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← Harrogate And Area Cvs Ltd

2024-03-31-accounts

Charity Registration No. 1144758

Company Registration No. 7760477 (England and Wales)

HARROGATE & AREA COUNCIL FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICE LTD KNOWN AS HARROGATE AND DISTRICT COMMUNITY ACTION

ANNUAL REPORT AND UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

HARROGATE & AREA COUNCIL FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICE LTD

CONTENTS

Page
Legal and administrative information 1
Trustees' report 2 - 11
Statement of trustees' responsibilities 12
Independent examiner's report 13
Statement of financial activities 14
Statement of financial position 15
Statement of cash flows 16
Notes to the financial statements 17 - 28

HARROGATE & AREA COUNCIL FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICE LTD

LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Trustees Ian Bergel - Vice Chair to 4 February 2024 (Resigned 31 December 2023)
Caroline Shead (Resigned 15 November 2023)
Helen Claire Bourner - Chair
Samuel John Gibbs - N Yorkshire Council nominated
trustee
Alistair Ratcliffe
(Susan) Ann Allen
Victoria Pilkington (Resigned 8 February 2024)
Dr Phyllis Johnson (Hughes) - Vice Chair from 7
February 2024
James Plummer
Victoria Oldham (Appointed 7 February 2024)
Charity number 1144758
Company number 7760477
Registered office & principal address Community House
46-50 East Parade
Harrogate
HG1 5RR
Independent examiner Frances Howard FCA
Fortus Limited
Business Advisors and Accountants
Equinox House
Clifton Park
Shipton Road
York
YO30 5PA
Bankers CAF Bank Limited
25 Kings Hill Avenue
Kings Hill
West Malling
Kent
ME19 4JQ
Key Management Personnel Frances Elliot - Chief Executive & Company Secretary
Karen Weaver - Strategic Lead (Community Action)
Phil Newby - Finance Officer
Other names HADCA
HARCVS
Harrogate & District Community Action
Harrogate & Ripon Centres for Voluntary Service

HARROGATE & AREA COUNCIL FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICE LTD

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2024.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with the charity's governing document, the Companies Act 2006 and "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)" (effective 1 January 2019).

The legal and administrative information page forms part of this report.

Objectives and activities

The objects of the charity and company, as stated in the Memorandum and Articles of Association are:

Our Vision:

People in the Harrogate District benefit from leading fulfilling and active lives and make a positive contribution to local community life.

Our Mission:

To support our communities, charities and volunteers to make the Harrogate District a great place in which to live and work.

Our Overall Aims:

Our Strategic Objectives:

  1. To provide local voluntary and community sector information services

  2. To support local community and social action, especially volunteering

  3. To support local community fundraising

  4. To provide services which help people stay safe and well at home, supported by volunteers

  5. To ensure HADCA is fit for purpose, independent and marketed effectively

Our vision, mission, aims and objectives continue to be reviewed as we work towards completion of a new strategic plan taking account of ongoing changes to our grant and contract funding. The strategic objectives each have a set of actions which form the basis of an annual work plan to guide the work of the HADCA staff team under the leadership of the Chief Executive. Progress is monitored and reported to trustee meetings throughout the year.

Public benefit

The trustees confirm that they have complied with their duty to have due regard to the guidance on public benefit published by the Charity Commission in exercising their powers and duties. The trustees consider that all the activities of HADCA are carried out for the public benefit, as illustrated in this annual report.

HARROGATE & AREA COUNCIL FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICE LTD

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

Activities of the Charity during the year

Harrogate & District Community Action (HADCA) exists to provide support to charities, voluntary and community groups and volunteers across the Harrogate District of North Yorkshire. We are a member-led organisation and have a membership of over 200 local voluntary and community sector (VCS) organisations. We can trace our history back to 1963 with the establishment of Ripon CVS. Harrogate and Area CVS was founded in 1988 and incorporated Harrogate Volunteer Centre, which had been set up in 1973. The Harrogate and Ripon organisations came together in 2013 to form an organisation to serve the whole Harrogate District. At that time the trading name Harrogate and Ripon Centres for Voluntary Service was adopted and this was changed on 1[st] May 2020 to Harrogate and District Community Action, to better reflect the charity’s role within the District .

HADCA is a local independent multi-purpose charity working in partnership with a wide range of voluntary, public and private sector organisations, connecting and collaborating to support local community and social action. Our information services remain at the heart of our role, with three further themes of local voluntary action, local fundraising and practical support. Connecting and collaborating underpins all our work. Our services are available to charitable groups of all sizes, from small neighbourhood groups through to large national charities based in the Harrogate District.

We own and manage Harrogate Community House to provide reasonably priced office accommodation for 15 voluntary organisations and good quality affordable meeting space for a variety of community activities.

Under the umbrella of the Harrogate Easier Living Project (HELP) we offer a range of practical services for people in need of some additional support.

Strategic grant aid that had been provided to us by Harrogate Borough Council (HBC) over many years was continued during the transition to North Yorkshire Council. This was for both our community action work supporting the local voluntary sector and for one of our practical support services. We understand that this will be reviewed in 2024/25 as part of a wider exercise to look at the Council’s support for the voluntary sector. We also receive a smaller grant from Ripon City Council to support a forum for the Ripon area.

We were successful in being awarded funding from Health and Adult Services to contribute towards our wellbeing and prevention work in Ripon from April 2023 for three years, for which we use the name “HELP Ripon and Rural”.

Information services

We provide a wide range of information including funding, networking and learning opportunities. We promote voluntary sector services, activities, events, news, jobs and volunteering opportunities via our weekly e-bulletin and extensive networks. Our online Where to Turn and Volunteering Directories are at the heart of this work. We prioritise ensuring that both are kept up to date, accurate and widely promoted so that they are the first port of call for people looking to get involved in the local voluntary and community sector.

Via our reception service at Harrogate Community House we meet and greet a wide range of visitors and callers and ensure they receive a warm welcome and helpful information and signposting to sources of support. We also keep a wide range of literature on local activities and services in the Community House Information Centre.

Local Community Action

HADCA supports local voluntary organisations and community groups to strengthen their organisations by being better informed, increasing skills and being more aware of emerging local needs and priorities. HADCA provides opportunities to network, to work in partnership and to be involved and influence local decision making.

HADCA seeks to be involved in and influence local decision making, working closely with partners from all sectors to ensure a thriving local voluntary and community sector, contributing to local partnership initiatives as opportunities and new needs arise. We also use our connections and networks to feed information through to regional and national partners such as our national association, the Voluntary and Community Sector Emergencies Partnership (VCSEP), and the North Yorkshire VCSE Health and Care Sector Assembly. We disseminate useful updates from these and other relevant organisations.

We support local community action via a programme of networks, enabling voluntary and community sector representatives to meet, share issues, achievements and opportunities to work together. We also do this informally by signposting or introducing people with particular interests or needs for support to others who have shared interests locally.

We promote local volunteering and provide information on local volunteering opportunities, with a focus on the online HADCA Volunteering Directory which has been in operation since October 2016. We provide further support to volunteer-involving organisations via regular information updates.

Our local community action work has led us to work on projects to get new people into volunteering:

• A pilot project for Help out Harrogate (recruiting volunteers who go out “on loan” where one off help is needed, eg community events or charity fundraisers)

• Community Fit (encouraging a combination of more physical activity and volunteering)

• Power of 10 (a programme to encourage the creation of more volunteering roles for young people in Ripon and a rewards scheme for those young people who reach particular milestones in their volunteering).

HARROGATE & AREA COUNCIL FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICE LTD

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

Local fundraising

It is part of our role to ensure that the Harrogate District voluntary and community sector is resilient and well prepared, and we work to support THE LOCAL FUND for the Harrogate District, which was launched in partnership with Harrogate Borough Council and Two Ridings Community Foundation in January 2018. The ambition is to build a substantial endowment fund that can be easily accessed by local charities to help them meet the needs of their beneficiaries. The fund itself is held and managed by Two Ridings Community Foundation and HADCA’s role is to co-ordinate the overall partnership, promote the fund to potential donors and recipients and participate in the panel which distributes funds.

Providing services for people challenged by their life circumstances

Via the Harrogate Easier Living Project (HELP), HADCA works with volunteers to help people whose circumstances mean they are in need of additional support to remain independent, safe and well in their own homes. These services are provided at a very low cost or free of charge, to people unable to access affordable support from any other providers and those without a trusted local support network.

The key services offered during this period were:

In the home:

Away from the home:

In March 2024, HADCA employed 16 staff (9.4 full time equivalents). However, we were only able to provide our services due to the support of 170 volunteers (55 regular volunteers and 115 occasional volunteers).

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE DURING 2023/24

General overview

The charity was led throughout the year by Frances Elliot, Chief Executive and Karen Weaver, Strategic Lead for Community Action. Karen has been with the charity since 2009: appointed as Chief Executive and in that role up to 2020, then latterly as Strategic Lead for Community Action. Karen’s leadership, knowledge and her good working relationships with local stakeholders and partners has been a huge asset to the charity. Karen retired in March 2024 and staff and trustees hope to continue to build on all that she has achieved during her career at Harrogate & District Community Action.

Health and safety, data security and safeguarding are considered at every board and team meeting to ensure we comply with all regulatory requirements relevant to our services. We work hard to ensure all our risk assessments, policies and procedures are kept up to date and that staff and volunteers are aware of all key decisions. Staff and volunteers continue to participate in a wide range of training and development and particularly benefited from the increase in online training on offer.

Information services

A key role for HADCA is to promote the local voluntary and community sector and we continue to use a variety of methods to do so, including social media. We have strong links with the local media and contribute two monthly columns in the Harrogate and Ripon weekly newspapers to highlight the work of the sector. Our free online Introduction Sessions help connect new colleagues from statutory and voluntary organisations, as well as local residents and businesses. Health and social care professionals became more aware of local voluntary sector services and how to refer their clients. 40 people participated in 5 sessions.

The HADCA e-bulletins continued to be issued weekly during 2023/24 to keep over 1,000 local charity and community contacts up to date with information on grants; resources; local community food provision; energy and general cost of living support; local community venues offering activities and ‘warm welcome spaces’; training and networking opportunities and consultations. They also promoted local charity news, new and changed services, activities, events, volunteering opportunities and charity jobs. Anyone is able to add community news and subscribe for free. The ‘Care in Action’ newsletter, published twice per year, shares voluntary sector news with a wider network of readers, including health and social care professionals, local councillors, parish councils and churches. In the run up to Christmas, we shared information about various ways to support local charities and each other during the festive season. Updated information was shared on warm and welcoming places open over the winter months and local community food provision. HADCA is active on Twitter (X) and Facebook and daily posts promote local voluntary action and resources with over 4,650 Twitter (X) and 1,300 Facebook followers.

The fully searchable online ‘Where to Turn’ directory contains over 800 charity services and community activities providing support for ~~good health and wellbeing. Our community events calendar lists around 60 forthcoming events (including online) at any one time for~~ charities, volunteers and people in our communities to connect, learn and have a good time.- 4 -

HARROGATE & AREA COUNCIL FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICE LTD

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

Information services (continued)

We attend events across the district to make new connections and to increase awareness of the information, support, learning and opportunities available. This year these included Sights and Sounds of Ripon, Bilton and Woodfield Community Day, Adult Learning Drop-In at the Victoria Shopping Centre, Harrogate Allotment Show, Ashville College Careers Fair, Harrogate Christmas Fayre and the Big Help Out Coronation Celebration.

Local community action

Our fully searchable online Volunteering Directory helps people find roles according to their interests, skills, needs and availability. Local volunteering opportunities, and the benefits of volunteering, are promoted through local and social media, promotional postcards, booklets of ideas and opportunities (including for under 18’s) and partnerships with local organisations. We also work behind the scenes to make sure potential volunteers have the best possible experience. We provide assistance online, by phone and in person for people who need a little extra help to use our Directories to find support, activities or a suitable volunteering role and, for people recruiting volunteers, listing opportunities for the first time.

There were around 150 local volunteering opportunities listed in our directory at any one time. Over the year we helped organisations to recruit volunteers for 307 different roles.

The regular Harrogate District Volunteer Managers Network newsletter continued to keep over 730 local volunteer organisers up to date with resources to recruit and manage volunteers effectively.

Key strands of our work are to bring people together to share best practice and opportunities, to work together to improve local services and community connections, and to give voluntary sector organisations voice and influence with decision makers. We organised and supported 8 online forum and network meetings, attended by 120 people. In October, the HADCA AGM brought together 58 people at a local community venue to look to the future with our partnership projects and collect people’s insights into their local neighbourhood to inform the council’s thinking about a community anchor organisation for Harrogate Town.

Regular targeted e-mail updates were compiled and circulated to keep members of the following groups up to date on relevant current events and issues:

• Connecting Ripon Network is a partnership group which has grown to 140 members, representing 74 organisations, facilitated by HADCA for voluntary, community and faith sector organisations to work together to strengthen volunteering and community connections in Ripon and the surrounding villages. It met 4 times in 2023/24; • Harrogate District VCS Chief Officers and Chairs Group is a network of 86 decision makers who share news, views, the challenges of managing change and opportunities for funding and partnership working. 4 meetings were held online in 2023/ 24. Meetings included updates from Citizens Advice and other members on the cost of living crisis, its impact locally and the support available. The group acts as a source of intelligence about local needs for the Humber and NY Health and Care Partnership. We also look at national trends to help understand the wider issues, which are also concerns locally.

As well as our forums and networks, we are involved in a variety of partnerships where we seek to share learning and issues gleaned from our wide range of connections. We continued to be active members of the following partnerships:

We actively seek opportunities to develop services and activities to support local community action and volunteering. Our three volunteering projects, working with partner organisations across the district, developed during the year to inspire local people to explore new opportunities to help out, keep active and get involved in their community:

1. Volunteering City of Ripon Project - The Power of 10

This project was funded by a Heritage Lottery grant, secured via the Skell Valley Partnership (led by the National Trust at Fountains Abbey Studley Royal and the Nidderdale AONB) to September 2023. HADCA’s role has been to work with local voluntary and community organisations in the Ripon area to foster a shared approach to recruiting, training, managing and supporting volunteers which will help them be more impactful, sustainable and inclusive. This was initially an 18-month project, part of the ambitious 5 year Skell Valley Project, which has 16 partners collaborating on 15 work streams to revive and restore this special landscape for people, nature and heritage. Our Project Co-ordinator hosted a workshop with local volunteer involving organisations to gain a clear understanding of Ripon’s volunteering landscape. Early feedback identified particular challenges around the ageing profile of existing volunteers and a desire to focus on attracting more young people to become involved in community action.

HARROGATE & AREA COUNCIL FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICE LTD

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

1. Volunteering City of Ripon Project - The Power of 10 (continued)

Over the last 12 months we have continued to promote the Power of 10 volunteer rewards scheme (PO10) for young people within the community by attending and presenting at many events, including Connecting Ripon, The Skell Valley Partnership meetings, Ripon Cathedrals Rural Youth Forum, meeting with the High Sheriff of North Yorkshire, attending Ripon Grammar School assembly and presenting at HADCA’S 2023 AGM. In September we provided The Skell Valley with a project summary report for the official September, end of project deadline. They also funded a celebration event, in November, in partnership with Ripon Museums for our PO10 recipients. Such is the support for the PO10 scheme, we continue to be invited to the Skell Vally partnership meetings and report our PO10 recipient numbers as part of their legacy reporting.

Continuation funding was sought to enable this successful pilot to continue under the name “Power of 10”: timings of funding decisions on applications meant that HADCA funded the costs of the member of staff working on this project for a 3-month period before securing a further 12 months’ funding from the Liz and Terry Bramall Foundation and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in order to develop this project further.

In October 2023 we played a key organisational role in Ripon’s Volunteer awards, St Wilfrid’s Stars. The winner of the young volunteer of the year award, was our first Power of 100 hours recipient.

The Power of 10 hosted its official launch in March 2024 at the Ripon Inn. 11 organisations have been encouraged or enabled to sign up to the scheme, and actively recruit young volunteers for their organisation. We hosted a Young Persons Volunteer Recruitment Fair in Ripon Library in February 2024, and many of these organisations attended. In March 2024 we developed new Power of 10 resources for young people, voluntary organisations & businesses, including a PO10 Volunteer Passport, where young people record their volunteer hours ready to submit for their awards. In total during the financial year, 18 young people received their 10-hour awards, 5 received their 20 hour awards, 4 completed 50 hours and 3 completed 100 hours of volunteering.

2. Harrogate Community Fit Project

Our Community Fit partnership with North Yorkshire Sport (NYS) had a successful launch in May 2022, with funding from the NHS and Harrogate Borough Council and support from Community First Yorkshire. It aimed to create a community of local people who meet to be social and active while giving time to Harrogate’s people and spaces. Via weekly group sessions, people run or walk together from Community House to a community group or charity where they help out, before heading back to base. This includes a variety of tasks, from sorting donations to moving furniture, painting, planting or litter picking. Individuals are also engaged to help members of the public with non-skilled tasks around the home and garden to support their continued independence. Members use active travel – running, walking, cycling – to reach these people.

Following a successful pilot which ran to September 2023, again, HADCA funded the costs of the member of staff working on this project for a 3-month period, pending funding decisions. Funding was secured from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Sport England in December 2023 to develop the project throughout 2024. Since then, by mutual agreement, HADCA has taken over the management of the project in its entirety.

In 2023-24, 30 volunteers (‘FitStars’) collectively ran 980 miles to give 455 hours of help to 22 different partner organisations on 47 separate occasions. This provided much needed additional resources to those groups as well as improving the health and wellbeing of our FitStars.

3. Help Out Harrogate

During Covid and the subsequent creation of local mass vaccination centres, we were inundated with interest from people volunteering to help in an ad hoc way. Learning from this experience and keen to continue to engage with these people who are less able to enter into “traditional” regular volunteering, we launched our pilot “Help out Harrogate” in September 2023. Applicants are reference checked and then receive a regular list of ad hoc volunteering opportunities in Harrogate with other charities or community groups. They can then opt to help out with any that fit alongside their other commitments.

From September 2023 to March 2024 we recruited 110 volunteers. 52 people volunteered at least once for 22 different events and activities, providing over 262 hours of support. They supported 15 different charities and community groups.

We have boosted capacity in local charities – all respondents in our recent partner survey reported struggling with volunteer recruitment. Two thirds said that Help Out Harrogate provided volunteers for an activity where they usually wouldn’t have had enough volunteers or in some cases, had any.

We have removed barriers to access – in our volunteer survey, three quarters of respondents said they were attracted to become part of Help Out Harrogate as that they didn’t have to commit to any specific times. 70% said they were motivated by the opportunity to help out around other commitments.

We have attracted new volunteers – while in the past, the majority of our volunteers have been retired, this new project has attracted younger, working age volunteers who have different availability and time constraints. Just over half of volunteers recruited since Jan 24 are between 18 and 54. One third had never done any formal volunteering before getting involved with our project.

Harrogate Community House

The reception team support HADCA staff and tenants with a wide range of services as well as welcoming visitors and responding to a wide range of enquiries via phone, e mail and in person.

HARROGATE & AREA COUNCIL FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICE LTD

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

Harrogate Community House (continued)

Visitors are able to drop in to reception 9am – 4.30pm, 4 days a week, for information and signposting and can pick up a choice of leaflets on local charities, services and volunteering, which is a valued resource. A wide variety of organisations continue to use our meeting rooms for training, workshops, meetings, interviews and one to one sessions. Meeting rooms are fully accessible and the benefit of a polycom system for hybrid meetings means people can also easily join from home or elsewhere.

Office occupancy remains high and meeting room usage has continued to build back up. New LED lighting was installed and was partly funded by external grants. This has not only modernised the look and feel of the building, but has had a positive impact on reducing our electricity consumption.

Community House was pleased to welcome the High Sheriff of North Yorkshire in July, who met with tenants to hear about their work, as well as making special awards to volunteers from Open Arms Malawi and Harrogate Town Community Foundation for their exceptional contributions.

Community Fundraising

The value of THE LOCAL FUND endowment (held by Two Ridings Community Foundation) has continued to grow in size, with another application round held this year. 23 projects received grants totalling £55,340. Since the launch in 2018, £330,000 has been awarded to 127 grassroots organisations and projects, benefitting at least 20,000 people across the district. The Fund partners continue to meet regularly and organised the annual celebration event at the West Park Hotel in November 2023, attended by fund partners, donors and recipients, together with the Charter Mayor of Harrogate and local media.

We have continued to promote THE LOCAL LOTTO for the Harrogate District, both to good causes and players. There are now 118 good causes signed up and over 900 players. At least 10p from every ticket sale is donated to THE LOCAL FUND, supporting good causes across the District.

Services for people in the community

The Harrogate Easier Living Project (HELP)

HELP provides a range of preventative services aimed at enabling people to maintain their independence in their own homes, principally supported by funding from North Yorkshire Council, some via former Harrogate Borough Council grants. Additional income is also generated via trusts, community, and corporate fundraising, as well as donations made by clients or their families.

Funding from North Yorkshire’s Stronger Communities team for HADCA to act in the formal role of a Community Support Organisation for Harrogate Town ended in March 2023. However, HADCA continued to be a focal point for individuals to contact and for professionals to signpost to, as the team had developed their knowledge and visibility further during the previous three years. We continued to act as a key point of contact for people experiencing cost of living or winter pressures, with personalised signposting to the most relevant sources of local advice and support for the individual. This included sharing emergency food support options such as vouchers for the food bank, information about the community grocery and Local Assistance Fund, and referrals to Warm and Well North Yorkshire and the Green Doctor. We kept a growing list of Warm Spaces up to date via our Where to Turn directory and liaised with community groups to offer our information and signposting services as needed. We shared information about cost of living support with local schools each term and responded to enquiries relating to the specific needs of families within those school communities.

Help at Home

This long established and vital service was provided by two part time staff, accompanied by volunteers. They completed 283 jobs and spent over 2,000 hours working in people’s homes and gardens to ensure safety, prevent falls and reduce worry about tasks the householder is not able to do themselves.

Voluntary Car Driving Service

Volunteers completed 5,246 journeys between April and December 2023, 11% of which transported people to longer distance medical appointments with a round trip of more than 45 miles. However the service faced rising costs and increased time needed to make arrangements (increasing cancellations due to ill health, cancelled appointments etc). The basic funding for this service had been unchanged since 2015 but regrettably, requests for an uplift in were unsuccessful and Trustees made the very difficult decision to hand the service back to commissioners for them to assign to a new provider as we could no longer meet the difference in costs ourselves. This transfer took place in December 2023.

Ripon & Rural Befriending Service

We continued to provide face to face support for people, with home visits to 50 people. Our weekly Friendship Club continues to provide a vital service, providing seated exercise and much appreciated social contact for 10 -15 people each week. During the winter months we also provided lunch for people who were worried about the ongoing high cost of living. The club serves as a valuable route to identify people in need of additional signposting or support.

HARROGATE & AREA COUNCIL FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICE LTD

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

Here to HELP Information Services

Often people who are not digitally engaged risk missing out on important information, so we try to visit groups that people are already attending and offer one to one information and signposting there. As well as the large number of incoming phone calls, we received emails, enquiries via social media and spoke to people coming into Community House with queries. We sent out regular mailings with details about where to turn for information about fuel poverty, emergency food options, the dangers of carbon monoxide and how to sign up for the Priority Services Register to get additional support from utilities providers in case of disruption to supply. Face to face information sessions continued and we regularly attended Resurrected Bites’ Community Grocery Stores in Harrogate and Knaresborough to signpost people to other sources of local support and to ensure they know where to go for help with high heating bills, debt, or mental health support. In addition, we regularly attended local libraries as well as support groups and interest groups on an ad hoc basis across the district. We worked with The Yorkshire Energy Doctor to engage with clients who were struggling with the cost of living by attending a local community group to talk about our services and to demonstrate how a slow cooker could help reduce costs.

Vaccination Centres

Whilst the mass vaccination centres for Covid were no longer operational, we were again asked to support Mowbray Square’s flu clinics, covering 6 half day sessions and enabling 127 volunteering hours there in total. The fact that volunteers were still keen to volunteer in this way was key to the development of the new Help Out Harrogate initiative.

Social Activities

In partnership with a local school and a hotel, we have been able to host free social get togethers to enable people to reconnect, as well as occasional Friendship Club group outings away from the usual venue and format. We also have a popular Craft Group where people with similar interests meet and share skills. All social activities and events are also useful in providing further information and signposting opportunities.

Fundraising

Our Development Worker had great success in gaining the support of several Trusts and Foundations, which brought in £92,000, most of which was in support of our HELP services, our volunteering projects and some capital costs relating to Community House. We received a further £27,000 from individual donors, community events and proceeds from our Christmas Raffle and 100 Club. We are also extremely grateful to businesses who provided £9,000 of funding as well as valuable in-kind support this past year.

Financial Review

HADCA finished the year with an overall surplus of £42,879. This was made up of surpluses of £15,968 within unrestricted funds and £26,911 within restricted funds. This includes a restricted legacy of £47,111.

Total income was £463,186 (£506,421 in 2023)

Our expenditure in the period was £420,307 (£470,222 in 2023).

The trustees were pleased with the overall results.

Reserves policy

The trustees have agreed that it is necessary to hold free reserves to cover the following contingencies:

The trustees consider that a reserve equivalent to three months’ running costs is sufficient. Currently £100,000 is adequate to cover these contingencies. The actual free reserves at 31 March 2024 were £171,822.

Principal funding sources

We are extremely grateful to all the trusts, community groups, organisations and individuals who have provided us with the funds necessary to carry out our work in 2023/24:

Caroline & Stewart Baldwin, Charles & Elsie Sykes Trust, Coop Local Community Fund, Councillor Chris Aldred, Councillor Philip Broadbank, Councillor Barbara Brodigan, Councillor Sam Gibbs, Councillor Michael Harrison, Councillor Peter Lacey, Councillor Pat Marsh, Crowne Plaza, DECCO, Elise Pilkington Charitable Trust, George A Moore Foundation, Harrogate Round Table, Holy Trinity Church Ripon, Inman Charity, Inner Wheel Club of Harrogate Brigantes, Kirkby Malzeard Combined Charitable Trust, Knaresborough Open Gardens, Liz & Terry Bramall Foundation, Nanci Downey, NFU Mutual, Nidderdale Walk participants, One Stop Stores, Pannal Methodist Church, Presence Church, Ripon Recycling Fund, Ripon Rotary Trust, Roosters Brewing Co, Rotary Club of Harrogate, Sainsbury’s, Saints Plant Stall, Shears Foundation, Souter Charitable Trust, Sport England, Swinton Charitable Trust, The Local Fund, UK Shared Prosperity Fund, Waitrose, W.G. Edwards Charitable Foundation, White Rose Squares, Woodlands Methodist Church.

HARROGATE & AREA COUNCIL FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICE LTD

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

Principal funding sources (continued)

In addition to these funds, HADCA receives income for its various services from donations from individuals, as well as rental income from tenants.

Risk management

HADCA maintains a risk register and the board of trustees and sub committees ensure that all major risks to which the charity is exposed are reviewed on a regular basis and that the systems and procedures are in place to manage these risks. Health and safety, data security and safeguarding are agenda items at every board meeting.

Future Plans

General overview

The charity continues to have the following objectives:

A staff restructure in the final quarter of 2023/24 was completed in order to balance the budget for the forthcoming financial year. This loss of respected, skilled and knowledgeable team members was extremely hard for staff, volunteers and clients alike. However the outcome is that we start the financial year ahead in a more stable financial position with a balanced budget and a challenging but feasible fundraising target for 2024/25.

The creation of a single unitary local authority for North Yorkshire in April 2023 has had a significant impact on all our key funding streams and services, as follows:

Given our depth of local knowledge, connections and profile and our track record of partnership working, we very much see HADCA, HELP and Harrogate Community House as key stakeholders within the area, providing linkage into the wider networks and systems across the public and voluntary sectors. We will seek funding from a range of sources to continue to deliver services across our area of benefit (the former Harrogate District), wherever there is an unmet need that we are best placed to serve. We will continue to collaborate with a wide range of local partners and to connect those who can help each other, recognising that there are health inequalities in our area that can only be tackled by joint working.

To balance our budget there will be a continued focus on fundraising, which remains challenging, as members of the public and businesses all face rising costs. Trusts and foundations are receiving an increasing number of applications and we will have to find creative solutions to the challenge of raising additional income. This is also the case for all local voluntary and community sector organisations and we will continue to champion The LOCAL Fund as a source of support for grass roots groups and good causes.

HARROGATE & AREA COUNCIL FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICE LTD

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

Helping people stay safe and well at home supported by volunteers

Given the changes to our funding for services to individuals, we have sought pro-bono external support to review and plan for the future. Our aim is always to focus on unmet need, rather than duplicate what other organisations are already doing.

Meanwhile our Help at Home gardening, decorating and odd job service continues to operate with local authority funding support, which is vital to the continuation of that service. We offer the fastest possible support to council tenants and to people without family or friends who can help them. Not only do we provide the practical support requested, but we seek opportunities to refer people on to other sources of support as appropriate.

Finally, connecting people to support or information that they need will always be a key aim for us. We have grown partnerships with a number of local VCS organisations and community groups in order to reach more people and we will continue to do so, especially given the challenging financial situation facing so many people we are already in contact with, and potentially many more members of the wider public.

Local voluntary and community sector information services

We will be continuing to focus on making the best use of technology to share information to support and promote our local voluntary and community groups. The “Where to Turn” and Volunteering Directories remain at the heart of this work, and we will ensure that both are up to date, accurate and widely promoted so that they are the first port of call for people looking for support or to get involved in their local community. We will continue to provide our regular e-bulletins and newsletters and ensure all our services are GDPR compliant. We will continue to use a range of social media and traditional platforms to raise awareness of the value and contribution of our sector and the opportunities to become involved.

Support for local community and social action

We will support local voluntary action via our programme of events and networks and will continue to host forums, enabling VCS representatives to meet, share issues and influence decision makers. We are pleased to have received a small annual grant from Ripon City Council each year to March 2027, which supports our Connecting Ripon Network work. We seek to try out a new forum where local fundraisers can provide peer support for one another.

Additional opportunities for the sector may come via the Humber and North Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership, who have embedded liaison with the voluntary and community sector from their inception. We have been acting as the local conduit for information in and out of this partnership, linking our Chief Officers and Chairs group with the local VCSE Steering Group, chaired by Community First Yorkshire.

Along with a range of other local charities, we are working in partnership with NY Council, Harrogate and District Foundation Trust Hospital and Macmillan to ensure all partners understand the support that the voluntary and community sector can provide to people living with and beyond cancer treatment.

We will keep championing volunteering across the district, sharing information on opportunities and promoting good practice in volunteer management. This includes seeking further funding to continue to deliver our three successful volunteering projects: The Power of 10, Community Fit and Help out Harrogate.

We will ensure that Harrogate Community House is maintained and developed as a supportive and welcoming location for voluntary and community groups to work and meet. We will explore the costs around Electric Vehicle charging points as a facility for tenants and perhaps for the wider community. We will also explore the installation of solar panels as a potential next step in ensuring the sustainability of the building.

We will collaborate with the wider voluntary and community sector at a county wide, regional and national level wherever we can see an actual or potential benefit back to our area.

Finally we will continue to promote and develop THE LOCAL FUND and THE LOCAL LOTTO for the Harrogate District. This includes bringing in new donations to the fund, assisting with the promotion of grant aid opportunities to beneficiaries and ongoing growth of the LOTTO. In addition, we will support good grant giving in other arenas, such as acting in an advisory capacity to the Brigantes Rotary capital grant programme.

Clearly the uncertainty over two significant strands of funding will have an important impact on our charity in 2024/25: We will continue to review our forward plan and to update the aims and objectives of the organisation to ensure HADCA remains best placed to respond to changing needs of our area, whilst adapting to our own changing finances. Our board of trustees, staff and volunteer teams remain our greatest asset and we will continue to invest in them to achieve the best outcomes for our community.

HARROGATE & AREA COUNCIL FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICE LTD

TRUSTEES' REPORT (INCLUDING DIRECTORS' REPORT) (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

Structure, Governance and Management

Governing document

Harrogate and Area CVS was incorporated as a company limited by guarantee at Companies House (number 7760477) on 2 September 2011. Registration with the Charity Commission (number 1144758) took place on 23 November 2011. The memorandum and articles were amended by special resolutions at Companies House on 26 March 2012 and 13 October 2022.

The charity is a membership organisation and as of 31 March 2024 the organisation had 220 members. Our memorandum and articles of association requires that members make up 60% of the board of trustees.

Recruitment, appointment and induction of trustees

Appointment of trustees is governed by the memorandum and articles of association. The board of trustees is authorised to appoint new trustees to fill vacancies arising through resignation or death of an existing trustee.

One third of the trustees must retire at the Annual General Meeting. However, if eligible, they may offer themselves for re-election, serving a maximum period of up to 6 years (two three-year terms). In December 2023, Ian Bergel, our Chair of Finance SubCommittee stepped down after serving 5 years with the charity. The charity’s thanks for his dedicated support is recorded here.

Organisational structure

The board of trustees of the charity holds a minimum of four board meetings per year, plus two board development sessions. In addition, there are sub-committees for finance and property:

Finance: Property: Ian Bergel (Chair to December 2023) Ann Allen (Chair) Victoria Oldham (Chair from February 2024) Sam Gibbs Phyl Hughes Helen Bourner James Plummer Alistair Ratcliffe

Operational management is delegated to the Chief Executive, who is supported by a team of staff and volunteers in three areas of work; community action services, services to individuals and business support. In 2023/24 the management team was made up of the Chief Executive, the Strategic Lead for Community Action and the Finance Officer. The Finance Officer is responsible for the day to day financial management of the charity.

The trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.

Helen Claire Bourner - Chair Trustee Date: 17 September 2024

HARROGATE & AREA COUNCIL FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICE LTD

STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES' RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

The trustees, who are also the directors of Harrogate & Area Council for Voluntary Service Ltd for the purpose of company law, are responsible for preparing the Trustees' Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company Law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that year.

In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

HARROGATE & AREA COUNCIL FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICE LTD

INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT

TO THE TRUSTEES OF HARROGATE & AREA COUNCIL FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICE LTD

I report to the trustees on my examination of the financial statements of Harrogate & Area Council for Voluntary Service Ltd (the charity) for the year ended 31 March 2024.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the trustees of the charity (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (the 2006 Act).

Having satisfied myself that the financial statements of the charity are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s financial statements carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act). In carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner's statement

Since the charity’s gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, which is one of the listed bodies.

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

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 the financial statements to be reached.

Frances Howard FCA

Fortus Limited Business Advisors and Accountants Equinox House Clifton Park Shipton Road YO30 5PA York

Dated: 18 September 2024

HARROGATE & AREA COUNCIL FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICE LTD

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

Unrestricted
Restricted
funds
funds
2024
2024
Notes
£
£
Income
Donations and legacies
2
36,469
67,386
Charitable activities
3
157,342
196,686
Investments
4
5,303
-
Total income
199,114
264,072
Expenditure
Raising funds
5
-
1,389
Charitable activities
6
183,146
235,772
Total expenditure
183,146
237,161
Net income for the year/
Net movement in funds
15,968
26,911
Fund balances at 1 April 2023
179,589
585,653
Fund balances at 31 March
2024
195,557
612,564		 Total
Unrestricted
Restricted
funds
funds
2024
2023
2023
£
£
£
103,855
2,447
87,864
354,028
119,794
295,216
5,303
1,100
-
463,186
123,341
383,080
1,389
-
656
418,918
95,703
373,863
420,307
95,703
374,519
42,879
27,638
8,561
765,242
151,951
577,092
808,121
179,589
585,653		 Total
2023
£
90,311
415,010
1,100
506,421
656
469,566
470,222
36,199
729,043
765,242

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.

All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.

The statement of financial activities also complies with the requirements for an income and expenditure account under the Companies Act 2006.

HARROGATE & AREA COUNCIL FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICE LTD

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION

AS AT 31 MARCH 2024

2024 2023
Notes £ £ £ £
Fixed assets
Tangible assets 9 525,992 524,249
Current assets
Debtors 10 24,816 14,985
Cash at bank and in hand 281,899 251,415
306,715 266,400
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 11 (24,586) (25,407)
Net current assets 282,129 240,993
Total assets less current liabilities 808,121 765,242
Income funds
Restricted funds 13 612,564 585,653
Unrestricted funds 195,557 179,589
808,121 765,242

The company is entitled to the exemption from the audit requirement contained in section 477 of the Companies Act 2006, for the year ended 31 March 2024.

The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for complying with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 with respect to accounting records and the preparation of financial statements.

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

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime.

The financial statements were approved by the Trustees on 17 September 2024

Helen Claire Bourner - Chair

Trustee

Company registration number 7760477

HARROGATE & AREA COUNCIL FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICE LTD

STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

Notes
Cash flows from operating activities
Cash generated from operations
Investing activities
Purchase of tangible fixed assets
Investment income received
Net cash used in investing activities
Net cash used in financing activities
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year		 2024
£
(17,062)
5,303		 £
42,243
(11,759)
-
30,484
251,415
281,899		 2023
£
(11,069)
1,100		 £
19,762
(9,969)
-
9,793
241,622
251,415

HARROGATE & AREA COUNCIL FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICE LTD

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

1 Accounting policies

Charity information

Harrogate & Area Council for Voluntary Service Ltd is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is Community House, 46-50 East Parade, Harrogate, HG1 5RR.

1.1 Accounting convention

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity's governing document, the Companies Act 2006, FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” (“FRS 102”) and the Charities SORP "Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)" (effective 1 January 2019). The charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.

The charity has taken advantage of the provisions in the SORP for charities not to prepare a Statement of Cash Flows.

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity.

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, modified to include the revaluation of freehold properties. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.

1.2 Going concern

At the time of approving the financial statements, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.

1.3 Charitable funds

Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives.

Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.

1.4 Income

All income is included in the statement of financial activities when the charity is entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy.

1.5 Expenditure

Expenditure is recognised on an accruals basis when a liability is incurred. Expenditure includes any VAT which cannot be fully recovered, and is included as part of the expenditure to which it relates.

Raising funds are those costs incurred in attracting donations and legacies and those incurred in trading activities that raise funds.

Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both the direct costs and support costs relating to such activities.

Governance costs include those costs associated with meeting the constitutional and statutory requirements of the charity and include its audit fees and costs linked to the strategic management of the charity.

Support costs include central functions and have been allocated to activity cost categories on a basis consistent with the use of resources.

HARROGATE & AREA COUNCIL FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICE LTD

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

1 Accounting policies

(Continued)

1.6 Tangible fixed assets

Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.

Fixed assets are stated at cost or valuation less accumulated depreciation. Individual fixed assets costing £1,000 or more are capitalised at cost.

Tangible fixed assets are depreciated on a straight line basis over their estimated useful lives as follows:

Buildings 2% Computers and office equipment 33% Vehicles 25%

The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is recognised in the statement of financial activities.

1.7 Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand and deposits held at call with banks.

1.8 Financial instruments

The charity has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.

Financial instruments are recognised in the charity's balance sheet when the charity becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.

Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.

Basic financial assets

Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price.

Basic financial liabilities

Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and bank loans are initially recognised at transaction price.

Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as noncurrent liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

1.9 Taxation

The charity is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within section 505 of the Taxes Act 1988 or section 252 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objects.

1.10 Employee benefits

The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received.

Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the charity is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits. The amounts included within termination payments are paid to the employee in line with the company redundancy policy.

Pensions

The charity contributes to defined contribution pension schemes in respect of its employees. The assets of these schemes are entirely separate to those of the charity. The pension cost shown represents contributions payable by the charity in respect of the employees.

HARROGATE & AREA COUNCIL FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICE LTD

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

1 Accounting policies

(Continued)

1.11 Leases

Rentals payable under operating leases, including any lease incentives received, are charged as an expense on a straight line basis over the term of the relevant lease. 2 Donations and legacies

Unrestricted
Restricted
funds
funds
2024
2024
£
£
Donations
36,469
20,275
Legacies
-
47,111
36,469
67,386		 Total
Unrestricted
Restricted
funds
funds
2024
2023
2023
£
£
£
56,744
2,447
46,197
47,111
-
41,667
103,855
2,447
87,864		 Total
2023
£
48,644
41,667
90,311

HARROGATE & AREA COUNCIL FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICE LTD

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

3 Charitable activities

Community
action
Forums and
events
2024
2024
£
£
Grants
66,800
-
Fees and charges
90,542
-
157,342
-
Analysis by fund
Unrestricted funds
157,342
-
Restricted funds
-
-
157,342
-
Community
action
Forums and
events
2023
2023
£
£
Grants
52,000
-
Fees and charges
79,794
-
131,794
-
Analysis by fund
Unrestricted funds
119,794
-
Restricted funds
12,000
-
131,794
-		 Service
delivery
2024
£
189,587
7,099
196,686
-
196,686
196,686
Service
delivery
2023
£
267,028
16,188
283,216
-
283,216
283,216		 Total
2024
£
256,387
97,641
354,028
157,342
196,686
354,028
Total
2023
£
319,028
95,982
415,010
119,794
295,216
415,010

4 Investments Interest receivable

Unrestricted Unrestricted
funds funds
2024 2023
£ £
5,303 1,100

HARROGATE & AREA COUNCIL FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICE LTD

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

5 Raising funds
Restricted Restricted
funds funds
2024 2023
£ £
Support costs 1,389 656
1,389 656

HARROGATE & AREA COUNCIL FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICE LTD

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

6 Charitable activities

Community
action
2024
£
Direct staff costs
55,266
Project costs
1,891
57,157
Share of support costs (see note 7)
134,740
Share of governance costs (see note 7)
4,278
196,175
Analysis by fund
Unrestricted funds
183,146
Restricted funds
13,029
196,175
Community
action
2023
£
Direct staff costs
51,618
Project costs
2,182
53,800
Share of support costs (see note 7)
52,493
Share of governance costs (see note 7)
3,410
109,703
Analysis by fund
Unrestricted funds
95,703
Restricted funds
14,000
109,703		 Service
delivery
2024
£
194,658
20,490
215,148
6,058
1,537
222,743
-
222,743
222,743
Service
delivery
2023
£
209,910
42,235
252,145
103,342
1,872
357,359
-
357,359
357,359		 Total
2024
£
249,924
22,381
272,305
140,798
5,815
418,918
183,146
235,772
418,918
Total
2023
£
261,528
46,921
308,449
155,829
5,288
469,566
95,703
373,863
469,566

HARROGATE & AREA COUNCIL FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICE LTD

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

7 Support costs

Support costs
Support costs
Governance
costs
£
£
Depreciation
15,319
-
Support staff costs
43,572
-
Communications and IT
14,173
-
Financial costs
285
-
Printing and postage
5,155
-
Premises
62,294
-
Governance costs
-
5,815
140,798
5,815
Analysed between
Charitable activities
140,798
5,815		 2024 Support costs
Governance
costs
£
£
£
15,319
13,160
-
43,572
41,856
-
14,173
12,166
-
285
424
-
5,155
6,225
-
62,294
81,998
-
5,815
-
5,288
146,613
155,829
5,288
146,613
155,829
5,288		 2023
£
13,160
41,856
12,166
424
6,225
81,998
5,288
161,117
161,117

Governance costs includes payments to accountants of £2,700 (2023: £2,580) for independent examiners fees.

8 Employees

The average monthly number of employees during the year was:

Total
Wages and salaries
Social security costs
Pension costs
Termination payments		 2024
Number
20
256,518
9,079
21,471
6,428
293,496		 2023
Number
24
273,372
9,299
20,383
-
303,054

No employee received emoluments of more than £60,000 per annum (2023: £nil)

The total paid to key management personnel (as listed on page 1) during the year was £56,251 (2023: £50,222). This year's figure includes a termination payment.

The average number of employees is calculated on the basis of full time equivalents with regard to a 37 hour working week was 9.4 (2023: 11.2).

HARROGATE & AREA COUNCIL FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICE LTD

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

9 Tangible fixed assets

Buildings
Computers
and office
equipment
Vehicles
£
£
£
Cost or valuation
At 1 April 2023
550,000
46,407
29,602
Additions
-
17,062
-
Disposals
-
(13,738)
-
At 31 March 2024
550,000
49,731
29,602
Depreciation
At 1 April 2023
55,000
17,158
29,602
Depreciation charged in the year
11,000
4,319
-
Eliminated in respect of disposals
-
(13,738)
-
At 31 March 2024
66,000
7,739
29,602
Carrying amount
At 31 March 2024
484,000
41,992
-
At 31 March 2023
495,000
29,249
-		 Total
£
626,009
17,062
(13,738)
629,333
101,760
15,319
(13,738)
103,341
525,992
524,249

Community House was received from winding up Harrogate Community House Trust Ltd on 28 September 2018. The asset was valued at £550,000 by Feather Smailes Scales at the time of transfer.

10 Debtors

Amounts falling due within one year:
Debtors (accounts receivable)
Accrued income
Taxation and social security
Prepayments		 2024
£
4,166
19,182
1,075
393
24,816		 2023
£
11,500
1,132
2,067
286
14,985

11 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year

Notes
Trade creditors
Other creditors
Accruals
Deferred grant income
12		 2024
£
1,249
2,561
5,776
15,000
24,586		 2023
£
-
3,623
6,784
15,000
25,407

HARROGATE & AREA COUNCIL FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICE LTD

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

12 Deferred income

Opening balance
Amount released to income in the year
Amounts deferred in the year		 2024
£
15,000
(15,000)
15,000
15,000		 2023
£
26,245
(26,245)
15,000
15,000

Deferred income comprises grants received in advance of the funding period.

13 Restricted funds

The income funds of the charity include restricted funds comprising the following unexpended balances of donations and grants held on trust for specific purposes:

Balance at
1 April 2023
£
Community action
Community House Capital Reserve
506,069
Community House Cash Funds
55,869
Community Fit
7,278
Service delivery
HELP - Harrogate Easier Living Project
11,062
Help at Home
5,000
Help Out Harrogate
-
Transport
5
Volunteering City of Ripon Project
370
585,653		 Movement in funds
Income
Expenditure
Transfers
Balance at
31 March 2024
£
£
£
£
-
(13,029)
9,217
502,257
-
-
(9,217)
46,652
39,753
(18,870)
-
28,161
87,232
(80,351)
-
17,943
47,405
(52,405)
-
-
8,500
(4,250)
-
4,250
49,141
(49,146)
-
-
32,041
(19,110)
-
13,301
264,072
(237,161)
-
612,564		 Movement in funds
Income
Expenditure
Transfers
Balance at
31 March 2024
£
£
£
£
-
(13,029)
9,217
502,257
-
-
(9,217)
46,652
39,753
(18,870)
-
28,161
87,232
(80,351)
-
17,943
47,405
(52,405)
-
-
8,500
(4,250)
-
4,250
49,141
(49,146)
-
-
32,041
(19,110)
-
13,301
264,072
(237,161)
-
612,564
612,564

HARROGATE & AREA COUNCIL FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICE LTD

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

13 Restricted funds

(Continued)

Balance at
1 April 2022
£
Community action
Community House Capital Reserve
506,000
Community House Cash Funds
57,438
Community Fit
3,874
Forums
RIPPSI
2,504
Service delivery
HELP - Harrogate Easier Living Project
7,405
Prevention
-
Help at Home
-
Transport
-
Volunteering City of Ripon Project
(129)
577,092		 Movement in funds
Income
Expenditure
Transfers
Balance at
31 March 2023
£
£
£
£
-
(11,000)
11,069
506,069
12,500
(3,000)
(11,069)
55,869
13,202
(9,798)
-
7,278
-
(2,504)
-
-
136,232
(132,575)
-
11,062
104,979
(104,979)
-
-
58,199
(53,199)
-
5,000
34,854
(34,849)
-
5
23,114
(22,615)
-
370
383,080
(374,519)
-
585,653		 Movement in funds
Income
Expenditure
Transfers
Balance at
31 March 2023
£
£
£
£
-
(11,000)
11,069
506,069
12,500
(3,000)
(11,069)
55,869
13,202
(9,798)
-
7,278
-
(2,504)
-
-
136,232
(132,575)
-
11,062
104,979
(104,979)
-
-
58,199
(53,199)
-
5,000
34,854
(34,849)
-
5
23,114
(22,615)
-
370
383,080
(374,519)
-
585,653
585,653

HARROGATE & AREA COUNCIL FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICE LTD

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

13 Restricted funds

(Continued)

Restricted funds represent monies to be used for the following specific purposes:

Community House Capital Reserve

This is the value of the property as at April 2019 when it was acquired and any capital improvements that have since been made. The transfer from the Community House Cash Funds this year was in relation to the LED lighting which was capitalised in the year.

Community House Cash Funds

These funds were transferred over from Harrogate Community House Trust Ltd on completion of the transfer and will be used to maintain and develop the building.

Harrogate District Community Fit Project

HADCA is a delivery partner in the 18 month Community Fit Project in partnership with North Yorkshire Sport, funded by the NHS via Community First Yorkshire. We are hosting the Task Co-ordinator post, based with our HELP team. The aim of the project is to create a community of local people who meet to be social and active while giving time to Harrogate’s people and spaces. Regular group sessions will involve people who will run, walk or cycle together from one of our bases to a community group or charity to complete a variety of tasks.

RIPPSI (2023 only)

Funding from NYCC for running costs of the Ripon Physical and Sensory Impairment Group. The balance of this fund has now been transferred to the Ripon Sensory Impairment Charity.

Harrogate Easier Living Project

Supported by funding from NYCC and HBC to provide help with practical tasks for those who have nobody else to support them. It incorporates the following services each with their own separate restricted funding:

Prevention (2023 only)

HARCVS was appointed to deliver the Wellbeing and Prevention Support services contract for the Harrogate District commencing 1st October 2018. This brought a number of previously separate held contracts into one agreement, with a contract for four years initially.

Help at Home

This is a scheme to provide a gardening, decorating and DIY service to older and disabled people.

Transport

Supported by funding from NYCC to provide the following services:

Ripon Voluntary Car Driver Service operates in the Ripon area and is available principally to those who are elderly or disabled and are unable to access public transport.

Driving Force operates in the Harrogate/Knaresborough area and is available principally to those who are elderly or disabled and are unable to access public transport.

Volunteering City of Ripon Project

HADCA is a delivery partner in the 5-year Skell Valley Project hosted by the National Trust and Nidderdale AONB and funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. HADCA are leading on the Volunteering City of Ripon work stream with the Project Co-ordinator based with HADCA for 18 months. The aim of the project is to make Ripon a volunteering centre of excellence by making it easier for new groups of people to get involved in giving time and to support volunteer managers, by sharing resources and training.

HARROGATE & AREA COUNCIL FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICE LTD

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024

14
Analysis of net assets between funds
Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
2024
2024
£
£
Fund balances at 31 March 2024 are represented by:
Tangible assets
23,735
502,257
Current assets/(liabilities)
171,822
110,307
195,557
612,564
Unrestricted
funds
Restricted
funds
2023
2023
£
£
Fund balances at 31 March 2023 are represented by:
Tangible assets
18,180
506,069
Current assets/(liabilities)
161,409
79,584
179,589
585,653		 Total
2024
£
525,992
282,129
808,121
Total
2023
£
524,249
240,993
765,242

15 Contingent liability

The charity has no contingent liabilities.

16 Operating lease commitments

At the reporting end date the charity had outstanding commitments for future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases, which fall due as follows:

Within one year
Between two and five years
17
Capital commitments
At 31 March 2024 the charity had capital commitments as follows:
Contracted for but not provided in the financial statements:
Acquisition of property, plant and equipment		 2024
£
950
1,425
2,375
2024
£
-		 2023
£
2,930
2,375
5,305
2023
£
9,217

18 Related party transactions

No trustees (2023: nil) were reimbursed for expenses during the year (2023: £nil).

There were no payments of travel and subsistence expenses to trustees during the year (2023: £nil).

None of the trustees nor any persons connected with them received any remuneration during the year.