Annual Report of Bath & West Low Carbon Community Fund CIO
For the Year Ended 14 April 2023
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The trustees of the Bath & West Low Carbon Community Fund Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) present their Annual Report for the year ended 14 April 2023 and accounts and confirm that they comply with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011.
Our aims and powers
The objects of the CIO are set out in its constitution as:
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The promotion of the advancement of environmental protection or improvement and the prudent use of resources;
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The relief of poverty, including but not limited to the improvement of the conditions of life in socially and economically disadvantaged communities;
for the benefit of the public within Bath and the surrounding area.
The CIO has power to do anything that is calculated to further its objects or is conducive or incidental to doing so. The income and property of the CIO must be applied solely towards the promotion of the objects.
The CIO was entered on the Register of Charities on 15 April 2014 with registered charity number 1156710. This tax year of 2022-2023 was the ninth full year of operation of the CIO.
Governance
The CIO is overseen by a board of trustees. On the 14[th] April 2023, we had six trustees, as follows:
C. Sophie Hooper Lea, Chair of Trustees Leigh Fairbrother Simon Forsyth, Secretary Sheila Gundry David Daniels Alastair Singleton
Three of our trustees stepped down in 2022-2023. Sadly, Carole Bond passed away on 19[th] November 2022. Peter Capener resigned as a trustee on 3[rd] February 2023 having served the maximum of three full terms as a trustee and unfortunately Pearl Slee, Treasurer, resigned as a trustee on 10[th] March 2023 due to ill health. They were all exceptional trustees and will be much missed. Leigh Fairbrother has kindly offered to take over the role of Treasurer and will be officially appointed in due course.
Principal Office
Bath & West Low Carbon Community Fund CIO, The Guild Hub, Guildhall, High Street, Bath BA1 5EB
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Bankers
Triodos Bank, Deanery Road, Bristol BS1 5AS
How our activities deliver public benefit
Our activities deliver public benefit by funding local projects that target carbon reduction and/or fuel poverty. Examples of projects supported to date include local food production, energy efficiency improvements in community buildings, re-use and recycling projects, fuel poverty programmes, schools’ projects, water conservation, energy audits and energy advice among many other things. To be eligible for funding, project proposals must demonstrate that they promote environmental sustainability, low or zero use of energy and/or alleviate fuel poverty. Emphasis is on practical projects that lead to real community benefits.
Annual income
The CIO’s income derives predominantly from an annual grant from Bath & West Community Energy (BWCE), an Industrial and Provident Society established to develop and promote renewable and low carbon energy in the Bath and surrounding area. BWCE donates surplus income generated from its development to achieve the objects of the CIO. Further information on BWCE is available at www.bwce.coop.
During the period 15 April 2022 to 14 April 2023, the CIO received the sum of £35,000 from BWCE.
Our Activity
Our principal activity during the reporting period has been to invite bids for, promote, assess, award and monitor this year’s community grants.
We continue to be a member of the Bath & North East Somerset (B&NES) third sector group 3SG and a signatory to their Compassionate Communities Charter.
In May 2021, we became a new signatory to the Funder Commitment on Climate Change. As a signatory, we recognise the severity of the climate emergency and we aim to do everything we can to address the causes of climate change and support adaptation to its effects. We have signed up to the commitment in full and agreed to report publicly on our progress each year. See Appendix B for a report on our progress in 2022-2023.
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During 2022-2023 we have also been working on ways to encourage grant applications that tackle the issue of fuel poverty and affordable warmth with a particular focus on applications from deprived areas. We set up a working group, undertook research and engaged with local organisations to find out how we could encourage and give guidance to potential applicants addressing fuel poverty issues in an environmentally preferable manner. We also changed our guidelines to describe the types of fuel poverty projects that we would be minded to fund.
The CIO undertook a review of internal financial controls in 2018 and, given that its approach and activities have remained the same since that time, the CIO deems that the findings of that review still apply in 2022-2023. The vast majority of the CIO’s income is managed by the Administrator (an audited charity) and the CIO has no paid employees, so the Trustees do not consider it necessary to appoint an internal auditor or set up an audit committee. Accounting records are kept of all transactions and the accounts comply with legal requirements. The accounts are formally approved by trustees each year and the CIO uses an independent examiner.
Engagement of an Administrator
The CIO decided to continue its engagement of a third-party charitable organisation, the Quartet Community Foundation (“the Administrator”) to administer and promote the 20222023 round of grants – www.quartet.cf.org.uk. The CIO has engaged the Administrator for previous funding rounds and the organisation has a good track record of managing funds on behalf of individuals, companies, charitable trusts and statutory agencies. The Administrator makes grants to charitable groups in the West of England. An initial agreement was made in December 2014 for service provision and was continued by the trustees for ninth year in 2022-2023.
The CIO transfers funds for the annual funding round to the Administrator and the funds are kept in a Restricted Fund to be spent as the CIO decides. There was a balance at 14 April 2023 of £12 [2022: £17] held in the Restricted Fund on behalf of the CIO. The Administrator received remuneration of £3,500 in 2022-2023 for administering the fund [2021-2022: £3,500]. This equates to 10% of funds handled each year, which was £35,000 in 2022-23 [2021-2022: £35,000].
Grant Making
During the reporting period, the CIO made grants to 11 projects. The selected projects are listed in full in Appendix A. It is a requirement of the grant that the beneficiary updates the
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CIO on progress in applying the grant. All projects are monitored by the CIO and/or the Administrator.
Grant Making Policy
The CIO invites proposals for grants from the community through an open and competitive process. The projects are evaluated by the trustees according to the following criteria: consistency with BWCE priorities as outlined above; value for money; the delivery capability of the proponent and proximity to BWCE sites.
The eligible beneficiaries of the grants can be a community, self-help or voluntary group, a community enterprise, a charity, or a local branch of a national charity. Applicants must demonstrate they wish to carry out a beneficial project in a local community in Bath or the surrounding area.
All grants are subject to the CIO’s conditions. The full documentation including the Fund Guidelines are available at https://www.bwce.coop/community-benefit
Financial Review
Quartet Foundation (on behalf of the CIO) disbursed £31,505 [2022: £31,706] during the reporting period to a total of 11 projects, listed in Appendix A.
Annual report, accounts and annual return
The CIO trustees consider they have complied with their administrative duties by preparing a basic set of accounts on the receipts and payment basis, which are available on request. The CIO trustees will file an annual return within 10 months of the annual return date, as required. The balance held at the bank as of 15 April 2023 was £tbc [2022: £1,623].
Plans for Future Periods
As in previous years, in 2022-2023 we will once again use the annual grant from BWCE and donations from BWCE members to fund local projects. We will continue to work with the Administrator to invite bids for, promote, assess, award and monitor community grants. Fuel poverty/affordable warmth continues to be a huge issue for local communities. We will continue to address this issue and the cost of living crisis facing so many households.
Trustees' responsibilities statement
The trustees are responsible for preparing the Trustees’ Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
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The law applicable to charities in England & Wales 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 income and expenditure of the charity for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
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Select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
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Observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP [2015 (FRS 102)];
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Make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
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State whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
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Prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper 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 Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 and the provisions of the trust deed. 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.
Approved by the trustees at a trustee meeting on 27[th] September 2023, and signed on their behalf by:
C Sophie Hooper Lea Chair of CIO Trustees
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Appendix A: Grants Awarded 2022-2023
£31,505 was awarded in 2021 to the following 11 community projects:
| Grant Application Name | Amount Awarded |
Project Description - Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Bath City Farm | £5,000 | For an air source heat pump to supply heating and hot water to the main community farm building. |
| Bath Share & Repair | £2,650 | To invest in a thermal imaging camera and put together materials to support a number of workshops in partnership with community organisations aimed at helping people to learn “HOW TO” save energy and reduce fuel costs. |
| Climate Friendly Bradford on Avon |
£1,800 | For a feasibility study of a proposed new traffic-free, multi-user greenway between Bradford on Avon and Trowbridge. |
| Climate Hub Bath & North East Somerset |
£1,200 | Toward the development of a physical Climate Hub in Bath that can act as a focus for climate action work locally. |
| Fairfield House | £1,600 | Toward implementing the Fairfield House Sustainability plans to improve the energy efficiency of the bungalow on site. |
| Keynsham Community Energy |
£2,700 | To provide slow cookers and energy efficiency advice to parents at Keynsham Children’s centre, reducing people’s energy bills and cutting CO2 emissions. |
| Kidical Mass Bath | £1,100 | For free learn-to-cycle sessions for families and adults (all levels of riders). To learn, practise and gain confidence in cycling, with the support of expert coaches and free access to loan bikes. |
| Oasis Hub Bath | £4,875 | To provide slow cookers, slow cooker recipe books and heated over-blankets for food pantry members this winter. |
| Southside Family Project | £4,908 | For fuel debt advice and energy efficiency training for Southside Support Workers. Helping local families in fuel poverty to reduce their energy use, alongside the provision of energy-saving packs. |
| SWALLOW | £2,472 | For the group’s Energy Saving project that will make information easy to understand for people with learning disabilities. Helping them to reduce energy consumption, increase energy efficiency and save money. |
| Transition Bath | £3,200 | For a paid student intern to grow Eco Together climate empowerment. This project will help form new Eco Together groups. |
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Appendix B: Progress under the Funder Commitment on Climate Change 2022-2023
In May 2021, the BWCE Fund became a signatory to the Funder Commitment on Climate Change. As a signatory, we recognise the severity of the climate emergency and we aim to do everything we can to address the causes of climate change and support adaptation to its effects. We have signed up to the commitment in full and are committed to continuing to develop our practice, learning from others and sharing our learning.
Progress to date against the five goals of the Funder Commitment on Climate Change
This report demonstrates our progress to date on the five key goals below. We will also include details of our progress in our 2022-23 Annual Report.
1. Educate and learn
The first goal involves making opportunities for our trustees and stakeholders to learn more about the key causes and solutions of climate change. All of our trustees are committed to continuously learning about and acting on climate change and they also work professionally in climate, environment or another aspect of sustainability in addition to their contribution to the BWCE Fund.
We aim to educate stakeholders about climate change through our publicity and public engagement around our annual funding round, which supports local projects that target carbon reduction and/or fuel poverty. We engage with local organisations on climate issues and work with the local authority and other local funders to try to support one another and maximise our impact. Examples of local organisations and groups that we work with include Bath-based third sector charity 3SG and the newly created Bath Social Impact Network, which has been set up in 2023 by Bath Spa University and 3SG.
In 2022-23 we also focused on learning more about fuel poverty and how our grants could help organisations to support vulnerable local residents in environmentally preferable ways. We set up a fuel poverty working group and explored effective ways to help. This resulted in a number of grants that are allowing local organisations to provide targeted energy advice and support, energy saving packs and heated over-blankets as a cost effective and low energy way to keep people warm. We are also funding slow cookers and education on low energy cooking.
For example, Penny McKissock MBE from Southside Family Project says that; “We are very grateful to the BWCE Fund for this timely grant for Southside. It will enable our team to support families experiencing fuel poverty, helping them to use their energy more efficiently and reduce their energy bills. This will benefit families significantly during the cost of living crisis and difficult winter. We will provide targeted advice and support, alongside energy saving packs, including radiator reflectors, draught excluders and energy saving bulbs, tailored to their needs. We will be able to support families to reduce energy/other waste and understand simple ways to make their home more energy efficient.” Since handing out grants in January 2023, we have had very positive feedback from grantees in terms of what they have been able to achieve.
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2. Commit Resources
The second goal is to commit resources to accelerate work that addresses the causes and impacts of climate change. Each year we receive an annual grant from renewable energy cooperative Bath and West Community Energy (BWCE) BWCE and we use this grant to fund local projects. To be eligible for funding, project proposals must demonstrate that they promote environmental sustainability, low or zero use of energy and/or alleviate fuel poverty in a way that also includes environmental efficiency and/or environmental measures.
In the most recent funding round in 2022-2023, we received £35,000 from BWCE and handed out 11 grants totalling £31,505. We have no paid staff and our trustees run the BWCE Fund with the help of Quartet Community Foundation, which administers the grant programme on our behalf. Our funding approach means that, each year, we commit all of our available resources to tackling climate change.
3. Integrate
The third goal is that, within all our existing programmes, priorities and processes, we will seek opportunities to contribute to a fair and lasting transition to a post carbon society, and to support adaptation to climate change impacts. Our income is provided by renewable energy cooperative BWCE and its members and the entire purpose of our fund is to support carbon reduction and climate education and awareness. As such, climate is integrated into how we are funded and everything that we do as an organisation.
4. Steward our investments for a post-carbon future
The fourth goal of the Funder Commitment on Climate Change is to steward investments. The BWCE Fund has no investments as we redistribute the funding that we receive each year from BWCE. We bank with Triodos Bank, a leader in ethical banking and sustainability and unspent grant funds are held by our administrator, Quartet Community Foundation, a fellow signatory to the Funder Commitment on Climate Change.
5. Decarbonise our operations
The fifth goal is to decarbonise our own operations. The BWCE Fund is a small, virtual organisation with no offices. We minimise printing and our meetings have been predominantly online in the past year. Our trustees, who run the fund, seek to minimise their own carbon emissions.
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Bath & West Low Carbon Community Fund CIO Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 14[th] April 2023
| INCOME | 2022/23 |
|---|---|
| Donations/legacies | 0 |
| Investment income(bank interest) | 0 |
| Income from charitable activities | 0 |
| Grants | £35,000 |
| TOTAL | £35,000 |
| EXPENDITURE | 2022/23 |
| Administrator costs (paid to Quartet Community Foundation) |
£3,500 |
| Grants made | £31,500 |
| Bank charges | £0.20 |
| Otherprofessional fees | £25 |
| TOTAL | £35,025.20 |
Balance sheet as at 14[th] April 2023
| CURRENT ASSETS | 2022/23 |
|---|---|
| Cash at hand and in bank | 1597.58 |
| Debtors | 0 |
| Net current assets(unrestricted funds) | 1597.58 |
| TOTAL | 1597.58 |
These financial statements were approved by the Trustees on 27[th] September 2023 and signed on behalf of the Trustees by
…………………………………
C Sophie Hooper Lea Chair of CIO Trustees
Bath & West Low Carbon Community Fund CIO Notes to the accounts for the year ended 14th April 2023
(1) Principal Accounting Policies
The principal accounting policies adopted in the preparation of the financial statements are set out below and have remained unchanged from the previous year.
The principal accounting policies adopted in the preparation of the financial statements are set out below and have remained unchanged from the previous year.
(a) Basis of preparation
The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102. The financial statements have been prepared 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) 2nd edition and the Charities Act 2011.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.
(b) Fund accounting
[i] Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity.
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[ii]Designated funds are unrestricted funds earmarked by the Management Committee for particular purposes.
[iii] Restricted funds are subjected to restrictions on their expenditure imposed by the donor or through the terms of an appeal.
(c) Income
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. The following specific policies are applied to particular categories of income.
[i] Income received by way of grants, donations and gifts and is included in full in the Statement of Financial Activities when receivable. Grants, where entitlement is not conditional on the delivery of a specific performance by the charity, are recognised when the charity becomes unconditionally entitled to the grant.
[ii] Donated services and facilities are included at the value to the charity where this can be quantified.
[iii]The value of services provided by volunteers has not been included in these accounts.
[iv] Investment income is included when receivable.
[v]Income from charitable trading activity are accounted for when earned. [vi]Income from grants, where related to performance and specific deliverables, are accounted for as the charity earns the right to consideration by its performance.
(d) Expenditure
Expenditure is recognised on an accrual basis as a liability is incurred. Expenditure includes any VAT which cannot be fully recovered
[i]Costs of generating funds comprise the costs associated with attracting voluntary income and the costs of trading for fundraising purposes.
[ii] Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them [iii]All costs are allocated between the expenditure categories of the SoFA on a basis designed to reflect the use of the resource. Costs relating to a particular activity are allocated directly, others are apportioned on an appropriate basis.
Bath & West Low Carbon Community Fund CIO Notes to the accounts for the year ended 14[th] April 2023
(1) Principal Accounting Policies
[iv] Grants payable are made to third parties in furtherance of the objects of the charity. The details of the grants are included in the Trustees Report.
Bath & West Low Carbon Community Fund CIO transfers funds for the annual funding round to its administrator Quartet Community Fund, and the funds are kept in a Restricted Fund to be spent as the CIO decides. There was a balance at 14 April 2023 of £12 [2022: £17] held in the Restricted Fund on behalf of the CIO.
Quartet Community Foundation received remuneration of £3,500 in 2022-2023 for administering the fund [2021-2022: £3,500]. This equates to 10% of funds handled each year, which was £35,000 in 2022-23 [20212022: £35,000].
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| Bath and West Low Carbon Community Fund CIO | Bath and West Low Carbon Community Fund CIO | Bath and West Low Carbon Community Fund CIO | 1156710 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Receipts andpayments accounts | |||
| For the period from |
13/04/2022 | To | 14/04/2023 |
CC16a
| Section A Receipts and payments | Section A Receipts and payments | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 Receipts | Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ 35,000 - - - - - - - 35,000 - - - 35,000 35,000 0 25 0 - - - - - 35,025 - - - 35,025 - 25 - 1,623 1,598 |
Restricted funds to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
Endowment funds to the nearest £ |
Total funds to the nearest £ 35,000 - - - - - - - 35,000 - - - 35,000 35,000 0 25 0 - - - - - 35,025 - - - 35,025 - 25 |
Last year to the nearest £ |
|
| Bath and West CommunityEnergyLimited | 35,000 | - - - - - - - - - |
35,000 | - | ||
| - | - | - | ||||
| - | - | - | ||||
| - | - | - | ||||
| - | - | - | ||||
| - | - | - | ||||
| - | - | - | ||||
| - | - | - | ||||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) |
35,000 | 35,000 | - | |||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). |
||||||
| - | - - - |
- | ||||
| - | - | - | ||||
| Sub total | - | - | - | |||
| Total receipts A3 Payments |
||||||
| - | 35,000 | - | ||||
| Quartet BWCE Fund | 35,000 | - - - - - - - - - - |
35,000 | - | ||
| Charges 01/12/2022to 31/12/2022 | 0 | 0 | - | |||
| BANES 3SG 3SGMO51 | 25 | 25 | - | |||
| Charges 01/01/2023 to 31/01/2023 | 0 | 0 | - | |||
| - | - | - | ||||
| - | - | - | ||||
| - | - | - | ||||
| - | - | - | ||||
| - | - | - | ||||
| **Sub total ** | 35,025 | 35,025 | - | |||
| A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) |
||||||
| - | - - - |
- | ||||
| - | - | |||||
| **Sub total ** | - | - | - | |||
| Total payments Net of receipts/(payments) A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end |
||||||
| - | 35,025 | - | ||||
| - 25 | - | - | - 25 | - | ||
| - | - | - - |
- | - | ||
| 1,623 | - | 1,623 | - | |||
| 1,598 | - | - | 1,598 | - |
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
23/01/2024
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Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period
| Categories Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees B1 Cash funds B2 Other monetary assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use B5 Liabilities B3 Investment assets |
Signature Details Details Details Details Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Details |
Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - - - - - Agreement Error OK Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - - - - - Fund to which liability relates Amount due (optional) - - - - - Print Name C.SophieHooper Lea |
Endowment funds to nearest £ |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| OK | |||
| Endowment funds to nearest £ |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| Current value (optional) |
|||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| - | |||
| When due (optional) |
|||
| Date of approval |
|||
| C.SophieHooper Lea | 27/09/2023 | ||
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
23/01/2024
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Independent examiner's report on the accounts
Section A Independent Examiner’s Report
Report to the trustees/ Charity Name members of Bath and West Low Carbon Community Fund CIO On accounts for the year 14/04/23 Charity no 1156710 ended (if any) Set out on pages 1-2 (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended DD / MM / YYYY .
- Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
Independent examiner's statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention (other than that disclosed below *) in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
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accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or
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the accounts do not accord with the accounting records
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
- Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply.
Date: Signed: 14/11/23 Name: Peter Andrews Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any): Address: 19 Maple Grove Bath BA2
October 2018
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IER
Section B Disclosure
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).
Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .
October 2018
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IER