Annual Report to Members 2023 including Notice of AGM Trustee’s report to members 2023 The Chislehurst Society CIO, Registered Charity, No. 1166276, has its address at The Old Chapel, Queens Passage, Chislehurst, Kent, BR7 5AP and is established under a constitution adopted in April 2016. ## **Trustees of the CIO and members of the Board during 2023 and up to the date of this report were:** Joanna Friel, (Chairman) Jennifer Dearing, (Vice-Chair) David Ely, (Hon Secretary) Colin Martin, (Treasurer) Viktoria Czifra-Walwyn (resigned19.03.23) Jeremy Dwight Richard Green Anne Lamb Peter Miller Christine Pearson Stephan Smith _**Do you want to be more involved in local matters, and help make a positive difference to Chislehurst?**_ _**Contact us:**_ **admin@chislehurst-society.org.uk** Our two Planning Panels scrutinise planning applications for Chislehurst. We respond to individual members who request help, and we provide information generally to our members via our Cockpit magazine and website. ## **Financial Review** ## **Objectives and achievements** The attached consolidated accounts show the results for the year. At the time of printing the accounts were still with the independent examiner. The figures will be confirmed at the AGM. Our policy on reserves is unchanged. We maintain a level and range of investments to generate a regular income to supplement our modest subscription income and rental income. This enables us to acquire suitable assets and to give grants locally for activities that meet the societies objectives. The Society’s objects are to promote high standards of planning and architecture in Chislehurst, to educate the public in the geography, history, natural history and architecture of Chislehurst, and secure the preservation, protection, development and improvement of features of historic environmental or public interest in Chislehurst. The Old Chapel was available throughout 2023, as the Society headquarters, community meeting hall and rented space. In our role as the freeholder and Lord of the Manor of Chislehurst and St Pauls Cray Commons, we have appointed a trustee as our representative on the Board of the Trustees of Chislehurst Commons. Environmental work includes representation on the Petts Wood and Hawkwood National Trust Committee. We communicate to members in print by email, via our website and using various social media platforms. This report was approved by the Trustees on the 8th of February 2024 and signed on their behalf by Joanna Friel, Chairman and Colin Martin, Treasurer Household membership stood at 2500 by the end of 2023, An increase of 25 members over the year. 2 3 ## STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES 2023 ## BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2023 |**Receipts**
**General**
Members subscriptions
Gift Aid tax reclaimed
Investment Income
Rental income - Old Chapel Offce
Rental Income - Old Chapel Hall
Commons Income (net)
Miscellaneous income(Note 1)
Bequests and donations
**Charitable Activities**
Promotional sales(net)
**Expenditure**
**General**
Cost of generating funds
**Administration**
Premises costs
Administrative staff
Stationery/Telephone/IT etc
Legal/Accountant
Depreciation
Communications development & marketing
Miscellaneous expenses
**Charitable Activities**
Grants and sponsorship(Note 2)
Planning/Environment(Note 3)
Conservation Area Review
Publications & local study
Community
Heritage
Environmental Awards
Operational surplus/defcit
Investment revaluation
Overall surplus/defcit|**2023**
**2022**
17,302
16,431
1,956
2,052
25,478
25,888
14,167
11,486
31,965
24,250
4,796
-
3,181
3,875
1,069
1,723
150
1,080
100,065
86,785
3,112
1,828
32,778
23,199
3,978
3,480
11,446
7,591
365
3,276
1,225
1,262
2,830
3,437
792
596
37,344
58,835
1,921
( 367 )
22,517
8,004
9,504
3,527
1,352
374
4,637
2,630
3,353
132,841
121,983
( 32,777 )
( 35,198 )
75,502
( 111,546 )
42,725
( 146,744 )| |---|---| |**Assets**
Cash and short term deposits
Investments(Note 4)
Chislehurst Commons(Note 5)
Fixtures & fttings etc
Less depreciation
Old Chapel Building(Note 6)
Heritage art(Note 7)
Heritage property(Note 8)
Debtors & prepayments
**Liabilities**
VAT Creditor
Hall deposits held
Other creditors(Note 9)

**Represented by:**
**Undesignated**
General fund

**Designated Funds**
Grants fund(Note 10)
|**2023**
**2022**
16,737
13,626
880,877
865,376
300,000
300,000
17,849
17,849
( 14,490 )
( 13,265 )
695,000
695,000
4,459
4,459
--
--
606
--
9,920
( 6,742 )
( 1,890 )
( 1,750 )
( 26,327 )
( 34,535 )
1,882,742
1,840,017
**2023**
**2022**
1,391,666
1,386,285
491,076
453,732
1,882,742
1,840,017| |---|---| These accounts were approved by the Trustees on 8 February 2024 and signed on their behalf by: J D Friel, Chairman C. L. Martin, Treasurer 4 5 ## Notes to the accounts **Note 1:** Miscellaneous income includes £3.1k Coop grant. **Note 2:** Grants approved this year included Chislehurst Commons new truck, Coronation flags, Environmental Network, Bereavement Support, St Nicholas Church handbells, Elmstead Woods station gardens, Chislehurst May Queen, Chislehurst Recreation Ground improvements, Camden Place archive, Twos Company, National Trust display boards, Annunciation Church outdoor bench, Remembrance parade, two additional bears, We also sponsored The Mix, the Big Picnic, Chislehurst Rocks and Chislehurst Creates. In addition smaller donations and affiliation fees totalling approximately £350 were paid for institutions such as British Legion, CPRE, LBBRF, Chislehurst Business Group, London Green Belt Council and London Forum. **Note 3:** 2022 figure includes receipt of grants from Thames Water that related to work done in earlier years. **Note 4:** Investments are holdings of CCLA Investment funds **Note 5:** The Commons were professionally valued in 2021. We will review annually the need for any further valuations. **Note 6:** The Old Chapel was professionally valued in 2021. We will review annually the need for any further valuations. **Note 7:** Heritage Art covers a number of paintings relating to the Townshend family relevant to the history of Chislehurst. They are valued at cost. **Note 8:** The freehold of the access drive, off Lubbock Road, Chislehurst is being retained indefinitely for environmental reasons to enable enforcement of a single dwelling restrictive covenant on land previously owned by the Society. The Trustees place no financial value on it. **Note 9:** The creditors figure includes £17k being rent received in advance for 2023/4 for the office above the Old Chapel hall. **Note 10:** The Grants Fund represents money earmarked for future grants for local charitable purposes. ## **Notice of 2024 Annual General Meeting** **The AGM will be held on Wednesday 24th April 2024, 7:30 pm in an open forum at the Methodist Church, Prince Imperial Road, Chislehurst BR7 5LX** ## Member Engagement **The AGM serves a forum for members to raise questions and receive feedback. If, after you have read the Annual Report, you would like to raise any immediate questions or observations before the meeting, please email: admin@chislehurst-society.org.uk including your name and address or drop a letter into the Society letterbox at the Old Chapel. We will respond to you as soon as possible.** ## **Subscription Proposal** The minimum subscription for the Chislehurst Society, for a household, has been maintained at £5.00 per annum for more than 25 years. The income we make from investments is used to fund a number of grants, including the Marjorie McClure playground, modernisation of the Annunciation Church clock, Bikes for Schools, Bereavement Counselling, new Commons Conservators vehicle and a number of other requests from local organisations. During that time we have absorbed any cost increases and endeavoured to keep costs as low as possible. During the last few years in particular, costs have increased substantially. We also paid for the Bear Trail, installing 35 bears across Chislehurst and have just completed a review of the Chislehurst Conservation Area to be referred to when our planning application panels provide input to the London Borough of Bromley. In 2017 we purchased the Chislehurst Commons to protect if for the benefit of the community. We also purchased the Old Chapel and updated it to create a community hub where a host of organisations run events for the benefit of the community. We feel that now is the time to review the minimum household subscription and propose that from 2025 it is increased to £10.00 per annum. We contribute towards a number of local activities including the Remembrance Day Parade, Chislehurst Rocks, the Big Picnic, the Christmas Market, Coffee Mornings at the Old Chapel and Afternoon Talks at the Methodist Church. Your approval to this proposal will be sought at the 2023 Annual General Meeting on April 24th 2024. Note, only members of the Society are entitled to vote or speak at the Annual General Meeting essential, for nominations to be made on the forms available. These can be obtained from the Hon. Secretary, the Old Chapel Queens Passage, Chislehurst, Kent, BR7 5AP. Email: admin@chislehurst-society.org.uk The Officers of the Society and approximately 1/2 of the Executive Committee are elected annually. Under the Charities Act 2011, persons elected are required to be acceptable as Trustees. Nominations to serve as Officers or members of the Executive Committee should be made in accordance with the Constitution of the Society. It is convenient, but not Copies of the documents contained in this report and the Independent Examiner’s Report are available on our website. **www.chislehurst-society.org.uk** . The Chislehurst Society CIO is a Registered Charity No. 1166276. 6 7 ## **2024 Annual General Meeting** **Wednesday 24th April 2024, 7:30 pm Methodist Church, Prince Imperial Road, Chislehurst BR7 5LX** Agenda - **Minutes of AGM held on 17th of April 2023** - **Presentation of Trustees Annual Report to Members** - **Re-election of Independent Examiner** - **Election of Officers and Trustees** - **Short presentation by the Chairman on prevailing issues** - **Vote on new subscription donation** - **Members questions** The Old Chapel, 3 Queens Passage, Chislehurst, BR7 5AP admin@chislehurst-society.org.uk 020 8467 0900 **www.chislehurst-society.org.uk** Annual Report to Members 2023 including Notice of AGM Trustee’s report to members 2023 The Chislehurst Society CIO, Registered Charity, No. 1166276, has its address at The Old Chapel, Queens Passage, Chislehurst, Kent, BR7 5AP and is established under a constitution adopted in April 2016. ## **Trustees of the CIO and members of the Board during 2023 and up to the date of this report were:** Joanna Friel, (Chairman) Jennifer Dearing, (Vice-Chair) David Ely, (Hon Secretary) Colin Martin, (Treasurer) Viktoria Czifra-Walwyn (resigned19.03.23) Jeremy Dwight Richard Green Anne Lamb Peter Miller Christine Pearson Stephan Smith _**Do you want to be more involved in local matters, and help make a positive difference to Chislehurst?**_ _**Contact us:**_ **admin@chislehurst-society.org.uk** Our two Planning Panels scrutinise planning applications for Chislehurst. We respond to individual members who request help, and we provide information generally to our members via our Cockpit magazine and website. ## **Financial Review** ## **Objectives and achievements** The attached consolidated accounts show the results for the year. At the time of printing the accounts were still with the independent examiner. The figures will be confirmed at the AGM. Our policy on reserves is unchanged. We maintain a level and range of investments to generate a regular income to supplement our modest subscription income and rental income. This enables us to acquire suitable assets and to give grants locally for activities that meet the societies objectives. The Society’s objects are to promote high standards of planning and architecture in Chislehurst, to educate the public in the geography, history, natural history and architecture of Chislehurst, and secure the preservation, protection, development and improvement of features of historic environmental or public interest in Chislehurst. The Old Chapel was available throughout 2023, as the Society headquarters, community meeting hall and rented space. In our role as the freeholder and Lord of the Manor of Chislehurst and St Pauls Cray Commons, we have appointed a trustee as our representative on the Board of the Trustees of Chislehurst Commons. Environmental work includes representation on the Petts Wood and Hawkwood National Trust Committee. We communicate to members in print by email, via our website and using various social media platforms. This report was approved by the Trustees on the 8th of February 2024 and signed on their behalf by Joanna Friel, Chairman and Colin Martin, Treasurer Household membership stood at 2500 by the end of 2023, An increase of 25 members over the year. 2 3 ## STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES 2023 ## BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2023 |**Receipts**
**General**
Members subscriptions
Gift Aid tax reclaimed
Investment Income
Rental income - Old Chapel Offce
Rental Income - Old Chapel Hall
Commons Income (net)
Miscellaneous income(Note 1)
Bequests and donations
**Charitable Activities**
Promotional sales(net)
**Expenditure**
**General**
Cost of generating funds
**Administration**
Premises costs
Administrative staff
Stationery/Telephone/IT etc
Legal/Accountant
Depreciation
Communications development & marketing
Miscellaneous expenses
**Charitable Activities**
Grants and sponsorship(Note 2)
Planning/Environment(Note 3)
Conservation Area Review
Publications & local study
Community
Heritage
Environmental Awards
Operational surplus/defcit
Investment revaluation
Overall surplus/defcit|**2023**
**2022**
17,302
16,431
1,956
2,052
25,478
25,888
14,167
11,486
31,965
24,250
4,796
-
3,181
3,875
1,069
1,723
150
1,080
100,065
86,785
3,112
1,828
32,778
23,199
3,978
3,480
11,446
7,591
365
3,276
1,225
1,262
2,830
3,437
792
596
37,344
58,835
1,921
( 367 )
22,517
8,004
9,504
3,527
1,352
374
4,637
2,630
3,353
132,841
121,983
( 32,777 )
( 35,198 )
75,502
( 111,546 )
42,725
( 146,744 )| |---|---| |**Assets**
Cash and short term deposits
Investments(Note 4)
Chislehurst Commons(Note 5)
Fixtures & fttings etc
Less depreciation
Old Chapel Building(Note 6)
Heritage art(Note 7)
Heritage property(Note 8)
Debtors & prepayments
**Liabilities**
VAT Creditor
Hall deposits held
Other creditors(Note 9)

**Represented by:**
**Undesignated**
General fund

**Designated Funds**
Grants fund(Note 10)
|**2023**
**2022**
16,737
13,626
880,877
865,376
300,000
300,000
17,849
17,849
( 14,490 )
( 13,265 )
695,000
695,000
4,459
4,459
--
--
606
--
9,920
( 6,742 )
( 1,890 )
( 1,750 )
( 26,327 )
( 34,535 )
1,882,742
1,840,017
**2023**
**2022**
1,391,666
1,386,285
491,076
453,732
1,882,742
1,840,017| |---|---| These accounts were approved by the Trustees on 8 February 2024 and signed on their behalf by: J D Friel, Chairman C. L. Martin, Treasurer 4 5 ## Notes to the accounts **Note 1:** Miscellaneous income includes £3.1k Coop grant. **Note 2:** Grants approved this year included Chislehurst Commons new truck, Coronation flags, Environmental Network, Bereavement Support, St Nicholas Church handbells, Elmstead Woods station gardens, Chislehurst May Queen, Chislehurst Recreation Ground improvements, Camden Place archive, Twos Company, National Trust display boards, Annunciation Church outdoor bench, Remembrance parade, two additional bears, We also sponsored The Mix, the Big Picnic, Chislehurst Rocks and Chislehurst Creates. In addition smaller donations and affiliation fees totalling approximately £350 were paid for institutions such as British Legion, CPRE, LBBRF, Chislehurst Business Group, London Green Belt Council and London Forum. **Note 3:** 2022 figure includes receipt of grants from Thames Water that related to work done in earlier years. **Note 4:** Investments are holdings of CCLA Investment funds **Note 5:** The Commons were professionally valued in 2021. We will review annually the need for any further valuations. **Note 6:** The Old Chapel was professionally valued in 2021. We will review annually the need for any further valuations. **Note 7:** Heritage Art covers a number of paintings relating to the Townshend family relevant to the history of Chislehurst. They are valued at cost. **Note 8:** The freehold of the access drive, off Lubbock Road, Chislehurst is being retained indefinitely for environmental reasons to enable enforcement of a single dwelling restrictive covenant on land previously owned by the Society. The Trustees place no financial value on it. **Note 9:** The creditors figure includes £17k being rent received in advance for 2023/4 for the office above the Old Chapel hall. **Note 10:** The Grants Fund represents money earmarked for future grants for local charitable purposes. ## **Notice of 2024 Annual General Meeting** **The AGM will be held on Wednesday 24th April 2024, 7:30 pm in an open forum at the Methodist Church, Prince Imperial Road, Chislehurst BR7 5LX** ## Member Engagement **The AGM serves a forum for members to raise questions and receive feedback. If, after you have read the Annual Report, you would like to raise any immediate questions or observations before the meeting, please email: admin@chislehurst-society.org.uk including your name and address or drop a letter into the Society letterbox at the Old Chapel. We will respond to you as soon as possible.** ## **Subscription Proposal** The minimum subscription for the Chislehurst Society, for a household, has been maintained at £5.00 per annum for more than 25 years. The income we make from investments is used to fund a number of grants, including the Marjorie McClure playground, modernisation of the Annunciation Church clock, Bikes for Schools, Bereavement Counselling, new Commons Conservators vehicle and a number of other requests from local organisations. During that time we have absorbed any cost increases and endeavoured to keep costs as low as possible. During the last few years in particular, costs have increased substantially. We also paid for the Bear Trail, installing 35 bears across Chislehurst and have just completed a review of the Chislehurst Conservation Area to be referred to when our planning application panels provide input to the London Borough of Bromley. In 2017 we purchased the Chislehurst Commons to protect if for the benefit of the community. We also purchased the Old Chapel and updated it to create a community hub where a host of organisations run events for the benefit of the community. We feel that now is the time to review the minimum household subscription and propose that from 2025 it is increased to £10.00 per annum. We contribute towards a number of local activities including the Remembrance Day Parade, Chislehurst Rocks, the Big Picnic, the Christmas Market, Coffee Mornings at the Old Chapel and Afternoon Talks at the Methodist Church. Your approval to this proposal will be sought at the 2023 Annual General Meeting on April 24th 2024. Note, only members of the Society are entitled to vote or speak at the Annual General Meeting essential, for nominations to be made on the forms available. These can be obtained from the Hon. Secretary, the Old Chapel Queens Passage, Chislehurst, Kent, BR7 5AP. Email: admin@chislehurst-society.org.uk The Officers of the Society and approximately 1/2 of the Executive Committee are elected annually. Under the Charities Act 2011, persons elected are required to be acceptable as Trustees. Nominations to serve as Officers or members of the Executive Committee should be made in accordance with the Constitution of the Society. It is convenient, but not Copies of the documents contained in this report and the Independent Examiner’s Report are available on our website. **www.chislehurst-society.org.uk** . The Chislehurst Society CIO is a Registered Charity No. 1166276. 6 7 ## **2024 Annual General Meeting** **Wednesday 24th April 2024, 7:30 pm Methodist Church, Prince Imperial Road, Chislehurst BR7 5LX** Agenda - **Minutes of AGM held on 17th of April 2023** - **Presentation of Trustees Annual Report to Members** - **Re-election of Independent Examiner** - **Election of Officers and Trustees** - **Short presentation by the Chairman on prevailing issues** - **Vote on new subscription donation** - **Members questions** The Old Chapel, 3 Queens Passage, Chislehurst, BR7 5AP admin@chislehurst-society.org.uk 020 8467 0900 **www.chislehurst-society.org.uk** Independent Examinerfs Report to the Trustees of The Chislehurst Society l on Ipe aC￿L￿ts kn The G*tslghurw. SfX£4 ty. fcf tnti yyar erÉe(131 2G23 Re5Pt¢tive Responsibililies of Twustees and Examiner As the Societys irusttses ¥e rewrffjibk ts I￿e p.*pardtrM acoJLiI¥S. -. W th￿Ider Ihai an audrt 15 not wuired undgr Sec¥on 14421 me C.ryatrties 2011 and thal an iTrJependonl ex•MtryatU￿ 15 needed. It is reynsi=dry 40 exa￿ir.e the acLyJLnts under sets'￿ ", 45 cf CFk-tilies 2911 Follow *e wo(*ufes In the eknerr71 01￿1￿) 9fYEn . Co.rmi55icfJes ur.der Seth, or. 1 s"￿EL whpther any W*i￿L¥r motte￿ ha'ie CGTr to attentfLn. ",0 C.4arity Basis of Independent Examinerfs Report ly exa￿￿1r,84iQl 4¥25 ca￿.￿j Q￿L li 2ccor&.ai* tre weral dr*..ons b>. thD Chart Commi￿￿l￿ner$. An eX&itiiiabun inGudes a ol me acC￿JntirQ T&￿ra￿ kept by thè Societ4 and a comparis£yi af :.fte ¥o)K4rts F*5eDled w4h tfo5e recgxd& li al￿ Trcludes conside!8tion of Eny UnuSL￿.: tterT13 cr disdosEtres in the a￿Jrts. and seekTTg tsxp':an3li m YOJ as tP.o Cammittoe c￿e¢+￿TE￿9 arry SLsh tba1Ys. The W0￿ureS urJdert&￿-.. dn nct pryjvide all .'Y- w,thr.ce Yat i110￿,d be fQqvi-.e4 j*: a* au￿￿11. l*n￿uC￿4l¥ fD c.pir..ion ,'s as to MthethL>rttqe att￿￿1$ jr>￿1 a'trae fatrviÉW' ￿1¢3 tre report is lirn-tec tothose iter5 Set wt in the staternen? b810w. ' Independent Examinerfs Statement In C￿le¢ll0n Yiiib mv tsXGrnwkbgn matte.- -.as c￿ne-.0 atr.e￿.Ory". wfrA-i gives T.e r>asolcbe -￿￿e lo te".￿ve '.￿a".. ji ap..* rn&ie-, , resp6Ct. the requirtsmwits 19 keep acttunèr*J re￿dS i-. accordar￿e Sevo.i L3? cf thp_ 201.. Act. a.-:d to jrerrare ac￿¥t￿tIs 2cco¥d the ¥c￿)jA:.r¥J reciyds lo mmpty witb Ihe a￿0￿￿ting reqLl1￿rrErIS Gf the Act: haifo not be￿ net Io 'iihi= . in T.y' wnicfi. areD.D￿l sho￿4 be Cr/J¥ to ènabk o pfD uYderS*ndTW ol the awu-:.ES reached. Defok DGbson & CD ', o sturges Fiold Ch'51etru.7t Ken. BR7 6LG