2024-08-31-accounts - The Methodist Church: South-East District

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

Registered Charity number 1130274

Trustees’ Report and Financial Statements

For the year ended 31[st] August 2024

The , rN Method one Registered Charity Number 1130274

District Trustees Rev David Hinchliffe (Chair) Rev Helen Hollands (Assistant Chair) (resigned 31 August 2024) Rev Samantha Funnell (Assistant Chair) Rev Daniel Balsdon (Assistant Chair) Mrs Pauline Newton (District Treasurer) Rev Nicholas Oborski (Synod Secretary) Rev. William Fletcher (appointed September 2023) Mrs Jennifer Gandy Ms Jenny Jackson Rev Sydney Samuel Lake (resigned 31 August 2024) Deacon Michelle Legumi (resigned 31 August 2024) Rev Bonni-Belle Pickard Miss Bridget Quint Rev Andrew Reed Mrs Charlotte Scrivens (appointed 14[th] September 2024) Mrs. Linda Weedon

Principal Office District Office, Unit 4b Basepoint Business Centre Metcalf Way, Crawley, West Sussex RH11 7XX Independent Examiner Azets Audit Services 2[nd] Floor, Regis House, 45 King William Street, London, EC4R 9AN Bankers Lloyds Bank plc, PO Box 1000, BX1 1LT Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church 9 Bonhill Street, London EC2A 4PE Investment Managers Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes and Custodian Trustees Central Buildings, Oldham Street, Manchester M1 1JQ

Tne , r Meter Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31[st] August 2024

The Trustees submit their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31[st] August 2024. These are presented annually to the District Synod. The Trustees have adopted the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP 2015) Accounting and Reporting by Charities issued on 16[th] July 2014 and Update Bulletin 1 issued 2[nd] February 2016, in preparing the annual report and financial statements of the Charity.

Objectives and Activities

The District is constituted to advance the mission of the Church in the South-East District by providing opportunities for circuits to work together and support each other, by offering them resources and finance, personnel and expertise which may not be available locally. The District also serves the local churches and circuits in the support, deployment and oversight of the various ministries of the Church in programmes of training.

Objectives

The District came into being as a new Methodist District on the 1[st] September 2006. The main objectives set out were:

To support and encourage the circuits in mission and worship as members of a world-wide church and global community;
To develop pastoral care of lay and ordained staff living and working in the circuits and of the lay officers of the District;
To work together to share ministry, leadership and responsibility and encourage these ways of working in the circuits.

Activities and Achievements

The Trustees confirm that they have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commission general guidance on public benefit when reviewing the Charity’s aims and objectives and in planning future activities.

The purposes of the Methodist Church are as follows: ‘The Methodist Church believes that the Church is called to serve the purpose of the reign of God through its worship, learning and caring, service and evangelism.’ Within this purpose the South-East Methodist District will concentrate on what it can uniquely and best do to promote excellence and creativity in worship, mission, ministry, oversight and governance in local churches, circuits and their communities.

Since its Representative Synod in April 2022, the South-East District has been working towards fulfilling its Mission Plan entitled “Inspire – Encourage – Enable”. In summary, the Mission Plan affirms that:

“In playing its part in seeking to fulfil Our Calling as Methodist people, and inspired by the Methodist ” Way of Life, the purpose of the South-East District is to Inspire , Enable and Encourage. Inspire

The South-East Methodist District seeks to inspire us to be faithful disciples, bearing witness to God’s love for the sake of the transformation of the world.

Enable

The South-East District seeks to enable our calling to be a people faithful to God in mission through offering good governance. Encourage

The South-East District wants to encourage circuits, churches and individual disciples to live out their calling as followers of Jesus Christ.

Tne , r Meter Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31[st] August 2024 Activities and Achievements (continued)

The South-East Methodist District therefore commits itself in the following ways:

Our Commitment

The Methodist Church invites us to recognise that in God for all:

All need to be Centred in God
Everyone is an Evangelist
Our desire is to develop Transformational Leadership
We have the opportunity to cultivate New Places for New People
We take seriously our missional need to be a Church at the Margins
We seek for Every Church a Growing Church
We commit to Developing Young Evangelists, Pioneers, and Leaders
We need to create an effective Digital Presence: Mission for the Digital Age

The Next Steps

Develop our work amongst refugees, migrants , displaced persons
Develop an international twinning relationship with the Methodist Church’s Global Relationships team
Ensure the development of an effective digital strategy for mission
Continue to encourage and support churches and circuits developing new housing mission
Identify and support the opportunities to develop new places for new people
Support the development of children and youth work in the District by advocacy for 3Generate and for Methodists to engage with schools in their communities
Enable the District, circuits and churches to promote, celebrate and inhabit the call to equality, diversity and inclusion within the life of the Church for the sake of the world
Seek to inspire , enable and encourage the Methodist people to be the people God calls us to be!

In the fulfilling of the District Mission Plan:

Our Officer for Refugees, Migrants and Displaced Persons continues working with a network of knowledge and volunteers through Church, NGOs and statutory authorities across the South-East in recognition of the significant numbers of cross-Channel migrants coming into the District, as well as a significant number of British Overseas Nationals arriving from Hong Kong which, in one case in the District, trebled the size of a congregation in one year.
The District has completed a review of all District and Circuit lay employees’ roles, terms and conditions, contracts etc in order to ensure best lay employment practice is being consistently followed across the District. We are grateful to the District Lay Employment Advisor and to the working group assisting in this work.
The District has initiated a safeguarding audit of the circuits to ensure best practice.
The District has been delighted to appoint a new District Safeguarding Officer who, with vision and verve, is helping the District ensure it is doing the best it can to be a safe place for all.
The District rejoiced that it was able to send forth 2 presbyters and 2 deacons for ordination at the Methodist Conference in Leeds.
The District continues to use the monies available to it through the District Advance Fund to support innovative property and mission projects across the District.
The District rejoiced to see the opening of the newly built Emmanuel Church in Eastbourne. A highlight has been that Emmanuel hosted the Methodist Modern Art Collection in the late spring.
We rejoice that an increasing number of children and young people from across the District have been able to attend 3Generate – the Methodist Church’s national children and youth gathering at the NEC in Birmingham.

Tne , r Meter Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31[st] August 2024

Activities and Achievements (continued)

The District is developing its New Places for New People project in Gibraltar, and is planning to partner with Cliff College in that developing work. The District also rejoices in innovations for mission which are developing in various contexts across the South-East.
The District itself continues to review its own digital resources and policy.
Pastoral care remains at the heart of being a caring, Christian community. The District remains indebted to its ministers, and to the many lay workers and pastoral visitors who offer pastoral care across the churches and circuits.
Community service. Churches have been active in supporting vulnerable members and neighbours, as well as supporting increasingly needed foodbanks. Given the high cost of living, many churches across the District took part in the Winter Warm Spaces initiative, offering warmth, welcome and hospitality to many communities. In numerous cases the District was able to support this work by the offering of grants to contribute towards the cost of heating premises for this initiative, and to provide food at no cost to the recipient.
Training. This has been offered online, and in person, with the Methodist Learning Network offering many imaginative online training opportunities. A particular focus this year has been in developing our reconciliation capacity. The District Safeguarding Team along with the Learning Network Team have been working hard to ensure that those required to undertake Safeguarding Advanced Module Training have been able to complete it by the Connexionally-set deadline. We continue to be very grateful for their hard work and imagination.

* Mutual support. The District’s superintendents have continued to meet weekly with the Chair and Assistant Chairs via Zoom in order to share best practice and offer mutual support and encouragement to each other. The Superintendents have also met twice residentially during this year. The District “Under Fives Group” (those in early years in ministry) has continued to meet regularly via Zoom and now in person for mutual support and encouragement.

District Officers and Support Teams. The District continues to be grateful for the work of the District Resourcing Mission Officer, District Safeguarding Officer, the District Property Officer and District Administrator, in their support of the life of the District, Circuits and local churches in the fulfilment of their responsibilities.
The District has worked hard to fill vacant volunteer posts. This remains a constant challenge.

Finally, the District Chair wishes to honour and celebrate the skill, imagination, grace and commitment of so many faithful servants of Christ across the District who have enabled the Church to flourish even amidst a pandemic. He is especially grateful to the District’s Assistant Chairs, and to his PA, and to the remarkable number of District Officers who continue to serve the Church faithfully, imaginatively and with good cheer.

Fundraising

The District does not actively fundraise from the general public.

Financial Review

Investment Policy

The surplus funds of the District’s General Funds are held in a deposit account of the Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church, which is a separate body reporting directly to Conference. The surplus funds of the District Advance Fund are held in an account with The Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes.

Reserves Policy

The Trustees’ objective is to maintain net current assets in Unrestricted Reserves equivalent to approximately four months’ Resources expended. The Trustees maintain the Restricted Reserves at a sufficient level to enable each Fund to carry out its objectives.

Tne , r Meter Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31[st] August 2024

Financial Review (continued)

District Expenses Account

The Net Resources showed an excess of income over expenditure of £17,229 (2023 excess of expenditure over income of £3042) after setting aside a sum of £3,000 towards future repairs to the District Manse.

Chair’s Benevolent Fund

This is a small fund which relies on donations from Churches, Circuits and individuals, which allows the District Chair to make payments to those the Chair feels are deserving of a Grant. Donations totalling £295 were received during the year and £800 was paid out in grants. The Fund only spends monies which it has available to it and at 31[st] August 2024 the balance carried forward was £926. (2023 £1,431). These funds are accounted for as restricted funds within the District Expenses bank account at Lloyds Bank.

District Advance Fund

After receiving Circuit levies of £216,143, £189,310 from the Connexional Priority Fund, grants and donations of £106,818 and Interest and Investment income of £52,250 the Trustees were able to make Grants totalling £174,891 and also transfers totalling £125,524 to the Expenses Account as follows: £18,976 relating to Training, £13,422 to District Safeguarding expenses, £217 to Refugee & Inter-faith expenditure, £10,126 to our Resourcing Mission Officer, £13,866 to our District Property Officer, £2,220 for District IT upgrade, £13,500 to Circuits to help with provision of ‘Warm Welcome’, £5,370 to Circuits for youthwork, £32,827 for work in Gibraltar and £15,000 to Kent Workplace Mission for our Ecumenical partnership work in Kent. The funding from the London Mission Fund (LMF) continues to be channelled through our District Advance Fund and £90,418 has been received and passed on to Circuits.

Many of the Grants agreed relate to future years and under the accounting requirements, £857,453 has been set aside for this purpose. £47,420 (2023 £96,106) is carried forward into the new Connexional Year.

Plans for Future Periods

We continue to review our Budget and hold several committee meetings on-line in order to reduce travel costs. As mentioned under District Advance Fund, the new arrangements continue for the way the London Mission Fund makes grant payments and we anticipate a grant allocation of £71,145 in the year 24/25. The District Advance Fund will continue to receive Circuit Levies and a Grant from the Connexional Priority Fund when the District is eligible. This will enable the Grants Committee to offer Grants in year 2024/2025 depending on the quantity of the requests received. The Benevolent Fund will continue to consider requests to spend the resources available.

Structure, Governance and Trustees’ Responsibilities

Statement of Trustees’ responsibilities

Charity Law requires the Trustees 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 for that period, together with its assets and liabilities at the end of the period, and adequately distinguish any material special trust or other restricted fund of the Charity. In preparing those financial statements the Trustees are required to:

select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
state whether the policies adopted are in accordance with the appropriate SORP on Accounting by Charities and the Accounting Regulations and with applicable Accounting Standards, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and

Tne , r Meter Report of the Trustees for the year ended 31[st] August 2024

Structure, Governance and Trustees’ Responsibilities (continued)

prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.

Legal and administrative information

The governing body of the District is the Methodist Church and the governing body of the Methodist Church is the Conference. The Methodist Church Act 1976 gives the authority under which the Methodist Church acts. The Constitutional Practice and Discipline of the Methodist Church governs the activities of the District. The District is a Registered Charity and was registered with the Charity Commission on 10[th] June 2009.

Trustees

The Trustees who have served during the year and those appointed since are set out on page 1. Trustees are appointed by the Autumn Synod.

The Trustees are responsible for the detailed examination of the financial statements and for recommending their adoption to Synod.

With District amalgamations, the SE District is one of twenty four Districts of the Methodist Church in the United Kingdom, with effect from 1[st] September 2024. The South-East District brings together seventeen Circuits, their Chapels and Manses based in the south eastern segment of England including the whole of Kent, most of Surrey and Sussex, small areas of Berkshire and Hampshire and includes the Circuits in Malta & Gibraltar. They are contactable via the principal office of the District.

Internal Financial Controls

The Trustees have overall responsibility for ensuring that there is in place an appropriate system of controls, financial and otherwise, to provide reasonable confidence and assurance that:

the District’s administration is operating effectively and efficiently;
the assets of the District are properly safeguarded against unauthorised loss or damage;
proper records are maintained and information produced for management control, fiscal and statutory reasons; and
the District complies with the relevant laws and guidelines.

Risk Management

The Trustees have examined the major strategic business and operational risks which the charity faces, and confirm that systems have been established to enable regular reports to be produced so that the necessary steps can be taken to monitor these risks.

District Independent Examiner

Azets Audit Services was appointed Independent Examiner of District Funds by the District Council.

This report was approved by the Trustees on 11[th] December, 2024.

Signed by:

Rev David Hinchliffe District Chair & Trustee Mrs. Pauline J Newton District Treasurer & Trustee

Tne , Meter

Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of The Methodist Church South-East District

Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of The Methodist Church South-East District

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 August 2024, which are set out on pages 8 – 17.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity’s trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).

I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent examiner's statement

Since the charity’s gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of the ICAEW, which is one of the listed bodies.

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:

accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or
the accounts do not accord with those records; or
the accounts do not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view’ which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.

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.

Signed by:

John Howard FCA

Azets Audit Services 2[nd] Floor Regis House 45 King William Street London EC4R 9AN

Date: 8[th] January 2025

Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) for the year ended 31[st] August 2024

Notes Unrestricted	Notes Unrestricted	Notes Unrestricted	Restricted Funds	Restricted Funds	Total Funds	Total Funds
		Funds
		Expenses	Advance	Benevolent	Benevolent 2024	2023
		Account	Fund	Fund
Incoming Resources	£	£	£ £	£	£	£
Assessments		192,956	192,956 -	- 192,956	- 192,956	211,190
NPNP grant		10,000	-	-	10,000	-
Interest & Investment Income	3,808	3,808	52,250	-	56,058	28,865
Circuit Levies		-	216,143	- 216,143	- 216,143	240,197
Donations		-	106,818 295 107,113	106,818 295 107,113	106,818 295 107,113	99,142
CPF Distribution received		_-	189,310	-	189,310	32,951
Total incoming resources		206,764	564,521	295 771,580	295 771,580	612,345
Resources expended on managing
and administering the Charity
District Administration 5	5	5 89,937	89,937 -	-	89,937	84,943
Contributions to Circuits for
Assistant Chairs		47,652 -	47,652 -	-	47,652	44,310
District Safeguarding expenses 6	District Safeguarding expenses 6	24,625	13,422	-	38,047	53,813
Resourcing Mission/Property 7 -	Resourcing Mission/Property 7 -	Resourcing Mission/Property 7 -	23,992	-	23,992	22,983
Refugee & Inter-faith exp.		-	- 217	-	217	286
Synod Meeting expenses 8 1,176	Synod Meeting expenses 8 1,176	Synod Meeting expenses 8 1,176	Synod Meeting expenses 8 1,176 -	-	1,176	828
Manse Expenditure 9 6,555	Manse Expenditure 9 6,555	Manse Expenditure 9 6,555	Manse Expenditure 9 6,555 -	-	6,555	6,763
Provision for Manse repairs 10	Provision for Manse repairs 10	Provision for Manse repairs 10 3,000	3,000 -	-	3,000	3,000
District Committee Expenses		8,670 -	8,670 -	-	8,670	11,807
Training Grants & Expenses 11	Training Grants & Expenses 11	Training Grants & Expenses 11 -	18,976 -	18,976 -	18,976	22,779
Methodist Conference	281	281	-	-	281	899
Ecumenical payments 12 733	Ecumenical payments 12 733	Ecumenical payments 12 733	Ecumenical payments 12 733 15,000	-	15,733 10,812	15,733 10,812
Other expenditure 13	13	6,906	6,906 2,220	2,220-	9,126	9,126 30,800
		189,535	73,827	-	263,362 294,023	263,362 294,023
Grants and payments made in furtherance
of the Charity’s Objects
Grants & donations		-	304,730 800	304,730 800	305,530	226,551
Increase (Reduction) in Provision for	Increase (Reduction) in Provision for
future years payments	-	-	227,803	227,803 -	227,803	227,803 163,281
Miscellaneous		-	2,048	2,048-	2,048	1,829
Total Resources Expended	Total Resources Expended	189,535	608,408	800	798,743 685,684	798,743 685,684
Net Incoming (Outgoing) Resources
before Transfers	17,229	17,229	(43,887) (505) (27,163)	(43,887) (505) (27,163)	(43,887) (505) (27,163)	(43,887) (505) (27,163) (73,339)
Transfer between Funds		-	- -	-	-	-
Unresolved gains & losses on investments		Unresolved gains & losses on investments -	-	-	-	-
Net Incoming (Outgoing) Resources		17,229 (43,887) (505)	17,229 (43,887) (505)	17,229 (43,887) (505)	(27,163)	(27,163) (73,339)
after Transfers
Funds brought forward		586,675	96,106 1,431	96,106 1,431	684,212	757,551
Total Funds carried forward		603,904	52,219	926	657,049	684,212

Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) for the year ended 31[st] August 2023 (prior year)

Notes Unrestricted	Notes Unrestricted	Notes Unrestricted	Restricted Funds	Restricted Funds	Total Funds
		Funds
		Expenses	Advance	Benevolent	Benevolent 2023
		Account	Fund	Fund
Incoming Resources	£	£	£ £	£	£
Assessments		211,190	211,190 -	- 211,190	- 211,190
Interest & Investment Income	3,013	3,013	25,852	-	28,865
Circuit Levies		-	240,197	- 240,197	- 240,197
Grant/Donations		-	98,778 364 99,142	98,778 364 99,142	98,778 364 99,142
CPF Distribution received		_-	32,951	-	32,951
Total incoming resources		214,203	397,778	364 612,345	364 612,345
Resources expended on managing
and administering the Charity
District Administration 5	5	5 84,943	84,943 -	-	84,943
Contributions to Circuits for
Assistant Chairs		44,310 -	44,310 -	-	44,310
District Safeguarding expenses 6	District Safeguarding expenses 6	43,050	10,763	-	53,813
Resourcing Mission/Property 7 -	Resourcing Mission/Property 7 -	Resourcing Mission/Property 7 -	22,983	-	22,983
Refugee & Inter-faith exp.		-	- 286	-	286
Synod Meeting expenses 8 828	Synod Meeting expenses 8 828	Synod Meeting expenses 8 828	Synod Meeting expenses 8 828 -	-	828
Manse Expenditure 9 6,763	Manse Expenditure 9 6,763	Manse Expenditure 9 6,763	Manse Expenditure 9 6,763 -	-	6,763
Provision for Manse repairs 10	Provision for Manse repairs 10	Provision for Manse repairs 10 3,000	3,000 -	-	3,000
District Committee Expenses		11,807 -	11,807 -	-	11,807
Training Grants & Expenses 11	Training Grants & Expenses 11	Training Grants & Expenses 11 -	22,779 -	22,779 -	22,779
Methodist Conference	899	899	-	-	899
Ecumenical payments 12 10,812	Ecumenical payments 12 10,812	Ecumenical payments 12 10,812	Ecumenical payments 12 10,812 -	-	10,812
Other expenditure 13	13	10,833	10,833 19,967	19,967-	30,800
		217,245	76,778	-	294,023
Grants and payments made in furtherance
of the Charity’s Objects
Grants & donations		-	226,301 250	226,301 250	226,551
Increase (Reduction) in Provision for	Increase (Reduction) in Provision for
future years payments	-	-	163,281	163,281 -	163,281
Miscellaneous		-	1,829	1,829-	1,829
Total Resources Expended	Total Resources Expended	217,245	468,189	250	685,684
Net Incoming (Outgoing) Resources
before Transfers	(3,042)	(3,042)	(3,042) (70,411) 114 (73,339)	(70,411) 114 (73,339)	(70,411) 114 (73,339)
Transfer between Funds		-	- -	-	-
Unresolved gains & losses on investments		Unresolved gains & losses on investments -	-	-	-
Net Incoming (Outgoing) Resources		(3,042) (70,411) 114	(3,042) (70,411) 114	(3,042) (70,411) 114	(73,339)
after Transfers
Funds brought forward		589,717	166,517 1,317	166,517 1,317	757,551
Total Funds carried forward		586,675	586,675 96,106	1,431	684,212

Balance Sheet as at 31[st] August 2024

	Unrestricted	Unrestricted	Unrestricted	Restricted	Restricted
				Advance Benevolent		Totals
	Notes			Fund Fund	Fund	2024	2023
Tangible Fixed Assets						£	£
District Manse 2 501,663	2 501,663	2 501,663		- -	- -	501,663	501,663
Current Assets
Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes	Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes	- 904,872	- 904,872	- 904,872	-	904,872	709,955
Debtors and Prepayments 3 2,483 4,800	3 2,483 4,800	3 2,483 4,800	3 2,483 4,800	3 2,483 4,800	-	7,283	15,801
Cash at Bank and Central Finance Board		115,228	115,228	-926	926	116,154	98,913
Total current Assets		117,711 909,672 926		117,711 909,672 926	117,711 909,672 926	1,028,309	824,669
Creditors and Accruals
District Advance Fund – provision for amounts
Falling due in future years 4 - (857,453) - (857,453)	Falling due in future years 4 - (857,453) - (857,453)	Falling due in future years 4 - (857,453) - (857,453)	Falling due in future years 4 - (857,453) - (857,453)	Falling due in future years 4 - (857,453) - (857,453)	Falling due in future years 4 - (857,453) - (857,453)	Falling due in future years 4 - (857,453) - (857,453)	(629,650)
Provision for Manse repairs 10	Provision for Manse repairs 10	Provision for Manse repairs 10(15,470)		-	-	(15,470)	(12,470)
Total current assets less current liabilities	Total current assets less current liabilities	Total current assets less current liabilities 102,241		52,219 926 155,386	52,219 926 155,386	52,219 926 155,386	182,549
Total Net Assets		603,904		52,219 926	52,219 926	657,049	684,212
Funds of the District
General Fund (Unrestricted)	603,904	603,904		-	-	603,904	586,675
District Advance Fund (Restricted)		-	-	52,219	-	52,219	96,106
Benevolent Fund (Restricted)			-	-926	926	926	1,431
Total Funds 20	20	603,904		52,219 926 657,049	52,219 926 657,049	52,219 926 657,049	684,212

The notes on pages 13 to 17 form part of these accounts.

Approved by the Trustees on 11th December, 2024 and signed on their behalf by:

David Hinchliffe District Chair and Trustee

Mrs. Pauline J Newton District Treasurer and Trustee

Balance Sheet as at 31[st] August 2023 (prior year)

	Unrestricted	Unrestricted	Unrestricted	Restricted	Restricted
				Advance Benevolent		Totals
	Notes			Fund Fund	Fund	2023
Tangible Fixed Assets						£
District Manse 2 501,663	2 501,663	2 501,663		- -	- -	501,663
Current Assets
Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes	Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes	- 709,955	- 709,955	- 709,955	-	709,955
Debtor 3 - 15,801	3 - 15,801	3 - 15,801	3 - 15,801	3 - 15,801	-	15,801
Cash at Bank and Central Finance Board		97,482	97,482	-1,431	1,431	98,913
Total current Assets		97,482 725,756 1,431		97,482 725,756 1,431	97,482 725,756 1,431	824,669
Creditors and Accruals
District Advance Fund – provision for amounts
Falling due in future years 4 - (629,650) - (629,650)	Falling due in future years 4 - (629,650) - (629,650)	Falling due in future years 4 - (629,650) - (629,650)	Falling due in future years 4 - (629,650) - (629,650)	Falling due in future years 4 - (629,650) - (629,650)	Falling due in future years 4 - (629,650) - (629,650)	Falling due in future years 4 - (629,650) - (629,650)
Provision for Manse repairs 10	Provision for Manse repairs 10	Provision for Manse repairs 10(12,470)		-	-	(12,470)
Total current assets less current liabilities	Total current assets less current liabilities	Total current assets less current liabilities 85,012	85,012	96,106 1,431 182,549	96,106 1,431 182,549	96,106 1,431 182,549
Total Net Assets	586,67	586,675	5	96,106 1,431	96,106 1,431	684,212
Funds of the District
General Fund (Unrestricted)	586,675	586,675		-	-	586,675
District Advance Fund (Restricted)		-	-	96,106	-	96,106
Benevolent Fund (Restricted)			-	-1,431	1,431	1431
Total Funds 21	21	586,675		96,106 1,431 684,212	96,106 1,431 684,212	96,106 1,431 684,212

Approved by the Trustees on 7th December, 2023 and signed on their behalf by:

David Hinchliffe District Chair and Trustee

Mrs. Pauline J Newton District Treasurer and Trustee

Cashflow Statement as at 31[st] August 2024

Statement of Cashflows
	2024	2023
Note	£	£
Net cash generated from/(used by) operating activities 22	156,100	47,126
Cashflows from investing activities:
Interest from investments	56,058	28,865
Net movement in cash and cash equivalents	212,158	75,991
Cash & cash equivalents at beginning of year	808,868	732,877
Cash & cash equivalents at end of year	1,021,026	808,868
Cash at bank and in hand	116,154	98,913
Short term deposits	904,872	709,955
	1,021,026	808,868

Tne , Meter

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31[st] August 2024

1. Basis of Preparation

The financial statements have been prepared under the Charities Act 2011 in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) issued on 16[th] July 2014 and Update Bulletin 1 issued on 2[nd] February 2016.

Going Concern

Based on the monetary assets and human resources available at 31[st] August 2024 the Trustees believe that the District is a going concern.

Funds

The funds held constitute General Funds held for any purpose of the District and are available for use at the discretion of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity and Restricted Funds which are held for a narrower purpose.

Fixed Assets and Depreciation

Depreciation has not been provided on freehold land and buildings because the trustees consider the residual value of the manse is not less than cost and the depreciation would be immaterial.

Incoming Resources

These are included in the SOFA when the District becomes entitled to the resources; the Trustees are virtually certain that they will receive the resources; and the monetary value can be measured with sufficient reliability.

Liability Recognition

Liabilities are recognised as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the District to make the payment. With regard to the District Advance Fund, a note of the Contingent Liability is set out in Note 4 to these Accounts.

Provisions

An annual provision is made for major expenditure on manse repairs, with such expenditure being deducted from the accumulated provision when it is incurred.

Debtors

Debtors are stated at the amounts owed to the District or prepaid.

Gains/(losses) on investments

The investments are in monetary assets and are held by the Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes (TMCP) as custodian trustees. The valuations, at market value are those provided by TMCP. Realised and unrealised capital gains and losses on investments are dealt with in the SOFA in the year in which they arise, based on the brought forward valuations or cost of subsequent additions.

Estimates and judgements

The financial information presented is relevant, reliable, comparable and complete. Where estimates are used these are based on experience, research and judgement. The accounts are expressed in £Sterling, rounded to the nearest pound.

Tne , Meter

Notes to the Financial Statements

for the year ended 31[st] August 2024

		2024	2023
2.	Fixed Assets	£	£
	Freehold land and building
	Deemed Cost
	District manse – as at 31stAugust 2024 501,663	August 2024 501,663	501,663
	Land £167,221 Building £334,442
3.	Debtors and Prepayments
	Duplicate grant payment	-	15,801
	Conference expenses paid from District funds awaiting 2,483	Conference expenses paid from District funds awaiting 2,483	-
	repayment from Connexion
	Rent paid in advance for Superintendents flat in	4,800	-
	Gibraltar
4.	Creditors and Accruals
	District Advance Fund
	Provision for Grants committed or payable in
	future years, balance as at 31stAugust 629,650	August 629,650	466,369
	Increase (reduction) in provision
	for future payments 227,803 163,281	for future payments 227,803 163,281	for future payments 227,803 163,281
	Payable Payable
	2024-25 2025 onwards
	£378,303 £479,150
Total Provision as at 31	Total Provision as at 31stAugust	August857,453	629,650
5.	District Administration	District Administration	District Administration
	Chair’s travel and miscellaneous expenses 2,984 3,474	Chair’s travel and miscellaneous expenses 2,984 3,474	Chair’s travel and miscellaneous expenses 2,984 3,474
	Secretarial and Administration 44,514	Secretarial and Administration 44,514 41,129	41,129
	- Salary - £38,304
	- Social security - £3,948
	- Pension - £2,262
	District Office rent 32,965	32,965 30,300	30,300
	District Office expenses, printing, stationery, post,
	Phone, etc	9,474	10,040
		89,937	84,943
6.	District Safeguarding Expenses
	No Safeguarding Officer Oct.2023 to 18thMar.2024
	Previous SO Sep 2023 and new SO wef 19thMar.24 28,756	Mar.24 28,756 44,625	44,625
	- Salary - £24,699
	- Social security - £2,676
	- Pension - £1,381
	Additional costs incurred	9,291	9,188
	38,047	38,047 53,813	53,813
	Reimbursed from District Advance Fund	Reimbursed from District Advance Fund(13,422)	(10,763)
	Cost to District Expenses	24,625	43,050

The | Memes

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31[st] August 2024

	for the year ended 31[st] August 2024	August 2024
		2024 2023	2024 2023
7.	Resourcing Mission & Property Officers £ £	Resourcing Mission & Property Officers £ £	Resourcing Mission & Property Officers £ £
	2 District Officers (part-time) 22,955	2 District Officers (part-time) 22,955 21,205	21,205
	- RMO Salary - £8,928
	- RMO Social security - nil
	- RMO Pension – £536 £9,464
	- PO Salary - £12.309
	- PO Social Security - £443
	- PO Pension – £739 £13,491
Expenses including travel, phone calls etc	Expenses including travel, phone calls etc	Expenses including travel, phone calls etc1,037	1,778
23,992	23,992	23,992 22,983	22,983
Reimbursed from District Advance Fund	Reimbursed from District Advance Fund	Reimbursed from District Advance Fund(23,992)	(22,983)
		-	-
8.	Synod Expenses
	District Directory -	-	377
	Miscellaneous costs 652 -	652 -	652 -
	Miscellaneous travel	524	451
		1,176	828
9.	District Manse Expenses
	Council tax 3,366	3,366	3.235
	Water rates 219	219	473
	Insurance 1,684	1,684	1,567
	Telephone 924	924	782
	Miscellaneous expenses, boiler, security, etc	Miscellaneous expenses, boiler, security, etc362	706
		6,555	6,763
10.	Provision for Manse Repairs
	Balance as at 31stAugust 2023	12,470 10,620	12,470 10,620
	Amount transferred in the year	3,000	3,000
	Balance as at 31stAugust 2024 15,470 13,620	August 2024 15,470 13,620	August 2024 15,470 13,620
	Major expenditure during the year	Major expenditure during the year -	1,150
		15,470	12,470
11.	Training expenditure
	Total paid out for Training Grants 1,907	1,907	1,470
	Residential Conferences, Training courses etc	Residential Conferences, Training courses etc17,069	21,309
	18,976	18,976	22,779
	Reimbursed from District Advance Fund	(18,976)	(22,779)
	Cost to District Expenses	-	-
12.	Ecumenical payments
	Churches Together in Surrey 733	733	744
	Kent Workplace Mission	15,000	10,000
	Kent Leaders breakfast	-	68
		15,733	10,812

Tne , Meter

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31[st] August 2024

		2024	2023
13.	Other expenditure £	£	£
	Youth Conference – 3Generate 291	291	1,778
	Copyright	421	249
	Employment advice	2,215	2,719
	Independent Exam. fee	2,700	2,100
	Apprenticeship Levy	418	466
	Administration and bank charges	86	89
	MCF Assessment shortfall 0	0	218
	Gibraltar Methodist Circuit exp.	0	3,214
	District ‘New Places for New People’ Project	District ‘New Places for New People’ Project775	0
		6,906	10,833
14.	Reimbursements
	No employee earned £60,000 per annum or more.
	The average number of employees, analysed by function, was:	The average number of employees, analysed by function, was:
	2024 2023	2024 2023	2024 2023
	F/T Administration of the charity 1	1	1
	F/T District Safeguarding Officer 1	1	1
	Half-time District Resourcing Mission/Property Officers 1	Half-time District Resourcing Mission/Property Officers 1 1	1

The Chair of S E District chairs meetings of the District Council and provides key management of the charity. The stipend, employer’s NIC and employer’s pension contributions of the Chair of District are paid by the Methodist Connexion. Members of the District Council are the Trustees of the Charity and work with the Chair of District to manage the Charity.

15. Payments to Trustees

15. Payments to Trustees	15. Payments to Trustees	15. Payments to Trustees	15. Payments to Trustees
Expenses were reimbursed to Trustees for their travelling and out of pocket expenses.
No. of Trustees Amount Reimbursed	No. of Trustees Amount Reimbursed	No. of Trustees Amount Reimbursed	No. of Trustees Amount Reimbursed
2024	2023 2024	2023 2024 2023	2023
13	14 £11,911 £12,093	£11,911 £12,093	£11,911 £12,093

16. Ultimate controlling party

The ultimate controlling party of the District is considered to be the Annual Conference of the Methodist Church.

17. Related parties

The related parties of the District are seventeen Circuits, their Chapels and Manses, which are all based in the south-eastern segment of England including the whole of Kent and most of Surrey and Sussex and includes small areas of Berkshire and Hampshire and the Circuits in Malta and Gibraltar. They are contactable via the principal office of the District. Funds are transferred from Circuits to the District on a quarterly basis.

During the year, no transactions took place with related parties (as defined by Financial Reporting Standard No. 33).

18. Capital commitments

2024 2023 At 31[st] August 2024 the District had the following Capital Commitments: Nil Nil

Tne , Meter

Notes to the Financial Statements for the year ended 31[st] August 2024

19. Expenses related to Malta & Gibraltar

Each year, expenses incurred relating to members of the churches in Malta & Gibraltar travelling to District meetings are paid for by Methodist Church Fund so are not included in our SOFA. The amount for year 2024 is £4,859 (2023 £1.044).

20. Funds

Funds
	Unrestricted	Restricted	TOTAL
Brought forward	586,675	97,537	684,212
Income	206,764 564,816	206,764 564,816	771,580
Expenditure (189,535) (609,208)	(189,535) (609,208)	(189,535) (609,208) (798,743)	(798,743)
Other gains/losses	-	-	-
Carried forward	603,904	53,145 657,049	657,049

District Advance Fund (included in Restricted Funds)

Many of the Grants agreed relate to future years and under the accounting requirements funds have been set aside for this purpose.

21. Funds (prior year)

Funds (prior year)
	Unrestricted	Restricted	TOTAL
Brought forward	589,717	167,834	757,551
Income	214,203	398,142	612,345
Expenditure (217,245)	(217,245) (468,439)	(468,439) (685,684)	(685,684)
Other gains/losses	-	-	-
Carried forward	586,675 97,537	97,537	684,212

22. Reconciliation of net cash provided by/(used by) operating activities

	2024	2023
	£	£
Net expenditure for the reporting period	(27,163) (73,339)	(27,163) (73,339)
Interest received	(56,058)	(28,865)
(Increase)/decrease in debtors	8,518	(15,801)
Increase/(decrease) in creditors	230,803	165,131
	156,100	47,126