Vernon Institute (V.I.) - Charity No. 1156797
AGM – Chair’s Report - Tuesday January 14[th] , 2025
This report covers the period from November 2023 to October 2024 The Vernon Institute is known locally as the V.I.
Name of the Trustees of the Vernon Institute CIO for this period
Chris Harman – Chair Jenny Young – Vice Chair Peter Young – Secretary Harry Dobson – Treasurer Kay Parry Claire Nicholas
Governance
This report covers the period from November 2023 through to the end of October 2024.
The following trustees were re-elected as trustees at the November 2023 AGM – Jenny Young, Harry Dobson & Kay Parry.
The Trustees focus this year has been to continue progress on remedial works after the damp report from 2022 for the cottages and the main VI building.
Financial
Our accounts for the year ending 5[th] April 2024 showed a deficit of £3,365 and the treasurer’s report contains some highlights of the financials with a copy of the Charity accounts, which have been submitted to the Charity Commission as required before the end of January 2025. The accounts were independently audited by Dave Ash again this year and the Trustees extend our thanks.
John Reid our new accountant provides the Trustees with the monthly accounts, management reports, help budgeting, and advice on financial decisions. The Trustees would like to thank John for picking up and sorting the accounts with Harry Dobson after the sad loss of Peter Harris.
Reserves
The cash reserves have been maintained again this last year, and we have £20,470 on deposit earning interest. We also have around £99,000 invested in Chari-bonds linked to the stock markets.
Main Buildings
In the period covered by this report we have spent just over £10k on building repairs to the VI. This included the relaying of the paving in the preschool outside area plus the expense of replacing the flat roof over the entrance area to the Main Hall, and repairs to the damage from the leak from this roof to the fire alarm and the disabled toilets.
Property
The Vernon Institute owns and rents out a tearoom which had an electrical survey completed during the year. The Vernon Institute financed some recommended improvements along with isolating the usage of the car park lighting on to a separate meter.
The four cottages continue to be let to the same long-term tenants and the rental income was in line with the budgeted £35k and there with no rent arrears as of year end.
Vernon Institute AGM – Chairs Report 2023-24
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The management of these properties continues to be managed by Teal Estates, who are responsible for managing the tenant relationship, rent collection, maintenance, and legalities on all our properties.
The main expense on the cottages this year was in number 1 where we continued to work through the list of damp proofing jobs – the largest expense was the new sky light and dry lining of the rooms with an uninsulated external facing wall.
We also completed the loft insulation in Cottage 4 as this had never been insulated. Land
The Vernon Institute own the recreational land at CH1 6HH known as the Seahill Playing Field and this continues to be leased and used by Saughall Colts Junior Football Club. In the last year the replanting of the old trees and more new fencing was erected, and funding is being sourced to build a club house.
There are nearly 400 children as members of the club, and they continue to see growth in the number of girls joining the club and now also have a walking football team.
Development Plans 2023-24 The main development plans we had over the last year, focused on the damp report recommendations which are now 80% complete. There will be a focus on completing the remaining items by the end of this financial year. Next year we will be looking to support the redevelopment of the old preschool play area at the top of the car park and possible acoustic improvements in both halls.
Bookings
The Hallmaster booking system continues to be a great tool to manage our bookings and invoicing for the hall hire along and provides useful management information. The bookings/sessions over the last year are down by 20 on last year but hall hire revenue has increased overall this year.
VI Events
The VI hosted the annual Xmas light switch on and the Christmas Band concert which was well attended by the Saughall village community. The Trustees wish to thank
Claire and all the helpers who make this event a success every year.
Personnel
The caretakers continue to make the VI a clean and safe environment for our users. They provide support completing many minor repairs during the year. We continue to get positive customer comments on the quality of our venue. I want to extend the thanks of all the Trustees to both Peter Durose and Debbie Harris for their continued commitment to the VI.
Vernon Institute AGM – Chairs Report 2023-24
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Management Committee
I would like to thank the management committee members for their support. The Vernon Institute is all about being a place for the local community and the continued support of the many affiliated groups using the Vernon Institute enables us to meet our charity’s objective.
Trustees
We currently have our full complement of 6 trustees and there are 3 Trustees due to stand down as required under the constitution of the CIO and the election will be completed as part of the AGM. As Chair I would like to thank all my fellow Trustees for their support and advice managing the Vernon Institute.
Prepared by Chris Harman
Cjharman Chair of the Vernon Institute 8[th] January 2025
Vernon Institute AGM – Chairs Report 2023-24
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| Charity Name | No (if any) | No (if any) | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Section A Receipts and payments Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Endowment funds Total funds to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £ A1 Receipts 06-Apr-23 05-Apr-24 Receipts and payments accounts Period start date Period end date To For the period from ee e ee |
Last year to the nearest £ CC16a |
|||||||||||||||
| Hire of Hall & Café | 32,123 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 32,123 | 32,123 | 27,565 | 27,565 | |||||
| Dividends and Interest | 4,894 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4,894 | 4,894 | 4,042 | 4,042 | |||||
| Property Rentals | 35,159 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 35,159 | 35,159 | 32,817 | 32,817 | |||||
| Council Grants | 5,000 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5,000 | 5,000 | 5,000 | 5,000 | |||||
| Fund Raising Donations | 190 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 190 | 190 | 1,187 | 1,187 | |||||
| Car Park & Field Rental | 1,475 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1,475 | 1,475 | 1,372 | 1,372 | |||||
| Sundry | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||||
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||||||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) |
AR) 78,841 |
- | - | - | - | - | - | 78,841 | 78,841 | 71,983 | 71,983 | |||||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). - - - - - - - - - Sub total - - - - - Total receipts 78,841 - - 78,841 71,983 A3 Payments ————~~——~~ |
||||||||||||||||
| Wages & Taxes | 32,763 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 32,763 | 32,763 | 27,852 | 27,852 | |||||
| Utilities | 5,724 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5,724 | 5,724 | 8,471 | 8,471 | |||||
| V.I.Repairs | 7,426 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7,426 | 7,426 | 7,872 | 7,872 | |||||
| Cottage Repairs & Maintenance | 5,024 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5,024 | 5,024 | 7,695 | 7,695 | |||||
| Capital Expenditure | 6,557 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6,557 | 6,557 | 5,431 | 5,431 | |||||
| Hall Insurance | 3,817 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3,817 | 3,817 | 3,447 | 3,447 | |||||
| Agent Mgmt Fees | 3,819 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3,819 | 3,819 | 3,393 | 3,393 | |||||
| Cleaning | 1,176 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1,176 | 1,176 | 751 | 751 | |||||
| Misc. Expenditure | 15,900 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 15,900 | 15,900 | 7,485 | 7,485 | |||||
| **Sub total ** | 82,206 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 82,206 | 82,206 | 72,397 | 72,397 | |||||
| A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) - - - - - - - - Sub total - - - - - Total payments 82,206 - - 82,206 72,397 Net of receipts/(payments) - 3,365 - - - 3,365 - 414 A5 Transfers between funds - - - - - A6 Cash funds last year end - - - - - Cash funds this year end - 3,365 - - - 3,365 - 414 ————~~——~~ === ==>> |
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
03/01/2025
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| Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at | 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 Cottage Fence Details Details Vernon Institute Cottages 1-4 Furniture Green Lane Field School Fence CCLA Charity Co-Operative Current Account Co-Operative Deposit Petty Cash Details Details Total cash funds (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) Details M^G Charibonds M&G Charifunds Blackrock Charinco |
Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ 15,300 - 20,470 - 16 - 35,786 - Agreement Error OK Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) Perm Perm - Perm - Perm - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) Perm - Perm - Perm - Perm - Perm - Perm - - - - Fund to which liability relates Amount due (optional) - - - - - Print Name |
Endowment funds to nearest £ - - - |
| - | |||
| OK | |||
| Endowment funds to nearest £ - - - - - - Current value (optional) 32,015 40,700 16,331 10,238 - 102351 Current value (optional) 850,000 840,000 5,288 25,000 2,708 3,850 - - - When due (optional) Date of approval |
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
03/01/2025
2
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examlner'8 Report Report to the trusteesl members of Vemon Institute, Saughall On accounts for the year ended 5 April 2024 Charity no lif any) 1156797 Set out on pages Iremembw to bndude page numbers tsf ad4ilional )neetsi I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (Yhe Trust-) for the tax year ended As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance wrth the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (°the Act.) I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts <xrried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Chanty Commission under section 145{5){b) of the Act. Responsibilities and basis of report Independent I have completed my examination. I confimi that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect: the accounting records were kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act., the accounts did comply with the applicable requirements o)nceming the fonn and content of accounts set out in the Charrties (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a 'true and fairf view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination. I have no COnmS 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. Signed: Dave Ash Date: 13112r2024 Name: Dave Ash Rèlevant professional qualification(s) or body (rf any): Address: 27, The Ridings Saughall Chester. CH16AX IER Oct 2018
Vernon Institute Inde endent Examiners notes tax ear ended 5 A ril 2024 Introduction The accounts were presented in a much better format than in prevoius years, and were easier to follow. Having previous had experience of a charty commission audit, and having to file the annual report, l obtained their guidelines, bearing in mind this was not a complete audit, just an independent examination of accounts. I have previously examined the Vernon Institutes account, and found them to be true and accurate. I took a selection of various aspects of the accounts to perform selected checks. First Im ressions The accounts were well set out and the inclusion of the accounts in electronic data assisted in assessing that accounts were in good order. Some reIPtS were not dated or clearly itemised, rnainly cash. ie on the back of an envelope, this could possible be historical A receipt book or other documentation would be advisable, so that all payments are clearly documented, and could be checked more easily against the petty cash report. Wa I did not perform a full check, only a few months, which were correct.Holiday pay. and year to date figures were not included on pay advices, unfortunately this possible comes with the payroll software. The employees were paid above the minium wage. The other reports were comprehensive and were easy to follow. General Documentation General documentation was good with plenty of computerised reports to assist in balancing the accounts. A scroll report covering the period of examination was included which simplified the interagation of the accounts. Overall Recommendations The main area of concern would be cash and cheque reconciliation. Many sections are now paying directly into the Vernon Institute bank account, the remainder were possible should be also encoraged to avoid cash and cheques,which would avoid cash and cheque reconciliation. and hopefully less work for the treasurer. Dave Ash Independent examiner 13 December 2024