**2023 Report and Accounts for the Trustees of The United Church of St Paul's Balsall Heath (Anglican & URC) Also known as Balsall Heath Church Centre** ## **Aim and Purposes** The Trustees of The United Church of St Paul's Balsall Heath (Anglican & URC) also known as Balsall Heath Church Centre (The Church Council) have the responsibility of cooperating with the Vicar/Minister in promoting the ecclesiastical parish of St Paul's Balsall Heath, the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical The Church Council is also specifically responsible for the maintenance of Balsall Heath Church Centre, 100 Mary Street, Balsall Heath, B12 9JU. ## **Objectives and Activities** The Church Council is committed to enabling as many people as possible to worship at our church and to become part of our community at Balsall Heath Church Centre. The Church Council maintains an overview of worship throughout the parish and makes suggestions on how our services can involve the many groups that live within our parish. Our services and worship put faith into practice through prayer and scripture, music and sacrament. When planning our activities for the year, we have considered the Commission's guidance on public benefit and, in particular, the supplementary guidance on charities for the advancement of religion. We try to enable ordinary people to live out their faith as part of our community through: - Worship and prayer; learning about the gospel; and developing knowledge and trust in Jesus. - Provision of pastoral care for people living in the parish. - Missionary and outreach work. To facilitate this work, it is important that we maintain the fabric of Balsall Heath Church Centre and its grounds. ## **Financial Review** Total receipts on unrestricted funds were £66,545 of which £10,473 was unrestricted voluntary donations. Total receipts on restricted funds were £22,288 and are detailed in the Financial Statements. £62,132 was spent from unrestricted funds to provide the Christian ministry from Balsall Heath Church Centre. The net result for the year was a surplus in receipts versus payments of £4,413 on unrestricted funds. However, the General Funds of the Church were impacted by an increase in value of the COIF Investment Fund of £13,790. The value of these funds is largely immaterial in the accounts until such time they need to be liquidated. The balance of the General Fund carried forward at 31[st] December was £200,076 1 of 2 ## **Reserves Policy** It is PCC policy to try to maintain a balance on unrestricted funds which equates to at least three months unrestricted payments. This is equivalent to £15,000. It is held to smooth out fluctuations in cash flow and to meet emergencies. ## **Structure, Governance and Management** The method of appointment of the Church Council is set out in the Constitution. The membership of the Church Council consists of the Vicar/Minister, nine elected Trustees and up to two co-opted Trustees. All those who attend our services members of the congregation are encouraged to register on the Electoral Roll or URC Membership Roll and stand for election to the Church Council. The Church Council members are responsible for making decisions on all matters of general concern and importance to the Church and parish including deciding on how the funds of the charity are to be spent. New members receive initial training into the workings of the Church Council ## **Administrative Information** The United Church of St Paul's Balsall Heath (Anglican & URC) also known as Balsall Heath Church Centre is situated in Balsall Heath, Birmingham. It is part of the Diocese of Birmingham within the Church of England and of the West Midlands Synod within the United Reformed Church. The correspondence address is The Parish Office, Balsall Heath Church Centre, 100 Mary Street, Balsall Heath, Birmingham B12 9JU. It is registered charity, number 1160049. Church Council members who have served at any time from 1 January 2023 until the date this report was approved are: Elected members: Ms **Jasmine** Browne Mr **Alester** Burke Rev **Peter** Bound Mr **John** Christopher Mr **Selwyn** Inniss Mrs **Anne** Laugharne Ms **Maggie** Norris Mrs **Ann** Samuel Mr **Ivor** Samuel Approved by the Church Council and signed on their behalf by Anne Laugharne (Treasurer). Signed ____________________ Anne Laugharne Dated 2 of 2 ## **BALSALL HEATH CHURCH CENTRE - 1160049** ## **Statement of Financial Activities** ## **For the period from 01 January 2023 to 31 December 2023** ||**Unrestricted**|**Designated**|**Restricted**|**Endowment**|**Total**|**Prior year**| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ||**funds**|**funds**|**funds**|**funds**|**funds**|**total funds**| |**_Income and endowments from:_**||||||| |Donations and legacies|39,955|—|20,000|—|59,955|62,428| |Income from charitable activities|20,219|—|16|—|20,235|24,184| |Other trading activities|3,163|—|2,272|—|5,435|3,700| |Investments|3,207|—|—|—|3,207|1,898| |**Total income**|**66,545**|**—**|**22,288**|**—**|**88,834**|**92,212**| |**_Expenditure on:_**||||||| |Raising funds|—|—|2,556|—|2,556|—| |Expenditure on charitable activities|60,613|400|42,289|—|103,302|77,034| |Other expenditure|1,518|—|—|—|1,518|10,981| |**Total expenditure**|**62,132**|**400**|**44,845**|**—**|**107,378**|**88,016**| |Gains / losses on investment assets|13,790|—|—|—|13,790|(10,880)| |**Net income / (expenditure) resources before transfer**|**18,203**|**(400)**|**(22,557)**|**—**|**(4,753)**|**(6,684)**| |||||||| |**_Other recognised gains / losses_**||||||| |**Net movement in funds**|**18,203**|**(400)**|**(22,557)**|**—**|**(4,753)**|**(6,684)**| |**_Reconciliation of funds_**||||||| |**Total funds brought forward**|**181,872**|**556**|**17,170**|**—**|**199,599**|**206,283**| |**Total funds carried forward**|**200,076**|**156**|**(5,387)**|**—**|**194,845**|**199,599**| |||||||| |**_Represented by_**||||||| |Unrestricted||||||| |General fund|200,076|—|—|—|200,076|181,872| |Designated||||||| |Garden Refurbishment|—|156|—|—|156|556| |Restricted||||||| |Charities|—|—|126|—|126|126| |Diocesan Fees|—|—|192|—|192|176| |Growing Together Gardening Club|—|—|2,813|—|2,813|7,197| |Silver Lining Project|—|—|(7,961)|—|(7,961)|9,670| |Windrush Event|—|—|(556)|—|(556)|—| _**There may be minor discrepancies in the totals if the pence are not being shown**_ 13 March 2024 Page 1 Independant ExamlnerS Reportto the Trustees ofr. The United Church of St Pauls Balsall He8th IAn8tican and URC I report on the accounts ofthe Church fortheyearended 31 December 2023vthich are 58t out in the following pages. Respectlve responslbiiilies Otthe1￿9teeg and examlner As trustees of the Charity. the memoerg ofthe PCC are resportsibieforthe preparation of the accounts. They consider that an audit is not required this year under section 144(21 of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibiiityto: Examin6 the accounts under section 145 otthe 2011 Act: Followthe procedures laid down in the General Directions gbven bythe Charity Commissioners section 14515llb} of the 2011 Act: and State whether particular matters have ￿me to my attention. Myexamination was carried OLrt in accordancewith the Generdl Directions given bythe Charity Commission, and a comparison ofth8 accounts presented with those recofds. That examination includes a ￿VieWofthe accounting records kept tythe Charity. and comparison of the accounts presented with those records. tt atso includes consideration of any unusu81 item or disclosures in the accounts. and seekingexptanationsfrom the Management Committee concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide 8llthe evidence that would be required in a fu118udit and consequenlly. I do not express an 8udit opinion Ont￿ accounts. In ¢onnectioTrwith my examin*ion. no matter has come to my attention: which gi￿$ me ￿aSonable causeto believe that in any material respectthe requirements "to keep accounting reco￿$ in accordancewith section s130 of the 2011 Act: or "to prep8re accounts wh￿h accord with these 2C(x)unting records: not been met.or to which in my opinion. attention should be drawn in orderto enable a proper understanding ofthe accounts to be reac1￿d. RB Jelucoe FCCA 104 Lyttelton Roed Bimiingham B33 8BJ