St. Peter's
t*
The Parochial Council of St. Peter's Church, Little Aston
Annual Report and Financial Statements
Year Ended 31 December 2024
Incumbent
Interregnum 30.12.24
Honorary Assistant Priest
Reverend Jeremy Blunt
Readers
Andrew Farrow
Pamela Strong
Bank
HSBC UK
67 The Parade
Sutton Coldfield B72 1 PD
Independent Examiner
Ray Boyland
htt s://v4WW.St eterslittleaston.co.ukl

The Parochial Council of SL Petsrfs Church. Little Aston
Annual Report for the Year 31 December 2024
(rhis report is made in accordance with the Church Repwtation Rules (2011)
and is separate from ary other statement or addr8ss that the incumbent may wish
to make or any rewrts that any other individual or parish group may present at the
Annual Parochial Church Meeting)
Administrative Infomiation
St. Peter's Church is situated on Roman Road, Little Aston B74 3AT. It is part of
th8 Diocese of Lichfield within the Church of England. Correspondence is also
addressed to the Vicarage, 3 Walsall Road. Little Aston B74 3BD. The PCC is a
body corporate (PCC Powers Measure 1956, Church Representstion Rules 2011)
and a Registered Charity 1128819.
Ex officio members
Incumbent
Interregnum from 30.12.24
Church Warden
Church Warden
Secretary
Jane Alderson
Richard Paxton
Brenda Clarf(e
Elected Mombers
Treasurer
Gift Aid Secretary
Deanery Synod Member
& Electoral Roll
Diocesan Synod Member and
A&sistant Lay Chair of Dean￿ Synod
Christopher Hulland
Paul Eveleigh
ma￿aret Pye
Jill Hope
Elisabeth Paxton
Lynne GibsDn
Emma Paxton
Helen Gart)8tt
Deborah Hartland
Annie Horton
It is considered that all PCC members and any others who could be understood to
be 'managers' in the activities and affairs of the church. as defined In Schedule 6
of the Finance Act 2010, are 'fft and proper. persons under the terms of the Act.
AII PCC members electgj for the first time and those rtrelected are supplied wlth
minutes of PCC meetings and receive a copy of the last Annual Report and
Accounts. They are entitled to ask for any explanations of their content. In seniice
training is offered as appropriat&
Page 1

The Parochlal Church Council (PCC) is a ￿p￿te boty established by the Church of
England. The PCC operates under the Parochial Church Council Powers Measure.
The method of appointment of PCC members is set out in the Church Represantation
Rules. At St. Peter's the meml)ership consists of the inujmbent (our vicar).
churchwardens and members elected by those ￿EMberS of the congregation that are on
tha electoral roll of the Church.
The PCC men*)ers are responsible for making decisions on all matters of general concern
and importance to the palish, induding how the funds of the PCC are spent. New
members receive initial training in the wort(ings of the PCC.
The PCC met 6 ttines during the year.
There is a Standing Committe6 that is the onty commlttee ￿ullEd to be in exist6nc6 by
church law and has th8 power to transact the business of the PCC between meetings,
subject to ratification by the PCC. Meetings were via Zoom when necessary.
Aims and pLmpose8
St Peterfs Parochial Church cour￿11 has thè resportsibilty of cooperating with th&
incumbenL tn promoting in the ecdesi&8tical parish the whole mi&sion of the church,
pastoral, evangeli8ttC. Social and ecumenical.
Object5v08 and Actlvitles
The PCC FS corrmÉtted to gnabling as many people as possible to worship at our church
and to become part of the communty of St. Peterfs.The PCC rn￿n￿nS an oveNi8w of
worship and will feedback to the vicar suggestions and comrnents relating to forms of
service undertaken. Our seNices arn Rntended to put our fath into practice through
wayer, Scripturq muslc and the sacrarr
We endeavour to enal)le ordlnary peop* to uve out their fallh as part ot our church
communlty.
Worship & Prayer- Bible studies, Discipleship coursts. Lent coursos. preaching and
diffe￿nt types of seNice wrth some me8ting particular needs are prornot8d.
Provision of pastoral car8 for Merr￿ of the congregation both withln and outside
the parish. This includes our Authc¥ised Lay Minlsters taking communFon to those
unabl8 to attend church and visiting in ht)sprtals, nursing homes and homes.
Misslonary and outreach work - our targeted charitable gi￿"ng and support for social
opportunitles are well understood Support#￿ both lo(a international concerns.
To facilitate ati thls. we consider it vital we ￿￿rtain arKI, rf possible, improve the fabric
of the church of St. Pet￿S and akn the Church Ro(
Page 2

Achlevements and perfonnance
Worship and Prayer
There are usually three seNices on Sundays at 8am,1 Oam and 5pm and Holy
Communion at 9.30am on Wednesdays.
Baptisms, weddings and funerals took place throughout the year and special
seniices were held for Easter. Harvest. Remembrance. Friends Remembered,
Christingle and Nine Lessons and Carols. The Bishop of Lichfield assisted in our
celebration of 150 years of worship at St. Peter's and a drone flypast marked the
occasion. htt s:// outu.be/sc
6 6 GIOE?si=euZsUFR52civt f3$
A special Mention must go to Nina Diaper and Lynne Gibson for running a series of
very meaningful and inspiring early evening services during Lent and Advent.
In our Welcome to Worship publication we list family and friends of the
congregation Gurrently in need of prayer and who have been bereaved. We also
have a facility for private prayer during the 1 Oam service on a Sunday and run a
prayer chain for people requiring emergency prayers which is completely
confidential.
Misslon and Evangelism
The weekly Welcome to Worship publication continues to be an important means
of communication with the congregation and other interested parties. They are
available at all services and are emailed to 163 addresses plus some printed
copies are passed on to those who do not have email.
The What's on at St Peter's leaflet giving details of contacts. r￿ular services.
activities, and events is available in strategic places around the parish as well as in
church.
There are regular meetings of Mothers, Union, the l<ntt and Natter group, the Keep
Fit group, the Fllm Club. the Bereavement group. the Hand Bell ringers, the
SACRED groups and the SPOGS - a group of gentlemen who meet monthly dining
at local pubs for fellowship and goodwill. A band of volUnt￿rS m￿t very regularly
to help with maintenance of the churchyard and every Tuesday there is a coffee
morning with entertaining quizzes which is well supported.
A Historical Talk organised by Emma Paxton was a sell-out and Elisabeth Paxton
researched and published a booklet incorporating details of Vicars past and
present to raise both interest arKI funds for our 150th celebrations.
We continue our close connection with Pathways - the domestic and sexual abuse
charity in Lichfield. They receive donations throughout the year especially from our
harvest festival and when members of the congregation give 25 small gifts through
our reverse advent calendar scheme.
We also support The Leprosy Mission.
Page 3

Pastoral Care
The team meets regularly and discusses members of the congregation who may
need help and support. They also arrange visits with home communion.
Monthly coffee mornings were introduced by the team in 2022 that became weekly
Winter Warmer Coffee mornings and these continue to encourage members of the
congregation and any friends OT acquaintances to meet together for relaxed,
informal socialising in a wann welcoming space.
The vergers for the fonnal occasions of baptisms, weddings and funerals are
meeting those in need with great skills of guidance, organisation and, when
required empathy. They have our particular grateful thanks when undertaking the
occasional difficult aspects encountered.
Baptisms
Weddings. 7
Church Funerals 21
Crematoria 2
The electoral roll contains 186 names bLrt 69% live outside the parish
The Church Building
St. Peter's is a listed Victorian Building and any repairs have to confonn to
regulations and are invariably expensive.
New notice boards have b*n installed that meet the ciiteria set by the Diocese.
Our whole enterprise relies on the many willing volunteers that make this church
the friendly and responsive community so appreciated by all concerned. The aged
demographic of the congregation places added expectations of and
responsibilities to those involved The social context of our church cannot be
underestimated
After service coffee forms an increasing opportunity for social dialogue and thanks
are due to those who offer to cater to meet the demand.
The Churchwardens have continued their extraordinary efforts to ensure the Vicar
was supported at all times. In view of his very recent loss their responsibilities have
suddenly expanded enormously. It will mean others in the congregation will need
to &￿ist wherever possible.
Pag8 4

Safeguarding
The safety arKJ security of children is of the utmost importance and guidelines and
policies are part of the processes that have been adopted to ensure that all
children tskn'ng part in activities in our churches may do so in a loving, caring and
safe atmosphere. There is a Protection Policy in respect of children and vulnerable
adults. recognised by the PCC .Mrs Deborah Hartland is the Safeguarding Officer.
A formalised programme of serious leaming and certrfication has been undertaken
by the Ministry team and members of the Church identified as having contact with
children and vulnerable adults. It was undwtsken on-line and highlights any
possible signs of risk that need reporting. The programrne is monitored by Lichfield
Diocese. There has been one report to the police by the Vicar during the year and
they took responsibilty.
A mission is to support children and young people. A monthly Breakfast Club
Offe￿ families an opportunty to be Support￿ by our church communty. Monthty
prayer groups focus on children and young people* needs. The aim is to broad6n
and open up further services to wpport families.
C3 Certification Ministy Twi 4
C2 Certification Churchwardens and 2 others
C1 Certification 34 Church member
Rlsk Management
St. Peters use the Health and Safety EcthSiaSt￿ Pro-forma (small churches)
taken from their website
in conjunction
The PCC approved an annual review covering the church, church room. churchyard
and carpark.
We ensure that any possible hazards are dealt with immediaiely by the appropriate
group of people.
Hoad¢tones are inspected every six morrths and any that are loose are laid flat to
avoid FX)ssible accidents unless repairs can b8 made speedily.
Fire extinguishers are tested and certified PAT testing is completed on all electrical
equipment annually.Both certificates are displa￿1 on the noticeboard in the church
room.
There are two First Aid boxes with a(xident books. One is kept in the church and
one in the church room and both storage cupLK)ards are dearly labelled with a
green cross.
Communicants with mobilty diffthltses have been considered, bearing in mirKJ Ihe
multiple steps to be negotiated.
All trees within the church grounds have been monitored and any nec&8sary work
carried out by Chris Peake, registered tree surgeon. The trees are monitored
annually.
We consider we have done eVer￿hIng practical to ensure the safety of anyon8
visiting St. Peter's Church. To dats we have no incidents to report.
Pag8 5

Financial Review
2024 started as a celebratory year of 150 years and there was a good deal of
positivity that has reflected in the financial results.
Regular giving has remained largely static but we have gained Legacies of
£11000 (2023 Nil) with One-off Gifts and Donations £12811 (2023 £1828).
A Historical Talk and the Christmas Fayre produced income of £3459 (2023
£2652) which offset expenses in connection with the 150th celebration of
£1938.
With BT Broadband now available to the congregation, a contactless card
reader has been installed in the Church foyer and is slowly gaining support
alongside a QR code for donations via smart-phones. There are still a
number of the congregation giving with cash but the system for handling this
and paying in to a Post Office is in place although at a cost.
Total Income £141,405
We met our commitment to the Common Fund of £67704 that is considered
essential.
Expenses of £1938 covered the 150th celebrations that included the
Historical Talk and also the production of a You-Tube video using a drone
that flew past the congregation during a visit from the Bishop of Lichfield.
After many months of emails and phone calls with our electricity supplier,
EDF, they have yet to instal a smart meter that they requested. However, we
persuaded them that, as we are a charity, the lower 5% VAT would be
appropriate and this resulted in a reduction covering the then existing 3 year
contract of £3788. As a consequence 2024 Electricty costs have been
£7,245 (2023 £11252)
As we have been fortunate to maintain good liquidity, it has not been
necessary so far to raid reserves for the major expense of renovating the
toilets in the Church Room and the electrical circuits within both the Church
and the Church Room. These needed to confonn to modern standards and
the electrical work in particular was quite complex and expensive
Costs £11726. We anticipate expenditure on Church repairs following the
quinquennial examination and the reserves may well be needed.
Total Expenditure £124,769
The sudden death of our Vicar, Philip Daniel put a deep gloom on the end of
the year and we will all need to retain and, if possible, increase our support
for the very valuable social work undertaken by the Churchwardens and
many other members of St. Peter's.
Page 6

tAnd aTrY
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8812&19
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2457525
921.15
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Gfft Aid
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1967.70
7404
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155.71
1828.00
Tax A￿￿￿)￿n GMtN&J
I￿6128
1ZW40
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99￿.17
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12946.(Kl
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10¢126
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412.96
11835&72

Financial Statements for the Year ended 31 December 2024
1. Notes to the Accounts
The financial ststements of the PCC have been prepared in
accordance with the Church Accounting Regulations 2006 using
the Receipts and PaYrn￿ basis.
l Fixed AsBets
Consecrated and benefice property is not included from the Accounts
by s.10(2)(a)&(C) of the Charities Act 2011.
Moveable church fumishings held by the Vicar and Churchwardens on
special trust for the PCC and which require a faculty for disposable are
inalienable property listed in the ChU￿h'S inventory which can be
inspected (at any reasonable time). For any acquired prior to 2000
there is insufficient cost information available and therefore such
assets are not valued in the financial statements.
Other tangible assets fixed assets are valued at cost.
De8criptlon of Funds
Unrnstricted funds are income funds of the PCC that are available for
spending on the general purpoges of the PCC . including amounts
designated by the PCC for r￿ed assets for its own us8 or for spending
on a future project and which are therefore not included in its 'free
resenies. as d5sclosed in the truste8s' annual r8POrt.
Rastricted funds compiise two elem￿ts
a) income from trusts or endowments which may be expended only on
those restricted objects provided in the tenns of the trust or bequest
b} donations or grants received for a specific object or invited by the
PCC for a specific object. The funds may only be expended on the
specific obiect for which they wer8 given. Any balanca Temaining
unspent at the end of the must be carried forward as a balance on that
fund. The PCC does not usually invest separately for each fund. Where there
is no separate investment, interest Is apportioned to individual funds on an
average balance basis.
Endowment funds are restricted funds that must be retsined as trust
capital either pennanently or subject to discretionary power to spend
capital as income and wher8 the use of any income or other benefit
derived from the capital may be restricted or unrestricted.

Independent Examinevs Report
to the Tru8tees of th8 PCC of SL Pet*8 Church. Litue Aston.
Registered Charity 1128819
I report on the accounts for the year ended 31 Dec￿nber 2024 which are set out in
the Annual Report and Financial Statements.
Respective responsibilities of the TnMtoe8 and Independent Examln8r
The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The
charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under Section
144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) rather an independent examination
is needed.
It is my responsibilty
. to examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charitias Act
. to follow the p￿CedureS laid down in the General Directions given by the Charty
Commission (under sectFon 14515)(b) of the Charities Act and
to state whether particular matter3 have come to my attention.
Basis of Ind8pondent Examiner's Statemont
My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given
by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting
records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with
these records. It also includes consideration of unusual items or disclosures in the
accounts and seeking explanations from the tnjstees concerning such matters.
The procedures und￿taken do not provide all the evidence that would be required
in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts
present a 'true and fair. view arKI the report is limFted to those matters set out in
the statement below.
Independent Examin*6 Statement
In connection with my examination. no material matters have come to my att8ntio
which give me cause to believe that in any material reSp￿t
. accounting records were rK)t kept in accordance with section 130 of the
Charities Act or
. the accounts do not accord with the accounting r￿
I have come across no other matters in cOnn￿tIon with tha examination to which
attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the
accounts to be reached.
Signed
Date 07
202£
Page 10