PARISH OF ARMLEY AND NEW WORTLEY ST. BARTHOLOMEW WITH ST. MARY OF BETHANY ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PCC for the year 2024/25
The Parochial Church Council of St. Bartholomew with St. Mary of Bethany has responsibility of cooperating with the Churchwardens, during an interregnum, in promoting the ecclesiastical parish of Armley and New Wortley, the whole mission of the church, pastoral, evangelical, social; and ecumenical. It also has responsibility for the maintenance of the Church plant, including the organ and the car park on the west side of Wesley Road, Armley, Leeds LS12 1SR leading to the Scout Hut. Mission Statement for St. Bartholomew with St. Mary of Bethany, Parish of Armley and New Wortley:
To extend the Kingdom of Christ, by showing His love to all those with whom we come into contact.
Membership
Members of the PCC are either ex-officio or elected at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (AGM) in accordance with the Church Representative Rules, but members can be co-opted during the year. During 2024/5 the following served as members of the PCC.
Vicar Vacancy Churchwarden s Mrs. T. Collins Lay Chair Mrs. E. Handley Elected Members Mr. J. Kaye PCC Treasurer & ACS Representative Prof. G. Barber PCC Secretary Mr. G. Whitehead Mr. B. Gaunt Mrs. H. Robinson Mrs. B. Slater Mr Christian Jones Parish Safeguarding Officer
Committees
The PCC operates through a number of committees, which meet at different times to the PCC, these committees report back 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 meetings, subject to any direction given by the full Council. The members of the Standing Committee 2024-2025 were: Mrs. T. Collins, Mr. J. Kaye, Mrs. E. Handley and Prof. G. Barber
Organ/Music Committee: The PCC took on this role
Stewardship recorder/Planned giving Mrs. T. Collins Electoral Roll Officer Mr. G. Whitehead Sunday School/Youth co-ordinator Mrs. S. Hearn Safeguarding Officer Mr. C. Jones Fundraising The PCC
Church Attendance:
Church & Zoom: Average Adult Attendance: 33 (Previous Year 39) Average Communicants: 29 (Previous Year 33) Average under 16 Attendances: 10 (Previous Year 9) Average under 3 Attendances: 2 (Previous Year 1)
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Review of the Year .
The PCC met on 10 occasions: 22nd April (with Archdeacon), 14th May, 18th June, 22nd July, 23rd September, 21st October (Zoom), 25th November (Zoom), 9th December (with Archdeacon), 20th January (Zoom), 3rd March 2024 (Zoom).
The year showed a somewhat erratic Sunday attendance, with peaks and troughs, though the trend is a slight decline. In the continued absence of a vicar, we were once again well-served by our loyal and dedicated team of Fr. Ian Cook and Fr. Ian White. A fifth attempt to recruit a 0.5 Priest-in-Charge in early 2025 was unsuccessful. In the meantime, despite the best efforts of our voluntary priests and lay workers, the parish is bereft of much-needed pastoral support. Furthermore, there is little indication that new, younger leaders with the requisite abilities and skills are coming forward to support and eventually replace current officers. The suggested putative collaboration with either Christ Church, Upper Armley, or with Leeds Minster led to no positive outcome, though discussions with the Archdeacon have continued on a six-monthly basis. Bishop Arun has offered us one further attempt to recruit a Priest after which, if there is no success, either Pastoral Reorganisation or closure will be inevitable.
Beside the normal Festivals (Advent, Christmas, Easter, Whitsun etc.) there were well-attended seasonal and special services involving the uniformed groups, including Remembrance Sunday, and Mothering Sunday. Thursday Said Mass at 10.00 a.m. followed by Coffee has continued throughout the year, followed by the Stations of the Cross during Lent.
Apart from the normal church services, there was a calendar of weddings and funerals, as well as Baptism services mostly held after Sunday Mass. Organ Recitals were held as usual on Bank Holiday Mondays. We also played a full part in the September Heritage Weeks. There were a number of visits from regional Organists' Associations. The PCC organised the following successful fundraising events: a further series of four Really Friendly Music Lunches, a Summer Fair, and a Christmas Market. In a new collaboration with Red Ladder Theatre Company, there were two theatrical performances staged in church aimed at increasing footfall from the wider community: Tones: A Hip Hop Opera on October 7th and Football Freddie on October 26th. Special thanks are extended to all those who organised and helped at these events in any way. However, the P.C.C. would welcome further volunteer help to share the burden of running the church without paid staff.
In line with C. of E. Safeguarding Policy, all members of the P.C.C. have received training in Safeguarding via a programme of online courses. They also have Enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) clearance as required by their Trustee status. We are very grateful to Mr. Christian Jones for taking on the important role of Parish Safeguarding Officer for St. Bart’s.
After a long delay, the housing development began on the former Church Hall site. The PCC retains the car park next to the building site which has seen a lot of use by contractors. The PCC is negotiating for some form of recompense for providing this facility.
Financial Review
In 2024, voluntary receipts were, for a second year running, disappointing low. However, they were boosted by a grant of £1,500 from the Sir George Martin Trust, given to help with the costs incurred in funding the services of an external fundraiser and two legacies, £5,000 from the estate of the late Revd. Timothy Lipscomb, a former incumbent of S. Bartholomew’s and £2,013 from the estate of the late Shirley Reedman.
Our fundraising activities, One Lottery, church fairs and markets, the Really Friendly Music Lunches and organ concerts continue to provide vital income for the church.
Unfortunately, there was a marked decrease in receipts from PCC fees, due to a significant reduction in the number of church weddings and funerals.
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Total receipts of unrestricted income were £35,920, of which £27,191 was unrestricted voluntary donations, including the tax recovered on Gift Aid donations and on donations received under the Gift Aid Small Donations Scheme. Restricted income of £6,967 was also received and is detailed in the financial statements.
2024 also finally saw the sale of the land on which the Church Hall previously occupied. The church’s share of the proceeds was £56,632.
Total payments were down by about 15% on last year, despite an increased amount of diocesan Parish Share paid. In 2024, we paid £6,000 of the requested Share of £19,092.
Fundraising costs fell sharply as the figures for 2023 included the disbursement of several restricted grants. Outlay on the Church Hall utilities and insurance was also much reduced. The levelling out of gas and electricity prices in 2024 also helped to reduce our expenditure by over £4,500 and about £2,000 was saved on church running expenses.
£35,146 was spent from unrestricted funds to provide the Christian ministry from S. Bartholomew, Armley with S. Mary of Bethany Church, including the contribution to the diocesan Parish Share, which largely provides the stipends and housing for the clergy.
The net result for the year was an increase of £774 on unrestricted funds. Adding bank and deposit balances brought forward at the beginning of the year, the balances carried forward at 31[st] . December on unrestricted funds totalled £4,723.
Reserves policy
It is PCC policy to try to maintain a balance on unrestricted funds that equates to at least three months’ unrestricted payments. This is equivalent to £8,800. It is held to smooth out fluctuations in cash flow and to meet emergencies. The cash balance of £4,723 held on unrestricted funds at the year-end clearly does not meet this target.
The cash balance of £72,184 in restricted funds is retained towards meeting the cost of future church community facility provision or reordering projects; repairs, maintenance and upkeep of the Schulze organ, sanctuary floor mosaics, external west wall crucifix and general church fabric, expenditure on church flowers and the award of discretionary grants.
It is our policy to invest investment fund balances with the CCLA Church of England Investment Fund.
Graham Barber, PCC Hon. Secretary Jon.R.Kaye, PCC Hon. Treasurer
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| New Wortley The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical No. CC16a Parish of St. Bartholomew, Armley with St. Mary 1131632 Receipts andpayments accounts For the period from 01.01.2024 To 31.12.2024 ~~es~~ ~~-~~ |
|
|---|---|
| Section A Receipts and payments | |
| Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Endowment funds Total funds Last year |
|
| to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ |
|
| A1 Receipts Voluntaryreceipts 27,191 6,216 - 33,407 28,843 Activities forgeneratingfunds 3,321 250 - 3,571 4,516 Investment dividends/interest 2 500 - 502 20 Charitable and church activities 5,406 - - 5,406 7,338 Other receipts - - - - ~~Sub total~~~~(Gross income for~~ AR)35,920 6,967 - 42,887 40,716 A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). Receipts from sale of fixed assets - 56,632 - 56,632 - Receipts from sale of investments - - - - 1,000 Sub total - 56,632 - 56,632 1,000 Total receipts 35,920 63,599 - 99,519 41,716 A3 Payments Costs ofgeneratingvoluntaryreceipts 214 15 - 229 - Fundraising costs (trading activities) 1,351 2,173 - 3,524 6,147 Investment managementcosts - - - - - Costs ofcharitable activites 33,008 1,723 - 34,731 39,607 Governance costs 493 - - 493 100 Otherpayments 79 - - 79 37 Sub total 35,146 3,911 - 39,057 45,891 ~~===~~ ~~Ee =~~ ~~SSS—~~ ~~===~~ ~~SS SS =~~ |
|
| A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) Purchase of fixed assets - - - - Purchase of investments - - - - - Sub total - - - - - Total payments 35,146 3,911 - 39,057 45,891 ~~—SS5=—~~ |
|
| Net of receipts/(payments) 774 59,688 - 60,462 - 4,174 A5 Transfers between funds 2,119 - 2,119 - - - A6 Cash funds last year end 1,830 14,615 - 16,445 20,620 Cash funds this year end 4,723 72,184 - 76,907 16,445 ~~SSSS=~~ |
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| Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period | Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period | Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period | Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period | Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Endowment | ||||
| Categories | Details | funds | funds | funds | ||
| to nearest £ | to nearest £ | to nearest £ | ||||
| B1 Cash funds | Cash in hand | 39 | - 0 | - | ||
| Cash at bank | 4,684 | 72,184 | - | |||
| Cash in deposit accounts | - | |||||
| Total cash funds | 4,723 Total cash funds |
72,184 | - | |||
| (agree balances with receipts and payments | (agree balances with receipts and payments | |||||
| account(s)) | OK | OK | OK | |||
| Unrestricted | Restricted | Endowment | ||||
| funds | funds | funds | ||||
| Details | to nearest £ | to nearest £ | to nearest £ | |||
| B2 Other monetary assets | - - - - - - ~~ |
~~ ~~ee ~~ |
~~ | ~~ | ||
| B3 Investment assets | Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) Current value (optional) Fabric - 20,135 Organ 225,209 Details CBF C of E Investment Fund - Acc. Shares CBF C of E Investment Fund - Acc. Shares ~~/_FE~~ ~~SE~~ |
|||||
| Details | Fund to which asset belongs |
Cost (optional) | Current value (optional) |
|||
| B4 Assets retained for the | ||||||
| charity’s own use | S. Bartholomew statue | General fund S. Bartholomew statue |
3,848 | 705 | ||
| Silver high altar candlesticks | General fund | 945 | 280 | |||
| Portable wooden font | General fund | 623 | 411 | |||
| Audio/visual cameras/computer | General fund | 10,385 | 7,332 | |||
| St. Bart's sales stock (DVDs, CDs & gifts) | Organ Maintenance | - | 6,816 | |||
| - | ||||||
| - | ||||||
| Fund to which | Amount due | When due | ||||
| Details | liability relates | (optional) | (optional) | |||
| B5 Liabilities | - | |||||
| Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees |
Date of approval 03/03/2025 03/03/2025 Signature Print Name Mrs Thelma Collins Prof. Graham Barber ~~a~~ |
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Notes
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The financial statements of the PCC have been prepared in accordance with the Church Accounting Regulations 2006 using the Receipts and Payments basis and with the Charities Act 2022.
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Non-monetary assets retained for church use are the statue of S. Bartholomew, a set of four high altar silver candlesticks, a wooden portable font, S. Bart's sales stock and audio/visual cameras and computer
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Investment assets are CCLA CBF Church of England Investment Fund Accumulation Shares
-
The movements in designated and restricted funds during the year were:
| Bal b/fwd | Receipts | Payments | Transfers Bal c/fwd | Transfers Bal c/fwd | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Designated | |||||
| Silver candlesticks fund | 1,742 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,742 |
| 1,742 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,742 | |
| Restricted | |||||
| Flower fund | 664 | 0 | 109 | 0 | 555 |
| Discretionary fund | 746 | 74 | 33 | 0 | 788 |
| Asda Foundation grant | 480 | 0 | 480 | 0 | 0 |
| LCC Christmas Market | 81 | 0 | 81 | 0 | 0 |
| Organ maintenance fund | 11,327 | 3,754 | 3,208 | -1,631 | 10,242 |
| Fabric fund | 1,317 | 59,770 | 0 | -488 | 60,599 |
| 14,615 | 63,599 | 3,911 | -2,119 | 72,184 |
The Silver candlesticks fund represents donations for altar and sanctuary requisites and payments for the same.
The Flower fund represents donations to be spent on flowers for church
The Discretionary fund exists to provide monetary assistance for those most in need
The Asda Foundation grant provided funding for lunchtime music concerts.
LCC Christmas Market represents a grant from Leeds City Council towards expenses of the Christmas Market.
The Organ maintenance fund exists to provide funding for the protection of and maintenance and repairs to the church organ
The Fabric fund represents accumulated donations for fabric maintenance, and renovation which can only be spent for that purpose
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Further Analysis of Receipts and Payments
| A1 Receipts Voluntary receipts: Donations Tax recovered Parish Giving Scheme Grants Legacies Activities for generating funds: One Lottery Fundraising Organ concerts St.Bart's sales Investment dividends/interest HMRC and bank interest Charitable and church activities PCC fees MWAH administration contribution Bookstall and sales Magazine sales Church lettings Reprography and office Magazine advertising Other receipts TOTAL RECEIPTS |
Unrestricted funds £ 10,911 4,415 6,865 0 5,000 27,191 2,051 1,270 0 0 3,321 2 2 1,529 2,000 21 108 1,500 39 210 5,406 0 35,920 |
Restricted funds £ 2,203 500 0 1,500 2,013 6,216 0 0 0 250 250 500 500 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6,967 |
TOTAL 2024 £ 13,114 4,915 6,865 1,500 7,013 33,407 2,051 1,270 0 250 3,571 502 502 1,529 2,000 21 108 1,500 39 210 5,406 0 42,887 |
TOTAL 2023 £ 14,360 5,225 6,858 1,900 500 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28,843 | ||||
| 1,994 1,764 473 285 |
||||
| 4,516 | ||||
| 20 | ||||
| 20 | ||||
| 3,995 2,000 0 134 945 9 255 |
||||
| 7,338 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 40,716 |
Notes:
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Two legacies were received by the P.C.C. in 2024. The estate of Revd. Timothy Lipscomb bequethed £5,000 and the estate of Shirley Reedman, £2,013.
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Fundraising income was significantly lower than last year, as a number of restricted grants that were secured in 2023 were not repeated this year.
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Income from organ concerts is now included in donations, rather than listed separately.
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A smaller number of church weddings and funerals in '24 led to much reduced PCC fees.
A2 Asset and investment sales
| Sale of investments Sale of land TOTAL ASSET & INVESTMENT SALES |
0 0 0 |
0 56,632 56,632 |
0 1,000 56,632 0 56,632 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
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Further Analysis of Receipts and Payments
| Unrestricted funds £ A3 Payments Costs of generating voluntary receipts Stew.envelopes and campaign 214 214 Fundraising costs (trading activities) Fundraising costs 64 Organ concerts 0 Hall gas/electricity/insurance 76 Photocopier costs 1,211 Canteen and catering 0 1,351 Costs of charitable activities Parish Share 6,000 Church gas, electricity & insurance 22,070 Piano hire/piano & harpsichord tuning 0 Church running expenses/PA system 4,766 Quinquennial survey 0 Office/Subs/bank & card charges 173 Organ tuning/repairs & organists' fees 0 Mission giving and donations 0 Music licences/fees/sundries 0 33,008 Governance costs Independent examiner's fee 493 Other payments 79 TOTAL PAYMENTS 35,146 |
Restricted funds £ 15 15 0 1,987 0 60 126 2,173 0 360 270 169 0 75 577 33 239 1,723 0 0 3,911 |
TOTAL 2024 £ 229 229 64 1,987 76 1,271 126 3,524 6,000 22,430 270 4,935 0 248 577 33 239 34,731 493 79 39,057 |
TOTAL 2023 £ 0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | |||
| 1,540 2,685 646 1,113 164 |
|||
| 6,147 | |||
| 4,000 26,987 225 6,949 871 242 0 89 243 |
|||
| 39,607 | |||
| 100 | |||
| 37 | |||
| 45,891 |
Notes:
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Fundraising costs in 2023 included the disbursement of a number of restricted grants. No such grants were secured in 2024.
-
With the demolition of the church hall in 2024, expenditure on its gas, electricity and insurance was reduced to direct debit payments in January to April only.
-
There were significant reductions in the unit price of gas and electricity in 2024, which resulted in much lower expenditure on these utilities.
A4 Asset and investment purchases
| Purchase of fixed assets | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Purchase of investments | ||||
| CCLA CBF C of E shares | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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I report to the trustees on my examination of the financial statements of The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of St. Bartholomew, Armley with St. Mary, New Wortley for the year ended 31[st] . December 2024.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the trustees of the charity you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).
I report in respect of my examination of the charity's financial statements carried out under section 145 of the 2011 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
I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (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:
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accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or
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the financial statements do not accord with those records; or
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the financial statements 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.
Nigel Wyatt BSC FCA Date: Independent Examiner 125 Main Street Nigel Wyatt BSC FCA Date: 93/07/2025 Garforth Independent Examiner Leeds 125 Main Street LS25 1AF Garforth