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2022-03-31-accounts

DocuSign Envelope ID: 06B6E9C1-14E3-4CD8-AA1D-CA9AE3F056C8

Registered Company no. 03690881 Registered Charity no. 1074032

Report and Financial Statement for the Year Ended 31 March 2022

DocuSign Envelope ID: 06B6E9C1-14E3-4CD8-AA1D-CA9AE3F056C8

Cambridgeshire ACRE Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2022

Contents

Page
Officers and Professional Advisers 1
Trustees’ & Directors’ Report 2
Report of the Independent Auditors 9
Statement of Financial Activities 12
Balance Sheet 13
Statement of Cash Flows 14
Notes to the Accounts 15

DocuSign Envelope ID: 06B6E9C1-14E3-4CD8-AA1D-CA9AE3F056C8

Cambridgeshire ACRE Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2022 OFFICERS AND PROFESSIONAL ADVISERS

PRESIDENT

The Right Reverend Stephen Conway, Bishop of Ely

VICE PRESIDENTS

Julie Spence OBE CStJ QPM, Lord-Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire

TRUSTEES

The Trustees, who are also Directors of the company, who served during the financial year are as follows: Stephanie Louise Baxter (co-opted 9-Feb-2022) Ann Lesley Blair (Chairperson) David Gibbs Brian Wilfred Hayes (resigned 28 September 2022) Michael David Hellowell (Vice-Chairman and Treasurer) Terry Jordan (Vice-Chairman) Hugh Kyle McCurdy Ben Poulton (co-opted 9-Feb-2022, resigned 23-May-2022) Helena Schofield (co-opted 9-Feb-2022) Jessica Lucy Sellick (co-opted 9-Feb-2022) Elizabeth Ann Stazicker (resigned 28 September 2022) Ray Vidler (co-opted 9-Feb-2022) Hazel Williams MBE (resigned 28 September 2022)

COMPANY SECRETARY

Alison Catherine Brown

CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Kirsten Jean Bennett

REGISTERED OFFICE

e-Space North, 181 Wisbech Road, Littleport, CB6 1RA

BANKERS

Unity Trust Bank PLC, PO Box 7193, Planetary Road, Willenhall, WV1 9DG

AUDITORS

Chater Allan LLP, 7 Quy Court, Colliers Lane, Stow-cum-Quy, Cambridge, CB25 9AU

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 06B6E9C1-14E3-4CD8-AA1D-CA9AE3F056C8

Cambridgeshire ACRE Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2022

TRUSTEES’ & DIRECTORS’ REPORT

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The trustees present their full report for the period ended 31 March 2022 to the Annual General Meeting of the charity held on 28 September 2022. This is also the directors’ report required of a small company by the Companies Act 2006.

Statement of the Trustees’ Responsibilities

Law applicable to incorporated charities in England and Wales requires the trustees who are also directors for the purpose of company law to prepare financial statements for each financial year, which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of its financial activities during the year. In preparing those financial statements, the trustees are required to:

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and which enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They have general responsibility for taking such steps as are reasonably open to them to safeguard the assets of the charity and to prevent and detect fraud and other irregularities.

The trustees have overall responsibility for ensuring that the charity has appropriate system of controls, financial and otherwise to provide reasonable assurance that:

The systems of internal control are designed to provide reasonable, but not absolute, assurance against material misstatement or loss. They include:

Objects of the Charity

To promote any charitable purposes for the benefit of the community in particular but not exclusively in the county of Cambridgeshire by assisting the work of statutory authorities and voluntary organisations engaged in pursuing any charitable purposes

Our Vision

Thriving rural communities across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

Our Mission

To drive positive change and work with others to improve the lives of those that live and work in rural communities.

Public Benefit

It is a legal requirement of the Charities Act 2006 that charities must demonstrate they provide a public benefit. The two key principles identified by the Charity Commission to prove public benefit are:

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 06B6E9C1-14E3-4CD8-AA1D-CA9AE3F056C8

Cambridgeshire ACRE Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2022

TRUSTEES’ & DIRECTORS’ REPORT

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Incorporation

The company is a registered charity incorporated under the Companies Act 1985 in December 1998. The governing document is the Articles of Association as amended on 25 September 2019.

Governance

Cambridgeshire ACRE is controlled by the Board of Trustees which meets at least four times a year. It delegates dayto-day management of the organisation to the Chief Executive. There are currently 12 members of the Board.

Trustee Recruitment

Trustees are elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM), when one third of all trustees retire and may put themselves forward for re-election for a period of three years. Cambridgeshire ACRE regularly reviews the need for new trustees and any areas of expertise that might need strengthening through further recruitment to the Board. The Board collectively considers prospective candidates and either recommends candidates for election at the AGM, or coopts them until the next AGM, at which time they must retire and seek re-appointment.

Once elected by the AGM or co-opted by the Board, new trustees complete a declaration of eligibility to serve as a charity trustee and their appointment is notified to the Charity Commission. New trustees are sent a copy of the policy and procedure on Conflicts of Interest and asked to complete a declaration of interests which is reviewed each year.

Trustee Induction

New trustees are provided with a training session at which they are given an Induction Pack of key documents, such as Memorandum and Articles of Association, Charity Commission summary of responsibilities of charity trustees, the latest Annual Report and Financial Statement and the Strategy and Business Plan. The Chairperson and Chief Executive meet with a new trustee after 6 months to review how their induction has gone.

Trustee Training

Trustees’ training needs may emerge during the induction process but are more systematically assessed through periodic meetings with the Chairperson and Chief Executive. Identified needs are dealt with immediately where possible, or otherwise included in Cambridgeshire ACRE’s annual training plan alongside the training needs of staff. Trustees are encouraged to attend events run by Cambridgeshire ACRE and other conferences/meetings to develop their awareness of the working context, charity governance and key rural issues.

Reserves

The trustees have identified the need to retain a financial reserve as the charity’s income is uncertain and can fluctuate from year to year. Cambridgeshire ACRE aims to hold in reserve no less than three months’ unrestricted gross expenditure to ensure that it can meet its contractual obligations fully. The charity will continue its practice of budgeting prudently and actively seeking funds to finance its activities and maintain the reserve at the approved level. The Board reviews the reserves policy each year and monitors the level of the reserve at its quarterly meetings.

During the year the charity’s general reserve increased from £151,945 to £171,860. After deduction of potential redundancy liabilities, the current level of general reserve provides a buffer of just over four months of unrestricted fund expenditure. This is considered acceptable under the current reserves policy.

The charity has two designated funds which are represented by investments and fixed assets. The purpose of these funds is detailed in note 20 in the financial statements.

Investments

Cambridgeshire ACRE has an investment policy that is reviewed annually by the Board. The charity’s investments consist of cash deposits. The deposit accounts are kept under review to ensure that an adequate rate of interest is being paid on the charity’s deposits. The strategy is to hold funds with a high level of liquidity for ready access when required. The deposits are split between Cambridge & Counties Bank Ltd and United Trust Bank at the balance sheet date.

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 06B6E9C1-14E3-4CD8-AA1D-CA9AE3F056C8

Cambridgeshire ACRE Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2022

TRUSTEES’ & DIRECTORS’ REPORT

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Pay Policy for Senior Staff

The trustees consider the board of directors, who are the charity’s trustees, and the senior management team comprising the key management personnel of the charity, to be in charge of directing and controlling, running and operating the charity on a day-to-day basis. All trustees give of their time freely and receive no remuneration for their charitable duties in the year. The pay of the senior staff is set by the trustees, benchmarking against pay levels in other charities of a similar size and type.

Risk Management

The trustees have assessed the major risks to which the organisation is exposed, particularly those related to finances and operations, these are documented on a risk register the trustees have put in place, together with a Business Continuity Plan which sets out actions to be taken in the case of serious business interruption. Cambridgeshire ACRE has a formal procedure on risk management and the procedure and risks identified are reviewed continuously by the senior management team and annually by the trustees, they remain satisfied that measures are in place to manage those risks.

Review of Activities

The Review of Activities details our achievements and their impact on rural communities. The Review covers the full year 2021/22 and the period in the current year (2022/23) to the date of writing (Jul-2022).

Social and Community Action Programmes

For the first part of the year, Cambridgeshire ACRE continued to work through the Support Cambridgeshire partnership, in collaboration with Hunts Forum and Cambridge CVS, to deliver infrastructure services across the County on behalf of Cambridgeshire County Council. Cambridgeshire ACRE’s specific responsibilities under this contract related to supporting those running Community Facilities and developing the Town and Parish Council sector. The final deliverable was conducting repeat surveys of the County’s local council clerks and councillors with analysis and results being reported to the County Council and used to inform the annual Local Councils Conference delivered in January 2022.

At the end of 2021/22, membership of the Organisation stood at 269 members (an increase from 260 at end of 2020/21), with many new members commenting that they had appreciated the free support given by the organisation during the pandemic and wished to continue to access that going forward.

Our Community Facilities Advice Service provided 390 cases of support to community buildings across the County in the year 2021/22. This was a fall from the caseload for the previous year (635 cases) when the pandemic dramatically raised the volume of the queries received. The majority of queries this year concerned governance, health & safety and hiring arrangements.

Monthly online training sessions for trustees have been held throughout the year and attract a good audience. Sessions are also recorded so that they can be shared with a wider audience. Training sessions are complemented by regular e-newsletters and social media updates. The village halls community is making good use of Cambridgeshire ACRE’s online members’ network and we have begun to see the start of a strong peer support network with members asking questions and beginning to offer answers based on their own experiences.

Thanks to funding received from the Cambridgeshire Coronavirus Recovery Fund we were able to supplement our standard support offer with a year-long project to help community buildings address reopening issues and to support them to re-engage their communities as they resumed normal community life following the pandemic. Training provided included how to re-open your hall post-pandemic; how to market your village hall; how to recruit & induct new trustees and volunteers; and how to start up new activities in your hall. The project concluded with a three-month-long marketing campaign to promote the use of village halls both in communities and by local businesses.

We continued to deliver our Arts Council England-funded rural touring scheme project for the Cambridgeshire Fens. Following a six-month suspension due to the pandemic we resumed delivery in April 2021, re-engaging promoters and supporting them to feel confident enough to host live performances (either indoors or outdoors) or event film nights. Progress has been under difficult circumstances, as communities are still quite nervous about bringing groups of people together in enclosed spaces. We overcame this by offering four café cabaret-style events in outdoor spaces at Wisbech St Mary, Little Thetford, Isleham and Colne which encouraged people to come out of their homes to socialise in a safe way whilst watching some exciting performances. Somersham Victory Hall promoted a wonderful live

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 06B6E9C1-14E3-4CD8-AA1D-CA9AE3F056C8

Cambridgeshire ACRE Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2022

TRUSTEES’ & DIRECTORS’ REPORT

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performance of ‘The Snow Dancer’ over Christmas 2021 and we have begun to see halls open to hosting film screenings with several already programmed for 2022/23.

We have continued our partnership with PECT to deliver the Energy Industry Redress Scheme-funded ‘Cambridgeshire Home Energy Support Service’. Through this project we support people on low incomes to maintain a warm home. We have trained and supported a cohort of 80 volunteers and frontline workers to identify community members needing support and to make referrals to the project. PECT provides advice on staying warm and healthy and cutting energy bills, whilst Cambridgeshire ACRE makes payments to energy suppliers to help alleviate existing debt. 141 payments totalling £52,726 have been made since October 2020, leaving just under £1,000 to allocate before the project ends in September.

Environmental Programmes

Our Postcode Lottery-funded project to develop a nomination to UNESCO to designate part of the Fens as a Biosphere Reserve formally ended on 31 March 2022. We commissioned an external consultant to undertake some further consultation with local authorities and presented a report on findings to the project’s Steering Group. Ultimately it proved impossible to secure the unanimous endorsement required from the Local Planning Authorities as a condition of the nomination so a decision was taken not to pursue this for the foreseeable future.

Our National Lottery Heritage Fund-funded project ‘New Life on the Old West’ gained momentum over the course of the year. Following a slow start due to the ongoing impacts of the pandemic, the project team has worked successfully with communities and landowners in the 'Old West' area of the Cambridgeshire Fens to undertake habitat improvement works on farm sites and community green spaces and deliver a huge programme of activities to engage local communities. Activities have included online talks, dawn chorus events, family ‘grow wild’ days, boat trips, a BioBlitz weekend and ‘Open for Nature Days’. The project has successfully recruited 40 volunteers who have taken part in training on amphibians & reptiles, bats and dragonflies & damselflies. Volunteers support the project by recording nature sightings about the plants and animals that live in the area.

Our Water Environment Grant-funded project ‘Trap the sediment before the water’s pumped: Cleaning up the Old West’ concluded at the end of March 2022. The project sought to address agricultural diffuse pollution by trapping the sediment that runs from the land through the installation of coir rolls along 2.2km of the drain network. A successful landowner training event was held in September 2021 where 11 landowners came together to learn how they could replicate the project’s achievements.

We continued to lead the Water Catchment Partnership for the Old Bedford and Middle Level Catchment which aims to achieve better co-ordinated action by those who use water or influence land management as well as to gain great engagement of local people to tackle the significant pressures placed on the water environment. The Partnership delivered a successful project that supported the control of Floating Pennywort (an invasive non-native species) in the Middle Level water system and delivered two litter-picking events along watercourses in Ramsey and March that involved a large number of local volunteers and good examples of partnership working with The Rivers Trust and Fenland District Council.

Our Anglian Waterways Volunteering Scheme which had been suspended for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic resumed activities at two sites in June 2021. We held a further successful recruitment campaign, followed by theoretical and practical training sessions, and now have 24 volunteers undertaking lock management and providing information to boaters at Northampton Marina and on the River Great Ouse.

In March 2022, we started delivery of our innovative Eels in the Classroom project. The project aimed to increase the life chances of the critically endangered European Eel and help young people to appreciate and care for their local wildlife. During June and July 2022, children from Little Thetford Primary School and Over Primary School have cared for elvers (young eels) in aquarium tanks in their classrooms and studied their habits. In mid-July, the elvers were released back to St Germans Pumping Station, near King’s Lynn, where they were originally caught. We hope there might be an opportunity to repeat and scale-up this project next year.

The organisation was commissioned by the Environment Agency to set-up and deliver three online seminars to raise awareness and understanding of the baseline Future Fens report by stakeholders and those communities situated in the Great Ouse Fens area. The events were delivered successfully in September/October 2021 and attended by 136 individuals, with a report capturing the discussions prepared and submitted to the Environment Agency.

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 06B6E9C1-14E3-4CD8-AA1D-CA9AE3F056C8

Cambridgeshire ACRE Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2022

TRUSTEES’ & DIRECTORS’ REPORT

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We also completed a short piece of consultancy work on behalf of Cambridge Past Present and Future (CPPF) undertaking some public consultation and involvement work in support of a National Heritage Lottery Fund application in respect of Bourn Windmill. The Lottery bid was successful and Cambridgeshire ACRE is now working in partnership with CPPF to deliver the community engagement aspects of the project.

Economic Programmes

We continued to lead the Cambridgeshire Rural Affordable Housing Partnership of Local Authorities and Registered Providers. The Partnership engages with local councils across the County to address the need for affordable homes in rural parishes. These parties entrust us with undertaking independent Housing Needs Surveys to establish hidden housing need. Five Housing Needs Surveys were undertaken over the last 12 months (at Landbeach, Willingham, Haslingfield, Spaldwick and Guilden Morden). There are currently potential rural exception sites identified in 11 parishes. Following a hiatus in housebuilding during the COVID-19 pandemic, we should see a number of schemes start on site during 2022/23.

We continued to deliver our Neighbourhood Planning Service during 2021/22 with assistance from two associate planning consultants. Neighbourhood Planning Groups began to consider resuming the development of their plans following the pandemic. We worked with eight different groups (at Soham, Great Gransden, Great Staughton, Werrington, Pampisford, Swavesey, Thriplow and Waterbeach). Two plans that Cambridgeshire ACRE worked on at Buckden and Waterbeach were ‘made’, or brought into force, during 2021/22.

Cambridgeshire ACRE continued to lead and facilitate Eastern Community Homes, the community-led housing hub for the East of England. The hub now has five accredited Community Led Housing Advisors, with four others likely to receive accreditation in 2022/23. The hub provided thought-leadership to local authority partners on community-led housing and during the year delivered two well-attended webinars looking at how community-led housing at scale can contribute to meeting growth agendas. 18 local authorities across the East of England currently contribute funding towards to the hub’s work. At a community level, 42 community-led housing groups have received support from the hub’s advisors. Additionally, Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority and Chelmsford City Council have commissioned bespoke support packages for their areas and these have allowed additional help to be provided to groups here.

Our Cambridgeshire Fens LEADER programme which started back in May 2015 finally concluded at the end of December 2021. Over its life, the programme invested over £1.38m into projects supporting farm productivity, small business support, tourism, community services and culture & heritage. 75 jobs were created as a result of this investment.

Cambridgeshire ACRE continued its role as Accountable Body for the Wisbech Community Led Local Development (CLLD) programme. Taking a bottom-up approach, the £2.1m CLLD programme is delivering a strategy to tackle the broad range of issues that currently present barriers to labour market participation. Grant funding agreements worth £782,317 to 11 projects with an overall value of £1.69m have now been issued, meaning 85% of the funding available has been committed. The programme has already exceeded its target numbers for moving participants into employment (156 successful participants against a target of 116) and helping the economically inactive into job search (102 successful participants against a target of 89). The Wisbech CLLD programme is scheduled to run until the end of December 2022.

Charity and Governance Activity

In August 2021 the trustees had to act to address the senior management capacity of the organisation due to the sudden absence of the Chief Executive, Kirsten Bennett, on a period of long-term sick leave. After an assessment of priorities they asked the Head of Business Services, Alison Brown, to act as the Chief Executive. This arrangement was continued until May 2022 when the Chief Executive was able to return to her job role.

The Board undertook a recruitment campaign to attract new trustees. A high number of applications were received. Following assessment of those applications, interviews were held and, ultimately, five new trustees were co-opted by the Board in February 2022. They then received training and induction to allow them to become familiar with their new role.

The first phase of our digital marketing strategy was delivered successfully during 2021/22 including the roll-out of our new branding, the launch of a new website in July 2021 and the transition to a new customer relationship management

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 06B6E9C1-14E3-4CD8-AA1D-CA9AE3F056C8

Cambridgeshire ACRE Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2022

TRUSTEES’ & DIRECTORS’ REPORT

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and marketing system which has allowed us to communicate better with all our stakeholders and take a more proactive approach to letting people know how we are able to help them and meet their needs.

Opportunities to provide consultancy support continued to be limited during 2021/22 as organisations focused on postCOVID recovery, apart from those commissions already mentioned. Cambridgeshire ACRE is also a member of Cirican LLP, the Limited Liability Partnership run by the ACRE Network as a vehicle for undertaking joint consultancy work.

Financial Review (throughout this section comparable figures for the year 2020/21 are shown in brackets) For the financial year 2021/22 incoming resources were £841,393 (£904,737). This represents a decrease in income of 7%.

The end of the year saw a surplus of £19,915 on the Unrestricted fund. Nearly all costs were contained within approved budgets. Total expenditure exceeded income by £28,841; this is largely attributable to the decrease in restricted funds. The restricted reserves have decreased from £297,939 to £249,911. The restricted fund is neutral for Cambridgeshire ACRE as the funds are held on behalf of the funders and are returned if not spent.

Designated and capital funds decreased from £194,395 to £194,167, a decrease of £228. The unrestricted general reserve showed an increase during the year from £151,945 to £171,860; an increase of 13.11%.

Plans for Future Periods

As we move forward, the impacts of COVID-19 are still a concern and we will continue to provide services to support communities to reopen their village halls and regain the social activities that have been lost due to lockdowns. We are concerned with the escalating cost-of-living crisis and the war in Ukraine. The organisation will undoubtedly be affected by rising inflation and trustees are considering the potential impact on our operating costs, which are likely to increase quite considerably over the next years. Like many charities, longer term financial sustainability to continue to deliver our vital services to rural communities will remain a challenge and we will continue to diversify our income through applications for grants, consultancy work and trading. After a review of our organisational strategy, we have focused our work further to five key areas to allow us to deliver the necessary growth in services that communities need:

  1. Addressing the impacts of the cost-of-living crisis

  2. Supporting communities with climate change mitigation and adaptation and helping them reach net zero carbon targets

  3. Delivering more community-led housing

  4. Developing places through Neighbourhood Planning

  5. Ensuring village halls are fit for the 21st century

We expect that the cost-of-living crisis will worsen and the impact on people across rural Cambridgeshire means we are likely to experience a rising demand for our services and those that can be provided in village halls. Working with village hall committees, we plan to support the most vulnerable, as well as those on lower incomes who are unable to pay their energy bills without compromising on other essentials, such as food, rent or hygiene, by opening the doors of village halls to provide ‘Warm Hubs’.

Our environmental work has grown considerably over recent years. The organisation is well-positioned to support partners and rural communities to take forward their climate change and net zero plans. For example, we will offer specialist support with community-led nature restoration plans and flood mitigation to an increasing number of communities over the year ahead. We are aware that village halls need to have clear plans for decarbonisation and aim to provide volunteer management committees with additional support to find funding to help with building improvements over the coming year.

We will continue to strengthen our rural housing, community-led housing and neighbourhood planning work and will work with our Local Authority partners to provide further affordable homes in rural areas.

Our strategy for the year ahead is to develop services that support communities and individuals to mitigate the rising cost-of-living crisis, increase our services to communities supporting their climate change plans and increase our support for community-led housing while sustaining our own long-term financial viability.

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 06B6E9C1-14E3-4CD8-AA1D-CA9AE3F056C8

Cambridgeshire ACRE Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2022

TRUSTEES’ & DIRECTORS’ REPORT

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Statement as to Disclosure of Information to Auditors

So far as the trustees are aware, there is no relevant audit information (as defined by Section 418 of the Companies Act 2006) of which the company's auditors are unaware, and each trustee has taken all the steps that ought to have taken as a trustee in order to make aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the company's auditors are aware of that information.

The Accounts

These accounts follow previous practice of the charity and have been compiled in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice (FRS 102), commonly known by the acronym SORP. The comparative figures have been extracted from the accounts for the year ending 31 March 2021. These were audited by the auditors, Chater Allan LLP of Cambridge, and filed with the Charity Commission. The auditor’s report on those accounts was unqualified. Figures shown in these accounts have been rounded to the nearest whole pound.

Chairperson: …………………………………………….….. Annie Blair

Company Secretary: ……………………………………….. Alison Brown

06 December 2022

Date: ………………………………………………………….

e-space North, 181 Wisbech Road, Littleport, Ely, CB6 1RA

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 06B6E9C1-14E3-4CD8-AA1D-CA9AE3F056C8

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS AND TRUSTEES OF CAMBRIDGESHIRE ACRE

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

We have audited the financial statements of Cambridgeshire ACRE for the year ended 31 March 2022 which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, (which also comprises the Summary Income and Expenditure Account), the Balance Sheets, the Cash Flow Statement 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 Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

Basis of 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 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 directors' 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 charity's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve 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' annual 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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DocuSign Envelope ID: 06B6E9C1-14E3-4CD8-AA1D-CA9AE3F056C8

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS AND TRUSTEES OF CAMBRIDGESHIRE ACRE

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

Opinion on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

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

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

In the light of our knowledge and understanding of the company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the Trustees’ Report.

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

As explained more fully in the trustees’ responsibilities statement, the trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purpose 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 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 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.

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:

We identified areas of laws and regulations that could reasonably be expected to have a material effect on the annual financial statements from our general commercial and charitable company specific experience, through discussion with the Trustees (as required by auditing standards), and from inspection of the charitable company's regulatory correspondence, and we discussed with the Trustees the policies and procedures regarding compliance with laws and regulations. We communicated identified laws and regulations throughout our team and remained alert to any indication to non-compliance throughout the audit; the audit team are deemed both competent and capable of identifying non-compliance with rules and regulations.

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DocuSign Envelope ID: 06B6E9C1-14E3-4CD8-AA1D-CA9AE3F056C8

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS AND TRUSTEES OF CAMBRIDGESHIRE ACRE

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements (continued)

The potential effect of these laws and regulations on the annual financial statements varies considerably. Firstly, the charitable company is subject to laws and regulations that directly affect the annual financial statements including financial reporting legislation and taxation legislation, and we assessed the extent of compliance with these laws and regulations as part of our procedures on the related annual account items. Secondly, the charitable company is subject to other laws and regulations where the consequences of non-compliance could have a material effect on the amounts or disclosures in the financial statements, for instance non-compliance with industry regulations. We assessed the risk of fraud in the financial statements through discussion with management and from our experience of the charitable company. We communicated identified fraud risk areas throughout our team and remained alert to any indication of fraud throughout the audit. In particular, we assessed the potential impact of the global pandemic known as Covid-19 on the risk of fraud. We did not identify any instances of fraud during the course of our audit.

Auditing standards limit the required audit procedures to identify non-compliance with these laws and regulations to enquiry of the Trustees and inspection of regulatory and legal correspondence, if any. Through these procedures, we did not become aware of any actual or suspected non-compliance with laws and regulations. Owing to the inherent limitations of an audit, there is an unavoidable risk that we may not have detected some material misstatements in the financial statements, even though we have properly planned and performed our audit in accordance with auditing standards. We are not responsible for preventing non-compliance and cannot be expected to detect non-compliance with all laws and regulations.

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: https://www.frc.org.uk/Our-Work/Audit/Audit-and-assurance/Standards-andguidance/Standards-and-guidance-for-auditors/Auditors-responsibilities-for-audit/Description-of-auditorsresponsibilities-for-audit.aspx. This description forms part of our auditor’s report.

This report is made solely to Cambridgeshire ACRE 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 Charity those matters we are required to state to them in an auditors' 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 Charity and the Charity’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Stuart Graham Berriman (Senior Statutory Auditor) For and on behalf of Chater Allan LLP Chartered Accountants & Statutory Auditors 7 Quy Court Colliers Lane Stow-cum-Quy Cambridge CB25 9AU

16 December 2022

11

DocuSign Envelope ID: 06B6E9C1-14E3-4CD8-AA1D-CA9AE3F056C8

Cambridgeshire ACRE For the year ended 31 March 2022

Statement of Financial Activities and Income and Expenditure Account

Note
Income
Donations
2
Charitable activities
3
Other trading activities
5
Investments
6
Total income
Expenditure
Raising funds
Charitable activities
11
Total expenditure
7
Net gains/(losses) on investments
Net income/(expenditure)
Transfers between funds
12
Net movement in funds
Reconciliation in funds:
Total funds brought forward
Total funds carried forward
22		 2021
Total
Total
£
£
£
£
£
12,448
-
-
12,448
56,439
480
-
770,058
770,538
795,428
49,734
-
7,022
56,756
50,341
1,651
-
-
1,651
2,529
64,313
-
777,080
841,393
904,737
18,874
-
-
18,874
3,620
141,113
3,072
707,175
851,360
724,084
159,987
3,072
707,175
870,234
727,704
-
-
-
-
-
(95,674)
(3,072)
69,905
(28,841)
177,033
115,589
2,844
(118,433)
-
-
19,915
(228)
(48,528)
(28,841)
177,033
151,945
194,395
297,939
644,279
467,246
171,860
194,167
249,411
615,438
644,279
Year ended 31 March 2022
Designated/
capital funds
Unrestricted
fund
Restricted
funds
Unrestricted funds

Continuing Operations

None of the charity's activities were acquired or discontinued during the current or previous year.

12

DocuSign Envelope ID: 06B6E9C1-14E3-4CD8-AA1D-CA9AE3F056C8

Company registration number: 03690881

Cambridgeshire ACRE As at 31 March 2022

Statement of Financial Position

Unrestricted funds Unrestricted funds Restricted 2022 2021
Unrestricted Designated/ funds Total Total
fund capital funds
Note £ £ £ £ £
Fixed assets:
Tangible assets 13 - 2,153 606 2,759 2,987
Investments 14 - 173,220 - 173,220 170,977
- 175,373 606 175,979 173,964
Current assets:
Debtors 15 211,658 - - 211,658 151,038
Cash at bank and in hand 18,696 18,794 248,805 286,295 352,916
230,354 18,794 248,805 497,953 503,954
Liabilities:
Creditors: Amounts falling due within one 16 58,494 - - 58,494 33,639
year
Net current assets 171,860 18,794 248,805 439,459 470,315
Total net assets 171,860 194,167 249,411 615,438 644,279
The funds of the charity:
Restricted funds 21 - - 249,411 249,411 297,939
Designated and capital funds 20 - 194,167 - 194,167 194,395
Unrestricted funds 171,860 - - 171,860 151,945
171,860 194,167 249,411 615,438 644,279

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

These financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees on 19 August 2022.

Signed on behalf of the trustees:

06 December 2022

…………………………………………… …………………………………………… Ann Lesley Blair, Chairperson Date

13

DocuSign Envelope ID: 06B6E9C1-14E3-4CD8-AA1D-CA9AE3F056C8

Cambridgeshire ACRE For the year ended 31 March 2022

Statement of Cash Flows

Year ended Year ended
31 March 2022 31 March 2021
£ £
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash (used in)/ provided by operating activities (63,185) 168,976
Cash flows from investing activities:
Interest and dividends from investments 1,651 2,529
Purchase of investments - -
Purchase of property, plant and equipment (2,844) (1,818)
(1,193) 711
Change in cash and cash equivalents in the reporting period (64,378) 169,687
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the reporting period 520,893 351,206
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the reporting period 456,515 520,893
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the reporting period held as:
Cash at bank and in hand 286,295 352,916
Investments 170,220 167,977
456,515 520,893
Reconciliation of net income/ (expenditure) to net cash flow from operating activities
Net (expenditure)/ income for the reporting period (as per (28,841) 177,033
the statement of financial activities)
Adjustments for:
Depreciation charges 3,072 2,340
Dividends, interest and rents from investments (1,651) (2,529)
(Increase) in debtors (60,620) 17,038
Increase/ (decrease) in creditors 24,855 (24,906)
Net cash (used in)/ provided by operating activities (63,185) 168,976

14

DocuSign Envelope ID: 06B6E9C1-14E3-4CD8-AA1D-CA9AE3F056C8

Cambridgeshire ACRE For the year ended 31 March 2022 Notes to the accounts

1. Accounting Policies

The financial statements are prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with applicable accounting standards, the Statement of Recommended Practice “Accounting and Reporting by Charities” (FRS 102) (2019) and the Charities Act 2011.

Legal Form Cambridgeshire ACRE is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee.

Country of Incorporation Cambridgeshire ACRE is incorporated in the United Kingdom.

Address of Registered Office: e-Space North, 181 Wisbech Road, Littleport, CB6 1RA.

Currency These financial statements are presented in sterling which is a functional currency.

Principal Activities Cambridgeshire ACRE works alongside communities through a wide range of programmes designed to target specific rural issues or specific community needs.

Public Benefit Cambridgeshire ACRE meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102.

Income and Reserves All of the net income and assets are applied towards the objects of the charity.

Fund Accounting The charity's general funds consist of funds the charity may use for its purposes at its discretion.

The charity has designated certain funds for specific purposes. These are explained in more detail in note 20 below. The trustees have decided that setting aside funds in this way is a useful financial discipline which will help the charity to make the best use of its resources even though there is no legal force to these designations.

The charity's restricted funds are those where the donor has imposed restrictions on the use of the funds, which are legally binding, or are restricted income funds expendable at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of a particular aspect of the objects of the charity.

Details of the funds and of the restrictions are given in note 21 below.

Voluntary Income All voluntary income is included in income when it is virtually certain the income will be received. Where the donor requires the sum to be invested to provide income for the charity's purposes it is treated as an endowment.

Grant Income Grants not for a specific purpose are credited directly to income. Restricted funds are set up where grants are for a specific purpose. Any balance or shortfall of income in the year is credited to a specific restricted fund (see note 21). Any surplus arising on the ceasing of a specific purpose is dealt with in accordance with the wishes of the grant giver.

Grant Expenditure The charity makes grants from specific funds. These are included in expenditure for the year in which they are paid. Money passed through projects to other bodies are reported as grants.

Membership The charity’s Membership Scheme is run on an annual basis and includes parish councils, statutory authorities, charitable organisations and some individuals.

Investments The charity’s investments consist of cash deposits. The trustees keep the deposit accounts under review to ensure that an adequate rate of interest is being paid on the charity’s deposits.

Interest When receivable or payable interest is included when credited to the relevant account.

Taxation As Cambridgeshire ACRE is a registered charity, interest is included gross and no tax is payable on its activities.

15

DocuSign Envelope ID: 06B6E9C1-14E3-4CD8-AA1D-CA9AE3F056C8

Cambridgeshire ACRE For the year ended 31 March 2022

Notes to the accounts

1. Accounting Policies (continued)

Value Added Tax (VAT) The charity is registered for VAT.

Governance Expenditure This relates to costs incurred in running the charity and follows the apportionment ratio established in May 2017 (see note 9). Governance costs are allocated to costs of charitable activities.

Netting Off of Income and Expenditure Items of income and expenditure are netted off where income is a direct recharge of expenses to Cambridgeshire ACRE. No other items of income and expenditure have been netted off.

Fixed Assets and Depreciation Fixed assets costing more than £500 are included at actual cost, i.e. inclusive of irrecoverable VAT, less annual depreciation calculated on a straight line basis as follows:

Investments and Investment Income Investments are included in the accounts at market value. Credit is taken for interest when the interest is credited to the relevant account.

Capital Fund The capital fund represents the book value of equipment.

Designated Funds The designated funds are used to make annual provisions to cover otherwise uneven patterns of expenditure. The Project Development Fund is held to support the development of new projects (including the engagement of consultants to prepare plans or funding bids and the employment of staff beyond their funded contracts to develop further projects) to implement Cambridgeshire ACRE’s corporate strategy. The Property and Office Accommodation Fund was set-up to cover the risks in having a rented office. Although Cambridgeshire ACRE currently has no leased office space, this fund provides for that eventuality, should it become necessary.

Raising Funds The cost of raising funds heading on the statement of financial activities includes printing, publicity and marketing costs.

Going Concern The grant and project income of the charity continues at an acceptable level. The trustees are satisfied that available sources of finance and future funding income are sufficient to enable the charity to continue to meet its liabilities as they fall due. The trustees recognise the impact of COVID-19 on the charity could be significant and could resonate for several years. The trustees’ policy to manage costs and keep a level of reserves sufficient to cover no less than three months’ unrestricted gross expenditure gives confidence that the charity will continue as a going concern for the foreseeable future.

ns
Grants (Note 4)
Membership subscriptions		 31 March
Unrestricted Designated
Restricted
2021
Funds
capital
Funds
Total
Total
£
£
£
£
£
-
-
-
-
44,180
12,448
-
-
12,448
12,259
31 March 2022
12,448
-
-
12,448
56,439

2. Donations

16

DocuSign Envelope ID: 06B6E9C1-14E3-4CD8-AA1D-CA9AE3F056C8

Cambridgeshire ACRE For the year ended 31 March 2022 Notes to the accounts

3. Charitable Activities 31 March 2022 31 March
Unrestricted Designated Restricted 2021
Funds capital Funds Total Total
£ £ £ £ £
Grants (Note 4) - - 768,678 768,678 765,400
Other charitable income 480 - 1,380 1,860 30,028
480 - 770,058 770,538 795,428

Income is recognised in accordance with the SORP (FRS 102). As a result, income to Restricted Funds is included in advance of expenditure being incurred and in some cases in advance of the commencement date of a particular project.

4. Analysis of Grants Received
Accent Nene Ltd
Arts Council
Bedfordshire Pilgrims Housing Association
Cambridge Housing Society
Cambridgeshire Community Foundation
Cambridgeshire County Council
Chorus Homes (formerly Luminus Group)
Cross Keys Homes Ltd
Defra
Department for Work and Pensions
East Cambridgeshire District Council
ECH Local Authority Partnership
Energy Savings Trust (Via PECT)
Environment Agency
ESF
Fenland District Council
Hastoe Housing
Huntingdonshire District Council
Longhurst Group
Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
National Lottery Heritage Fund
Rural Payments Agency
South Cambridgeshire District Council
Wisbech Town Council
Other grants
Sources of Restricted Funds:
Grants to Cambridgeshire ACRE
Grants via Cambridgeshire ACRE		 Unrestricted
Restricted
Unrestricted
Restricted
£
£
£
£
-
3,150
-
3,000
-
39,390
-
-
-
3,150
-
3,000
-
3,150
-
3,000
17,851
13,853
-
56,687
-
74,134
-
-
-
3,000
-
3,150
-
3,000
-
54,726
44,180
14,163
-
202,554
-
129,144
-
3,150
-
3,000
-
16,500
-
68,135
-
46,965
-
6,490
-
19,341
-
56,511
-
17,341
-
90,961
-
12,800
-
12,700
-
3,150
-
3,000
-
2,100
-
2,000
-
3,150
-
3,000
-
-
-
56,000
-
197,898
-
171,362
-
56,785
-
36,222
-
3,150
-
3,000
-
3,539
-
3,539
-
(1,000)
-
3,186
-
768,678
44,180
765,400
580,225
604,843
188,453
160,557
768,678
765,400
31 March 2021
31 March 2022
-

Details of grants paid via Cambridgeshire ACRE are disclosed in note 10 of the accounts. Grants paid via Cambridgeshire ACRE are recognised as income because Cambridgeshire ACRE is responsible for the monitoring and allocation of the grant expenditure.

17

DocuSign Envelope ID: 06B6E9C1-14E3-4CD8-AA1D-CA9AE3F056C8

Cambridgeshire ACRE For the year ended 31 March 2022 Notes to the accounts

5. Other Trading Activities
Business Services, consultancy and training
Publications
6. Investment Income
Deposit interest received
7. Total Expenditure
Grants given (Note 10)
Staff costs (Note 8)
Consultancy
Premises
Office running costs
Operating lease rentals
Meetings & Workshops
Project delivery costs
Professional fees
Volunteer expenses
Housing Need Survey Costs
Neighbourhood Plan Costs
Depreciation
Publicity
Expensed equipment
Subscriptions
Miscellaneous expenditure
Audit fees
Non-audit fees
Total expenditure		 31 March
Unrestricted Designated Restricted
2021
Funds
capital
Funds
Total
Total
£
£
£
£
£
49,671
-
6,926
56,597
50,224
63
-
96
159
117
31 March 2022
49,734
-
7,022
56,756
50,341
1,651
-
-
1,651
2,529
1,651
-
-
1,651
2,529
-
-
188,453
188,453
157,557
80,584
-
308,664
389,248
392,384
-
-
19,371
19,371
6,697
4,904
-
-
4,904
4,335
10,497
-
10,824
21,321
5,363
-
-
-
-
6,073
251
-
7,610
7,861
28,749
-
-
103,177
103,177
53,680
1,000
-
32,778
33,778
22,548
368
-
700
1,068
41
7,161
-
-
7,161
4,298
20,822
-
-
20,822
10,674
-
3,072
-
3,072
2,340
18,874
-
34,974
53,848
18,425
222
-
384
606
1,163
6,042
-
199
6,241
5,976
2,870
-
42
2,912
984
5,181
-
-
5,181
4,618
1,211
-
-
1,211
1,799
159,987
3,072
707,175
870,234
727,704

A detailed description of the Restricted Fund activities, listed by individual project, is given in note 21.

18

DocuSign Envelope ID: 06B6E9C1-14E3-4CD8-AA1D-CA9AE3F056C8

Cambridgeshire ACRE For the year ended 31 March 2022 Notes to the accounts

8. Trustees and Staff costs

rustees and Staff costs
Year ended Year ended
31 March 2022 31 March 2021
£ £
Wages and salaries 326,155 326,691
Accrued holiday pay movement 3,194 1,114
Employer's NI 27,086 30,877
Pension 23,353 24,699
Travel 5,564 622
Training 3,843 6,720
Recruitment 53 1,661
Total staff costs 389,248 392,384
Key personnel cost 128,689 141,541
No employee earned over £60,000.
Average number of employees: Number Number
Charity 11 10

The trustees, being directors of the company, are not paid for the time they spend on their duties. They receive out of pocket expenses in connection with those duties and a total of £Nil (2021: £Nil) was claimed during the year by trustees. Professional indemnity insurance cover has been provided for trustees and staff at an estimated annual cost of £189

9. Governance

Governance
Year ended Year ended
31 March 2022 31 March 2021
£ £
Audit fee 5,181 4,618
Non audit financial services 1,211 1,798
Annual General Meeting 13 1,335
Indemnity insurance 371 339
Selected core staff salaries 5,392 4,693
Expenses 6,350 8,918
18,518 21,701

Figures represent the costs associated with constitutional and statutory requirements of administering the charity. Indirect costs or direct costs not wholly allocated are apportioned. The apportionment ratio of 6.14% is calculated on the number of days spent on governance expressed as a percentage of total days, the ratio was last updated in 2022.

19

DocuSign Envelope ID: 06B6E9C1-14E3-4CD8-AA1D-CA9AE3F056C8

Cambridgeshire ACRE For the year ended 31 March 2022 Notes to the accounts

10. Grants Given

Grants Given
Project
Grant Recipient
WCLLD
CP Learning Trust
WCLLD
LEADA Cambs CIC
WCLLD
People & Animals UK
WCLLD
Rosmini Centre Wisbech
WCLLD
Rural Cambs CAB
WCLLD
Ferry Project
WCLLD
YMCA
WCLLD
Head to Toe
Rural Touring
ADEC
Wisbech Reads
20Twenty Productions
CHESS
Various individuals
ECH (CPCA)
Eastern Community Homes
Thorpe Le Soken CLT
Eastern Community Homes
Thaxted CLT Ltd
Re-Opening Doors
Total Grants Given		 Year ended
Year ended
31 March 2022
31 March 2021
£
£
24,416
20,275
834
18,419
12,910
17,830
31,174
20,919
14,522
3,703
44,697
61,909
15,663
-
4,876
-
2,000
-
-
3,055
33,641
11,447
1,500
-
500
-
1,000
-
720
-
188,453
157,557

11. Cost of Charitable Activities

Direct activities
Grant funding activity
Support costs
Total cost of activities 2022
Total costs in 2021		 Social &
Environmental
Economic
Total
Community
Programmes
Programmes
Action
Programmes
£
£
£
£
145,524
288,150
112,814
546,488
-
-
188,453
188,453
17,421
76,839
22,159
116,419
162,945
364,989
323,426
851,360
126,616
213,064
384,404
724,084

Allocation of Support Costs to Activities:

Management & HR
Finance & IT
Administration
Total support costs 2022
Total costs in 2021		 Social &
Environmental
Economic
Total
Community
Programmes
Programmes
Action
Programmes
£
£
£
£
11,512
50,778
14,643
76,933
2,990
13,187
3,803
19,980
2,919
12,874
3,713
19,506
17,421
76,839
22,159
116,419
24,917
51,415
26,875
103,207

The support costs shown in the table above have been allocated on an actual basis where possible. The management, finance and administration costs are a sub-division of the actual totals charged and have been apportioned on the basis of core staff salaries.

20

DocuSign Envelope ID: 06B6E9C1-14E3-4CD8-AA1D-CA9AE3F056C8

Cambridgeshire ACRE For the year ended 31 March 2022 Notes to the accounts

11. Cost of Charitable Activities (continued)

For the purposes of activity based costing the core and restricted fund projects have been allocated in the table below. Some projects cover more than one activity, Cambridgeshire Fens LEADER for example covers farming, tourism and an element of Economic Programmes, an accurate split of activity is not practical and projects have therefore been allocated wholly to their main activity.

A full list of the restricted fund projects and their purpose is given in note 21.

12. Fund transfers

Cambridgeshire Fens LEADER
Catchment Partnership
CHESS
Defra
Environment Agency Volunteers
Eels in the classroom
Fens Biosphere Development
Floating Pennywort Prevention
Machinery and equipment
New Life on the Old West
Rural Affordable Housing
Rural Touring
Support Cambs – Community Facilities
Support Cambs – Local Councils
Wisbech CLLD Projects
Re-Opening Doors of Cambridgeshire’s
Community Buildings
Eastern Community Homes (was
Community Led Housing)
ECH (Chelmsford City Council) (was CLH
Chelmsford City Council)
ECH CPCA (was CLLH CPCA)		 £
£
£
1,323
-
(1,323)
5,774
-
(5,774)
4,792
-
(4,792)
5,509
-
(5,509)
1,523
-
(1,523)
5,414
-
(5,414)
1,637
-
(1,637)
10,165
-
(10,165)
-
-
-
16,648
-
(16,648)
543
-
(543)
(829)
2,844
(2,015)
41,873
-
(41,873)
2,091
-
(2,091)
4,067
-
(4,067)
703
-
(703)
5,094
-
(5,094)
2,904
-
(2,904)
6,358
-
(6,358)
115,589
2,844
(118,433)

Year ended 31 March 2022
Restricted funds
Designated/
capital funds
Unrestricted funds
Unrestricted
fund		 £
£
£
1,834
-
(1,834)
5,274
-
(5,274)
2,396
-
(2,396)
-
-
-
17,388
-
(17,388)
-
-
-
-
-
-
2,649
-
(2,649)
-
-
-
22,556
-
(22,556)
-
-
-
(1,818)
1,818
-
20,936
-
(20,936)
-
-
-
3,200
-
(3,200)
424
-
(424)
14,061
-
(14,061)
2,091
-
(2,091)
4,285
-
(4,285)
Year ended 31 March 2021
Restricted
funds
Designated/
capital funds
Unrestricted funds
Unrestricted
fund
95,276
1,818
(97,094)

21

DocuSign Envelope ID: 06B6E9C1-14E3-4CD8-AA1D-CA9AE3F056C8

Cambridgeshire ACRE For the year ended 31 March 2022 Notes to the accounts

13. Tangible Fixed Assets

Cost
Beginning of the year
Additions
Disposals
At the end of the year
Depreciation
Beginning of the year
Charge for the year
Disposals
At the end of the year
Net Book Value
As at 31 March 2021
As at 31 March 2022
All fixed assets are used for charitable purposes.
14. Investments
Cambridge & Counties 120 Day Fund
United Trust
Cirican LLP
15. Sundry Debtors and Prepayments
Income Due
Accrued Income
Prepayments
16. Sundry Creditors and Accruals
Due within 1 year
Accruals
Accrued Holiday Pay
Payroll Liabilities
Sundry Creditors
VAT		 Unrestricted
Restricted
Equipment
Equipment
£
£
13,561
11,400
2,844
-
-
-
16,405
11,400
12,962
9,012
1,290
1,782
-
-
14,252
10,794
599
2,388
2,153
606
2022
£
82,128
88,092
3,000
173,220
2022
£
6,652
192,973
12,033
211,658
2022
£
7,714
10,402
190
34,862
5,326
58,494		 Total
£
24,961
2,844
-
16,405 27,805
12,962
1,290
-		 21,974
3,072
-
14,252 25,046
599 2,987
2,153 2,759
2021
£
81,315
86,662
3,000
170,977
2021
£
10,297
138,844
1,897
151,038
2021
£
6,300
7,208
790
2,130
17,211
33,639

22

DocuSign Envelope ID: 06B6E9C1-14E3-4CD8-AA1D-CA9AE3F056C8

Cambridgeshire ACRE For the year ended 31 March 2022 Notes to the accounts

17. Contingent Liabilities

Certain donations and grants are potentially repayable should the aims and objectives of the charity not be achieved. The trustees, however, are of the opinion that this possibility is remote and therefore the income has been recognised within the accounts for the period under review.

In the event of its activities ceasing the charity would be liable to meet notice and redundancy payments to staff. The trustees are of the view that such liabilities could be met by the existing General Reserve.

18. Pension Scheme

All new eligible job holders are automatically enrolled to the NEST pension scheme. Staff make a contribution of 5% of salary and the charity adds an employer’s contribution of 5% (10% for staff employed before November 2012). Staff employed before June 2014 were able to take out their own schemes or join the Pension Trust Growth or Ethical Plans, these options were withdrawn following the introduction of auto enrolment in April 2017. At the balance sheet date there were 10 employees in pension schemes (equivalent figure for the previous year was 11).

At 31 March 2022 £190 was owed by Cambridgeshire ACRE to the various pension schemes, this represents the monthly payment due for March (apart from the two schemes that were paid before the end of March). The figure owing was paid in April 2022 and is shown in note 16 incorporated in the payroll liabilities figure.

19. Related Parties

No one individual controls the charity with all trustees having equal voting rights. All trustees give of their time freely and receive no remuneration for their charitable duties in the year.

Each Trustee completes an annual Declaration of Interests form and these are noted at every meeting of the Board and its Committees. Trustees and senior staff are also required to complete an annual Related Parties Schedule so that any possible transactions or arrangements made or entered into by Cambridgeshire ACRE involving an individual or his/her close family members can be identified.

During the year £5,808 (2020/21 - £3,826) was paid to Jessica Sellick, a Trustee, for professional services through the company of which she is a Director, Rose Regeneration. No amounts were outstanding at the year end (2020/21 - £nil).

Trustees are appointed as individuals but do have involvement with organisations which Cambridgeshire ACRE works with on a regular basis. During the past year, Cambridgeshire ACRE has received resource support from, or has supported, and in some case funded, activities with:

In all situations, rigorous procurement or project management procedures are followed to ensure no single individual has undue influence over decisions.

23

DocuSign Envelope ID: 06B6E9C1-14E3-4CD8-AA1D-CA9AE3F056C8

Cambridgeshire ACRE For the year ended 31 March 2022 Notes to the accounts

20. Designated and Capital Funds
Capital funds
Equipment (Unrestricted)
Equipment (Restricted)
Total Capital Funds
Designated Funds
Project Development Fund
Property and Office Accommodation
Total Designated Funds
Total Capital & Designated Funds		 Brought
Income/
Expenditure Transfers
Carried
forward
Revaluation
forward
£
£
£
£
£
599
-
(1,290)
2,844
2,153
2,388
-
(1,782)
-
606
2,987
-
(3,072)
2,844
2,759
72,552
-
-
-
72,552
118,856
-
-
-
118,856
191,408
-
-
-
191,408
194,395
-
(3,072)
2,844
194,167

Equipment:

A capital fund to reflect the value of the tangible fixed assets held equal to the net book value of the assets. The equipment can be held in either unrestricted or restricted funds.

Project Development Fund:

A fund to be used to support the development of new programmes of work.

Property & Office Accommodation Fund:

The Property and Office Accommodation Fund was set-up to cover the risks in having a rented office. Although Cambridgeshire ACRE currently has no leased office space, this fund provides for that eventuality, should it become necessary.

21. Restricted Funds
Cambridgeshire Fens LEADER
Catchment Partnership
CHESS
Defra
ECH CPCA (was CLLH CPCA)
Environment Agency Volunteers
Eels In The Classroom
Fens Biosphere Development
Floating Pennywort Prevention
New Life on the Old West
Rural Affordable Housing
Rural Touring
Support Cambs - Community Facilities
Support Cambs - Local Councils
Water Environment Grant
Wisbech CLLD
Wisbech CLLD Projects
Wisbech Reads
Eastern Community Homes (was
Community Led Housing)
ECH (Chelmsford City Council) (was CLH
Chelmsford City Council)
Re-Opening Doors of Cambridgeshire's
Community Buildings		 Brought
Income
Expenditure Transfers
Carried
forward
forward
£
£
£
£
£
32
10,546
(8,998)
(1,550)
30
1,573
15,000
(9,269)
(5,774)
1,530
-
57,642
(52,850)
(4,792)
-
-
44,180
(38,671)
(5,509)
-
60,849
16,500
(35,694)
(1,750)
39,905
38,135
-
(7,200)
(5,414)
25,521
-
6,926
(6,700)
(1,637)
(1,411)
55,319
-
(22,250)
(10,165)
22,904
-
8,671
(1,200)
-
7,471
29,999
27,000
(20,421)
(16,648)
19,930
-
9,180
(7,077)
(543)
1,560
-
196,892
(153,913)
(42,979)
-
13,853
-
(11,315)
(2,091)
447
-
29,400
(25,106)
(4,294)
-
38,609
39,390
(29,127)
(703)
48,169
-
16,272
(11,178)
(5,094)
-
-
9,814
(6,910)
(2,904)
-
-
61,127
(61,127)
-
-
31,307
167,397
(149,094)
-
49,610
24,610
62,143
(46,422)
(6,586)
33,745
3,653
(1,000)
(2,653)
-
-
297,939
777,080
(707,175)
(118,433)
249,411

24

DocuSign Envelope ID: 06B6E9C1-14E3-4CD8-AA1D-CA9AE3F056C8

Cambridgeshire ACRE For the year ended 31 March 2022 Notes to the accounts

_______________

21. Restricted Funds (continued)

Included in the expenditure total above are the projects’ share of central core costs. In accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice (FRS 102) (October 2019), the management fee element of these costs has been treated as a transfer in the Statement of Financial Activities.

Cambridgeshire Fens LEADER

This six and a half year project started in May 2015 and finished in December 2021. Funding was provided through the EU-funded Rural Development Programme for England and was distributed through a Local Action Group using the LEADER approach to provide investment for start-up or enhancement of local businesses in parts of Cambridgeshire and West Norfolk. Project applications were made through Cambridgeshire ACRE but the Rural Payments Agency made payments directly to project recipients. The total project value was £2,100,000.

Cambridgeshire ACRE was permitted to claim against the project’s Running Costs & Administration budget until end March 2022 to allow monitoring and evaluation of the programme on behalf of the Managing Authority to be concluded.

Catchment Partnership

This project started in April 2021 and finished in March 2022 (having been funded on an annual basis since 2014/15). Funding is provided by the Environment Agency to stimulate engagement with local communities, groups, businesses and organisations and to involve them in decision-making and activities to improve the Old Bedford River’s water ecology. A further year of funding has been secured for 2022/23.

Cambridgeshire Home Energy Support Service (CHESS)

This project started in October 2020 and will finish at end September 2022. Funding is provided through the Energy Industry Redress Scheme via our delivery partners PECT (Peterborough Environment City Trust) who are the project lead. The project aim was to improve the health and wellbeing of 1,000 vulnerable households in market towns and parishes across northern Cambridgeshire, who are suffering from or at risk of fuel poverty by providing energy savings advice and support and offering fuel debt relief. Cambridgeshire ACRE’s role involved administering the fuel debt relief pot.

Eastern Community Homes

This project started in April 2020 and currently runs until March 2023. The project aims improve housing supply in the East of England by increasing the number of additional affordable homes delivered by the community-led housing sector. Funding is provided by a partnership of 18 local authorities from across the East of England to underpin a regional Hub of trained advisers in each of the ACRE Network members in the region who provide advice and support for community groups.

Eastern Community Homes (Chelmsford City Council)

This project involves the delivery of a bespoke support agreement with Chelmsford City Council to support the delivery of community-led housing in that local authority area. The project is spin-off from the work of Eastern Community Homes. The project started in April 2021 and will finish at end March 2023.

Eastern Community Homes (CPCA)

This project involves the delivery of a bespoke support agreement with Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority to support the delivery of community-led housing in that local authority area. The project is spin-off from the work of Eastern Community Homes. The project started in January 2021 and will finish at end March 2023.

25

DocuSign Envelope ID: 06B6E9C1-14E3-4CD8-AA1D-CA9AE3F056C8

Cambridgeshire ACRE For the year ended 31 March 2022 Notes to the accounts

_______________

21. Restricted Funds (continued)

Defra

This project started in April 2021 and finished in March 2022 (funding has been provided on an annual basis but was required to be treated as a restricted grant for the first time in 2021/22). Defra requires us to deliver local strategic support to rural communities, enabling them to take action, sharing learning on sustainable funding models and providing access to local intelligence. Funding for 2022/23 has been confirmed, as part of a new three-year agreement.

Environment Agency (EA) Volunteers

This project started in April 2016 and will finish at end October 2022. The Environment Agency has contracted Cambridgeshire ACRE to run a volunteer scheme to help it manage its statutory navigation objectives within the Anglian Region. By using volunteers, the Environment Agency has brought about better engagement with local communities and gained local support to help deliver essential services.

Eels in the Classroom

This short-term project was supposed to be delivered between March 2020 and August 2020, but, due to the pandemic, the start date was changed to March 2022 and the project will run until end August 2022. Funded by Anglian Water’s Flourishing Environment Fund, the project has seen us work in two schools to give children handson experience in rearing endangered eels, learning about their life cycle and releasing them into the wild.

Fens Biosphere Development

This project started in April 2019 and was supposed to run for two years but ended up being extended for a third year, concluding at end March 2022. It was grant funded by the People's Postcode Lottery Dream Fund with monies being passed via the Wildlife Trust BCN. The project’s aimed was to develop and submit a UNESCO Biosphere nomination for the Cambridgeshire Fens. Whilst a decision was ultimately taken not to proceed with the UNESCO nomination, the project has provided useful partnership development and knowledge to apply to future partnership environmental and climate change mitigation activity.

Floating Pennywort Prevention

This project started in April 2021 and finished in March 2022. Grant funded by the Anglian Water Invasive Species Fund, the project aimed to prevent the spread of Floating Pennywort into the Middle Level system of waterbodies by delivering communications and community engagement activities to raise public awareness. The project was a spinoff from our Catchment Partnership, whose members identified a pressing need for community education and learning.

New Life on the Old West

Following a separate period of development funding, this project started in October 2020 and will run for three years until end September 2023. A grant of £730k was awarded from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to deliver 88 wildlife habitat enhancements on farmland and community green spaces in areas around the Old West river. The project will also work with people living in the surrounding communities to increase their access to local nature and help a wide range of children and adults to develop new skills and learn about their unique fenland wildlife and natural heritage.

Re-Opening the Doors of Cambridgeshire’s Community Buildings

This project started in April 2021 and finished in March 2022. A grant from Cambridgeshire Community Foundation’s Coronavirus Community Fund was provided to support community volunteers to re-open the doors of Cambridgeshire’s community buildings and village halls, and offer activities for communities to come together as they recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Activity included the development and delivery of a number of training sessions as well as an awareness-raising campaign to promote the use of village halls by rural communities.

26

DocuSign Envelope ID: 06B6E9C1-14E3-4CD8-AA1D-CA9AE3F056C8

Cambridgeshire ACRE For the year ended 31 March 2022 Notes to the accounts

_______________

21. Restricted Funds (continued)

Rural Affordable Housing

This project started in April 2021 and finished in March 2022 (having been funded on an annual basis for many years). Grant funding is provided by district councils and housing associations, as members of the Cambridgeshire Rural Affordable Housing Partnership, to allow Cambridgeshire ACRE to facilitate the development of affordable housing schemes for people living in rural Cambridgeshire. Partners have committed to provide a further year’s funding for 2022/23.

Rural Touring

This two-year project started in April 2020 but had to be paused at the end of Sep-20 due to the pandemic, resuming delivery in Apr-2021. We have since requested and received an extension to the delivery window to end September 2023. Grant funding from Arts Council England is supporting the reintroduction of a rural touring scheme for the northern area of the County. Funding is used to identify and train village hall management committees to become ‘promoters’ of live performances and cinema screenings to be delivered from their community buildings making high quality arts experiences accessible to those who might not normally experience them.

Support Cambridgeshire (Community Facilities and Local Councils)

This project started in September 2015 and ran for five year until end November 2021. Grant funding was provided by Cambridgeshire County Council to allow Cambridgeshire ACRE to deliver infrastructure support services to local councils and village halls with the aim of building capacity in communities to become stronger and more resilient.

Water Environment Grant

This project started in April 2021 and finished in March 2022. Grant funding was provided by the Environment Agency for Cambridgeshire ACRE to address agricultural diffuse pollution and contribute to supporting improvements within the water body’s Water Framework Directive status by trapping the sediment that runs from the land using coir rolls sown with a range of native marginal water plants.

Wisbech CLLD

This project started in January 2017 and is scheduled to run until end December 2022. Funding is provided through an ESF grant of £1.05m with match funding from local public funds (Cambridgeshire County Council, Fenland District Council and Wisbech Town Council). The project encourages local people to take the lead on supporting skills and employment activity that provides sustainable economic benefits to the Wisbech area. Projects that are brought forward must provide 50% match fund funding.

Wisbech Reads

The fund comprised monies left over from our Wisbech Reads project which closed 31-Mar-2020. During the course of the year, the balance was transferred to a newly-constituted, externally-led 'Wisbech Read Easy' group for them to continue work raising literacy through community-led action.

27

DocuSign Envelope ID: 06B6E9C1-14E3-4CD8-AA1D-CA9AE3F056C8

Cambridgeshire ACRE For the year ended 31 March 2022 Notes to the accounts

22. Analysis of Net Assets between Funds

Tangible fixed assets
Investments
Net current assets
Total		 Unrestricted
Designated
Restricted
Total
Funds
Funds
Funds
£
£
£
£
-
2,153
606
2,759
-
173,220
-
173,220
171,860
18,794
248,805
439,459
171,860
194,167
249,411
615,438

23. Statement of financial activities - Comparative figures for 2021

Income
Donations
Charitable activities
Other trading activities
Investments
Total income
Expenditure
Raising funds
Charitable activities
Total expenditure
Net gains/(losses) on investments
Net income/(expenditure)
Transfers between funds
Net movement in funds
Reconciliation in funds:
Total funds brought forward
Total funds carried forward		 Total
£
£
£
£
44,180
-
12,259
56,439
22,863
-
772,565
795,428
49,624
-
717
50,341
2,529
-
-
2,529
Year ended 31 March 2021
Unrestricted funds
Restricted
funds
Unrestricted
fund
Designated/
capital funds
119,196
-
785,541
904,737
3,620
-
-
3,620
198,179
2,340
523,565
724,084
201,799
2,340
523,565
727,704
-
-
-
-
(82,603)
(2,340)
261,976
177,033
95,276
1,818
(97,094)
-
12,673
(522)
164,882
177,033
139,272
194,917
133,057
467,246
151,945
194,395
297,939
644,279

28

DocuSign Envelope ID: 06B6E9C1-14E3-4CD8-AA1D-CA9AE3F056C8

Cambridgeshire ACRE For the year ended 31 March 2022 Notes to the accounts

_______________

Cambridgeshire ACRE wishes to thank the individuals, community groups, organisations and statutory partners who supported our work over the last year, in particular:

Central Government

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Department for Work & Pensions Environment Agency Rural Payments Agency

Local Authorities

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority Cambridgeshire County Council East Cambridgeshire District Council Fenland District Council Huntingdonshire District Council South Cambridgeshire District Council Wisbech Town Council

Local Authorities specifically funding Eastern Community Homes

Babergh and Mid Suffolk Council Breckland Council Cambridge City Council Chelmsford City Council Colchester Borough Council East Suffolk Council Epping Forest District Council Great Yarmouth Borough Council Maldon District Council North Norfolk District Council Norwich City Council South Cambridgeshire District Council Stevenage Borough Council Suffolk County Council Tendring District Council Uttlesford District Council West Suffolk Council

Housing Associations / Registered Social Landlords

Accent Group Ltd Bedfordshire Pilgrims Housing Association CHS Group Cross Keys Homes Ltd Hastoe Housing Association Ltd Longhurst Group

Lottery Distributors

Arts Council England National Lottery Heritage Fund People’s Postcode Lottery through the Postcode Community Trust Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire

Grant Makers, Trusts and Foundations

Cambridgeshire Past Present & Future Cambridgeshire Community Foundation Energy Industry Redress Fund through Energy Savings Trust Trinity Denoir

29