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2021-03-31-accounts

Low Carbon West Oxford

A company limited by guarantee

Annual Report and Unaudited Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 March 2021

Company registration number: 06907815 Charity registration number: 1135225

Accountants: SPX Oxford Ltd Peace House 19 Paradise Street Oxford OX1 1LD

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Low Carbon West Oxford

Contents

Reference and Administrative Details 3
Trustees’ Annual Report 4-11
Statement of financial activities 12
Balance sheet 13
Notes to the financial statements 14-19
Independent Examiner’s Report 20

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Low Carbon West Oxford

Reference and Administrative Details

Charity Name Low Carbon West Oxford Charity registration number 1135225 Company registration number 06907815 Registered office 22 Oatlands Road Oxford OX2 0ET Trustees AC Mathias (Chair) GJ Irvine (Treasurer) JH Hindmarch GEJ Ferres GA Darnton AW O’Rourke Accountant SPX Oxford Ltd Peace House 19 Paradise Street Oxford OX1 1LD

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Low Carbon West Oxford

Trustees’ Annual Report

1. Structure, Governance and Management

1.1 Governance and Structure

LCWO is a charitable company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 18th May 2009 and registered as a charity on 1[st] April 2010. The Charity is governed under its Memorandum and Articles of Association which are available on request from info@lcwo.org.uk . In the event of the Charity being wound up, members are required to contribute an amount not exceeding £10.

LCWO is run by a management committee called the Co-ordinating Committee and its work is overseen by a Board of Trustees, which is responsible for the strategic direction of the charity. The Co-ordinating Committee meets regularly and is the key driver of the Charity’s activities. It agrees policy, projects and expenditure; and, where appropriate, recommends them to the Trustees for approval. Trustees meet a minimum of three times per year and have a standing invitation to attend the Co-ordinating Committee, which they attend on a regular basis.

LCWO holds an annual strategic review meeting at which members of the Co-ordinating Committee and Trustees discuss and plan the focus for the coming year and beyond. Activities and actions agreed at the meeting feed into the Annual Plan for the next financial year. The Annual Budget is drawn up based on, and in conjunction with, the Annual Plan.

LCWO actively seeks to engage with the local community and encourages people to become members or supporters. At the end of 2020/21 LCWO had a total of over 50 members and registered supporters. Its membership is free of charge and is open to anyone who lives within West Oxford and subscribes to LCWO’s objectives. Interested parties outside the defined area can become supporters, which means they can be active within the organisation, but unlike members, they are not permitted to vote at general meetings.

1.2 Recruitment and appointment of Trustees

The Articles of Association provide for there to be not less than four and not more than seven Trustees. Up to two Trustees may live outside West Oxford.

LCWO tries to attract new Trustees through its own newsletters and those of the West Oxford Community Association, which are delivered to every household in West Oxford, but also through its own website and its other communications. Individuals may also be approached to become a Trustee on the basis of a recommendation from a Trustee or a member of the Co-ordinating Committee.

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There are currently 6 Trustees. Trustees may be of three kinds:

1.3 Executive

LCWO’s Co-ordinating Committee comprises the Lead Programme Manager, some of the core volunteers who set up the Charity and some additional volunteers who have been invited to replace those who have stepped down. New volunteers are generally recruited through recommendation.

The members of LCWO’s Co-ordinating Committee during 2020/21 were: Mim Saxl (Lead Programme Manager), Helen Reid (Chair), Ruth Mayne, Lois Muddiman, Hugo Crombie, Miranda Miller, Neville Scrivener and Fiona Scrivener. The Trustees also regularly attended.

1.4 Volunteers

LCWO’s activities are led and implemented by the employed Lead Programme Manager utilizing a core group of volunteers (the members of LCWO’s Co-ordinating Committee and Trustees) and occasionally supplemented by paid consultants. In addition, numerous residents have participated voluntarily in LCWO’s household and community projects. An important principle guides the volunteers’ involvement, namely that each volunteer decides the extent and nature of his/her commitment.

LCWO has also continued to make efforts to catalyse action by other organisations, e.g. local authorities, housing associations, business and government.

1.5 Paid Staff and consultants

LCWO employs a Lead Programme Manager, Mim Saxl. This role was created and Mim appointed in early 2017. She worked an average of 3 days per week during this financial year. Additional paid consultants may occasionally be used to deliver projects, including an Events Manager to be utilized for future (physical as opposed to virtual) events.

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2. Objectives and Activities

2.1 Objectives

LCWO seeks to achieve its objects by motivating, engaging and enabling residents and businesses of West Oxford to cut carbon emissions to benefit the community as a whole. We also run carbon-cutting projects and activities to encourage and enable residents to reduce their individual CO2 emissions. An important principle is that our activities are carried out in an inclusive manner so that practical benefits of projects are accessible to everyone in the community.

Whilst grassroots activity is key to achieving our aims, LCWO sees itself as a complement to, not a substitute for government action. Moreover, success at grass roots level requires a supportive policy environment and local infrastructure. We therefore campaign and seek to persuade government at all levels to take a lead in combating climate change and to deliver a policy framework which supports local action. LCWO welcomed the Paris Agreement on climate change in December 2015. It recognises that current carbon reduction commitments by world governments will not be sufficient to avoid dangerous climate change. Commitments also need to be translated into a strong and equitable national policy environment including funding to support local communities who are taking action. During recent times, the Covid-19 pandemic and the UK’s exit from the EU both created uncertainty about the future direction and progress that had been set by the Paris Agreement. This further highlights the need for continuing campaigning for government action at all levels.

LCWO works in association with West Oxford Community Renewables (WOCoRe) (which generates renewable energy, runs community-owned renewable projects to reduce carbon emissions and generates income from the sale of electricity and the Feed-in-Tariff[1] ). The

1 The FIT scheme closed to new installations from March 2019, but the following describes what it was:- “If you install an electricity-generating technology from a renewable or low-carbon source such as solar PV or wind turbine, the UK Government's Feed-in Tariffs scheme (FITs) could mean that you get money from your energy supplier. You can be paid for the electricity you generate, even if you use it yourself, and for any surplus electricity you export to the grid.” (Definition from the Energy Saving Trust).

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surplus income generated from the FiT is donated by WOCoRe to LCWO to run its carboncutting projects. Known as the West Oxford Model, this creates a double carbon cut and is more cost efficient.

We also achieve our aims by collaborating with:

2.2 Main activities

Public Benefit

The Trustees have sought to ensure that all projects and activities comply with Charity Commission guidance on public benefit. Two of the criteria for new projects being approved are that they meet LCWO objectives and the public benefit criteria. Once approved, new projects are monitored on a regular basis by Trustees and members of the Co-ordinating Committee to ensure that activities are undertaken in accordance with LCWO’s objectives and to determine whether any adjustments are needed.

Impact of Covid-19

This report covers the period up to 31[st] March 2021. The first Lockdown was announced at the end of March 2020, just before the period covered by this report began. The limitations and disruption this brought impacted significantly on LCWO’s core activities, specifically our twice yearly Bring and Takes, our Beet the Waste Celebration, and the Hogacre Harvest Supper. The decision was made to keep our one member of staff employed as usual and switch our focus and activities on-line during the on-going pandemic.

We describe below how we managed to continue our Flagship ACT Now programme, and other activities, on-line.

Community Engagement and awareness raising

In 2020/21 we were able to carry out the following activities, to inform people in West Oxford about climate change, and to provide practical advice and support to help them reduce their carbon emissions and live more sustainably:

Communications

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Ecological Emergency Bill; and information about an online showing of the Climate Change film 2040. We continued our social media activity, using Facebook and twitter on a regular basis and increasing our following.

Projects

The spin-out series of ACT Now workshops organized by fellow Low Carbon community groups RHILC and LEAF, in partnership with Flo’s Place in the Park, were cancelled. However, a second spin-out series was organized for Spring 2021 in partnership with other Oxford-based Low Carbon community groups, operating as Communities for Zero Carbon Oxford.

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Campaigning and policy influencing

Dissemination and Partnership working

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3. Achievements and Performance

During 2020/21 LCWO generated the following outputs and outcomes in relation to its objects:

4. Plans for future periods

Goals for 2021/22 include completing the evaluation of our ACT Now programme and completing the Business Scorecard. We also plan to complete the work which forms the basis for our funding towards the KidsCAN project from WESET, including publication of a guide to speaking to children about climate change and dissemination of our KidsCAN materials through Oxfordshire’s schools. Other activities planned include publication of our Guide to Bring and Takes, capturing LCWO’s years of experience of this eagerly awaited biannual event; ongoing wildlife work, including the long-awaited West Oxford tree planting; and continuing our work with Communities for Zero Carbon. We will hold a Strategy Day following COP26 in Glasgow and re-evaluate our goals following that event.

5. Financial review

5.1 Annual Report and Financial Statements 2019/20

Low Carbon West Oxford’s Annual Report and Financial Statements cover the period 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021. During that period the charity’s income was £31,325. LCWO was pleased to receive donations from our major funder, West Oxford Community Renewables (WOCoRe) totaling £24,000 in 2020/21. Another significant grant was from Westmill Solar Cooperative towards the KidsCAN project, for which we also received a grant from the Low Carbon Hub. Total expenditure for the year was £26,743 leaving a balance of £23,712 to be carried forward. Note 12 to the Financial Statements provides a more detailed breakdown of expenditure against projects.

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5.2 Policy on Reserves

LCWO’s Financial Reserves Policy requires a sum equivalent to six months core expenditure to be held as reserves to meet its contractual obligations to staff, suppliers and service providers for a period to enable LCWO to increase its income from other sources. The sum specified this year was £10,000. The policy is reviewed annually as part of the annual planning and budget setting process.

LCWO met its policy on reserves during the year but did fall to funds balance value of £10,741 in April 2020. The end balance of £20,322 unreserved funds is healthy, as a balance of £17,000 or more should cover any cash flow issues during the year.

5.3 Risk Management

LCWO has had a risk management process in place since September 2013. The risks identified and the actions agreed to mitigate them are reviewed and updated on an annual basis and as appropriate throughout the year.

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Low Carbon West Oxford Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31st March 2021

Note
Income and endowments from:
Donations and legacies
2
Charitable activities
3
Total income
Expenditure on:
Costs of generating funds
Fundraising costs
Charitable activities
4
Total expenditure
Net income / expenditure
Transfers between funds
Net movement in funds
Reconciliation of funds
Total funds brought forward
Total funds carried forward		 Unrestricted
Funds
£
25,507
288
25,795
96
24,507
24,603
1,192
-
1,192
19,130
20,322		 Restricted
Funds
£
5,530
-
5,530
-
2,140
2,140
3,390
-
3,390
-
3,390		 Total Funds
2021
£
31,037
288
31,325
96
26,647
26,743
4,582
-
4,582
19,130
23,712		 Unrestricted
Funds
£
26,492
2,632
29,124
96
23,399
23,495
5,629
- 2,844
2,785
16,345
19,130		 Restricted
Funds
£
-
-
-
-
8,844
8,844
- 8,844
2,844
- 6,000
6,000
-		 Total Funds
2020
£
26,492
2,632
29,124
96
32,243
32,339
- 3,215
-
- 3,215
22,345
19,130

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Low Carbon West Oxford (Company number 6907815) Balance Sheet as at Year Ended 31st March 2021


Note

Fixed Assets
Tangible assets
7

Current assets
Debtors: Amounts falling due within one year
8
Cash at bank and in hand


Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year
9

Net current assets

Net assets


The funds of the charity

Unrestricted funds
Restricted funds
Total funds
10		 2021
£
£

173
6,207

17,968

24,175

- 636
23,539

23,712
20,322
3,390
23,712		 2020
£
£
345
3,455
15,974
19,429
- 644
18,785
19,130
19,130
-
19,130		 2020
£
£
345
3,455
15,974
19,429
- 644
18,785
19,130
19,130
-
19,130
19,130
19,130
-
19,130

For financial year ended 31 March 2021, the charity was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

The members have not required the charity to obtain an audit of its accounts for the year in question in accordance with section 476.

The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Act with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts.

Approved by the Board on ……………………….

Gary Irvine – Treasurer - LCWO

The notes on pages 13 to 18 form an integral part of these financial statements.

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Low Carbon West Oxford

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31[st] March 2021

1 Accounting policies

Basis of preparation

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value and in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), Statement of Recommended Practice ‘Accounting and Reporting by Charities (SORP 2019)’ applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with FRS102 (‘Charities SORP (FRS102)’), and the Companies Act 2006.

Fund accounting policy

Unrestricted income funds are general funds that are available for use at the trustees’ discretion in furtherance of the objectives of the charity.

Restricted funds are those donated for use in a particular area or for specific purposes, the use of which is restricted to that area or purpose.

Further details of each fund are disclosed in note 10.

Income

Donations are recognised where there is entitlement, certainty of receipt and the amount can be measured with sufficient reliability.

Investment income is recognised on a receivable basis.

Income from charitable activities includes income recognised as earned (as the related goods or services are provided) under contract.

Expenditure

Liabilities are recognised as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to the expenditure. All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all costs related to the category.

Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them.

Governance costs

Governance costs include costs of the preparation and examination of the statutory accounts, the costs of trustee meetings and the cost of any legal advice to trustees on governance or constitutional matters.

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Low Carbon West Oxford

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31[st] March 2021 (contd)

Support costs

Support costs include central functions and have been allocated to activity cost categories on a basis consistent with the use of resources, for example, allocating property costs by floor areas, or per capita, staff costs by the time spent and other costs by their usage.

Fixed assets

Individual fixed assets costing £500 or more are initially recorded at cost.

Depreciation

Depreciation is provided on tangible fixed assets so as to write off the cost or valuation, less any estimated residual value, over their expected useful economic life as follows:

Fixtures, fittings and equipment 25% straight line basis

Stock

Stock is valued at the lower of cost and net realisable value, after due regard for obsolete and slow moving stocks. Net realisable value is based on selling price less anticipated costs to completion and selling costs. Items donated for resale or distribution are not included in the financial statements until they are sold or distributed.

Operating leases

Rental payable under operating leases are charged in the statement of financial activities on a straight line basis over the lease term.

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Low Carbon West Oxford

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31[st] March 2021 (contd)

2. Income from donations and legacies

Donations
3. Income from charitable activities
Apple juice
4. Expenditure on charitable activities
Direct costs
Cost of activities
Community grants
Business engagement
Volunteer events
Support costs
Employment Costs
Establishment costs
Training
Printing, postage & stationery
IT software
Governance
Cost of trustee meetings
Trustee indemnity insurance
Accountancy fees
Other governance costs		 Unrestricted
Funds
£
25,507
25,507
Unrestricted
Funds
£
288
288
Unrestricted
Funds
£
6,760
1,613
2,666
-
10,110
282
472
236
586
-
535
1,010
238
24,507
Restricted

Funds
£
5,530

5,530

Restricted
Funds
£
-
-
Restricted
Funds
£
2,140
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2,140		 Total Funds
2021
£
31,037
31,037
Total Funds
2021
£
288
288
Total Funds
2021
£
8,900
1,613
2,666
-
10,110
282
472
236
586
-
535
1,010
238
26,647		 Total Funds
2020
£
26,492
26,492
Total Funds
2020
£
2,632
2,632
Total Funds
2020
£
22,628
-
-
420
6,296
1,474
-
-
-
-
367
988
70
32,243

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Low Carbon West Oxford Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31[st] March 2021 (contd)

5. Employees’ remuneration

2021
No.
Charitable activities
1
The aggregate payroll costs were as follows:
2021
£
Wages and salaries
18,226
Employer's National Insurance
-
Employer's pension contributions
547
18,773		 2020
No.
1
2020
£
18,226
-
547
18,773

No employees received remuneration of more than £60,000 during the year (2020 - No 0)

6. Taxation

The company is a registered charity and therefore exempt from Corporation Tax.

7. Tangible fixed assets

Cost
As at 1st April 2020
Additions
As at 31st March 2021
Depreciation
As at 1st April 2020
Charge for the year
As at 31st March 2021
Net book value
As at 1st April 2020
As at 31st March 2021		 Fixtures,
fittings
and
equipment
£
689
-
689
344
172
516
345
173

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Low Carbon West Oxford

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31[st] March 2021 (contd)

8. Debtors

Other debtors
Prepayments and accrued income
. Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year
Accruals
Other creditors		 2021
£
6,207
-
6,207
2021
£
354
281
635		 2020
£
3,455
-
3,455
2020
£
354
290
644

9. Creditors: Amounts falling due within one year

10. Analysis of funds

General Funds
Unrestricted income funds
DesignatedFunds
Bring and Take
Food
Newsletter
Trees & Wildlife
Act Now
Schools / Kidscan
External Communications
Total designated funds
Total Unrestricted Funds
Restricted Funds
Schools / Kidscan
Total Restricted Funds		 At 1st
April
2020
£
19,128
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
19,128
-
-		 Income
£
25,495
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
25,495
5,530
5,530		 Expenditure
£
17,842
224
385
874
610
2,482
344
658
5,578
23,420
2,140
2,140		 Transfers
between
funds
£
-5,577
224
385
874
610
2,482
344
658
5,577
-
-
-		 At 31st
March
2021
£
21,204
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
21,204
3,390
3,390

The Schools / Kidscan restricted fund income was received from Westmill Solar (£4,390) and The Low Carbon Hub (£1,140).

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Low Carbon West Oxford

Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31[st ] March 2021 (contd)

11. Related Party Transactions

No trustees received any remuneration, expenses or received any other benefits from an employment with the charity.

12. Pensions

The charity operates a defined contributions pension scheme and made contributions of £547 (2020: £547) during the year. Outstanding employer contributions payable at the year end were £105 (2020: £105).

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Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of Low Carbon West Oxford (Charity 1135225)

I report on the accounts of the company for the year ended 31 March 2021, which are set out on pages 11 to 18.

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

The trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.

Having satisfied myself that the charity is not subject to audit under company law and is eligible for independent examination, it is my responsibility to:

Basis of independent examiner’s report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. 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 next statement.

Independent examiner’s statement

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:

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

Name: Sheila Parry

Relevant professional qualification or body: ACCA

Address: SPX Oxford Ltd Peace House Paradise Street Oxford OX1 1LD

Date:

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