Milborne Ladybirds Playgroup Association (the Charity)
Registered Charity 1087441
Annual Report 2022
for the period to 31 August 2021
Public benefit statement
The objectives of the Charity shall be to advance the education of children below compulsory school age. The Association will, whenever possible, be open to all children irrespective of race, creed, colour or physical ability. The Charity benefits families living within and around Milborne St Andrew by providing local playgroup and pre-school facilities that would otherwise not be available.
Summary of activities 2020-21
Thanks go to trustees and staff for their dedication and support during another challenging year. Like many other businesses and charities Ladybirds was again hit hard by the coronavirus epidemic causing us to close for much of the Spring term. For this closure, unlike Summer 2020, Dorset County Council (DCC) did not maintain grant payments, but we were able to furlough staff.
Thanks also go to trustees of the Village Hall (Charity number 1176828) which generously gave us a rent holiday for both the Spring and Summer terms. With attendance (children on roll) remaining generally low throughout the year, the support from the Village Hall allowed us to avert what would otherwise have been a significant loss, as noted in the Finance Report below.
An initial roll of 12 children in September 2020 increased to 16 for the Spring term providing some 230 child.hours/week attendance, followed a similar pattern to previous years. Towards the end of the period Trustees and management agreed to try extended opening to 15:00 each day (except Wednesdays) from September 2021 to test whether this would attract more attendance.
Staffing was stable throughout the year although the new deputy leader recruited for September 2020 subsequently resigned at the end of the academic year.
Trustees’ efforts during 2021 continued to focus on opportunities for establishing a new, permanent and dedicated setting. Little further progress was made other than to agree in principal a joint approach with the village First School.
Progress and plans 2021-22
Some progress was made against the objectives set in the 2021 Annual Report. These remain the key objectives for 2022 and beyond:
-
To rebuild attendance – possibly frustrated due to the pandemic, attendance remained well below historic highs. As of January 2022, to move to open afternoons to 15:00 four days per week seems to have been, at least subjectively, successful although the overall attendance has remained much the same as 2020-21. The general sentiment from parents is that the afternoon opening is welcome, we will need to keep a watch its cost effectiveness.
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Complete transformation to a CIO – Trustees agreed to suspend this action pending clarity on likely futures for securing a new setting and closer alignment with the village First School.
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Milborne Ladybirds Playgroup: Registered Charity 1087441 / OFSTED Reg. 217717
- Secure a plan for a new setting – we now have a clear joint strategy agreed with the First School, subject to Academy agreement, developed to support discussion with the developer applying to build on the Homefield site. Whilst this is now defunct, we have a clear position for discussion with the Camleco developer which now has outline planning consent which includes provision of a Pre-school building.
We can be encouraged that an initial positive planning decision potentially delivering a new Preschool setting has now been made. With little prospect of returning to strong profitability a significant timing risk remains. This will be kept under scrutiny by Trustees.
Financial Report
for the period to 31 August 2021
The Charity’s finances were managed by the contract book-keeper, Suzi Legg of Sure Figures under the supervision of the Chair of Trustees Paul Tasker. The accounts were once again audited by our voluntary auditor Peter Anthony. The audited accounts are attached.
Particular thanks are due to Peter Anthony who has given notice as auditor after very many years’ voluntary service, firstly as Finance Officer and then as auditor. We will need to find a replacement auditor for 2021-22 but Peter will be sorely missed.
As reported above Ladybirds was closed for much of the Spring term due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Although we were not this year able to recover fees from DCC we were able to furlough staff during the closure. The generosity of the Village Hall in extending the rent holiday from the Spring through Summer terms allowed a very significant loss to be averted.
An improvement in fundraising was achieved netting some £1,400 for which thanks primarily go to Kelly Gail and staff.
Both income and expenditure were down on 2019-20 resulting in a net loss of £1,415 eroding cash reserves to a little under £69,000.
Paul Tasker
Chair, Milborne Ladybirds Playgroup Association for and on behalf of trustees, approved at trustee board held 16 February 2022
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Milborne Ladybirds Playgroup: Registered Charity 1087441 / OFSTED Reg. 217717
Annex A1 – Financial Summary Balance Sheet at 31 August 2021
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Regi e ed Cha i OFSTED Reg
BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31st August 2021
ASSETS
Fi ed A e
Le De ecia i n
WDV
CURRENT ASSETS
Deb
P e aid Ren
Bank Acc n
CURRENT LIABILITIES
C edi
Acc ed E en e
Defe ed Inc me
NET ASSETS £ 69,199.95
REPRESENTED BY
S l F nd Di ib i n
F nd Rai ing Ca i al F nd
O e a i nal Re e e F nd
Ne B ild F nd
Gene al F nd
Ca i al A e Val a i n
£ 69,199.95
Fi ed a e i em de ecia e b f cha e ice each f ll ea
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BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31st August 2020
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ASSETS
Fi ed A e
Le De ecia i n
WDV
CURRENT ASSETS
Deb N e SMP d e
P e aid Ren
Bank Acc n
CURRENT LIABILITIES
C edi
Acc ed E en e
Defe ed Inc me
NET ASSETS £ 70,615.08
REPRESENTED BY
S l F nd Di ib i n
F nd Rai ing Ca i al F nd
O e a i nal Re e e F nd
Ne B ild F nd
Gene al F nd
Ca i al A e Val a i n
£ 70,615.08
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Ba ed n a e ie f he b k ec d and e lana i n gi en me in m ini n he financial a emen f Milb ne Lad bi d Pla g gi e a e and fai ie f he cha i financial i i n a a A g and f i inc me and e endi e f he ea hen ended
Signa e
Name
Da ed
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Milborne Ladybirds Playgroup: Registered Charity 1087441 / OFSTED Reg. 217717
Annex A2 – Financial Summary Income & Expenditure Year to 31 August 2021
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Registered Charity 10 441 OFSTED Reg 21 1
Income E penditure Report Income E penditure Report
YE YE
INCOME INCOME
Invoiced Subscriptions Paid £ ,30 . Invoiced Subscriptions Paid £ 5,0 5. 3
Invoiced Subscriptions Outstanding £ 422.52 Invoiced Subscriptions Outstanding £ -
Bank Interest £ .2 Bank Interest £ 4.2
Donations £ 143. Donations £ 51.41
Fundraising £ 1,4 0. 5 Fundraising £ 514.
Nursery Grants (including SEND) £ 2 ,4 . 1 Nursery Grants (including SEND) £ 35,041.1
Support Grants (GLF) £ 2,500.00 Support Grants (GLF) £ 2,500.00
Other Income ( Job Retention Scheme - Furlough Grant) £ 2, 2 . Other Income
TOTAL INCOME TOTAL INCOME
EXPENDITURE EXPENDITURE
Emplo ment Emplo ment
Salaries & N.I. inc Pension & Book Keeping £ 35, 2. 3 Notes Salaries & N.I. inc Pension & Book Keeping £ 40,304.2 Note
Bonuses / Gratuities / Clothing £ 1 .0 Bonuses / Gratuities / Clothing £ 1 .0
Courses, Training, DBS £ .00 Courses, Training, DBS £ 441.00
£ 3 , 0.01 £ 40, 11.3
Administrati e Administrati e
Printing, stationery, etc. £ 233.00 Printing, stationery, etc. £ 134.43
Postage Postage
Telephone Telephone
Fund raising expenses £ . Fund raising expenses £ 122.50
Insurance & Subscriptions £ 4 0. 1 Insurance & Subscriptions £ 52 . 1
Advertising £ 15 .00 Advertising £ 14 .00
Extraordinary Expenditure Extraordinary Expenditure
Other ; miscellaneous £ 53.00 Other ; miscellaneous £ 103.00
£ 1,001. 0 £ 1,034. 4
Opertional Acti ities Opertional Acti ities
Village Hall Hire £ 2,54 . 0 Village Hall Hire £ 5, 3.54
Food £ . 5 Food £ 25 . 5
Materials (incs cleaning) £ 3 1.1 Materials (incs cleaning) £ 233.3
Outings / Visits £ 12 .25 Outings / Visits £ 40.
£ 3,045. £ ,1 .33
Operational Items Operational Items
Purchase of non capital equipment items £ 20. Purchase of non capital equipment items £ 54.
Depreciation £ .1 Depreciation £ 1,23 .31
Books £ 45.12 Books £ 25.
£ 34.2 £ 1,31 .
Adjusting for last years' liabilities £ - Adjusting for last years' liabilities £ -
TOTAL EXPENDITURE TOTAL EXPENDITURE
SURPLUS DEFICIT FOR YEAR SURPLUS DEFICIT FOR YEAR
Notes Notes
1 : included here is the £43 1.31 SMP rebate received on 0 .0 .21 ; shown in Income sheet but
offset against the wages expense Note : Statutory Maternity Pay can be reclaimed from the government next tax year (103 ).
2 : pending additional maternity pay due to Antonia of £ . 4 will be paid in Dec 2021 wages - So rebate pending and included in these figures (£ 1.2 )
no adjustment made for this. SLL decided to keep it as a cost in 2021_22.
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Milborne Ladybirds Playgroup: Registered Charity 1087441 / OFSTED Reg. 217717