Charity Registration No. 1134107
**DUDLEY BAPTIST CHURCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
## Contents:
Page 1 - 2 Trustees Report Page 3 Independent Examiners Report Page 4 Receipts & Payments Account Page 5 Statement of Assets & Liabilities Page 6 - 7 Notes to the Accounts
Page 1
## **DUDLEY BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **TRUSTEES REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
The trustees have pleasure in presenting their report and the Financial Statements of the Church for the year ended 31 March 2024.
## **Reference and Administrative Details**
The Church is a Registered Charity no. 1134107. The registered address is: Priory Road, Dudley, DY1 4AD. The charity trustees for the purpose of these accounts comprise the Elders and Deacons of the Church. The trustees are as follows:
Mr Jonathan Gayton (Elder & Secretary) Dr Benjamin Fisher (Elder) Mr Timothy Crump (Deacon & Treasurer) Mr Robert Townsend (Deacon) Dr Ian Cox (Deacon) (resigned 31/12/23) Mr Dhanesh Lakha (Deacon) Mr Mark Cave (Deacon) Mr Peter Bradley (Deacon) Mr Henry Konde ( Deacon)
## **Structure, Governance and Management**
The Church is constituted as an independent church, and the governing document is a Trust Deed. The Pastor, Elders and Deacons are elected by the Church Meeting, and are responsible for leadership of the church.
## **Objectives and Activities**
The Church’s aims are to spread the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and to edify the congregation through the preaching and teaching of the Word of God, the circulation of good Christian literature, and the support of missionary endeavour at home and abroad. We continue to uphold the Bible and the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith which are consistent with the Charity's Trust Deeds. We believe that the society around us would be better if the Bible was believed and practised in the community.
## **Achievements and Performance**
Our regular activities include two Sunday services and a midweek Bible Study and Prayer Meeting. We continue to have a Sunday School, which is well attended. We also run a young people’s meeting during the week. Our minibus goes around the local estates offering to pick up children for the youth meeting and for Sunday School. During term time we have a weekly Mother and Toddler group. This reaches many mothers who would not normally go to church. We particularly encourage non-churchgoers to join us. We have a weekly Coffee Morning, which is well attended by elderly members and others who could attend during the day. We take Christian services in a local Nursing Home monthly. Pastoring the needy folk who come to the Church is a constant part of our ministry.
Page 2
## **DUDLEY BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **TRUSTEES REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 (Cont.)**
## **Achievements and Performance (continued)**
We continue to support many missionaries in various parts of the world. Our World Mission Project is a constant means of support to many desperate situations in the world. We take up special offerings on a regular basis for crisis locations. This is extra to our normal Autumn and Christmas offerings.
The Church and congregation is ethnically diverse, and the Church has maintained a membership of around 86, though the regular Sunday congregation is much larger than this.
Our Child Protection policy is regularly updated. Numerous volunteers faithfully give of their time to work in the church. We have obtained DBS checks on most of those on our list of approved workers with children and vulnerable adults, including on all the trustees and the Pastor. Those volunteers who have not received a DBS check are supervised by a DBS-checked person while with children or vulnerable adults. We also have a Data Protection policy in line with current GDPR legislation.
In carrying out its activities in the year under review, the Trustees have had regard to the public benefit guidance issued by the Charity Commission, and are satisfied that the activities mentioned above have all been for the public benefit.
## **Financial Review**
Funds were used to pay visiting preachers’ expenses, to pay for the maintenance and running of the Church, to support Missionary organisations, to provide literature and to fund various outreach events.
As shown in the Receipts & Payments account on page 4, there was a net deficit of £12,983 overall (2023: surplus £5,494). The state of the financial affairs of the church is considered to be satisfactory. The Trustees regularly review the reserves of the Church, to ensure that sufficient liquid funds are available to meet ongoing obligations.
On behalf of the Trustees
I Cox Trustee
Date: ______________________
**DUDLEY BAPTIST CHURCH**
Page 4
## **RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
|**Incoming Resources**
Note
Voluntary income
Offerings
Tax Refunds
Charitable Activities
Other sales and receipts
Investment income
Bank interest & Dividends
Rent received
**Total incoming resources**
**Resources expended**
Charitable Activities
Employee costs
2
Utilities
Insurance
Minibus costs
Visiting preachers
Sunday School & Young people
Outreach
Repairs & replacements
Printing & Postage
Missionary support
Governance costs
Church retreat
Ministry training
Other costs
Capital purchases
Total Resources Expended
**Net Movement of Resources in the Year**
**Transfer between funds**
**Cash balances brought forward**
**Cash balances carried forward**|Unrestricted
Restricted
**2024**
Fund
Funds
**Total**
£
£
**£**
102,267
9,477
**111,744**
16,409
2,224
**18,633**
4,277
-
**4,277**
4,271
-
**4,271**
10,200
-
**10,200**
137,424
11,701
**149,125**
75,046
-
**75,046**
8,638
-
**8,638**
4,900
-
**4,900**
4,737
-
**4,737**
2,170
-
**2,170**
4,950
-
**4,950**
2,865
-
**2,865**
10,697
-
**10,697**
1,608
-
**1,608**
16,219
8,202
**24,421**
1,760
-
**1,760**
6,157
-
**6,157**
-
-
**-**
1,211
-
**1,211**
140,958
8,202
**149,160**
12,948
-
**12,948**
153,906
8,202
**162,108**
(16,482)
3,499
**(12,983)**
-
-
**-**
(16,482)
3,499
**(12,983)**
168,678
3,885
**172,563**
152,196
7,384
**159,580**|2023
Total
**£**
116,833
19,139
6,021
2,649
8,400
153,042
62,091
6,491
-
2,064
3,051
3,114
1,560
11,061
2,224
39,684
1,834
7,253
4,050
1,357
145,834
1,714
147,548
5,494
-
5,494
167,069
172,563|
|---|---|---|
The notes on pages 6 and 7 form part of these financial statements.
Page 5
## **DUDLEY BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES AS AT 31 MARCH 2024**
|Note
**CURRENT ASSETS**
Cash at Bank & in hand:
Current Account
Tracker Account
Mission Account
Gift Aid Account
Grace Baptist Charities Account
Total Cash balances
**INVESTMENT ASSETS**
Investec (Rensburg Sheppard) a/c
**TOTAL ASSETS**
**LESS: CREDITORS:**
Due within one year
**NET ASSETS**|Unrestricted
Restricted
**2024**
Fund
Funds
**Total**
£
£
**£**
25,566
-
**25,566**
117,632
-
**117,632**
3,010
7,384
**10,394**
5,266
-
**5,266**
722
-
**722**
152,196
7,384
**159,580**
84,972
-
**84,972**
237,168
7,384
**244,552**
500
-
**500**
236,668
7,384
**244,052**|2023
Total
**£**
42,084
126,172
3,885
-
422
172,563
81,546
254,109
500
253,609|
|---|---|---|
## **Other assets for which no valuation is available (see note 1)**
The Chapel building The Manse Minibus and miscellaneous equipment
Approved by the trustees on _______________________________
_______________________________ I Cox, Trustee
_______________________________ T Crump, Treasurer
The notes on pages 6 and 7 form part of these financial statements.
Page 6
## **DUDLEY BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024**
## **1. Accounting Policies**
The following accounting policies have been used consistently in dealing with items which are considered material in relation to the Church's Financial Statements.
## (a) Accounting Convention.
The Financial Statements are prepared under the Historical Cost Convention. Because the Church's income is under £250,000 the accounts are now prepared on a Receipts and Payments basis, to avoid the need to comply with the Charities SORP (FRS102).
## (b) Income.
Donations represent cash received during the year, including tax repayments received. Charitable Activities Income comprises the sale of Christian books and similar items. Investment income comprises interest received and rental income.
## (c) Expenditure
Charitable Activities Expenditure comprises all expenditure directly related to the Church's objects.
Governance costs are costs incurred in complying with constitutional and statutory requirements.
## (c) Fixed assets and depreciation
The Chapel building is a historic asset. No valuation statement is included in the accounts as significant costs are involved in obtaining such a valuation, which are onerous compared with the additional benefit derived by the users of the accounts in assessing the trustees' stewardship of the assets.
As the accounts are prepared on a receipts and payments basis, other fixed assets (the manse, church minibus and miscellaneous equipment) are also not shown in these accounts.
|**2. Employee costs**
Gross salaries & Employers NIC
Pension Costs|Unrestricted
Restricted
Fund
Funds
£
£
69,233
-
5,813
-
75,046
-|**2024**
**Total**
**£**
**69,233**
**5,813**
**75,046**|2023
Total
**£**
57,417
4,674
62,091|
|---|---|---|---|
The average number of people employed by the church in the year was 3 (2023: 3). No employee earned £60,000 or more in the year.
## **3. Trustees**
None of the trustees received any remuneration in the year (2023: £nil).
Page 7
## **DUDLEY BAPTIST CHURCH**
## **NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024 (cont.)**
## **4. Funds**
The Unrestricted Fund is the General Fund, used for the general purposes of the Church.
The Restricted Funds for the year were as follows:
|Missionary Offerings Fund||Bal b/f
3,885
3,885|Received
11,701
11,701|Paid
(8,202)
(8,202)|Transfer
-
-|Bal c/f
7,384
7,384|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Page 3
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS REPORT**
## **TO THE TRUSTEES OF DUDLEY BAPTIST CHURCH**
I report on the accounts of the Church for the year ended 31 March 2024, which are set out on pages 4 to 7.
## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and independent examiner**
The church's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year (under section 44(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act)) and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
- Examine the accounts under section 145 of the 2011 Act;
- To follow the procedures laid down in the General Directions given by the Charity
- Commissioners under section 145 (5) (b) of the 2011 Act; and
- To state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
## **Basis of independent examiner's report**
My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fair' view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
## **Independent examiner's statement**
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which give 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.
D C S Cooke MA (Oxon) FCA FCIE David Cooke & Co 5 Briar Close Banbury OX16 9DS Date: 21/01/2025