MARKFIELD COMMUNITY LIBRARY TRUSTEES’ REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021
Reference and administrative details of the charity and its trustees
The charity is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation and is known as Markfield Community Library. Its registration number is 1162059.
The charity is registered at Slatebrook House, Jasmine Gardens, Ratby Lane, Markfield, Leicestershire, LE67 9RJ and operates from premises at Oakfield Avenue, Markfield, Leicestershire, LE67 9WG.
The trustees in place at the date of approval of this report are:
M Bowler (appointed on incorporation) J Bowler (appointed on 1 October 2016) JC Grace (appointed on 25 August 2017) CE Robson (appointed on 7 January 2016) JA Williams (appointed on 21 February 2020)
Structure, governance and management
The charity was constituted as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation under a formal written Constitution on 8 June 2015.
The Constitution requires that there shall be no less than three and no more than five trustees at all times.
The first charity trustees were appointed for terms of office ranging from two to four years. Further trustees are appointed for a term of three years by resolution passed at a properly convened meeting of the charity trustees. In selecting individuals for appointment as charity trustees, the existing trustees must have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the charity. New trustees are provided with a copy of the current version of the constitution and a copy of the latest Trustees’ Annual Report and statement of accounts. They receive a full briefing on the administration and activities of the charity from the existing trustees.
Objectives and activities
The objects of Markfield Community Library as set out in its constitution are as follows:
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The advancement of education for the public benefit in Markfield by the provision of a volunteer run lending library.
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To promote for the benefit of the residents of Markfield the provision of a public library for recreation and/or other leisure time occupation of individuals who have 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.
Activities undertaken by the charity in accordance with the above objects comprise principally the operation of a volunteer run lending library for a minimum of 18 hours per week, 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
The year to 31 March 2021 has been dominated by the impact of COVID-19, which has caused Markfield Community Library to be closed to the public for a total of eight months as part of the measures put in place by the government to contain its spread. The trustees are pleased to have been able to re-open the library to the public with effect from 12 April 2021 for a reduced number of hours per week, and look forward to building back to full opening hours of 18 per week when circumstances allow. Except when restricted by lockdown measures as referred to the library has continued to operate as an independent volunteer based Charitable Incorporated Organisation, in succession to the previously Leicestershire County Council run library. It has continued to demonstrate that it is a sustainable organisation both in terms of its ability to sustain a sufficient quantity of volunteers to provide the services to which it is committed in its grant agreement with Leicestershire County Council and from the point of view of financial viability for the medium term.
Lettings to a diverse number of third-party groups have been suspended throughout the year because of Covid related restrictions, with the exception of the Before and After School Club associated with the neighbouring Mercenfeld Primary School, which has been able to continue behind closed doors subject to appropriate Covid precautions. The trustees are pleased to have been able to support the local community in this way, particularly whilst unable to carry out normal library operations.
Financial review
The trustees have adopted a reserves policy whereby they seek to accumulate sufficient cash reserves over time to fund a minimum of one year’s ongoing operational expenditure once Leicestershire County Council grant funding ends.
The charity has accumulated an unrestricted cash balance of £84,303 from a surplus of receipts over payments, principally as a result of the receipt of £39,500 of government sponsored lockdown grants in the year. The trustees are also grateful for the financial support of Markfield Parish Council and for the ongoing support of Leicestershire County Council, provided through a grant agreement which provides ongoing financial support for operating expenses and access to the Council’s book stock and operating systems, and through a lease for the library premises at a peppercorn rent for a period of ten years. Under the terms of the grant agreement financial support for operating expenses will reduce over a period of seven years but the trustees are confident that sufficient reserves will be in place in an appropriate timescale to sustain the financial viability of the operation.
M Bowler
J Bowler Trustees
JC Grace CE Robson JA Williams 15 May 2021
MARKFIELD COMMUNITY LIBRARY
RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021
| UNRESTRICTED FUNDS RECEIPTS HBBC Covid lockdown grants Leicestershire County Council maintenance grant Markfeld Parish Council grant Bradgate Rotary grant Lettings Book reservations and fnes Catering/refreshments (net) Photocopy charges Events (net) Sundry donations PAYMENTS Insurance Performing Rights licence Equipment Newspapers Electricity Gas Water Sundry expenses Premises Sensory Garden NET SURPLUS OF RECEIPTS OVER PAYMENTS RESTRICTED FUNDS HBBC grant re sensory garden project CASH AT BANK AT 31 MARCH 2021 STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES AT 31 MARCH 2021 Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Cash at Bank |
2020 £ 0 3,396 5,000 500 6,907 63 196 401 2,200 378 19,041 832 421 1,036 464 1,229 1,240 215 857 7,393 - 13,687 5,354 1,500 44,884 43,384 1,500 44,884 |
2021 £ 39,500 4,164 2,500 - 4,725 - - - - - |
|---|---|---|
| 50,889 | ||
| 779 235 815 19 1,031 1,077 184 280 5,575 1,475 |
||
| 11,470 | ||
| 39,419 | ||
| 25 | ||
| 84,303 | ||
| 84,278 25 |
||
| 84,303 |
M Bowler J Bowler Trustees CE Robson JC Grace JA Williams
15 May 2021
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner's Report Report to the trusteesl members of Markfield Community Library On accounts for the year ended 31 March 2021 Charity no (if any) 1162059 Set out on pages I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity 1.the Trust") for the year ended 31 03 1021 Responsibilities and As the charity truslees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 1"the Act'i. I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried OLrt under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145{51{b) of the Act. I have completed my examination. I confirm Ihat no malerial matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect.. accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or the accounts do not accord with the accounting records Independent examiner's statement I have no concems and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention shoLJld be drawn in order lo enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Signed- Date: 1S/oS/2021 Name: KATI E MAY kETTLE Relevant professional qualification{s) or body (if any): FCCA Address: L£ Section B Disclosure Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts-. directions and guidance for examiners). IER October 2018