2024-08-31-accounts - Teignbridge Methodist Circuit

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Teignbridge Methodist Circuit

Charity Number 1134246

The Avenue Church, The Avenue, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 2BY

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ASHBURTON
TEIGNBRIDGE
METHODIST
CIRCUIT
Annual
Report
2023/24
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Teignbridge Methodist Circuit

Charity Number 1134246

The Avenue Church, The Avenue, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 2BY

Teignbridge Methodist Circuit – 2023/24

The Teignbridge Methodist Circuit comprises twelve Church Councils, of which Ashburton covers more than one location. The Churches are arranged in four sections as follows:

Moorland: Ashburton, Bovey Tracey, Buckfast and South Brent Methodist Churches
Newton Abbot: The Avenue Church (Methodist with United Reformed) and Shaldon Road Methodist Church.
Coastal: Bishopsteignton, Dawlish, Shaldon and Teignmouth Methodist Churches.
Totnes: Ipplepen and Totnes Methodist Churches

Circuit Leadership Team:

Paid ministers (ordained and lay), with pastoral responsibility/charge during 2023-24

Rev. Kevin Hooke  Ms Sharon Hurlow
Rev. Gill Daniel  Ms. Sara Crouch, Local Lay Pastor (in Training)

Circuit Stewards

 Mr. John Harrison  Mr. Andrew Parsons

Ms Carol Hughes
Rev Paul Weir

Circuit Pastoral Worker: Mrs Sharon Canning

Circuit Administrator: Ms Kay Fice

Supernumerary Ministers: In total there are six supernumerary (retired) ministers in the Teignbridge Methodist Circuit, four of whom regularly preach in the circuit's churches.

Teignbridge Methodist Circuit

Charity Number 1134246

The Avenue Church, The Avenue, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 2BY

Trustees —2023/24

'Trustees serving during the year and since the year end were as follows'

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Maria Alsop
Denys Bament
Marianne Barrett Rogers
Michael Barrett Rogers
Helen
Bell
Appointed 1/9/2024
Sheila Margaret Bendall
Malcolm John Benton
Anne Berridge
Jane
Billing
Appointed 1/3/2025
Jennifer Bonner
Christian Canning
Sharon Canning
Vincent Canning
Sara
Crouch
Appointed 1/9/2024
Gill Daniel
Rosemarie Dungey
Jill Elliott
Kay Fice
Jean Francis
Ann
Golpin
Appointed 1/4/2024
Gillian Hardy
Stephen John Harris
John Harrison
Jane Holmes
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Kevin Peter Hooke
Sharon Ann Hurlow
Alan Johnston
Duncan Knight
Stephen Paul Major
Agnes McFeat
Alexander Wright McFeat
Carol Ann Morgan
Andrew Russell Parsons
Arthur
Pengelly
Appointed 1/9/2024
Nicola Quaintance
Rosemary Quin
Jean Sabine
Andrew David Sinden
Edward Stephenson
Tricia Stephenson
Patsy Tidball
Margaret Vosper
Serena Walcot
John Walton
Paul Weir
Anne-Marie Whiting
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Teignbridge Methodist Circuit

Charity Number 1134246

The Avenue Church, The Avenue, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 2BY

Objectives and Activities

We understand that we are not engaging in our mission, but rather participating in God’s mission to all people, in partnership with others and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

We also understand that mission is all that we are sent to do by Christ. It includes not only evangelism but also service to our communities, pursuit of social justice and concern for the environment. We are to be signs of and sharers in the Kingdom of God and its values.

We understand that we live with the tensions of being both an inherited church and a 'discipleship movement shaped for mission' and that we need to work creatively with the opportunities and challenges this brings.

As a Circuit we believe that it is therefore our responsibility:

To manage our resources strategically and prayerfully, to maximise their effectiveness;
To support the churches in fulfilling their own mission strategies and objectives.

To do so we will:

Conduct periodic Circuit Reviews to determine the greatest opportunities for growth and outreach
Maintain appropriate levels of ordained and lay staffing, seeking grant funding as necessary, and deploying them in line with the identified opportunities for growth
Maintain a balanced Circuit Budget
Develop appropriate strategic ecumenical partnerships at Circuit level
Foster Circuit identity and cohesion through Circuit Services and the sharing of information
Work in partnership with neighbouring Circuits to use resources and expertise efficiently and effectively
Encourage and support differing expressions of worship alongside traditional forms
Group churches in ways which encourage the most effective partnerships between them for mission
Encourage churches to work closely with their own ecumenical partners
Provide Circuit opportunities for growth in discipleship and missional understanding
Develop and maintain relationships with other services and organisations serving the wellbeing of our communities

Teignbridge Methodist Circuit

Charity Number 1134246

The Avenue Church, The Avenue, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 2BY

Achievements and Performance —2023/24

During the year 2023-24 Teignbridge Methodist Circuit continued to provide ministerial leadership to its churches. it gave a significant grant as a partner in the ROC project at Dawlish and one smaller donation to support Ivybridge YFC.

During the course of the year Buckfastleigh Chapel was sold, and in line with Circuit policy, the monies from it were allocated to the continuing mission of its Church Council and will be used to provide financial support the Church and mission at Buckfast Chapel.

The Circuit Leadership Team looked at the accounts of the individual churches over the winter of 2023-24, which confirmed that although the Circuit was maintaining a balanced budget, this was putting an increasing pressure on local Church finances. The Circuit meeting decided to request that each church also review its own mission statement for submission during the course of the year, so that the Circuit’s own strategy for mission, and the use of its resources, could be made more effective. In addition, the Circuit entered the stationing process for a part-time minister for the Coastal Section from September 2024, recognising that in the long term this would help alleviate the financial pressures, and was successfully matched with Rev. Helen Bell.

During the year, the Circuit maintained the weekly Sunday Zoom service, which has become embedded as part of the Circuit’s life and witness, enabling a number of people to attend worship at times when they cannot get to a church building. It also maintained its Circuit plan, allocating Local Arrangement services as equitably as possible across the churches (recognising that some already take responsibility for parts of their worshipping life), and encouraging the skills of local church members in organising and taking part in Local Arrangements. The Circuit is also encouraged by the positive and developing ecumenical connections in many places, but particularly at Ashburton, (where the Methodist and Anglican Churches continue to support both a family mission development worker and an admin/IT post) and at Bishopsteignton and Ipplepen (where there is shared worship with the Anglicans at least monthly) .

The Circuit has also managed its properties, both those used for Manses and one that is rented out. It continues to use the revenue from the latter to support its ongoing activities. The Circuit continued to take seriously its responsibilities in safeguarding and GDPR matters and to support its Churches to do the same. The Circuit continues to review its Safeguarding policy annually in line with the changing requirements and guidance of the Methodist Church, engages in an annual Safeguarding audit, and supports its local Churches in several ways:

providing templates for their own policies,
overseeing DBS and training records,
offering templates for role descriptions,
the availability of the Circuit Safeguarding Officer for advice.

In line with Methodist requirements, all those leading worship on the Circuit plan (worship leaders and preachers) have undertaken advanced safeguarding training (either through the

Teignbridge Methodist Circuit

Charity Number 1134246

The Avenue Church, The Avenue, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 2BY

Methodist Church or at an equivalent level in the case of some of our regular visitors from our partner denominations).

Public Benefit

Throughout the year 2023/24 the Trustees of the Teignbridge Methodist Circuit have had regard to the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit and have acted accordingly. They are committed to continue to do so in the future.

Plans for the Future

The Circuit will seek to support those churches as they develop projects for which capital reserve money has been earmarked —such as the building works at Buckfast Chapel. A new Presbyter will join the Circuit next year focusing on the life of the Church in our Coastal Section. It will continue with its missional planning for the future and will review with the Churches the assessment levels in the light of changing memberships and circumstances. It will continue to encourage Churches to engage with their local communities and keep an overview of the needs of the area.

Designated Funds

The proceeds of the Sale of Scoriton Church building and Buckfastleigh Church building have been passed to the Circuit. As the Methodist Church at Buckfastleigh did not close these funds are included in the Circuit accounts as being designated funds for the use of Buckfastleigh church. Buckfastleigh Methodist Church is now referred to as Buckfast Methodist Church. A designated column has been added into the SOFA and Balance Sheet.

Reserves Policy

Our Reserves Policy is to maintain a General Fund value sufficient:

To hold a reserve for the maintenance of our team of presbyteral ministers of
£90,800 to pay for the stipends of two such presbyters, including on-costs.
To hold a reserve for our property maintenance of £ 50,000 for the four manses and a fifth residential property owned by the Circuit.
We hold a reserve of 50% to cover other running costs, which in the year to 31[st] August 2024 amounted to £ 57,900

The reserves at year end were set at £ 198,700

Kevin P. Hooke, Superintendent Minister 15[th] June 2025

No2412J To 1021.23

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John Harrison

Independent Examiner’s Report to the Trustees of the Teignbridge Methodist Circuit. Charity number 1134246

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Teignbridge Methodist Circuit for the year ended 31st August 2024, as set out on pages 7 – 13.

Responsibilities and basis of the report

As the charity trustees 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 Charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act, and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent examiner’s statement

The charity’s gross income exceeded £250,000 and I am qualified to undertake the examination by being a qualified member of the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT).

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with my examination which gives 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 the 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 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 these accounts to be reached.

Clare Lillington FMAAT

Raddon Station Hill Chudleigh Newton Abbot TQ13 0EE Dated: 12th June 2025

Teignbridge Methodist Circuit

Charity Number 1134246

The Avenue Church, The Avenue, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 2BY

Teignbridge Methodist Circuit Circuit No 24/28

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31st August 2023

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 FRS102—the Charities SORP (FRS102) (2019).

2 Funds

The funds held constitute: General Funds held for any purpose of the Circuit which are Unrestricted; the Circuit Model Trust Fund, which has wide purposes defined in Standing Orders and is categorised as Unrestricted and Restricted Funds which are held for a narrower purpose. There are no Endowment Funds.

3 Accounting policies

Basis

These accounts have been prepared on the basis of historical cost except that investments are shown at fair value at the end of the year, on the accruals basis, to show a true and fair view of the Circuit's financial position and activities. The accounts have been prepared on a going concern basis.

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

This 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 payment.

VAT

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

Teignbridge Methodist Circuit

Charity Number 1134246

The Avenue Church, The Avenue, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 2BY

4 Donations & Legacies 2024 *2023* Donations including gift aid 140 1,414 Gift for repairs to Church 0 0 Collection 0 0 Gift Aid Received 0 250 140 1,664 5 Income from investment properties 2024 *2023* 4 Jacks Close 15,348 0 46 Kingsdown Crescent 9,950 9,600 Ilsington Graveyard 1,300 570 26,598 10,170 6 Other charitable income 2024 *2023* Publications 17 64 Connexional Funds 3,760 3,950 3,777 4,014 7 Grants & Donations 2024 *2023* ROC Dawlish Project 12,000 12000 Buckfastleigh Methodist Church 30,869 30000 Plymouth & Exeter District benevolent fund 140 140 Ivybridge Youth For Christ 1,000 600 44,009 42,740 8 Paid employees 2024 *2023* Staff costs incurred during the year were: Gross salaries and benefits in kind - Ministers 75,024 113,745 - Other people 77,895 49,951 Travelling Expenses 9,192 11,601 162,111 175,297 No employee was paid at a rate of more than £ 60,000 per annum 2024 *2023* Average number of full time equivalent employees 4.7 5		2024 *2023* 140 1,414 0 0 0 0 0 250
		140 1,664
		2024 *2023* 15,348 0 9,950 9,600 1,300 570
		26,598 10,170
		2024 *2023* 17 64 3,760 3,950
		3,777 4,014
		2024 *2023* 12,000 12000 30,869 30000 140 140 1,000 600
		44,009 42,740
		2024 *2023* 75,024 113,745 77,895 49,951 9,192 11,601
		162,111 175,297

Teignbridge Methodist Circuit

Charity Number 1134246

The Avenue Church, The Avenue, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 2BY

9 Property Expenses Water rates Council Tax Manses Insurance Building surveys Church repairs Let properties 10 Office Expenses Telephone Printing Publications Wages charges TMCP Charges 11 Other outgoings Supernumerary fees Non Employee travel expenses Training Ilsington graveyard Miscellaneous Stationing Apprentice levy 12 Tangible Fixed Assets Cost Manses 35 Valley Close 135 Churchfields Drive 12 Moorlands Close 4 Jacks Close 13 Investment Property Dawlish		2024 *2023* 1,763 1,785 9,287 8,838 25,773 7,887 4,228 3,920 0 0 0 0 1,269 1,460 42,319 23,891 2024 *2023* 3,031 2,936 584 584 182 895.5 480 480 679 507.24 4,955 5,403 2024 *2023* 2,114 2575 1,249 1237 907 695 720 450 1,304 1474 7,438 0 648 637 14,379 7,068 31/08/2023 Add/Disp *31/08/2024* 130,000 130,000 325,000 325,000 75,000 75,000 478,296 478,296 1,008,296 1,008,296 Fair Value 31/8/2023 Revaluation *Fair Value* *31/8/2024* 325,000 0 346,750 325,000 0 346,750
	Fair Value 31/8/2022
	300,000
	300,000

Teignbridge Methodist Circuit

Charity Number 1134246

The Avenue Church, The Avenue, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 2BY

14 Restricted Funds

The only restricted Fund is the Corbyn Fund

14 Restricted Funds The only restricted Fund	is the Corbyn Fund
	As at	Interest	Funds	As at
	31/08/2023	Allocated	Expended	31/08/2024
Corbyn Fund	22,900	811	9,400	14,311

15 Payments to Trustees

All of the paid employees are also trustees. There are 3 Presbyters, 1 lay minister, 1 lay pastoral assistant (part time), and 1 administrator (part time) whose cost is shared with a Circuit Church. Some supernumerary Ministers are also trustees who receive fees for taking services. No trustee is paid for services rendered in the capacity of a trustee. Expenses payments are made to trustees to reimburse expenditure incurred on behalf of the circuit

Supernumerary fees Travel Other	2024 2024 Number of £ Trustees 1,014 4 9,624 8 4,503 4 15,141	2023 *2023*
		*Number of*
		£ *Trustees*
		1250 3
		14,234 10
		772 5
		16,256

16 Transfers

A column was added to the SOFA this year to show designated funds for Buckfast Methodist Church. At the end of 2022-23 designated funds were included in the balance sheet. The Funds designated for Buckfast that the beginning of the year were £ 61491. A transfer between the TMCP unrestricted and TMCP designated columns in the SOFA has been included.

17 Capital Commitments and Contingent Liabilities

At 31st August 2023 there are no capital commitments (Nil) No contingent liabilities were identified at 31st August 2023 (Nil)

18 Fees for Examination of Accounts

	2024	2023
Examiners Fees	600	600