2022-04-30-accounts - Wythall Together

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REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1157087

WYTHALL TOGETHER (Charitable Incorporated Organisation)

REPORT OF TRUSTEES AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR YEAR ENDED 30 APRIL 2022

WYTHALL TOGETHER

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

The Trustees present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 30 April 2022.

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

Registered Charity number 1157087

Registered office

The Croft Houndsfield Lane, Wythall, Birmingham B47 6LS

Trustees

S J Baxter S R Peters (Treasurer) C Turner (Secretary) G F Hurst (Chairman) S Wakeman H A Cleaver B Holmes

Bankers

Lloyds Bank plc Shirley, Solihull West Midlands

Barclays Bank plc Leicester

Legal Advisers

Veale Wasbrough Vizards Birmingham

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Governing document

The charity was registered on 16 May 2014 as a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO) whose only voting members are its charity trustees. If the charity is wound up the members have no liability to contribute to its assets and no personal responsibility for settling its debts and liabilities.

Merger with Wythall Village Hall (Unincorporated charity 523213)

By a Deed of Transfer and Indemnity dated 1 September 2020 the trustees of Wythall Village Hall transferred to Wythall Together CIO all the transferable assets of the unincorporated charity, and by a Vesting Declaration dated the same date, Wythall Together was made the corporate trustee of the residual unincorporated charity (linked charity no.1157087-1) and its endowments.

Trustees

The constitution of the charity originally specified that there must be at least three charity trustees and a maximum number of seven. An amendment agreed by the Board in April 2020 increased the maximum number of trustees to ten in anticipation of the merger with the Wythall Village Hall charity which took effect on 1 September 2020. Accordingly, the existing trustees were joined by Helen Cleaver and Brian Holmes with effect from 2 April 2020.

The trustees are unpaid but may claim reasonable expenses incurred as a result of carrying out their duties. None were claimed during the year.

Recruitment and training of new trustees

Apart from the first charity trustees, every trustee must be appointed for a term of 3 years by a resolution passed at a meeting of the trustees. Trustees are appointed as and when vacancies arise having regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective management of the charity. New trustees are provided with a copy of the constitution and are urged to familiarise themselves with the guidance and good practice published by the Charity Commission. Following the transfer of the Wythall Village Hall charity to Wythall Together we have the opportunity to recruit additional persons with previous involvement in that other charity.

Organisational structure

The day-to-day business of the charity is handled by a trustee (or trustees) with specific responsibility for the particular matter in hand. The charity trustees must hold at least 3 meetings each year, but additional meetings are held as required to deal with specific business issues.

Covid-19 Epidemic

The activities of the charity and regularity of board meetings have been severely restricted during the Covid-19 restrictions and Government advice has been strictly followed. Accordingly, the meeting of Trustees held in April 2020 was undertaken by electronic means (telephone conference) as sanctioned by the Charity Commission.

Employees and volunteers

The charity has no paid employees, and all activities are undertaken by the trustees and unpaid volunteers.

Related parties

No out-of-pocket expenses were claimed by any trustees during the year and there were no related party transactions.

Risk management & Investment strategy

Following the merger with Wythall Village Hall charity, the trustees will review any additional risks and investments at least once annually.

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

Objectives

The objects of the charity as set out in its constitution are:

To further or benefit the residents of the Parish of Wythall and the neighbourhood, without distinction of sex, sexual orientation, race or of political, religious or other opinions by associating together the said residents and the local authorities, voluntary and other organisations in a common effort to advance education and to provide facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation and leisure time occupation with the objective of improving the conditions of life for the residents.
In furtherance of these objects but not otherwise, the trustees shall have the power to establish or secure the establishment of a community centre and to maintain or manage or co-operate with any statutory authority in the maintenance of such a centre and library for activities promoted by the charity in furtherance of the above objects.
To advance the education of the general public by the provision of a community library.
To provide transport facilities in the Parish of Wythall for people who have special need of such facilities because they are elderly, poor or disabled, people with young children or those living in isolated areas where there are no adequate public transport facilities.

ACHIEVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE

Activities during the year

As explained elsewhere in this report, the activities of the charity were severely curtailed by the Covid-19 epidemic and the consequent Government restrictions imposed during 2020 and 2021.

The Dial-a-Ride community transport service was halted at the end of March 2020 and has not yet been resumed until a full reappraisal of the demand for the service has been undertaken.

During the year the charity has resumed its support of the Wythall Dementia Alliance by funding the room hire and providing free transport for monthly Memory Café sessions which resumed in June 2021 after being suspended due to the Covid-19 epidemic and restrictions.. The grant of £500 from the Harry Payne Fund received in early 2020 has therefore not yet been fully expended.

Wythall Village Hall

The charity became responsible for the village hall following the merger which took effect on 1 September 2020. During the period covered by this report the use of the village hall premises resumed subject to ongoing Government Covid-19 restrictions and the number of room bookings has steadily increased during the year and now stands at approximately 80% of the pre-Covid usage. Many of the previous clients and users have resumed their activities and a number of new users have also been welcomed.

Income from room hire is the main source of income and this has increased steadily as users have returned to using the premises. The major items of expenditure have been the cost of energy for heating and lighting, together with an improved cleaning and hygiene regime to safeguard users.

Utility costs have been carefully monitored and full advantage taken of the reduced rate VAT payable by registered charities on gas, electric and water charges. The village hall also benefits from full exemption from payment of business rates granted by Bromsgrove District Council.

The premises have been maintained and facilities upgraded in response to comments from users. Baby changing facilities have been provided in the male WC to match those already installed in the female WC area. This ensures equality of provision in an era when parental responsibilities are increasingly being shared between both parents.

Further maintenance work and roofing works will be undertaken during the course of the next financial year.

How our activities deliver public benefit

Our main activities and who we help are described below. All our current charitable activities focus on the provision of a centre for community use and the provision of community transport and are undertaken to further our charitable purposes for the public benefit.

The charity owns and manages Wythall Village Hall and runs the day-to-day operations of the community building and supervises maintenance and improvement works. The charity became the legal owner of the Wythall Village Hall premises and land after transfer through the Land Registry at the end of the year 2021. Users of the premises include local voluntary bodies, the Parish Council and sporting and physical fitness groups. Users of all ages benefit from the activities including people with physical and mental infirmities.

FUTURE ACTIVITIES

The Dial-a-Ride service will be reviewed before resumption of operations.

The charity will consider new ways to raise funds whilst at the same time bringing benefits to the community. It will also develop a forward plan aimed at securing improved local community facilities.

The charity now controls and manages Wythall Village Hall following the merger of the two charities. All assets and liabilities have been transferred to Wythall Together along with restricted funds and land to be held on the same trusts as hitherto. The trustees are confident that this change will provide a sound form of sustainable governance for the village hall and will benefit its users.

FINANCIAL REPORT

By a Deed of Transfer and Indemnity dated 1 September 2020 the trustees of Wythall Village Hall transferred to Wythall Together all the transferable assets of the unincorporated charity, and by a Vesting Declaration dated the same date, Wythall Together was made the corporate trustee of the residual unincorporated charity (number 1157087-1) and its endowments.

The valuation of the endowed freehold property and the CCLA investment are shown in the Balance Sheet.

The property valuation (as at 30 April 2022) has been undertaken by an independent, professional firm of Chartered Surveyors.

See attached approved accounts

G F Hurst Chairman of Trustees 12 June 2022

S Peters Trustee

13/12/2022

Independent examiner’s report to the trustees of Wythall Together

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Wythall Together (the Trust) for the year ended 30[th] April 2022.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity trustees of the Trust you are responsible for the preparation 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 all 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 in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act; or
the accounts do not accord with those records.

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.

Signed:

Name: Sharon Attwood

Relevant professional qualification or membership of professional bodies: ACMA

Address: 99 Myton Drive, Shirley, Solihull. West Midlands. B90 1HD

Date: 23[rd] December 2022