St. Mary the Virgin, Stotfold
Annual Report of the Parochial Church Council for the Year ended 31st December 2021
## Administrative Information
St. Mary’s Church is situated off Church Road in Stotfold. It is part of the Diocese of St. Albans within the Church of England. The correspondence address is:
The Vicarage, 61 Church Road, Stotfold, Hitchin, SG5 4NE.
The PCC is a charity registered with the Charity Commission, No. 1131275
PCC members who served since the APCM in 2021 were:
The Incumbent Rev’d Bill Britt* The Curate Rev’d Graham Clark The Reader Mrs. Andrea Charsley* The Churchwardens Mrs. Jane Hyde* Vice Chairman Mr. Steve Hardman Representatives on the Mrs. Andrea Charsley Deanery Synod. Mr. David Ribbans Elected Members Mrs. Alison Collis* Secretary & Treasurer Mrs Jenny Conway Mr. Mark Draper Mrs. Lyn Hayes Mr. Paddy Harris Mrs. Maureen Winters Mrs. Ann Scarr Mrs Carolyn Bleach
Those asterisked* are members of the Standing Committee.
Service on the PCC is usually for three years at a time; with a break of at least one year after six consecutive years.
## **COMMITTEES**
The PCC operates through a number of committees which make recommendations to the PCC.
## **Standing Committee**
This is the only committee required by law. It has the power to transact the business of the PCC between its meetings, subject to any directions given by the council.
## **Finance and Stewardship Committee**
This committee has an overview of the general finances of the work of St. Mary’s by monitoring income and expenditure, budgeting and coordinating the Annual Review of the Christian Stewardship of money through planned giving.
## **Social and Fundraising Committee**
Encourages fellowship within the family of the Church by organizing social events and the raising of money for the General Fund.
## **Hall Committee**
Organizes the letting of the hall and is responsible for keeping the building in a good state of repair.
## **Building Committee**
Oversees the repair and maintenance of the Church building and the churchyard in consultation with the Church Architect.
## **Charities**
The Ecclesiastical Charity of William Field, No. 254218
The Vicar and churchwardens are trustees of the following charities:
The Eleemosynary Charity, No. 25419
The Roe’s Charity for the Parish Clerk’s House No. 217126
The Roe’s Almshouses Charity No. 217125 The Roe’s Education Charity No. 307485 H.O. Roe Charity, No. 1190706
St. Mary’s Church banks with Barclays PLC. It holds a portfolio of shares via CCLA relating to the Ecclesiastical Charity of William Field and two deposit
accounts with the same organization. It has an account with the Churches Mutual Credit Union and money held by the Diocese for the chancel.
The Independent examiner is Mr. Robert Logan
The church’s legal advisers are the Joint Diocesan Registrars, Matthew Chinery and Sarah Clemenson of Winckworth Sherwood.
The Church Architectural advisers are Barker Associates LLP.
## **Electoral Roll**
During 2021 the Electoral Roll remained at 88, seven of whom live outside the parish.
## **Structure, Governance and Management**
St. Mary’s PCC has the responsibility of co-operating with the incumbent, in promoting the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelical, social and ecumenical within the ecclesiastical parish. It also has maintenance responsibilities for the Church building, the churchyard and the church hall.
## **Ministerial Team**
Reverend Bill Britt is the Rector of St Mary’s the Virgin, Stotfold. The parish also benefits from the ministry of a curate, the Rev’d Graham Clark, a Priest Associate, Rev’d Jane Wheatley, a Reader, Mrs Andrea Charsley, who passed away on 30 November, and Mr. Steve Hardman, a Lay Leader of Worship.
## **Performance and achievements**
The Covid 19 Pandemic continued in 2021 and St Mary’s Church was unusual in that it held physical services every Sunday and Wednesday during the year, following Covid-secure guidelines. Many churches in the St Albans Diocese remained closed for significant periods during 2021.
We reopened the church for private prayer on a daily basis from 28 June.
In April the government began lifting the restrictions on the sizes of weddings, Christenings and funerals. In 2021 there were 17 Baptisms, 7 weddings, 19
funerals and two memorial services for parishioners who died at the height of the pandemic.
A number of our activities which were suspended in 2020 due the pandemic were restarted: the Thursday morning baby and toddler group in September, Tea Time Praise, singing hymns in September, the monthly 8.00am Said Communion Service in October, the Community Coffee morning in October and the Christmas Tree Festival.
In 2019, the year before pandemic, our Usual Sunday Attendance (USA) was 52 Adults and 6 children. For the whole of 2021 our USA was 40 adults and 4 children. In the fourth quarter of 2021 USA attendance re-covered to 49 adults and 10 children. Our Easter Eve & Day attendance was 64, compared to 87 in 2019. Attendance at Advent services in 2021 for the congregation, community and schools totalled 530, compared to 55 in 2020 and 838 in 2019. Christmas Eve and Day in 2021 was 196 compared to 75 in 2020
## **Financial Review**
Despite the loss of income from the Church Hall and fundraising events during the pandemic, the church ended the year with an operating surplus of £69. We have not had a surplus for some time. In recent years reserves covered operating deficits (an excess of expenditure over income) of £7,603 in 2020; £8,378 in 2019; £1,578 in 2018; £2,544 in 2017 and £8,554 in 2016.
Total giving on Sunday mornings (including the Parish Giving Scheme, cash collections in services and the envelope scheme and Gift Aid) was £31,475 compared to £26,924 in 2020, and £29,201 in 2019, prior to the pandemic. The 2020 balance in the unrestricted general fund was £24,053, compared to £18,206 at the end of 2020. There are Designated Funds of £76,900 in 2021, compared to £68,189 in 2020 and £52,390 in 2019. There are restricted funds of £3,991.
The 2020 Diocesan Parish Share for St Mary’s Church was £49,255, which largely provides the stipends, pension and housing for clergy and training of future ministers.
## **Reserves Policy**
It is PCC policy to maintain a balance, if possible, on unrestricted funds that equates to approximately three months unrestricted payments to cover emergency situations which may arise from time to time.
The Designated Funds of £76,900 had two components, of which £51824 is retained towards meeting the cost of repairs and alterations to the church building together with the running costs of the building, and £25,076 for the Special Reserve Emergency Fund.
Monies held in Restricted Funds represents monies which have been given for specific purposes.
Approved at the PCC on 21 March 2022 Signed by PCC Chairman
Approved at the APCM on 15 May 2022 Signed by the APCM Chairman
**Parochial Church Council of St Mary the Virgin, Stotfold Balance Sheet at 31 December 2021**
|**Note**
**FIXED ASSETS**
Investment assets
4
**CURRENT ASSETS**
Debtors
6
Cash at bank and in hand
**LIABILITIES**
Current Liabilities
7
**NET CURRENT ASSETS**
**TOTAL NET ASSETS**
**FUNDS**
5
Unrestricted
Designated
9
Restricted
9
Endowment
9|**2021**
**_£_**
896803
1949
105932
107881
2563
105318
1002121
24053
76900
3991
897177
1002121|**2020**
**_£_**
783012
3278
92324|
|---|---|---|
|||95602|
|||4941|
|||90661|
||||
|||873673|
|||18206
68189
4106
783172|
|||873673|
The notes on pages 3 to 9 form part of these accounts.
Approved by the Parochial Church Council on and signed on its behalf by:
The Rev'd. Bill Britt Stephen Hardman Churchwarden
Registered Charity No. 1131275
1 of 9
## **Parochial Church Council of St Mary the Virgin, Stotfold Statement of Financial Activities For the year ending 31 December 2021**
|**Note**
**INCOMING RESOURCES**
Voluntary income
2a
Income from church activities
2b
Income from activities to generate funds
2c
Income from investments
2d
Other incoming sources
2e
**TOTAL INCOMING RESOURCES**
**RESOURCES EXPENDED**
Charitable giving
3a
Church activities
3b
Church management and administration
3c
Fundraising costs
3d
Other expenditure
3e
**TOTAL RESOURCES EXPENDED**
NET INCOMING/(OUTGOING) RESOURCES
TRANSFERS BETWEEN FUNDS - Note 8
ADJUSTMENT re PREVIOUS YEARS
GAINS AND LOSSES ON INVESTMENTS
NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS
BALANCES BROUGHT FORWARD AT
1 January 2021
BALANCES CARRIED FORWARD AT
31 December 2021|**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**£**
41130
11557
5135
27
48|**Designated**
**Funds**
**£**
22545
120|**Restricted**
**Funds**
**£**
8825
2847|**Endowment**
**Funds**
**TOTAL 2021**
**_TOTAL 2020_**
**£**
**£**
**_£_**
49955
52697
11557
7418
5135
3853
214
22786
22234
3015
3278
214
92448
89480
228
90
76158
80997
1093
766
63
52
0
1113
0
77542
83018
214
14906
6462
0
0
-249
0
113791
113791
50577
114005
128448
57039
783172
873673
816634
897177 1002121
873673|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||57897|22665|11672||
||128
56544
1093
63|8705|100
10909||
||57828|8705|11009||
||69
5778|13960
-5000
-249|663
-778||
||5847
18206|8711
68189|-115
4106||
||24053|76900|3991||
The notes on pages 3 to 9 form part of these accounts
2 of 9
**Parochial Church Council of St Mary the Virgin, Stotfold Notes to the Financial Statements**
## **For the year end 31 December 2021**
## **1 ACCOUNTING POLICIES**
## **Basis of financial statements.**
The financial statements have been prepared under the Church Accounting Regulations 2006 in accordance with applicable accounting standards and the current Statement of Recommended Practice Accounting and Reporting by Charities (SORP 2019).
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention except for investment assets, which are shown at market value. The financial statements include all transactions, assets and liabilities for which the PCC is responsible in law. They do not include the accounts of church groups that owe their affiliation to another body, nor those that are informal gatherings of church members.
## **Fund accounting**
General funds represent the funds of the PCC that are not subject to any restrictions regarding their use and are available for application on the general purposes of the PCC. Funds designated for a particular purpose by the PCC are also unrestricted.
Restricted Funds are those funds that must be spent on specific restricted purposes as intended by the donors. Details of the funds held and restrictions are provided in note 8.
Endowment Funds, where the capital must be retained, are explained in note 8.
## **Incoming resources**
## **Voluntary income and capital sources**
Collections are recognized when received by or on behalf of the PCC. Planned giving receivable under Gift Aid is recognized only when received. Income tax recoverable on Gift Aid donations is recognized when the income is recognized. Grants and legacies to the PCC are accounted for as soon as the PCC is notified of its legal entitlement, the amount due is quantifiable and its ultimate receipt by the PCC is reasonably certain. Funds raised by the fete, garden party and similar events are accounted for gross.
## **Other income**
Rental income from the letting of church premises is recognized when the rental is due.
## **Income from investments**
Dividends are accounted for when due and payable. Interest entitlements are accounted for as they accrue. Tax recoverable on such income is recognized in the same accounting year.
## **Gains and losses on investments**
Realized gains or losses are recognized when investments are sold. Unrealized gains or losses are accounted for on revaluation of investments at market value at 31 December.
3 of 9
**Parochial Church Council of St Mary the Virgin, Stotfold Notes to the Financial Statements**
## **For the year end 31 December 2021**
## **Resources used**
## **Grants and donations**
Grants and donations are accounted for when paid over, or when awarded, if that award creates a binding obligation on the PCC.
## **Activities directly relating to the work of the Church**
The diocesan parish share is accounted for when paid. Any parish share unpaid at 31
December is provided for in these accounts as an operational (though not a legal) liability and is shown as a creditor in the Balance Sheet.
## **Fixed assets**
## **Consecrated property and movable church furnishings**
Consecrated and benefice property is not included in the accounts in accordance with s.10(2)(a) and (c) of the Charities Act 2011.
Movable church furnishings held by the Vicar and Churchwardens on special trust for the PCC, and which require a faculty for disposal, are accounted as inalienable property.
They are listed in the church's Inventory which can be inspected (at any reasonable time). Such assets are not valued in the accounts.
All expenditure incurred in the year on consecrated or benefice buildings or on the repair of movable church furnishings is written off.
## **Other fixtures, fittings and office equipment**
Equipment used within the church premises is depreciated on a straight line basis over 4 years. Individual items of equipment with a purchase price of £1,500. or less are written off when the asset is acquired.
## **Investments**
Investments are valued at market value at 31 December.
## **Current assets**
Amounts owing to the PCC at 31 December in respect of fees, rents or other income are shown as debtors less provision for amounts that may prove uncollectable.
Short-term deposits include cash held on deposit either with the CCLA Church of England Funds, Churches Mutual Credit Union or at the bank.
4 of 9
**Parochial Church Council of St Mary the Virgin, Stotfold Notes to the Financial Statements**
## **For the year end 31 December 2021**
## **2 INCOMING RESOURCES**
|**2a Voluntary income**
Planned giving
Gift Aid giving
Other planned giving
Income tax recoverable
Collections (open plate) at all services
Income tax recoverable
Grants
Donations
Donations
Wall safe
Votive Candlestand
Income tax recoverable
Legacy
**2b Income from church activities**
Church hall lettings
Hire of Church
Wedding and funeral fees
Income Tax Recoverable
Outreach
Income Tax Recoverable
**2c Income from activities to generate funds**
Social & fundraising events before
expenses
Income Tax Recoverable
**2d Income from investments**
Dividends and interest
**2e Other incoming resources**
Listed Places Grant Scheme VAT
repayment
Contribution towards churchyard costs
Contribution towards Curate expenses
Bank Loyalty rewards
**TOTAL INCOMING RESOURCES**
Magazine|**£**
17216
2734
3721
6190
1614
3178
93
364
520
5500
**Unrestricted**
**Funds**|**£**
**Designated**
**Funds**|**£**
2443
5239
1143
8825
0
0
0
1346
1501
**Restricted**
**Funds**|**£**
**Endowment**
**Funds**|**£**
**_£_**
17216
15408
2734
2736
3721
4680
6190
3289
1614
811
2443
9311
8417
8799
93
130
364
144
1663
1389
5500
6000
**TOTAL 2021**
**_TOTAL_**
**_2020_**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||41130|0||0|49955
52697|
||4866
5236
1231
40
179
5||||4866
3037
0
315
5236
2464
1231
1162
40
0
179
440
5
0|
||11557|0||0|11557
7418|
||5132
3||||5132
3750
3
103|
||5135|0||0|5135
3853|
||27|22545||214|22786
22234|
||27|22545||214|22786
22234|
||48|120|||120
1950
1346
1280
1501
0
48
48|
||48|120|2847|0|3015
3278|
||||11672|||
||57897|22665||214|92448
89480|
5 of 9
**Parochial Church Council of St Mary the Virgin, Stotfold Notes to the Financial Statements**
## **For the year end 31 December 2021**
## **3 RESOURCES EXPENDED**
|**3a Charitable Giving**
Donations
**3b Church activities**
Ministry:Diocesan parish share
Clergy expenses
Curate Expenses
Church running expenses
Church maintenance & renewals
Incumbents Board
Altar Frontal, Vestments and Hangings
Christmas Lights
Church Hall refurbishment
Childrens' activities
Church yard
Church hall running costs
Baptism and confirmation costs
Organist fees
Service expenses
Magazine costs
Outreach
**3c Church management and administration**
Administration:
Printing and stationery
Bank charges
Sundry Expenses
**3d Fundraising costs**
Social and Fundraising events
**3e Other Expenditure**
Gift to Curate
Grant repaid to Friends of St Mary's following
receipt of monies from Listed Places of
Worship Scheme
**TOTAL RESOURCES EXPENDED**|**£**
128
**Unrestricted**
**Funds**|**£**
**Designated**
**Funds**|**£**
100
100
1501
801
1722
4458
1801
626
10909
0
0
0
**Restricted**
**Funds**|**£**
**Endowment**
**Funds**|**£**
**_£_**
228
90
**_TOTAL_**
**_2020_**
**TOTAL 2021**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||128|0||0|228
90|
||49255
770
8
223
98
3090
133
680
856
970
461|4899
3330
476|||49255
49255
770
1627
1509
71
4899
5104
4131
7100
2198
0
4458
0
223
731
0
7298
98
0
1801
2501
3090
3155
133
0
680
670
1482
2300
970
316
461
869|
||56544|8705||0|76158
80997|
||298
455
340||||298
371
455
350
340
45|
||1093|0||0|1093
766|
||63||||63
52|
||63|0||0|63
52|
||||||0
652
0
461|
||0|0||0|0
1113|
|||||||
||57828|8705|11009|0|77542
83018|
6 of 9
**Parochial Church Council of St Mary the Virgin, Stotfold Notes to the Financial Statements For the year end 31 December 2021**
|**£**
**4**
**FIXED ASSETS**
**Investments**
Movements in the year:
Market value - 1 January 2021
783012
Annual revaluation
113791
Market value - 31 December 2021
**896803**
**Endowment**
**Funds**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**5**
**ANALYSIS OF NET ASSETS BY FUND**
Investment Fixed Assets
Current Assets
25826
77690
3991
Current Liabilities
1773
790
**Fund balance**
**24053**
**76900**
**3991**
**6**
**DEBTORS**
Income tax recoverable
Prepayments
Other debtors
**7**
**LIABILITIES: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR**
Creditors for goods and services
Accruals
**8**
**TRANSFERS BETWEEN FUNDS**
Keyboard Restricted Fund not used. Transfer to General Fund as per Donor
Chancel Fund withdrawal towards cost of Chancel Heating
Transferred from Designated Account. Authorised by PCC
Transfer from Restricted Fund for Altar Frontal & Vestment as per Donor
**Restricted**
**Funds**
**Unrestricted**
**Funds**
**Designated**
**Funds**|**£**
896803
374
**Endowment**
**Funds**|**£**
896803
107881
2563
**1002121**
**2021**
**2020**
**£**
**_£_**
1439
1283
178
174
332
1821
**TOTAL 2021**|
|---|---|---|
||**897177 **||
||||
|||**1949**
**3278**|
|||**2021**
**2020**
**£**
**£**
2069
4551
494
390|
|||**2563**
**4941**|
|||**2021**
**2020**
**£**
**£**
0
315
0
1789
5000
0
778
0|
|||**5778**
**2104**|
7 of 9
## **Parochial Church Council of St Mary the Virgin, Stotfold Notes to the Financial Statements**
## **For the year end 31 December 2021**
|**9**
**FUND DETAILS**
Churchyard fund
Youth Trip Grant
Toddler Group
Albs
Bike 'n Hike
Banner
Flower Fund
Academy Crosses
Families in Need
The Designated Funds at the year end are:
Income from William Field Charity for
Building
Special Reserve Emergency Fund
The Endowment Funds at the year end are:
Chancel Fund for the repairs and insurance of the Chancel.
Ecclesiastical Charity of William Field
The Restricted Funds at the year end are:|**2021**
**2020**
**£**
**_£_**
2842
3297
350
350
1
1
40
40
503
243
13
13
122
162
60
0
60
0|
|---|---|
||**3991**
**4106**|
||51824
43113
25076
25076|
||**76900**
**68189**|
||8431
7521
888372
775651|
||**896803**
**783172**|
The Parochial Church Council is the managing trustee of the Ecclesiastical Charity of William Field and therefore, as the Charity is under the control of the Parochial Church Council, the funds of the charity must be shown on the Balance Sheet as an Endowment Fund. The Church cannot use the capital of the charity only advise on investment.
The market value of the capital of the trust of £888372 is included in **Fixed Asset Investments** . However, the income of the Charity is applied to the Church. The Parochial Church Council decided that the income should only be used for the church building, church building running costs and maintenance and therefore the income from the Charity has become a Designated Fund.
## **10 COLLECTIONS FOR GOOD CAUSES**
Collections for Good Causes have been excluded from the Accounts as recommended by Church Accounting Regulations 2006.
Charitable Collections were as follows:
|Need Project
Children's Society
Marie Curie
Garden House Hospice
Tear Fund|**£**
314
254
131
125
364|
|---|---|
||**1188**|
8 of 9
## **Independent Examiner's Report to the trustees of St Mary’s Church, Stotfold, Parochial Church Council.**
I report on the accounts for the year ended 31 December 2021 which are set out on pages 1 to 8.
## **Respective responsibilities of the Trustees and the independent examiner**
As trustees of the charity, the members of the PCC are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. They consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 (2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is required.
It is my responsibility to
- examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act;
- follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners section 145 (5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and
- state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
## **Basis of Independent Examiner's Statement**
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 those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the management committee concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in a full audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the accounts.
## **Independent Examiner's Statement**
In connection with my examination, no matters have come to my attention:
1. which give me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements
- to keep accounting records in accordance with s. 130 of the 2011 Act; or
- to prepare accounts which accord with these accounting records have not been met; or
2. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
………………………………
Robert Logan 42 Ryders Hill Stevenage SG1 6BJ
9 of 9
Independent Examlnerfs Report to the trustees of St Marvs Church, Stottold. Parochlal
Church Council.
I report on the accounts for the year ended 31 December 2021 which are set out on pages 1 to 8.
Respectlve re8ponslbSlltles of the Trustees and the independent examlner
As trustees of the charity, the members of the PCC are responsible for the preparation of the
accounts. They consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144 (2) of the
Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is required.
It is my responsibility to
' examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act:
. follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions glven by the Charity Commissioners
sectlon 145 {5)(b) of the 2011 Act; and
. state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Bas18 of Independent ExamlneV$ Statement
My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity
Commission .
An examlnatlon Includes a reiriew of the accountlng records kept by the charity and a comparlson of
the accounts presented with those records.11 also includes consideration of any unusual items or
disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the management committee concerning
any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be
required in a full audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the accounts.
Independent Examlnerfs Statement
In connection wth my examination, no matters have come to my attenlion..
which give me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements
to keep accounting records in accordance with s. 130 of the 2011 Act; or
to prepa accounts which accA)rd with these accounting records have not been met; or
2. to which, in my opinion. attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper
understandlng of the accounts to be reached.
Robert Logan
42 Ryders Hill
Stevenage
SG16BJ
9of9