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OXFORD SPORTS COUNCIL CIO REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES
The trustees present their report for the financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024.
Charitable Status
Oxford Sports Council CIO was registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation on 14 May 2014, number 1157037.
Trustees
The Trustees who have held office at any point during the year ended 31 December 2024 and to the date of this report are as follows:
David Whittingham (Chair) Rupert Evans (Vice Chair) Graham Jones Margaret Stevens (Resigned 30[th] January 2024)
Councillors Alex Hollingsworth and Chewe Munkonge represent Oxford City Council; Amy O’Hanlon is the Oxford University rep and David Steer is the Oxford Brookes University rep. Kate Mulrey has attended the meetings as advisor to the Trustees based on her previous experience as the Oxford University rep.
Structure, Governance and Management
The charity is governed by a Constitution registered at its incorporation on 14 May 2014.
All new Trustees are recruited on the recommendation of organisations and people with whom the charity works, or by existing Trustees; they are given an induction pack and offered appropriate training in order to fulfil their role.
The charity is the successor body to Oxford Sporting Facilities Trust and Oxford Sports Council, and took over all the assets and liabilities of both bodies following its incorporation.
Objectives and activities
The objects of Oxford Sports Council CIO are to promote community participation in amateur sport and healthy recreation for the benefit of the inhabitants of Oxford and the surrounding area. It makes grants to appropriate bodies in furtherance of its objective.
Achievements and performance
During the year the charity made grants totalling £3,900 (2023 £40,633). The trustees have continued to promote the availability of grant where practicable, and have set aside £20,000 for generating a special grants programme. The reduction in total grants made during the year reflected a period of change for the charity, with the retirement of its long time administrator. It is the intention of the trustees to reinvigorate their grant giving activities in the second half of 2025.
Public Benefit
The Trustees of the charity have had due regard both to the objectives of the charity, as set out above, and also to the guidance on public benefit published by the Charity Commission, in exercising their powers and duties.
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OXFORD SPORTS COUNCIL CIO
REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES (continued)
Risk management
The principal risks the charity faces are perceived to be a failure to attract suitable bids for funding and a reduction in its income due to the single source nature of that income. To mitigate this risk, the charity continues to try various ways of raising its profile to broaden its appeal, and has modelled several scenarios for managing its future operations . The charity is in discussions with Oxford City Council to ensure continuity of funding from its sports rental income for the medium term.
Financial Review
In the year 2024, the charity collected two years’ worth of sports rental income, and as a result a surplus after tax of £53,438 (2023 deficit of £15,389) was generated; the resulting reserves of £99,804 will be applied to grant making and other charitable activities.
None of the trustees receives any remuneration (2023 £NIL) from the charity, which is supported through the voluntary assistance of a number of individuals. There were no paid employees (2023: 0).
Reserves
The trustees believe that the charity’s assets are available and adequate to fulfil the obligations of the charity as a whole, and that it is appropriate to prepare the accounts on a going concern basis.
Even if no sports rental income were generated in future years, the remaining reserves balance would fund several years of current grant and other expenditure. The trustees are therefore satisfied that the charity remains a going concern for at least 12 months from the date of signing this report.
Independent examination
The independent examination of the charity's accounts has been undertaken by Peter Stevenson, Independent Examiner.
Approved by the Trustees on 11 December 2025
And signed by order of the board
D Whittingham Chairman
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OXFORD SPORTS COUNCIL CIO
Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31 December 2024
| GENERAL FUND INCOME Voluntary income Activities for generating funds Sports rental income (2 years) Other income Deposit interest TOTAL INCOME EXPENDITURE Costs of generating funds Expenditure on charitable activities Sportsperson awards & expenses AGM expenses Secretarial costs Computer fees Bank charges Accountancy fees TOTAL EXPENDITURE Net surplus/(deficit) before tax Corporation Tax NET SURPLUS/(DEFICIT) AFTER TAX Add General Fund, balance b/f 1.1.24 GENERAL FUND balance c/f, 31.12.24 |
£ 0 56,870 91 91 0 2,400 0 936 27 60 100 3,523 |
£ 0 56,870 91 91 0 2,400 0 936 27 60 100 3,523 |
2024 £ 56,961 3,523 53,438 0 53,438 46,368 £99,806 |
2023 £ |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | |||||
| 26,630 | |||||
| 120 | |||||
| 120 | |||||
| 26,750 | |||||
| 0 | |||||
| 40,633 71 1,248 27 60 100 |
|||||
| 3,523 | 42,139 | ||||
| 3,523 | 42,139 | ||||
| -15,389 0 -15,389 61,757 |
|||||
| £99,806 | £46,368 |
All funds of the charity were unrestricted.
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OXFORD SPORTS COUNCIL CIO Charity No 1157037
Balance Sheet 31 December 2024
| FIXED ASSETS Tangible assets CURRENT ASSETS Debtors Cash at bank CURRENT LIABILITIES (see note 4) Creditors NET CURRENT ASSETS NET ASSETS FINANCED BY General Fund - unrestricted |
£ 56,974 42,932 |
2024 £ 0 99,806 £99,806 £99,806 |
£ 0 47,968 |
2023 £ 0 46,368 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 99,906 100 |
47,968 1,600 |
|||
| £46,368 | ||||
| £99,806 | £46,368 |
Trustees' responsibilities
Charity law requires the trustees to prepare accounts for each financial period which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the results for that period. In preparing these accounts, the trustees are required to select suitable accounting policies and to apply them consistently; make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; and prepare the accounts on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to assume that the charity will continue in business.
The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity. 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.
These accounts were approved by the Board on 11 December 2025
Signed on behalf of the Board by:
David Whittingham - Chairman
OXFORD SPORTS COUNCIL CIO
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NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2024
1. Basis of accounting
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice 'Accounting and Reporting by Charities applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), and with the Charities Act 2011. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.
The trustees have reviewed their current operations, and are satisfied that the charity has an adequate level of reserves to continue operating normally for at least 12 months from the date of signing their report.
2. Accounting policies
(a) Income is included in the SofA when:
the entity becomes entitled to the resources it is probable that the income will be received
the monetary value can be measured with sufficient reliability.
(b) Liabilities are recognised as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the entity to pay out resources.
3. Expenditure
Expenditure includes the Independent Examiner's fee £100 (2023 £100). No remuneration was paid to trustees or committee expenses reimbursed (2023 NIL); the average number of employees was 0 (2023: 0).
| 4. Creditors Grant payable Independent examiner's fee |
2024 2023 £ £ 0 1,500 100 100 |
|---|---|
| £100 £1,600 |
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INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF OXFORD SPORTS COUNCIL CIO
I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 December 2024, which are set out on pages 4 to 6.
Respective Responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner
As the charity’s trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. You consider that the audit requirement of section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Act) does not apply, and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to state on the basis of Procedures specified in the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners under section 145 of the Act, whether particular matters have come to my attention.
Basis of Independent Examiner’s Report
My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. 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 explanation from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.
Independent Examiner’s Statement
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
-
(1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements
-
to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Act; and
-
to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and to comply with the accounting requirements of the Act
have not been met; or
- (2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Peter J. Stevenson Independent Examiner
Flat 25, Cherwell Court, Banbury Road Kidlington OX5 2BG
Date: 11[th] December 2025