St. Francis’ Church, Luton
PCC Annual Report
Aim and Purposes
The St. Francis Parochial Church Council (PCC) has the responsibility of co-operating with the incumbent, Revd Nick Grew, in promoting in the ecclesiastical parish, the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. The PCC is also specifically responsible for the maintenance of the Church Complex of St Francis, Carteret Road, Luton, the Church of St Hugh, Cockernhoe, and 15 Lancing Road, Luton, Beds and to work in partnership with the incumbent to agree on how PCC money is spent, the form of Sunday worship and the priest’s vesture in use in the Church.
Objectives and Activities
The PCC is committed to enabling as many people as possible to worship at our church and to become part of our parish community at St. Francis. The PCC maintains an overview of worship throughout the parish and makes suggestions on how our services can involve the many groups that live within our parish. Our Services and worship put faith into practice through prayer and scripture, music and sacrament.
The purpose of St Francis church states “We exist as an evangelical, all-age community centred upon the life-changing love of Jesus and being salt and light among our neighbours”. To this end we have identified 6 values which we define under the headings of Attentive, Authentic, Accountable, Fruitful, Loving and Celebrating.
When planning our activities for the year, we have considered the Charity Commission's guidance on public benefit and particularly the supplementary guidance on charities for the advancement of religion. Specifically, we try to enable ordinary people to live out their faith in Jesus Christ 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.
In support of our ministry, it is important that we maintain the fabric of the Churches of St. Francis Luton and St. Hugh at Cockernhoe, the Church Centre Complex and 15 Lancing Road, Luton, Beds
Achievements and Performance Worship and Prayer
This year church services have been greatly disrupted because of Covid and lockdowns throughout the year. As well as physical services in church, when permitted, there has been access to services online through Zoom and YouTube with paper copies of services distributed to those without internet access. In a normal year, all are welcome to attend our regular services which are held at 9:15 am (Parish Communion) and 11am (Morning Worship). At present, there are 93 parishioners on the Electoral Roll of whom 21 are not resident within the Parish. The total number shows a reduction of two on the previous year. The disruption created by lockdowns and restrictions of numbers when the church was allowed to open, has resulted in the average weekly attendances being unable to be calculated.
Special services such as Mothering Sunday, Easter, Harvest Festival, Toy Service, Nativity, Crib and the Christmas Day Service were all unable to be held because of the Covid restrictions which were in place at that time. The Memorial Service for Funeral Contacts, the Christingle service and the Midnight Holy Communion were all able to take place following Covid secure regulations. Although a Toy Service did not take place, a collection of toys was arranged and taken to the Salvation Army. A socially distanced, outdoor Carol Singing took
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place in the church grounds and had a smaller than normal attendance but was very much appreciated.
The PCC are keen for our church to offer an appropriate range of opportunities whereby people can engage with The Lord and grow as disciples of Jesus. At the 11.00am Sunday services there are groups most weeks for young people and one week a month is given over to an all-age service. We welcome new individuals and families to the distinctive styles of Worship our Church offers, including All-Age Services. During midweek there are activities such as Saturday morning prayer, home-groups, HOPE group and Youth Group. St. Hugh’s Church in Cockernhoe was again unable to host their usual Services at Easter, on Ascension Day, Remembrance Day, at Christmas and regular Collective Worship by Cockernhoe School because of the pandemic. The informal 4pm service in Cockernhoe School particularly aimed at attracting new people and those who have other commitments on a Sunday morning was held only in January and February before Lockdown was implemented.
As well as our regular and special services, we enable our community to celebrate and thank God at the milestones of the journey through life. Through Baptisms and Thanksgivings, we thank God for the gift of life, in marriage public vows are exchanged with God’s blessing and through funeral services friends and families express their grief and give thanks for the life which is now complete in this world and to commend the person into God’s keeping. This year there have been no church weddings, two church funerals and one baptism. There were no Confirmations. Eight funerals were officiated by Staff members at Luton Crematorium.
Deanery Synod
Along with staff members, two lay members of our PCC sit on the Deanery Synod. This provides the PCC with an important link between the parish and the wider structures of the church.
The Church Centre Complex
During the week, when the pandemic regulations permitted, the hall and adjacent rooms were used by two adult and toddler groups, one called “Stay and Play” which is run by Church members, the other called “Flying Start” which is run on behalf of Luton Borough Council. In addition to these, other groups also use the hall during the day - the Ladies Club, the HOPE Group, an after-school Youth Drop-In, the British Gymnastics Foundation 'Love to Move' sessions, and Health Visitors. Stay and play run by the church will restart once the pandemic eases and restrictions allow such to go ahead. Flying start have vacated the hall completely due to the council reshuffling the children's centers in Luton resulting in them leaving St Francis. Youth drop in again has been suspended due to the pandemic and we have no information when it will restart as it was run by council staff and church members, one of whom was our curate who has since left to run her own parish.
Several other groups use, or have used, our facilities during the evening and at the weekend. These include the Neet Teens Luton PHAB Youth Club, Brownies, a dance and drama group (Next Generation Youth Theatre), a line dance group, two Taekwondo Clubs, a Bridge Club, Bounce, (an exercise class) and an African Apostolic Church worship group. The hall and adjacent rooms are also hired when required for elections and on a casual basis for events such as birthday parties.
Pastoral Care
Several members of our parish are unable to attend church due to sickness or age. The Clergy, Readers and several of our more active members visit these people to keep them in touch with Church life. Others are visited where need arises to give spiritual, moral and practical support. We now also offer Prayer Ministry at church on most Sundays.
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Mission and Evangelism
Helping those in need is a demonstration of our partnership in the Gospel. We have made regular donations to our four Mission Partners, namely Wycliffe Bible Translators (Sarah Casson), Hands of Mercy, Youthscape and CPAS. Additionally, we made one-off donations to several charities: NOAH, CRISIS, Luton Food Bank, Age Uk, Children’s Society (Christingle), Luton Deanery Synod, Nansambo School and the Church Urban Fund.
We seek to organise activities that engage with people at various stages in a journey of faith. Some will be purely social to establish contact and confidence; some will introduce testimony and questions and some [e.g. Alpha Course] will invite people to look more deeply and decide to follow Jesus. Social events that were held over the year was just a Barn Dance with other planned events of Agape, Family Fun day, Bring and Share Picnic, Barbecue and Christmas events all being cancelled because of the pandemic. In normal times we also run a Community Café once a month in the Church where members of the public can drop in and join Church members for light refreshments and conversation, and in parallel with this we carry out litter picking in the local streets. Zoom quizzes run by church members have taken place periodically throughout the lockdowns.
Ecumenical Relationships
Throughout the year, St. Francis Church has continued to be involved with the work of Luton Town Centre Chaplaincy and Luton Foodbank. In addition, we collaborate with other local churches most obviously in the Good Friday Walk of Witness. There were six members of St Francis on the London Luton Airport Chaplaincy Emergency Response Team, for call out in case of major accident, at the beginning of the year and four from June onwards.
Financial
The Charity Commission has set the threshold for preparing accrual accounts at £250,000 so we can continue to do simple receipts and payments accounts instead.
Many of our members give very generously to support the work of the Church. Some are less able to contribute in this way, but we recognise that financial giving is not a measure of a person’s commitment to the church. Only four people know how much money each person gives: God; the person themselves; the independent examiner (he does not know anyone, so they are just names to him) and the treasurer.
We held a Giving Review in September 2019; the total pledged for 2020 was £46,367 and £45,953 was given. Loose collections were £1,524, compared to £5,209 in 2019. This was due to the extraordinary circumstances we found ourselves in with the covid-19 pandemic causing the Church to be closed for much of the year. From donations made through planned giving, i.e. the Parish Giving Scheme, standing order or envelopes, and from loose collections, we were able to claim a total of £16,068 in gift aid from HMRC for members of the congregation who are taxpayers and had authorised us to claim this.
We were asked to pay £50,348 for the Parish Share and we received a housing allowance of £9,300 from the diocese for Lancing Road, which left a total of £41,048. The diocese thanked us for paying our quota in full, particularly considering the pandemic. Church expenses exceeded the budget.
We made donations totalling £6820. The last quarterly donations totalling £1200 were paid in January 2021.
Our Harvest Offerings raised £322, which was given to Nansambo School and our Christingle Offerings of £125 was given to The Children’s Society in January 2021.
We had predicted a deficit for the general fund, but this was covered by a transfer from the Staff Housing Fund.
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The hall income for 2020 totalled £9,600 and we made a surplus of £1,481. There was a marked reduction in income due to the pandemic, which also resulted in one of major renters, Flying Start, having to close owing to changes in funding from Luton Borough Council. Our curate lived at 15 Lancing Road until the middle of December. There were no payments made from the capital account during 2020.
The only income for St. Hugh’s Cockernhoe was a grant of £500 from the Diocese for the Church at 4, outreach project. The PCC is responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of St. Hugh’s hence some minor repairs were carried out.
The Social Committee receipts and payments are recorded in the General Fund. The Flower Fund, Hope, Ladies Club and Stay and Play accounts are recorded separately by other members of the Church and were checked by the treasurer.
Andrew Rodell examined the PCC accounts and although he does not charge for his services, we gave him a gift of £100 to compensate him for his efforts.
In 2020 our total income was £94,978. This does not include the Endowment fund for Offley Gatty Bequest which has a value of £7,688 but has specific instructions how the money can be spent and cannot be used for general purposes.
Our total funds increased by £3,570 from £127,214 in 2019 to £130,784 in 2020 (not including the Offley Gatty Bequest). We sold £8,900 in shares from the funds we invested with the Central Board of Finance. The market share value decreased in June by £672 but increased in December by £8,711.
HM Revenue and Customs still did not wish to conduct an audit of our financial records which we must keep for seven years.
We have been asked to pay £46,855 as the Parish Share for 2021.
As our curate left in December 2020, the house in Lancing Rd. became vacant. It is planned to rent it out beginning in January 2021.
Many years ago, the PCC decided to donate to charities 10% of our income from stewardship, tax refunds and loose collections. We propose to donate 10% of this income again this year. St. Francis’ PCC is a registered charity number 1136430, and the PCC are the trustees.
Reserves Policy
It is PCC policy to try to maintain a balance of £50K on unrestricted funds, which equates to approximately three months unrestricted payments and fund any emergency situations which may arise from time to time. The balance satisfies this policy. It is also PCC policy to invest our funds with the Church of England Central Board of Finance Deposit Fund and Investment Fund.
Volunteers
We would like to thank all the volunteers who work so hard to make our church the lively and vibrant Community it is. Specifically, we want to mention our churchwardens Mr Martin Ellway, Mr Blyth Latimer who took over when Martin stepped down and Mr Graham Hosker who work so tirelessly on our behalf, our Treasurer Ms Paula Cardy and Mr Philip Heathcote who was appointed after Paula resigned and the Finance Committee, who help us all to understand the church's accounts and its finances, the Maintenance Action Committee who oversee the maintenance of the Church buildings, the Building Works Group who oversee major project work, the Social Committee who play a vital role in outreach to the community, the Mission Team who seek to energise the outreach of the church and all the other members of the PCC for their valuable contribution to our ministry and for keeping the church running. Structure, governance and management
The method of appointment of PCC members is set out in the Church Representation Rules. At St. Francis’ the membership of the PCC consists of the incumbent, other members of staff;
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churchwardens, readers, members of our congregation who are members of the deanery synod and members elected by those members of the congregation who are on the electoral roll of the church. All those who attend our services / members of the congregation are encouraged to register on the Electoral Roll and stand for election to the PCC.
The PCC members are responsible for making decisions on all matters of general concern and importance to the parish including deciding on how the funds of the PCC are to be spent.
The full PCC met ten times during the year with an average level of attendance of 86.5%. The Finance, Mission, Buildings Working Group and Maintenance Action Committees are responsible to the PCC, and they continued to meet regularly through zoom when unable to physically. All Committees reported back to the full PCC and matters arising were discussed as necessary.
Administrative Information
St. Francis Church is situated in Carteret Rd. Luton. It is part of the Diocese of St. Albans within the Church of England. The correspondence address is St Francis’ Church, Carteret Road, Luton, LU2 9JZ
The PCC is a body corporate (PCC Powers Measure 1956, Church Representation Rules 2006) and a registered charity, number 1136430. The PCC are the Trustees.
Parish Administrator
Our Parish Administrators, Louise Yusuf and Rebecca Potter who was appointed to this position from March after Louise resigned have performed an excellent job with Becca quickly adapting the services to an online format and creating a booking system for places when the church was allowed to open. The main responsibilities of the Parish Administrator include but are not restricted to:
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➢ The co-ordination of all parish communications
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➢ Being the first point of contact for all enquiries related to St. Francis Church
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➢ Responding to all telephone calls to the Church and management of Church voicemail
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➢ General office administration including filing, photocopying and minute taking
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➢ Co-ordinating the teams of volunteers and the work they do for the Church, ensuring rotas are completed and distributed as appropriate
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➢ The administration pertaining to all baptisms, weddings and banns, funerals and hall bookings
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➢ Management of the Electoral Roll
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➢ Management of Parish records
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➢ Ensuring the Church website is maintained and up to date
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➢ Liaise with Deanery and Diocesan officers where appropriate
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➢ To be part of the Safeguarding team:
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Ensure accurate and detailed DBS application & Safeguarding Training records are kept
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Take, produce & circulate minutes from safeguarding meetings & follow up actions
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Produce & circulate letters for volunteers regarding safeguarding training
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Manage DBS checks
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Ensure Safeguarding Dashboard is kept up to date
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Regularly submit Safeguarding Action Plan to PCC
PCC Decision Making
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Over the course of the year, the PCC take decisions on a variety of matters, many of which involve expending money. Below is a list showing just some, but by no means all, of those items:
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➢ Continued to review and update our Mission Action Plan [MAP]
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➢ Agreed a 2021 budget
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➢ Updated and approved the Safeguarding and Financial Policies Terms of Reference
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➢ Agreed servicing and repairs for the boilers in the church, Vicarage and Lancing Road
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➢ Gas and electrical certificates obtained for Lancing Road which was prepared for letting ➢ Carpets cleaned at Lancing Road
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➢ Agreed to purchase sanitising products for the church to help to keep it Covid secure. ➢ Agreed a new four year lease for the photocopier
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➢ Approved the purchase of a new CCLI – copyright music and video licence renewal ➢ Approved a new Holy Communion Assistant
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➢ Started the necessary processes for the appointment of a new incumbent: appointing Parish representatives and Parish Profile Working Group and creating a Parish Profile
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➢ PAT testing was completed
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➢ The Church of England Safeguarding Policy was adopted
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➢ St. Francis’ Church hedge was trimmed and the grass cut
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➢ The church spire was repaired
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➢ The gate at St Hugh’s was repaired
What this list doesn’t show is the enormous amount of work undertaken by the Church Officers and staff, the various sub-committees (Finance, Maintenance, Buildings Working Group, Mission etc.) and various individuals throughout the year, to keep the Church estate in a fit state to allow our congregation to worship God and for us to offer our buildings to the community to allow them to pursue their many and varied activities.
PCC Membership
PCC members who have served from 1st January 2020 until the date this report was approved are:
Ex Officio members:
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➢ Incumbent: The Revd Nick Grew
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➢ Curate: The Revd Sarah Hancock
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➢ Reader: Mr Rod Mason
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➢ Reader: Mrs Barbara McIntosh
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➢ Churchwarden: Mr Martin Ellway Vice-Chairman until APCM 25.10.20
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➢ Churchwarden: Mr Graham Hosker Vice-Chairman
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➢ Churchwarden: Mr Blyth Latimer from APCM 25.10.2020
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➢ Deanery Synod Rep: Mrs Winnie Kinninmonth
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➢ Deanery Synod Rep: Mrs Jacky Wilson
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Elected Members:
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➢ Mrs Denise Archer PCC Secretary from APCM 25.10.2020
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➢ Mrs Joanne Beaumont
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➢ Mrs Elaine Cleaver from APCM 25.10.20
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➢ Mr Ray Cooper
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➢ Mrs Hilary Deacon from APCM 25.10.20
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➢ Mr Philip Heathcote PCC Secretary until 25.10.20 and Treasurer from 25.10.20
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➢ Mr Phil Line
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➢ Miss Rachel Munns until APCM 25.10.20
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➢ Mrs Anna Spencer
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➢ Mrs Jane Borritt (nee-Williams)
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Co-opted Members:
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➢ Miss Paula Cardy PCC Treasurer until APCM 25.10.10
There were no vacancies on the PCC from the APCM, 25[th] October 2020.
Approved by the PCC on and signed on their behalf by Mr Graham Hosker (PCC Chairman)
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St. Francis’ Church, Luton. Financial Statements for the year ended 31[st] December 2020
General, Unrestricted, Fund Receipts and Payments Account
| Receipts Planned giving Tax refunds Loose collections Fees Photocopying Offley Gatty Fund Donations Box Refreshments Church hires Social From Social Committee Fund From Staff Housing Fund From Church of England Newspaper From Capital Fund Payments Parish Share Staff expenses Church expenses Donations Education Photocopying and Stationery Administrator Social To Fabric Fund Deficit for the year Hall Receipts and Payments Account – Receipts Casual Next Generation Youth Theatre African Apostolic Church Luton Town Taekwondo BOUNCE Brownies Line Dancing Love to Move UK ITF Taekwondo Youth Drop-In PHAB Flying Start Gas |
Actual Budget 2019 2020 £ £ 49020 46367 12367 12192 5209 5000 1235 750 20 8 209 190 563 400 0 - 470 450 30 - 2093 1900 331 - 8154 - 253 - - - 79954 67257 52009 51025 1332 1200 8758 8678 5355 6555 899 1350 2227 2355 7615 7767 1759 1500 - - 79954 80430 -13173 Designated Fund £ Payments 585 Administrator 743 Cleaner 440 Cleaning supplies 592 Keys 489 Love to Move trainer 108 Repairs & services 630 Water 1152 394 40 48 Surplus for the year 2153 __11 7385 |
Actual 2020 £ 45953 16068 1524 500 2 216 364 - 102 - 334 - 10969 - - 76032 50348 535 6421 6820 435 2230 9063 180 - 76032 £ 949 3039 382 110 1048 107 269 5904 1481 ____ 7385 |
|---|---|---|
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| Fabric Fund Receipts and Payments Account – Designated Fund | Fabric Fund Receipts and Payments Account – Designated Fund | Fabric Fund Receipts and Payments Account – Designated Fund | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Receipts | £ | Payments | £ | |
| Deficit for the year | 7113 | Church repairs | 7113 | |
| 7113 | 7113 | |||
| Capital Fund Receipts and Payments Account – Designated Fund | ||||
| Receipts | £ | Payments | £ | |
| Interest | 3579 | Architect fees | 0 | |
| Revaluation of shares | 8039 | Surplus for the year | 11618 | |
| 11618 | 11618 | |||
| Staff Housing Fund Receipts and Payments Account – Designated Fund | ||||
| Receipts | £ | Payments | £ | |
| SADBF –housing allowance | 9300 | Insurance | 146 | |
| Deficit for the year | 2900 | Repairs | 86 | |
| Water | 265 | |||
| To St Hugh’s Church | Fund | 734 | ||
| _____ | To General fund | 10969 | ||
| 12200 | 12200 | |||
| St. Hugh’s Church and Churchyard Fund Receipts and Payments Account – Restricted Fund | ||||
| Receipts | £ | Payments | £ | |
| Donation | 25 | Electricity | 142 | |
| Grant for Church at 4 | 500 | Insurance | 297 | |
| From Staff Housing Fund | 734 | Donations | 80 | |
| Church at 4 | 17 | |||
| Misc. | 28 | |||
| Repairs | 212 | |||
| ____ | Grant balance | 483 | ||
| 1259 | 1259 | |||
| Offley Gatty Bequest – Endowment Fund | ||||
| Receipts | £ | Payments | £ | |
| Revaluation of shares | 497 | Surplus for the year | 497 | |
| 497 | 497 | |||
| FUNDS AND CURRENT ASSETS AS AT 31stDECEMBER 2020 | ||||
| FUNDS | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | |
| £ | £ | £ | ||
| Hall – Designated Fund | 25075 | 29279 | 30761 | |
| Fabric – Designated Fund | 47916 | 37483 | 30370 | |
| Capital – Designated Fund | 39070 | 44250 | 55869 | |
| Staff Housing – Designated Fund | 21900 | 16202 | 13302 | |
| St. Hugh’s Church and Churchyard – | Restricted | Fund - |
- | 483 |
| Offley Gatty Bequest – Endowment Fund | 6057 | 7191 | 7688 | |
| 140018 |
134405 | 138473 | ||
| CURRENT ASSETS | ||||
| Cash | - | - | 60 | |
| Bank | 1455 | 1158 | 1261 | |
| CBF Deposit Fund | 4841 | 3935 | 7488 | |
| CBF Investment Fund | 128058 | 123418 | 122558 | |
| Offley Gatty Fund | 6057 | 7191 | 7688 | |
| 140411 | 135702 | 139055 |
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plus DEBTORS
| - - - 393 1297 582 |
|
|---|---|
| 140018 134405 138473 |
Financial Statements for the year ended 31[st] December 2020. Receipts and Payments Accounts
| Flower Fund– Restricted Fund Receipts Balance B/F Donations Hope Group– Restricted Fund Receipts Balance B/F Refreshment donations Payments for books Donations for Love in a Box Cash donation Ladies Club – Restricted Fund Receipts Balance B/F Outings & meals Flower fund Raffle fund Charity collections Subscriptions Stay & Play – Restricted Fund Receipts Balance B/F Donations Donations Age UK CPAS Church Urban Fund CRISIS Hands of Mercy Luton Deanery Synod Luton Food Bank Noah Wycliffe Bible Translators Youthscape |
£ 19 130 149 £ 38 39 32 20 6 135 £ 1393 339 3 58 43 300 2136 £ 184 117 301 |
Payments £ Flowers and oasis 140 Balance 9 149 Payments £ Refreshments 5 Cards and stamps 22 Disinfectant wipes 2 Flowers 6 Craft supplies 9 Donation to Love in a Box 20 Reimbursement of cash donation 6 Balance 65 135 Payments £ Speakers 30 Outings & meals 339 Donation–HOM/Keech/Sight Concern 30 Phone 20 Balance 1717 2136 Payments £ Refreshments & Food 2 Equipment, Toys & Games 26 Books, Craft & Stationery 20 Balance 253 301 £ 270 1300 100 270 1300 440 270 270 1300 1300 6820 |
Payments £ Flowers and oasis 140 Balance 9 149 Payments £ Refreshments 5 Cards and stamps 22 Disinfectant wipes 2 Flowers 6 Craft supplies 9 Donation to Love in a Box 20 Reimbursement of cash donation 6 Balance 65 135 Payments £ Speakers 30 Outings & meals 339 Donation–HOM/Keech/Sight Concern 30 Phone 20 Balance 1717 2136 Payments £ Refreshments & Food 2 Equipment, Toys & Games 26 Books, Craft & Stationery 20 Balance 253 301 £ 270 1300 100 270 1300 440 270 270 1300 1300 6820 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2136 | |||
| £ 2 26 20 253 301 £ 270 1300 100 270 1300 440 270 270 1300 1300 |
|||
| 6820 |
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| Parish Share Stipend contribution Ministry support contribution |
2019 £ 33787 18222 52009 |
2020 £ 31605 18743 50348 |
2021 £ 28112 18743 |
2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 46855 |
Notes:
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The financial statements of the PCC have been prepared in accordance with the Church Accounting Regulations 2006 using the Receipts and Payments basis.
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Unrestricted funds may be used by the PCC for any of its ordinary purposes. Designated funds are funds set aside for specific purposes, which can be transferred to another fund at any time. Restricted funds can only be spent on the specific purpose for which they were given.
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Fixed assets retained for Church use is the freehold house at 15 Lancing Road, which is lived in by our curate. Assets recognised but not valued in the Statement of Assets and Liabilities include moveable church furnishings held by the Churchwardens on special trust for the PCC and which require a faculty for disposal.
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No payments were paid to PCC members.
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Investment shares on 31[st] December 2020 total 5994
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Endowment shares on 31[st] December 2020 total 376
Approved by the PCC of St. Francis’ Church on 30[th] March 2021 and signed on their behalf by Graham Hosker
Churchwarden
Independent Examiner’s report to the Parochial Church Council of St. Francis’ Luton
This report on the accounts of the PCC for the year ended 31[st] December 2020, which are set out on pages 1-4 is in respect of an examination carried out in accordance with the Church Accounting Regulations 2006 (“the Regulations”) and s.145 of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
Respective responsibilities of the PCC and the examiner
As members of the PCC you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts; you consider that the audit requirement of the Regulations and s.144(2) of the Act does not apply. It is my responsibility to issue this report on those accounts in accordance with the terms of the Regulations.
Basis of this report
My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commission under s.145(5)(b) of the Act and to be found in the Church Guidance, 2006 edition. That examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the PCC and a comparison of the accounts with those records. It also includes considering 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 I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.
Independent Examiner’s statement
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
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which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements
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to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act;
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and
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to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the requirements of the 2011 Act and the Regulations have not been met; or
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to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Mr Andrew Rodell
Independent Examiner - 7 Copthorne, Luton, Beds, LU2 9RL
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