Annual Report
and
Financial Statements
of the
Parochial Church Council
St Lawrence Church, Biddulph
for the year ended 31 December 2024
Registered Charity: St. Lawrence Church charity no: 1127353
Incumbent:
Will Drain
Bank:
National Westminster
Independent Examiner:
Mr. K.R. Salt BK Plus Limited
2-6 Adventure Place
Hanley Stoke on Trent ST1 3AF
Contents
| Page 1 | Index |
|---|---|
| Pages 2-3 | PCC Treasurers Report |
| Page 4 | Independent Examiners Report |
| Pages 5-6 | Receipts and Payments Account |
| Page 7 | Statement of Assets and Liabilities |
| Page 8 | Notes to the Accounts |
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Finance Report for 2024 Accounts
General Comment on the Accounts
The method used to prepare the accounts is on the Payment and Receipt system. The software used for keeping the accounts is called “MyFundAccounting.Online” which is produced by a company called Data Developments. The Lichfield Diocese decided they would encourage churches in the Diocese to use this software and pay the monthly fee for its use. Lichfield Diocese are also encouraging churches to use “MyGiving.Online” (also produced by Data Developments) to maintain Gift Aid records and make claims directly with HMRC rather than through the Diocese. These claims are made monthly and during the year the church has received £18,913. There is an outstanding amount owed by HMRC of £1,371 for the month of December which will arrive in the church account mid-January.
An overview of the accounts shows that our cash balances across all funds has decreased by £13,527 and the value of investments decreased by £1,099.
All invoices have been paid, with none outstanding.
Individual Fund comments for 2024:
There have been no major costs throughout the year with regard to the buildings. Maintenance of the buildings has been kept to a minimum to keep down costs as much as possible.
The cost of living rises that we have all experienced have definitely hit St. Lawrence during 2024. Energy contracts came to an end and had to be renewed with prices greatly increased. The costs of Gas and Electric combined have risen by £6,450 over this year. Energy costs have now started to decrease and my hope is that this will be reflected when we come to renew contracts in 2025.
The National Minimum Wage has been increased by a considerable amount which has meant that the church salary bill has increased too.
We have maintained our giving to charities; people have been very generous at various times throughout the year and combined with the money agreed by the PCC from the general fund the total given to a variety of charities was £12,244.
2
Outlook for 2025
The budget agreed by the PCC for 2025 shows a deficit of approximately £18,000. This budget does not include any major work to be carried out on the Church or Church Hall as there are currently not sufficient funds available for such work. Such a large budget deficit cannot continue year on year. Please consider this as you review your giving to the work of God at St. Lawrence’s during this coming year. Please pray that God would provide for the work of His Church at St. Lawrence always remembering that we as individuals may be part of His answer.
Finally, please may I say thank you to the many people who are involved in the various different aspects of the Church finances: Funeral and Wedding Fees, Gift Aid, Collection Counters, members of the Finance Committee, those who bank the cash offerings and donations, Church Hall Fees; all jobs that are so important to the smooth running of the Church finances.
Paul Roebuck
January 2025
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Independent Examiner's report to the trustee of St Lawrence Church, Biddulph
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of St Lawrence Church (Biddulph) for the year ended 31 December 2024, which are set out on pages 5 to 8.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements at the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”)
I report in respect of my examination of the Trustees accounts carried out under s.145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under s145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.
Independent examiner's statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
-
(1) accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by s.130 of the Act; or
-
(2) the accounts do not accord with those records
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached
K.R. Salt
BK Plus Limited Chartered Certified Accountants 2-6 Adventure Place Hanley Stoke on Trent ST1 3AF
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St. Lawrence Church, Biddulph
Financial statements for the year ending 31 December 2024
Receipts and Payments Account
| Receipts Donations and legacies 0101 - Gift Aid - Bank 0110 - Gift Aid - Envelopes 0201 - Other planned giving 0301 - Loose plate collections 0401 - Mission/Charities 0550 - Donations appeals etc 0601 - Tax recoverable on Gift Aid 0701 - Legacies 0801 - Recurring grants Donations and legacies Totals Income from charitable activities 0902 - Youth Work Income from Subscriptions 1101 - Fees for weddings and funerals 1210 - Church Events 1230 - Church and Hall lettings Income from charitable activities Totals Other trading activities 1240 - Church hall Renewable Energy 1260 - Magazine Sales and Photocopy use Other trading activities Totals Investments 1001 - Dividends 1020 - Bank and building society interest 1030 - Rent from lands or buildings Investments Totals Other income 1310 - Insurance claims 1330 - Refunds Other income Totals Total Receipts |
Unrestricted Funds Designated Funds Restricted Funds Total 2024 Total 2023 £ £ £ £ £ |
|---|---|
| 52,315 - 9,461 61,776 78,391 6,927 - - 6,927 5,566 6,620 - 1,440 8,060 8,187 7,289 - - 7,289 7,740 120 - 3,342 3,462 2,345 5,066 - - 5,066 6,512 16,238 - 2,675 18,913 22,819 1,000 - - 1,000 19,229 - - - - 54 |
|
| 95,575 - 16,918 112,492 150,843 2,192 - - 2,192 1,818 15,229 - - 15,229 16,850 270 - - 270 655 8,104 - - 8,104 11,110 |
|
| 25,796 - - 25,796 30,433 653 - - 653 697 92 - - 92 156 |
|
| 744 - - 744 853 1,834 - - 1,834 1,538 964 - - 964 999 8,500 - - 8,500 7,500 |
|
| 11,298 - - 11,298 10,037 - - - - 2,886 1,000 - - 1,000 4,741 |
|
| 1,000 - - 1,000 7,627 |
|
| 134,412 - 16,918 151,330 199,792 |
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St. Lawrence Church, Biddulph
Financial statements for the year ending 31 December 2024
Receipts and Payments Account
| Payments Expenditure on charitable activities 1720 - Outreach Costs 1801 - Giving to missionary societies 1830 - Giving - Christian Organisations 1850 - Home mission 1870 - General charities 1910 - Ministry Common Fund 2002 - Youthwork Salary Costs 2003 - Youthwork Pension Costs 2004 - Youthwork Training Costs 2005 - Youthwork Expenses 2050 - Salary of parish administrator 2060 - Salary of cleaner 2101 - Working expenses of incumbent 2160 - Bank Charges 2201 - Parish training and mission 2301 - Church running - insurance 2310 - Church office/Administration 2330 - Church maintenance 2340 - Upkeep of services 2401 - Church running - electric 2410 - Church running - gas 2420 - Church Yard - water 2501 - Photocopy and Printing 2510 - School House running - gas 2511 - School House running - electricity 2512 - School House running - water 2513 - School House running - Council tax 2520 - Hall and Church - cleaning 2530 - Hall running - electricity 2540 - Hall running - gas 2550 - Hall running - insurance 2560 - Hall running - maintenance 2580 - Hall running -Water 2590 - Hall running - WiFi Network 2601 - Governance costs examination/audit fee 2701 - Church Major Work/Repairs 2801 - Hall Major Work/Repairs Total Payments Excess of Receipts over Payments |
Unrestricted Funds Designated Funds Restricted Funds Total 2024 Total 2023 £ £ £ £ £ |
|---|---|
| 2,395 - - 2,395 2,129 3,708 - 207 3,914 4,182 2,492 - 2,045 4,537 4,222 1,512 - - 1,512 1,661 900 - 1,381 2,281 1,828 53,875 - - 53,875 60,586 - - 26,771 26,771 22,742 - - 2,000 2,000 1,721 - - - - 330 4,201 - - 4,201 3,644 12,033 - - 12,033 10,830 6,266 - - 6,266 3,737 169 - - 169 946 536 - - 536 482 1,140 - - 1,140 395 4,604 - - 4,604 4,272 3,937 - - 3,937 6,775 1,339 - - 1,339 2,094 2,688 - - 2,688 2,761 2,449 - - 2,449 1,710 8,601 - - 8,601 5,917 462 - - 462 416 3,489 - - 3,489 2,833 1,263 - - 1,263 660 576 - - 576 380 254 - - 254 277 439 - - 439 451 1,328 - - 1,328 2,964 1,421 - - 1,421 1,024 4,746 - - 4,746 2,915 2,615 - - 2,615 2,830 1,051 - - 1,051 1,541 638 - - 638 203 577 - - 577 547 750 - - 750 720 - - - - 8,113 - - - - 37,481 |
|
| 132,454 - 32,403 164,857 206,321 |
|
| 1,958 - (15,485) (13,527) (6,529) |
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St. Lawrence Church, Biddulph
Financial statements for the year ending 31 December 2024
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
| Unrestricted Funds |
Designated Funds |
Restricted Funds |
Total 2024 | Total 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Current Asset - Investments | |||||
| 6511: M and G Investments | 31,008 | - | 7,629 | 38,637 | 39,736 |
| Current Asset - Cash At Bank And In Hand | |||||
| 6501: General Bank current account | 2,433 | - | - | 2,433 | 7,844 |
| 6502: Youth Worker Bank account | 20 | - | - | 20 | - |
| 6505: Reserve Bank deposit account | 13,887 | - | 12,871 | 26,757 | 35,420 |
| 6510: CCLA (CBF) deposit account | 13,989 | - | - | 13,989 | 13,462 |
| Total | 30,329 | - | 12,871 | 43,200 | 56,727 |
| Amount owing to the church | |||||
| Income Tax Recoverable | 1,181 | - | 190 | 1,371 | 1,562 |
| Liabilities - Amounts owed by the church | |||||
| Payments to Charities not yet presented | - | - | - | - | - |
| The balances of restricted funds at the year end are as follows: | |||||
| Total 2024 | Total 2023 | ||||
| Restricted Funds | £ | £ | |||
| Restricted - CharityFunds | - | - | |||
| Restricted - YouthWorker | 20,500 | 35,986 | |||
| 20,500 | 35,986 | ||||
| Approved by the PCC on 20th January 2025 and signed on their behalf | by: | ||||
| Will Drain | Andrew Shufflebotham | ||||
| (Vicar) | (Churchwarden) |
............................................................ ............................................................
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St. Lawrence Church, Biddulph
Financial statements for the year ending 31 December 2024
Statement of Assets and Liabilities
Notes to the accounts
-
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP guidance using the Receipt and Payments basis.
-
South View Property . The property at South View is vested in the Lichfield Diocesan Trust (LDT) lodged under trust number 81 on behalf of the Vicar and Churchwardens of Biddulph St Lawrence. The church receives income from this property.
-
St Lawrence School House . The School House is held in trust by the Churchwarden's for use by the church.
-
For use by the charity and belonging to the General Purposes Fund:
Movable church fittings held by the Vicar and Churchwardens on special trust for the PCC and which require a faculty for disposal are inalienable property, listed in the Church's inventory, which can be inspected (at any reasonable time).
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