2023-08-31-accounts

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Circuit Annual report 2022-2023

Introduction

Activities during the year

The circuit welcomed Rev Phil Robinson as the new second (probationer) Minister in September 2022. Mrs Cate Voke also joined the staff team as Children & families worker, on a 23 month fix term contract.

• Each church continues to provide pastoral care to their members and others beyond the church family.

• The Preachers and Leaders of Worship have met over the year. These meetings have involved business, fellowship and personal development.

• Safeguarding and EDI training was rolled out during the year for Office holders and volunteers.

• The Circuit Leadership Team have met throughout the year to discuss the vision for the circuit, to provide direction to the circuit and to deal with business between each Circuit Meeting.

• Local Church stewards and Treasurers met to discuss the circuit assessments and finances.

• The Circuit monthly “Circuit Services” included inviting special preachers and having lunch together. (e.g. Aldersgate Sunday with Rev Mandy Briggs Education Officer, Bristol New Room)

• The Circuit continues to develop online services from Marlborough Road Church, between 30 – 50 people engage each week.

• Approval was given to Hinton Chapel to upgrade its premises and remove pews. The Conservation Officer was consulted and a District grant obtained to help fund the project.

Aims and organisation

“The Banbury Methodist Circuit encourages, enables and supports its churches to respond to God’s love in Christ in their communities, through worship, mission and service.”

The Circuit invites and supports both lay volunteers and ordained ministers and enables them in their work. As a result, the Circuit provides spiritual and governance guidance to the Methodist congregations throughout the Banbury area.

Brief financial review of the year

• Circuit Policy Document - Work continues to update this document as required to reflect the current structure and aspirations of the Circuit post covid.

• Fixed Assets – We aim to dispose of land and buildings no longer required by the Circuit. We continue to explore what happens with Middleton Cheney Church. Grimsbury Methodist Church gave notice to “Ceased to Meet” we are waiting to see how best the property can be used or sold.

• The circuit reviewed and adjusted the way Assessments were allocated to each church.

• The circuit continues draws on its reserves to help churches meet their assessments.

Income trends

Circuit income is primarily drawn from the assessment paid by the circuit churches. The rental income relates to the rental of a manse £8,969.00.

Expenditure trends

Stipend expenditure has increased each financial year in line with The Methodist Conference approved increases amounting to £77,622.00, plus expenses.

£88,413.00 of expenditure is the Circuit contribution to the District and Connexion assessment, of which a significant part is used to fund the work of the wider Methodist Church. The other expenditure includes Manses repairs/costs, Mission outreach and Lay employees. Financial support of local churches finances.

Church refurbishment grants

Fund balances

As at 31 August 2023 the net current assets of the Circuit were £351,253k.

The Circuit Model Trust Fund derives from sales of chapels and manses and is restricted by the Conference. This restriction is an internal regulation though the fund can be used for a variety of purposes. The Circuit Leadership team has drawn up a set of ground rules, which have been accepted by the Circuit Meeting, to ensure grants made from the Circuit Model Trust Fund are used effectively for mission and capital works. Currently money is being held for refurbishment projects at Hinton Methodist Church and Marlborough Road. Funds have been released to fund the Circuit Children & Families worker.

Circuit financial plans for the coming year have been prepared on the basis that there remains 2 full time ordained staff and 1 Children & Families Worker with anticipated cost of living stipend/Salary increases combined with an increase in the assessment paid to the district such that on average a 5% assessment increase has been requested from the circuit churches.

Basis of preparation and legal framework

The Charity’s annual report and accounts for the year ended 31 August 2023 have been prepared in accordance with the Charities Act 2011 and the Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice 2015 as applicable to the Financial Reporting Standard (FRS) 102

Full Name of Charity: Banbury Methodist Circuit

Registration Charity Number: 1135376

Date of registration 7[th] April 2010 (Previously exempted registration)

Main communication address: 1 Waller Drive Banbury OX16 9NS

The members of the Banbury Methodist Circuit meeting are the Charity Trustees, membership being made up of circuit office holders, ministers and representatives appointed by the Local Church Managing Trustees.

Fully membership is shown as Appendix A to this report.

"Circuit Ministers and officers”

Active Circuit Ministers Rev David Alderman

Rev Philip Robinson

Rev Chris Gaynor

Circuit Lay Staff Mrs Cate Vokes (Children & Families Worker)

Administrator: Ms Clare Taylor

Circuit Stewards

Mrs Janet Jones

Mrs Mary Tanner acted as the principal officer overseeing the day to day financial management and accounting for the circuit during the year: Independent examiner Joanna Watson CIMA Vandyplank House, 9 High Street, Long Buckby, Northants, NN6 7RE

Investment Bankers: Central Finance Board of the Methodist Church Trustees for Methodist Church purposes General Banking: Barclays Bank (Banbury Branch)

Aims and organisation

Charity objective is to act as a Resource Provider within the area around Banbury for 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:

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 organisation and resourcing of regular public acts of worship open to members of the church and non members alike. The Circuit produces a quarterly preaching plan to ensure regular acts of worship take place at each of the 10 Methodist Churches and one Local Ecumenical Partnership in its geographical area. These are open to all people, without charge.

The Circuit is directly involved with plans to provide a chaplaincy service in Banbury town centre. The teaching of Christianity through sermons, courses and small groups.

The resourcing of pastoral work including visiting the sick and bereaved.

Taking religious assemblies in local schools, through “Open the Book”.

Promotion of Christianity through the staging of events and services.

“Messy Church” operates monthly at Marlborough Road and Hinton and continues to grow.

Public Benefit

We confirm the trustees have had regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit.

Structure, Governance and Management

• The governing document for the circuit is the Deed of Union (1932) and Methodist Church Act (1976)

• Detailed governance arrangements are outlined within the Constitutional Practice and Discipline of the Methodist Church by order of the annual Methodist conference (CPD).

• Day to day management of the circuit is undertaken by the Circuit Leadership team along with the Local Preachers meeting, the Circuit Finance and Property Committee and the Circuit Policy Committee.

Trustee Training

A range of guidance produced by Methodist Connexion to support the effective running of the circuit, specifically the leaflet ‘The Role of a Trustee in The Methodist Church’ is given to all new Circuit meeting members as induction to their role as trustees.

Related Parties

The Circuit is part of the Northampton Methodist District and is also accountable to the Methodist Conference.

The following Methodist Churches are linked to the circuit:

Adderbury Hornton Chacombe Marlborough Road Cropredy Middleton Cheney Easington St. Francis (LEP) Greatworth The Fairway Hinton Shipston on Stour Wiggington

Organisations with specific linkage.

Banbury Christians Together – Membership fees are paid by the circuit rather than by individual churches, supporting the following ecumenical projects:

• Banbury Chaplaincy

• Banbury Street Pastors

• Banbury Food Bank

Risk Management

Risks are identified and recorded by the Circuit Leadership Team with professional advice taken as required.

There is a regular annual review process undertaken and recorded, the circuit has introduced a “risk matrix”

Income and Expenditure is being monitored in total and is compared with the approved annual budget on a half yearly basis to detect trends as part of the risk management process to avoid unforeseen calls on reserves.

Adopted the Methodist Church Safeguarding Policy and is ensuring it compliance across the churches. No safeguarding contracts were in place during the past year. The circuit is aware of an ongoing police investigation in one of the villages where the local church is involved in by association, but there is no risk to congregations or reputation. The District Safeguarding Officer is aware and offered advice.

The circuit office ensured GDPR compliance across the Circuit conforming to the Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes requirements.

Circuit Policies are now posted on the Banbury Circuit Website (www. banburycircuit.org.uk) and are regularly updated.

Reserves Policy

The Reserves Policy for the Circuit is to hold a minimum sum equivalent to 6 months’ average expenditure. This should be sufficient to meet any unforeseen item of major expenditure on manses and / or to be able to continue, in the short term, funding planned activities in the event of any inability to raise the full Circuit Assessment from churches.

The circuit assessment is reviewed annually and is currently based on membership figures within the local churches. The budget for the 2023/24 financial year has been set at £181,350k. Therefore the Circuit aims to hold approx. £91k. The reason for this is threefold:- (i) The Circuit needs around one month’s average expenditure in reserve as working capital to cover normal running costs. (ii) The circuit is dependent upon local churches to pay their assessment each quarter. In the event of any inability to raise the full Circuit Assessment from churches the reserves funds will ensure that that District/Connexional assessment, stipends, salaries and other commitments are met as they fall due. (iii) To ensure the circuit can meet any unforeseen item of major expenditure on manses or other circuit managed property.

In addition, currently the Circuit is also holding (unrestricted funds) monies for mission, outreach and redevelopment projects across the circuit.

Safeguarding Policy:

Every person has a value and dignity which comes directly from the creation of male and female in God’s own image and likeness. Christians see this potential as fulfilled by God’s re-creation of us in Christ. Among other things this implies a duty to value all people as bearing the image of God and therefore to protect them from harm .

"Methodist Connexional practice outlines commitment to the following principles:

• the care and nurture of, and respectful pastoral ministry with, all children, young people and adults

• the safeguarding and protection of all children, young people and adults when they are vulnerable

• the establishing of safe, caring communities which provide a loving environment where there is informed vigilance as to the dangers of abuse.

• We will carefully select and train all those with any responsibility within the Church, in line with Safer Recruitment principles, including the use of criminal records disclosures and registration with the relevant vetting and barring schemes.

• We will respond without delay to every complaint made which suggests that an adult, child or young person may have been harmed, cooperating with the police and local authority in any investigation.

• We will seek to work with anyone who has suffered abuse, developing with them an appropriate ministry of informed pastoral care.

• We will seek to challenge any abuse of power, especially by anyone in a position of trust.

• We will seek to offer pastoral care and support, including supervision and referral to the proper authorities, to any member of our church community known to have offended against a child, young person or vulnerable adult.

• In all these principles we will follow legislation, guidance and recognised good practice

The Banbury Circuit commits itself to ensuring the implementation of The Methodist Connexional Safeguarding Policy; government legislation, guidance and safe practice in the circuit and in the churches.

The Banbury Circuit commits itself to the provision of support, advice and training for lay and ordained people that will ensure people are clear and confident about their roles and responsibilities in safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults who may be vulnerable.

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