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← North Herts Methodist Circuit

2025-08-31-accounts

North Hertfordshire Methodist Circuit Financial statements for year ended 31 August 2025

Charity No. 1133930

34/15 North Hertfordshire Circuit

TRUSTEES' ANNUAL REPORT

and

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

for the year ended

31 AUGUST 2025

Charity registration number: 1133930

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North Hertfordshire Methodist Circuit Financial statements for year ended 31 August 2025 Contents

Charity No. 1133930

Page
Administrative information 3
4
Financial Report
Risk management 8
Financial review 9
Financial Statements for year 2024-2025 12
Independent Examiners Report 2024-2025 18

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North Hertfordshire Methodist Circuit

Charity No. 1133930

Financial statements for year ended 31 August 2025 Administrative Information

Circuit Ministers

Rev Zdzisiu Hendzel Rev Emmanuel Onabanjo Rev Jacob Donkoh Rev Julian Blakemore

Superintendent from 1 September 2023 Minister from 1 September 2023 Minister from 1 September 2024 (Sector Minister Banking)

Rev Chandrika Perera Rev Peter Orton Rev John Whittle Rev N Young Rev R Forrest Deacon Malcolm Knowles

(Anglican Authorised Minister) (Anglican Authorised Minister) Supernumerary Minister Supernumerary Minister Supernumerary Minister Supernumerary Deacon

Circuit Stewards

Allison Ffinch Janet Tackley Vic Evans Sara Crowley Sue Chastney Jeremy Sawyer Nikki Williams Dothlyn Brown

Joint Senior Steward Joint Senior Steward

Circuit Meeting Secretary

Jasmine Hilfer

Circuit Administrator

Circuit Finance Officer

Jasmine Hilfer Central Methodist Church Pixmore Way Letchworth Garden City Herts SG6 3TR

Alistair Jenkins finance.northhertscircuit@gmail.com

Circuit Web Site Address

www.nhmethodist.org.uk, now https://www.northhertscircuit.org/

Investment Adviser Central Finance Board of the

Independent Examiner

Bankers Investment Adviser Lloyds Bank PLC PO Box 1000 Methodist Church BX1 1LT 9 Bonhill Street

Sandeep Shah FCCA Leadermans HERTS SG6 1PT

9 Bonhill Street Ridge Road Letchworth Garden City London HERTS EC2A SG6 1PT

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North Hertfordshire Methodist Circuit

Charity No. 1133930

Financial statements for year ended 31 August 2025

Governance and Management

The Circuit is governed by the Methodist Church Act 1976, the Deed of Union and the Model Trust Deeds of the Methodist Church.

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

The Circuit is a group of local churches some of which are Local Ecumenical Partnerships (LEPs) with other denominations. Circuits combine to form about 30 districts in Great Britain. Although there is some autonomy, all Methodist organisations in Great Britain are governed by statutes determined by the Methodist Conference and which are published in the Constitution, Practice and Discipline (CPD) of the Methodist Church. Conference is the supreme body within the church: it delegates much of its authority to the Methodist Council. Both Conference and Council consist of lay and clerical members.

In setting our objectives and planning our activities the Circuit Meeting, held at least twice in each year, has to its supplementary public benefit guidance on advancing our objectives as set out above.

During the year the Circuit Leadership Team (CLT) - the Circuit Ministerial Staff and Circuit Stewards - met every two months to review the life of the Circuit and to take forward the decisions of the Circuit Meeting.

The Trustees and members of the Circuit Meeting are one and the same. They are also Managing Trustees for the property (manses) in the Circuit and for the Circuit Investments. The Trustees have no responsibility for individual churches in the Circuit.

Activities

OUR MISSION IS: to encourage and support each church fellowship within our Circuit to know and share

What this means :

  1. We want each church to be seen and known as the people of God in their locality.

  2. Each church within the Circuit is unique and diverse, and we express our worship in the tradition of different Christian denominations.

  3. We are committed to work in partnership with other Christian churches in our local communities.

  4. to be led by the Spirt and to prioritise being and doing what is most important for this in their local situation.

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North Hertfordshire Methodist Circuit

Charity No. 1133930

Financial statements for year ended 31 August 2025

  1. We expect each fellowship to:

  2. continue to grow in their faith and worship

  3. love and serve those around them

    • people

  4. develop and communicate their own mission statement

  5. change as their community grows

  6. be forward-looking and open to new ways of working

  7. do some things in partnership with others

  8. commit to working towards carbon net zero by 2030

  9. be open to increasing their presence and activity in the digital space

  10. regularly share with the circuit how God is working in their location

  11. We expect each fellowship to think creatively about their property, whether it is well used to fulfil their calling, or whether the burden of maintenance is getting in the way of mission.

  12. As a circuit we will support and facilitate this work in each church fellowship.

Organisational Structure

Charity Registration

The North Hertfordshire Methodist Circuit was registered as a charity (registration number 133930) in February 2010.

The trustees confirm that they have complied with the duty under the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to

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North Hertfordshire Methodist Circuit

Charity No. 1133930

Financial statements for year ended 31 August 2025

Safeguarding

The Circuit follows the Connexional policy on safeguarding as detailed in Creating Safer Space. Each church has a safeguarding representative and there are two safeguarding officers in the circuit to ensure the adoption of safe practice amongst children and vulnerable adults.

Trustees

The following people served as trustees of the Circuit during the year 2024-25.

==> picture [461 x 425] intentionally omitted <==

----- Start of picture text -----
Trustees name Appointed Office Appointing Body
Rev Zdzisiu Hendzel Sep-23 Superintendent Minister Ex officio
Rev Emmanuel Onabanjo Sep-23 Minister Ex officio
Rev Julian Blakemore Minister Ex officio
Rev John Whittle Supernumerary Minister Ex officio
Rev Chandrika Perera Minister Ex officio
Deacon Malcolm Knowles Supernumerary Deacon Ex officio
Circuit Meeting
Allison Ffinch Sep-19 Circuit Steward Circuit Stewards
Barbara Cook Sep-14 Worship Leader Circuit Meeting
Christchurch Church
Cath Edmonds Sep-19 Church Representative
Mtg
David Latter Sep-08 Local Preacher (Tutor) Local Preachers Mtg
Georgina Offei Sep-18 Church Representative All Saints Joint PCC
Pirton Church
Ian Brakenbury Sep-09 Church Representative
Council
St Paul's Church
J Alan Burrell Mar-16 Church Representative
Council
Circuit Steward/Church Pirton Church
Janet Tackley Mar-11
Representative Council
Central Church
Mar-08 Church Representative
John Sharman Council
Central Church
Jonathan Battarbee Sep-19 Church Representative
Council
Ken Sharpe Nov-16 Church Representative High St
Benington Church
Peter Davies Mar-11 Church Representative
Council
Peter Dron Sep-08 Church Representative All Saints Joint PCC
Sara Crowley Sept-22 Circuit Steward Circuit Meeting
Sue Chastney Sep-09 Safeguarding Advisor Circuit Meeting
Victor Evans Sep-19 Circuit Steward Circuit Stewards
----- End of picture text -----

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North Hertfordshire Methodist Circuit

Charity No. 1133930

Financial statements for year ended 31 August 2025

Review of Objectives set for the Year ended 31 August 2025

The two Methodist ministers remaining in the Circuit acted as joint-superintendents. They focused on four key areas of Circuit life:

  1. Creating small groups of Circuit stewards/ministers/paid Circuit staff to take shared responsibility for tasks, so that no-one is on their own with big decisions.

  2. Building up and supporting the team of Circuit ministers (Methodist and Anglican) and Local Preachers.

  3. Ensuring that safeguarding good practice is shared and Circuit records are up to date.

  4. Ensuring that necessary property work on churches and manses is undertaken and properly recorded.

We have continued to provide support for the congregations of the two churches in the Circuit where worship has ceased. We are currently managing the sale of one of these churches and will also support the sale of another church where the congregation remains active.

We created a Circuit Vision Statement and a new web site. Baldock church is for sale, having ceased to worship and Stotfold church sold.

Objectives set for the Year ended 31 August 2026

We will also look to provide support to our churches in discerning and following their mission. We intend to review the policies and procedures in place and to update or establish policies as necessary. We will seek to strengthen ecumenical co-operation with churches and organisations within our Circuit boundary.

Churches in the Circuit

All Saints Church Pin Green Stevenage Herts (LEP with Church of England) Benington Methodist Church Central Methodist Church Letchworth Garden City Herts Christchurch Hitchin Herts (LEP with United Reformed Church) High Street Methodist Church Stevenage Herts Norton Methodist Church, Letchworth Garden City Herts Pirton Methodist Church Herts St Hugh & St John Church, Chells Stevenage Herts (LEP with Church of England) Trinity Church Knebworth Herts (LEP with United Reformed Church)

*LEP = Local Ecumenical Partnership

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North Hertfordshire Methodist Circuit

Charity No. 1133930

Financial statements for year ended 31 August 2025

Financial Report

Risk Management

Through its CLT risks faced by the Circuit have been considered. Where appropriate, risks have been transferred by paying insurers to take the risks. Security and safety of our churches is largely for those churches to determine and to mitigate following advice from Circuit Officers.

All churches and manses are the subject of quinquennial inspections and the reports on each are reviewed by the circuit as well as the local trustees. Action is taken to reduce the risks of injury to all who have a legitimate purpose to be on those premises.

We have considered the resilience of churches and the risk that they will not meet their quarterly financial assessments. We judge that there are sufficient resources to cover any probable shortfall in the following year.

The Circuit operates within a statutory framework of regulation and seeks to ensure that it follows Methodist standing orders. It relies on the Methodist Council to provide guidance on changes that could affect the Circuit.

Members of the Circuit Meeting received no payment and no expense reimbursement in connection with their function as trustees. The only expenses paid were to Circuit staff in the course of their paid job roles.

The Trustees are required to prepare financial statements for each financial year that give a true and fair view preparing these financial statements, the Trustees have:

The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Circuit and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the law. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Circuit and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Trustees have a right to advise the independent examiner of their concerns but none has done so. CLT concludes, therefore, that there are no issues to be advised to the independent examiner.

Following advice from Connexion the Trustees have produced a Health and Safety policy for the Circuit that will be regularly reviewed.

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North Hertfordshire Methodist Circuit

Charity No. 1133930

Financial statements for year ended 31 August 2025

Financial Review

with:

The Circuit prepares accruals accounts, but do not consolidate accounts of Circuit churches.

The Circuit budget is prepared by first anticipating the expenditure for the forthcoming year and then deriving suitable assessments that churches can meet. Around 75% of the income for the year came from the individual churches within the circuit, with a total of £200,995 being received (2024: £199,214). The Circuit is grateful for the individual churches continuing to meet their assessment during the year.

In 2024-25 the Circuit experienced an unrestricted surplus (after transfers) of £33,899 (2024: deficit of £193,837). Designated funds (for closed or for sale churches) showed a deficit of £31,347.

The Circuit Model Trust Fund finished the year with a surplus of £155,509. The sales of proceeds for Stotfold Methodist church of 197,168 (net of levy charge) benefitted CMTF. In most years, the Fund returns a deficit, because the amounts levied on the Circuit and District are greater than the income generated by investments. In turn the District then uses these funds to award grants we can access.

The Circuit makes a number of grants each year. These are for projects which are part funded by the Bedfordshire Essex and Hertfordshire District. The District part of the funding is paid directly to the church concerned and does not pass through the Circuit accounts. The Circuit usually matches the amount received from the District. In 2024-25 a total of £12,867 Circuit grants were awarded (2023-24 £14,822), with a further £16,210 committed at year end.

The expenditure during the year on manses was written off and not capitalised (as it generally represented expenditure of a maintenance nature rather than significant capital enhancement). During the year two manses were let commercially for the full year, the Trustees are keen to be responsible landlords.

At 31 August 2025, the total value of manses held is £1,709,562 (2024: £1,709,562). Reserves excluding manses assets total £613,493 (2024: £455,432). No funds are restricted.

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North Hertfordshire Methodist Circuit

Charity No. 1133930

Financial statements for year ended 31 August 2025

Reserves Policy

Background

The Circuit seeks to use its financial resources wisely and to predict future needs for capital expenditure on churches, manses and projects. Many of our churches are local ecumenical projects (LEPs) where two or more denominations work together, often sharing the same premises and usually worshipping together.

Grant Support

By way of annual or one-off grant, North Hertfordshire Methodist Circuit supports several churches within the Circuit by contributing to the cost of specific projects, especially for mission, sometimes for as long as five years. The Circuit does not generally support the normal running costs of any church.

Before committing to a grant, the Circuit believes that it is prudent to ensure that it has sufficient expenditure budget does not normally seek to make a surplus. There is, therefore, no intended annual increase in the reserves.

Priority given to projects which:

Capital Assets

The proceeds of sale of the premises of any Methodist Church or manse within the Circuit is generally credited to the Circuit. There is, however, a substantial levy paid to the Connexion (the Methodist Church in GB) so not all of the proceeds are received by the Circuit. This levy is then used by the Connexion to fund other innovative property and mission focussed schemes all over the country.

This is achieved by making an assessment on each church within the Circuit. If any church were to principally the stipends of the ministers would continue and there may be a need to draw on reserves to meet the shortfall in income.

Existing Commitments

As at 31 August 2025 the Circuit has committed £16,210 in grants out of its funds.

Reserves in Excess of Policy Requirement

The new Reserves Policy is to hold reserves to cover both:

At 31 August 2025, the total of these costs is estimated to be £167k and current reserves exceed that amount.

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North Hertfordshire Methodist Circuit

Charity No. 1133930

Financial statements for year ended 31 August 2025

Taxation

It is the view of the trustees that none of the activities of the Circuit during the year should attract taxation. Where VAT has been incurred, none has been, or will be, recovered and costs are shown gross of relevant VAT.

Approvals

The Trustees' Report and the Financial Statements have been ratified by the Circuit Leadership Team Meeting. The financial statements have been approved on behalf of the Circuit by:

Sara E M Crowley Date: 25 March 2026

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North Hertfordshire Methodist Circuit

Charity No. 1133930

Financial statements for year ended 31 August 2025

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North Hertfordshire Methodist Circuit

Charity No. 1133930

Financial statements for year ended 31 August 2025

Approved by:

Sara E M Crowley Date: 25 March 2026

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North Hertfordshire Methodist Circuit

Charity No. 1133930

Financial statements for year ended 31 August 2025

Notes to the accounts

1. Basis of accounting

The financial statements have been prepared under the Charities Act 2011 in accordance with the 2015 version of Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard 102 - the Charities SORP

2. Funds

The funds held constitute:

General Funds are unrestricted and are held for any purpose of the Circuit.

The Circuit Model Trust Fund has wide purposes defined in Standing Orders and is categorised as unrestricted.

Restricted funds are funds which are held for a narrower purpose. The Circuit does not hold any restricted or endowment funds. Any funds may be represented by more than just cash.

3. Accounting policies

Basis

These accounts have been prepared on the basis of historical cost, except that investments are shown at their position and activities.

Incoming resources

Income is included in the Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) when the Circuit becomes entitled to the resources, and the trustees are reasonably certain they will receive the resources; and the monetary value can be measured with sufficient reliability.

Resources expended

Expenditure is recognised when a liability is incurred, or a constructive obligation arises, that results in the payment being unavoidable. Liabilities are recognised as soon as an outflow of economic benefit is considered more likely than not under the legal or constructive obligation committing the Circuit to pay out resources.

Grants

Grants made by the Circuit from its own funds are recognised in full at the time of agreement or when the Circuit accepts that there is a legal or operational obligation to make the payment. When the grant is recurrent over more than one year the balance payable in future years is treated as a provision for future commitments in the Balance Sheet against the appropriate fund, the provision being released in future years as instalments are paid in accordance with the originally agreed terms.

VAT

Since the Circuit is not VAT registered, all input VAT is charged with the expenses to which it refers.

Tangible fixed assets for use by the circuit

These are capitalised if they can be used for more than one year, and individually cost at least £1,000. They are valued at cost, or a reasonable value on receipt. We do not regard the value as being less than the cost, have carried out an impairment review and decided no depreciation is necessary.

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North Hertfordshire Methodist Circuit

Charity No. 1133930

Financial statements for year ended 31 August 2025

Notes to the accounts (continued)

Investment property

In addition to the manses, the circuit owns two ex manses, let as investment properties. Since the value of all manses, including this investment property, is frozen at £1,349,962, the value attributed to the newly defined ‘investment property’ is pro rata to the insured values of the total real estate.

Investments

Investments are valued in the balance sheet at market value at the year end. Investment income is included in the accounts when receivable and any gains or losses on revaluation at the year end are shown in the SOFA.

Debtors and prepayments

Debtors are amounts owed to the Circuit. Prepayments include payments made by the Circuit for services yet to be received. This includes the payment in August of the September Stipends which are debited at the end of August.

Creditors

Creditors include both sundry expenses and also any amounts received by Circuit in advance of when income is actually due.

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Charity No. 1133930

North Hertfordshire Methodist Circuit

Financial statements for year ended 31 August 2025

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Charity No. 1133930

North Hertfordshire Methodist Circuit

Financial statements for year ended 31 August 2025 Notes to the accounts (continued)

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North Hertfordshire Methodist Circuit

Charity No. 1133930

Financial statements for year ended 31 August 2025

This Report is on the Circuit Accounts for the year ended 31[st] August 2025.

Respective responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner

The Circuit's trustees are responsible for ensuring that the annual report and accounts for the year to 31 August 2025 present a true and fair view of the Circuit's income and expenditure for the year and of its assets and liabilities at the balance sheet date. The trustees consider that an audit is not necessary for this year under Section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed.

It is my responsibility to:

examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act;

to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission under Section 145(5)(b) of the Charities act; and

to state whether particular matters have come to my attention in connection with my examination.

In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention

(1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that, in any material respect, the requirements:

requirements of the Charities Act

have not been met, or

(2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

(3) I 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.

Name of independent Sandeep Shah examiner Signature of independent examiner

Relevant Professional qualification of independent examiner

FCCA

Name of firm (where appropriate)

Address Date 30/03/2026

Leadermans St Christopher’s House Ridge Road Letchworth Garden City SG6 1PT

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