## **THE METHODIST CHURCH – WEST PENNINE MOORS CIRCUIT TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 AUGUST 2023**
The Trustees present their Annual Report together with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 August 2023.
## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES**
## **Charitable objectives**
The circuit shares the same charitable objectives and the rest of the Methodist Church, which are set out as follows:
The purposes of the Methodist Church are and shall be deemed to have been since the date of Union the advancement of –
- a. The Christian faith in accordance with doctrinal standards and the discipline of the Methodist Church.
- b. Any charitable purpose for the time being of any Connexional, District, Circuit, local or other organisation of the Methodist Church.
- c. Any charitable purpose for the time being of any society or institution subsidiary or ancillary to the Methodist Church.
- d. Any purpose for the time being of any charity being a charity subsidiary or ancillary to the Methodist Church.
## **Aims**
The Circuit seeks to live out the calling of the Methodist Church, which is summarised thus: “The calling of the Methodist Church is to respond to the Gospel of God’s love in Christ and to live out its discipleship in worship and mission. Inspired by Our Calling, we aim:
- To increase awareness of God’s presence and to celebrate God’s love
- To help people to grow and learn as Christians through mutual support and care
- To be a good neighbour to people in need and to challenge injustice
- To make more follower of Jesus Christ
## **Action and Public Benefit**
The circuit encourages and supports the Churches within it in the provision of regular public acts of worship open to members of the church and non-members alike; the provision of sacred apace for prayer and contemplation; the teaching of Christianity through sermons, courses and small groups; pastoral work, including visiting the sick and bereaved; the promotion of Christianity through the staging of events and services; the provision of youth clubs, senior citizens clubs, men’s meetings and women’s meetings etc. with a Christian ethos; promoting the whole mission of the church (and aiding social cohesion) through activities for older people, parents and toddlers and other specific needs groups; and supporting other charities in the UK and overseas, financially and with prayer.
## **Contribution of Volunteers**
The Circuit is heavily dependent upon, and extremely grateful for, the contribution of volunteers as it seeks to carry out its objectives. With the exception of 3 stipendiary Ministers and 1 full time lay worker, all members of the Circuit Leadership Team and all other Charity Trustees are unpaid volunteers.
## **ACHIEVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE**
The Circuit Mission Statement is:
“The West Pennine Moors Circuit exists to enable, encourage and equip Methodist people to go in the power of the Holy Spirit to make whole-life disciples of Jesus, to transform lives and communities”.
The Circuit Leadership Team meets regularly to discuss the progress of the Circuit and to ensure that the decisions of the managing trustees are taken forward, and to make recommendations to the Circuit Meeting for future action.
To help the aim for cohesion across the Circuit, quarterly worship for the whole Circuit has been introduced and all churches are encouraged to join in any special activity a particular church is holding. The Circuit has committed financial resources towards supporting and providing a base for the Asylum Seeker and Refugee Community (ARC) Charity. ARC has its own Charity status.
## **FINANCIAL REVIEW**
## **Risk Management**
The Circuit Meeting is continuing to develop procedures for identifying and addressing the risks facing the charity. It has clearly outlined financial procedures and, in common with all Churches, has developed robust procedures for safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults.
## **Principal Funding Sources**
Contributions from the Churches by way of Circuit Assessment continue to be the main source of funding.
## **Investment and Reserves Policies and Review**
The Circuit Assessment is reviewed annually and covers the cost of ministerial oversight and pastoral care of the churches in the Circuit and the support of 3 Presbyteral ministers and 1 lay worker. The Circuit Advance Fund derives from sales of chapels and manses and is restricted by the Methodist Church.
The Reserves Policy is held in agreement with the Charity Commission and has been earmarked for future staffing, and a subsidy should a shortfall occur in the Assessment.
## **Current Needs and Future Plans**
Within the context of the calling of the Methodist Church (as set out above), the Circuit plans to:
- continue to support and encourage each local congregation in mission and ministry.
- establish and develop a training culture within the Circuit, encouraging lay preachers in their development, supporting probationers and facilitating the development of probationers in training.
- continue to review and actively manage the Circuit’s investments in its financial and property resources, seeking to selectively release resources for mission, ministry and outreach.
- work through the Methodist Church stationing procedures to secure the appointment of new ministerial staff as vacancies are identified.
- continue to work ecumenically, especially in supporting and developing Local Ecumenical Partnerships, focussing on the Anglican-Methodist Covenant.
- develop both at Circuit and local level medium term plans for strategic development.
## **Going Concern**
The Trustees have reviewed the circumstances of the Circuit and consider that adequate resources continue to be available to fund its activities for the foreseeable future. The Trustees are therefore of the view that the charity is a going concern.
## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT**
The West Pennine Moors Circuit is part of the Methodist Church of Great Britain. The managing trustees operate within the Methodist Church Connexion and as such, their governing document is the Constitutional Practice and Discipline (CPD) of the Methodist Church. The document is available for inspection by appointment at the Circuit Office, c/o Antley Methodist Church, Blackburn Road, Accrington, Lancashire BB5 ODE
The West Pennine Moors Circuit is registered as a separate charity, number 1132674.
## **Connected Charities**
The churches forming the circuit are themselves charities and, as they are responsible for their own financial affairs. They are not reported in these statements.
## **Appointment of Trustees**
All ministers, presbyteral and diaconal, stationed in the circuit by the conference or deemed to be resident in the circuit are members of the circuit meeting.
The following are ex officio members of the circuit meeting
Circuit Stewards appointed by the circuit meeting Circuit Meeting Secretary appointed by the circuit meeting
Representatives to District Synod appointed by the circuit meeting Local Preachers’ Secretary appointed by the Local Preachers meeting
Each church is represented by a church steward, the church treasurer and representatives appointed by the Church Council in relation to the number of church members (one representative for every 60 members). The circuit meeting has the power to co-opt other members as necessary. As at June 2023 there were 57 members of the circuit meeting, a full list is available from the Circuit Office
## **Trustee recruitment, induction, and training**
As outlined above, the appointment of the majority of the members of the circuit meeting is outside the control of the meeting. In appointing the Circuit Leadership Team and other officers, the Meeting has regards to the balance of skills and gifts that are needed to further the work of the church. New members of the Leadership Team are inducted by the Leadership Team.
## **Organisation**
The Circuit Meeting is convened three times a year. The circuit leadership team, appointed by the circuit meeting, is responsible for acting on behalf of the of the circuit meeting at other times. The leadership team meets at least six times a year. The circuit meeting retains responsibility for setting the mission priorities of the circuit, the overall strategy to deliver these priorities, the invitation of ministers, the oversight of local churches, the admission of people to the office of Local Preacher, and decisions on formal explorations of call to ministry and candidates to the ordained ministry.
The leadership team is assisted in the task of financial oversight by the Circuit Treasurer.
The Methodist church appoints a minister to be the Superintendent Minister of the circuit, whose duties are set out in Standing Orders of the Church.
## **Pay and renumeration**
Stipends and allowances for presbyters and deacons (collectively ministers) are set annually by the Methodist Conference and the Circuit is responsible for meeting those costs for all ministers appointed by the Conference to the Circuit.
## **TRUSTEES’ RESPONSIBILITIES IN RELATION TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**
The law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the Circuit Meeting to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of the Charity and of the surplus or deficit of the Charity for that period. In preparing those financial statements, the Circuit Meeting has: - selected suitable accounting policies and applied them consistently - made judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent - stated whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements - prepared the financial statements on the going concern basis The Circuit Meeting is responsible for keeping records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the
financial statements comply with applicable regulations. It is also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS**
The Circuit Accountants are PM&M Financial Planning, Greenbank Technology Park, New Century House, Blackburn BB1 5QB
ON BEHALF OF THE CIRCUIT MEETING
Rev Phil Gough, Acting Superintendent Minister
DATE – 12/6/24
Name of Circuit
**Circuit No**
## **West Penine Moors**
## **Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) for the year ended 31 August 2023**
|||**TMCP 9032 &**|**TMCP 9032 &**|**Arc**|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|**Notes to**|**SANT & CFB**|**21421 Circuit**||**Designated**|||||
|**the**|**General Fund**||**Model Trust**|**Funds**|**Restricted**|**Endowment**||**Total**|
|**accounts**|
**(Unrestricted)**|**(Unrestricted)**||**(unrestricted)**|**Funds**||**Funds**|**2022-23**|
||£||£|£|£||£|£|
|**Income**|||||||||
|1 Donations and legacies||||||||0|
|2 Income from monetary investments|1,100||13,666||343|||**15,108**|
|3 Income from investment properties|14,742|||||||**14,742**|
|4 Assessments on Churches|198,002|||||||**198,002**|
|5 Capital Receipts||||||||**0**|
|6 Grants received||||||||**0**|
|7 Other charitable income|29,999|||||||**29,999**|
|8**Total income**|**243,843**||**13,666**|**-**|**343**||**-**|**257,852**|
|**Expenditure**|||||||||
|9 Grants and donations|25,000|||||||**25,000**|
|10 Salaries and associated costs|193,661|||||||**193,661**|
|11 Property maintenance|22,548|||||||**22,548**|
|12 Insurance, utilities etc|14,879|||||||**14,879**|
|13 District Assessment & Levy|52,000||19,556|||||**71,556**|
|14 Depreciation||||||||**0**|
|15 Office expenses|3,963|||||||**3,963**|
|16 Other outgoings|11,557||1,321||29|||**12,907**|
|17**Total charitable expenditure**|**323,608**||**20,877**|**0**|**29**||**0**|**344,515**|
|18 Gains/(losses) on monetary investments|||||||6,447|6,447|
|19 Gains/(losses) on investment properties|||||||||
|20**Net income/(expenditure)**|**-79,765**||**-7,212**|**0**|**314**||**6,447**|**-80,216**|
|21 Transfers between funds|59,000|-|59,000
|||||0|
|22 Other gains/(losses)|||||||||
|23**Net movement in funds**|**-20,765**||**-66,212**|**0**|**314**||**6,447**|**-80,216**|
|24 Total funds brought forward|110,696||457,139|-|4,972|-|439
|572,368|
|**25 Total funds carried forward**|**89,931**||**390,927**|**-**|**5,286**||**6,008**|**492,152**|
Name of Circuit
**Circuit No** 21/02
## **West Penine Moors**
## **Balance Sheet as at 31 August 2023**
|**Fixed Assets**|**Notes to the**
**Accounts**||||**Restricted**
**Funds**
**Endowment**
**Funds**
**Totals**
**2022/23**
£
£
£
2,286,000
0
0
**0**
**0**
**2,286,000**
38,894
0
5,286
6,008
402,221
25,409
29,838
**5,286**
**6,008**
**496,362**
4,211|**Restricted**
**Funds**
**Endowment**
**Funds**
**Totals**
**2022/23**
£
£
£
2,286,000
0
0
**0**
**0**
**2,286,000**
38,894
0
5,286
6,008
402,221
25,409
29,838
**5,286**
**6,008**
**496,362**
4,211|**Restricted**
**Funds**
**Endowment**
**Funds**
**Totals**
**2022/23**
£
£
£
2,286,000
0
0
**0**
**0**
**2,286,000**
38,894
0
5,286
6,008
402,221
25,409
29,838
**5,286**
**6,008**
**496,362**
4,211|**Restricted**
**Funds**
**Endowment**
**Funds**
**Totals**
**2022/23**
£
£
£
2,286,000
0
0
**0**
**0**
**2,286,000**
38,894
0
5,286
6,008
402,221
25,409
29,838
**5,286**
**6,008**
**496,362**
4,211|GN
**Totals**
**2021/22**
£
3,427,123
R
R
**3,427,123**
38,894
S
0
462,337
44,206
T
27,595
**573,032**
0
U
V
**0**
**573,032**
**4,000,155**
V
**4,000,155**
W
3,537,818
457,139
W
0
**3,994,957**
**4,970**
**228**
**4,000,155**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||**General Fund**
**(Unrestricted)**
£|**Circuit Model**
**Trusts**
**(Unrestricted)**
£|**Designated**
**Funds**
**(Unrestricted)**
£|**Restricted**
**Funds**
£|**Endowment**
**Funds**
£|**Totals**
**2022/23**
£|||
|||||||||||
|Circuit Manses & Equipment||2,286,000|||||2,286,000|||
|Investmentproperties||||||0||||
|Investments|||||||0|||
|**_Total fixed assets_**||**2,286,000**|**0**|**0**|**0**|**0**|**2,286,000**|||
|**Current Assets**||||||||||
|Debtors||38,894|||||38,894|||
|Loans bythe Circuit|||||||0|||
|Investments with TMCP|||390,927||5,286|6,008|402,221|||
|Central Finance Board Deposits||25,409|||||25,409|||
|Cash at Bank and in hand||29,838|||||29,838|||
|**_Total current assets_**||**94,141**|**390,927**|**0**|**5,286**|**6,008**|**496,362**|||
|**Current liabilities**||||||||||
|Creditors (due in under 1 year)||4,211|||||4,211||0|
|Grantspayable within 2022-23|||||||0|||
|**_Total current liabilities_**||**4,211**|**0**|**0**|**0**|**0**|**4,211**||**0**|
|**_Net current assets/liabilities_**||**89,930**|**390,927**|**0**|**5,286**|**6,008**|**492,151**||**573,032**|
|||||||||||
|**_Total assets less current liabilities_**||**2,375,930**|**390,927**|**0**|**5,286**|**6,008**|**2,778,151**||**4,000,155**|
||||||**0**
**0**
**0**
**5,286**
**6,008**
**2,778,151**
2,375,930
390,927
0
**2,766,857**
**5,286**
5,286
**6,008**
6,008
**5,286**
**6,008**
2,778,151|||||
|**Long term liabilities**
**(due after more than oneyear)**||||||||||
|Grantspayable after 2022-23|||||||**0**|||
|Loans to the Circuit|||||||**0**|||
||||||||**0**|||
|**_Net assets_**||**2,375,930**|**390,927**|**0**|**5,286**|**6,008**|**2,778,151**|||
|**Funds of the Circuit**||||||||||
|General Fund(Unrestricted)||2,375,930|390,927||**5,286**||2,375,930||3,537,818|
|Circuit Model Trust Fund (Unrestricted)|||390,927||||390,927||457,139|
|Designated Funds(Unrestricted)||||0|||0||0|
|**_Total Unrestricted Funds_**|||||||**2,766,857**||**3,994,957**|
|Restricted Funds|||||**5,286**||5,286||**4,970**|
|Endowment Funds||||||**6,008**|6,008||**228**|
|**_Total Funds_**||**2,375,930**|**390,927**|**0**|**5,286**|**6,008**|2,778,151||**4,000,155**|
## **Independent examiner's report on the accounts**
## **Section A Independent Examiner’s Report**
**Report to the trustees**
Charity Name West Pennine Moors Methodist Circuit
**On accounts for the year** 31 August 2023 **Charity no** 1132674 **ended (if any) Set out on pages** 1-7 (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31/08/2023.
**Responsibilities and** As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the **basis of report** accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts 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** The charity’s gross income exceeded £250,000 and I am qualified to **examiner's statement** undertake the examination by being a qualified member of Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
- the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
- the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
- the accounts did 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.
* _Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply._
**Date:** 12/06/2024 **Signed:** ~~el |~~ **Name:** Ceri Dixon **Relevant professional** ICAEW **qualification(s) or body**
**Oct 2018**
1
**IER**
## **(if any):**
**Address:**
PM+M Solutions For Business LLP, New Century House, Greenbank Technology Park, Challenge Way, Blackburn. BB1 5QB.
## **Section B Disclosure**
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).
**Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose** .
**Oct 2018**
2
**IER**