Company registration number: 08617386 Charity registration number: 1162393
New Directions Support
(A company limited by guarantee)
Annual Report and Financial Statements
for the Year Ended 31 July 2024
Daryl Denson ACMA VAST The Dudson Centre Hope Street Hanley Stoke-on-Trent ST1 5DD
New Directions Support
Contents
| Reference and Administrative Details | 1 |
|---|---|
| Trustees' Report | 2 to 12 |
| Independent Examiner's Report | 13 |
| Statement of Financial Activities | 14 |
| Balance Sheet | 15 |
| Notes to the Financial Statements | 16 to 26 |
New Directions Support
Reference and Administrative Details
Trustees Sara Jones, Chair Jerry Stokes Denise Tolson Derek Follows Julie Yates Alice Lord Senior Management / Leadership Jill Aldridge, Chief Officer Team Jennie Stockley, Operations Manager Registered Office Stafford Education & Enterprise Park Weston Road Stafford ST18 0BF The charity is incorporated in England and Wales. Company Registration Number 08617386 Charity Registration Number 1162393 Bankers Santander 1 Market Square Stafford ST16 2JH Independent Examiner Daryl Denson ACMA VAST The Dudson Centre Hope Street Hanley Stoke-on-Trent ST1 5DD
Page 1
New Directions Support
Trustees' Report (incorporating The Directors' Report)
The trustees, who are directors for the purposes of company law, present the annual report together with the financial statements of the charitable company for the year ended 31 July 2024.
New Directions Support commenced operations on 3 December 2013 and is now in its 11th year of operation. Initially operated as a Community Interest Company (CIC) the organisation was formally registered as a charity on 24 June 2015.
This report accompanies the New Directions Support Accounts for the period 1 Aug 2023 to 31 July 2024.
Objectives and activities
Objects and aims
For the public benefit, the relief of those in need by reason of disability by the provision of day activities for adults, over the age of 18 years, in the county of Staffordshire, in particular the provision of structured activities related to education, leisure and work-preparation.
The main activity of New Directions Support is the provision of a varied and structured programme of day opportunities for adults with a learning disability. Referrals can be made to the service from anyone with a learning disability or their carer who meets the eligibility criteria and lives within Stafford and the surrounding area. Otherwise, service users may self-fund.
Public benefit
The main activity of New Directions Support is the provision of a varied and structured programme of day opportunities for adults with a learning disability. Referrals can be made to the service from anyone with a learning disability who meets the eligibility criteria and lives within Stafford and the surrounding area. Otherwise service users may self-fund.
The trustees confirm that they have complied with the requirements of section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission for England and Wales.
Structure, governance and management
Nature of governing document
The charity is operated under the rules of its memorandum and articles incorporated 19 July 2013 as amended by special resolution and certificate of incorporation on change of name dated 7 May 2015.
Page 2
New Directions Support
Trustees' Report (incorporating The Directors' Report)
Governance
During the accounting period the Charity continued with a prominent level of governance from the board of voluntary trustees. Trustees held quarterly meetings either virtually or face to face. All meetings were minuted.
At the end of the period there was no change to the trustees. This means that there are still 6 numbered trustees on the board whilst the organisation seeks to recruit further members. Trustees are encouraged to visit the service and attend functions and events, as well as visiting on an ad-hoc basis
The service continued to be managed on a day to day basis by a chief officer, assisted by an operations manager. The chief officer reported to the board on a range of indicators, including any serious incidents, accident and safeguarding issues. The financial performance of the organisation was monitored against predicted budgets and spends were reported at each meeting against expected financial targets. Policies were approved by the board of trustees to support the governance of the organisation. The trustees held a public AGM in December 2023 where all trustees were re-elected to the board.
The trustees remuneration sub-committee met in January 2024. There was a discussion around the 10% rate increase imposed by ‘The real Living wage’ which New Directions Support have agreed to implement if financially viable. It was agreed that all support staff would have their salaries increased by the 10% but due to it being yet another high increase the service co-ordinator, Operations manager and Chief officer had an increase of £1.10 per hour which is the same increase the support staff had. Although a lesser rate than previous years it still enabled the salary structure to have clear differentials.
Recruitment and appointment of trustees
Trustees of New Directions Support are appointed through a fair and transparent process which follows the organisations Equal Opportunities Policy. Vacancies for trustees are advertised with a summary of the skills and/or experience sought and advertised at both a national and local level. Terms of reference for trustees are available and are sent to candidates, who then undergo a selection process, again following the organisation’s equal opportunities policy. All applicants are interviewed by at least two people, including the Chair of Trustees, where their skills and suitability are appraised against the terms of reference. Trustees are made up of individuals with a range of skills and experience and, when deciding on a replacement for an existing trustee, due regard is made for the type of skills required from any replacement in order to support the board.
Page 3
New Directions Support
Trustees' Report (incorporating The Directors' Report)
Organisational Structure and Management
During the period, the organisational management and finance staffing structure has not changed. Jill Aldridge remains as the Chief Officer and is supported by an operations manager. Management is supported by a Finance and Administration Officer part time (16.5hrs) and a Service Co-ordinator. The remainder of the contracted staff work as support workers either on fixed hour contracts of in the capacity of bank staff.The organisation also employs a part time cleaner (3 hrs)
At the end of July 2024, the organisation had 263.50 support hours each week. In total at the end of the period there were 14 permanent staff including the cleaner and 3 bank staff.
Human Resources
During this financial period there has been a lot of legislation changes to employment law. It was decided to consult HR Quest who New Directions Support have access to for any HR, health and safety, tax and legal advice. An overhaul and audit was carried out of all mandatory policies, employee handbook and staff contracts. At a cost of £1000 this was necessary to ensure company compliance and accuracy with the many policy changes.
Venues
The Village (New Beacon Buildings)
During the accounting period New Directions Support continued to operate from its premises at Staffordshire Education & Enterprise Park in Stafford. The Head Office remains on the third floor and the other two rooms used for sessions are working very well as they are large, well-lit and adaptable in order to facilitate a variety of different activities. The larger room which is used for ‘the arts’ has had an adjoining wall soundproofed by the landlords in order for the groups to enjoy, music, drama and dance without interrupting other tenants. The two ground floor rooms have a shared, well-equipped kitchen.
The Life Skills Centre
New Directions Support continues to make beneficial use of the Life Skills Centre, which is situated on the same grounds as the other rooms at the village. Being based here has allowed the organisation to widen its offer to individuals in order to continue to meet more diverse individual needs and outcomes. It also provides a dedicated resource for independent living skills with a fully fitted kitchen, teaching area, outdoor workshop and gardens. A recent scheme to redecorate the whole facility and add a sensory wall has enhanced the environment and has been a welcome focal point.
One of the unused rooms has now been dedicated to ‘communication’. In here service users can spend 1:1 time with our newly employed communication ambassador. The outcome is to find new ways and resources to enable individuals to communicate more successfully, especially if they are non-verbal or find communication challenging.
Page 4
New Directions Support
Trustees' Report (incorporating The Directors' Report)
External Developments
Staffordshire County Council: The Community Offer:
Around three quarters of the service users attending New Directions Support in July 2024 come through Staffordshire County Council, with funding for individuals either provided through directly managed budgets or via a system of direct payments to carers. This amounts to some 77% of income. Hence the contractual basis by which the County Council purchases services is key to the operating model of New Directions.
The remaining service users are self-funded or funded by the NHS.
In 2019 Staffordshire County Council announced their intention to consult on a revised contractual framework and a move towards standardised contracts and indicative pricing.The County Council entitled this proposal “The Community Offer” and a comprehensive consultation process was undertaken in 2019. The County Council then agreed the recommendations in June 2019 and a contract process was implemented in January 2020.
The contract process was designed in two parts. Organisations were asked to submit a selection questionnaire for award onto a light-touch dynamic procurement system (LTR DPS) and this would then allow them to receive details of individual tenders for service users. Bids could then be placed against individual service users with the focus on quality under a fixed price structure. New Directions Support submitted all necessary information to the Council on 3rd February 2020 and the submission was awarded onto the LTR DPS on 11th February 2020.
The position of this new proposed development was implemented from July 29th 2021.
The prices are now set by the local authority for new service users who come through the system and are banded into low, medium and high. The process for banding individuals is carried out by the learning disability team.
Initially and during the consultation period with Stafford County Council, the commissioners said that people already using day opportunities and who were on direct payments would not be banded and funded accordingly. However, in March 2023 providers were informed that all individuals funded by the local authority would be subject to bandings and the relevant rates. This meant that all service users were subject to a face to face or desktop review to determine their level of need and banding category. Once this operation was complete bandings were sent through to providers. Despite some disagreements and queries all but one was resolved at New Directions Support. Payments should have reached parents and then New Directions Support in April 2023 but due to delays from Stafford County Council they did not get paid until November 2023. The arrears amount was also paid.
Page 5
New Directions Support
Trustees' Report (incorporating The Directors' Report)
Donations
During this accounting period there were minimal donations. A donation of £150 was received from a fellow tenant who wanted to treat our service users to a trip out. This was spent on a trip to a garden centre with everyone enjoying drinks and cakes. There is still a small amount left.
Together Active Fund
New Directions Support offers many activities in order to promote health, fitness and wellbeing. The organisation has been awarded a grant from the Together Active Fund through the National Lottery. This was awarded in June 2022 and was to be spent on extra sports activities such as cycling, gym use, sports hall hire, swimming and instructed classes. The awarded fund is £1035. New Directions Support have used the money during the accounting period on a variety of sports activities which has given service users an insight into activities they may not have taken art in previously. There is still £62 to carry over to the next financial year.
Sustainability and Ethics
With a growing societal awareness of the need for organisations to become more ethical, and to work in more sustainable ways, New Directions Support continues to work as ethically as possible around a policy which was approved by the Board of Trustees in July 2019. This policy laid out defined ways of ethical working which promote an ethical and sustainable stance by the organisation.
During the accounting period the organisation has continued to be more ethical and sustainable. The organisation continues to use recycled paper and products and printing is kept to essential documents only. Even more carers and parents are using emails for invoices and receipts. Those who still wish to receive hard copies are still doing so but rather than using postage they are given directly to service users to take home which has reduced the carbon footprint greater still. Service users still bring in refillable bottles for refreshments and plastic waste is used in sessions to make use of the materials. The “Upcycle” session has continued to raise awareness and educates families and staff of the benefits of re-using items. Local products are also sourced throughout the organisation in order to reduce the carbon footprint.
Staff who are session leads and who plan for activities now use cloud-based software to produce and file plans which is visible to all staff via the smartboards in each room. This has had a massive impact and has reduced paper and ink since being implemented in the last half of this accounting period.
The premises that New Directions Support occupy had a poor recycling policy but recently they have improved their policy and have put things in place which allows all tenants to recycle and be more environmentally friendly.
There is a charity shop on-site and all staff are encouraged to seek out resources and items which can be obtained cheaply rather than buying brand new.
Page 6
New Directions Support
Trustees' Report (incorporating The Directors' Report)
Internal Developments
The organisation continued to develop services and initiatives. Some of the key ones are highlighted below.
Performance and Achievements
Performance: Attendance Statistics
At the start of the accounting period, New Directions Support provided services for 47 people. At the end of the accounting period the organisation supported 45 people. This shows a slight decrease. This equates to an average daily attendance of 20 (down 1 from the last accounting period) people and 633.3 hours of service-delivery Monday to Friday (52.5 hours down from the last accounting period) This shows a service that as far as provision goes, is slightly reduced. There is a general consensus between all local service providers for day opportunities that there has been a real lack of referrals during this accounting period. This may be due to the new banding tool that assesses the needs of people with learning disabilities and some may now be seen as not eligible for services or may only be eligible for minimal hours of funding.
Quality Assurance
As part of ongoing quality assurance, New Directions Support seeks to gather the views of all the main stakeholders each year. This includes surveys of both staff and carers views and the results are published in an annual “impact report” which is made available publicly at the AGM. In addition, one of the most challenging issues in relation to quality assurance lies with obtaining meaningful feedback from individual service users. Previously New Directions Support has piloted a number of diverse ways to obtain meaningful feedback from users of the service involving face to face interviews. However, this was problematic for those with less communication abilities. During this accounting period, New Directions Support has a dedicated member of staff who is working with individuals to improve communication. The organisation has recently started supporting more non-verbal service users who will benefit from having this extra support. This has now allowed for a fairer and more clear service user survey to be carried out which has resulted in some valuable responses and very positive feedback.
Out comes Monitoring
With a continued emphasis on the importance of individuals achieving outcomes by the County Council, New Directions Support recognises the need to capture evidence of service user’s progression as a measure of quality. In the early spring of 2019, the organisation implemented a new system of capturing progression towards set outcomes for all Staffordshire County Council Funded clients. During this accounting period we have continued with annual reviews with parents and carers where outcomes are set. The reviews have been conducted either virtually or face to face by the operations manager. All staff are involved in monitoring the progression of individuals within sessions so that the organisation can report on the outcomes that are met or not met. This remains one of the key quality measures for the organisation.
Page 7
New Directions Support
Trustees' Report (incorporating The Directors' Report)
Achievements and performance
Achievements
During this accounting period staffing recruitment and retention has improved from the challenges of the previous year and staff numbers are adequate and stable meaning that the organisation has been able to continue to operate safely and to offer the quality service.
The continuity of quality, well planned and meaningful sessions has been achieved and there has been positive feedback from parents, carers and service users concerning the management and staff and how well the organisation provides for the person they care for.
New Directions Support have entered a few competitions this year and were very successful in being awarded a £50 cheque for the superb art entries into the annual Green Arts Festival.
The organisation was also invited to enter a competition to design a new logo for the Community Learning Disability Team. It was a proud moment when finding out that one of the service users actually won. The logo will be used by them and the winning service user received a prize of art supplies and a certificate. This new relationship with the CLDT has meant that New Directions Support are often approached to make art installations which is proudly put on display at the CLDT head office.
Community Links
A key focus of the organisation is always to be present in the community and build positive relationships within it. The immediate community building where New Directions Support are based has proven beneficial for the service users. Other tenants and organisations take an interest in the activities on offer and will interact with staff and service users which is important for adults who may learn differently to be treated equally in society. During this accounting year New Directions support have continued to use the local area for leisure and education. Visits to the local town and shops are frequent as well at taking advantage of the countryside when being active. There has also been a visit to the local theatre and this year the organisation has been working with Newcastle and Stafford college to secure a placement for a T level business student for the coming autumn.
In-House Resources
As a charity, the organisation does not look to make a profit and any excess income over expenditure is then able to be diverted into resources during the financial period. During 2023/2024 New Directions Support made small capital spends to supplement existing resources. Due to a need for extra memory and software changes, a new laptop was purchased for the finance officer in order to carry out day to day financial processes. The agreed £5000 investment fund also came from the capital spends.
The Life Skills Centre has also proved to be extremely useful. The cookery sessions continue and the group has explored many foods The continued independent living skills is a vital part for the development of service users who have managed to achieve some of the outcomes set. Users have continued to develop confidence, knowledge and new skills where individuals can learn about nutrition, health and safety and horticulture. With the new raised beds in place even more service users will be able to participate in growing produce. Still the most popular session is Upcycling which ties in nicely with the Ethical and Sustainability Policy. This session is proving a firm favourite for the service users as they have the challenges of understanding materials, costs and sustainability. The group has turned some old items into things that could be bought in any boutique shop. Parents, carers and friends have made small donations for items to cover the cost of materials.
Page 8
New Directions Support
Trustees' Report (incorporating The Directors' Report)
Student Links
New Directions Support likes to offer placements from students who are studying at college or university, especially if it is a health and social care course. This is a valuable scheme to be involved in as it gives and insight into the type of work support workers are involved in at services like New Directions Support. Unfortunately, due to the service moving to newer premises it has been difficult for students to travel to as there is not a direct bus route for some. However, during this year New Directions Support were delighted to offer a placement for a health and social care student. Also, a placement for a T level business student has been secured ready for the next college term.
Carers Links
New Directions Support holds coffee mornings approximately every 8 weeks. This is an opportunity for parents and carers to come together and discuss any issues they may have or ideas for the service. This is also a good opportunity to pass on any information regarding funding, legislation or operational changes. The ongoing issues with the way the local authority has changed the way they pay service users to attend has been a topic of conversation during this year and New Directions Support has been able to update parents and carers as well as support them if issues have arisen. Often speakers and other professionals are invited to these sessions who offered advice to parents and carers if needed. Other effective communication is maintained with all carers by means of quarterly newsletters and letters sent out by the Chief Officer. The annual carers survey was sent out and completed during this period.
Professional Relationships
New Directions Support are members of The Chambers of Commerce who offer access to HR, legal, tax and health and safety support to all which is delivered by Quest HR. Due to ongoing legislation changes and the need to consult professionals to ensure compliance, New Directions Support now have a silver package subscription with Quest HR who review all policies and add in new legislation as and when the changes occur. This ensures that new Directions Supports policies are all legal and up to date.
The organisation also uses Westfield Health who give discounts to all Chamber of commerce members. Westfield Health provide standard EAP benefits and in addition to that there are enhanced health benefits for its members including 24/7 doctors’ advice, fast track to MRI scans and x-rays. Staff using the service can also claim back capped costs for opticians and dentistry. The benefit also offers rewards for high street shopping and online companies similar to a blue-light card which New Directions Support also pay for staff membership.
The organisation is an accredited centre for DMI (De-escalation, Management Intervention) and retains links with specialist staff at St Georges Hospital (Part of MPFT) to support ongoing training and development of this critical area of the work.
New Directions Support continues to work in partnership with a wide range of health and social care professionals including Staffordshire County Council Commissioners, Social Workers, Community Nurses, Speech and Language therapists, and Psychological services, and the organisation is seen as part of a multi-disciplinary approach to meeting the needs of individuals.
The organisation has renewed their membership with SCARP who are an independent body who represent care services in Staffordshire.
The whole staffing team continues to attend mandatory and other training courses. A robust training matrix is in place and staff are trained in Safeguarding, Handling of Medication, Epilepsy and administration of Buccal Midazolam, Equality and diversity & food hygiene.
Two senior staff are now trained as fire wardens. Three key staff are now qualified first aiders. One senior staff member is Health and Safety trained as well as now being risk assessment trained.
Page 9
New Directions Support
Trustees' Report (incorporating The Directors' Report)
Financial review
The following are of note in respect of the accounts for the period August 1st 2023 to July 31st 2024. Income
During this financial period Staffordshire County Council changed the way they funded individuals and banded people low, medium, high with a price attached to each band. These rates are set by the local authority and not the provider. New Directions Support had historically low daily rates and the new local authority rates average out higher than the rates previously set by New Directions Support. SCC packages accounted for 77% of service users, 21% being self-funders and 2% funded by the NHS. This resulted in the income for the period being £379,534 which is an increase of 12% against the budgeted £338,709. This large increase is due to the uplift in local authority rates. However, the increased rates should have been implemented in April 2023 (during the previous financial year) but this did not get agreed and paid to New Directions Support until November 2023. This means some of the excess income showing is from April 9th 2023-July 31st 2023 and should be noted as excess income for the 2022/2023 accounting year.
Expenditure
Individual expenditure groups continue to be monitored monthly against the budget set by Trustees at the start of the period, and budget monitoring remains an important part of the financial controls within the organisation.
Like any organisation providing human services, the staffing budget remains the single biggest expenditure within the budget and direct staffing costs were forecast at some 80% of turnover.
Due to a healthy Income over Expenditure in previous accounting periods it was agreed by the board of trustees that New Directions Support should invest approximately £5000 in order to improve facilities, obtain better and newer resources, buy in subject matter experts to run sessions as well as treat the service users. This led to a final expenditure for the organisation of £351,151 against a predicted spend of some £339,362 Overall, over the 12-month period, the organisation continued to see a sustainable financial performance with an excess of income over expenditure of 7.47%. Hence, despite the unprecedented conditions during the financial year, and a salary increase above the budgeted amount no use had to be made of the organisation’s initial reserves available at the start of the financial year.
Page 10
New Directions Support
Trustees' Report (incorporating The Directors' Report)
Policy on reserves
The organisation has a Financial Procedures Policy which was formally adopted by trustees on 19/10/2015 and amended in June 2016. This document includes the policy on reserves. This policy is given here.
a) Charity law requires any income received by a charity to be spent within a reasonable period of receipt. b) The Charity will keep a working financial balance equal to approximately one month’s operating costs within the current account.
c) Trustees will be able to justify the holding of any surplus income above this as reserves.
d) Reserves will be that part of the charity’s unrestricted income funds that is freely available to spend. e) The level of reserves held throughout the year will be monitored through the year and kept under review to ensure it meets a charity’s changing needs and circumstances.
f) The Charity will aim to ensure that it builds sufficient reserves to ensure it can continue to operate and maintain its financial commitments for a six-month period without income.
g) This period of time is deemed long enough for alternative sources of funding to be investigated.
h) The reserves will cover staffing and running costs for the six-month period as well as outstanding leases and commitments due by the charity if it were wound up after this six-month period.
i) Trustees will review the amount held within reserves and the charities financial commitments under this reserves policy on a regular basis.
j) This reserves policy will be set out in the trustees’ annual report. Notes:
i. At the end of the accounting period the organisation had £324,489( 2023 £295,422 ) in free reserves. ii. As per the above policy the organisation continues to aim to have 6 months operating and closedown costs in reserve assuming no income. The exact amount of this would depend on a number of factors but is likely to be over £155,000 depending on the model used and the time of year it occurred (Figures correct as of July 2024). iii. In addition to allowing for the closedown contingencies the reserves also allow the organisation to manage annual fluctuations in income as referral rates change.
Page 11
New Direetion5 Support Truslees, Report (incorporating The Directors, Report) Risk5 New Direciions Support keeps a Tegisler of sirategic risks along with control measures. and the organisaiion's strategic plannin8 allows conirol ol. potentiol risks. Inlcrnal ci)nirol risks ar¢ rninimised by the implemcntation of financial proccdurcs under ilie organisaiion's financial policy. and ihc organisalion ha5 formfiliscd hcalth and safety. wlii5tlcblowing And safegiiarding p(¥licies which all Staff are obliged to l(Illow. The Operation5 Manager attended a tTaining Course to furtlicr h¢T knowlcdBe and skills wh¢n writing and implem¢nting risk assessments. This further ¢nsurcs ihat a Tobust risk inanagciiieni procesb is in place. Thc or¥ani5atioi) has u process of opcrdiional risk assc5sineiils for boih cnvironmentsl and s¢rvice us¢r-sp¢¢ifi¢ liazards, and all slaff are re4uired 10 Ctsnfirn) their undeTsiandin¥ of, and compliuncc with. the control measures. All risk ass¢sstncnts arc reviewed regwlsrly. The organi58tion hus a policy for dcaling wilh serioub incid¢nis whiLh includcs a rcquircineni 10 infonn th¥ Chair of Trus¢vLS 81 the time. Th¢s¢ ar¢ Ihen report¢d on ai the next Trus¢¢es Board Mecting. Accsdenls are record¢d as per health and saf¢ty legrislation and are reported io ihe Board of Trusiees along with 8ny sub5cqu¢ni acftort5. Small company stAternent This report hAS been pr¢pared in accordance with the special provisions for small companies under Part 15 of the Cornpanies Act 2006 Thc annual r¢port approved by the tru51¢¢s of the charity on .. nd signed on its behalf by.. Sara Jones Trustee Page 12
New Directions Support
Independent Examiner's Report to the trustees of New Directions Support ('the Company')
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 31 July 2024.
Responsibilities and basis of report
As the charity’s trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (‘the 2006 Act’).
Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity’s accounts as carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the 2011 Act’). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.
Independent examiner’s statement
Since the Company's gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of CIMA, which is one of the listed bodies.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:
-
accounting records were not kept in respect of New Directions Support as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or
-
the accounts do not accord with those records; or
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the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair view' which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
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the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities [applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)].
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.
...................................... Daryl Denson ACMA
VAST The Dudson Centre Hope Street Hanley Stoke-on-Trent ST1 5DD
18/12/2024 Date:.............................
Page 13
New Directions Support
Statement of Financial Activities for the Year Ended 31 July 2024 (Including Income and Expenditure Account and Statement of Total Recognised Gains and Losses)
| Note Income and Endowments from: Donations and legacies 3 Charitable activities 4 Investment income 5 Total income Expenditure on: Charitable activities 6 Total expenditure Net income/(expenditure) Net movement in funds Reconciliation of funds Total funds brought forward Total funds carried forward 14 Note Income and Endowments from: Donations and legacies 3 Charitable activities 4 Investment income 5 Total income Expenditure on: Charitable activities 6 Total expenditure Net income/(expenditure) Transfers between funds Net movement in funds Reconciliation of funds Total funds brought forward Total funds carried forward 14 |
Unrestricted funds £ 122 372,674 6,738 379,534 (350,467) (350,467) 29,067 29,067 295,422 324,489 Unrestricted funds £ 698 355,682 3,350 359,730 (300,674) (300,674) 59,056 (10,920) 48,136 247,286 295,422 |
Restricted funds £ - - - - (684) (684) (684) (684) 2,080 1,396 Restricted funds £ - - - - (10,634) (10,634) (10,634) 10,920 286 1,794 2,080 |
Total 2024 £ 122 372,674 6,738 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 379,534 | |||
| (351,151) | |||
| (351,151) | |||
| 28,383 | |||
| 28,383 297,502 |
|||
| 325,885 | |||
| Total 2023 £ 698 355,682 3,350 |
|||
| 359,730 | |||
| (311,308) | |||
| (311,308) | |||
| 48,422 - |
|||
| 48,422 249,080 |
|||
| 297,502 |
All of the charity's activities derive from continuing operations during the above two periods. The funds breakdown for 2023 is shown in note 14.
The notes on pages 16 to 26 form an integral part of these financial statements. Page 14
Neiv Directions Support (Registration number: 08617386) Balance Sheet as a131 July 2024 2024 2023 ote Flxtd gS$¢ts TanBiblL 10 670 .575 Current 4$5ets Debior Cash at bank and in hand 2.641 328.696 32,181 267.367 12 331,337 299.548 Creditors.. Amounts f4llinR due wi¢hin one year Yet rurrent assets 13 16.122 3.6211 325,215 295.927 Ntt a5$¢ts 325,885 297,502 Funds of th¢ ¢hArlty: Resirlcied Intome funds Rcsrrictcd funds 14 1,396 2.080 Unrestrl¢ted ltteorne funds UnreslriLi¢d funds 324.489 295,422 Total fad$ 14 325.885 297,502 For the financial year ending 31 July 2024 the chariry was eniiiled io exernpiion from audit urtder section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 rclatirtg to srnall ¢ompani¢s. Directtsr*' responsibilitie%'. The members have not required ihe charity lo obtain an audit of its accounts for the year in question in aceordance with section 476. and The direetors acknowledge their responsibilities for complyin& with the requirements of the Act with respect io a¢countin8 records and the preparniion of 8ccoun¢s. Th financial statements on pages 14 to 26 were Approvcd by the tnjslees, and authorised for issu¢ on d si8ned on their behalf by.. Sara Jones Trustce Th¢ ootes oll page5 16 to 26 fornj ar] integral part of th¢s¢ finala] st8tcmcDts. Pa8e 15
New Directions Support
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 July 2024
1 Charity status
The charity is a charity limited by guarantee registered in England and consequently does not have share capital. Each of the trustees is liable to contribute an amount not exceeding £1 towards the assets of the charity in the event of liquidation.
2 Accounting policies
Summary of significant accounting policies and key accounting estimates
The principal accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all the years presented, unless otherwise stated.
Statement of compliance
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102). They also comply with the Companies Act 2006 and Charities Act 2011.
Basis of preparation
New Directions Support meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy notes.
Going concern
The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue as a going concern nor any significant areas of uncertainty that affect the carrying value of assets held by the charity.
Income and endowments
All income is recognised once the charity has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount of the income receivable can be measured reliably.
Donations and legacies
Donations are recognised when the charity has been notified in writing of both the amount and settlement date. In the event that a donation is subject to conditions that require a level of performance by the charity before the charity is entitled to the funds, the income is deferred and not recognised until either those conditions are fully met, or the fulfilment of those conditions is wholly within the control of the charity and it is probable that these conditions will be fulfilled in the reporting period.
Investment income
Interest on bank deposits is recognised in the period in which it is earned.
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New Directions Support
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 July 2024
Expenditure
All expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to that expenditure, it is probable settlement is required and the amount can be measured reliably. All costs are allocated to the applicable expenditure heading that aggregate similar costs to that category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated on a basis consistent with the use of resources, with central staff costs allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges allocated on the portion of the asset’s use. Other support costs are allocated based on the spread of staff costs.
Charitable activities
Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them.
Governance costs
These include the costs attributable to the charity’s compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements, including audit, strategic management and trustees meetings and reimbursed expenses.
Taxation
The charity is considered to pass the tests set out in Paragraph 1 Schedule 6 of the Finance Act 2010 and therefore it meets the definition of a charitable company for UK corporation tax purposes. Accordingly, the charity is potentially exempt from taxation in respect of income or capital gains received within categories covered by Chapter 3 Part 11 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992, to the extent that such income or gains are applied exclusively to charitable purposes.
Tangible fixed assets
Individual fixed assets costing £500.00 or more are initially recorded at cost.
Depreciation and amortisation
Depreciation is provided on tangible fixed assets so as to write off the cost or valuation, less any estimated residual value, over their expected useful economic life as follows:
| Asset class | Depreciation method and rate |
|---|---|
| Computer Equipment | 20% Straight Line |
| Furniture and fittings | 20% Straight Line |
Trade debtors
Trade debtors are amounts due from customers for merchandise sold or services performed in the ordinary course of business.
Trade debtors are recognised initially at the transaction price. They are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method, less provision for impairment. A provision for the impairment of trade debtors is established when there is objective evidence that the charity will not be able to collect all amounts due according to the original terms of the receivables.
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New Directions Support
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 July 2024
Cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash on hand and call deposits, and other short-term highly liquid investments that are readily convertible to a known amount of cash and are subject to an insignificant risk of change in value.
Trade creditors
Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of business from suppliers. Accounts payable are classified as current liabilities if the charity does not have an unconditional right, at the end of the reporting period, to defer settlement of the creditor for at least twelve months after the reporting date. If there is an unconditional right to defer settlement for at least twelve months after the reporting date, they are presented as non-current liabilities.
Trade creditors are recognised initially at the transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
Fund structure
Unrestricted income funds are general funds that are available for use at the trustees discretion in furtherance of the objectives of the charity.
Restricted income funds are those donated for use in a particular area or for specific purposes, the use of which is restricted to that area or purpose.
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New Directions Support
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 July 2024
Financial instruments
Classification
Financial assets and financial liabilities are recognised when the charity becomes a party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.
Financial liabilities and equity instruments are classified according to the substance of the contractual arrangements entered into. An equity instrument is any contract that evidences a residual interest in the assets of the charity after deducting all of its liabilities.
Recognition and measurement
All financial assets and liabilities are initially measured at transaction price (including transaction costs), except for those financial assets classified as at fair value through profit or loss, which are initially measured at fair value (which is normally the transaction price excluding transaction costs), unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction. If an arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, the financial asset or financial liability is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest for a similar debt instrument.
Financial assets and liabilities are only offset in the statement of financial position when, and only when there exists a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and the charity intends either to settle on a net basis, or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.
Financial assets are derecognised when and only when a) the contractual rights to the cash flows from the financial asset expire or are settled, b) the charity transfers to another party substantially all of the risks and rewards of ownership of the financial asset, or c) the charity, despite having retained some, but not all, significant risks and rewards of ownership, has transferred control of the asset to another party.
Financial liabilities are derecognised only when the obligation specified in the contract is discharged, cancelled or expires.
3 Income from donations and legacies
| Donations and legacies; Donations from individuals Donations and legacies; Donations from individuals |
Unrestricted funds General £ 122 122 Unrestricted funds General £ 698 698 |
Total 2024 £ 122 |
|---|---|---|
| 122 | ||
| Total 2023 £ 698 |
||
| 698 |
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New Directions Support
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 July 2024
4 Income from charitable activities
| Provision of services Provision of services 5 Investment income Interest receivable and similar income; Interest receivable on bank deposits Interest receivable and similar income; Interest receivable on bank deposits |
Unrestricted funds General £ 372,674 Unrestricted funds General £ 355,682 Unrestricted funds General £ 6,738 6,738 Unrestricted funds General £ 3,350 3,350 |
Total 2024 £ 372,674 |
|---|---|---|
| Total 2023 £ 355,682 |
||
| Total 2024 £ 6,738 |
||
| 6,738 | ||
| Total 2023 £ 3,350 |
||
| 3,350 |
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New Directions Support
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 July 2024
6 Expenditure on charitable activities
| Salaries Employers NI Travel and general expenses Training Gas Repairs and renewals Accounts preparation & independent examination Insurance Legal fees Bank charges Rent Depreciation Purchases Printing, postage & stationery Publicity Sundries Bungalow Computers and software HR Pensions Projects Health Scheme Capital spends |
Activity undertaken directly £ 263,936 10,853 12,698 2,111 2,288 2,414 756 1,362 2,186 90 29,086 905 1,610 854 129 1,509 2,351 3,541 499 4,412 684 1,152 5,725 351,151 |
2024 £ 263,936 10,853 12,698 2,111 2,288 2,414 756 1,362 2,186 90 29,086 905 1,610 854 129 1,509 2,351 3,541 499 4,412 684 1,152 5,725 |
|---|---|---|
| 351,151 |
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New Directions Support
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 July 2024
| Salaries Employers NI Travel and general expenses Training Gas Accounts preparation & independent examination Insurance Legal fees Bank charges Rent Equipment purchases Depreciation Printing, postage & stationery Publicity Room hire Sundries Bungalow Computers and software HR Pensions Projects |
Activity undertaken directly £ 238,787 2,911 11,438 1,856 2,344 718 990 1,985 273 25,866 1,846 904 658 922 162 5,134 1,652 3,974 539 3,779 4,570 311,308 |
2023 £ 238,787 2,911 11,438 1,856 2,344 718 990 1,985 273 25,866 1,846 904 658 922 162 5,134 1,652 3,974 539 3,779 4,570 |
|---|---|---|
| 311,308 |
£350,467 (2023 - £300,674) of the above expenditure was attributable to unrestricted funds and £684 (2023 - £10,634) to restricted funds.
7 Trustees remuneration and expenses
No trustees, nor any persons connected with them, have received any remuneration from the charity during the year.
No trustees have received any reimbursed expenses or any other benefits from the charity during the year.
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New Directions Support
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 July 2024
8 Staff costs
The aggregate payroll costs were as follows:
| The aggregate payroll costs were as follows: | ||
|---|---|---|
| Staff costs during the year were: Wages and salaries Social security costs Pension costs |
2024 £ 263,936 10,853 4,412 279,201 |
2023 £ 238,787 2,911 3,779 |
| 245,477 |
The monthly average number of persons (including senior management / leadership team) employed by the charity during the year expressed as full time equivalents was as follows:
| Employees | 2024 No 17 |
2023 No 15 |
|---|---|---|
No employee received emoluments of more than £60,000 during the year.
The total employee benefits of the key management personnel of the charity were £68,536 (2023 - £67,400).
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New Directions Support
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 July 2024
9 Taxation
The charity is a registered charity and is therefore exempt from taxation.
10 Tangible fixed assets
| Cost At 1 August 2023 At 31 July 2024 Depreciation At 1 August 2023 Charge for the year At 31 July 2024 Net book value At 31 July 2024 At 31 July 2023 11 Debtors Trade debtors Prepayments 12 Cash and cash equivalents Cash on hand Cash at bank Short-term deposits |
Furniture and equipment £ 1,675 1,675 670 335 1,005 670 1,005 |
Furniture and equipment £ 1,675 1,675 670 335 1,005 670 1,005 |
Computer equipment £ 2,846 |
Total £ 4,521 4,521 2,946 905 3,851 670 1,575 2023 £ 28,215 3,966 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,675 | 2,846 | ||||
| 670 335 |
2,276 570 |
||||
| 1,005 | 2,846 | ||||
| 670 | - | ||||
| 1,005 | 570 | ||||
| 2024 £ (2,414) 5,055 2,641 2024 £ 51 104,043 224,602 328,696 |
|||||
| 32,181 | |||||
| 2023 £ 21 267,346 - |
|||||
| 267,367 |
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New Directions Support
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 July 2024
13 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
| Trade creditors Other taxation and social security Pension scheme creditor Accruals 14 Funds Unrestricted funds General Unrestricted Funds Restricted funds Garden Project Together Active Total restricted funds Total funds Unrestricted funds General Unrestricted Funds Restricted Garden Project Together Active Lottery Total restricted funds Total funds |
2024 £ 2023 £ - 57 3,479 1,984 1,887 896 756 684 6,122 3,621 Balance at 1 August 2023 £ Incoming resources £ Resources expended £ Balance at 31 July 2024 £ 295,422 379,534 (350,467) 324,489 1,680 - (334) 1,346 400 - (350) 50 2,080 - (684) 1,396 297,502 379,534 (351,151) 325,885 Balance at 1 August 2022 £ Incoming resources £ Resources expended £ Transfers £ Balance at 31 July 2023 £ 247,286 359,730 (300,674) (10,920) 295,422 1,794 - (114) - 1,680 - - (635) 1,035 400 - - (9,885) 9,885 - 1,794 - (10,634) 10,920 2,080 249,080 359,730 (311,308) - 297,502 |
2023 £ 57 1,984 896 684 |
2023 £ 57 1,984 896 684 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3,621 | |||
| Balance at 31 July 2024 £ 324,489 1,346 50 |
|||
| 1,396 | |||
| 325,885 | |||
| Balance at 31 July 2023 £ 295,422 1,680 400 - |
|||
| 2,080 | |||
| 297,502 |
The specific purposes for which the funds are to be applied are as follows:
£4,400 was received from Screwfix Foundation for the refurbishment of the old patio at the life skills centre.
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New Directions Support
Notes to the Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 July 2024
15 Analysis of net assets between funds
| 15 Analysis of net assets between funds | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Tangible fixed assets Current assets Current liabilities Total net assets Tangible fixed assets Current assets Current liabilities Total net assets |
Unrestricted funds General £ 670 329,941 (6,122) 324,489 Unrestricted funds General £ 1,575 297,434 (3,587) 295,422 |
Restricted funds £ - 1,396 - 1,396 Restricted funds £ - 2,080 - 2,080 |
Total funds at 31 July 2024 £ 670 331,337 (6,122) |
| 325,885 | |||
| Total funds at 31 July 2023 £ 1,575 299,514 (3,587) |
|||
| 297,502 |
16 Related party transactions
There were no related party transactions in the year.
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