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2023-03-31-accounts

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] MARCH 2023

Empowerment ⚫ Inclusion ⚫ Belief

York Road Project is a registered charity, Reg. No. 1162835 Supported by Woking Borough Council and Surrey County Council

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31[st] MARCH 2023

Contents Page
Charity Reference and Administrative Details 2
Overview by the CEO 3
Report of the Trustees 4
- Objectives and Activities of the Charity 4
- Structure, Governance and Management 6
- Review of Financial Position 9
- Reserves Policy 10
- Investment Policy 10
- The Financial Statements 11
- Responsibilities of the Trustees 11
Independent Examiner’s Report 12
Statement of Financial Activities 14
Statement of Cash Flows 15
Balance Sheet 16
Notes to the Financial Statements 17- 23

Page 1

CHARITY REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

Charity Name: York Road Project Charity Registration Number: 1162835 Type of Charity: Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) Registered office: 1 York Road, Woking, Surrey GU22 7XH Trustees:

The members of the Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) are its trustees for the purposes of Charity law. The trustees who have served during the year and since the year end were as follows:

Beryl Keeley (Chair of Trustees) Andrew Humphreys (Vice-Chair) Ian Raisbeck (Treasurer) John Mayne (Secretary) Michael Rivers David Oliver Nathan Bennett Simon Wright (from September 2022, Treasurer from June 2023) Filippo Zanasi (from September 2022) John Wythe (from September 2022) Andrea Norman-Walker (from November 2022) Chief Executive: Cherisse Dealtry Independent Examiner: Heather & Co Ltd Unit 2, Bramley Business Centre, Station Road, Bramley, Guildford, GU5 0AZ Bank: CAF Bank Ltd 25 Kings Hill Avenue, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent ME19 4JQ

Page 2

OVERVIEW BY THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE

As we review our impact for the year 2022-23, we are reminded of the significance our Charity holds within our local community. Our commitment to leading the charge in ending homelessness in Woking remains a central tenet of our mission. We have actively engaged in supporting and advising a total of 415 individuals. Among them, 151 individuals were offered accommodation through our 29-bed housing services. Notably, 45% of these individuals successfully transitioned to alternative accommodation, including private rentals, social housing and longer-term supported accommodation.

Our success is not just measured in terms of housing stability. We have seen individuals who have regained their self-confidence, re-established positive relationships with their families and become actively engaged members of their community. Some have even gone on to become advocates themselves, sharing their stories and inspiring others to overcome adversity.

These success stories are a testament to the effectiveness of our person-centred approach and the dedication of our staff and volunteers. We believe that everyone deserves a chance to thrive and we are proud to have played a role in transforming the lives of so many individuals. However, despite these remarkable achievements, the demand for our services continues to grow. The ongoing challenges of housing affordability, increases to utility bills and job insecurity are exacerbating the mental health of so many people, contributing to the persistence of homelessness in our community.

This past year has prompted us to reflect on our strategy and forge our path forward. In these uncertain times, we acknowledge the change to the plans for our 'New Build' project. This shift has prompted a re-evaluation of our services to ensure they align with our mission and values. Despite the challenges, we remain steadfast in exploring viable alternatives and are unwavering in our commitment to securing our own building in the future. Our mission continues to guide our decisions as we explore these new directions.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our staff teams, our community, our donators, and our funders for your continued support of our cause.

Together, we approach the future with determination and a clear vision, confident in our ability to create a positive impact.

Cherisse Dealtry

Chief Executive

Page 3

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

The Trustees of York Road Project present their report and the audited financial statements of the Charity for the year ended 31 March 2023. The trustees have adopted the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) “Accounting and Reporting by Charities” (FRS 102) in preparing the annual report and financial statements of the Charity.

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in notes to the accounts and comply with the Charity’s governing document, the Charities Act 2011 and 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 published on 16 July 2014.

Objectives and Activities of the Charity

As a practical expression of the Christian faith and of God’s love and compassion, the objects of York Road Project are, for the public benefit, to provide relief to those in necessitous circumstances in the Borough of Woking and environs regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religion and belief, sexual orientation, and gender reassignment, in particular by:

  1. the provision of temporary hostel accommodation;

  2. the provision of supported and/or rented "move on" accommodation;

  3. the provision of help and support to find suitable accommodation; and

  4. the provision of information, advice, training, and other support to those in need of it

Explanation of the Charity’s aims including the changes or differences it seeks to make through its activities

The Charity strives to achieve these objectives for the public benefit by:

Page 4

Public benefit statement

The Charity serves the public benefit by reducing in anti-social behaviour, crime and nuisance and thereby delivering a cost savings benefit to local authorities, the police, health services and Adult Social Care.

The Charity also provides a service to the general public through its website, social media, open days and other events by raising awareness and providing information/education about local and national housing climate and of people rough sleeping in Woking and the surrounding areas.

Values

The Staff and Clients, in conjunction with the Trustees, have developed the following set of values which underpin all that the Charity strives to achieve:

Page 5

Structure, Governance and Management

Governing document

The governing document of the Charity is the York Road Project Constitution signed by the Chair on 14 July 2015.

Trustee selection methods

Trustees of York Road Project serve for a period of three years after which they are eligible for re-appointment. New Trustees are appointed by resolution of the Board from suitable members of the community who have skills the Board requires. The Board advertises for new Trustees in local churches, Woking Association of Voluntary Service and in other appropriate media.

The policies and procedures for the induction and training of Trustees

All new and re-appointed Trustees are given a Trustees welcome pack which includes a copy of the York Road Project Constitution, Governing Documents and the Trustees Terms of Reference. They are required to sign a Trustees Declaration to acknowledge that they have assimilated and understood the functions and duties of trustees. There is no formal training of trustees, although new trustees are helped to acquire the knowledge required to operate successfully by existing trustees and the Chief Executive.

Organisational structure and decision-making process

The Board is constituted of a minimum of three Trustees including a Chair, a Secretary and a Treasurer. There is no maximum number of Trustees. The Trustees usually meet four to six times a year to determine the business of the Charity. The Board has appointed the Chief Executive to be an associate non-voting member.

The Board has created the following Sub-Committees which remain accountable to the Board:

The Board determines the policies of the Charity and appoints members of staff, in conjunction with the Chief Executive. The Board entrusts the Chief Executive to take strategic responsibility for the Charity and to oversee the day-to-day management functions of the Charity’s Services. The Chief Executive is supported in operational matters by the Operations Sub-Committee.

Team leaders report to the Chief Executive. They ensure smooth running of the services and have line management responsibility for the Project Workers, Outreach staff and Day Centre Team.

During the period, operational policies and procedures within YRP were further updated as necessary and the Trustees reviewed a selection of these.

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Details of related parties and wider networks

The Charity is not part of a wider network, although it depends on the support of Woking Borough Council (WBC), Surrey County Council and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner to fulfil its objectives.

York Road Project leases a 10-bedroom house in York Road, Woking, from WBC which acts as the direct access accommodation, open 24 hours a day.

The Charity’s Day services are based at The Prop, a building leased from Eco World in Goldsworth Road, Woking. The Prop is also used out-of-hours by Safe Haven, a Mental Health initiative delivered by Catalyst and Surrey and Borders Partnership who offer mental health crisis support to our clients and also to members of the wider community.

The Charity also leases a number of houses for move-on accommodation.

Operating Model

The direct access accommodation is staffed 24 hours a day, with a move towards a more flexible client support model.

A strategy for the future is under consideration by the Board, including the need to acquire of a new property to replace the Shelter and the Prop which are not considered to meet the best standards of accommodation required in the present day.

Risk Management Statement

The Trustees are committed to supporting the charity to achieve its key objectives and safeguard the funds and assets, as well as employees, clients and others who engage with the charity. The charity Trustees have given consideration to the major risks to which the charity is exposed and are satisfied that the risks systems and procedures are appropriate to manage those risks.

Page 7

This is achieved through a risk framework that allows the identification, mitigation and monitoring of the risks faced to enable the Trustees to make informed decisions in a timely manner. It is in place and maintained by the Risk and Governance Sub-Committee which is responsible for maintaining the Risk Management Policy, Risk Register and insurance policies that mitigate specific risk elements.

Health and Safety

The Charity has a Health and Safety (H&S) Management System in place to ensure that the operations remain in compliance with the relevant H&S legislation. The H&S Management System is regularly reviewed by the H&S Sub-Committee and supported by third parties, as appropriate. The H&S Sub-Committee is responsible for making informed decisions and recommendations to remediate H&S issues.

Page 8

REVIEW OF FINANCIAL POSITION

The Charity is a non-profit making organisation. The state of affairs of the Charity and its results for the year are as shown by the accounts. The Charity’s registered office is at the night shelter located at 1 York Road, Woking, Surrey GU22 7XH.

Income

Total income for the 12 months ended 31[st] March 2023 amounted to £814,296. The principal funding sources of the Charity are derived from a number of grants and donations:

• Contracts with Central Government or Local Authorities

Source Purpose Grant total
Supporting
People Grant
(Surrey County
Council)		 Steady State Contract for Provision of Housing Related
Support under the Block Grant Model towards the cost of
supporting clients, excluding building costs.		 £122,765

• Grants from Central Government or Local Authorities

Source Purpose Grant total
Woking Borough
Council		 Grant towards the costs of the Direct Access Shelter,
client activity costs in the day centre, and a day centre
project worker subject to the annual submission of an
application form.		 £48,100
DLUHC* Rough
Sleeper Initiative		 Funding for a part time Assertive Outreach Worker, a
part time Drug and Alcohol worker and a full time
Tenancy Sustainment Officer		 £62,250
The Police Crime
Commission fund		 Funding for a Criminal Justice Navigator £33,333
Waverley
Borough Council		 Funding for an outreach worker and bedspaces in our
Direct Access Service		 £92,988

• Housing Benefit and Personal Rents

Housing Benefit was received via Woking Borough Council in respect of residents to cover the premises costs of the Shelter and eligible move-on properties. This benefit is only received when clients register with the Council and covers their period of stay from the date of registration. Personal rents are also payable by clients staying at the Shelter and move-on accommodation towards the cost of food, heating, lighting, and water usage.

• Other Donations and Grants

York Road Project is grateful for donations and grants received from many Trusts and Foundations, Churches, individuals, businesses, and other community organisations.

Page 9

Expenditure

The expenditure during year of £797,071 related to the costs of staff, running expenses, food and administrative costs of operating the Outreach Team, Day Centre, Shelter, Guildford Road Flats and the houses in Campbell Avenue, Portugal Road, Chapel St and Chapel Court. The largest items of expenditure other than salary costs were rental payments for the flats in Guildford Road and the houses in Campbell Avenue, Portugal Road, Chapel St and Chapel Court.

Reserves Policy

The Charity has a reserves and investment policy which provides for unrestricted reserves to be held to cover the cost of its daily operations for a period of between three and six months.

The trustees consider that the unrestricted reserves held by the Charity amounting to £349,647 are adequate to provide sufficient working capital for the Charity to continue its daily operations for a short period, should there be a delay in receiving grant funds. These reserves earned interest at the bank of £3,544.

Investment Policy

The Charity has no underlying supporting funds or investments. The Charity’s reserves are invested in accessible interest-bearing funds so that they are readily available in case of disruption to the income flow.

Page 10

The Financial Statements

These consist of the following:

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with statutory requirements and the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) “Accounting and Reporting by Charities” (FRS 102) and the Charity is required to produce a cash flow statement. The Trustees confirm that the Charity's assets are available and adequate to fulfil the obligations of the Charity. The Trustees have complied with the duty in section 4 of the Charities Act to have due regard to guidance published by the Charity Commission in respect of public benefit.

Responsibilities of the Trustees

Law applicable to charities in England & Wales requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year, which give a true and fair view of the Charity’s financial activities during the year and of its financial position at the end of the year. In preparing financial statements giving a true and fair view, the Trustees should follow best practice and:

The Trustees are responsible for keeping accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy the financial position of the Charity, and which enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) “Accounting and Reporting by Charities” (FRS 102) and the Trust Deed. The Trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

The Trustees confirm that the Charity’s assets are available and adequate to fulfil the obligations of the Charity.

ADOPTION OF THE ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Adopted and signed for and on behalf of the Trustees

Beryl Keeley Chair of the Trustees Date:

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Statement of Financial Activities for the year ended 31st March 2023

All operations are continuing.

The notes on pages 17 – 23 form part of these financial statements.

Page 14

Statement of Cash Flows

YORK ROAD PROJECT

For the year ended 31 March 2023

2023
Operating Activities
Receipts from customers 813,965
Payments to suppliers and employees (798,641)
Cashpayments from other operatingactivities (258)
Net Cash Flows from Operating Activities 15,066
Investing Activities
Proceeds from sale ofproperty,plant and equipment 258
Other cash items from investingactivities (24,087)
Net Cash Flows from Investing Activities (23,829)
Financing Activities
Other cash items from financingactivities 19,092
Net Cash Flows from Financing Activities 19,092
Net Cash Flows 10,329
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents at beginningofperiod 668,936
Net change in cash forperiod 10,329
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period 679,265

Page 15

Balance Sheet as at 31st March 2023

The notes on pages 16 – 22 form part of these financial statements.

Approved and signed for and on behalf of the Trustees.

Beryl Keeley Chair of the Trustees Date:

Simon Wright Treasurer

Page 16

Notes to the Financial Statements

1. Accounting Policies

The following accounting policies have been applied consistently in dealing with items which are considered material in relation to the Charity’s financial statements.

a) Basis of Preparation

The York Road Project is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation in the United Kingdom. In the event of the Charity being wound up, the liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to £1 per member of the Charity. The address of the registered office is given in the Charity information on page 3 of these financial statements. The nature of the Charity’s operations and principal activities are set out on page 4.

The Charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102. 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) issued on 16 July 2014, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), the Charities Act 2011, and UK Generally Accepted Practice as it applies from 1 January 2015.

The financial statements are prepared on a going concern basis under the historical cost convention, modified to include certain items at fair value. The financial statements are prepared in sterling which is the functional currency of the Charity and rounded to the nearest £1.

The significant accounting policies applied in the preparation of these financial statements are set out below. These policies have been consistently applied to all years presented unless otherwise stated. The Charity adopted SORP (FRS 102) in the current year.

Gifts in kind, such as clothing and food, are made for the benefit of clients. As these have no material benefit to the Charity they are not valued under incoming resources.

All incoming resources are included in the Statement of Financial Activities gross without deduction of expenses.

c) Resources Expended

Expenditure is included in the financial statements for the period in which it is due.

No costs are incurred in generating funds or in fund-raising. Governance costs include the costs of public meetings and independent examination of the accounts. All other costs relate to the charitable activity. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings, they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.

Page 17

d) Hire purchase and leasing commitments

The Premises used by the Charity, 1 York Road, is owned by Woking Borough Council and let to the Charity for a peppercorn rent. Flats 33A and 33B Guildford Road are leased from Mahtan Developments Ltd at a rental of £25,200 per annum. Campbell Avenue and Chapel Street are leased from Woking Borough Council at a rental of £11,500 per annum and £23,296 per annum respectively, Chapel Court is leased from Waverley Borough Council at a rental of £7,141 per annum, Portugal Road is leased from a local landlord at a rental of £19,200 per annum. Rentals paid under operating leases are charged to the Statement of Financial Activities on a straight-line basis over the period of the lease.

The acquisition of minor capital items such as fixtures and fittings, furniture, and office equipment below a cost of £1,000 are charged to revenue in the year purchased. Items costing more than £1,000 are depreciated on a straight-line basis over three years.

f) Fund Accounting

The Charity has the following types of funds, which require separate disclosure. These are as follows:

i) Unrestricted Funds

General fund - This fund is expendable at the discretion of the Trustees in the furtherance of the objects of the Charity. Specifically, it represents the surplus of income over expenditure for the Charity, which is carried forward to meet the requirements of future years.

ii) Restricted Fund

This fund can only be used for the purpose for which funds were given. Further information is given in note 8 to the financial statements.

g) Pension costs

The Charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the Charity in an independently administered fund. The charge to profit or loss in respect of defined contribution schemes was £7,486 (2022 - £6,861).

h) Tax Status of the Charity

As a registered Charity York Road Project is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.

The Charity is not registered for VAT and therefore is unable to reclaim VAT suffered on purchases. Where VAT is charged this is included under the expense to which it relates in the Statement of Financial Activities.

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2. Indemnity Insurance

The Charity contributes towards indemnity insurance to protect the Charity from loss arising from neglect or defaults of its trustees, employees in respect of its activities up to a limit of £250,000.

3. Incoming resources

Income resources are derived from the following activities:

Page 19

4. Resources expended

Resources expended are analysed as follows:

5. Staff costs

Trustees are unpaid and do not receive any out-of-pocket expenses, other than re-imbursement of any costs incurred on behalf of York Road Project.

Page 20

6. Tangible Fixed Assets

7. Debtors

Debtors consist of amounts due within one year in respect of charitable expenditure:

8. Creditors

Creditors consist of amounts due within one year in respect of charitable expenditure:

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9. Movement of funds during the year to 31st March 2023

Notes to the Funds

Unrestricted general fund

This fund consists of the funds required for the Charity to continue with certainty on an ongoing basis and provides a general reserve for unexpected expenses.

Restricted funds

Tenancy Support Scheme

The York Road Project manages the Tenancy Support Scheme funds.

Assertive Outreach

The Assertive Outreach worker works with a small cohort of clients who have a primary support need of mental health, they work in a holistic way to support clients to manage their own wellbeing.

Outreach Project

The Outreach Project supports rough sleepers on the streets of Woking and Waverley Boroughs.

Criminal Justice Navigator

This post is to work with low-risk offenders, referred to us through Checkpoint Plus. This post works with clients all over Surrey.

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10. Contingent liabilities

No contingent liabilities have been identified.

11. Operating lease commitments

12. Related parties

The Charity is not part of a wider network, although it depends on the support of Woking Borough Council and Surrey County Council to fulfil its objectives.

The trustees do not receive any payments or other benefits for their services, other than reimbursement of costs incurred on behalf of the CIO.

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