Vale of Glamorgan Methodist Circuit Annual Report
1 September 2023 to 31 August 2024
Charity Number 1133044
The Church exists to increase awareness of God's presence and to celebrate God's love.
Our aim is to support the churches in our circuit in our calling of The Methodist Church to respond to the gospel of God's love in Christ and to live out its discipleship in worship and mission through Worship, Learning and Caring, Service and Evangelism.
The Principal Officer of the Charity during this period was Revd Catherine Lewis
Number of ministers employed at 31 August 2023 is 2. All volunteers are either trustees of the Circuit or local churches within the Circuit.
Date report approved:
The Trustees, responsible for all decisions made including appointments, were as follows at 31 August 2024 :
| Catherine Lewis (Chair) | Janet Davies | Barry Hawkins | Marty Presdee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bryan Ashmead | Ian Severn | ||
| Dave Hutton | Angela Davison | John Hexter | Gerwyn Davies |
| Ian Doble | Nona Hexter | Nona Hexter Judith Lanning |
|
| Jon Barry | Derek Dowdeswell | Graham IIlingworth | |
| Andrew Bennett | Stephen Evans | Tim Jeans | |
| Carole Braggins | Tony Farmer | John Jevons | |
| Chris Braggins | Christine Foster | Rosie James | |
| Jennifer Ware | Roy Gibson | Cathie Steele | |
| Roy Wright | Loraine Gittins | Pat Norman | |
| Lyn Creese | Anne Hamber | Janet Pedwell | |
| Jenny Corbett | Carol Halliwell | Malcolm Halliwell |
Staffing and Appointments
These months have seen no changes in our Ministerial Staff, with Rev Cath Lewis as Superintendent Minister, and Rev Paul Martin as Minister, both have had periods of illness, during which our supernumery Ministers, Circuit Administrator, Local Preachers and Circuit Leadership Team have taken on extra duties, maintaining the patten of worship, meetings and activities within the Circuit. The Circuit is thankful for their answer to the Circuits needs.
Our Children and Families workers at Penarth Methodist Church and Barry Uniting Church have brought different skills to add to the churches outreach, and both are on note as they take part in the Worship Leaders Training. We have one other person who is looking at the training.
We are continuing to explore with Hope Methodist Church the appointment of a lay worker there, with the view of resolving this appointment within this coming year.
Jayne Kolano continues as our Circuit Administrator assisting the Supt Minister with administration of circuit matters.
The Work of God in the Circuit
All churches across the Circuit open Sunday by Sunday mornings for worship, one, Hope Methodist Church also offers an evening service twice a month, in the style of Prayer and Praise, churches across the circuit also offer a variety of community activities.
Penarth Methodist church continue to offer access to online worship for those members who would prefer to attend worship in this way.
The work and organisation of the Circuit continued apace. The Circuit Leadership team, the Circuit Meeting and Circuit staff moved to physical meetings in September 2023.
During the year service to local communities has continued through the work of individual churches as illustrated through the support of toddler groups in 4 churches, the continuing work with older children through the Starship Club, assistance to isolated people through the operation of community cafes, support to the local foodbank and making available church premises for use by other community groups.
Work continued at Barry Uniting church to develop links with other community groups so that the community centre The Bridge Between might develop as a community hub for this Barry Waterfront area.
Crossway church ceased to meet prior to this year, and the sale of the property is now complete.
Both manses have continued to be cared for with repairs being noted and carried out in a timely manner
Unconscious bias training courses were offered by the Wales Synod Learning and Development Team, and we have offered EDI training via this online method, or alternatively via our EDI officer, Rev Dave Hutton, who has held a well-attended and well received numbers of training sessions scattered throughout the Circuit at
varying times of day. These sessions combined with the online training mean that the Circuit staff and nearly all its people who need to, have completed this training.
DBS certificates across the churches have also been brought up to date.
The local preachers and worship leaders’ meetings continued to take place, giving support to those leading worship.
During the year local preachers assisted the presbyteral ministers by leading worship in churches throughout the Circuit. At 31 Aug 2024 there were 10 active accredited local preachers plus 13 worship leaders and 4 active supernumerary ministers. The Circuit recognises and is most grateful for the great contribution those individuals make to Circuit life and worship.
Nona Hexter -Senior Circuit Steward December 2025
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CIRCUIT RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS
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THE METHODIST CHURCH
STANDARD FORM OF ACCOUNTS Vale of Glamorgan Methodist Circuit
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FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 August 2024
E
F
: a Fl
Wales Synod Cymru
District
02 27
Registered Charity - Charity Registration number
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1133044 |
If not a registered charity His Majesty's Revenue and Customs Gift Aid number | (The HMRC number is equivalent to a registered charity number in terms of evidence of charitable status and may be used to give to donors or grant funders wishing to see evidence of the organisation's charitable status. Methodist charities in England and Wales that are not registered charities are excepted from registration under Statutory Instrument 2014 No.242 )
Ministers:
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Circuit Stewards:
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——_—<—<—$——S$
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|;|Vale of Glamorgan Methodist|
|ACCOUNTS|FOR THE YEAR ENDED|31|August 2024|Circuit|Circuit|
|F|Un-|Circuit|
|restricted|Model|Trust|Restricted|Totals|this|Totals|fast|
|E|SECTION A|Funds|Fund|Funds|year|year|
|F|RECEIPTS|||Note|||£|£|£|£|£|
|[22||Assessment/Share|eeee|
|ji|a4|BankCapital receiptsand|CFB|interest|and|ee|||ee|
|;|Investment|income|2,746|6,631|19,246|12,922|
|a|||
|[a6 |Other receipts|TT|zzaol|| 25,507|32,756]||
|TOTAL RECEIPTS|477,989|6,631]|264,565|449,185|(a8)|||158,155]|
|SECTION|B|
|i|PAYMENTS|
|b2|Stipends,|salaries,|NIC,|Pension|and|
|5|lbs|wansecoststravel|costs|| S||126,558ros]=||126,5588.705|79,75712,102|
|lba|Acministrationetc|
|Assessment|
|los|pistict|=|||=||seo]70]|=| S|,—ta|—aagal||aot860|6332|,|624340|
|E|Ine ||Grants & donations|||||28,706||||49,0241|47,727|38,088|
|b7|URC|
|4,338|4,338|4,296|
|Ibs|| Other payments|i: ae|9,023cael.|63,925|72,948|40,534|
|:|[bo TOTAL PAYMENTS|[LE|[231,360]]|t9]__ 104,300]|[___335,950|(bo)]]]|240,741|
|SECTION|C|
|aci||THENET Y R|E|CEIPTS/PAYMENTSAR|FOR|(a7-b9)||__|(53,380)|6,440||160,175|Pa|ceased|_82,586|
|Total funds brought forward from|last|year|89,012|387,850|ae|476.862|||559,449||
|Sub total|ci+c2 ||_35,632||394,290]|160,175|590,097|476,863|
|Transfers and adjustments|234,285}|(234,285 ee|Erroea||
|TOTAL FUNDS ATEND OF YEAR|(c3+c4)]|269,917] 160,005]| 160,175|590,097|(c8)|||476,863|
|FOR|INFORMATION|ONLY:|MONEY RECEIVED|AND|PASSED|ON TO|EXTERNAL|ORGANISATIONS|
|F|SECTION D|
|‘these amounts should not be included in total receipts/payments above)|||
|Offerings/Gifts|- received for external organisations|;|I|||
|Offerings/Gifts - passed to external organisations|aia|1,575)|
|BALANCE STILL TO BE PAID|(d1|+ d2- d3|oe|
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20f8
SFA23-4 141024
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Internat Organisation would normally be Restricted funds unless it could be clearly shown that they could be used for any Methodist purpose. I nis secuon
must be completed to arrive at the gross receipts and payments totals of the Circuit. If gross income exceeds the Accruals threshold of £260,000, then the
Accruals method of accounting AND A DIFFERENT FORM must be used to report the accounts (see Methodist website), Please refer to the guidance
notes regarding transfers between the Circuit and connected Circult Organisations.
i i
INTERNAL Net Receipts! Opening |
[ORGANISATIONS | Receipts Payments nedPayments eeAdjustments oe balances ieeeClosing balances |
a ome |
De: | | ii ee i || ae|
eS |
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OrganisationsSub total of Internal funds j ii || | | et} au|
Circuit accounts (totals | i \ | i i |
eo)HEL0pagebroughtContinueOTA! 2 [By] - forward totals [ cRCUT] onASHa separate column)FUNG from |paea449,185! | (a8) |epa335,950/(b9))| || 113,235| ee{c7] | 476,862:” |4 (c6 | 590,097)590,097)(8||
sheet if necessary and TOTAL RECEIPTS Pp
bring the totals forward Rikon
STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
GPENING CLOSING
CIRCUIT - CASH FUNDS HELD at 314 August 2024 BALANCES BALANCES
Cash in hand | ee ||
Bank Current Account | 14,112 28,545)
‘Central Finance Board ; 174,196
ie ‘iain for Methodist Church Purposes | 67,182 | 73,624 |
Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes | 387,850 31 3,740|
Hl i
SUB TOTAL | 476,863 dl 590,096) (c8)
Total funds held oy intemal Grganisations (the i
#8 {closing balance totals above} (e12} i 912)
TOTAL CASH FUNDS HELD BY CIRCUIT j 476,863 | §90,096|
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jee
SECTION G | At At
OTHER ASSETS and LIABILITIES Gah 4 September 2023 31 August 2024
a hangInvestments [ and][ Buildings] (include Endowments [(see][ notes][ re][ Insurance][ valua)] _| 600,000 Fe910,000|
Loanis) [-][ show][ amount][ outstanding] [at][ year][ end] ——4,583
Other Liabiities |
{4 Include only Funds held at the Central Finance Board
£5 Include only CFB Funds held at Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes
q1 Include any other investments (not the cash element of TMCP trust accounts this is inserted in line '5)
SFAZ3-4 141024 aofs
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No. 22./%
Name of Circuit i es
Declarations and Scrutiny
| confirm that these Receipt and Payment based accounts for the year to 31 August 2024 have been prepared from the records of the Circuit and that they include all funds under the contro! of the Circuit 4 meeting.
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“Sc 5 esi 10 fey 2026
Signature of treasurer 20.00.0000 en ST TIN ee Date.......cfe ele
Name and address of treasurer ccecseseeseees Rely... Petree teetn Rake cece
eevee cee teesetetter testes SRA cee Post Code... CF GY sh
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Presentation to the Circuit meeting
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| confirm that the annual report and accounts for the year ended 31 August 2024 were/wittte
presented to the Circuit meeting held on ..2.4.. Mianwe 2025
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Signature of the Chair of the meeting ins. \eee7 ” [ iy
Name of the Chair of the meeting CENCIA € FEMS... Date 42,03 4 Cs
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independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of the
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Charity Number ll go OMe
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Responsibilities and basis of report
: ats et tei pi; pr AM Circuit| report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the peasenka bas elei) ee for the year ended 31 August 2024 set out on pages .2. to .A. As the Circuit’s trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).
| report in respect of my examination of the Circuit's accounts carried out under section 145 of the Act and, in carrying out my examination, | have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
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SFA23-4 141024 4of 5
Name of Circuit Male of
Glanelgan
No 02 [2 7
Independent Examiner’s Statement
| have completed my examination. | confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that disclosed below*) which give me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
- e the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act: or e the accounts do not accord with the accounting records.
| 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,
| have/have=-not* obtained independent verification of all investments with the Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes or held in other trusts, bank balances and funds at the Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church which are individually in excess of £10,000 (ten thousand pounds) at the balance sheet date.
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Signature of independent examiner Be, eee
Name of independent examiner ..ELIZABETH.THONG nooo ceeccececteeeees
Relevant professional qualification of independent examiner +!MOET. AQR. l eoeeds stra
Nameof [firm] [(where] [appropriate)] 00.0.0... ie ccececcesene esr eeeceuesueeeeesesueeeneeseeseeuaesaeesuesesgeenans
Address ...22...L14S.... OORRUIG.,.. FREISADIIARESUIee ececeteeesteeeeeee
RR TT AION oo ls Le eetendngaiesirarcrns POSt Code GIRS ASRE C)
Date OG J ZOBK.
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SFA23-4 141024 § of5
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The Methodist Church – Vale of Glamorgan Circuit Reserves Policy 2025
This document includes all funds held by the Vale of Glamorgan Circuit Meeting as charity trustees. Our Reserves Policy relates to our General (Unrestricted) Funds which are freely available to be used for any or all of the purposes of the Circuit. Other funds are also included for the sake of clarity and openness and to show that the Circuit has a policy for the management of all of its money not simply those which are defined as reserves.
Aims
Our aim is twofold:
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(1) To secure and sustain the Circuit’s viability and future.
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(2) To give reassurance to the general public that the Circuit, which is a charity, intends to use all of the money coming into its care for the purposes of the charity.
The Circuit Reserves policy takes into account the following:
(1) Mission Policy
The Circuit’s Mission Policy is set out in a separate document .This was reviewed by the Vale of Glamorgan Circuit Meeting (as the Charity Trustees) on 26 March 2024 Essentially, it provides for:
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(a) the ministerial oversight and pastoral care of the 7 local churches in the Circuit
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(b) the support of a ministry team of 2 WTE presbyteral ministers, and 2 part time child & family workers
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(c) the maintenance of the 2 Circuit manses.
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d) Administrative support to the Superintendent Minister though the provision of a part time Circuit Administrator
(2) Financial Plans
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2.1) The Circuit Assessment is reviewed annually The Circuit has agreed that it will cover its costs from the Assessment with the exception of the following items being met from its reserves :
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Lay workers appointed to support mission in individual churches, either directly or employed by other agencies
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Grants to churches to help with property related capital expenditure
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The annual contribution to Synod based on the balances held in the Circuit Advance Fund
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Administrative support to the Supt Minister
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2.2) The Circuit Assessment is currently based on church membership with a financial adjustment to cushion major increases for individual churches in successive years
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2.3) We make provision for our property maintenance programme by designating £10000 per annum to maintain the 2 manses and funding any additional major expenditure from reserves.
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2.4)1. Under Standing Orders the Circuit must meet its financial obligations in relation to the support of its ministers and the maintenance of the manses. The total costs incurred for this purpose by the Vale Circuit for the 2023/4 financial year was £102205
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2.4)2. On 1 Sept 2024 the Circuit Fund (unrestricted general fund) held a balance of approximately £276,356
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2.6.1 On 1 Sept 2023, the Trustees for Methodist church Purposes Circuit Advance Fund (Restricted Fund) held a balance of £313740 (This fund derives from sales of chapels and manses and is restricted by the Conference. This restriction is an internal regulation though the fund can be used for a variety of purposes.) During the financial year 2022/3 the balance of the Circuit Advance Fund fell by approximately £74,000 principally due to :
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the transfer of resources to the general (unrestricted) fund to support the continued employment of lay workers, circuit administrator and manse expenditure
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a District levy on those capital balances held at the start of the year.
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capital grants given to churches to enable them to maintain their properties
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these costs were partially offset by the sale of the former Crossway Methodist Church
Reserves Policy
In accordance with advice to charities regarding the amount of free reserves which should be held (CC 19), the Circuit Reserves Policy is to hold approximately three months expenditure in hand. At 1 Sept 2024 we held approx. £590,000 in reserve, of which approx £441,000 is allocated leaving £149,,000 as free reserves . Planned expenditure for 2023/4 is £253,388 so three months expenditure would amount to £63347. While the free reserves exceed this advisory figure Trustees believe it likely that in future years this figure will further decline due to the TMCP levy on reserves held and further allocation of reserves to mission activity.
In accordance with the Charity Commission guidance, the Trustees have set a policy for the management of the Circuit Advance Fund and that policy is set out below:
Money held in the CAF has been earmarked by the Trustees for the following purposes:
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a) up to £65,000 p.a. to fund child & family workers & a Circuit administrator up to 2030
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b) Up to £35,000 to underwrite operating costs at the St Athan Gathering Place Community Centre
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c) A fund of £150,000 for capital grants to churches, of which £75,000 remained at 1 Feb 2025
The Circuit meeting will review this policy annually and any revisions will be made accordingly
Date 25/3/2025 Rev Catherine Lewis (Chair, Circuit Meeting)
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