2022-12-31-accounts

ESCOMBE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

TRUSTEES' ANNUAL REPORT for 2022

1. The reference and administrative details of the charity, its trustees and its advisers.

• 1.1 The name of the charity is Escombe Community Association.

• 1.2 The registration number of the charity is 1162706.

• 1.3 The address and phone number of the principal office is: Escombe Community Association, The Village Hall, High Escombe, BISHOP AUCKLAND, County Durham. DL14 7ST

Telephone: [phone]

email: [e-mail]

website: www.escombecommunityassociation.org.uk

• 1.4 The trustees of the charity are:

Councillor R. Yorke - Chairman Mrs. L. Heslop - Vice-chair Mrs. E. Taylor – Secretary, Co-Treasurer Miss A. Mavin – Co-Treasurer, Booking & Utilities Mrs. J. Thompson Mrs. G. Balmer

Mr. D. Jackson – Auditor and financial advisor from 01.01.2020 (co-opted member of the finance team)

• 1.5 The principal advisers of the charity are: Durham Community Action

Vicky Prendergast - Durham County Council Support Officer

• Councillor Rob Yorke –Local Councillor

2. Structure, governance and management

2.1 The structure of the charity .

The charity was an association formed by the amalgamation of the George Pit Recreation Committee, which managed the children's playground and the Escombe Amenity Hall Association, which managed the village hall. A new association was inaugurated on 25[th] March 2004 as Escombe Amenity Hall and George Pit Community Association. The Association was registered as a charity and the governing document, the Constitution, was adopted. A new playground was created in 2012 and is managed by Durham County Council.

As from 30[th] September 2015, the association is governed by a new constitution. A Charitable Incorporated Organisation, Escombe Community Association, was set up on the advice of Durham County Council in preparation for taking over the lease of the hall which also included the car park, patio, garden and hard court area.

A 30 year 'fully repairing and insuring ' lease was signed with Durham County Council on 27[th] April 2016.

2.2

The management of the charity.

There were six charity trustees, including the officers, throughout 2022 who comprise the Management Committee of the association.

Our treasurer is a member of our community who has been co-opted onto the finance team.

From the constitution; Section14. Delegation by charity trustees

1. The charity trustees may delegate any of their powers or functions to a committee or committees and, if they do, they shall determine the terms and conditions on which the delegation is made. The charity’s trustees may at any time alter those terms and conditions, or revoke the delegation.

1a. a committee may consist of two or more persons, but at least one member of each committee must be a charity trustee.

All matters of management and governance are decided by the Trustees, the Management Committee, who normally have meetings throughout the year and at the AGM. The finance team would meet whenever necessary.

2.3 The Recruitment and training of charity trustees.

All charity trustees are recruited from within the association community. All members of the Management Committee (the charity trustees) continue in service from year to year unless they submit their resignation in writing to the secretary of the association.

On election, each new member receives a copy of "Duties and Responsibilities of Managing Charity Trustees" and signs a declaration to say they have studied the Constitution and that they understand the duties and responsibilities involved in being a trustee.

The duties and responsibilities of managing charity trustees are reviewed at meetings of the Management Committee when necessary.

3. Public benefit statement .

• 3.1 The activities undertaken by the charity to further its charitable purposes for the public benefit are stated in section 5 Achievements and Performance.

• 3.2 The charity trustees have complied with their duty to have due regard to public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission in exercising their powers and duties.

• 3.3 The public benefits which the charity seeks to provide are to improve the quality of life of the inhabitants of the area of benefit through the advancement of community development, culture and heritage and amateur sport, leisure and recreation.

• 3.4 Through a pricing policy implemented by the association, the public benefits which the charity seeks to achieve are available to all the inhabitants of the Escombe area. NB The 'area of benefit' is not defined geographically but as a political area.

• 3.5 The inhabitants of the area of benefit do not need to become members of the Escombe Community Association in order to participate in and benefit from the activities and facilities provided.

4. Aims, Objectives and Activities.

• 4.1 The aim of the charity is to promote community development and provide a safe and pleasant environment for activities to improve the quality of life of the inhabitants of the area of benefit.

• 4.2 The objectives of the charity as stated in the constitution are:

• a) “to promote the benefit of the inhabitants of Escombe area (hereinafter called the ‘area of benefit’) without distinction of sex, sexual orientation, race or political, religious or other opinions by associating together the inhabitants, local authority and other organisations in a common effort to advance education and to provide facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation and leisure time activities with the object of improving the quality of life of the said inhabitants.”

• b) "to establish, or secure the establishment of a community centre (hereinafter called 'the Centre') and to maintain and manage the Centre whether alone or in co-operation with any local authority or other person or body, in furtherance of these objectives."

• c) "to promote such other charitable purposes as may, from time to time, be determined. The Association shall be non-party in politics and non sectarian in religion."

5. Achievements and Performance .

• 5.1 Achievements and Performance (Jan. to Dec. 2022)

Our programme of weekly activities and classes continued and included carpet bowls, ballet classes, kalmalife (baby yoga), U3A Wildlife, adult yoga, First Aid training and dog obedience training and heelwork to music.

A new group, Dance Fit, joined us in the autumn and is going very well.

We also had a local band rehearsing for a few weeks whilst they looked for a permanent home.

The monthly coffee morning and book exchange continue to be popular.

In addition to the regular weekly and monthly hire, the village hall was used for a variety of other activities:

• 60[th] wedding anniversary party

• U3A Steering committee

• U3A Science and Industry group

• Yoga retreat

• Polling station

• Ballet examinations

• Ballet dance display

• Family Action session

• The hall was hired for 22 children’s parties

• The defibrillator was fitted on 15.06.2022 and has already been used.

• We organised a Platinum Jubilee tea in June for past and present inhabitants of the village and also to introduce the defibrillator. The party was a great success.

• We also organised a special coffee morning at the end of November to celebrate Christmas and the birthdays of 2 of our regular members.

• Legionella inspection 20.02.2022

5.2 Volunteers

We thank our volunteers – the gardeners, the plants men and women, the cooks and bakers, the waitresses, the stall holders and the furniture movers. Thank you to you all. Sadly we lost one of our most reliable volunteers when Bill Greenwell died in August. Thank you to Bill for his help over the years.

• 5.3 The charity trustees feel that the association has achieved its aims and objectives to the best of its ability. We are finding that, like so many things these days, people expect others to do and organise activities and events but few are willing to actually put in the effort to help.

6. Financial review .

6.1 Income and Expenditure

For the financial year ending 31[st] December 2022: Income £10,925.42 Payments £8,828.35 Balance £ 2,097.07 End of year balances are: Current Account £34,675.79 Cash Account £30.00 Premium Business Acc. (Deposit) £ 20,029.38 Total £ 54,735.17

This is the total amount of monetary assets of the association for 2022. Statement of accounts attached.

6.2 Policy on financial reserves:

Currently there is a ring-fenced amount of £10,000 for maintenance of the building as and when necessary.

There is also a reserve of £5,000 which would cover six months running costs if we had no income.

6.3 Grants:

We received a grant from central government via our local council in February 2022: £2,667 Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant

We also received £300 from Durham County Council towards the cost of the Jubilee party.

6.4 Donations:

In 2022 the association made a donation of £200 to the Red Cross Ukraine Appeal. We have continued our monthly direct debit of £10 to the Great North Air Ambulance.

6.5 Finance team:

Mr. David Jackson continues as our auditor and advisor. Mrs. E. Taylor is acting treasurer. Mr. John Yarrow inspected the audit this year as our income was over £25,000 due to Covid grants.

7. Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others .

• 7.1 There are no funds currently held by the charity as custodian trustees on behalf of another charity.

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