## **Trustees' Annual Report for the period 01/09/2023 – 31/08/24 Taunton Deane and South Sedgemoor Methodist Circuit** ## **Objectives and activities** The purposes of the Methodist Church are the advancement of: - a) The Christian faith in accordance with the doctrinal standards and 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. ## **The mission statement of TDSS Circuit is** ‘To be Pilgrim People – on a journey: ## honouring God, sharing our faith, respecting and helping all.’ Our circuit priorities: worked out through the Circuit Meeting and the Circuit Leadership Team are: - God-centred worship and prayer - Action to help where there is need - Developing confidence to share our faith with others - Encouraging fresh ways of being church - Care, respect, inclusion and love for all - Belief that we have a future The Circuit acts as an umbrella body for the 7 Methodist Churches, which fall within the Circuit’s area. The Circuit produces a quarterly preaching plan to ensure regular acts of worship take place at each of those 7 churches. These are open to all people without charge. ## **Achievements and Performance.** The trustees have taken note of the Charity Commission guidance on public benefit and in particular their guidance on charities for the advancement of religion, when planning their activities. The actions taken by the circuit meet the requirement for there to be an identifiable public benefit or benefits and that such benefit is to the public or a section of the public. During the 2023/24 financial year the Circuit has used its funds raised from the churches in the following ways: - Our ministers together with local preachers provide regular Sunday worship in our churches. Such services are freely available to their local communities and every effort is made to make the experience of worship welcoming and meaningful to visitors. - The Circuit encourages its churches to regularly review their position in their communities, and envision new ways of engaging and connecting with new people. Churches each provide a report to the Circuit meeting of their work and mission throughout the year, and these are taken into account as we assess the health of the Circuit. - The Circuit has provided courses for those requiring Safeguarding training, and has ensured that DBS checks have been completed for those whose posts require them. The Circuit has adopted and regularly reviews its Safeguarding Policy - covering both children and vulnerable adults - and has ensured that each church regularly reviews its own Policy. - The Circuit continues to support local churches in their work with young people. - The Circuit has carried out its oversight of the churches through 4 Circuit Meetings. - There is a regular review process carried out by the Leadership Team to ensure that the Charity is fulfilling its objectives. - Risks to the Circuit are considered by the Circuit Leadership Team (*see below) who oversee the day to day running of the charity and report to the full meeting of Trustees. Professional advice is taken as required. - A Church and Community worker is employed by one of the churches, to manage the lettings of the building, to engage with the local community, and to support the minister in the day to day life of the church. - An Administrator is employed by the Circuit to assist the churches in their publicity, to respond to requests from the District, and to support the Staff team and CLT. - The Circuit continues to prioritise the commitments of Our Calling and A Methodist Way of Life as it encourages its members to grow in discipleship and share God’s love in their contexts. - The Circuit supports its churches in Circuit accreditations, including recognition as a Real Living Wage Employer, and working towards becoming an EcoCircuit. - The Circuit continues to work, as one of the Founder member institutions of Citizens Somerset, to support the campaigns and actions of the local chapter, and to build its core team. Members of the Circuit are engaged in the three action groups. - Several members of the Circuit have engaged with the Faith Rooted Community Organising Training offered through the Connexion, and are finding ways to link FRCO and Citizens in a helpful and accessible way. ## **Financial review** During the year the Circuit received total receipts of £444,193 (year end 2023 £138,002) and dispersed £254,450 (year end 2023 £160,538) The trustees of the Circuit have oversight of the finances held, and the assessments required from the churches. Each church continues to meet their assessment. The Circuit currently holds 4 freehold properties, 2 being used to house the Ministers of the Circuit and 2 being rented out to supplement the income produced by assessment. Since last year’s report, one rented property was sold and the proceeds from the sale are supporting Circuit reserves. The Circuit has the following principal sources of funds: - Assessments on Churches within the Circuit - Interest on investments - Rents paid for the additional properties owned and rented out. These sums are used primarily to cover the various expenses of the Circuit budget, including the ministers’ stipends. ## **Reserves Policy** - The Reserves Policy for the Taunton Deane and South Sedgemoor Circuit is to hold liquid assets equivalent to 6 months' average expenditure. This should be sufficient to meet any unforeseen item of major expenditure on manses and to be able to continue in the short term funding planned activities in the event of the closure of a large church or an inability to raise the full Circuit Assessment from churches. - It is necessary to hold sufficient working capital to enable the quarterly payment of stipends and business expenses for 2 paid ministers, to fund any lay workers, and to cover our contribution to the District and the Connexion. - Details of funds materially in deficit. There are none. ## **Structure governance and management** **Description of the charity's trusts** _Type of governing document_ Deed of Union (1932) and Methodist Church Act (1976) _How the charity is constituted_ Act of Parliament _Trustee selection methods_ Appointed by local churches and existing trustees. Ministers are automatically trustees _Additional governance issues_ None _Induction/Training_ A range of guidance is produced by Methodist Connexion. Leaflet 'The Role of a Trustee in The Methodist Church' is given to each trustee. _Structure_ Part of the Plymouth and Exeter Methodist District. Accountable to the Methodist Conference. _Related Parties_ None **Reference and administration details** _Charity Name_ Taunton Deane and South Sedgemoor Methodist Circuit. _Registered Charity Number_ 1133126. _Charity's Principal Address_ 36 Craig Lea, Taunton, TA2 7SY (Superintendent’s home address) ## _Names of the Charity Trustees who manage the charity_ . The Charity Trustees are the members of the Taunton Deane and South Sedgemoor Circuit Meeting. This comprised during the year of this report. |*Rev Deborah Kirk|*Peter Thomas| |---|---| |*Rev Annie Deche|*Carol Stowe| |*Elaine Dew|*Ian Rossiter| |*Jane Allin|*Joanne Rossiter| |Gillian Flick|Chris Downing| |Merlyn Brown|Janet Sillett| |Joanne Pinguenet|RoyCrouch| |Sue Parker|Barbara Poole| |Margaret Walters|Kevin Boseley| |Valerie Pearson|Denise Eggington| |---|---| |Francis Lewis|Michelle Noble| |Marlene Burnell|Hazel Jordan| |Lynda Kazer|Graham Dickinson| |Christopher Mitchell|Anne Jordan| |David Clitheroe|Glenys Allinson| |Elaine Banks|John Haines| |Rev TonyCox|Rev Michael Parsons| |Rev AnthonyHuxtable|Rev Robin Hutt| |Diana Atkinson|| * indicates a member of the Circuit Leadership Team, who as a group manage the Circuit between full Circuit Meetings. _Custodian trustees_ Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes Manchester ## **Declaration** The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees report above. Signed on behalf of the charity's trustees Full name(s) Deborah Mary Kirk Natalie Knight Position Superintendent Minister Circuit Secretary Date 24/06/2025 24/06/2025 Appended to this report is the Statement of Financial Activity for the year concerned CIRcurr RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNTS THE METHODIST CHURCH STANDARD FORM OF ACCOUNTS T•unton DMn• and South S•d Circuli FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 August 2024 PLYMOUTH AND EXETER Dlstrlcl Clfcull no 24115 R•gl8t•r•d Choflty- Charlty R•gl8tratk)n numb•r 1133126 11 Tr)t a regoslered charty HI• MaJ•WS R•venu• and Customs Glft Ald number {The HMRC numt*r is equivalent to a registered charity number in lem)s of eV￿8￿e of chantatAe status and may be used to give lo dorv)rs or grant fuTrJeTS wslw.ng to see evvjence of the or9anisatsC￿'s ctsrilable slabJ$. MethtsJi$l charibes in England aThJ Wales Ihal are r#)t registertrj ¢*ant* are excepted fr(xn registration urthr Slaiutory Instrument 2014 No2421 IAiThsters: Rov Debcreh K*k Rev Ann￿ D￿e Cinirt SteKdrds: Mrs C¥ol Sltro*. Senwx sl¢ward Mr I￿ R05Si Mrs Elaine Dthv Rev. Peter Thomas Tauntr•n Deano and South ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 2024 Clrcult Un- ir¢uK T+3ts1s lat y￿r SECTION A FuDd* Fund Fun y•ar RECEIPTS Note AssessmenVSh&e 107.040 108,874 15 Bank a￿1 CFB inleresl and Investment 309.049 309,049 711 2.247 a5 Granls Other receipts TOTAL RECEIPTS 24.484 70 24,554 27.481 a7 133.353 310.058 782 444,193 148) 138,602 SECTK)N b1 b2 PAYMENTS Stipends. salanes. NIC. Pensicffi and travel ￿318 83.389 86,422 Manse Costs 10.670 27,450 AdMinistra￿n etc 14.7 7,494 b5 Distnct Assessmenl 27.944 27.855 Grants & donatK CPF levy 6,500 b7 99,620 15.777 1S,777 4.817 b9 TOTAL PAYMENTS 154,770 99,620 254,450 {b91 160,538 SECTION C NET RECEIPTSIPAYMENTS FOR THE YEAR c1 4749 210.439 721 c2 Totsl fuThJs brou ht forward frc*n last ar 58.241 21.524 79,765 101,701 c3 Sub tolal Ic1+c2) 36.824 210,439 22,245 269,508 79,765 Transfers ustment5 10.651 10.651 c7 c5 TOTAL FUNDS AT END OF YEAR Ic3+c4) 47.475 210.439 269,508 {c81 79,765 (c6) SECTION D FOR INFORMATION ONLY: MONEY RECEIVED AND PASSED ON TO EXTERNAL ORGANISATIONS thos• amounts should nol b• Includ•d In IcAal r•c•l BalarKe trfou ht forward Lgst d2 sIGrfts - r¢¢eived for exlemal o d3 eringslGifts- passed lo extema OTganisatK BALANCE STILL TO BE PAID {d1 + d2 - d31 d4 secTIOII SJmm•ry G4V* Cwwit for Ihe )wr eThJ¢d 31 Augu¥t 2024 ¥¥J IntW￿ rEF•ylry Ip fv Qwrul kketirg Nole th¥1 tr¢ I￿#¥ rl¥n IMTEANAL ¢6 Sjb tcU cl e9 pao• 3. 414.lgj 189.74J 79.76S 26•.$08 ELD BY cvocurr 444.193 I￿.713 79.76$ IMI 269,508 TOTAL RECEPT5 TOTAL PAThEMTS SECTbOII F 8TAT￿E14T ￿ ASSETS *J1DLI￿lIT*a OPEIIINO CLOSNO 14 21.191 221.7C SUB TOTAL 79.705 209.508 To• furth l** •12 79,716 269,008 SECTIOII G zl Name of Circuit Taunton Deane and ScArth Sedgemoor No 24115 Declarations and Scrutiny I confirrn that these Receipt and Payment based ac4x)unts for the year to 31 August 2024 have been prepared from the records of the Circutl and that Ihey include all funds under the control of the Circuit meeting. S￿natU￿ of treasuref Dale 16th Oct 2024 Name and address of treasurer Peter Thomas 8 Irwell Green. TAUNTON. Somersel. Post Code TA12TA Pre￿ntatIOn to the Clrcult meetlng I confimi that Ihe annual rewt and accounts ts the year ended 31 August 2024 will be presented lo ts Circuit meeting hekl on Decedmlxr 12th 2024 Signature of the Chair of the meetiThJ Name of the Chair of the meeting Rev Deb(Yah Kirk Date Ociober 2024 Independent Examine￿5 Report to the Trustees of the Taunton Deane and South Sedgemoor Circutt Charlty Number 1133126 Rosponsibilitios and basis of r•port I report to the trustees on my exarninatlffi of the accounls of the Taunton Deane and South Sedgemoor Circuit for the year ended 31 August 2024 set out on pages 1 to 5 As the Circuiys trustees. you are responsible for Ihe preparation of the accounts in accordance *ith Ihe requirements of the Charities Act 2011 Ilhe Ad'}. I report in respect of my exarninat?on of the Circuit's accounts Ca￿led out under seclion 145 of the Act and. in carrying out my examinab'on. I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Crynmission under sec11￿ 145(5Mb) of the Ad. ' delete or (arde as appn)priate Narne of Circuit Taunton Deane and South Sedgemoor No 24115 Independent Examlner's Statement I have completed my examination. I confirm that rK) material matters have come to my attention in connection wth the examination (other than Ihat disdosed below") which give me cause to believe that in. any material respect: the a¢￿Unting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act. or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records. I have rK) concems 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. I havefftave 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 indivKlually in excess of £10,000 (ten thousand pounds) al the balance sheet date. Signature of inde￿rKIent examiner Name of independent examiner David Hawkings Relevant professional qualification of irKlependent examiner C Math Name of firm (wfiere appropriale) nla Address 5 Hilher Acre. ILMINSTER Post Code TA19 9DA Date 15th October 2024 delete or circle as appropriate