this model, working both directly with individuals in need and with the wider community to expand the range of support and solutions available. This approach ensures that help is timely, targeted, and built on local strengths. Village Agents (Connect Somerset) support individuals or families at the edge of social care, who are experiencing difficulties that put them at risk of needing formal social care intervention but who may not yet meet the threshold for statutory services. Our preventative, early intervention work is designed to support those people before they reach crisis point, helping them avoid more intensive social care involvement.

(Village Agents) Somerset Carers Service

This year, we introduced Carers Information Sessions to equip unpaid carers with essential information, guidance, and support. These sessions, delivered in venues across the county, brought together Somerset Carers Agents, Village Agents, Adult Social Care staff, and a variety of partner organisations who shared information about their services and answered carers’ questions. Adult social care conducted carers assessments at these events. We also featured a series of carer-focused webinars delivered by Somerset Council, covering key topics such as Lasting Power of Attorney, financial planning, Direct Payments, and more. These sessions were well attended and we received excellent feedback from attendees. There are seven additional sessions scheduled for the year ahead.

Across Somerset, we support 23 volunteer-run carers groups offering vital opportunities for unpaid carers to build connections, share experiences, and access mutual support. In addition to these face-to-face groups, a virtual carers group meets monthly via Zoom, providing an accessible platform for discussion, information sharing, and interaction with guest speakers on relevant topics. We have also developed an evening carers group in Bridgwater to reach working-age unpaid carers.

As part of our work through Open Mental Health, we launched our first dedicated group in October 2024 for unpaid carers supporting individuals with mental health challenges. To further combat isolation among carers, we launched Calls for Carers, a volunteer-led initiative that offers regular peer support via telephone. Feedback from volunteers has been overwhelmingly positive; one volunteer described the experience as “immensely rewarding,” noting that it provided a sense of connection, purpose, and community in their own life.

In June 2024, we celebrated National Carers Week with a diverse programme of events, ranging from free online training sessions to guided tours of a local animal sanctuary and boat trips—offering both practical value and moments of respite for those in caring roles. We also hosted our first conference day for GP carers champions to come together to learn and share. With over 80 champions in attendance, we had great feedback, and this event will be growing in the next year.

Village Agents Hospital Discharge

Following a recent recommissioning, the Hospital Team has adopted a new structure, operating with the SPOC (Single Point of Contact) model. This approach involves three dedicated Village Agents based within each of the county’s acute hospitals, ensuring timely and coordinated support for patients at the point of discharge.

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Trustee Directors’ Report For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Over the past year, the SPOC model—delivered in collaboration with Redcross and, more recently, SASP (Somerset Activity and Sports Partnership) —has received 4,227 referrals. Of these, CCS supported 2,224 individuals, helping them transition safely from hospital back into their homes and communities, with tailored support to aid recovery and reduce the risk of readmission.

Ubuntu (High Intensity Users)

In Autumn 2024, the Ubuntu Project was named a finalist in the Health Service Journal Patient Safety Awards, in recognition of its distinctive person-centred approach and the team’s success in supporting individuals to reintegrate into their local communities. The project is designed to enhance wellbeing and help participants rediscover a sense of purpose, ultimately empowering them to take greater ownership of their healthcare journey while reducing demand on health and social care services. Since Ubuntu launched, the service has supported a total of 141 people, who previously had 1,963 A&E attendances between them. Following the HIU service’s involvement, their attendances fell to 1,189 – a reduction of 48% across all ages. 71 people have been supported by an Ubuntu agent this financial year.

Children and Families

The West Somerset Children and Families Village Agent has provided support for 92 referrals over the past year, continuing to deliver excellent outcomes for this client group. These outcomes include improved parental engagement with schools and increased confidence in accessing community services. One parent expressed the impact of this support, stating: “I feel less stressed and pressured now that I can focus on my treatment. I have some time to take care of myself and am looking forward to the future as a family.”

In 2024, we collaborated with Living Better to launch a Children and Families-specific multidisciplinary team (MDT) meeting—a collaborative initiative involving CCS, Living Better, general practitioners, paediatricians, health coaches, schools, and other family-focused services. The MDT is designed to support families facing challenges with low school attendance, particularly those impacted by complex health conditions. By identifying and addressing barriers to engagement, the MDT has created a more holistic support network for families and is already demonstrating positive outcomes.

Refugee Support Agent

CCS began welcoming Ukrainian refugees into Somerset in November 2022 and have conducted a total of 1,742 initial welfare checks. A total of 501 6-month checks, and 175 2-year checks, have been conducted by the Refugee Support Agents.

Help Through Winter

We were awarded monies as part of the increased Household Support Fund funding received by Somerset Council. Working with strategic partners, Citizen’s Advice Somerset, SASP, Somerset Community Foundation and Age UK Somerset we are providing a wraparound ‘Household Support’ programme for Somerset. Laura Marshall – Village Agent (Help Through Winter), delivered an excellent interview with BBC Radio Somerset at the beginning of February, highlighting through this project how CCS can offer everything from advice on heating, electricity bills and offering food vouchers in cooperation with Citizens Advice.

Somerset village agents say demand is 'huge' for heating support - BBC News

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Trustee Directors’ Report For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Energy Saving Week

Energy Week 2025 ran with remarkable success, bringing together the local community in support of those struggling with rising energy costs during the harsh winter conditions. Over the course of 17 events, the initiative attracted more than 240 attendees, providing essential resources and guidance to residents. Funded by Somerset Council’s ‘Help Through Winter’ project, Energy Week 2025 was a timely intervention that offered practical support when it was most needed.

Distribution of Essential Items: As part of the initiative, 20 slow cookers/air fryers, nine timer plugs, and 20 wheat bag micro hotties were distributed to local families. These items were aimed at helping residents manage their energy use more effectively while staying warm during the winter months.

Community Contributions: The “Knit for Your Neighbour” scheme proved especially popular, with community members knitting and donating 90 blankets, draft excluders, hats, and gloves. These handmade items were distributed to residents in need of extra warmth during the cold snap.

Goody Bags: A total of 168 goody bags were given out to attendees; each filled with energy-saving products and warmth-giving items. These goody bags offered helpful tools and practical advice to help people reduce energy consumption and keep their homes comfortable throughout the winter.

Energy Consultations: In addition to the physical goods, 14 community groups received personalised energy efficiency consultations, where 121 individuals had the opportunity to discuss their specific energy needs. Each group was also provided with a £25 Screwfix voucher and a list of “quick win” energy efficiency items that could be purchased to improve energy use at home.

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Trustee Directors’ Report For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Strategic Goal 2

We collaborate effectively with others

SCF Community Buildings Decarb project

Starting from January 2024, CCS has been actively delivering a series of training and events aimed at empowering community buildings to embark on their own environmental improvements and eco journey. This initiative is supported by peer networking and more in-depth one-on-one support from the CCS team, who are trained in Carbon Literacy. The available support has enabled buildings to complete their own DIY Energy Check, with 10 halls successfully completing this task. Additionally, 2 halls have developed their Carbon Reduction Plan, positioning them to apply for an external audit as part of the Decarb Somerset project. In October 2024, audits were awarded to 2 halls. This project is funded by the Somerset Community Foundation (SCF).

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Trustee Directors’ Report For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Albemarle Centre's Experience

The Albemarle Centre has shared their experience, highlighting the significant impact of the advice, guidance, and support received from Kate and Robert at the Community Council for Somerset. Given the size (900m2) and age (1870s) of their building, their energy usage has been a major concern. The support provided has been invaluable in navigating the complexities of reducing energy consumption. DeCarbing The Albemarle is recognised as a long-term project, with no quick fixes remaining. However, the knowledge imparted over the past months has given them a clear understanding of their current situation and the roadmap necessary to make significant improvements in both their carbon footprint and the environmental comfort enjoyed by the 2,000 visitors they receive each week.

Legacy of the Project

A key legacy of this project has been the co-design and launch of SCF's first Community Building Energy Efficiency Grants, which were introduced at the Community Buildings Conference in October 2024.

Decarb Somerset

Decarb Somerset was delivered by CCS from April 2024 to March 2025 and was funded by the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund and Somerset Council. The CCS Decarb Somerset team has worked with over 75 voluntary, community, faith, and social enterprise (VCFSE) organisations to improve their understanding of building energy usage and carbon impact.

We have:

Delivered 14 training events, both online and in person.
Supported 35 VCFSE organisations in producing a Decarb Action Plan, which includes a DIY Energy Check and a Carbon Reduction Plan.
Written a funding plan for each of these 35 organisations in response to the arising actions, including signposting to the co-designed Somerset Community Foundation Energy Efficiency Grants for Community Buildings fund.
Commissioned 23 technical energy audits from E3 Sustainability, identifying carbon savings of 152,274kg CO ₂ e per year.

Our target for this project was to reach 50 VCFSE organisations through training, one-on-one support, and in-person events. We have surpassed this target by more than 50%.

Birchfield Community Association shared their experience: “It’s early days yet, but the Decarb Somerset programme makes you question everything you do and whether there's a better way.”

We have been successful in securing funding for the second year of the project to build on the work of the first year. We will work with more groups and organisations on their carbon reduction journey and develop further resources as a legacy for groups and organisations to use.

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Trustee Directors’ Report For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

English as a Second Language (ESOL)

This 3-year project, funded by Somerset Council, started in November 2023 and is set to run until 31 October 2026. In the year 2024/25, the following achievements were made:

A webpage titled “Learning English in Somerset” was published on the CCS website. This webpage includes learning resources and links to teaching resources for ESOL tutors, as well as connections to the Somerset ESOL Network and wider ESOL networks.
A consultation report was completed, featuring findings from interviews with course providers and a survey reaching learners and other non-English speakers.
A map and directory of ESOL course providers and courses were linked to the webpage. The website also offers a Google Translate option for translation to other languages.
One of the recommendations from the consultation led to the formation of the Somerset ESOL Network. The Network met three times, featuring speakers, updates, and information sharing. A request from the network resulted in a training session on Trauma Informed Practice. Regular email updates are sent to the 44 Network members.

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Trustee Directors’ Report For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Community Solution Seekers

Previously known as the Collaborative Leadership Project, this initiative is funded by the Somerset Integrated Care Board. The name was changed during the marketing design phase to better attract the target audience. The programme consists of 8 sessions held in each of 4 geographical locations: Yeovil, Shepton Mallet, Levels & Moors, and Dowsborough Local Community Network areas. The goal is to identify issues and solutions related to health and wellbeing.

Two facilitators, each taking different approaches, are leading the sessions. The first 4 sessions, one in each area, were held in March 2025. Subsequent sessions are being planned to extend the reach and ensure the involvement of interested individuals from Commissioners of services, local groups, and organisations. This is a pilot project designed to test the effectiveness of this methodology

HPC Community Fund Consultation

We are working in partnership with Centre for Thriving Places (CTP) and funded by Somerset Community Foundation to undertake research with the communities most impacted by HPC. The aim is to understand current perceptions of the area that people live in, and any impacts or benefits brought through HPC. Additionally, we are exploring what people would like to happen to strengthen their community in the longer term (5-10 years).

Desk research and interviews with key organisations in the area were completed in early 2025. CCS is using its community networks to undertake consultation with individuals and the wider community between March and June 2025. This consultation will help inform future funding priorities of the fund

Community Review project

Understanding residents’ views and issues is vital for vibrant and inclusive communities. Following the successful completion of 18 community reviews in the first phase during 2023/24, CCS worked with 16 Town and Parish Councils this year. Funded by Somerset Council and delivered on behalf of the Somerset Association of Local Councils, these reviews resulted in comprehensive reports and action plans based on community consultation evidence. These documents identify key issues and projects that both councils and community groups can implement.

The consultation provides evidence of need, showing the level of interest in various topics, including communication, housing, traffic, the local environment, climate change, community facilities, children and young people, older people, health and wellbeing, and more. This evidence can be used locally to inform projects and also to lobby key stakeholders and support funding applications.

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Trustee Directors’ Report For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Rural Housing Enabler Project

Funded by the UK Government with funding distributed through ACRE (Action with Communities in Rural England), we launched the Rural Housing Enabler project in April 2024. This initiative provides independent support and advice to help rural communities consider the local need for affordable housing. The project involves working with landowners, house builders, planners, and communities to bring about suitable schemes.

The team conducted desk research to identify parishes with potential needs and undertook marketing and promotion of the project. They engaged with one community already on their journey of exploring potential sites and another community in undertaking a housing needs survey to evidence local need. Additionally, awareness was raised at Parish Council meetings, and an advisory group of relevant partners was formed.

We have successfully secured funding for a second year of the project, which will build on the work accomplished in the first year.

Community Buildings Advisory Service

Community Buildings and Village Halls offer a space where a wide range of social activities can support the local area and residents, thereby strengthening communities. Managed by volunteer committees, our role is vital in supporting these volunteers with many issues including legislation, funding, best practices, and much more. Through the CCS Community Buildings Membership Scheme, members receive regular newsletters and bulletins, an hour of free one-on-one expert support, training and networking opportunities, free entry into the Hallmark accreditation scheme, access to over 100 specialist information sheets and model documents, increased visibility on our Community Building locator, exclusive discounts on products and services, as well as membership of a members-only Facebook group to share ideas and questions with likeminded community building volunteers.

During this year, we conducted 16 training sessions on topics ranging from the Roles and Responsibilities of Trustees to Risk Assessments, Fundraising, Incorporation, and Waste Management. Additionally, we held the annual Community Buildings Conference with this year’s theme being ‘A Hall Fit for Purpose,’ where we had over 40 attendees and speakers from Devon and Somerset Fire Service, ACRE (national body), Somerset Community Foundation, as well as an update on legislation and best practices.

At the conference, we awarded 9 halls with Hallmark accreditations, achieving a total of 15 awards.

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Trustee Directors’ Report For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Strategic Goal 3

Informing and Influencing policy to drive change

CCS Somerset Convention

On 20th November 2024, we hosted our first-ever Somerset Convention at The Canalside in Bridgwater. Around 80 organisations and charities came together for a packed day of talks, workshops, panel discussions, and networking, all focused on one big goal: helping Somerset communities thrive.

The day tackled the most pressing challenges local people face, such as the cost of living, fuel and food poverty, housing, loneliness, mental health, and transport. Through nine in-depth workshops, delegates discussed how to take action, share ideas, and work better together. Sessions covered:

Fuel poverty
Food insecurity
Housing needs
Mental health and isolation
Carers
Dementia
Youth engagement
Transport access
Supporting diverse communities

Speakers and facilitators included local leaders from organisations such as NEA, Citizens Advice, Spark Somerset, Mind, On Your Bike, Homes in Sedgemoor, and Minehead Eye.

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Trustee Directors’ Report For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

High-profile panel discussions explored the bigger picture: What do our communities need to thrive — and how can we make sure no one is left behind in the next 10 years? Panellists included voices from SASP, Somerset Council, Spark Somerset, the Lord-Lieutenant, and the Somerset Community Foundation.

There were 19 stalls from local organisations, with time for networking, and a strong emphasis on collaboration. The event also saw the launch of CCS’s new Five-Year Strategy, focusing on building resilient, inclusive, and well-connected communities.

The event sparked ideas, strengthened relationships, and encouraged joined-up thinking. We captured the day through social media, followed up with a digital goody bag, and gathered feedback to help shape the Somerset Convention 2025.

Strategic Goal 4

People understand who we are and why we exist

Rebranding and Improved Messaging

We have started and undertaken our rebranding review and are in the planning stages to launch our new brand in July 2025.

Improved Messaging and Organisational Clarity (by end of 2024) and Consistent Presentation (by March 2025)

We have made meaningful progress in refining how we communicate our mission, values, and the impact of our work. A stronger emphasis on storytelling has allowed us to better highlight local experiences and the difference CCS makes within communities. Feedback has shown that we are increasingly recognised for telling the stories of our work at a community level, which has helped strengthen our identity and connection with audiences.

Alongside this, we have begun laying the foundations for a more consistent presentation of CCS across all channels. This includes early work as part of the rebranding process, as well as reviewing how we use visual and written content to ensure a coherent tone and style across our communications. Internally, we continue to support colleagues in becoming confident advocates for our vision and programmes—ensuring that the way we speak about our work is aligned across the organisation. This will remain a key priority as we move into 2025.

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Trustee Directors’ Report For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Website and Digital Presence (2024–2025)

A key milestone has been the development of a website brief, which is now ready for review before going out to tender. This marks a crucial step towards launching a new site that is more accessible, informative, and engaging.

Since July 2024, our website performance has been tracked through the new GA4 Google Analytics platform. While direct year-on-year comparisons are not possible, early indicators are positive. Page views have increased by 2%, and engagement, including clicks and downloads, has increased by 3%. Our most visited pages remain Vacancies, Somerset Diverse Communities, Decarb Somerset, Somerset Micro Enterprise, and the updated Donate page.

In terms of platform presence, we made a deliberate decision to discontinue activity on X (formerly Twitter). This reflects sector-wide concerns over the platform’s safety, moderation policies, and increasing levels of misinformation. Like many local charities, we concluded that X no longer supports our communication goals or values. We have also removed five other channels: Smart Communities on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and Somerset Social Enterprise Network on Instagram and Facebook.

Internal Communications (2024)

We continue to prioritise strong internal communication through our regular "At the Heart" updates. These updates help ensure staff across CCS remain connected, informed, and aligned. [Average open rate is 80% and click through rate 9.6%]

Marketing Capacity (2024 onwards)

Recognising the need for dedicated capacity to support our strategic ambitions, we are currently awaiting further details on recruitment into marketing roles. This remains an essential area for investment to help us sustain momentum and maximise our impact

CCS Social Media Performance

Facebook: While reach and content views declined slightly by 6.6%, overall engagement improved substantially. Content interactions rose by 69.3%, exceeding 4,000, and we gained 272 new followers, which is 50 more than the previous year.

X (formerly Twitter): As outlined above, we have exited this platform due to growing safety and reputational concerns.

We have made meaningful progress across several communications targets within the first year of our strategy. Our focus on storytelling and audience engagement is already yielding results, both in perception and data. Priorities for the coming months include the delivery of the new website, further work on internal engagement, and investment in communications capacity. We remain committed to evolving our communications in a way that reflects the strength and diversity of the communities we serve and ensures CCS continues to be seen as a trusted, strategic voice in Somerset.

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Trustee Directors’ Report For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Somerset Village Agents and Carers Websites

Visits to the Somerset Agents website demonstrated similar growth to the CCS website, increasing its visit count from 18,600 to 19,000, a 2.1% improvement. The most frequented pages remained consistent with the previous year, with Find an Agent, Somerset Village Agents, Talking Café, and Request a Call Back maintaining their status as the most active sections.

In contrast, the number of visitors to the Somerset Carers website increased to 24,000 in 2023-2024, representing a 4.3% rise from the previous year. The most popular pages were about Free Support and Information, Micro Providers, our 23 Carers Groups and our Carers Hub which offers information and advice on activities, events, and support from national and regional organisations. Over the year there were 431 registrations to receive updates from Somerset Carers and 358 people registered with the Somerset Carers Forum, indicating a desire for information and a strong wish to connect with other carers to share insight and experiences.

Somerset Carers social media following grew with a 12% increase on Facebook (915-page likes, 1.1k followers). We reached an estimated 34,000 Facebook users with higher post engagement happening around Carers Rights Day and Energy Saving Week.

Strategic Goal 5

Agile, skilled and confident organisation

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Trustee Directors’ Report For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Learning & Development

As part of the Year 1 implementation of the CCS Strategy 2024–2029, the Learning and Development (L&D) strategy was embedded to support long-term organisational growth. Core strategic outputs included:

A reviewed Learning and Development Policy, introduced in April 2024, outlining pathways for induction, supervision, appraisal, and leadership development.
A competency framework mapping all organisational roles to support development.
A monitoring and evaluation framework tracking leadership growth, CPD uptake, and employee confidence.

Outcomes:

Three employees enrolled in apprenticeships, including Finance Level 7 and Business Administration Level 3.
Leadership development exceeded targets, with 100% of participants reporting improved leadership skills.
Carbon Literacy Training engaged employees in Zero Carbon Britain initiatives, with pledges monitored post-training.
CPD tracking was implemented quarterly, logging activities such as training, networking, and events.

Progress was tracked through key metrics:

56% of employees reported frequently having time to develop new skills.
The employee engagement survey showed improved learning-related scores, rising to a weighted average of 2.67 (up from 2.51).
Leadership development metrics indicated steady growth year-on-year.

Mark One began delivering IT support services from April 2024, focusing on enhancing systems and processes. Key deliverables included:

250 hours of IT support for onboarding, project work, and consultancy.
Microsoft 365 E3 licensing for 100 users, alongside Intune for device management.
Advanced security tools, including SpamShield email protection, CodeTwo email signature management, and ESET antivirus.
Hardware recommendations and supply, prioritising cost-efficiency.

Mark One maintained Cyber Essentials certification and provided compliance support for GDPR and mobile device management. Regular reviews ensured service alignment with organisational needs.

The Employee Engagement Survey, conducted in late 2024, received a strong response rate of 80%. Key findings highlighted:

Strengths in teamwork and management communication, with high ratings for inclusivity and support.
Continued challenges in career development and work-life balance, though improvements were noted in learning opportunities.

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Trustee Directors’ Report For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Grant Making

This year we improved our grant making process, directly improving our ability to support individuals and families in crisis, whilst strengthening our financial oversight. We updated our application forms and implemented a more robust approval system to be able to enhance our financial scrutiny.

We were able to process an incredible 366 grants, totalling £38,187 which was driven by our incredible agents working to give vital support when it’s most needed, all while ensuring responsible stewardship of our funds. These grants provided support for a whole range of different circumstances, from assisting with individuals facing ill health with essential electricity payments, providing beds for children without, a microwave for an older individual who is struggling with meal preparation, a phone for an individual fleeing domestic violence. These grants are a pillar of our organisation and enable us to support those in need across Somerset.

In the second half of the year, we were proud to support and administer the Surviving Winter grant programme, made possible through our valued partnership with the Somerset Community Foundation. This provided funding for grants totalling £23,605 to support 76 individuals. The funding made a direct impact by helping people stay warm, providing practical aid such as heated blankets and assistance with electricity costs.

Accounting Software and other Financial Process updates

This year, we successfully migrated our accounting operations to Xero software, a significant step that has improved our financial management by speeding up information processing and improving our reporting capabilities. This means we now have clearer, more timely insights into our financial position, enabling better informed decision-making.

We also dedicated efforts on improving other financial processes which have a direct benefit for our employees. A key improvement in this area was transitioning our expenses and mileage reimbursements from a monthly to weekly pay cycle, ensuring our employees are reimbursed more promptly, reflecting our commitment to the wellbeing of our employees.

New CMS and CRM

In the last year extensive research and reasoning have been undertaken to better understand and use our Data, linking this to our strategic goals of understanding the key impacts and areas of need CCS in relation to mission, it was apparent the current systems needed to be updated and changed. The role out of both a new CMS and CRM is planned and in process for the summer of 2025.

The CPD Programme

Launched in June 2024, it aims to foster self-directed learning aligned with strategic goals. Key achievements included:

• Over 550 CPD entries logged by year-end, covering training in areas such as Domestic Abuse Awareness, Social Prescribing Link Worker (SPLW), and Carbon Literacy.

• Sector conference participation and extensive feedback on safeguarding and trauma-informed practice.

• Integration of CPD goals into appraisals and supervision processes, supported by a 360-feedback tool.

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Trustee Directors’ Report For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Overall, these initiatives represent a significant step forward in embedding a learning culture and enhancing organisational capacity to meet strategic ambitions.

Strategic Goal 6

A Financially Sustainable Organisation

Budgeting and Reserves

CCS has made significant improvements to the budgeting process following the planning and implementation of its strategy. During 24-25, our budgeting approach was further developed to align with CCS’s strategic objective of financial sustainability. This involved adopting more detailed and systematic budgeting practices, which enhanced understanding of the financial plan and improved forecasting accuracy. This budgeting approach has allowed us to make more informed financial decisions allowing us to increase our impact for our beneficiaries.

While our long-term aspiration is to build our Reserves to cover closing costs plus 6 months pf operating costs, we strategically budgeted for a reduction in this position through to 2026 due to the current financial landscape. We are pleased to see that despite budgeting for our reserves to be around 3 months by the end of 24-25, through careful planning and financial scrutiny we have exceeded this target, reaching a robust four months of reserves.

Fundraising

During the year we have begun to implement a range of approaches to fundraising, creating the infrastructure necessary for fundraising in many ways. This has included:

Increasing the ease and visibility of our online giving offer – including one-off donations and regular gifts – as well as strengthening giving by post or telephone.
Providing collection pots – and enabling contactless donations – at events, Talking Cafes and other community venues.

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Trustee Directors’ Report For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Launching a ‘Gifts in Wills’ offer giving beneficiaries and supporters the choice to leave a legacy when completing a will for free.
Engaging Marsha Miles Consultancy to develop and submit Trust and Foundation (grant-funding) applications on our behalf.

Fundraising has been supported by the appointment of a Fundraising Administrator who has worked with Village Agents and other teams to support the roll out of collection pots and promote opportunities to give through legacies, events, and other means. Much of this has been promoted as part of a ‘Pay It Forward’ campaign that has included mailings to churches, village halls, and other community buildings and organisations.

Looking Ahead to 2025–26

As we move into the 2025–26 fiscal year, with several of our projects and programmes now at their midpoint, we remain focused on delivering impact and driving forward our strategic priorities. Our efforts will centre on:

Delivering our mission and vision by maintaining high service standards across our contracts, while embedding new, collaborative approaches with partners—particularly in the delivery of the Connect Somerset contract.
Adapting strategy , to focus on a refreshed communication plan and the relaunch of CCS in brand and name, to ensure we are a future-fit organisation. This will involve changes to how we work, a sharpened internal focus, and a review of our organisational structure.
Upgrading our core technology infrastructure to improve operational efficiency and effectiveness. This includes the continued rollout of our new Finance and HR systems, enhanced data management capabilities. Seeking to understand the impacts of AI and how it can enhance our ways of working.
Expanding our fundraising efforts through the implementation of a new three-year Fundraising Strategy designed to meet our evolving needs and ambitions.
Strengthening our impact measurement by prioritising Monitoring and Evaluation. This will support us in better assessing, articulating, and sharing the difference we make.

This approach will enable us to enhance service quality, continue supporting the VCFE sector, and—most importantly—keep the needs of individuals and communities at the heart of everything we do.

As we move into year 2 of our strategy, we will be working to demonstrate the data metrics and impacts which CCS produces to continue to inform us of where our focus and collaborative approaches best meet the mission needs, which will be shared in next year’s report.

It is an exciting period of CCS history as we approach our centenary year with a focus on reinvention of brand and delivery of meaningful lasting impacts for our beneficiaries—one we welcome and embrace.

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Trustee Directors’ Report For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Statement of Trustees’ Responsibilities

The trustees (who are also directors of the Community Council for Somerset for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Report (incorporating the directors’ report) and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 ‘The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland’ (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each fiscal year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and group and of the income and expenditure of the charitable group for that period.

In preparing those financial statements, the Trustees are required to:

select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently.
observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP,
make judgments and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent,
state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements, and
prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in business.

The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and the group and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

In so far as the trustees are aware:

there is no relevant audit information of which the charitable company’s auditors are unaware, and
the trustees have taken all steps that they ought to have taken to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the auditors are aware of that information.

The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company's website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

This report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

Auditors

The auditors, Albert Goodman LLP, are deemed to be reappointed under section 487(2) of the Companies Act 2006.

Approved by order of the Trustees.

.............................. G Francis

Date: ......................

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Independent Auditors' Report to the Trustees and Members For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of The Community Council for Somerset (the 'parent charitable company') for the year ended 31 March 2025, which comprise the consolidated Statement of Financial Activities, the consolidated and parent Balance Sheets, the consolidated Statement of Cash Flows, and Notes to the Financial Statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice, including Financial Reporting Standard 102: The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

give a true and fair view of the state of the group’s and the parent charitable company's affairs as at 31 March 2025 and of its incoming resources and application of resources for the year then ended;
have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and
have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the group and parent charitable company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustee’s use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least 12 months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the directors with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The trustees are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information included in the Trustees’ Report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.

In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements or a material misstatement of the other information. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Independent Auditors' Report to the Trustees and Members For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Opinion on other matter prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:

the information given in the Trustees’ Report, which includes the Directors' Report prepared for the purposes of company law for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and
the Directors' Report included within the Trustees’ Report have been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the group and parent charitable company and their environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the Directors’ Report included within the Trustees’ Report.

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters where the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

adequate and proper accounting records have not been kept by the parent charitable company, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or
the parent charitable company financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
certain disclosures of trustees’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or
we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or
the trustees were not entitled to prepare the financial statements in accordance with the small companies’ regime and take advantage of the small companies’ exemptions in preparing the Trustees’ Report and from the requirement to prepare a Strategic Report.

Responsibilities of trustees

As explained more fully in the Statement of Trustees' Responsibilities, the trustees (who are also the directors of the parent charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the group and parent charitable company's ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the parent charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council's website at www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor's report.

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Independent Auditors' Report to the Trustees and Members For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below:

The extent to which the audit was considered capable of detecting irregularities including fraud Our approach to identifying and assessing the risks of material misstatement in respect of irregularities, including fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations, was as follows:

the engagement partner ensured that the engagement team collectively had the appropriate competence, capabilities and skills to identify or recognise non-compliance with applicable laws and regulations;
we identified the laws and regulations applicable to the company through discussions with management, and from our commercial knowledge and experience of the charity sector;
we focused on specific laws and regulations which we considered may have a direct material effect on the financial statements or the operations of the company, including the Companies Act 2006, Charity Act 2011, employment, health and safety and data protection legislation;
we assessed the extent of compliance with the laws and regulations identified above through making enquiries of management and inspecting legal correspondence; and
identified laws and regulations were communicated within the audit team regularly and the team remained alert to instances of non-compliance throughout the audit.

We assessed the susceptibility of the group’s financial statements to material misstatement, including obtaining an understanding of how fraud might occur, by:

making enquiries of management as to where they considered there was susceptibility to fraud, their knowledge of actual, suspected and alleged fraud; and
considering the internal controls in place to mitigate risks of fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations.

To address the risk of fraud through management bias and override of controls, we:

performed analytical procedures to identify any unusual or unexpected relationships;
tested journal entries to identify unusual transactions;
assessed whether judgements and assumptions made in determining the accounting estimates were indicative of potential bias; and
investigated the rationale behind significant or unusual transactions.

In response to the risk of irregularities and non-compliance with laws and regulations, we designed procedures which included, but were not limited to:

agreeing financial statement disclosures to underlying supporting documentation;
reading the minutes of meetings of those charged with governance;
enquiring of management as to actual and potential litigation, claims and breaches of relevant legislation; and
reviewing correspondence with the Charity Commission and other relevant regulators including the company’s legal advisors and insurers.

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Independent Auditors' Report to the Trustees and Members For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

There are inherent limitations in our audit procedures described above. The more removed that laws and regulations are from financial transactions, the less likely it is that we would become aware of noncompliance. Auditing standards also limit the audit procedures required to identify non-compliance with laws and regulations to enquiry of the directors and other management and the inspection of regulatory and legal correspondence, if any.

Material misstatements that arise due to fraud can be harder to detect than those that arise from error as they may involve deliberate concealment or collusion.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the group and parent charitable company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the group and parent charitable company’s members and trustees those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the group and parent charitable company and the group and parent charitable company’s members as a body and the parent charitable company’s trustees as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

.......................................... Michelle Ferris BSc (Hons) FCA DChA Goodwood House Senior Statutory Auditor Blackbrook Park Avenue for and on behalf of Taunton Albert Goodman LLP Somerset Chartered Accountants TA1 2PX Statutory Auditor

Date: …………………………

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities (including Income and Expenditure Account) For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

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----- Start of picture text -----
Unres- Res- Unres-
tricted tricted Total 2025 tricted Res-tricted Total 2024
Notes £ £ £ £ £ £
Income:
Donations 2 2,536 5,836 8,372 10,481 10,306 20,787
Charitable activities 3 2,172,808 655,082 2,827,890 1,426,519 1,259,244 2,685,763
Other trading activities 4 22,678 30 22,708 12,946 17,325 30,271
Investment income 5 24,576 - 24,576 30,954 - 30,954
Other income 1,720 - 1,720 2,025 - 2,025
Total income 2,224,318 660,948 2,885,266 1,482,925 1,286,875 2,769,800
Expenditure:
- - - -
Cost of raising funds 11,796 11,796
Charitable activities 6 2,402,204 756,827 3,159,031 1,676,348 1,352,462 3,028,810
Total expenditure 2,402,204 756,827 3,159,031 1,688,144 1,352,462 3,205,243
Net (expenditure)/income for
the year before transfers and
gains and losses (177,886) (95,879) (273,765) (205,219) (65,587) (270,806)
Transfers between funds 16 (2,006) 2,006 - (29,539) 29,539 -
- - - -
Realised and unrealised gains 3,206 3,206
and losses
Net income/(expenditure) and (179,892) (93,873) (273,765) (231,552) (36,048) (267,600)
net movement in funds for the
year
Reconciliation of funds
Total funds brought forward 605,882 297,342 903,224 837,434 333,390 1,170,824
Total funds carried forward 425,990 203,469 629,459 605,882 297,342 903,224
----- End of picture text -----

The statement of financial activities has been prepared on the basis that all operations are continuing operations. There were no gains or losses arising in the year that are not shown above.

The statement of financial activities incorporates the income and expenditure account.

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) – Company Registration Number: 03541219 Balance Sheet and Consolidated Balance Sheet As at 31 March 2025

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----- Start of picture text -----
2025 2025 2024 2024
£ £ £ £
Notes Group Charity Group Charity
Fixed assets
Tangible fixed assets 10 17,054 17,054 13,883 13,883
Investments 11 - - 75,668 75,668
17,054 17,054 89,551 89,551
Current assets
Debtors 12 78,103 106,174 200,199 223,360
Cash at bank and in hand 649,246 621,111 766,921 738,896
727,349 727,285 967,120 962,256
Liabilities:
Creditors falling due within one year 13 (112,442) (112,082) (152,543) (148,829)
Net current assets 614,907 615,203 814,577 813,427
Total assets less current liabilities 631,961 632,257 904,128 902,978
Defined pension benefit scheme 14 (2,502) (2,502) (904) (904)
Total net assets 629,459 629,755 903,224 902,074
The funds of the charity:
General funds 386,986 387,282 527,678 526,528
Designated funds 39,004 39,004 78,204 78,204
Total unrestricted funds 425,990 426,286 605,882 604,732
Restricted funds 203,469 203,469 297,342 297,342
Total charity funds 16 629,459 629,755 903,224 902,074
----- End of picture text -----

The trustees have prepared group accounts in accordance with section 398 of the Companies Act 2006 and section 138 of the Charities Act 2011.The financial statements have been prepared and delivered in accordance with the special provisions relating to small companies within Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 and the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).

Approved by the Board of Trustees for issue on ............................. and signed on their behalf by:

.............................. .................................. G Francis M Kitchen Chair Trustee ____________

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Notes Cash flows from operating activities Net movements in funds for the year Adjustments to cash flows from non-cash items Depreciation 10 Interest receivable 5 Revaluation of investments 11 Working capital adjustments (Increase)/decrease in debtors 12 Increase/(decrease) in creditors 13 Increase/(decrease) in provision 14 Net cash flow from operations Cash flows from investing activities Interest receivable 5 Disposal of investments 11 Acquisitions of tangible assets 10 Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the reporting period Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the reporting period Cash & Cash equivalents reconciliation: Cash at bank Total cash & cash equivalents at the end of the reporting period	2025 £ (273,765) 7,973 (24,576) - (290,368) 122,096 (40,101) 1,598 (206,775) 24,576 75,668 (11,144) (117,675) 766,921 649,246 649,246 649,246	2024 £ (267,600) 4,412 (30,954) (3,206)
		(297,348) (30,787) (76,231) (1,030)
		(405,396) 30,954 - (18,295)
		(392,737)
		1,159,658
		766,921
		766,921
		766,921

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

1 Accounting Policies

The principal accounting policies adopted in the preparation of the financial statements are as follows:

1.1 Basis of accounting

The Community Council for Somerset is a company limited by guarantee incorporated in the United Kingdom under the Companies Act. The maximum liability of each member is limited to £1. The address of the registered office is given on page 1. The nature of the charity’s operations and its principal activities are set out in the Trustees report on pages 2-25.

The financial statements have been prepared in £ sterling on the historical cost basis and in accordance with accounting and reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102)) and the Companies Act 2006.

The charity meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy.

These financial statements consolidate the results of the Charity and its wholly owned subsidiary, Smart Communities Limited, on a line by line basis. The “Group” Heading within the balance sheet refers to the consolidated accounts of The Community Council for Somerset and Smart Communities Ltd.

In the parent company financial statements the investment in the trading subsidiary is accounted for at cost less impairment.

A separate Statement of Financial Activities or income and expenditure account, for the Charity itself has not been presented because the Charity has taken advantage of the exemptions afforded by Section 408 of the Companies Act 2006.

1.2 Going Concern

The trustees assess whether the use of the going concern basis of accounting is appropriate, i.e. whether there are any material uncertainties related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the ability of the Charity to continue as a going concern. The trustees make this assessment in respect of a period of at least one year from the date of authorisation for issue of the financial statements and have concluded that the Charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future and there are no material uncertainties about the Charity’s ability to continue as a going concern, thus they continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting when preparing the financial statements.

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

1.3 Income

All income is recognised once the charity has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount of the income receivable can be measured reliably.

Donations and charitable activities

Donations are recognised when the charity has received the donation. In the event that a donation is subject to conditions that require a level of performance by the charity before the charity is entitled to the funds, the income is deferred and not recognised until either those conditions are fully met, or the fulfilment of those conditions is wholly within the control of the charity and it is probable that these conditions will be fulfilled in the reporting period.

If there is a service level agreement or contract in place, income from administration charges is taken into account in the period to which it relates.

Other trading activities

Other income including subscriptions and income from other trading activities is recognised in the period to which it relates.

Investment income

Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the charity; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the bank. Dividends are recognised once the dividend has been declared and notification has been received of the dividend due.

1.4 Expenditure

Resources expended are recognised on the accruals basis to match the period in which the expenditure was incurred, inclusive of any VAT which cannot be recovered. These include both costs associated with both charitable activity and those which relate to governance arrangements and the general running of the charity. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated on a basis consistent with the use of resources.

Raising funds

Raising funds are costs incurred in attracting voluntary income, the management of investments and those incurred in trading activities that raise funds.

Charitable activities

Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the deliverance of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them.

Grants

Provisions for grants are made when the intention to make a grant has been communicated to the recipient but there is uncertainty regarding either the timing of the grant or the amount payable.

1.5 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 or valuation less estimated residual value of each asset over its expected useful life as follows:

Leasehold improvements 6 years straight line Computer equipment 3 years straight line

Fixed assets costing less than £1,500 are not capitalised.

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

1.6 Investments

Fixed asset investments comprise investment portfolios maintained by investment managers. These are recognised initially at fair value which is normally the transaction price (but excludes any transaction costs.) Subsequently, investments are held at market value, with all realised and unrealised gains passing through the SOFA.

1.7 Debtors

Accrued income is recognised at the settlement amount due and prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid.

1.8 Cash at bank and in hand

Cash at bank and in hand comprise cash on hand and call deposits with a maturity of less than three months, and other short-term highly liquid investments that are readily convertible to a known amount of cash and are subject to an insignificant risk of change in value.

1.9 Creditors

Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are recognised at their settlement amount.

1.10 Pensions

Defined contribution scheme

The Charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme. The pension costs charged in the financial statements represent the contributions payable by the Charity during the year in accordance with FRS 17.

Defined benefit scheme

As set out in note 14, the charity is unable to identify its share of net assets and liabilities of this scheme. Accordingly, the scheme is accounted for as a defined contribution scheme and contributions are recognised as an expense as they occur.

There is an agreed deficit recovery plan in place for this scheme. In accordance with FRS 102 the charity has recognised a liability for the net present value of contributions payable by the charity under this plan.

1.11 Operating lease rentals

Leases in which substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership are retained by the lessor are classified as operating leases. Rentals payable under operating leases are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities as incurred over the term of the lease. The charity has operating leases for the premises in which they operate, as well as motor, office equipment leases. The title of the leased premises and equipment remains with the lessor.

1.12 Taxation

As a registered charity, the company is not liable to corporation tax to the extent that income and gains are applied to charitable activities.

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

1.13 Financial Instruments

The charity only holds basic financial instruments as defined in FRS 102. The financial assets and liabilities of the charity and their measurements are as follows:

Financial assets – trade, other debtors and loans (programme related investment) are basic financial instruments and are debt instruments measured at amortised cost as detailed in note 20. Investment portfolios are basic financial instruments measured at fair value through the income and expenditure account. Prepayments are not financial instruments.

Cash at bank and deposit accounts– is classified as a basic financial instrument and is measured at face value.

Financial liabilities – trade creditors, accruals and other creditors are financial instruments, and are measured at amortised cost as detailed in note 20. Taxation and social security are not included in the financial instruments disclosure definition. Deferred income is not deemed to be a financial liability, as the cash settlement has already taken place and there is an obligation to deliver services rather than cash or another financial instrument.

1.14 Critical accounting estimates and areas of judgement

Estimates and judgements are continually evaluated and are based on historical experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances.

The charity makes estimates and assumptions concerning the future. The resulting accounting estimates and assumptions will, by definition, seldom equal the related actual results. The trustees consider that there are no critical accounting estimates and judgements that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities within the next financial year.

2. Donations and legacies

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----- Start of picture text -----
Unres- Res- Unres- Res-
tricteded tricted Total 2025 tricted tricted Total 2024
£ £ £ £ £ £
Donations 2,536 5,836 8,372 10,481 10,306 20,787
2,536 5,836 8,372 10,481 10,306 20,787
----- End of picture text -----

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

3. Charitable activities

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----- Start of picture text -----
Unres- Res- Unres- Res-
tricted tricted Total 2025 tricted tricted Total 2024
£ £ £ £ £ £
Somerset Community
Foundation 14,150 39,700 53,850 3,000 78,018 81,018
Somerset County Council 1,074,961 317,775 1,392,736 465,762 879,487 1,345,249
SALC - 72,000 72,000 - - -
- -
West Somerset Primary 61,543 61,543 87,912 87,912
- - - -
Yeovil Primary 132,730 132,730
- - - -
National Lottery 20,000 20,000
Acre - 56,071 56,071 - - -
South Petherton -
Parish Council - 26,980 26,980 - 26,980 26,980
-
Crisis Funds - grants on
behalf of clients - - - 5,216 72,737 77,953
Defra 40,060 4,000 44,060 23,060 21,000 44,060
NHS 853,579 - 853,579 906,239 60,000 966,239
Rethink - 58,214 58,214 - 32,692 32,692
Funders under £10,000 37,328 18,799 56,127 23,242 418 23,660
2,172,808 655,082 2,827,890 1,426,519 1,259,244 2,685,763
4. Trading activities
Unres- Res- Unres- Res-
tricted tricted Total 2025 tricted tricted Total 2024
£ £ £ £ £ £
Events income 4,858 30 4,888 - 475 475
- -
Membership subscriptions 17,820 17,820 16,850 16,850
Smart Communities Limited - - - 12,946 - 12,946
22,678 30 22,708 12,946 17,325 30,271
5. Investment income
Unres- Res- Unres- Res-
tricted tricted Total 2025 tricted tricted Total 2024
£ £ £ £ £ £
Bank interest 24,576 - 24,576 30,954 - 30,954
----- End of picture text -----

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

6. Charitable activities

Activities undertaken directly Grants to individuals: - Surviving Winter - Crisis fund - Other Allocated support costs: - General office costs - HR - Audit and accountancy - Subscriptions - IT - Premises costs - Management charge	Unres- tricted £ 2,258,725 - - - 86,500 69,094 20,588 16,746 34,314 53,725 (137,488) 2,402,204	Res- tricted £ 548,822 28,413 31,717 - 6,459 2,758 - 756 414 - 137,488 756,827	Total 2025 £ 2,807,547 28,413 31,717 - 92,959 71,852 20,588 17,502 34,728 53,725 - 3,159,031	Unres- tricted £ 1,621,673 - - - 32,866 38,315 19,996 17,396 57,600 48,887 (160,385) 1,676,348	Res- tricted £ 1,048,435 42,052 73,274 8,385 8,853 3,161 - 1,000 - 6,917 160,385 1,352,462	Total 2024 £ 2,670,108 42,052 73,274 8,385 41,719 41,476 19,996 18,396 57,600 55,804 -
						3,028,810

7. Net incoming resources/operating surplus

2025 £ Depreciation of owned assets 7,973 Auditors remuneration - current auditors Audit services 15,600 4,228 Accountancy services Accountancy services	Charity 2024 £ 4,412 2,536 14,100 3,360	2025 £ - - - 760	Subsidiary 2024 £ - - - 2,450	2025 £ 7,973 - 15,600 4,988	Total 2024 £ 4,412 2,536 14,100 5,810

8. Trustee directors

None of the Trustee Directors (or any persons connected with them) received any remuneration during the current or prior year. One Trustee Director was reimbursed during the year for travelling expenses and reimbursement of costs totalling £446 (2024: £131).

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

9. Employees

The aggregate payroll costs were as follows:

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----- Start of picture text -----
Employment costs 2025 2024
£ £
Wages and salaries 2,232,863 2,189,838
Social security costs 193,004 185,267
Pension costs 80,394 76,511
2,506,261 2,451,616
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The average number of employees during the year was 95 (2024: 98)

The number of employees whose annual emoluments (including employers national insurance but excluding employers pension) were £60,000 or more are:

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----- Start of picture text -----
2025 2024
number number
£70,000 - £80,000 1 1
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This employee is a member of the defined contribution pension scheme, into which contributions of £2,196 (2024: £2,201) were made.

The key management personnel of the charity are considered to be the Chief Executive Officer, Head of Operations & HR, Head of Programmes, Head of Development & Communications and Finance Manager. The total costs to the charity of employee benefits for the key management personnel were £247,889 (2024: £283,567).

Defined contribution pension scheme

The company operates a defined contribution pension scheme. The pension cost charge for the year represents contributions payable by the company to the scheme and amounted to £80,394 (2024: £76,511).

Contributions totalling £1,989 (2024: £184) were payable to the scheme at the end of the year and are included in creditors.

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

10. Tangible fixed assets

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----- Start of picture text -----
Group Leasehold Computer Total
Improvements Equipment
£ £ £
Cost
-
At 1 April 2024 18,295 18,295
Additions 2,102 9,042 11,144
At 31 March 2025 2,102 27,337 29,439
Depreciation
-
At 1 April 2024 4,412 4,412
Charge for the year 350 7,623 7,973
- - -
Eliminated on disposal
At 31 March 2025 350 12,035 12,385
Net book value
At 31 March 2025 1,752 15,302 17,054
At 31 March 2024 - 13,883 13,883
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The above assets are all held by the charity.

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

11. Investments

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----- Start of picture text -----
2025 2024
Group Charity Group Charity
£ £ £ £
Listed investments
As at 1 April 2024 75,668 75,668 72,462 72,462
Revaluation - - 3,206 3,206
- -
Disposal (75,668) (75,668)
At 31 March 2025 - - 75,668 75,668
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Shares in subsidiary undertaking

Smart Communities Ltd (company number 11480430) was incorporated on 24 July 2018 as a wholly owned trading subsidiary of The Community Council for Somerset. The parent charity holds 100% of the issued share capital and 100% of the voting rights of the subsidiary trading company.

The principal activity of the company is consultancy services. The registered office is the same as that of the charity, detailed on page 1.

The subsidiary gift aids its taxable profits to The Community Council for Somerset, and files unaudited, filleted accounts with the Registrar of Companies

A summary of the trading performance of the subsidiary is as below;

Turnover Administrative expenses Net loss before tax Taxation Retained in subsidiary The assets and liabilities were: Current assets Current liabilities Total net assets Retained earnings	2025 £ - (726) (726) - (726) 28,135 (28,431) (296) (296) (296)	2024 £ 12,946 (11,796)
		1,150 -
		1,150
		28,025 (27,594)
		431
		431
		431

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

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----- Start of picture text -----
12. Debtors
2025 2024
Group Charity Group Charity
£ £ £ £
Trade debtors 475 475 160,765 160,765
Other debtors 19,000 19,000 1,225 1,225
Prepayments and accrued income 58,628 58,628 38,209 38,209
- -
Amounts owed by group undertakings 28,071 23,161
78,103 106,174 200,199 223,360
13. Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year
2025 2024
Group Charity Group Charity
£ £ £ £
Trade creditors 20,573 20,573 34,257 31,857
Accruals 20,907 20,547 27,137 25,823
Deferred income 23,561 23,561 90,965 90,965
Other creditors 5,035 5,035 - -
Taxation and social security 42,366 42,366 184 184
112,442 112,082 152,543 148,829
2025 2024
Group Charity Group Charity
£ £ £ £
Deferred income at 1 April 90,965 90,965 157,670 157,670
Released from previous years (90,965) (90,965) (157,670) (157,670)
Resources deferred in the year 23,561 23,561 90,965 90,965
23,561 23,561 90,965 90,965
----- End of picture text -----

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

14. Pension schemes

The charity participates in a multi-employer pension scheme managed by The Pensions Trust which provides benefits to some 638 non-associated participating employers. The scheme is a defined benefit scheme in the UK. It is not possible for the charity to obtain sufficient information to identify its share of assets and liabilities of the scheme to enable it to account for the scheme as a defined benefit scheme and it therefore accounts for the scheme as a defined contribution scheme.

A full actuarial valuation for the total scheme was carried out at 30 September 2023. This valuation showed assets of £514.9m, liabilities of £531.0m and a deficit of £16.1m.

To eliminate this funding shortfall participating employers have been asked to pay additional contributions to the scheme. The estimated present value of the future contributions required from the charity over the next six years to meet its share of the deficit is £2,502 (2024: £904) and this has been provided for in the accounts in accordance with FRS 102. The liability has been discounted using a discount rate of 4.84% (2024: 5.31%) based on a full AA corporate bond yield. The resulting expense is recognised in the statement of financial activities.

The scheme is classified as a “last-man standing arrangement”. Therefore, the charity is potentially liable for other participating employers’ obligations if those employers are unable to meet their share of the scheme deficit following withdrawal from the scheme. Participating employers are legally required to meet their share of the scheme deficit on an annuity purchase basis on withdrawal from the scheme.

If there were no members in the scheme the employer’s liability would become due for payment. This was last estimated on 30 September 2022 at a cost of £20,724. The charity currently has 160 members in a connected defined contribution scheme. If all members left the scheme there would be a 12 month grace period to find new members before the employer’s liability becomes due.

2025 Group Charity £ £ Provision at 1 April 904 904 Unwinding of discount figure 24 24 Deficit contributions paid (921) (921) Remeasurement - impact of changes in as 16 16 Remeasurement - amendments to the cont 2,479 2,479 2,502 2,502	Group £ 1,934 74 (1,105) 1 - 904	2024 Charity £ 1,934 74 (1,105) 1 -
		904

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

15. Obligations under leases

The charity and group has obligations under non-cancellable operating leases, funded by unrestricted funds, with the total future minimum rentals payable as follows:

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----- Start of picture text -----
2025 2024
£ £
Land and Buildings
Expiry date:
Within one year 14,500 3,400
Between one and five years 58,000
-
Greater than five years 1,208
73,708 3,400
----- End of picture text -----

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

16. Summary of movement in funds

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----- Start of picture text -----
Opening Incoming Outgoing Transfers & Closing
Balance Resources Resources gains/ (losses) Balance
Group £ £ £ £ £
Unrestricted funds
General 527,678 57,347 (193,253) (4,786) 386,986
Programmes - 37,865 (37,866) 1 -
Designated funds
Carers connect - 382,701 (382,701) - -
- -
Community connect 400,000 (399,999) (1)
- - -
Refugee support 79,240 (79,240)
SPLW - 910,859 (910,859) - -
Ubuntu - 75,450 (77,628) 2,178 -
Immediate care - 235,000 (235,278) 278 -
Community buildings - 42,806 (43,130) 324 -
- - -
Project Development 5,742 (5,742)
St Margaret's 72,462 3,050 (42,250) 5,742 39,004
78,204 2,129,106 (2,171,085) 2,779 39,004
Total unrestricted funds 605,882 2,224,318 (2,402,204) (2,006) 425,990
Restricted funds
- - -
Village Agents 25,183 (25,183)
-
Surviving Winter 4,794 29,700 (28,413) 6,081
-
Diversity 45,933 81,915 (109,860) 17,988
Crisis Fund 41,511 50,886 (31,717) - 60,680
- - -
Somerset Society 1,608 1,608
- - -
Village Hall 3,000 3,000
- - -
Mendip Car Scheme 12,986 12,986
- - -
Transform Ageing 1,489 1,489
- -
Mental Health Agents 1,650 61,759 (63,409)
-
Living Better WS 47,583 61,543 (89,133) 19,993
South Petherton 3,741 26,980 (30,453) (268) -
- -
VCSE Dementia Partnership 36,692 (19,422) 17,270
CSE 8,444 - (8,444) - -
- -
ICB Somerset System Development 60,000 (31,474) 28,526
ESOL 2,728 23,624 (22,504) - 3,848
- - -
Homeless support 30,000 30,000
Winter pressures - 77,095 (77,096) 1 -
SALC - 72,000 (72,000) - -
- -
Rural Housing 56,071 (56,069) (2)
Decarbonisation - 89,375 (91,650) 2,275 -
Total restricted funds 297,342 660,948 (756,827) 2,006 203,469
-
903,224 2,885,266 (3,159,031) 629,459
----- End of picture text -----

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Summary of movement in funds

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----- Start of picture text -----
Opening Incoming Outgoing Transfers & Closing
Balance Resources Resources gains/ (losses) Balance
Charity £ £ £ £ £
Unrestricted funds
General 526,528 57,347 (191,807) (4,786) 387,282
Programmes - 37,865 (37,866) 1 -
Designated funds
Carers connect - 382,701 (382,701) - -
- -
Community connect 400,000 (399,999) (1)
- - -
Refugee support 79,240 (79,240)
SPLW - 910,859 (910,859) - -
Ubuntu - 75,450 (77,628) 2,178 -
Immediate care - 235,000 (235,278) 278 -
Community buildings - 42,806 (43,130) 324 -
- - -
Project Development 5,742 (5,742)
St Margaret's 72,462 3,050 (42,250) 5,742 39,004
78,204 2,129,106 (2,171,085) 2,779 39,004
Total unrestricted funds 604,732 2,224,318 (2,400,758) (2,006) 426,286
Restricted funds
As per group listing above 297,342 660,948 (756,827) 2,006 203,469
Total restricted funds 297,342 660,948 (756,827) 2,006 203,469
-
902,074 2,885,266 (3,157,585) 629,755
----- End of picture text -----

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Summary of movement in funds – prior year

	Group Unrestricted funds General Designated funds Carers' Agents Project Development St Margaret's Total unrestricted funds Restricted funds Village Agents Surviving Winter Diversity Adult Social Care Community Hub Crisis Fund Taunton Federation Community Buildings CCG Cancer Somerset Society Village Hall Digital Engagement Mendip Car Scheme Transform Ageing Mental Health Agents Food Resilience Children and Families Project Health Inequalities SDC Interfaith and Belief Living Better WS Microenterprise Project Positive Lives Innovation Fund SPOC Refugee Support South Petherton VCSE Dementia Partnership CSE ICB Somerset System Development ESOL Total restricted funds	Opening Balance £ 759,227 3 5,742 72,462 837,434 37,598 (1,750) 48,199 43,531 86,001 - (5,398) 7,981 1,608 3,000 - 12,986 1,489 - - - - - 27,769 - 4,367 - 13,149 3,496 40,920 8,444 - - 333,390 1,170,824	Incoming Resources £ 1,105,703 377,222 - - 1,482,925 20,000 48,596 83,019 685,314 28,886 - 47,689 - - - - - - 32,692 - 7,777 - - 87,912 - 26,164 - 117,566 26,980 - - 60,000 14,280 1,286,875 2,769,800	Outgoing Transfers & Resources gains/ (losses) £ £ (1,272,620) (64,632) (415,524) 38,299 - - - - (1,688,144) (26,333) (32,415) - (42,052) - (85,285) - (728,845) - (73,376) - - - (42,291) - (8,056) 75 - - - - - - - - - - (31,042) - - - (11,157) 3,380 - - - - (68,098) - (23,459) 23,459 (33,156) 2,625 - - (130,715) - (26,735) - (4,228) - - - - - (11,552) - (1,352,462) 29,539 (3,040,606) 3,206	Closing Balance £ 527,678 - 5,742 72,462
					605,882
					25,183 4,794 45,933 - 41,511 - - - 1,608 3,000 - 12,986 1,489 1,650 - - - - 47,583 - - - - 3,741 36,692 8,444 60,000 2,728
					297,342
					903,224

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Summary of movement in funds – prior year

	Charity Unrestricted funds General Designated funds Carers'Agents Project Development St Margaret's Total unrestricted funds Restricted funds As per group listing above Total restricted funds	Opening Balance £ 759,227 3 5,742 72,462 78,207 837,434 333,390 333,390 1,170,824	Incoming Resources £ 1,092,757 377,222 - - 377,222 1,469,979 1,286,875 1,286,875 2,756,854	Outgoing Transfers & Resources gains/ (losses) £ £ (1,260,824) (64,632) (415,524) 38,299 - - - - (415,524) 38,299 (1,676,348) (26,333) (1,352,462) 29,539 (1,352,462) 29,539 (3,028,810) 3,206	Closing Balance £ 526,528 - 5,742 72,462
					78,204
					604,732
					297,342
					297,342
					902,074

Purpose of material funds:

Village Agents – The Big Lottery Fund Reaching Communities programme exceptionally awarded a third, three-year grant to fund Village Agent work until 2021, and funding was also received from the Bernard Herridge Trust (Hastoe Group). During 2019/20 additional funding has been secured from other sources including GP federations and Parish Councils.
Surviving Winter – funding from Somerset Community Foundation collected through donations of winter fuel allowances which our staff in the communities award to individuals in fuel poverty, or who need support to address feelings of isolation.
Diversity – BAME Engagement - funding was received from Somerset Community Foundation to employ two BAME Community Engagement workers covering the whole county; They engage with individuals and groups offering support and organising cultural awareness events. Funding has been received from Somerset Skills and Learning for delivery of English as a Second Language classes.
Ubuntu – a test and learn project until March 2024 to support High Intensity users in acute hospital A&E departments.
Adult Social Care Community Hub – funding from Somerset County Council to collaborate with the Adult Social Care teams and support people with their social care needs. The pilot project using a practical, solution focused and personalised model was successful in improving quality of life and preventing individuals reaching crisis point, and has now been rolled out across Somerset until March 2024.
Crisis Fund – Funds have been received through donations and grants to enable Village, Carers, Community and Home First Agents to pay for essential items for individuals of all age who are in crisis.
Taunton Federation – funding from the Taunton Federation of GP Practices for Village Agents to work with individuals referred by the practices. This project has now combined with the Village Agent fund therefore the income received last year of £20,000 has been transferred to the Village Agent fund.

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Transport Agent – funded by SCC West Somerset Opportunities Area grant to develop transport solutions in West Somerset.
MacMillan Agent – a project to employ a specialist Agent to work with Macmillan and its volunteers. supporting individuals affected by a cancer diagnosis and their families in Mendip and South Somerset.
Community Buildings – support is funded by membership subscriptions and SLA funding from Taunton Deane Borough Council and Sedgemoor District Council to provide advice and support to Community Building's management committees on a wider range of issues including legislation, licensing and governance. This includes access to model documents and co-ordinating volunteers who undertake Hallmark accreditation.
CCG Cancer – funded by the CCG to support individuals and their families affected by cancer.
The Somerset Society fund – represents the residual funds of another charity and is held on specific trusts for Training and Education Initiatives
The Village Hall Loan Fund – represents funds available for loans at interest to Village Halls. With Board approval this fund has also been used during the year to fund Community Buildings Support. £3,000 will be held available for loans.
Digital Engagement – funding from the CCG towards their Digital Roadmap programme which has been used to purchase laptops for staff that comply with NHS requirements, and the balance will promote digital skills in the community in partnership with ITHelp@Home.
Mendip Car Scheme – is a grant fund which develops car schemes or alternative ways of accessing services in the Mendip area. There are no active projects using this funding.
Transform Ageing – this is a match funded project with the Design Council to transform the experience of ageing for people in the South West and is being delivered with existing staff.
Mental Health Agents – a one year project funded by the CCG covering Sedgemoor and West Somerset, employing specialist Agents to support individuals with Mental Health conditions, referred by GPs.
Food Resilience – funding. from SCC to support individuals in need during the pandemic with emergency food supplies and to give grants to community food groups to enable them to source sustainable solutions.
Children & Families Project – one year test and learn project in West Somerset, supporting Families at risk, in liaison with local schools.
Health Inequalities SDC – working with minority groups in Somerset to look at health inequalities with particular focus on Mental Health, Sexual Health, Domestic Violence and Vaccine engagement.
Interfaith and Belief – to establish an Interfaith forum in Somerset with the aim of fostering community cohesion between faith groups, understand the role faith and belief groups have in times of crisis, support faith groups supporting people affected by Covid and to map faith groups in Somerset.
Living Better WS – to provide Agent services in the Living Better Primary Care network in West Somerset.
Microenterprise Project – to address the backlog of people interested in becoming microproviders, to raise awareness of the microprovider project, align with Carers engagement work to build relationships.
Positive Lives Innovation Funds – test and learn project in South Somerset to support people who are either homeless, newly housed or are at risk of becoming homeless.
SPLW – previously Primary Care Network VAS but renamed during the year to SPLW (Social Prescribing Link Workers). Clinical Commissioning Group funding for the provision of Village Agent support for GP patients with long-term. health problems in the North Sedgemoor area. We are working with GPs and other healthcare professionals using a social prescribing model.
SPOC (Single Point of Contact) – funding to support the Hospital Discharge Teams in the Acute hospitals, working with staff and agencies in those settings to support discharge of medically fit patients. This project has now combined with the Adult Social Care Community Hub therefore a transfer of the remaining SPOC balance has been made to the Adult Social Care Community Hub.

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Refugee Support – funding through Somerset Council for Ukrainian Refugees currently up to November 2023.
South Petherton – funding an Agent / SPLW which is separate to the NHS contract.
VCSE Dementia Partnership – The VCSE Dementia Partnership is grant funding from Somerset Foundation Trust to the VCSE Dementia Partnership. Community Council Somerset will act as the lead organisation for the Information Packs and Carers Education workstreams. These include contribution to CCS Carers Packs, bespoke Dementia Support information sheets and delivery of Carers Education. Spending to be agreed by the Carers Education and Information Packs Working Groups and signed off by the Dementia Operational Oversight Group.
CSE – Centre for Sustainable Energy who are supporting Agent Training over 2022/23 and 2023/24.
ESOL – Somerset Council commissioned CCS to compile a map and directory of English classes for Speakes of Other Languages (ESOL) and English Conversation Clubs in Somerset. This will help identify gaps in provision and the needs of people whose first language is not English.
Community Solution Seekers – The Community Solution Seekers is a pilot project working with communities in four geographical areas. Bringing interested individuals, groups and organisations together to identify common issues around the broad topic of health and wellbeing and identify ways of collaborative working to address the issues.

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

17. Analysis of assets between funds

Group Unrestricted funds Restricted funds As at 31 March 2025 Unrestricted funds Restricted funds As at 31 March 2024 Charity Unrestricted funds Restricted funds As at 31 March 2025 Unrestricted funds Restricted funds As at 31 March 2024	Tangible fixed assets £ 17,054 - 17,054 13,883 - 13,883 Tangible fixed assets £ 17,054 - 17,054 13,883 - 13,883	Investments £ - - - 75,668 - 75,668 Investments £ - - - 75,668 - 75,668	Net current assets £ 411,438 203,469 614,907 517,235 297,342 814,577 Net current assets £ 411,734 203,469 615,203 516,085 297,342 813,427	Provisions £ (2,502) - (2,502) (904) - (904) Provisions £ (2,502) - (2,502) (904) - (904)	Total £ 425,990 203,469
					629,459
					605,882 297,342
					903,224
					Total £ 426,286 203,469
					629,755
					604,732 297,342
					902,074

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

18. Income and expenditure account of the charity

The charity has taken advantage of Section 408 of the Companies Act 2006 and has not included its own Income and Expenditure account or separate Statement of Financial Activities.

Prior to gift aid amounts received from the subsidiary, The Community Council for Somerset had net expenditure for the year of £272,319 (2024: expenditure of £271,959), based on income of £2,885,266 (2024: £2,756,851).

Gift aid distributions from the trading subsidiary of £nil (2024: £nil) were received in the year, with the amount relating to the prior year trading profits.

19. Related parties

The charity has taken advantage of the exemption in FRS 102 “Related Party Disclosures” from disclosing transactions with other members of the group.

20. Events after the balance sheet date

On 1 April 2025, the charity became the sole member and Trustee of Diversity Voice, a charity registered in England and Wales (number 1162019).

21. Financial Instruments

Categorisation of financial instruments Financial assets measured at fair value through income and expenditure account Financial assets that are debt instruments measured at amortised cost Financial liabilities measured at amortised cost	Group £ - 691,934 691,934 49,017 49,017	2025 Charity £ - 691,870 691,870 48,657 48,657	Group £ 75,668 952,124 1,027,792 62,298 62,298	2024 Charity £ 75,668 947,260
				1,022,928
				58,584
				58,584

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The Community Council for Somerset (trading as Thrive) Notes to the Financial Statements For the Year Ended 31 March 2025

==> picture [497 x 295] intentionally omitted <==

----- Start of picture text -----
2025 - Group and charity Income Expenditure Gains Losses
£ £ £ £
Financial assets measured at fair value 24,576 - - -
through income and expenditure account
Financial assets that are debt instruments - - - -
measured at amortised cost
Financial liabilities measured at amortised - - - -
cost
- - -
24,576
2024 - Group and charity Income Expenditure Gains Losses
£ £ £ £
Financial assets measured at fair value 30,954 - 3,206 -
through income and expenditure account
Financial assets that are debt instruments - - - -
measured at amortised cost
Financial liabilities measured at amortised - - - -
cost
- -
30,954 3,206
----- End of picture text -----

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