2024-04-05-accounts - Bostall Library Community Group

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CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examiner"s Report Report to the trusteesl members of Bostsll Library C(xnmunity Group On accounts for the year ended 5th April 2024 Chartty no {rf any) 1165313 Set out on pages I retK)rt to the trustees on my examination of the ac(x)unts of the above tharity (Ihe Tr) for the year ended 0510412024 Responsibilities and As the chartty trustees of the TrusL you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the accounts in acc{Kdan wÉth the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 fthe Acf). I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. I have completed my examination. l u)nfirm that no material matters have come to my attention in LX)nneclion wilh the examination which gives me cause to believe that in. any material respect: accAJunting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or the a(y))unts do not aOrd with the accounting records I have no conM5 and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be dravm in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Independent eXaMineS statement Slgned: Date: 1911212024 Name: Elia Castillo T0e5 Relevant professional qualification(s) or body {rf any)- ArUnting and Finan Degree Address: 66 Orchard Avenue Upper Belvedere. Kent DA175PD IER October 2018

Section B Disclosure Only rnplete rf the examiner needs to highlight matters of concern (see CC32. Independent eXaMinan of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners). Give here brief detsils of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose. IER October 2018

Bostall Library Community Group

Receipts and payments acco For the period 06/04/2023 To from

Section A Receipts and payments

Unrestricted Restricted Endowment funds funds funds to the nearest £ to the nearest £ to the nearest £

A1 Receipts Bostall Library

A1 Receipts Bostall Library	Unrestricted funds to the nearest £	Restricted funds to the nearest £	Endowment funds to the nearest £
Grants / Funds	1,100	10,000	-
Counter Sales	1,992	-	-
LibrarySpace Hire	5,928	-	-
Coffee ShopSales	1,769	-	-
Fundraising& Book sales	5,262	-	-
Donations	120	-	-
Interest on Deposit	994	-	-
Miscellaneous	766	-	-
Bexley Village Library (Relinquished)
Grants	-	-	-
LibrarySpace Hire	-	-	-
*Sub total*(Gross income for AR)	17,930	10,000	-

A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table).
	-		-
*Sub total*	-		-
*Total receipts* A3 Payments Bostall Library
			-

Utilities	3,714	-	-
IT	4,332	-	-
Consumables and Stock	5,502	-	-
Insurance	319	-	-
Rates and Taxes	443	-	-
Miscellaneous	848	-	-
Transport	1,284	-	-
CommunityCinema	148	-	-
Household Support Fund	-	6,673	-
Bank Charges	-	-	-
Paypal Miscellaneous	248	-	-
Maintenance / BuildingWorks	32,897	-	-
Bexley Village Library (Relinquished)
Utilities	-	-	-
Bank Charges	-	-	-
**Sub total **	49,735	6,673	-

A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table)
	-		-
	-		-

-	-	-
- 31,804	3,327	-
-	-	-
98,240	-	-
66,436	3,327	-

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the

Categories B1 Cash funds B2 Other monetary assets B3 Investment assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use	Details Details Current Account Bostall Library Saffron Building Society BLCG *Total cash funds* (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s))	Details Details Current Account Bostall Library Saffron Building Society BLCG *Total cash funds* (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s))	Unrestricted funds to nearest £
			24,986
			41,450
			66,436
			OK
			Unrestricted funds to nearest £
			-
	Details		Fund to which asset belongs

	Details		Fund to which asset belongs
	Book Stock		unrestricted
	Computer Equipment		unrestricted
	LibraryFurniture and Shelving		unrestricted
	Library Vehicle		unrestricted

B5 Liabilities

Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees

Details	Details	Fund to which liability relates Restricted Andrew B Print N Adrian R
Household Support Fund		Restricted

Signature
		Adrian R
		Andrew

Notes to Reciepts and Payments Account

Extraordinary spending of £32,897 attributed to building of an ex

165313

ounts

CC16a

05/04/2024

Total funds

to the nearest £

Last year

to the nearest £

11,100		-
1,992		2,319
5,928		5,515
1,769		1,371
5,262		5,759
120		100
994		184
766		463

-		-
-		90
27,930		15,800

	-		-
	-		-

	27,930		15,800

3,714		2,140
4,332		8,031
5,502		4,108
319		519
443		667
848		1,329
1,284		2,220
148		319
6,673		-
-		39
248		-
32,897		17,936

-		338
-		37
56,407		37,682

		-

		37,682

- 28,477		- 21,883
-		-
98,240
69,763		98,240

e period Restricted funds to nearest £ 3,327 - 3,327 OK Restricted funds to nearest £ - Cost (optional) - Cost (optional) - - - - Amount due (optional) 3,341 Bryans Name Reeves	e period	e period
	Restricted funds to nearest £		Endowment funds to nearest £
	3,327		-
	-		-
	3,327		-
			OK
			Endowment funds to nearest £
	-		-
	Cost (optional)		Current value (optional)
	-		-
	Cost (optional)		Current value (optional)
	-		140,000
	-		16,000
	-		20,000
	-		12,500
	Amount due (optional)		When due (optional)
	3,341


			Date of approval
			19/12/2024
			16/12/2024

xtension stated in the previous year.

Trustees' Annual Report for the period

Period start date

Period end date

06 April 2023 To 05 April 2024

From

Section A Reference and administration details

Charity name

Bostall Library Community Group

Other names charity is known by BLCG Registered charity number (if any) 1165313

Charity's principal address Bostall Library

115 King Harolds Way Bexleyheath, Kent Postcode DA7 5RE

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year
Andrew Bryans	Chair of Trustees
Corinne O’Grady		05/04/2023 – 18/01/2024
Adrian Reeves

Names of the trustees for the charity, if any, (for example, any custodian trustees)

Name	Dates acted if not for whole year
None

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Type of adviser Name Address

Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

Kimberly Bryans BEM – Director of Operations

TAR

March 2012

Section B Structure, governance and management

Description of the charity’s trusts

Type of governing document

(eg. trust deed, constitution)

[Constitution adopted 26][th][ January 2016 ]

How the charity is constituted

(eg. trust, association, company)

[Charitable Incorporated Organisation ]

Trustee selection methods

(eg. appointed by, elected by)

[Appointed by the Charity Trustees as and when required ]

Additional governance issues (Optional information)

You may choose to include additional information, where relevant, about:

policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees;
the charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works;
relationship with any related parties;
trustees’ consideration of major risks and the system and procedures to manage them.

New Trustees:

The charity trustees make available to each new charity trustee, on or before his or her first appointment:
(a) a copy of the current version of this constitution; and (b) a copy of the BLCG’s latest Trustees’ Annual Report and statement of accounts.
New Trustees are also encouraged to read the documents available on the gov.uk website relating to the Trustee role and board.

BLCG Organisational Structure:

Three Trustees as stated.
Director of Operations (unpaid).
5 selected Core Group Members having a greater responsibility than Volunteers
General Volunteers (25)
2 part-time Staff in the employ of the London Borough of Bexley permanently seconded to BLCG

Related Parties:

BLCG was selected by the London Borough of Bexley (LBB) to manage and run as a community library Bostall Library. BLCG receives a grant (by way of seconded staff) from LBB to facilitate this and to undertake basic Council services as agreed in a Service Level Agreement whilst also allowing BLCG to maximise its fundraising potential. LBB continue to own the premises from which we operate under a lease agreement and negligible rent.

The Trustees, Director and Core Group members give their time on a voluntary basis and receive no remuneration or other benefit.

TAR

March 2012

Section C Objectives and activities

The advancement of education for the benefit of the public in the district of West Heath in the London Borough of Bexley and the surrounding areas by the provision of a community lending library, associated Summary of the objects of the services, activities and facilities in the interest of social welfare, charity set out in its recreation and leisure time for improving the conditions of life for the governing document residents.

BLCG’s main purpose is the loan of books, listening CD books and Jigsaws for adults and children both for recreation and education. We provide some Council services e.g Council Tax payments; Refuse applications; and offering advice and information on many others.

Our coffee shop provide hot and cold refreshments and home-made cakes and sundries. This enables Coffee mornings for groups of elderly patrons seeking companionship and friendship. We provide low-cost local space for hire by community groups and stakeholders and provide a venue for both Adult and Children’s events for all demographics of the local community. We continue to promote relationships with the local primary schools with regular class visits for story time and book lending. Summary of the main There are several regular activities for adults: reading clubs; computer activities undertaken for the tuition; knit ‘n natter; coffee mornings; Pilates; and a community cinema. public benefit in relation to Activities for children include: toddler time; Story Time; and many these objects additional fun activities during school holidays.

We also provide the following initiatives: • Community fridge with food “waste” contributed by local supermarkets. • Warm Space. • Household Support Fund distribution. • Digital Champions.

Bostall Library is also a polling station when required.

We believe that our libraries are in fact, more social and community hubs providing a valuable benefit to the local population regardless of age, gender, faith, or personal circumstances.

Additional details of objectives and activities (Optional information)

We have many volunteers who spent a lot of their time to help us to be a success. Their involvement and dedication mean that we can achieve our goals whilst at the same time provide a welcoming, friendly and warm place to work and visit. We and the public appreciate the effort and time that is given, especially on the fundraising events we occasionally hold outside of normal working days/hours.

All monies raised surplus to the day-to-day running costs of the library are banked in an interest earning deposit account. We endeavour to use these funds to further improve the libraries.

TAR

March 2012

Section D Achievements and performance

Summary of the main achievements of the charity during the year

During this period we continued with our “Garden Room” extension project that was finished in the summer. It has been a great success and is regularly used for many activities, that would ordinarily limit space in the Junior section of the library.

Early in the Summer our director of operations, Kim Bryans, received news that she was to be presented with a British Empire Medal. This was awarded for her services to the library & community, especially during the Covid era, nominated by some our volunteers. It was a proud day when she received the medal at a ceremony at the Tower of London in November 2023.

We continued to provide our usual mix of additional events beyond lending books and providing services. The Community Cinema was always in demand and we endeavoured to screen a film each month, including a now annual showing on behalf of the Council for LGBTQ+.

Towards the end of the period it was agreed by the trustees to replace the manually opening main door, using our funds, for wheelchair friendly automatic doors.

A successful bid for funding was placed with the National Lottery to install a solar power and battery system. This will greatly improve our finances and self-sufficiency further as well as the obvious green benefits. This will hopefully be in place in the next financial year.

In the new year (2024) Bostall Community Library was asked to participate in the Household Support Fund scheme to distribute much needed funds and vouchers to households in need.

Our Community Fridge continued to be in demand, and thanks goes to those volunteers that collected food “waste” from the local supermarkets when available.

TAR

March 2012

Section E Financial review

At the end of this financial year the charity has cash funds of £25,000 and Brief statement of the £41,000 reserves on deposit. We will continue maintain / increase charity’s policy on reserves reserves to be utilised for future projects and protect against possible future grant cuts. Details of any funds materially Not Applicable in deficit Further financial review details (Optional information)

The main source of funds to the Charity is an annual grant from the You may choose to include London Borough of Bexley. This consists primarily as the provision of additional information, where seconded staff paid for by the Council, and a small cash amount. relevant about: • the charity’s principal Other primary sources of income are the Coffee Shop, Library Counter sources of funds (including sales (printing, photocopying, book sales, fines, reservations etc.), any fundraising); Friends of BLCG membership subscriptions, and loose change donations.

how expenditure has We sell old stock, unwanted and donated books and other items to
supported the key objectives internet book-buying companies and on the eBay auction site.
of the charity; Fundraising events are held periodically in the form of seasonal fairs, and
• investment policy and entertainment evenings. objectives including any Additional funds are achieved through the community cinema, the regular ethical investment policy hire of the library space by several individuals & groups, and the Bexley adopted. Lottery.

The income is spent on running costs of the buildings (utilities & maintenance), consumables for the Library and Coffee Shop, phone and broadband. We have an annual budget for purchasing new books to replace old stock.

Surplus funds are used for our reserves and future projects.

Section F Other optional information

None

TAR

March 2012

Section G Declaration

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s) Full name(s) Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc) Date

	Adrian Reeves	Andrew Bryans
	Trustee	Chair
	16/12/2024
	16/12/2024

TAR

March 2012