WIGAN JUNIOR LATICS FOOTBALL CLUB
Annual Report for the AGM and to the Charity Commission 2023-24
Wigan Junior Latics Football Club became a Charitable Incorporated Organisation on 23 October 2015 having originally formed as a junior football club in 1983. The club has continued fielding 21 teams this last year. This enabled over 300 boys and girls to play football which when linked to the wider family involvement illustrates how the Club successfully impacts widely across the community. The values inherent in the club remain important as they help to shape the lives of so many people across the Wigan Borough. Football is at the centre of our activities and it is pleasing that we have had success on the playing front across a number of our teams. We remain a Charter Standard club, affiliated to the Lancashire FA and have teams playing in the Bolton, Bury and District Football League, Wigan & District Youth League, Warrington Junior Football League, Warrington Junior Saturday Football League, and the Manchester Girls League.
The club successfully earned compliance with the Lancashire FA and maintained its Charter Standard status including ensuring all of our managers and coaches are at least FA Level 1 qualified, DBS registered and hold up to date qualifications in Safeguarding and FA Emergency First Aid. The club continues to grow and develop with plans in progress, developing girls teams in the following a successful application to the FA Wildcats Project the team have just completed their first season in the Manchester Girls League. Along with this tea, we entered 2 Youth teams into the Bolton and Bury District League, 2 teams into the Wigan & District Youth League, along with 16 other teams into the Warrington Saturday & Sunday Leagues.
The Committee has remained stable this year, we have a hardworking group of volunteers who are passionate about Grassroots football:
Robin Hurst (Honorary Club President); Ann-Ellen Fazackerley (Secretary); Rob Foster (Welfare Officer); Chris Twist (Treasurer); and Tim Rothwell (Development Officer).
I am extremely proud to have been involved with the club for 11 years, during this time we have tried to maintain the highest standards of both administration and level of football played and long may these aims continue.
I would like to thank each one of the Committee for their support throughout the season to AnnEllen for completing her first solo year as Secretary, and carryout out the role with such confidence, to Chris Twist who has ensured the club secured much needed funds from the Football Foundations Bid, to purchase equipment that will be used for the maintenance and upkeep of Bankes Avenue and to Rob Foster, our Welfare Officer for ensuring compliance with the
Registered Charity 1164077
FA requirements for Charter Standard and ensuring all our Coaches, Managers and Volunteers have all the necessary training and statutory guidance up to date.
I will reiterate that the purpose of the committee is to ensure that the club runs within the laws set out by the FA and to ensure football is played enjoyably by all involved with the club. Over the last 12 months the Committee have work extremely hard to ensure we keep the club compliant with regulations shared by the FA and would welcome more volunteers to join and share the workload at the club.
As in previous seasons, the FA and Leagues continue to enforce more policies and procedures into grassroots football. It has always been in the clubs DNA to provide the safest and best environment for its members to flourish and I must pass on my personal thanks, and those of the Committee, to all the Managers and Coaches for all their hard work ensure training and match days happen.
This year the club celebrated 40 years since its forming back in 1983 with an event held at the DW Stadium in November, which involved many previous managers, coaches and committee members. It was so nice to see so many children and parents at the recent Annual Club Presentation, held this year back at the DW Stadium. Teams were invited to 2 events during the day to celebrate their achievements of the season and to receive their awards. A special thank you goes to Annellen for ensuring all teams received their trophies.
The Club AGM took place on 9[th] July 2024 at Wigan Cricket Club, after the dissolving of the Committee and reinstatement of Committee members happy to continue their roles, Annellen Fazackerley was appointed as the new Club Secretary. During the meeting a number of key decisions were made using the democratic process of members voting, these included raising a proposal for the club to pursue the FA Wildcats Application to promote teams with Girls only football, the change to one club kit for future purchases and a club shop with ADM (Wigan Company) as a kit supplier, the agreement of grant bidding for FA Pitch Maintenance and a 40[th] Anniversary Celebration for Wigan Junior Latics to be held in November.
I would like to thank all who are involved in helping Wigan Junior Latics continue to be a family club committed to making a positive impact on the lives of children in and around the Wigan area. I would also like to thank all Managers, Coaches, Committee Members for all of their hard work and support this year.
I look forward to the club and the Wigan Junior Latics family continuing to grow, providing football for the youth of Wigan in a safe environment.
Andrew Galbraith Chairman Wigan Junior Latics
Registered Charity 1164077
2023/2024 Treasurer Report
Wigan Junior Latics Football Club
respect of the year ended 30[th] June 2024.
Execu�ve Summary
The club banks accounts (below) are correct and reconciled to bank statements.
Current account 309897 63454468 - £16,935.83 (2022/23 £19,748.03)
Savings Account 309897 71546868 - £2,435.18 (2022/23 £2,223.25)
Club Savings account 309897 65445060 - £5,413.72 (2022/23 £16,444.01)
TOTAL BALANCES - £22,478.73 (2022/23 £38,415.29)
it.
The combined bank balance has declined by £15,936.56.
Key contributors are:
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Purchase of grounds maintenance equipment - £11,124
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Increase pitch hire / training cost – Up £6,481 (2023/4 £37,822 v 2022/23 £31,341)
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Trophies – due to �ming of payments, two years trophy cost fall into 2023/24 - £4,924
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Reduc�on in pitch maintenance cost – par�cularly 3[rd] Party cost, down £4,968 (2023/24 £8,627 v 2022/23 £13,596)
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Fall in subscrip�on revenue – down £3,276
2023/24 Financial Report
As in previous years, player subscrip�ons are the clubs’ biggest source of income. In the twelve months to end of June 2024, the club received £60,648.50 in monthly fees (2022/23 - 63,965 & 2021/2022 - £67,088). The con�nued fall in annual revenue / subscrip�ons is a concern. Two factors are influencing this reduc�on – the mix of teams i.e. we have the same/similar number of teams (20/21) but more at the lower age range with fewer players. To emphasis this in January 2024, the biggest month for subscrip�on revenue, one hundred and ninety-two players paid a monthly subscrip�on. In the same month in 2023, two hundred and eleven players paid a monthly
subscrip�on. The year-on-year decrease of nineteen subscrip�ons is £475 per month, annualised at £5,700.
The club need to address the falling membership – simply by encouraging new players / teams to join the club.
Secondary are the monies owed from people paying incorrectly – e.g., they haven’t increased the subscrip�on from twenty to twenty-five pounds or are not paying at all.
The biggest opera�onal costs in the year are consistent with prior years:
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Pitch hire / winter training £37,822 (2023/24 – £31,341, 2022/23 - £28,073). Increase usage and cost of winter training facili�es, the booking of pitches at weekends to accommodate bad weather saw a significant increase in cost in this area.
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Bankes Avenue maintenance £8,627 (2023/24 £13,596, 2022/23 £16,242). This cost covers, lining, fuel cost and the annual pitch maintenance (Ver� drain, sanding). The work being completed summer 2024 is not included in these accounts, they will form part of next year's numbers. The an�cipated for the third-party annual maintenance is circa £4,740 – a significant drop as the club adjust spend in line with cash balances.
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Referee fees £4,783 (2023/4 £4,194, 2022/23 £5,266)
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Kit / equipment £4,485.78 (2022/23 £4,929.96).
The single biggest expenditure in the year was with Gibson Garden Machinery (GGM) for grounds maintenance equipment. The club was successful in its applica�on for a Grass Pitch Capital Expenditure Grant enabling it to buy numerous pieces of equipment including a Kubota tractor, swi� rolled mower, mounted sli�er / roller and quadriplay – all to help the grass pitch maintenance. With a club contribu�on of £11,124 together with the grant of £33,372 the total cost was £44,496.
The club has progressed it’s “one-club” mentality and percep�on, via a single kit style across all age groups. We have partnered with ADM to support us on this with a sec�on on their website. All new kits purchased will be the same – except for the sponsor.
Finally, make I personally thank all the commi�ee members, managers, coaches, and suppor�ve parents for a successful 2023/24 season and let’s look forward to a progressive and even more successful 2024/25 season.
Yours in grassroots,
Chris Twist – ACMA 02/07/2024
2023/24 Audit Report
Wigan Junior Latics Football Club
Executive Summary
t Wigan Junior Latics Football Club in respect of the year ended 30th June 2024.
The audit work is complete and supports the statement that the records to be a true and accurate representa t ion of financial transac t ions between 20th June 2023 and the 19th June 2024.
Key Findings :
The club banks accounts (below) are correct and reconciled to bank statements.
Current account 309897 63454468 - £14,629.83
Savings Account 309897 71546868 - £2,435.18
Club Savings account 309897 65445060 - £5,413.72
TOTAL BALANCES - £22,478.73
t ive running of such an organisa � on – largely due to the accurate record keeping.
Members (players) subscrip t ions receipt records are kept for each team at individual member level.
Non-subscrip t ion receipts are detailed each month with supporting documentation.
All payments are supported by the appropriate invoices or paperwork – o�ering a full audit trail. The bank accounts are reconciled monthly.
All the club transac t ions are now electronic / online, as opposed to cash transactions – significantly reducing the risk of fraud or loss due to the audit trail available.
Signed