2020 Report and Accounts for the Parochial Church Council of Chester St. Paul’s and St. Luke’s
Aim and Purposes
St. Luke’s Parochial Church Council (PCC) has the responsibility of cooperating with the incumbent, the Reverend Christopher Blunt, in promoting in the ecclesiastical parish, the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. The PCC of the church are also the managing trustees of the Campbell Community Hall, Boughton, Chester.
Objectives and Activities
The PCC is committed to enabling as many people as possible to worship at our church and to become part of our parish community at St. Luke’s. The PCC maintains an overview of worship throughout the parish and makes suggestions on how our services can involve the many groups that live within our parish. Specifically, this has been achieved during 2020 by live streaming all of our services (whether they have been in church or led from home). Our services and worship put faith into practice through prayer and scripture, music and sacrament.
When planning our activities for the year, we have considered the Commission’s guidance on public benefit and, in particular, the supplementary guidance on charities for the advancement of religion. In particular, we try to enable ordinary people to live out their faith as part of our parish community through:
-
Worship and prayer; learning about the Gospel; and developing their knowledge and trust in Jesus, including home group Bible studies and enquirer’s courses.
-
Provision of pastoral care for people living in the parish, including a new wellbeing course.
-
Missionary and outreach work, including schools work, children’s and youth activities, community café and homeless drop-in.
To facilitate this work it is important that we maintain the fabric of the Church of St. Luke’s.
Achievements and Performance
During March 2020, when churches could no longer open for public worship, the church was opened on weekdays for private prayer which was facilitated by the inclusion of prayer stations. From March 2020 (first covid lockdown) all services were moved to livestream on Zoom. From July 2020 this moved to become live services in church in parallel with Zoom streaming (with all associated risk assessments to ensure St. Luke’s was covid compliant). There have been significant advantages to this system: far more regular attendance; and, a facilitated time for sharing of prayer requests and then praying after each Sunday service. Due to covid restrictions on congregational singing indoors, a series of 4 popular outdoor carol services were offered at various locations across the parish.
During the first lockdown the church partnered with the Parish Council in setting up the Huntington Volunteer Network to provide assistance to those self-isolating and unable to shop or collect prescriptions etc.
Open the Book assemblies that had been delivered in person at 5 local schools were rapidly moved to becoming video assemblies. A new computer was purchased to assist our Children’s and Youth Worker in preparing these videos. A limited number of high school assemblies were also delivered in this way, as has an extended home group series (9 sessions looking at the whole content of the Bible with video introductions) and a philosophy of religion course called Life, the Universe and Me.
St. Luke’s is now a partner church with Kintsugi Hope, a national charity resourcing and promoting wellbeing courses. One course was run in 2020 between lockdowns and further courses are planned for 2021, including the youth version of the course in partnership with Bishops High School.
The community café has been open whenever covid restrictions have allowed. Its popularity is undiminished even though it has been closed for much of the year.
The homeless drop-in ceased operating in March 2020 as it was not deemed possible to guarantee social distancing and because most within the homeless community were housed by the local authority during the pandemic.
All of the exterior windows in the church have been replaced with high quality uPVC frames and double glazing. This was paid for by a combination of grant funding and congregational giving.
Financial Review
Total receipts on unrestricted funds were £141,826 of which £105,906 were unrestricted voluntary donations plus Gift Aid (the remainder being fees, trading activities, grants and reimbursements). Restricted donations of £33,423 of which £16,766 was for the replacement windows were also received and are detailed in the Financial Statements. Gross receipts are down compared to 2019 by over £7,000. This is represented by a drop of: £3,000 in planned giving; £1,300 in open plate giving; and over £5,000 in rental income and is offset by significantly improved café performance during the months it was open (and the furlough scheme when it was not).
Total payments for 2020 matched receipts to within £500! However, this does not allow for only half of the new windows having been paid for during 2020 or for a Gift Aid claim having been submitted early. The reality is a deficit of approximately £10,000. The church’s main expenses are: parish share (£68k); tithed mission support (£16k); utilities, insurance, maintenance and cleaning (£10k); and staff salaries/ pensions etc (£50k).
Reserves Policy
From one year to the next the PCC aims to carry forward between 3-6 months of operating costs. This is defined as no more than the lower of 50% of either the previous year’s total income or 50% of the previous year's combined Parish Share and staff wage bill plus £10,000 towards emergency maintenance. And it is no less than 50% of the above figure.
For the 2020 accounts this equates to between £31,928 - £63,857. The carry forward from 2020 was £56,403, though, as has been noted earlier accruals that do not appear in these accounts inflate that carry forward figure by approximately £10,000.
Structure, Governance and Management
The method of appointment of PCC members is set out in the Church Representation Rules. At St. Luke’s the membership of the PCC consists of the incumbent (our vicar), churchwardens, the deanery synod representatives and members elected by those members of the congregation who are on the electoral roll of the church. All those who attend our services / members of the congregation are encouraged to register on the Electoral Roll and stand for election to the PCC.
The PCC members are responsible for making decisions on all matters of general concern and importance to the parish including deciding on how the funds of the PCC are to be spent. New
members receive initial training into the workings of the PCC. The full PCC met six times during the year. The PCC has its statutory Standing Committee and one formal sub-committee, the Campbell Hall Management Committee, tasked with acting on the PCC’s behalf as management trustees for the hall. These committees are responsible to the PCC and report back to it regularly, with their decisions being received by the full PCC on each meeting agenda and discussed as necessary.
Administrative information
St. Luke’s Church is situated in Huntington, Chester. It is part of the Diocese of Chester within the Church of England. The correspondence address is
St. Luke's Church, Chester Road, Huntington, Chester CH3 6BT.
The PCC is a body corporate (PCC Powers Measure 1956, Church Representation Rules 2006) and a registered charity:
Number: 1130604 Name: The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of Chester St. Paul's
PCC members who have served at any time from 1st January 2020 until the date this report was approved are:
Ex Officio members: Incumbent: The Reverend Chris Blunt (Chair) Wardens: Mr Paul Williams (vice Chair) (until October 2020) Dr Dave Cooke-Fox (also Deanery Synod Rep) Mr Clive Poyser (since October 2020) Deanery Synod Rep: Mike Maddocks (until October 2020) Mrs Vicky Williams (since October 2020) Mrs Hazel Hildreth (since October 2020) Co-opted Members: Secretary: Rev Steven Hildreth Treasurer: Mr Ian Reece (until October 2020) Elected members: Dr Jeff Polton Mrs Dawn Greaves Dr Keith Gregory Mrs Olive Somerville (until October 2020) Mrs Tricia Gleave Mrs Joyce Evans Mr Paul Williams (since October 2020) Mrs Carrie Davies (since October 2020) Mr Rich Simm (since October 2020) Mr John Somerville (since October 2020) Mr Ian Reece (since October 2020)
PCC Standing Committee: - This has the power to transact the business of the PCC between meetings, subject to any directions given by the Council, and comprises the Incumbent, Churchwardens and Treasurer – 3 out of 4 is quorate.
Independent Examiner: Mr. A. McGraa
18 Poulton Green Close Bebington Wirral CH63 9FS
Bankers: Yorkshire Bank NatWest Bank Santander Virgin Money Store, 33 Eastgate Street 59-61 Foregate St 53, Lord Street, Chester Chester Liverpool, L2 6PB CH1 1LG CH1 1YQ CCLA Investment Management Ltd 80 Cheapside London EC2V 6DZ
The Revd Chris Blunt on behalf of the P.C.C.- 8 April 2021
| Receipts & Payments Account | Financial Statement for the Year Ending 31 | Financial Statement for the Year Ending 31 | Financial Statement for the Year Ending 31 | December 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NoteUnrestricted | Restricted | Total 2020 | Total 2019 | ||
| Funds | Funds | Receipts | Receipts | ||
| Receipts | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Receipts - Regular/Personal Giving | |||||
| Planned Giving | 80,000.52 | 0.00 | 80,000.52 | 83,369.23 |
|
| Open Plate | 1,736.23 | 0.00 | 1,736.23 | 3,064.65 |
|
| Bequests | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2,000.00 |
|
| Donations - Mission Support | 0.00 | 5,068.00 | 5,068.00 | 8,386.00 |
|
| Donations - Training Support | 0.00 | 1,200.00 | 1,200.00 | 1,200.00 |
|
| Donations - Saturday Drop In | 0.00 | 487.90 | 487.90 | 750.00 |
|
| Donations - General | 3,350.00 | 0.00 | 3,350.00 | 590.45 |
|
| Gift Aid & GASDS - Recovered | 1 | 20.819.26 | 4.109.73 | 24.928.99 | 23.016.73 |
| 105,906.01 | 10,865.63 | 116,771.64 | 122,377.06 |
||
| Receipts - Funding Activities | |||||
| Rental Income | 2 | 3,202.85 |
0.00 | 3,202.85 | 8,511.00 |
| Fundraising Events | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 715.33 |
|
| Fees | 1,234.20 | 1,982.80 | 3,217.00 | 3,402.00 |
|
| DBF Grant - Fees | 120.00 | 0.00 | 120.00 | 0.00 |
|
| 4,557.05 | 1,982.80 | 6,539.85 | 12,628.33 |
||
| Receipts - Church Groups | |||||
| Acorns & Conkers | 266.57 | 0.00 | 266.57 | 544.47 |
|
| Children's Groups | 258.21 | 0.00 | 258.21 | 162.49 |
|
| Youth Work & Youth Events | 3 | 809.00 |
0.00 | 809.00 | 383.00 |
| Towers | 0.00 | 31.00 | 31.00 | 993.00 |
|
| Wednesday Community Lunch | 0.00 | 100.00 | 100.00 | 100.00 |
|
| 1,333.78 | 131.00 | 1,464.78 | 2,182.96 |
||
| Receipts - Community Caf§ | |||||
| Community Cafe - Receipts | 14,192.03 | 0.00 | 14,192.03 | 16,156.03 |
|
| Community Cafe - Donation | 4 | 0.00 |
0.00 | 0.00 | 1.000.00 |
| 14,192.03 | 0.00 | 14,192.03 | 17,156.03 |
||
| Interest & Dividend Income | |||||
| Deposit Account - Interest | 54.32 | 0.00 | 54.32 | 95.43 |
|
| Investment Fund - Dividends | 344.34 | 0.00 | 344.34 | 334.32 |
|
| 398.66 | 0.00 | 398.66 | 429.75 |
||
| Receipts - Projects | |||||
| Church Window Fund | 5 | 0.00 |
16,766.00 | 16,766.00 | 0.00 |
| Min-y-Don Weekend | 0.00 | 1,850.35 | 1,850.35 | 0.00 |
|
| Christmas Lights | 0.00 | 640.00 | 640.00 | 0.00 |
|
| Donations - Kitchen & Fabric | 6 | 0.00 |
0.00 | 0.00 | 17,151.75 |
| Grant - Heritage Fund/St Paul's | 7 | 0.00 |
0.00 | 0.00 | 3,240.00 |
| 0.00 | 19,256.35 | 19,256.35 | 20,391.75 |
||
| Receipts - Other | |||||
| Grant - Diocesan Fund | 2,000.00 | 0.00 | 2,000.00 | 0.00 |
|
| Refund Campbell/H Gr Salary Costs | 6,642.69 | 0.00 | 6,642.69 | 6,158.82 |
|
| HMRCJob Retention Scheme | 8 | 6,795.90 |
0.00 | 6,795.90 | 0.00 |
| Miscellaneous | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 25.00 |
|
| 15,438.59 | 0.00 | 15,438.59 | 6,183.82 |
||
| Total Receipts Church | 141,826.12 | 32,235.78 | 174,061.90 | 181,349.70 |
|
| Contras | 9 | 0.00 |
1.187.90 | 1.187.90 | 1,239.86 |
| Total All Receipts | 141,826.12 | 33,423.68 | 175,249.80 | 182,589.56 |
| Receipts & Payments Account | Financial Statements for the Year Ending 31 | Financial Statements for the Year Ending 31 | Financial Statements for the Year Ending 31 | Financial Statements for the Year Ending 31 | December 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Note | Unrestricted | Restricted | Total 2020 | Total 2019 | |
| Funds | Funds | Payments | Payments | ||
| Payments | £ | £ | £ | £ | |
| Payments - Diocesan & Clergy | |||||
| Diocesan Parish Share & Deanery Costs | 67,624.32 | 0.00 | 67,624.32 | 66,044.92 |
|
| Diocesan & Other Fees | 0.00 | 1,982.80 | 1,982.80 | 2,195.20 |
|
| Clergy Expenses | 312.85 | 0.00 | 312.85 | 269.85 |
|
| Vicarage Council Tax Water Telephone | 3.043.91 | 0.00 | 3.043.91 | 3.121.41 |
|
| 70,981.08 | 1,982.80 | 72,963.88 | 71,631.38 |
||
| Payments - Donations | |||||
| Annual Tithe & Others | 16,007.00 | 0.00 | 16,007.00 | 18,950.43 |
|
| Mission Support | 0.00 | 6,687.00 | 6,687.00 | 10,287.50 |
|
| Training Support | 0.00 | 1,525.00 | 1,525.00 | 1,500.00 |
|
| Saturday Drop In | 0.00 | 764.88 | 764.88 | 750.00 |
|
| 16,007.00 | 8,976.88 | 24,983.88 | 31,487.93 |
||
| Payments - Church Running Costs | |||||
| Utilities - Water & Electricity | 5,920.91 | 0.00 | 5,920.91 | 7,540.78 |
|
| Insurance Costs | 1,179.61 | 0.00 | 1,179.61 | 1,163.99 |
|
| Maintenance & Cleaning Materials | 922.75 | 0.00 | 922.75 | 2,448.19 |
|
| Service Costs | 85.34 | 0.00 | 85.34 | 165.27 |
|
| Books & Course Materials | 42.47 | 0.00 | 42.47 | 249.73 |
|
| Telephone Internet & Zoom Fees | 1,027.27 | 0.00 | 1,027.27 | 957.52 |
|
| Office supplies & Copier Rental etc | 587.15 | 0.00 | 587.15 | 991.84 |
|
| General Equipment Purchases | 51.97 | 0.00 | 51.97 | 484.77 |
|
| Subscriptions & Licenses | 527.20 | 0.00 | 527.20 | 417.00 |
|
| Refreshments | 66.83 | 0.00 | 66.83 | 279.95 |
|
| 10,411.50 | 0.00 | 10,411.50 | 14,699.04 |
||
| Payments - Salaries | |||||
| Staff Salaries & Pension Provision (All) | 10 | 49,152.34 | 0.00 | 49,152.34 | 41,679.53 |
| Payroll & Pension Administration (All) | 938.70 | 0.00 | 938.70 | 717.30 |
|
| 50,091.04 | 0.00 | 50,091.04 | 42,396.83 |
||
| Payments - Community Cafe | |||||
| Purchase of Provisions & Card Fees | 4,936.80 | 0.00 | 4,936.80 | 4,748.06 |
|
| Equipment Purchases | 338.11 | 0.00 | 338.11 | 1.558.78 |
|
| 5,274.91 | 0.00 | 5,274.91 | 6,306.84 |
||
| Payments - Church Groups | |||||
| Children's Work | 229.66 | 0.00 | 229.66 | 867.29 |
|
| Youth Work & Youth Events | 3 | 978.22 | 0.00 | 978.22 | 1,452.48 |
| Towers Group | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 470.00 |
|
| Wednesday Community Lunch | 0.00 | 100.00 | 100.00 | 0.00 |
|
| 1,207.88 | 100.00 | 1,307.88 | 2,789.77 |
||
| Payments - Projects | |||||
| Window Refurbishment - Deposit | 0.00 | 8,490.00 | 8,490.00 | 0.00 |
|
| Min-y-Don Weekend - Part Payment | 0.00 | 875.00 | 875.00 | 250.00 |
|
| Min-y-Don Weekend - Refund | 0.00 | 162.00 | 162.00 | 0.00 |
|
| Kitchen & Fabric refurbishment | 6 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 17,337.65 |
| St Paul's - Heritage Funding | 7 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 3,240.00 |
| 0.00 | 9,527.00 | 9,527.00 | 20,827.65 |
||
| Payments - Other | |||||
| Training Courses | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 930.00 |
|
| Miscellaneous | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 52.77 |
|
| 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 982.77 |
||
| Total Payments Church | 153,973.41 | 20,586.68 | 174,560.09 | 191,122.21 |
|
| Contras | 9 | 0.00 | 1.176.87 | 1.176.87 | 1.299.84 |
| Total All Payments | 153,973.41 | 21,763.55 | 175,736.96 | 192,422.05 |
| Receipts & Payments Account | **Hnancial Statements for the Year ** | **Hnancial Statements for the Year ** | **Hnancial Statements for the Year ** | Ending 31 December 2020 | Ending 31 December 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Total 2020 | Total 2019 | ||
| Funds | Funds | Funds | Funds | ||
| £ | £ | £ | £ | ||
| Receipts & Payments Bfwd | |||||
| Total receipts at 31 Dec 2020 | 141,826.12 | 33,423.68 | 175,249.80 | 182,589.56 | |
| Total payments at 31 Dec 2020 | 153.973.41 | 21.763.55 | 175.736.96 | 192.422.05 | |
| Excess Payments over Receipts | -12,147.29 | 11,660.13 | -487.16 | -9,832.49 | |
| Account Balances | Accounts | Current Aces | Deposit Acc |
Total 2020 | |
| Opening Balances 1 Jan 2020 | Santander | 29,716.78 | 0.00 | 29,716.78 | |
| Yorkshire Bk | 12,190.05 | 0.00 | 12,190.05 | ||
| **Nat West ** | Bk | 2,193.10 | 0.00 | 2,193.10 | |
| CCLA Deposit | 0.00 | 12.790.93 | 12.790.93 | ||
| Total Opening Balances 1 January 2020 | 44,099.93 | 12,790.93 | 56,890.86 | ||
| Transfers Between Funds | Current Aces | Deposit Acc | Total 2020 | ||
| Opening Balances 1 January 2020 | 44,099.93 | 12,790.93 | 56,890.86 | ||
| Transfers btwn Current Aces & Deposit Acc | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | ||
| Excess Payments over Receipts & Interest | -541.48 | 54.32 | -487.16 | ||
| Closing Balances 31 December 2020 | 43,558.45 | 12,845.25 | 56,403.70 | ||
| Account Balances | Accounts | Current Aces | Deposit Acc | Total 2020 | |
| Closing Balances 31 Dec 2020 | Santander | 19,518.75 | 0.00 | 19,518.75 | |
| Yorkshire Bk | 23,748.60 | 0.00 | 23,748.60 | ||
| Nat West Bk | 291.10 | 0.00 | 291.10 | ||
| CCLA Deposit | 0.00 | 12.845.25 | 12.845.25 | ||
| Total Closing Balances 31 December 2020 | 43,558.45 | 12,845.25 | 56,403.70 |
| Account | Note | Balance | 2020 | 2020 | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ol-Jan-20 | Receipts | Payments | 31-Dec-20 | ||
| Church Window Fund | 0.00 | 18,654.75 | -8,490.00 | 10,164.75 | |
| Church Christmas Lights | 0.00 | 640.00 | 0.00 | 640.00 | |
| Min-y-Don Weekend (Net) | 11 | -250.00 | 1,688.35 | -875.00 | 563.35 |
| Heritage Funds - St Paul's Surveys | 180.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 180.00 | |
| 2016 Community Cafe Donations | 12 | 2,627.00 | 0.00 | -2,379.18 | 247.82 |
| Towers Group | 700.00 | 31.00 | 0.00 | 731.00 | |
| Wednesday Community Lunch | 100.00 | 100.00 | -100.00 | 100.00 | |
| Contras - Traidcraft | 69.69 | 557.90 | -546.87 | 80.72 | |
| Total Accumulated Restricted Funds | 3,426.69 | 21,672.00 | -12,391.05 | 12,707.64 |
| of our annual Tithe Giving. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mission Aviation Fellowship UK | 5,000 | CSCW- It's Your Move Booklet | 255 | |
| CSCW- General | 3,600 | Christian Aid | 250 | |
| Church Army-TrainingSupport | 2,000 | Reach Merseyslde | 240 | |
| MissionSupport(L Somerville) | 1,000 | Gideons | 160 | |
| SaturdayDrop-InCampbell Hall | 600 | Tearfund (Nativity Service 2019} | 277 | |
| Church Missionary Society(Bartletts) | 500 | _Children's Society (Christingle _ | 2019) | 225 |
| Melanesian Sisters - Chapel | 500 | With Love | 100 | |
| Tearfund | 480 | CATH | 60 | |
| Compassion | 400 | |||
| Link-Up | 360 | Total Donations | £ | 16,007 |
| COMMUNITY CAFE 2020 | ||||
| Gross Receipts (Inc Card Transactions) | 14,192.03 | |||
| Purchase of Provisions & Sundries | -4,801.44 | |||
| Salaries (SeeNote10) | -16,948.30 | |||
| Furlough-Job Retention Scheme | 5,652.00 | |||
| Fees - Card Transactions | -135.36 | |||
| Purchase of Equipment | -338.11 | Deficit(SeeNote12) | £ | -2,379.18 |