2022-03-31-accounts - Newport Mediation

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Providing conflict resolution services to communities, individuals and business

Annual Report 2021- 2022

Bettws in Bloom Building, 1 Lambourne Way, Bettws, Newport, Wales NP20 7TL Telephone 01633 858441

admin@mediationinwales.org h#p://www.mediationinwales.org

Registered Charity No. 1074880

Key people

Volunteer Mediators

Not named individually but without their dedicated contribution and commitment there would be no Newport Mediation

Staff

Service Development Coordinator - Michael Tidley

Volunteer admin support – Sam Cutler – from January 2021

Trustees and officers

Chair – Tim Masters from April 2020

Treasurer - Susan Tidley from July 2020

Secretary – vacant

Other trustees -

Nadine Clarke from March 2020 Ross O’Keeffe from March 2020 Clive Osborne From February 2021 Robert Lynbeck from January 2022

Bankers

Barclays Bank 14 Commercial Street Newport NP20 1HE

Auditors

Phil Bessant Limited 72 Caerau Road Newport NP20 4HJ

Chairs Report

Another year has passed us by. And what an eventful one it’s been.

As the country emerged from Covid, the after-effects of the pandemic began to reveal themselves. Lockdown, delayed NHS appointments, working from home and so many other changes to everyone’s everyday lives combined to make this an extremely challenging year.

We witnessed a marked increase in neighbour disputes; depression, illness and anti-social behaviour being at the forefront and our staff and volunteers all responded brilliantly to the challenges these brought.

The interactive training videos we created last year are proving to be invaluable learning and reassurance tools and the new methods of working we introduced to support our communities through Covid have been welcomed and eagerly adopted by our clients, users and volunteers.

We have also attracted a number of new housing associations who understand the value of mediation and the positive effects it has on residents…and we anticipate this awareness to continue. We’ve also raised our profile at local and national Government level too by making presentations to council members and AMs. In addition to this, we have been fortunate to receive grant aid through the WCVA and GAVO.

In the office, our new team member Sam has taken to her role like a duck to water and provides excellent support and backup to Mike, our much respected co-ordinator. We've reinforced our cohort of volunteers too, as well as consolidating our board of trustees. And it’s fair to say that without the dedication and hard work of everyone involved with Newport Mediation, we wouldn’t be where we are today.

And this leads me to my final point. Newport Mediation is the only fully independent and dedicated mediation charity left in South Wales. We’ve been working in the community resolving conflicts and building relationships for 25 continuous years.

While we’re extremely proud of that achievement, it would not have been possible without the continued support of local housing associations, private landlords, local businesses the police, social services and of course, funding bodies such as Comic Relief, The People’s Postcode lottery and the National Lottery.

To each and every one of you…a heartfelt thank you!

Chair – Tim Masters

Achievements in 2021-2022

During the past year, Newport Mediation has continued its service. We are in a good financial position despite a challenging year. We have been able to recruit new volunteer mediators/trustees to help us meet the demands on the service. Plus we have introduced new services.

This has been achieved in a number of ways –

✓ Adhering to the three-year action plan
✓ Improved governance by the trustees
✓ New flexible service level agreements introduced to reflect out learning from Covid 19 agreed to by our existing partners, Newport City Homes, Melin Homes, Tai Calon and United Welsh
✓ Continuing to develop and improve the computerised case management system to improve the mediation methodology we use
✓ Regular team meetings
✓ Grant aid from Comic Relief June 2020 May 2021 – to produce our free online leaning course called how to dealing with Conflict
✓ Grant Aid from National lottery to support salaries and development July 2021 to July 2022 ✓ Grant aid from Voluntary Services Recovery Fund (VSRF) via Wales council for voluntary action to support us through Covid 19 November 2021 to March 2022
✓ Grant aid from TSSW Winter Pressures Small Grant Scheme 2021/22 – GAVO to support increased demand from January 2022 to March 2022

Obtaining grant aid and refining our structures and case management systems plus introducing new practices has meant –

✓ Developed new partnerships and secured more ad-hoc work from other housing associations -such as Cadwyn, Newydd and Cynon Taff Housing
✓ Introduction of new hybrid ways of working with regards to delivering our conflict resolution services to participants
✓ Being able to recruit new volunteers to meet increased demand with the same resources.
✓ Service more cases
✓ Conflict support is now imbedded and now helping people discuss options to reduce conflict in their lives, this involved retraining for the volunteer mediators
✓ Improvement of response times to ensure early intervention and effective case management.
✓ Staff are now undertaking more of a lead with practical mediation/and conflict support as part of their roles due to the legacy of covid 19 and the impact of the cost-ofliving crisis, which as meant us having to revised/adapt our business model.

Results for 2021-2022

Enquiries and Cases overall

In 2021/22 , we

✓ received 236 new enquiries; with regards to our services with regards to conflict resolution
✓ took on 46 new cases; mediation and conflict support
✓ helped 341 new clients

Enquiries came mainly from within Newport, Torfaen, Blaenau Gwent and Caerphilly but further afield too - with the majority of clients coming from high-density housing and mixed tenure wards.

Of cases received, most were from social landlords, however this year we have received referrals from police and local authorities

Community Mediation/Conflict Support Types of Dispute

In 2021/2022

✓ 87.2% of overall cases involved some element of noise nuisance
✓ 58.7% involved some harassment/abusive behaviour,
✓ 9.6% involved some boundary/property problems,
✓ 85 % involved some general anti-social behaviour,
✓ 15% involved some issues relating to cars/parking/garages,
✓ 21% involved some issues relating to children's behaviour,
✓ 26% involved various other issues

It is also worth noting that the number of complex cases ( i.e. those cases with more than 3 areas of dispute) increased again this year partly due to the legacy of Covid 19 and the impact of the cost of living crisis is having on Community cohesion and mental health

Volunteer input

The number of volunteering hours has decreased to 1567 hours due to the continued impact of Covid 19 and our continuing transition to a more resilient/full cost recovery business model. Plus, the enforced refinements we have continued to make by using more staff time to ensure case delivery and progression.

One of the positive aspects is that the move to online dispute resolution and phone mediation/conflict support as help us provide quicker interventions However outcomes were about the same but less effective in terms of building rapport with participants.

Even with more staff time being used to support delivery our completion times increased from 5 weeks to 8 weeks.

The economic value of our volunteers

Based on The Wales Council for Voluntary Action guidance, the simplest way to calculate the economic value of volunteers’ contribution is to use the average wage.

According to the 2016 Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, the gross average hourly wage for full-time employees in Newport was £13.91.

✓ Therefore 1567 hours x £13.91 per hour = £21,796

Grant Aid 2021-2022

Due the impact of covid 19 and its continuing legacy coupled with the cost-of-living crisis, has meant that we have had to completely revised our business models. Due to this for the first time in years we have had to seek grant aid support the transition to the new working environment

Comic Relief February 2022 to March 21

✓ To produce a free online leaning course called how to dealing with Conflict
✓ Course went live May 2021revised in March 2022
✓ The yearly subscription is now paid for directly by Newport Mediation

National lottery -July 2021 to July 2022

✓ To support salaries to focus on development July 2021 to July 2022
✓ Allowed us to revised our working practices and develop our business plan away from our traditional models due to Covid 19 and its lasting legacy.
✓ The revising of our service agreements, with our partners
✓ Secured more work from other housing associations -such as Cadwyn, Newydd and
✓ Cynon Taff Housing

Voluntary Services Recovery Fund (VSRF) via Wales Council for Voluntary Action November 2021 to March 2022

✓ Supported 40% of our staff costs
✓ Allowed us to further improve and update our IT systems
✓ Help us to put into practice our learning from Covid 19 by the introduction of our ✓ hybrid process using a mix of phone/visual media and face to face options for the delivery ✓ of our service

TSSW Winter Pressures Small Grant Scheme 2021/22 January 2022 to March 2022

✓ To support increased demand
✓ Enabled us to carry out 3 direct mediation cases to homeowners and conflict support to 4 families and allowed us to field over 40 calls for support some lasting over 1 hour which was not covered by another funding

Aims and Objectives for 2021-2022

Our priority aims and objective for 2021/22 remains as continuing to develop the provision of quality conflict resolution services that are easily accessible and responsive to the needs and concerns of our partners and individuals within the community. We will do this by:

✓ Working with new and existing partners to maximise added value opportunities to meet the aspirations and priorities of communities
✓ Seek grant aid support the transition to the new working environment
✓ Continuing to look at ways of speeding up case response times and improving throughput of cases by streamlining processes
✓ Continue to remold our service/s in response to the legacy Covid 19 to improve opportunities and to reduce threats of the cost-of-living crises
✓ Continuing to look at ways to increase the efficient use of volunteer time
✓ Maintaining our bi-monthly mediator development meetings
✓ Introduce quarterly conflict resolution café to update and refresh communication with our partners
✓ To make better use of social media
✓ Looking to increase the number of referrals to the service
✓ Continuing the expansion of our conflict resolution services to other social landlords private rented sector and the public via improving self-referral
✓ Continuing to seek additional funding to expand service provision into complimentary areas of work.
✓ Progressing the 2 new initiatives identified and chosen by the board

Treasurers Report

FINANCIAL YEAR 2021-22

As Treasurer of Newport Mediation, I have pleasure in presenting my report for the Financial Year 2021-2022.

I am pleased to announce that we have again paid diligent attention to our finances and have shown a surplus of funds at year end. Thanks are due to the careful method of operation at all levels, especially with the paid staff and volunteers.

I highlight notable items as follows:

✓ Service Level Agreements form the foundation of our future progress.
✓ I am pleased to say that Service Level Agreements have been renewed with Newport City Homes, Melin Homes and Tai Calon. We have also secured additional agreements with Cynon Taff, Newydd Housing and Cadwyn Housing Association. This will ensure a regular source of income and enable us to provide an effective service.
✓ This year we have also received a grants from National Lottery, WCVA and GAVO to help the organization during and following COVID.

Report

The formal report, which shows in summary:

Income for the Year	£ 42,585.16
Expenditure	£ 39,192.98
Surplus for the Year	£ 3,392.18
Surplus brought forward	£23,508.30
Surplus Carried Forward	£ 26,900.48
===================================

A copy of our accounts, which have been examined by our accountants, is attached for your information.

It should be acknowledged that Newport Mediation faced many difficulties during the lockdown period due to COVID, however I am pleased to note that organization, due to due diligence and forward planning by the Board, we have mitigated the worse affects of these circumstances.

The Board recognises the need to hold funds in reserve, for both planned development and contingencies and considers that our current reserves provide the necessary financial stability for Newport Mediation’s continued progress and success.

The Board has also taken into account the need to hold monies in hand in case of possible claw-backs or redundancies and other commitments, plus the possible development of the service outside of the present marketplace.

The Year Ahead 2022– 2023

Our Co-ordinator continues to investigate grant funding which may utilise our services, as well as seeking alternative income streams from other bodies which together would provide further revenue.

Conclusion

Before closing, I would ask if there are any questions.

I have pleasure in commending the accounts to the meeting

Signed:

Susan Tidley Treasurer

FINAL ACCOUNTS

Newport Mediation

RECEIPTS and PAYMENTS ACCOUNT

For the period

1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022

Registered Charity No. 1074880

Funded and supported by

Chartered Management Accountants’ Report to the Trustees On the Unaudited Income and Expenditure Statements of Newport Mediation for Period Ended 31 March 2022:

You consider that the charity is exempt from audit for the year ended 31 March 2022. You have acknowledged, on the Report of the Trustees, your responsibilities for ensuring the charity keeps accounting records which comply with section 42(3) of the Charities Act 1992 and Charities Act 2011 section 132.

In accordance with your instructions, we have prepared the financial statements from the accounting record of the charity and on the basis of the information and explanations you have given to us.

We have not carried out an audit or any other review, and consequently we do not express any opinion on these financial statements.

Phil Bessant Limited Chartered Management Accountants 72 Caerau Road Newport South Wales. NP20 4HJ

Date: 5[th] July 2022.

Phil Bessant Limited, 72 Caerau Road, Newport, NP20 4HJ Directors: Phil Bessant FCMA CGMA, Karen Bessant Tel: 01633 253377 Fax: 01633 259182 Email: info@philbessantltd.co.uk Web: www.philbessantltd.co.uk Company Registered in England and Wales – Reg. No. 07925162 VAT No. GB 128 8524 92

NEWPORT MEDIATION FINANCIAL STATEMENTS TO 31 MARCH 2022:

			2021/22			2020/21
		£.pp	£.pp	£.pp		£.pp
INCOME	Newport City Homes (was NCC)	9,948.00		8,433.00
	National lottery grant	9,821.00		-
	Tai Calon	-		1,200.00
	Balance on Comic Relief Grant	935.00		-
	Gavo	3,751.70		-
	Wcva grant	9,215.86		2,000.00
	Tai Calon	542.00
	Melin Homes	2,597.00		3,980.00
	United Welsh	5,330.00		380.00
	Dorset council	444.00
	Deposit Account Interest + Balance
	introduced	0.60		3.74
TOTAL INCOME			42,585.16			15,996.74
EXPENDITURE:
	Case Intake Worker
	M Tidley	19,049.62		14,062.94
	S Cutler	3,815.80		1,545.42
	EE Tax & Nic	4,531.66		585.80
	C Osbourne	782.00		936.00
	Bettws in Bloom	3,210.00		1,755.00
	Website	37.99
	Phones	608.88
	Subsistence	355.54		107.38
	Thinkific	367.69		347.35
	Mediate	284.40		321.20
	CF Corporate	510.52		503.32
	Ico	40.00
	Volunteer Expenses	278.53		311.42
	Wastesavers	42.00
	Telephone/Internet			653.35
	Ppe equipment	167.62
	Accounting & Insurance	2,224.41		651.56
	Kareen Methven	847.00
	Equipment and software	2,025.58
	Miscellaneous			15.21
	Printing	13.74
TOTAL EXPENDITURE			39,192.98			21,795.95
SURPLUS FOR	YEAR		3,392.18		-	5,799.21
SURPLUS BROUGHT FORWARD			23,508.30			29,307.51
SURPLUS CARRIED FORWARD			26,900.48			23,508.30

NEWPORT MEDIATION Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2022:

Current Assets: Debtors Bank and Cash Total Current Assets Current Liabilities: Creditors	£.pp - 2021/22 £.pp 27,868.97 27,868.97 968.49	£.pp - 2020/21 £.pp 23,508.30 23,508.30 -
Net Current Assets:	26,900.48	23,508.30
Represented By: Opening Reserve Surplus for Year	23,508.30 3,392.18	29,307.51 - 5,799.21
	26,900.48	23,508.30
	-	-

Responsible Finance Officer

Chairman

NEWPORT MEDIATION Bank & Cash Balances 31 March 2022:

Current Account 19,569.01 Deposit Account 8,215.49 Petty Cash 84.47	31/03/2022 15,246.61 8,214.69 27,868.97 47.00	31/03/2021
		23,508.30

CREDITORS ANALYSIS 31 March 2022:

Creditors - - HMRC 968.49 - 968.49

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

FOR THE PERIOD 1 APRIL 2020 TO 31 MARCH 2021

Risk Policy

The major risk facing the Trustees is still the continuation of adequate funding despite the impact of Covid 19 . However, the opinion of the Board is that with more vigorous and sustained effort, adequate funding will be found.

Reserve Policy

The Trustees are aware of the need for reserves to meet statutory liabilities are necessary and have endeavoured to set aside monies for this purpose including any possible claw-backs or redundancies, commitments and development of the service outside of the present marketplace.

Results

The results for the year and the Charity’s financial position are shown in the attached statements.

Trustees

Trustees do not receive remuneration claiming expenses only to enable them to carry out their duties.

Basis of Preparation

This report is prepared in accordance with the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2000.

Responsibilities

In preparing the financial statements, the Trustees are required to select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently and making good judgements that are reasonable and prudent. The Trustees must also prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Charity will continue its activities

The Trustees are responsible for the proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 1992 section 42(3). The Trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

The Trustees approved this report on 7th Augustxxxxx , taking into account the circumstances stated above.

And signed on the Trustees behalf by:

Responsible Finance Officer

Trustee