## PARISH OF OXTON ST SAVIOUR
## WITH ST ANDREW, NOCTORUM
## ANNUAL ACCOUNTS
## FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st DECEMBER 2024
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## _**Charity of St. Saviour’s PCC, Oxton**_
St. Saviour’s PCC Oxton Registered charity number: 1136160 St. Saviour’s Church St. Saviour’s Parish Office Bidston Road Oxton Prenton CH43 2JZ
## Structure, Governance and Management of the Charity
The charity was constituted on 2[nd ] June 2010, under a governing document pursuant to The Parochial Church Council Powers Measure (1956) as amended, and the Church Representation Rules.
New Trustees are appointed by election to the PCC for a period of one or three years (or up to nine years with three consecutive terms).
## **Objectives and Activities**
To provide regular public worship, open to all, and a sacred space, for personal prayer and contemplation. Pastoral work, including: Visiting the sick and bereaved Teaching Christianity through sermons and study groups Taking religious assemblies in schools
Promoting the whole mission of the church through the provision of activities for children, parents and senior citizens
Supporting other churches, and other charities in the UK and overseas
The parish centre is part of the church and is available for public use by groups or individuals **.** When planning our activities for the year, the incumbent and the PCC have understanding and regard to the published Charity Commission guidance on public benefit, and in particular, their guidance for charities in respect of the advancement of religion. In particular we aim to enable ordinary people to live out their faith as part of our parish community through:
Worship and prayer, learning about the Gospel and developing their knowledge and trust in Jesus Provision of pastoral care for people living in the parish Missionary and outreach work.
To facilitate this work, it is important that we maintain the fabric of the Church and the Parish Centre.
## Background
The Parochial Church Council has the responsibility of co-operating with the incumbent in promoting, in the ecclesiastical parish, the whole mission of the church; pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. It also has maintenance responsibilities for St Andrew’s Church Centre, Noctorum. A Parish Centre has
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been built alongside the Parish Church of St Saviour and there is a hall as part of St Andrew’s Church Centre. The Parish also has responsibility for the maintenance of a house at Noctorum Dell, the vicarage being in the care of the Diocese.
## Membership
Members of the PCC are either ex officio, co-opted or elected by the Annual Parochial Church Meeting in accordance with the Church Representation Rules. During 2022, the following served as members of the PCC:
|_Incumbent_|The Revd Dr Joe Kennedy (Chairman), until June 2024|
|---|---|
|_Curate_|The Revd Holly Torr, until April 2024|
_Reader_ Mrs A Davies _Pastoral Worker_ vacant _Churchwardens_ Mr N Frowe Mrs J Unwin Miss K McKay (Deputy Churchwarden)
_Representatives on the Deanery Synod:_ Miss J Parry, Mrs J Biggs.
## Elected Members of the PCC
Mr D Kewley Mr G Chadwick Mrs A Davies Mrs C Hunt (until May 2024) Miss K McKay Mrs A Welding Mr A Yunas Mr H Keown Mr A Parsons Mr S White Canon Dr J Ms D Head (from May Richardson Mrs S Williams Ms G Caulfield2024) Pleavin (from Mrs S Goulding May 2024) (from May 2024)
_Honorary Assistant Priest and member of the Parish Leadership Team (non PCC member)_ The Revd Elaine Bisson
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## **Trustees**
The Revd Dr Joe Kennedy (until June 2024) Mr A Parsons Miss J Parry Mrs E Ray (until May 2024) Mr G Chadwick Mr S White Mrs A Davies Mrs C Hunt Mr H Keown Mrs A Welding Mr C Biggs (until May 2024) Canon Dr J Richardson Mrs J Unwin Mrs J Biggs
Mr D Kewley
Mr A Yunas
Mrs S Williams Miss K McKay
Mr N Frowe
Mrs S Goulding (from May 2024) Ms G Caulfield-Pleavin (from May 2024)
Ms D Head (from May 2024)
Dr J Smith (until October 2024)
## **Achievements and Performance**
During normal times, a large congregation regularly use the church on Sundays and it is open every weekday morning for services or prayer. During the current Vacancy, since our Vicar left in June, weekday services have been suspended. In general many groups use the parish centre, some on multiple occasions, and there are private individual bookings. Four local schools have regular contact with the church.
## **Financial Review**
|2024
2023
Total income
£189,258 £178,953
Total outgoing resources £200,389 £180,471
Net receipts/(payments) (£11,131) - £1,518|Change
£10,305
£19,918
- £9,613|
|---|---|
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2024 has been another difficult year financially. Expenditure has exceeded income on our day to day running for the third year in succession, by nearly £30,000 in 2024. This is masked in the accounts, summarised above, by specific donations to general funds, including bequests totalling £15,357, but it has been necessary to transfer £20,000 from our deposit account to the general account to cover the shortfall. Planned Giving has increased following an appeal to the congregations in the autumn of 2023, initially by the equivalent of almost £10,000 for a full year, but this has been reduced in the final quarter of 2024 by the sad death of some parishioners and by others moving away from Oxton. In reality, the whole of this increase, and more, has been taken by increased costs, particularly so for energy, which have increased by more than 40% in 2024, as shown below, and an increase of £3,588 in our Parish Share. We have also lost rental income from our Noctorum Dell property since July.
In the face of these challenges the PCC has agreed a strategy to protect as far as possible the vital work of attracting and developing new church members, through our work with young families, children and youth. The necessary funding for this in the medium term will be provided by the sale of our Noctorum Dell property, which is currently on the market. A group looking at ‘green’ options to reduce our energy costs for the church in future years is awaiting grant-funding options, anticipated as part of the government’s Net Zero policy, and likely new initiatives from the national church.
|Key Costs
General maintenance
Insurance St Saviours
Energy costs, both sites|2024
2,711
9,949
19,402||2023
£6,474|
|---|---|---|---|
||||£9,484|
|||£13,786||
The balance sheet shows that the total of all funds is £63,161 comprising:
|General Funds|£50,866|
|---|---|
|Designated funds|£2,000|
|Parish Centre|£10,295|
It is the policy of the PCC, in accordance with advised good practice, to aim to retain sufficient “free” cash reserves, equal to a minimum of three months running costs. In 2024 our annual outgoings were approximately £200,000, excluding the ‘technical’ reassignment of funds referred to above. One quarter of this is £50,000 and we currently have approximately £51,000 available. The PCC will continue to monitor and review its finances and aim to achieve a situation whereby income exceeds expenditure.
## **Charitable Giving**
Individual parishioners supported Christian Aid in 2024, rather than through the church as in previous years.
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## The Governance, Leadership and Management Structure (2017)
## **Committees**
## _**Standing Committee**_
This is the only committee required by law. It has the power to transact the business of the PCC between its meetings, subject to any directions given by the Council
## _**Fabric Committee**_
Responsible for the fabric of all properties
## _**Finance Committee**_
Oversees the general financial work of the parish
## _**Leadership Teams**_
## _**Parish Leadership Team**_
Forum for mutual support for leaders within the parish community
## _**Adult Discipleship Leadership Team**_
Co-ordinates discipleship programmes and initiatives
## _**Pastoral Care Leadership Team**_
Co-ordinates pastoral care, welcome and retention
## _**Worshipping Life Leadership Team**_
Provides leadership in the development of the parish’s worshipping life
## _**Welcome and Hospitality Leadership Team**_
Provides leadership in the development of the parish’s ministry of welcome and hospitality
## _**Children and Youth Leadership Team**_
Provides leadership in the development of children’s and youth work in the parish
## _**Management Groups**_
## _**Safeguarding Management Group**_
Oversees the parish’s safeguarding policy and procedures
## _**Health and Safety Management Group**_
Manages Health and Safety provision for the Parish Church, St Andrew’s and the Parish Centre
## _**Outreach Management Group**_
Co-ordinates the parish’s support for other charities
## _**Parish Centre Management Group**_
Manages the Parish Centre
## _**Social and Music Management Group**_
## Hosts social and musical events
## **Church attendance**
There are 336 parishioners on the Church Electoral Roll of which 100 are not resident within the parish.
The average attendance at services was 161.
**This Annual Report was approved by the PCC on 23rd March 2025, and signed on its behalf by Janine Unwin, Chair of the PCC:**
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## **BALANCE SHEET**
## **AS AT 31ST DECEMBER 2024**
|**AS AT 31ST DECEMBER 2024**||
|---|---|
||**2024**
**2023**
**£**
**£**|
|||
|**CURRENT ASSETS**
Cash at HSBC and in hand
Held in Trust
Short term deposits (CCLA)||
||36,800
30,142
-
-
26,361
44,150|
||**63,161**
**74,292**|
|||
|**TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS**|**63,161**
**74,292**|
|||
|||
|**FUNDS**
Unrestricted
Designated Assigned
Designated Unassigned
Parish Centre
**TOTAL FUNDS**||
||47,136
60,255
2,000
2,000
3,730
2,756
10,295
9,281|
||**63,161**
**74,292**|
NB In addition to the monetary assets above, the church also owns two properties valued at a total of £256,870: St Andrew’s Centre (value £26,870 in 2018) and 36, Noctorum Dell (value £230,000 in 2024).
**The financial statements were approved by the PCC on 23rd March 2025, and were signed on its behalf by Janine Unwin, Chair of the PCC:**
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## **RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT**
## **For the Year Ending 31st December 2023**
|**Other**
**Groups**
**Parish**
**Centre**
**Unrestri**
**cted**
**Designa**
**ted**
**Funds**
**Fund**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**TOTAL**
**TOTAL**
**2024**
**2024**
**2024**
**2024**
**2024**
**2024**
**2023**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**Note**
**£**
**£**|**Other**
**Groups**
**Parish**
**Centre**
**Unrestri**
**cted**
**Designa**
**ted**
**Funds**
**Fund**
**Funds**
**Funds**
**TOTAL**
**TOTAL**
**2024**
**2024**
**2024**
**2024**
**2024**
**2024**
**2023**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**£**
**Note**
**£**
**£**|
|---|---|
|**Receipts**
_Receipts from donors_
123,131
-
2(a)
123,131
105,688||
|||
|_Other voluntary receipts_
20,450
7,554
-
2(b)
28,004
44,539||
|||
|_Income from charitable_
7,294
28,674
-
2(c)
35,968
27,354
_and ancillary trading_
_Income from investments_
2,155
-
2(d)
2,155
1,372||
|||
|**Total Receipts**
**7,294**
**20,450**
**161,514**
**-**
**189,258**
**178,953**||
|||
|**Payments**
_Grants_
3(a)
315||
|||
|_Activities directly relating_
6,320
19,436
129,576
-
3(b)
155,332
141,468
_to the work of the church_
_Church management and administration_
45,057
-
3(c)
45,057
38,688||
|||
|**Total Payments**|**6,320**
**19,436**
**174,633**
**-**
**200,389**
**180,471**|
|||
|**Net receipts over payments**|**974**
**1,014**
**-13,119**
**-**
**-11,131**
**-1,518**|
|||
|||
|||
|**Net receipts/(payments)**|**974**
**1,014**
**-13,119**
**0**
**-11,131**
**-1,518**|
|||
|||
|**Brought Forward 01/01/2024**
**Net movement in funds**
**Carried forward 31/12/2024**|**2,756**
**9,281**
**60,255**
**2,000**
**74,292**
**75,810**
**974**
**1,014**
**-13,119**
**0**
**-11,131**
**-1,518**|
||**3,730**
**10,295**
**47,136**
**2,000**
**63,161**
**74,292**|
**Notes in column 6 refer to pages 11 and 12**
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**Notes**
## **Accounting Policies**
The financial statements have been prepared on a Receipts and Payments basis and comply with the Charities Act 2011.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical accounting convention except for the valuation of investment assets, which are shown at market value.
## **Funds**
General funds represent the funds of the PCC that are not subject to any restrictions regarding their use and are available for application on the general purposes of the PCC. In the designated fund, funds gifted for a particular purpose are regarded as assigned.
The accounts include all transactions, assets and liabilities for which the PCC is responsible in law. They do not include the accounts of groups who use the church that owe their main affiliation to another body.
## **Incoming Resources**
a) All incoming resources are included in the Receipts and Payments account.
b) Other voluntary incoming resources Income from the parish centre and funds designated for specific purposes.
## **Resources used**
All expenditure is accounted for and has been classified under headings that aggregate all costs related to the category. Note that a payments and receipts accounting method is now being used.
## **Fixed assets**
## ( _Consecrated land and buildings and movable church furnishings_ )
Consecrated and beneficed property is excluded from the accounts by s.10 of the Charities Act 2011.
No value is placed on movable church furnishings held by the churchwardens on special trust for the PCC and which require a faculty for disposal since the PCC considers this to be inalienable property. All expenditure incurred during the year on consecrated or benefice buildings and movable church furnishings, whether maintenance or improvement, is written off as expenditure in the Statement of financial activities and separately disclosed.
## _Investments_
Investments are valued at market value at 31 December. Short-term deposits include cash held on deposit either with the Central Board of Finance Church of England Funds or at the bank.
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**Tax**
The charity is an exempt charity within the meaning of schedule 3 of the Charities Act 2011.
**Going Concern**
The financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis as the trustees believe that no material uncertainties exist. The trustees have considered the level of funds held and the expected level of income and expenditure for 12 months from authorising these financial statements. The expected income and expenditure is sufficient, with the level of reserves, for the charity to be able to continue as a going concern.
## **PROPERTY FIXED ASSETS FOR USE BY THE PCC**
## **Freehold land and buildings**
The freehold land and buildings comprise an associated minister’s house (36 Noctorum Dell) and St Andrew's Church Centre.
The values of the properties (as at 31[st] December 2024) are 36 Noctorum Dell (£230,000) St. Andrew’s Church (£26,870) Total £256,870
The PCC also has the use of the following benefice assets: St. Saviour’s Church and St. Saviour’s Parish Centre
The Parish Centre is an inalienable benefice asset, which is valued at £906,046. This valuation is derived from expenditure on the building between 2002 and December 2007 from income provided by the sale of the Parish Hall, the Big Lottery Fund (£400,000), and fund raising in the parish. The combined valuation of the Church and Parish Centre for insurance purposes is £24,600,000 (2023: £19,240,000). The insured valuation of St Andrew’s is £3,660,000. Consecrated and beneficed property is excluded from the PCC accounts by s.10 of the Charities Act 2011.
The office equipment is of insignificant value and was written off in the accounts during the year of purchase.
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|**Receipts**|**2024**
**2023**
**£**
**£**|
|---|---|
|||
|2(a)
_Incoming resources from donors_
Planned Giving
200
Income tax recovered
400/450
Collections (Loose plate)
Gift Aided Donations
900
Legacies (undesignated)
451
Sundry donations||
||70,022
63,226
18,848
17,353
8,762
10,046
10,142
14,748
15,357
0
0
315|
||**123,131**
**105,688**|
|2(b)
_Other voluntary incoming resources_
Parish Centre Fund
600
Designated Donations
Utility Income Parish Centre||
||20,450
17,973
0
20,192
7,554
6,374|
||**28,004**
**44,539**|
|2(c)
_Income from charitable and ancillary trading_
100+ Club
1700
Bell Tower
Flower Guild
Engage
Craft Cafe
Childrens work (inc Messy Church)
Toddlers
Junior Church||
||3,285
3,425
1,615
0
1,060
615
196
176
2
5
408
793
615
0
113
34|
||**7,294**
**5,048**|
|Energy Grant
CCLA deposits
Parish magazine
1800
St. Andrew's
1600
Fund Raising Events
2000
PCC Fees
Sundry income|0
300
0
0
0
0
3,097
2,468
5,761
8,615
8,892
5,624
10,924
5,299|
|||
||**28,674**
**22,306**|
|2(d)
_Income from investments_
7050/7055
Bank & other interest||
||**2,155**
**1,372**|
|||
|**Total receipts**|**189,258**
**178,953**|
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## **Payments**
||**2024**
**2023**|
|---|---|
|||
|3(a)
_Grants_|**£**
**£**
0
315|
|Charitable Giving||
||**0**
**315**|
|3(b)
_Activities directly relating to the work of the church_
Ministry:
Parish Share
Clergy Expenses
Clergy Housing
Church:
Altar, Services, Candles etc
Gas, electricity, water
Choir + CCLI licences + RSCM + PRS
Insurance
Support for Children, Youth and YF work
Maintenance
Organ and Piano Tuning
Organists
St Andrew’s|75,344
71,757
2,109
788
3,576
4,934
919
689
14,869
12,488
1,161
966
9,949
9,484
491
0
2,711
6,474
0
900
8,465
7,762
9,982
4,186|
|||
||**129,576**
**120,428**|
|100+ Club
Bell Tower
Flower Guild Costs
Engage
Craft Cafe
Children’s work (includes Messy Church)
Toddlers
Junior Church|3,330
3,350
736
0
1,146
643
193
175
4
0
609
565
196
239
106
49|
||**6,320**
**5,021**|
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|Parish Centre running
Designated Funds|**19,436**
**16,019**
**0**
**0**|
|---|---|
||**155,332**
**141,783**|
|3(c)
_Church management and administration_
Christian Stewardship Campaign (envelopes)
Payment liability held in trust
Parish office administration
Bank charges||
||0
0
0
0
44,884
38,498
173
190|
||**45,057**
**38,688**|
|**Total outgoing resources**|**200,389**
**180,471**|
## **DESIGNATED FUNDS**
The Designated Assigned Fund holds the balances of donations made for specific purposes whereas the Designated Unassigned Fund holds donations where the usage was not stated and will be assigned as decided by the PCC.
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## **Allocation of funds**
Fund Opening Transferred Incoming Outgoing Closing Balance Resources Resources Balance PCC Unrestricted 60,255 161,514 174,633 47,136 ——————————————————————————————————————100+ Club 420 3,285 3,330 375 Bellringers 446 1,615 736 1,325 CAMEO 487 0 0 487 Flowers 171 1,060 1,146 85 Engage 22 196 193 25 Craft Cafe 31 2 4 29 Children’s work 532 408 609 331 Toddlers 636 615 196 1,055 Junior Church 11 113 106 18 ——————————————————————————————————————— Other Groups 2,756 7,294 6,320 3,730 ———————————————————————————————————————Parish Centre 9,281 20,450 19,436 10,295 PCC Designated Fund 2,000 0 0 2,000 ———————————————————————————————————————Total 74,292 189,258 200,389 63,161 ———————————————————————————————————————
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## **EXPENSES**
Parishioners and Members of the PCC are reimbursed for their expenses where they relate to authorised expenditure and must be supported by invoices or receipts. No out of pocket expenses were paid to Trustees during 2024.
## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINATION**
The cost in 2024 was £1,296 gross, including VAT.
## **STAFF COSTS**
|**STAFF COSTS**|||
|---|---|---|
||2024|2023|
||£|£|
|Wages and salaries
|44,167
|40,191|
|Average number of staff for the year|5|5|
## Planned Giving January to December.
Total Planned Giving was £70,022 (a increase of £6,796 from 2023) donated by 90 contributors. This increase followed an appeal to the congregation in the autumn of 2023. The full effect of that appeal has been calculated at around £10,000 in a full year, although direct comparison cannot be made with 2023, as many people increased their giving in the last quarter of that year as a result of the appeal, whilst the impact of some members leaving in the last quarter of 2024 has also had a negative effect.
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