2024-08-31-accounts - The Gordano Valley Methodist Circuit

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REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1133077

Report of the Trustees and

Financial Statements

for the Year Ended 31 August 2024

for

GORDANO VALLEY METHODIST CIRCUIT

GORDANO VALLEY METHODIST CIRCUIT TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT YEAR ENDED 31[ST] August 2024

The Trustees present their report and financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31[st] August 2024.

1 Objectives and activities

In setting the objectives and planning our activities, the Circuit Meeting (under the leadership of the Circuit Leadership Team [CLT]), meets twice in each year, has given careful consideration to the Charity Commissioners’ general guidance on public benefit and, in particular, to its supplementary public benefit guidance on advancing our objectives and conforms to the Charity Act 2011.

Our aim is to encourage and enable people of all ages to become followers of Jesus Christ, and to learn and grow in Christian faith.

The Gordano Valley Circuit is committed to celebrating and sharing the good news of the Gospel; that God loves us, Jesus died for our sins and is risen, and the Holy Spirit gives us strength and inspiration in our daily lives. We seek growth and renewal through the centrality of prayer and scripture, worship, and sacrament.

We aim to do this by:

Passing it on

By encouraging mission and outreach as an integral part of the life of every Christian and every congregation.
By offering appropriate pastoral care to those inside and outside the Church.
By continuing to develop God-glorifying worship and teaching which is engaging and relevant to people of all ages and abilities.

People

By recognizing that everyone is valuable and has something to offer and by encouraging everyone’s gifts.
By placing a priority on the work with children and young people, while recognizing the needs of all generations.
By working in local communities to build bridges with those outside Church lives.
By resourcing ministers and lay staff to work in mission alongside Circuit Stewards and the congregation of the Circuit’s churches.
By working ecumenically and with other circuits where appropriate.
By identifying and resourcing training needs within the Circuit.

Property

By prioritising ‘good practice’ in all things including the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults, risk assessment, health and safety, employment and trusteeship.
By making sure that churches in the Circuit are well maintained, well resourced, and welcoming to all through good stewardship of the money and buildings which have been entrusted to us.
By linking into District and Connexional resources of the Methodist Church.

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GORDANO VALLEY METHODIST CIRCUIT TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT YEAR ENDED 31[ST] August 2024

2 Achievements and performance

Last year the pursuit of growth was identified as the key mission priority and a number of strategies were put in place to engage this challenge, which have been implemented this year. A series of circuit wide gatherings which draw people from the churches to explore aspects of church growth have been led by Revd Nick Noxon this year. The theme of growth strategy is also more explicitly covered in circuit meetings, as churches are asked to detail steps that they are taking to engage with this. Stories are being shared of various initiatives which represent strides towards growing community engagement.

Two ministers, Revd Deborah Mallett and Revd Jill Flowers, finished their time in the Circuit in August. Earlier in the year the Circuit went through the Methodist stationing process, and we were delighted to be matched with Revd Sally Ratcliffe, beginning in September 2024.

The Circuit continues to train one local preacher.

Volunteers

Almost all of the work undertaken by the churches is that of volunteers, from preaching and leading worship to youth and children’s work, pastoral visiting, stewardship of finance and buildings, right through to administration and forming of mission policy. The Circuit continues to seek to engage everyone in the churches to discern their own sense of calling and to live it out in local service.

2.1 Plans for future years

From September 2024 the Circuit will be overseen by 3 ministers, configured thus:

Nailsea + Backwell + Yatton (overseen by Revd Sally Ratcliffe)
Portishead High St + Redcliffe Bay + Pill (overseen by Revd Nick Moxon)
Christchurch LEP + Kenn Rd + superintendency (overseen by Revd Russell Herbert)

The intention is to appoint lay workers in the Nailsea / Backwell / Yatton section and the Portishead / Redcliffe Bay / Pill section to work alongside the ministers, funded partly by the renting of the spare manse at Yatton.

3 Financial review

During the year, the Circuit received total income of £308,521 (2022-23 £299,074) and dispersed £325,709 (2022-23 £274,025). The Trustees believe that the Circuit is a going concern. Churches meet their assessments, and the Circuit has reserves to cover a shortfall in anticipated income.

The Circuit has the following principal sources of funds:

Assessments on churches within the Circuit
Contributions towards the cost of Lay Workers by churches

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GORDANO VALLEY METHODIST CIRCUIT TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT YEAR ENDED 31[ST] August 2024

3.1 Investment Policy and Performance

To comply with Methodist Standing Orders, monies for long term investment are lodged with the Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes (TMCP). TMCP acts as custodian trustee for all real estate held by circuits, for all large (over £20K) bequests and for the proceeds of sale of any property formerly owned by the Circuit. Currently, the Circuit has no funds lodged with TMCP.

Short term deposits are held in a deposit account at the Central Finance Board (CFB)at rates of interest that reflect the financial market.

3.2 Reserves

The Circuit has agreed to maintain a minimum reserve (measured as total funds less fixed assets) based on four months’ expenditure (excluding Ministers’ stipends), half of which is to be held by the Circuit with half to be held by circuit churches, plus, ordinarily, around one year’s budgeted expenditure on manse maintenance, a £1,000 allowance for mission initiatives and an allowance for future stationing costs.

	2024	2023
Policy Minimum Reserves	£54,780	£46,612
Actual Reserves	£70,790	£87,978

3.3 Collaborative arrangements with connected charities

The Circuit’s main source of income is the assessments obtained from each church within the Circuit based on freewill giving plus Gift Aid and membership, split 60% on income and 40% on membership worked on a three-year average. Part of the assessment paid by churches includes the District assessment on the Circuit in respect of central costs of the Connexion and the District’s own costs.

4 Trustees’ responsibilities

4.1 Risk

The Circuit is largely risk free, insofar as its costs are covered by the assessment on local churches. The main financial risk would be a shortfall in income should a church be unable to meet its assessment. During the year the Circuit has reviewed its policies for:

Safeguarding
Conflict of Interest
Risk Management
Social Media
Complaints
Reserves
Lay Employment
Methodist Church Privacy Notice
Privacy Notice and Data Mapping
Volunteer Management

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GORDANO VALLEY METHODIST CIRCUIT TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT YEAR ENDED 31[ST] August 2024

5 Structure, governance, and management

The Circuit is an unincorporated association and is governed by the Methodist Church Act 1976, the Deed of Union and the Model Trust Deeds of the Methodist Church and was registered with the Charity Commissioners on 2[nd] December 2009.

5.1 Structure

Circuits are the coordinating charities for local groups of churches; Circuits pay the stipends of the ministers and employ lay staff to serve the churches in the Circuit; most decisions are made or ratified at the Circuit meeting. A District is the coordinating charity for a group of contiguous circuits and makes its decisions at the half yearly synods. The Methodist Conference meets once each year as the supreme denominational body for all Methodist churches.

Overall regulatory authority rests with the Methodist Conference.
The Connexional Office implements decisions made by Conference and also is responsible for the stationing of presbyters and deacons (collectively known as ministers) in individual Circuits and Districts.
Connexional decisions are passed to the Chair of the District and the appropriate officers of the District for implementation.
The District passes control down to Circuit level for local implementation by the Superintendent Minister, ministerial staff and Circuit Stewards, and authority is delegated to the Circuit Meeting for certain matters.
The Circuit Meeting passes regulatory control down to church councils for local implementation by the presbyter, the Church Stewards, and other officers, and this regulatory authority is then exercised by Church Councils as managing trustees of their charity.

5.2 Purpose of the Circuit

The purposes of the Methodist Church are and shall be deemed to have been since the date of the union the advancement of:

a. The Christian faith in accordance with the doctrinal standards and the discipline of the Methodist Church;
b. Any charitable purposes 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; and
d. Any purpose for the time being of any charity being a charity subsidiary or ancillary of the Methodist Church.

The primary purpose of the Circuit is to advance the mission of the Church in the Gordano Valley area of North Somerset;

By providing opportunities for churches to work together and support each other; and
By offering to churches resources of finance, personnel and expertise.
The Circuit serves the local churches, the District and the Conference in the support, deployment and oversight of the various ministries of the Church, and in programs of training.

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GORDANO VALLEY METHODIST CIRCUIT TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT YEAR ENDED 31[ST] August 2024

5.3 Governance

The Circuit operates within a statutory framework of regulation and seeks to ensure that if follows Methodist Standing Orders. It relies on the Connexional Office at 25 Tavistock Place, London WC1H 9SF to provide guidance on changes that could affect the Circuit.

Trustees are members of the Circuit Meeting and are appointed as per the Constitution Practice and Discipline (CPD) of the Methodist Church, Standing order 510. The officers and representatives of the constitutive churches are elected from those respective churches. The circuit officers – namely Circuit Stewards, Treasurer, Secretary, Property Secretary, Safeguarding Officer, Local Preachers Secretary, and any other officers that may be appointed are nominated and elected by Circuit Meeting members.

The membership of the Circuit Leadership Team includes the ministers of the Circuit, the Circuit Stewards and Circuit Treasurer who are appointed by vote of the Circuit Meeting for a continuous term not normally exceeding six years. The Superintendent Minister is ex officio chair of the CLT. When a position becomes vacant on the CLT nominations are invited from the ministers and lay members of the churches they represent. The Superintendent Minister then shares with them what the role involves. If they wish to be considered for the role, their names are taken to the Circuit Meeting for approval.

The CLT normally meets every two months and deals with routine and exceptional matters. It overseas finance, property, stationing, safeguarding and training.

5.4 Responsibilities of the Circuit Leadership Team

To formulate and promote policies which will advance the mission of the Church in local churches and, in particular, to supervise the use of resources of personnel, property and finance and to assist local churches having exceptional problems.
To encourage ecumenical co-operation.
To act in an executive capacity in matters remitted to the Team by the Circuit Meeting.
To keep within its purview all circuit concerns not dealt with elsewhere.
To contribute and respond, as the case may be, to the development of Connexional policies as reflected in the work of the Conference and the Methodist council, and to carry out its other responsibilities with any such development in mind.
To be aware of the public benefit guidance issued by the Charity Commission.

6 Reference and administrative details

6.1 Name of the charity

The Gordano Valley Methodist Circuit, sometimes abbreviated to GVMC.

6.2 Charity registration number

1133077, registered in England and Wales on 2nd December 2009.

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GORDANO VALLEY METHODIST CIRCUIT TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT YEAR ENDED 31[ST] August 2024

6.3 Principal Office

The Office Christchurch Chapel Hill Clevedon BS21 7LL

Tel. 01275 871483 www.gordanovalleymethodists.info

6.4 Superintendent Minister’s PA

Mrs Kathryn McManus-Jones

6.5 Bankers

National Westminster Bank PLC 89 High Street Weston-super-Mare North Somerset BS23 1HJ

Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church 25 Tavistock Place London WC1H 9SF

6.6 Investment managers and custodian trustees

Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes Central Buildings Oldham Street Manchester M1 1JQ

6.7 Independent Examiner

Matthew Bracher FCA Gravita, Chartered Accountants Bath House 6-8 Bath Street Bristol BS1 6HL

7 Approval

The trustees’ report has been approved by the trustees on 26[th] March 2025 and signed on behalf of the trustees by:

Revd Dr Russell Herbert Superintendent Minister

David Markall Circuit Treasurer

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GORDANO VALLEY METHODIST CIRCUIT TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT YEAR ENDED 31[ST] August 2024

7.1 Names of Trustees

The following served as trustees throughout part or all of the year 2023-24 or were trustees at the time of this report being approved:

Backwell
Miss V Sowerby	CH		Mrs H Bentley	CH
Christchurch L.E.P.
Rev R Herbert	Min		Mr A Pett	CH
Rev C Jennings	Min	To 31/8/24	Mr N Adams	CH
Mrs M Sutherland	CS		Mr J Richards	Add
Mrs J McManus	CH	To 24/9/24	Mrs C Gale	CMS
Kenn Road
Mrs J Bailey	CH		Mr S Ball	CH
Mr C G Mills	CH		Rev P Andersen	Sup
Rev P Challis	Sup		Rev C Challis	Sup
Mrs W Miriams	CH	To 1/3/24	Mrs S Bell	CH	From 20/2/24
Nailsea
Mr N Hardman	CS		Mr R Lancaster	CH
Mr P Todd	CH		Mr A Emery	CH
Mrs M Emery	LP		Rev D Mallett	Min	To 31/8/24
Rev D Sharp	Sup		Rev M Pullan	Sup
Mr D Markall	CT		Rev S Ratcliffe	Min	From 1/9/24
Pill
Mrs L Powell	CH		Mrs E Marsh	CH
Portishead
Rev N Moxon	Min		Mrs B Thompson	CH
Rev P Mortlock	Sup		Christine Nutting	CH
Rev B Hunt	Sup		Rev A Owen	Sup NV
Mr A Hemus	CH
Redcliffe Bay
Mr D Uncles	CH		Mrs S Mason	CH
Rev D Harris	Sup		Mr A Reddrop	CS
Yatton
Mr T R Calderbank	CH		Rev I Bowley	Sup
Mr M Buckley	Add		Rev J Flowers	Min	To 31/8/24
Rev A Price	Sup	To 1/12/23	Mr K Woodham	CS
Mrs B Hook	Add		Mr M Fisher	CH
Mrs J Mason	Add	From 20/9/24

Add	Additional Member	CH	Church Steward/Rep.	CMS	Circuit MeetingSecretary
CS	Circuit Steward	CT	Circuit treasurer	Min	Minister
LP	Local Preachers Rep.	Sup	SupernumeraryMinister	NV	Non-Voting

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Gordano Valley Circuit

Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) for the year ended 31st August 2024

	Notes	Unrestricted Funds	Unrestricted Funds
		2023-24	2022-23
Income from: Charitable Activities - Assessment on Churches Income from Charitable Activities Investments Other Income Total Income and Endowments Expenditure on Charitable Activities- Management of the Circuit Grants and Donations Salaries and Associated Costs Property Office Expenses District Assessment Other Outgoings Total Charitable Expenditure Net Incoming/(Outgoing) Resources before Transfers Other gains/losses Net movement of funds Total Funds Brought Forward Total Funds Carried Forward	2 4 5 7 10	£	£
		269,700	261,540

		4,803	2,623
		34,018	34,911
		308,521	299,074


		800	1,100
		199,313	201,521
		62,546	19,618
		5,735	4,142
		49,056	44,904
		8,259	2,740
		325,709	274,025

		(17,188)	25,049



		(17,188)	25,049

		2,075,834	2,050,785

		2,058,646	2,075,834

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Gordano Valley Circuit Balance Sheet as at 31st August 2024

Fixed Assets Circuit Manses *Total Fixed Assets* Current Assets Debtors and Prepayments Central Finance Board Deposits Cash at Bank and in Hand *Total Current Assets* Creditors (due in under 1 year) Net Current Assets/Liabilities *Total Assets less Current Liabilities* *Net Assets* Funds of the Circuit General Fund Restricted Funds		Unrestricted Funds	Unrestricted Funds
	Note	2024	2023
		£	£

	BS1	1,987,856	1,987,856

		1,987,856	1,987,856


	BS2	10,782	15,896
	BS3	68,293	89,806
	BS3	15,319	2,904
		94,394	108,606

	BS4	23,604	20,628

		70,790	87,978

		2,058,646	2,075,834

		2,058,646	2,075,834

		2,058,646	2,075,834

*Total Funds*		2,058,646	2,075,834

The financial statements have been approved by the Circuit trustees and signed on behalf of the trustees by:

Revd Dr Russell Herbert

David Markall

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The Gordano Valley Methodist Circuit Notes to the accounts for year ending 31st August 2024

1 Basis of accounting and accounting policies

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) 'Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)', Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' and the Charities Act 2011.

I. Public benefit entity

The Gordano Valley Methodist Circuit meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy note(s) below.

II. Basis

These accounts have been prepared on the basis of historical cost. The accruals basis has been used and trustees present accounts that show a true and fair view of the Circuit’s financial position and activities.

III. Content

The financial information presented is relevant, reliable, comparable, and complete. Where estimates are used these are based on experience, research, and judgement. The accounts are expressed in £ Sterling, rounded to the nearest pound.

IV. Going concern

The accounts have been prepared on the assumption that the charity is able to continue as a going concern. The Trustees consider that the charity has sufficient cash reserves to continue as a going concern for a period of at least 12 months from the date on which these financial statements are approved.

V. Consolidation

The Circuit has denominational regulatory oversight in respect of the work of the churches within the Circuit but has no legal or operational control of those churches and their governing bodies except in extreme circumstances. For this reason, the financial statements of churches within the Circuit are not consolidated into these financial statements.

VI. Income recognition

Income is brought into account when there is entitlement, and the amount is reliably measurable once it is more than likely than not that the economic benefit of the income will be forthcoming. The Circuit acts as agent in the collection from churches and payment over of their contributions to various Funds controlled and administered by The Methodist Church – “Connexional Funds”. In all these matters the transactions are not reflected in the SOFA because they are the income of either the Connexion or churches as appropriate. Instead, the transactions are disclosed in the Notes to the Accounts.

The Gordano Valley Methodist Circuit Notes to the accounts for year ending 31st August 2024

VII. Donated Goods

In accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS102), the time of volunteers is not recognised. If goods are donated, a value will be shown in the SOFA or Notes where the value is considered material.

VIII. Expenditure

This is recognised when a liability is incurred, or a constructive obligation arises, where the amount is reliably measurable, and it is considered more likely than not that there will be an outflow of economic benefit.

IX. VAT

The Circuit is not VAT registered. VAT is charged with the expenses to which it refers.

X. Tangible fixed assets

a. These are capitalised if they can be used for more than one year, and individually cost at least £1,000.
b. The Freehold property (4 manses) was valued at a deemed cost of £1,945,000 as at 1st September 2015 by professional valuation, plus subsequent additions at a cost of £42,856. No depreciation is provided on the buildings because the trustees consider the current residential fair value of the manse buildings (on the assumption that it had reached the end of its useful economic life by the year end) to be not less than its cost to date. Any depreciation would not be material. The property has been reviewed for impairment.

XI. Basic financial instruments

The charity has financial assets and liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value.

XII. Debtors and creditors

a. Debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid.
b. Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will normally result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount.

XIII. Short term liquid investments and cash

Cash at bank is held to meet short-term cash commitments as they fall due rather than for investment purposes and includes all cash equivalents held in the form of short-term highly liquid investments. Cash equivalents are short-term, highly liquid investments that are readily convertible to known amounts of cash and that are subject to an insignificant risk of changes in value.

The Gordano Valley Methodist Circuit Notes to the accounts for year ending 31st August 2024

XIV. Methodist Connexional funds

The Methodist Church Connexion raises assessments against circuits, and these are paid monthly to their districts. The circuits raise assessments against churches in the Circuit. The District remits to The Methodist Church Fund most of the sum received from circuits. A small sum is retained by the district to meet its own costs. The Circuit may act as agent for ad hoc collections for various funds controlled and administered by The Methodist Church.

XV. Ministers’ manse costs

The Circuit is required to provide accommodation for each minister in the Circuit and their families and this is seen as a benefit to the Circuit. Ministers are expected to occupy the manse provided for them. The Circuit bears the cost of repairs, maintenance, buildings insurance, council tax and water charges. These figures are not separately disclosed as benefits-in-kind for ministers as HMRC does not seek to tax these receipts in the hands of ministers.

2 Assessment on churches

The Circuit comprises eight churches and each is assessed for a contribution to meet the overall net costs of the Circuit. In making its assessment the budgeted income from investment income and property letting, confirmed external grants and contribution from churches towards the cost of lay employees is considered. The Circuit aims to cover all its core costs from the assessment.

An Assessment on churches is determined by the Circuit each year, using a formula which takes into account the relative number of members in each church and its freewill giving plus gift aid receipts. Assessments on churches are generally paid monthly in advance.

3 Grants received

No grants were received by the Circuit during this period.

4 Other income comprises the following: Contribution from churches towards lay workers Contribution from Ministers for private use of telephone and broadband Other Total Other income	2023/24 £	2022/23 £
	33,754	34,668
	264	243
	-	-
	34,018	34,911

5 Grants and donations

Two grants were made in the year totalling £800 (2023 £1,100).

The Gordano Valley Methodist Circuit Notes to the accounts for year ending 31st August 2024

6 Model Trust

The Circuit does not have a model trust fund balance.

7 Stipends and salaries and associated costs

Staff Costs paid during the year were: Gross wages, salaries, and benefits in kind Employer's National Insurance costs Pension costs Other employment costs Total Staff Costs	2023/24	2022/23
	£	£
	149,327	151,249
	12,852	12,933
	30,112	30,538
	7,022	6,801
	199,313	201,521

Ministers’ stipends are reviewed annually by the Connexion having regard to average weekly earnings and CPI inflation. No employees received employee benefits of more than £60,000. No accrual for holiday pay as it is immaterial. The holiday year ends on 31 August. Staff are paid at or above the living wage.

Total number of staff Full time equivalent	2023/24	2022/23
	7	7
	5.62	5.75

Four trustees were presbyters of the Circuit in receipt of a salary, costs of £149,403 (2023 - £150,639), travel costs of £3,316 (2023 - £3,455), telephone and broadband costs of £2,898 (2023 - £2,614) and training of £33 (2023 - £0).

Pensions

Most ordained presbyters and deacons are members of the Ministers’ Pension Scheme (MMPS). This is a defined benefit scheme. The Supreme Court held in 2014 that Methodist ministers (which term includes presbyters and deacons) are not employees of the Church. For simplicity, however, when dealing with National Insurance Contributions the terms ‘employer’ and ‘employee’ are used as they would be in an employing body.

Lay employees are contractually employees and have the option of joining a pension scheme which the Circuit has arranged with NEST. This is a defined contribution scheme, and the Circuit contributes as employer to this scheme.

8 Payment to Trustees

Payments made to Trustees for additional services provided to the Circuit by agreement with the Circuit Meeting, excluding stipends are as follows:

Number of Trustees Total amount	2023/24 0 £0	2022/23
	0	0
	£0	£0

The Gordano Valley Methodist Circuit Notes to the accounts for year ending 31st August 2024

9 Fee for examination of the accounts

Independent Examiner for reporting on the accounts Other fees paid to the independent examiner: Accounting Software	2023/24 £ 3,854 173	2022/23 £
	3,854	2,670
	173	166

10 District Assessment

The District Assessment is calculated relative to the number of Presbyters and full time equivalent lay staff, less administrative staff, of all Circuits in the Bristol District.

11 Volunteer Contributions

Every entity (Connexion, District, Circuit, Church) within the Methodist Church in GB is heavily reliant on volunteers who contribute their skills, time, and money in the furtherance of the work of the Church. In the Circuit the principal contribution is by serving on committees of the Circuit that deal with mission, manses, finance, policy, training, and safeguarding. We are grateful to all of them for their help and commitment. No attempt has been made to value the non-monetary contributions to the Circuit in monetary terms.

12 Connected Organisations and Related Parties

None of the Circuit trustees made donations direct to the Circuit during the year or the preceding year. All the Circuit trustees are members of a Church within the Circuit and may be trustees of their Churches. Connected organisations include the Methodist Connexion, the Bristol District and Churches within the Circuit, other Methodist Districts in Great Britain, CFB and TMCP. All these entities have their own trustees or directors and autonomous administration such that the Circuit has no significant influence over any of them, nor they over the Circuit. They are therefore, not considered related parties. There were no related party transactions for the year ended 31[st] August 2024.

BS1 Manses & Other Property

Buildings comprise four manses located in Clevedon, Nailsea, Portishead and Yatton.

	Property
Cost or valuation	£
Balance brought forward on 1stSep 2023 at 2015 valuation includingadditions at cost	1,987,856
*Balance carriedforward*	1,987,856

BS2 Debtors and Prepayments

	2024	2023
Prepayments	£	£
Stipends, Pension & NI	10,357	13,526
Insurance	385	2,274
Other	40	96
*Totals*	10,782	15,896

The Gordano Valley Methodist Circuit Notes to the accounts for year ending 31st August 2024

BS3 Central Finance Board (CFB) and Bank Balances

Balances held at the Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church and at National Westminster Bank plc are available on demand without loss of interest.

	2024	2023
	£	£
Central Finance Board	68,293	89,806
National Westminster Bank plc	15,319	2,904
*Totals*	83,612	92,710

BS4 Creditors, Accruals, and Income in Advance

All sums accrued on 31[st] August 2024 are expected to be paid before to 31[st] August 2025.

	2024	2023
Income in advance	£	£
Assessments in advance	16,850	17,775

Creditors and accruals
Accounts Examination	3,300	2,650
Accountspayable	3,454	203
*Totals*	23,604	20,628

Funds handled on behalf of others.

None of the figures tabulated below appear elsewhere in these accounts.

Related Party	Party	Balance at 31/8/23	Receipts	Payments	Balance at 31/8/2024
		£	£	£	£
World Mission Fund	Connexion	-	592	592	-
Mission in Britain	Connexion	-	824	824	-
*Totals*		-	1,416	1,416	-

Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Gordano Valley Methodist Circuit

Independent examiner's report to the Trustees of Gordano Valley Methodist Circuit

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of Gordano Valley Methodist Circuit (the Circuit) for the year ended 31 August 2024.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity trustees of the Circuit you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act').

I 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 I have followed all applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under Section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent examiner's statement

Since your charity's gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a listed body. I can confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a registered member of 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:

accounting records were not kept in respect of the Circuit as required by Section 130 of the Act; or
the accounts do not accord with those records; or
the accounts 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.

Matthew Bracher FCA Gravita Chartered Accountants Bath House 6 - 8 Bath Street Bristol BS1 6HL

Date: .............................................

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