STONEY STANTON COMMUNITY LIBRARY
TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
Administrative details of the Charity and its Trustees
The Charity is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, registration number 1161830, with the address as St Michaels Court, Stoney Stanton, Leics LE9 4TH
Structure, governance and management
The Charity was constituted as a CIO under a formal written Constitution on May 15[th] 2015. Foundation Model
The Constitution requires that there should be no fewer than three Trustees and no more than twelve. Apart from the initial Trustees, every Trustee must be appointed for a term of three years by a resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the Charity Trustees.
In selecting individuals for appointment of Trustees, the existing Trustees must have due regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective management of the Charity. On appointment of a new Trustee, a copy of the current version of the constitution and a copy of the latest statement of accounts and Trustees’ report will be made available to them.
The Trustees at the time of becoming a CIO and at the beginning of this period were:
Robin Cole Term 3 years re-elected May 2022 Pauline Fergusson Term 3 years Ditto
| Philippa Wainwright | Term 3 years | Re-elected May |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | ||
| Sarah Jane Eaves | Term 3 years | Re-elected July |
| 2022 | ||
| Christine Hartley | Term 3 years | Re-elected June |
| 2023 | ||
| Ann Williams | Term 3 years | Appointed Feb- |
| ruary 2022 |
Objectives and Activities
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The advancement of education for the public benefit by the provision of a community library service for the residents and the wider community in Stoney Stanton and the surrounding areas.
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To promote for the benefit of the residents of Stoney Stanton and the surrounding areas the provision of a public library for recreation and/or other leisure time occupation of individuals who have the need of such facilities by reason of their youth, age, infirmity or disablement, financial hardship or social and economic circumstances or for the public at large in the interests of social welfare and with the object of improving the condition of life of the said residents.
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To provide those services to the public without discrimination on the grounds of sex, age, disability or other protected characteristic.
The above objectives are met by the Charity undertaking the operation of a volunteer run lending library, fundraising events, together with the hiring of the premises to third party groups for the benefit of the community. All activities are undertaken in the interests of public benefit.
Achievements and Performance
Stoney Stanton Community Library reached the 8th anniversary of its opening in November 2023 and also in that month our managing committee structure changed with the addition of one of our longstanding volunteers to assist with premises/property issues and with a view to becoming a trustee in due course.
The library has a stable and willing group of volunteers and so has been able to fulfil its contracted opening hours. Opening hours and activities are advertised through our website, facebook and parish newsletter. We are fortunate in being able to attract volunteers and are currently operating a waiting list.
We were successful with our application for a grant from the LCC Building Contingency Fund for a new boiler and heating system which was installed in early November with the library having to close for a week to accommodate the work. The new system is a great improvement and positive feedback has been received from all library users as well as volunteers.
Regular chargeable lettings of the premises are to a Yoga group, Book Club and Stoney Stanton Yarn Bombers. Toddlers Tales and Code Club both operate weekly during term time, both of which are free of charge
One-off activities have included the Summer Reading Challenge, the village school Scarecrow Weekend where the library was used as hub, LCC Community Support drop in sessions and a local primary school writing display.
The Parish Council and the local PCSO both hold drop in sessions.
It has been disappointing to see a slight decrease in library users during the last year although this is not significant and has not been particularly noticeable on a day to day basis in the library. The premises being closed for an entire week, including 2 Saturdays, may have affected the figures.
Finance
As Leicestershire County Council ceased to support the library financially in March 2022 fundraising has increased in this financial year.
Stoney Stanton Parish Council have agreed an annual grant of £1,200 to assist with running costs and Blaby District Council awarded a Warm Spaces Grant which was spent on two comfortable chairs and a table.
Significant amounts were raised through Easter and Christmas raffles, sale of Christmas cards and the sale of second hand books at three village events and in the library. Further funds were raised from the Blaby District Lottery and continuing hire of the premises to 3 village groups.
The trustees meet on a monthly basis and have had discussions regarding the current bank account balance. It was felt that some of the balance was unlikely to be reqired in the medium term and could, therefore, be tranferred to an interest earning account.
Unity Trust bank could not offer that so it was decided that a 60 day notice business account with an investment of £25,000 should be opened with the Earl Shilton Building Society (ESBS). The account was duly opened on November 10th 2023 with an interest rate of 4% payable annually.
The Trustees have adopted a prudent reserves policy which seeks to accumulate sufficient funds to ensure a sustainable future.
Aims
It is our intention to increase the use of the building by making it a friendly, inviting place to visit and to continue to make it available to all, regardless of library membership, as a warm place now that the heating system is much improved.
To encourage a good relationship with the village school to ensure the early years pupils become familiar with the library.
To ensure that financially the library has a viable and sustainable future and is maintained in accordance with the terms and conditions of the lease which is due for renewal in November 2025.
The above report has been produced by and authorised by the following current trustees:
Philippa Wainwright – Co Chair / Secretary
Christine Hartley – Co Chair
Pauline Fergusson – Treasurer
Robin Cole
Sarah Eaves
Ann Williams
| Income and Expenditure | Year End 31st March 2024 | Budget | ||
| Income | Income | |||
| Books etc | 1,478.89 | 1,000.00 | ||
| LMS | 301.32 | 200.00 | ||
| Lettings | 1,990.00 | 1,100.00 | ||
| Donations | 84.61 | 100.00 | ||
| SSPC Grant | 1,200.00 | 1,200.00 | ||
| Sale of Christmas Cards | 106.00 | 0.00 | ||
| LCC Support Grant | 0.00 | 0.00 | ||
| BD Lottery | 630.50 | 550.00 | ||
| Fundraising Events | 826.15 | 100.00 | ||
| Childrens Activities | 245.00 | 0.00 | ||
| LCC Additional Grant | 0.00 | 0.00 | ||
| BDC Warm Space Grant | 500.00 | 0.00 | ||
| Other Grants | 0.00 | 1,000.00 | ||
| Transfer From Garden Reserve | 212.93 | 397.00 | ||
| 7,575.40 | 5,647.00 | |||
| Expenditure | Expenditure | |||
| Sundries | 615.00 | 400.00 | ||
| Premises | 1,184.05 | 2,100.00 | ||
| Gas | 639.92 | 1,000.00 | ||
| Electricity | 1,196.86 | 1,200.00 | ||
| Water Charges | 361.72 | 500.00 | ||
| Insurance | 632.48 | 650.00 | ||
| Bank Charges | 72.00 | 72.00 | ||
| Web Site | 0.00 | 100.00 | ||
| Code Club | 0.00 | 100.00 | ||
| Childrens Activities | 60.96 | 100.00 | ||
| BDC Warm Space Costs | 495.87 | |||
| Octopus Energy Deposit | 461.08 | |||
| Copying | 0.00 | 250.00 | ||
| Movement to Maintenance Reserve | 0.00 | (1,000.00) | ||
| Movement to General Reserve | 0.00 | |||
| Garden Expenditure | 212.93 | 250.00 | ||
| 5,932.87 | 5,722.00 | |||
| Movement | 1,642.53 | (75.00) | ||
| Balance Sheet | ||||
| Bank Balance - Unity Trust Bank | 20,972.98 | |||
| 60 Day Notice Account ESBS | 25,000.00 | |||
| Lettings Owed | 75.00 | |||
| Petty Cash & Floats | 35.65 | |||
| Total Reserves | 46,083.63 | |||
| Reserves |
1
| Maintenance/ Building Reserve | 7,000.00 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Reserve | 19,110.00 | |||
| Garden Reserve | 690.38 | |||
| Working Capital | 19,283.25 | |||
| Total Reserves | 46,083.63 |
2
Prior Year Income 954.01 415.11 1,794.00 523.88 1,200.00 61.00 605.50 1,234.45 80.00 500.00 292.85 7,660.80 Expenditure 991.93 2,043.59 770.99 1,164.46 (556.82) 625.39 72.00 9.59 45.49 44.29 800.00 292.85 6,303.76 1,357.04 44,554.12 0.00 75.00 24.91 44,654.03
3
7,000.00 19,110.00 903.31 17,640.72 44,654.03
4