**Registered Charity Number: 1159745**
## **Walkley Carnegie Library**
**Annual report and unaudited financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2021**
## **Walkley Carnegie Library**
## **Contents**
||**Page**|
|---|---|
|Legal and administrative information|1|
|Report of the Chair|2 - 3|
|Trustees' annual report|4 - 7|
|Independent examiner's report|8|
|Receipts and payments account|9|
|Statement of assets and liabilities|10|
|Notes to the accounts|11 - 12|
VAS Community Accountancy
## **Walkley Carnegie Library**
## **Legal and administrative information For the year ended 31 March 2021**
## **Registered Charity Number**
1159745
## **Trustees**
Mr Christopher Reece Chair Ms Kate Elliott Treasurer Dr Nicola Dempsey Secretary Professor Matthew Gilbert Mr Geoff Birkett Dr Anne Bore Mr Mark Crossland Mr Thomas Haywood Dr Richard Jenkins Anne Grange
appointed 27 November 2021 resigned 27 November 2021 (also Treasurer until 27 November 2021) appointed 20 May 2020 resigned 27 November 2021
resigned 10 March 2021 appointed 19 January 2022
## **Principal Address**
Walkley Library 403 South Road S6 3TD
## **Bankers**
Co-operative Bank Business Direct PO Box 250 Skelmersdale WN8 6WT
## **Independent Examiner**
Sarah Lightfoot, FCA DChA Employee of: VAS Community Accountancy The Circle 33 Rockingham Lane Sheffield S1 4FW
VAS Community Accountancy
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## **Walkley Carnegie Library**
## **Report of the Chair For the year ended 31 March 2021**
Last year we held our AGM on Zoom in December and had a larger turnout than in recent years. For 2021, we have reverted to a face-to-face meeting with restricted numbers, but are also offering an option to join through Zoom. Until recently, Zoom has become the norm not only for our own trustee meetings, but also for liaising with the Voluntary Libraries in Sheffield (VLiS) group, which met fortnightly for several months instead of every four weeks, in order to keep up with the constant changes in regulations and to provide as much consistency as possible across the city’s libraries.
Members of VLiS also attended several very well attended online seminars and discussions run by the Arts Council and the Community Managed Libraries Network on reopening libraries and adapting events and activities. Following this advice the libraries started to run online talks together under the banner “VLiS Presents” and collaborated to save the annual Readathon, which was formerly held in individual libraries, by linking up with CHOL Theatre Company and Sheffield Libraries’ Writer in Residence, Nik Perring, and other local writers in order to run a mass poetry readathon of poems written by children, based on Nik’s original poem Mrs City, which can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPkoII-ry1s. The Children’s University came on board, providing passport stamps for participants.
In last year’s report, we referred to the disappointment of not obtaining a second phase National Heritage Lottery Fund (NLHF) grant but agreed that we would still endeavour to include aspects of the proposed Heritage and Learning plan in our agenda. The Readathon event and the links to other organisations was an example of how we can achieve this. In fact, VLiS devised plans for staging a larger outside event during the 2021 school holidays and prepared a bid for an Arts Council (ACE) grant to create this in partnership with CHOL Theatre and The Site Gallery. However, it was decided that there was too much uncertainty about the restrictions that might be in place that summer, though we will consider a similar event in the future. Both CHOL and The Site Gallery were awarded grants for projects and we are excited to be partners in CHOL’s “Listen 52” project. They will shortly be advertising for Young Producers (aged 16 -25) to run activities for young people in a number of Sheffield wards, including Walkley. Zest, whom we assisted with holiday hamper distribution earlier in the year, will also take part.
As announced a year ago, there is no longer a plan to sell the lease of the building to a commercial partner, and we are negotiating an Associate Library’s lease with Sheffield City Council (SCC) and working with them to prioritise maintenance and compliance issues. Top of the list is a fully accessible entrance at the rear of the building, an accessible toilet and improved baby change facilities. Trustee, and retired architect, Geoff Birkett is looking at how the design from the planning application could be adapted without carrying out major extensions. This will be discussed with SCC so that it can be formally handed over to an architect to design once the lease has been confirmed, with further renovation taking place in staged phases. ACE are currently willing to consider capital grants that address access, reduction of environmental impact, and seizing technological opportunities, and the possession of a twenty-five year lease would enhance our chances of success.
In October this year we applied to renew the building’s status as an Asset of Community value and this has been successful. We have also benefitted from an economic recovery grant, which has, in the short term, given us the freedom to invest in screens, PPE, cleaning materials and specific cleaning equipment.
The lockdowns were difficult for all libraries, other local organisations and the Walkley community and a considerable amount of time was spent by the trustees and volunteers on adapting to changing regulations, as we progressed through periods of closure, click and collect, browsing by appointment and a gradual return to open browsing in the adult library and increasing the number of families in the children’s library. Working with the Children’s University we ran supervised pilot activities in August and slowly brought back Small Voices, Big Noises with smaller attendance capacities and two sessions in a day. We have welcomed back Stitches and Stories, Walkley Historians and Baby Time.
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## **Walkley Carnegie Library**
## **Report of the Chair (continued) For the year ended 31 March 2021**
Unfortunately, the focus on pandemic issues has meant that although we announced last year that the Chair, Secretary and Treasurer would be standing down, we have not been able to spend as much time as was hoped on succession planning, which is why there are still vacancies. Three people put themselves forward at the AGM to become trustees but unfortunately all have had to withdraw, though Joe Thompson has given valuable support looking at our business plan and advising on grant applications and fund-raising. Nicola Dempsey produced an information sheet about her experiences as a trustee as guidance for interested parties who might consider taking on a trustee role, and SCC has confirmed that they will be running training for library trustees on governance and budgeting.
During the year Richard Jenkins decided not to continue as a trustee, but not before producing a report on the need to restructure our management, bringing back a general committee for operational issues and subcommittees to cover different aspects of our work. The report also highlighted that library services and activities have increased considerably over the last seven years, and that WCL would benefit from a larger team managing the different areas of library administration. All libraries have suffered from the fact that organisations who take away surplus books for charity distribution or recycling have long waiting lists; however our book development group have been working hard to ensure that there is space on the shelves for new books, and have improved the space and cataloguing in the children’s library. A library committee liaising closely with the trustees and regular forums for session leads and volunteer library assistants could ensure that such areas could be run with a high degree of autonomy, operating with clear responsibilities. To start off the process there will be an opportunity to discuss new ways of working after the AGM (before leaving with an anniversary cupcake!)
WCL has continued to focus on maintaining as many of our services as possible whilst providing a safe environment for our volunteers and library users. However, we still need to entice back customers who have decided to stay at home, and over eighteen months a small number of volunteers have decided to retire, move to organisations dealing with the pandemic or take sabbaticals. The remaining volunteers have worked tirelessly under difficult circumstances, but we have vacancies in several areas, including front line counter positions to allow us to return to our previous opening hours. Other areas include administration duties, marketing, building maintenance, cleaning, and gardening. We are also very keen to get our events and activities team up and running again as we take in the exciting news that the Walkley Business Group have been awarded an economic recovery grant for the revitalising the high street within the ward, and bringing back a larger Walkley Festival. There will be an opportunity at the end of the AGM for volunteers and potential volunteers to discuss other areas of volunteering which may hold interest for them. Geoff Birkett will also be happy to discuss ideas relating to improving access to the library building.
I would like to thanks the trustees, volunteers and customers and we are looking forward to a positive and exciting future with new trustees and progressing with a restructure.
Mr Christopher Reece Chair
VAS Community Accountancy
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**Walkley Carnegie Library**
## **Trustees annual report For the year ended 31 March 2021**
## **Structure, governance and management**
Walkley Carnegie Library (WCL) is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation that operates a volunteer led library. The organisation became a registered charity on 31 December 2014, registered charity number 1159745. The library is governed by a constitution last amended on 31 December 2014, available on request. A board of appointed trustees run the organisation, delegating the day-to- day running of the library to a team of volunteers.
The membership consists of trustees, committee members (some of whom also serve on sub-committees). All these members have voting rights, and the AGM is also open to observers.
WCL has advertised for both trustees and volunteers through organisations in Walkley, Voluntary Action Sheffield, our newsletter, and social media. We are currently investigating head-hunting trustees with particular skills.
## **Charitable objectives and activities**
Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in the governing document:
(a) The advancement of education for the benefit of the public in the district of Walkley in the City of Sheffield and the surrounding area by the provision of a community leading library and associated services.
(b) to promote for the benefit of the public in the district of Walkley in the City of Sheffield and the surrounding area without distinction of sex, sexual orientation, race or of political, religious or other opinion by associating together the said residents and local authorities, voluntary and other organisations in a common effort to advance education and to provide faculties in the interest of social welfare for recreation and leisure time occupation with the objective of improving the conditions of life for the residents.
WCL mission: to provide a dynamic space and innovative services for local residents to read, learn, meet, make, play, create, develop, socialise, access services, support one another and much more.
The main activities undertaken in relation to those purposes:
- Operating a volunteer managed public library for at least as many hours per week as was provided previously by the local authority. Book loan is dependent on library membership but the building, activities and events are open to the public.
- Providing events and activities suitable for a wide age range and to provide space to hire for group activities or events.
- Displaying local community information including access to newspapers and the internet. Providing training and mentoring where appropriate.
- Providing the opportunity for people to contribute to the service by volunteering or making donations of services or equipment. Suitable training to be provided to all volunteers including trustees.
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**Walkley Carnegie Library**
## **Trustees' annual report (continued) For the year ended 31 March 2021**
## **Achievements and performance**
The year 2020-2021 created many challenges relating the COVID 19 pandemic and the introduction of lockdowns, reducing footfall and book loans and resulting in many cancelled events and activities. Similarly, the core body of volunteers was reduced, owing to people shielding or working or volunteering for organisations dealing with COVID. However, Walkley Carnegie Library (WCL) managed to maintain a reduced library service according to ever-changing lockdown regulations and to retain a number of events and activities via the internet:
- Last year’s successful Off the Shelf poetry event was followed by an evening of online poetry and an open mic session. This brought in several people from outside Sheffield including a poet and author from the USA. Other online events included a charity Curry Cook-along, a play by CHOL Theatre and our regular Small Voices, Big Noises, pre-school age music session (which again reached a national and international audience).
- We continued to add new titles to the stock of "Walkley Library only" books to widen the range on offer and provide a supply of the latest books.
- Although links with local schools were affected by the lockdowns we forged partnerships with other local organisations and charities in order to preserve our place in the community.
- We had to temporarily suspend offering work experience opportunities. However these are about to be resumed.
- WCL contributions to both Walkley Festival and Heritage Open Days were moved online and included the “Walkley History Mystery Walk”, created by the Walkley Historians, a filmed performance by CHOL Theatre (one of our partners) based on the clothing industry in Yorkshire, and the videos of the research carried out by Sheffield University the previous year on Walkley’s past, present and future (”What If Walkley”).
- We continued to encourage local authors and societies to donate copies of their publications to the library and in return offered copies for sale in the library. Highlights this year have been “Victorian Walkley” by Walkley Historians and “Paradise is Here, Building Community Around Things that Matter” by Ruth Nutter (published by the Guild of St George, and based on Ruskin in Sheffield and Ruskin in Walkley events). As a result of these projects, Walkley Library appeared on an Isle of Man postage stamp as part of their John Ruskin commemorative issue. Copies of the “In Our Day” book, which resulted from a Dementia Innovation grant project, were distributed to Care Homes and other libraries.
- During the year we strengthened our relationships with Zest (Netherthorpe & Upperthorpe Community Alliance), who run Upperthorpe Library, by assisting them distributing food hampers and activity packs during the school holidays. We also worked more closely with Sheffield Libraries and the other Volunteer Libraries in Sheffield (VLiS), through increased meetings and regular communication to keep up with best practice for running libraries during a pandemic, and to join forces in promoting online events.
- Members of VLiS also attended several very well attended online seminars and discussions which were run by the Arts Council and the Community Managed Libraries Network on reopening libraries and adapting events and activities. Following this advice the libraries started to run online talks together under the banner “VLiS Presents” and collaborated to save the annual Readathon, which was formerly held in individual libraries, by linking up with CHOL Theatre Company and Sheffield Libraries’ Writer in Residence, Nik Perring, and other local writers in order to run a mass poetry readathon of poems written by children, based on Nik’s original poem Mrs City, which can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPkoII-ry1s. The Children’s University came on board, providing passport stamps for participants.
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## **Walkley Carnegie Library**
## **Trustees' annual report (continued) For the year ended 31 March 2021**
## **Achievements and performance (continued)**
- In last year’s report, we referred to the disappointment of not obtaining a second phase National Heritage Lottery Fund (NLHF) grant but agreed that we would still endeavour to include aspects of the proposed Heritage and Learning plan in our agenda. The Readathon event and the links to other organisations was an example of how we can achieve this, and we continue to work on similar projects. For example, both CHOL and The Site Gallery were awarded grants for projects and we are excited to be partners in CHOL’s “Listen 52” project. They will shortly be advertising for Young Producers (aged 16 -25) to run activities for young people in several Sheffield wards, including Walkley.
- The lockdowns also gave us time to review our position in the community and our management structure and this is continuing. Having benefitted from a £25k government economic recovery grant we were also able to purchase PPE, screens and equipment to provide a safe environment following the guidelines set out by Sheffield City Council, the landlord of the library.
- During the year we created an application to renew the Asset of Community Value status of the library for submission in 2021. This has since been successful.
The trustees have given due consideration to the Charity Commission published guidance on the Public Benefit requirement under the Charities Act 2011, and the following services are available to the public:
- Providing and improving the library service and keeping a community building open.
- Maintaining the building and surrounding grounds and contributing to the vibrancy of the high street (South
- Road).
- Offering a range of activities for different age groups, particularly for pre-school and school age children.
- Providing volunteering opportunities and training. Being involved with other local groups and events.
- Providing a welcoming environment for all visitors.
- Providing work experience and projects at both school and higher education levels.
Working with other volunteer libraries to maintain the standard of service across the City and to create events celebrating libraries. This is becoming more important as activities move online due to the lockdowns. We have also become members of the Community Managed Libraries Network and benefit from their advice, seminars and training.
## **Plans for the future**
Following an unsuccessful National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) development-phase grant funding bid, which would have supported renovation works and conversion of the library building into a dual purpose library services / small business space, WCL remains committed to protecting the library building, to rectifying compliance issues and to bringing accessibility up to appropriate standards and are currently looking at ways of achieving this.
## **Financial review**
We continue to receive grant funding from Sheffield City Council designed to cover the main costs of running the building and maintaining a library service. We have also received additional capital, book and Covidmitigation funds, the latter to mitigate the effects of the pandemic, which has for example adversely affected room booking revenue. Rates were also waived during 2020/21 due to the pandemic (value: £1792, after mandatory rate relief applied). We have also continued to receive a number of donations in the form of books and/or services during the last year for which we are very grateful.
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**Walkley Carnegie Library**
## **Trustees' annual report (continued) For the year ended 31 March 2021**
## **Reserves policy**
Uncertainties relating to the proposed refurbishment of the building and diminishing grant contributions from Sheffield City Council mean that the Trustees wish to maintain reserves equivalent to at least three years running costs (approx. £45,000). This would provide time for alternative means of providing an ongoing library service to be explored.
Free reserves at 31 March 2021 were £43,588.
27 January 2022
The trustees declare that they have approved the report above on ______________________
Signed on their behalf by:
Christopher Reece Chair (Acting)
Matthew Gilbert Trustee
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## **Independent Examiner’s report to the trustees of Walkley Carnegie Library**
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of Walkley Carnegie Library (‘the Charity’) for the year ended 31 March 2021
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the charity trustees of the Charity 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 Charity’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:
1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the Charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or
2. 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: ______________________ Sarah Lightfoot, FCA, DChA Employee of: VAS Community Accountancy The Circle 33, Rockingham Lane Sheffield S1 4FW
Date: ______________________ 27 January 2022
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## **Walkley Carnegie Library**
## **Receipts & payments account For the year ended 31 March 2021**
|**Notes**
**Receipts**
Grants and donations
**2**
Income from events
Other fundraising
Room Hire
Library fees and fines
**Total receipts**
**Payments**
Purchase of books
Event costs
Insurance
Advertising & Marketing
Cleaning Materials
Independent examination
IT Software and Consumables
Light, Power, Heating
Telephone & Internet
Miscellaneous Expenses
Printing & Stationery
Rates
Water Rates
Repairs & Maintenance
Library fees and fines payable
Waste Disposal
Furniture and equipment
Professional fees
**Total payments**
**Net receipts/(payments)**
**Transfers between funds**
**3**
**Net movement in funds**
Cash funds brought forward
**Cash funds carried forward**|**Unrestricted**
**fund**
**£**
26,031
160
161
-
-
**26,352**
-
80
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
97
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
**177**
**26,175**
**(1,200)**
**24,975**
18,613
**43,588**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**£**
30,697
-
-
-
-
**30,697**
2,718
-
698
-
1,283
600
1,073
3,800
720
193
445
-
305
920
394
-
1,151
1,200
**15,500**
**15,197**
**1,200**
**16,397**
15,882
**32,279**|**Total**
**2021**
**£**
56,728
160
161
-
-
**57,049**
2,718
80
698
-
1,283
600
1,073
3,800
720
290
445
-
305
920
394
-
1,151
1,200
**15,677**
**41,372**
-
**41,372**
34,495
**75,867**|Unrestricted
fund
£
350
185
1,688
780
-
3,003
-
120
-
338
-
-
-
-
-
(488)
92
-
-
-
-
-
784
-
846
2,157
(11,694)
(9,537)
28,150
18,613|Restricted
funds
£
49,205
-
-
-
1,398
50,603
2,000
-
676
-
101
500
605
7,608
720
1,470
-
1,764
508
-
1,196
331
-
58,078
75,557
(24,954)
11,694
(13,260)
29,142
15,882|Total
2020
£
49,555
185
1,688
780
1,398|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||||53,606|
|||||||2,000
120
676
338
101
500
605
7,608
720
982
92
1,764
508
-
1,196
331
784
58,078|
|||||||76,403|
|||||||(22,797)
-|
|||||||(22,797)
57,292|
|||||||34,495|
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## **Walkley Carnegie Library**
## **Statement of assets and liabilities As at 31 March 2021**
|**Cash assets**
Bank
Cash
**Debtors**
Grant due - Sheffield City Council - Associate Library Grant
Prepayments
**Liabilities**
Independent examination fee
Approved by the trustees on ____________________________ and signed on their behalf by:
Christopher Reece
Matthew Gilbert
Chair (Acting)
Trustee
27 January 2022|**2021**
**£**
75,577
290
**75,867**
**2021**
**£**
-
-
**-**
**2021**
**£**
540
**540**|**2020**
**£**
34,337
158|
|---|---|---|
|||**34,495**|
|||**2020**
**£**
3,738
138|
|||**3,876**|
|||**2020**
**£**
600|
|||**600**|
||||
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**Walkley Carnegie Library**
## **Notes to the accounts For the year ended 31 March 2021**
## **1 Receipts & payments accounts**
Receipts and payments accounts are statements that summarise the movement of cash into and out of the charity during the financial year.
In this context "cash" includes cash equivalents, for example, bank accounts where cash can be readily withdrawn to pay for debts as they become due.
## **2 Grants & donations**
|Sheffield City Council - Associate Library Grant
Sheffield City Council - Book grant
Sheffield City Council - Covid-19 support
Sheffield City Council - Capital work
Heritage Lottery Fund
Arts Council National Lottery
Sheffield City Council - Dementia Project
General Donations|**Unrestricted**
**fund**
**£**
-
-
25,000
-
-
-
-
1,031
**26,031**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**£**
18,697
2,000
-
10,000
-
-
-
-
**30,697**|**Total**
**2021**
**£**
18,697
2,000
25,000
10,000
-
-
-
1,031|Unrestricted
fund
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
350|Restricted
funds
£
12,645
-
-
-
26,800
1,471
8,289
-|Total
2020
£
12,645
-
-
-
26,800
1,471
8,289
350|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||**56,728**|350|49,205|49,555|
- **3 Restricted funds**
|Sheffield City Council - Associate Library Grant
Heritage Lottery Fund
Sheffield City Council - Book grant
Sheffield City Council - Capital work
Dementia Project
Fees and fines on behalf of SCC|**Funds**
**b/fwd**
**£**
14,848
-
-
-
950
84
**15,882**|**Receipts**
**£**
18,697
-
2,000
10,000
-
-|**Payments**
**£**
(11,906)
(1,200)
(2,000)
-
-
(394)|**Transfers**
**£**
-
1,200
-
-
-
-|**Funds**
**c/fwd**
**£**
21,639
-
-
10,000
950
(310)|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||**30,697**|**(15,500)**|**1,200**|**32,279**|
## Heritage Lottery Fund
The grant towards the development work was balanced at £nil as at the start of the financial year. A late invoice of £1,200 was incurred on the project - unrestricted funds have been transferred to cover this cost.
|_Prior year comparison_
_Sheffield City Council - Associate Library Grant_
_Heritage Lottery Fund_
_Arts Council National Lottery_
_Dementia Project_
_Fees and fines on behalf of SCC_|_Funds_
_b/fwd_
_£_
_25,486_
_1,405_
_3,829_
_(1,460)_
_(118)_
_29,142_|_Receipts_
_£_
_12,645_
_26,800_
_1,471_
_8,289_
_1,398_|_Payments_
_£_
_(16,283)_
_(47,178)_
_(5,021)_
_(5,879)_
_(1,196)_|_Transfers_
_£_
_(7,000)_
_18,973_
_(279)_
_-_
_-_|_Funds_
_c/fwd_
_£_
_14,848_
_-_
_-_
_950_
_84_|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||_50,603_|_(75,557)_|_11,694_|_15,882_|
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## **Walkley Carnegie Library**
## **Notes to the accounts (continued) For the year ended 31 March 2021**
## **3 Restricted funds ( continued)**
## _Heritage Lottery Fund_
_Sheffield City Council gave permission for £7,000 to be used towards the development work also funded by Heritage Lottery Fund, so this amount has been transferred between the restricted funds. A further £11,973 has been transferred from unrestricted funds to cover the deficit - the Heritage Lottery only covered a proportion of the total spend. There was a further spend in 20/21 and some grant may be due back to the funder - this will be accounted when the bank transactions take place._
## _Arts Council National Lottery_
_£150 of overheads and the remaining small underspend (which has not been requested back by the funder) has been transferred to unrestricted funds). In addition £2,339 was paid directly by the Guild of St George who partnered in the project._
## **4 Trustees' remuneration, expenses and benefits**
The charity trustees were not paid or received any other benefits from employment in the year (2020: £nil) neither were they reimbursed expenses during the year (2020: £nil).
Dr Anne Bore received £nil (2020: £300) for her role as evaluator of the Arts Council National Lottery funded project.
No other charity trustee received payment for professional or other services supplied to the charity (2020: £nil).
## **5 Related party transactions**
The spouse of Matthew Gilbert, a trustee, received £nil (2020: £1,054) for freelance work on the Arts Council National Lottery funded project.
There were no other related party transactions.
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