OpenCharities

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

2022-03-31-accounts

BARNET CHURCHES ACTION

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS OF THE CHARITY, ITS TRUSTEES AND ADVISORS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

Trustees Mr Julian Desborough Mr Roger Seaton Mrs Mary Boland Mrs Margaret Dixon Mr Simon Shoreman Patron Mr Martin Russell - Deputy Lieutenant of the Borough of Barnet Company registration number 8625115 Charity registration number 1154935 Registered Office 117 Fitzjohn Avenue, Barnet, Herts EN5 2HR Community Centre address Hope Corner Community Centre, 185 Mays Lane Barnet, Herts EN5 2DY Community Centre manager Mrs. Susan Day (to 23 February 2022) Mrs Janet Nestor (from 1 March 2022) Independent examiners Griffin Stone Moscrop & Co, Chartered Accountants 21-27 Lamb’s Conduit Street, London WC1N 3GS Bankers CAF Bank Ltd, 25 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill West Malling, Kent ME19 4JQ

1

BARNET CHURCHES ACTION

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

The trustees present their annual report together with the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2022 which are also prepared to meet the requirements for a directors’ report and accounts for Companies Act purposes.

The accounts comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006, the Memorandum and Articles of Association, 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 2015).

Objectives and activities

The main object of the charity was: ‘To advance the Christian religion primarily but not exclusively in Chipping Barnet through promoting pastoral work for the benefit of the public and to enlighten others about the Christian religion’.

The main goal of the charity has been to build on the first five years of operations at Hope Corner Community Centre on Mays Lane which had been developed as part of the regeneration project of the Dollis Valley Estate. It continues to support and administer relief to residents in Dollis Valley and the Underhill Ward. The Centre is now the official community hub for this area.

Activities in the year continue to be related to generating sufficient income through donations and applications to grant-making trusts to fund operations at the Centre and to introduce new projects that would help to improve the lives of residents in the surrounding area.

The charity has managed Hope Corner Community Centre on Mays Lane with a stable staffing structure, which reflects the current services and activities. It has one full-time manager, a part-time seniors coordinator, a part-time assistant, a part-time cook, a part-time café assistant and various volunteers / casual project staff. The most notable change has been the retirement of Sue Day as manager, who left the Centre in February 2022 and has moved to Norfolk. Janet Nestor took over as operations manager on 1 March 2022.

In producing their assessment of the benefit to the public provided by the charity the trustees confirm that they have complied with the duty in Section 4 of the Charities Act 2006 to have due regard to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit and in particular, the specific guidance on the advancement of religion for the public benefit.

Achievements and performance

The Community Support Project has been busy helping people connect with local government services, giving referrals to wellbeing services (particularly mental health), assisting people with employment issues and signposting training and vocational opportunities. Food Bank referrals have been particularly busy and we have been referring people to Citizens’ Advice Bureau for benefits queries and to Christians Against Poverty for debt counselling.

London & Quadrant hold housing surgeries and the Ward councillors’ hold surgeries for residents. Other services for adults run at the centre in partnership with other providers include an ESOL class with Barnet & Southgate College with up to 10 participants.

The Café continues to be busy and there have been takers for the Crisis Food voucher scheme we

2

introduced for needy people, which gives them a free meal in the café (up to £5). This was funded by the Ground Rent Scheme.

Adult wellbeing classes and specialised support sessions include Pilates, which runs five sessions per week, and La Leche, which runs free breast-feeding support.

Publicity of the centre has increased, with printed fliers produced and distributed to residents on the estate, and the website playing an important part. A careers / job & training noticeboard which advertises opportunities in the borough and beyond on the website is frequently visited. Hope Corner has become part of a trial referral scheme with Transform, which provides young adults and others coming back to employment tools to help them get jobs and prepare them for the workplace.

Seniors Work

Children’s work

BCA continues to offer a variety of children’s activities at the centre. The centre was represented at the 0-19s services exhibition at Underhill School, which enabled us to link up with other organisations and council departments and are planning with them for a second event in July 2022.

Regular activities for children include:

New partnerships, projects and initiatives

A partnership to provide vocational training with Cherry Tree Foundation and London Borough of Barnet saw the completion of the first full vocational training programme at the centre with five residents from the estate plus 10 unemployed people from elsewhere in Barnet training for their railway safety certificate, which will allow them to work for London Transport and other rail providers. 11 completed the course; six have received their Sentinel cards; seven are undergoing job interviews and three have started new employment. BCA is planning to work with Cherry Tree and LBB to provide more training opportunities in 2022.

Following this successful training scheme, BCA is now managing and administering the Dollis Valley Flexible Fund, on behalf of the S106 Regeneration stakeholders. This provides funding for local initiatives and projects and is worth £45K over two years (Hope Corner gets an agreed 10% fee to

3

administer this over that period). Decisions on funding are overseen by a steering committee made up of regeneration stakeholders and local residents, separate from the Regeneration Partnership Board. The fund has already had three local applications, which have been voted on and approved by the committee. This money is held by BCA in a separate bank account and is ring-fenced accordingly.

Also as part of the S106 Regeneration, BCA has received £15,000 from London Borough of Barnet for a second phase of volunteering and training, which targets residents on Dollis Valley and will provide them with opportunities to volunteer at Hope Corner and elsewhere as a first step to getting back to some kind of employment.

A partnership with the Barnet’s Digital Inclusion team and the Library Services team is developing slowly, with Hope Corner publicising Chipping Barnet Library e-services and the centre referring people to local IT support initiatives, including Age UK computer support. There was a poor response to the questionnaire about digital experience that went out in the December Dollis Valley newsletter. However, four refurbished laptops were issued to local families and individuals in 2021 and a further two are being held for distribution; a further 30 similar devices are earmarked for the centre in 2022. Hope Corner has received 10 new tablets and five new laptops from the Mayor’s IT Fund, which support projects at the centre (such as the vocational training courses).

Financial review

The charity’s funds are divided into restricted, designated and unrestricted funds .

Restricted funds can only be used for the purpose for which they have been given. During the year grants and other restricted income was received amounting to £97,862. This included £55,500 from London Boro of Barnet, being £15,000 for training volunteers and staff, £3,000 for lunches, £3,000 for the homework club and £34,500 for use in the regeneration of Dollis Valley. Grant monies of £47,852 were used during the year. The balance on restricted funds at the end of year was £73,430.

The designated fund was set up in 2018 following the receipt of a grant of £100,000 from the funds bequeathed for charitable purposes which the trustees have designated for the following purposes:

 To fund core costs (excluding core salaries) in running the community centre which could not be otherwise funded by grant-making trusts

No use of the fund was made during the year so that a balance of £42,708 continues to be carried forward to future years, to be spent as the need arises on activities and services that the charity would be unable to develop without it.

The unrestricted fund, the general fund, is the main fund into which income is paid and payment is made for the cost of running the charity. The income of the year was £65,432 and expenditure for the year was £61,850.

As a result, there was net income on the general fund for the year of £3,582 and the balance to carry forward at the end of the year was £22,995.

Because of continuing support from charitable organisations the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. For this reason, they continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the accounts.

It is the policy of the trustees to maintain a balance on general fund, if possible, which equates to three months unrestricted payments. The budget for core costs for the year to 31 March 2023 is about £70,000

4

so that the balance carried forward meets this policy.

Structure, governance and management

The company was incorporated on 25 July 2013 and was registered as a charity on 9 December 2013. The charity took over the operation and assets of The Valley Centre, an unincorporated association sponsored by Churches Together for Chipping Barnet, as from 1 April 2014.

New trustees are appointed from time to time, being persons who have an interest in the objectives of the charity. The trustees have been in contact as the need has arisen during the year.

The members of the company are two representatives from each of the eleven churches that make up Churches Together for Chipping Barnet and each member has liability limited to a sum not exceeding £1.

The trustees have assessed the major risks to which the charity may be exposed, in particular those relating to the operations and finances of the charity. They are satisfied systems are in place to mitigate any exposure to major risks. All necessary insurances are in place, CCTV is installed, there is a fireproof safe for documents, a minimal amount of cash is kept on the premises and safeguarding procedures are in place.

Statement of trustees’ responsibilities

The trustees (who are also directors of the company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the trustees’ annual report and accounts in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company law requires the trustees to prepare accounts for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company as at the balance sheet date and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure for that year. In preparing these accounts, the trustees are required to:

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

In preparing this report, the trustees have taken advantage of the small companies exemption provided by section 415A of the Companies Act 2006.

Approved by the board of trustees on 16 November 2022 and signed on their behalf by:

JULIAN DESBOROUGH Director

5

BARNET CHURCHES ACTION

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (INCORPORATING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNTS)

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

Notes
Income from:
Donations
2
Charitable activities:
Centre lettings
Café income
Government Covid grants
HMRC furlough grants
Interest
Total income
Expenditure on:
Charitable activities
3,4
Total expenditure
Net income and net movement
of funds for the year
Reconciliation of funds:
Total Funds at 1 April 2021
Total Funds at 31 March 2022
Unrestricted Designated
Restricted
Total
Total
funds
funds
funds
funds
funds
2022
2022
2022
2022
2021
£
£
£
£
22,464
-
90,847
113,311
43,720
9,409
-
-
9,409
1,277
11,516
-
3,272
14,788
3,054
17,579
-
-
17,579
31,286
4,108
-
3,743
7,851
46,603
356
-
-
356
678
65,432
-
97,862
163,294
126,618
61,850
-
47,852
109,702
97,197
61,850
-
47,852
109,702
97,197
3,582
-
50,010
53,592
29,421
19,413
42,708
23,420
85,541
56,120
22,995
42,708
73,430
139,133
85,541

All activities relate to continuing operations.

The attached notes form part of the accounts.

6

BARNET CHURCHES ACTION

Company Registration Number: 8625115

BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 MARCH 2022

BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 MARCH 2022
Notes
Current assets
Debtors
7
Bank deposit account
Cash on bank current account and in hand
Current liabilities
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
8
Net current assets
Funds
9
General fund
Designated funds
Restricted funds
2022
2021
£
£
897
9,275
40,000
40,000
100,746
38,556
141,643
87,831
2,510
2,290
139,133
85,541
22,995
19,413
42,708
42,708
73,430
23,420
139,133
85,541

The directors consider that the company is entitled to exemption from the requirement to have an audit under the provisions of section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 ("the Act") and members have not required the company to obtain an audit for the year in question in accordance with section 476 of the Act.

The directors acknowledge their responsibilities for ensuring that the company keeps accounting records which comply with section 386 of the Act and for preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company as at 31 March 2022 and of its net incoming resources for the year then ended in accordance with the requirements of sections 394 and 395 of the Act and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to the financial statements so far as applicable to the company.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions relating to companies subject to the small companies regime within Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006.

The financial statements were approved by the directors on 16 November 2022 and signed on their behalf by:

ROGER SEATON JULIAN DESBOROUGH Director Director

The attached notes form part of the accounts.

7

BARNET CHURCHES ACTION NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

1. Accounting Policies

1.1 Basis of preparation of financial statements

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with 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 2015) - (the Charities SORP (FRS 102), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), and the Companies Act 2006.

The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy note(s).

1.2 Company Status

The company is a company limited by guarantee. The members of the company are two representatives from each of the eleven churches that make up Churches Together for Chipping Barnet and each member has a liability limited to a sum not exceeding £1.

1.3 Income

All income is recognised once the charity has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount of income can be measured reliably.

Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid is recognised at the time of the donation.

1.4. Expenditure

Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make payment to a third party. It is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.

All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis. All expenses including support costs and governance costs are allocated to the applicable expenditure headings.

Support costs are costs incurred directly in support of expenditure on the objects of the charity. These include development costs and equipment which have been written off. Governance costs are those incurred in connection with the administration of the charity and compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements.

Irrecoverable VAT is charged against the expenditure heading for which it was incurred.

1.5 Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds are expendable at the discretion of the directors in furtherance of the objects of the company. Designated funds are those funds that have been set aside by the directors for a particular purpose. Restricted funds are those funds that have been donated for a particular purpose and must be spent by the directors on the furtherance of that purpose.

8

BARNET CHURCHES ACTION NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

1.6 Debtors

The unpaid lettings invoices are regognised at the settlement amount. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid.

1.7 Creditors

Creditors are recognised where a charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in a transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably.

1.8 Financial instruments

The charity only has financial assets and financial liablities of a kind that qualifies as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments (including debtors and creditors) are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value.

1.9 Cash on bank current account and in hand

Cash on bank current account and in hand includes cash and current and immediate access deposit accounts.

9

BARNET CHURCHES ACTION NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

2. Income from donations

Grants from charities:
Hadley Trust
Valentine Poole
Young Barnet Foundation
Other grants:
Churches Together for Chipping Barnet
London Boro of Barnet
Countryside Properties
Ground rent fund of landlord
Other donations
Unrestricted Designated
Restricted
Total
Total
funds
funds
funds
funds
funds
2022
2022
2022
2022
2021
£
£
£
£
10,000
-
23,000
33,000
33,000
-
-
-
-
1,000
-
-
-
-
2,500
6,000
-
-
6,000
-
4,500
-
55,500
60,000
-
-
-
-
-
3,900
-
-
12,347
12,347
1,400
1,964
-
-
1,964
1,920
22,464
-
90,847
113,311
43,720

For the year ended 31 March 2021 £11,920 related to unrestricted funds and £31,800 related to restricted funds.

3. Expenditure on charitable activities Summary by fund type

Staff costs (excluding café manager)
Utilities
Repairs, maintenance and equipment
Catering costs (including café manager)
Other Centre running costs
Administrative costs
Governance costs (see note 5)
Unrestricted Designated
Restricted
Total
Total
funds
funds
funds
funds
funds
2022
2022
2022
2022
2021
£
£
£
£
32,178
-
36,083
68,261
63,035
8,024
-
-
8,024
6,492
1,367
-
2,227
3,594
4,209
16,186
-
7,121
23,307
20,356
1,753
-
2,421
4,174
1,360
1,262
-
-
1,262
425
1,080
-
-
1,080
1,320
61,850
-
47,852
109,702
97,197

For the year ended 31 March 2021 £53,602 related to unrestricted funds and £43,595 to restricted funds.

10

BARNET CHURCHES ACTION NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

4. Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities

Direct Support Governance Total Total
costs costs costs 2022 2021
£ £ £ £ £
Staff costs (excluding café manager) 62,974 5,287 - 68,261 63,035
Utilities 8,024 - - 8,024 6,492
Repairs, maintenance and equipment 3,594 - - 3,594 4,209
Catering costs (including café manager) 23,307 - - 23,307 20,356
Other Centre running costs 2,550 1,624 - 4,174 1,360
Administrative costs 819 443 - 1,262 425
Governance costs (see note 5) - - 1,080 1,080 1,320
101,268 7,354 1,080 109,702 97,197
5. Governance costs (included in analysis in notes 3 and 4)
Unrestricted Designated Restricted Total Total
funds funds funds funds funds
2022 2022 2022 2022 2021
£ £ £ £ £
Independent examination fee 1,080 - - 1,080 1,320
1,080 - - 1,080 1,320

For the year ended 31 March 2021 all costs related to unrestricted funds. During the year no expenses were reimbursed to trustees (2021 : nil).

6. Staff costs

The average number of staff employed during the year was 7. (2021 : 7). Employers national insurance contributions of £nil were paid in the year (2021: £nil). Pension contributions of £846 were paid in respect of 2 employees (2021 : 3 - £847).

The Centre Manager, Susan Day (to 23 February 2022) and Janet Nestor (from 1 March 2022), along with the trustees as a body but chiefly Julian Desborough, are considered the key management personnel of the charity and total remuneration paid in this category amounted to £30,358 (2021: £29,539).

7. Debtors
Unpaid lettings invoices
Grants outstanding
Prepayments
8. Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
Accruals
Other creditors
2022
2021
£
£
-
-
-
8,202
897
1,073
897
9,275
1,490
1,471
1,020
819
2,510
2,290

11

BARNET CHURCHES ACTION NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

9. Statement of funds

Restricted funds

Homework club
Seniors work
Lunches
Drop in project
Play/art club
Repairs / equipment
Fixation Academy for Performing Arts - scholarships
Volunteers / staff training program
Dollis Valley Flexible Fund
Designated funds
General fund
Brought
Incoming Resources
Carried
forward
resources
expended
forward
£
£
£
£
-
3,746
3,746
-
14,990
8,809
9,028
14,771
-
9,122
7,122
2,000
8,072
17,188
22,745
2,515
100
3,820
1,484
2,436
-
2,227
2,227
-
-
3,450
1,500
1,950
258
15,000
-
15,258
-
34,500
-
34,500
23,420
97,862
47,852
73,430
42,708
-
-
42,708
19,413
65,432
61,850
22,995
85,541
163,294
109,702
139,133

The above restricted funds are all separate activities of the Centre and are grant funded. London Boro of Barnet made a grant of £60,000 of which £4,500 is for the charity to administer the funds. £15,000 is for the training of volunteers and staff, £3,000 for lunches, £3,000 for the homework club and £34,500 is for use in the regeneration of Dollis Valley. This fund is administered by the charity together with other interested parties including London Boro of Barnet, Countryside, L&Q and the residents. One of the trustees chairs this committee while another trustee represents the residents. The designated funds are to be used to fund core costs which could not otherwise be

grant funded; to support shortfalls in funding for the drop in project; to offset costs incurred by projects that have subsidised elements; to help develop and extend new projects and to fund new projects.

10. Analysis of net assets between funds

Current assets
Creditors : amounts falling due
within one year
11. Analysis of cash and cash equivalents
Bank deposit account
Bank current account
Cash in hand
Unrestricted Designated
Restricted
Total
Total
funds
funds
funds
funds
funds
2022
2022
2022
2022
2021
£
£
£
£
£
25,505
42,708
73,430
141,643
87,831
(2,510)
-
-
(2,510)
(2,290)
Unrestricted Designated
Restricted
Total
Total
funds
funds
funds
funds
funds
2022
2022
2022
2022
2021
£
£
£
£
£
25,505
42,708
73,430
141,643
87,831
(2,510)
-
-
(2,510)
(2,290)
22,995
42,708
73,430
139,133
85,541
2022
2021
£
£
40,000
40,000
100,646
38,456
100
100
140,746
78,556

12

Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Barnet Churches Action

I report on the accounts of the company for the year ended 31 March 2022 which are set out on pages 6 to 12.

Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner

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

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

Basis of independent examiner's report

My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a “true and fair view” and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.

Independent examiner's statement

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:

  1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the company as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or

  2. the accounts do not accord with those records; or

  3. the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view’ which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or

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 accounts to be reached.

Richard Hill FCA Griffin Stone Moscrop & Co Chartered Accountants 21-27 Lamb’s Conduit Street

London WC1N 3GS Date: 21 November 2022

13