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2021-02-28-accounts

Ursuline Sisters Brentwood CIO

Annual Report and Accounts

28 February 2021

Charity Registration Number 1168579

Contents

Reports

Reports Reports
Reference and administration details of the
charity, its trustees and advisers 1
Report of the trustees 2
Independent auditor’s report 12
Accounts
Statement of financial activities 16
Balance sheet 17
Statement of cash flows 18
Principal accounting policies 19
Notes to the accounts 25

Ursuline Sisters Brentwood CIO

Reference and administration details of the charity, its trustees and advisers

Trustees Mrs Sue Cooper
Sister Clare Kane
Mr Michael L’Estrange
Mrs Nicolina Lyon
Sister Margaret Soper
Sister Anne Spilberg
Commissary Sister Margaret Soper
General Bursar Ms Pauline Townsend
Principal Address Ursuline Generalate
27 Eastfield Road
Brentwood
CM14 4HB
Telephone 01277 260156
e-mail admin@ursulinesistersbrentwood.org
Charity Registration Number 1168579
Auditor Buzzacott LLP
130 Wood Street
London
EC2V 6DL
Bankers National Westminster Bank plc
46 High Street
Brentwood
Essex
CM14 4AL
Investment Managers BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited
12 Throgmorton Avenue
London
EC2N 2DL
Principal Solicitors IBB Solicitors
Capital Court
30 Windsor Street
Uxbridge
Middlesex
UB8 1AB
Hunters Law LLP
9 New Square
Lincoln’s Inn
London
WC2A 3QN

Ursuline Sisters Brentwood CIO 1

Report of the trustees Year to 28 February 2021

The trustees present their report together with the accounts of the Ursuline Sisters Brentwood CIO (the ‘charity’) for the year to 28 February 2021.

The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out on pages 19 to 24 and comply with applicable United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). The principles set out in 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 United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) have been followed in the preparation of this report and accounts.

Activities, performance and future plans

Purpose and Impact

The Brentwood Ursuline Sisters were founded from another Ursuline Community in Upton, Forest Gate, 120 years ago, at the request of the Parish Priest of Brentwood, to provide secondary education for girls in the area. The Ursuline Order has been renowned since its origins in the 16[th] century for its particular emphasis on the education and development of women, which throughout the centuries has taken many and varied forms and has been pioneered in every continent in the world. Ursuline education has been noted for the values of building community, respecting the individual, working for peace and Gospel justice, excellence in academics and ‘cultivating the vine’ of faith with dynamic formation programmes. Our original foundress Angela Merici (1470-1540) was noted both in her own time and since for setting up a group of consecrated women who elected a leader from among themselves and remained in society to work amongst fellow-citizens rather than being withdrawn into a cloister.

Over the years the Brentwood Ursulines have provided formal education through the foundation and support of schools in Brentwood, Dagenham and Harold Hill and in Kenya, and have been active in promoting informal education through parish sacramental programmes, through both Diocesan and parish Youth Work and through a wide network of personal contacts. Now we have mostly retired from active ministry and the schools have passed into lay management, we are proud that our values continue to be promoted in the institutions we founded or to which we contributed. Although this event was on hold during the pandemic, one of the Sisters normally meets annually all the new intake at the Brentwood Ursuline Convent High School to give them a taste of our history and to welcome them to the Ursuline ethos and we are always invited by the School to attend the Annual Patronal Feast-day and Academic Masses.

A recent collaboration with the other Ursuline Schools in the UK, in which our leadership Team took part, produced an inspiring Student Profile which is being actively promoted and engaged with in our secondary school.

Ursuline Sisters Brentwood CIO 2

Report of the trustees Year to 28 February 2021

Activities, performance and future plans (continued)

Purpose and Impact (continued)

This year we anticipate our new accommodation will be ready for the Sisters to move into and as we downsize our possessions and decide what is to go into the Archives we are offering some historically significant artefacts to the school in Brentwood. These are being welcomed with delight and given pride of place.

Former pupils have distinguished themselves in the worlds of academia as well as in the arts, the sciences and in commerce. Many have pioneered the presence of women in these arenas.

Over the next few years we will move into our new accommodation and consider how to best dispose of our present Convent building; we will accomplish the removal of the part of the Archives which have been already catalogued to Durham University; we anticipate achieving the transfer of the schools’ land we still own to the Diocese of Brentwood (BRCDT), thereby ensuring their continuance at the forefront of the provision of Catholic Education in our Diocese; we will continue to seek to dispose of land and buildings we no longer use in order to ensure our reserve for the care of the sisters is adequate; and we will continue the process of identifying beneficiaries

and allocating assets to appropriate objects of the charity. To facilitate this last objective we are also considering the setting up of an Ursuline Foundation to facilitate the development and education of women.

The last year has seen severe limitations on our outreach and ministry due to the Covid-19 pandemic; we have been unable to offer our usual hospitality both to groups and individuals and the national lockdowns have meant that our participation in our normal activities of ministry practically ceased altogether. We have, however, continued to respond to requests for financial assistance from some people suffering hardship, we contributed generously to the local food banks, we continued to pay the full salary to the staff we had to furlough and we have maintained contact via telephone, card or Zoom with many individuals and groups who were isolated or sick; for example, participating in a weekly support group from our local hospice. The Sister who works as a Chaplain in Chelmsford prison and was furloughed, produced a weekly newsletter for the prisoners and kept up constant personal correspondence with the staff, especially when they had contracted Covid-19 or had a bereavement. While we were very aware of the need to keep the elderly sisters safe we were very conscious of the suffering endured by both young and old and the disruption to their lives caused by the pandemic. We have also this year made a donation towards the publication of an up-to-date translation of the Revised New Jerusalem Bible.

Ursuline Sisters Brentwood CIO 3

Report of the trustees Year to 28 February 2021

Activities, performance and future plans (continued)

Values and Ways of Working

The objective of the charity is the advancement of the Roman Catholic religion through the religious and other charitable works of the Congregation.

The trustees of the charity support the religious and other charitable works carried out by members of the Congregation, and the care of those members throughout their lives within the Congregation. The majority of sisters are now retired from remunerative work, but even the oldest and frailest support the mission of the Congregation by their interest and their prayer.

Having listened carefully to the wishes of the Sisters to stay together as a group we are building new, less institutional accommodation more suitable for fewer sisters and with a view to ease of disposal once we no longer need it.

We employ staff with the necessary knowledge, experience and skills to enable the charity to continue to meet its objectives and maintain efficient and transparent organisation, both for the internal working of the charity and in its relations with the public. We pay salaries that are commensurate with those for similar roles in other organisations and are attentive to ensuring that employees receive a just and living wage and that their conditions of employment meet the highest standards.

Safeguarding: In November 2020, the Bishops of the Catholic Church in England and Wales having commissioned an ‘Independent Review of Safeguarding Structures and Arrangements in the Catholic Church’ formally accepted the findings and recommendations of the Elliot Review and appointed a Chair ‘to oversee the immediate implementation of wide-ranging reforms to safeguarding structures and processes in the Church’. The Trustees have followed the findings of both the Elliot Report and the IICSA Report and wait to see what we have to do to co-operate with the new structures.

Ursuline Sisters Brentwood CIO 4

Report of the trustees Year to 28 February 2021

Governance, structure and management

Operating Model and Risks

Originally our work was funded by grants, salaries and fees, augmented when possible by the sale of property. Now our income is mainly from pensions, allowances, and dividends from our investment portfolio. Our main costs are staff salaries, regular property maintenance and the ongoing costs of administrating the charity. Each year we revise an actuarial projection in order to ensure that we keep a reserve intact to care for the Sisters to the end of their lives.

The trustees acknowledge that there is a risk that investments lose value. We attend regularly to updates from our investment managers to ensure that they act within a sustainable policy that diversifies investments and aims to achieve a total return from capital growth while providing regular income on a quarterly basis.

Risk management

The Trustees undertake an annual review of the principal risks and uncertainties that the charity faces categorising the risks between those affecting the governance and management of the charity and those which occur because of circumstances outside the charity’s control such as changes in government policy, laws and regulations. They regularly review the measures already in place, or needing to be put in place, to establish policies, systems and procedures to mitigate those risks identified in the annual review and ensure that action is taken to implement changes to those policies, systems and procedures should they be needed to minimise or manage any potential impact on the charity should those risks materialise. Having assessed the major risks to which the charity is exposed, the trustees believe that by monitoring reserve levels, by ensuring controls exist over key financial systems, and by examining the operational and business risks faced by the charity, they have established effective systems to mitigate those risks.

The key risks for the charity, as identified by the trustees, are described below together with the principal ways in which they are mitigated:

Ursuline Sisters Brentwood CIO 5

Report of the trustees Year to 28 February 2021

Governance, structure and management (continued)

Operating Model and Risks (continued)

Risk management (continued)

The short-term cash management account with the same investment company has proved to be invaluable for paying for the on-going construction of our new accommodation and for supplementing our income. This has enabled our long-term investments to remain undisturbed, for the time being.

Governance and Decision-making

Canon Law

Following a unanimous decision on the part of the Congregation in 2017 the ordinary governance of the Institute has been suspended due to the age of the members and a Commissary (Delegate) currently one of the Sisters, was appointed by the Bishop of Brentwood. The governance of the Institute continues to be based in Brentwood and the Commissary assumes all the rights and obligations of the universal law of the Church and the proper law of the institute attributed to the Supreme Moderator and her Council.

Civil law

The CIO is governed by a Constitution dated 3 August 2016. The trustees of the charity include the Commissary (Bishop’s delegate), two other Sisters and three lay trustees. The Sister trustees are long-standing members of the Congregation and have intimate knowledge of the work of the charity. All the lay trustees have known the members of the Congregation for a number of years and each brings a specialised expertise to the trustee body, namely legal, financial and educational respectively.

Ursuline Sisters Brentwood CIO 6

Report of the trustees Year to 28 February 2021

Governance, structure and management (continued)

Governance and Decision-making (continued)

The trustees make every effort to be conscientious in reading and assimilating the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit with regard to setting objectives and planning the work of individual sisters.

Training and updating are maintained, though this has been necessarily limited this year by the restrictions of the pandemic.

The trustees normally meet at least four times a year and at least annually with the Congregation’s legal, accounting and property advisers. They are invited twice yearly to attend or listen to updates from our investment managers. This year the trustees have received regular reports and met via Zoom when it was not possible to get together.

Trustees’ Responsibilities Statement

The trustees are responsible for preparing the trustees report and accounts in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

The law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the trustees to prepare accounts for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the income and expenditure of the charity for that period. In preparing these accounts the trustees are required to:

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the accounts comply with the Charities Act 2011, applicable Charity (accounts and Reports) Regulations and the provisions of the governing document. They 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 present report is evidence that the trustees understand their responsibilities and have prepared accounts for this financial period which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity.

Ursuline Sisters Brentwood CIO 7

Report of the trustees Year to 28 February 2021

Governance, structure and management (continued)

Structure and Management

The trustees are ultimately responsible for the policies, activities and assets of the charity. They meet regularly to review developments with regard to the charity or its activities and make any important decisions. When necessary the trustees seek advice and support from the charity’s professional advisers including investment managers, solicitors, property advisers and accountants.

Key management personnel

The trustees consider that they comprise the key management personnel of the charity in charge of directing and controlling, running and operating the charity on a day-to-day basis. They receive no remuneration in respect of their duties.

Fundraising

The charity is not actively involved in fundraising activities. However, it aims to achieve best practice in the way in which it communicates with donors and other supporters. It applies best practice to protect supporters’ data and never sells data, it never swaps data, and ensures that supporters’ and donors’ communication preferences can be changed at any time. The charity does not employ the services of Professional Fundraisers. During the year to 28 February 2021, the charity received no complaints about fundraising activities.

Ursuline Sisters Brentwood CIO 8

Report of the trustees Year to 28 February 2021

Some Thank Yous……

Ursuline Sisters Brentwood CIO 9

Report of the trustees Year to 28 February 2021

Financial review

Income and expenditure

A summary of the year’s results can be found on page 16 of the attached accounts.

Total income for the year was £514,440 (2020 - £423,998). Investment income of £158,898 was increased compared to the prior year (2020 - £143,863) as a result of improved dividend yields from the listed investments held by the charity. Income from other sources for the year ended 28 February 2021 includes £32,439 from the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme as well as a receipt of £50,046 which had previously been held back from the charity to cover development costs contracted as part of a previous property sale. Lower cost works were undertaken and the sum was returned to the charity.

Total expenditure of £694,229 was lower than the prior year (2020 - £912,551). The main cause of the reduction in expenditure is due to the prior year including loss on the demolition of two properties at 21-23 Eastfield Road, Brentwood, Essex with a net book value of £165,080, prior to building work on the new properties commencing. Excluding this item, expenditure decreased by £53,242.

Gains from the revaluation and disposal of listed investments of £405,493 were higher than the prior year (2020 - £94,030). Although the value of the investment portfolio experienced high volatility during the year, due to the impact of Covid-19 on stock markets, the value of the investments recovered well from the large falls in value experienced in March 2020. The trustees are satisfied with their performance in light of the wider market performance for the year.

Financial position and reserves policy

The balance sheet shows total net assets of £8,795,684 (2020 - £8,569,980).

The trustees have set aside an amount equivalent to the book value of the tangible fixed assets as a separate fund in recognition of the fact that such assets are required to enable the Congregation to carry out its charitable work and are not available to fund activities or meet future contingencies.

£3,250,000 has been designated to meet the costs of the care and welfare of the Sisters in their retirement (2020 - £3,650,000). The Sisters are wholly dependent on the charity for their maintenance and care; all are of pensionable age; some need constant, skilled care.

£325,000 has been designated as a property development fund to provide the monies needed in respect to the property developments that are taking place (2020 - £1,165,000).

The Dr N Hunt fund was set up in 2012 using a legacy of £324,561 received from the estate of Dr Noreen Hunt. The intention is to use the money to make donations to those in need. As at 28 February 2021, £292,007 remains to be spent (2020 - £295,071).

Ursuline Sisters Brentwood CIO 10

Independent auditor’s report Year to 28 February 2021

Independent auditor’s report to the trustees of Ursuline Sisters Brentwood CIO

Opinion

We have audited the accounts of Ursuline Sisters Brentwood CIO (the ‘charity’) for the year ended 28 February 2021 which comprise the statement of financial activities, the balance sheet, the statement of cash flows, the principal accounting policies and the notes to the accounts. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 ‘The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland’ (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion, the accounts:

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the accounts section of our report. We are independent of the charity in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the accounts in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the accounts, we have concluded that the trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the accounts is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the accounts are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Ursuline Sisters Brentwood CIO 12

Independent auditor’s report Year to 28 February 2021

Other information

The trustees are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information included in the Annual Report and Accounts, other than the accounts and our auditor’s report thereon. Our opinion on the accounts does not cover the other information and we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.

In connection with our audit of the accounts, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the accounts or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the accounts or a material misstatement of the other information. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Charities Act 2011 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

Responsibilities of trustees

As explained more fully in the trustees’ responsibilities statement, the trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of accounts that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the accounts, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charity or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the accounts as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these accounts.

Ursuline Sisters Brentwood CIO 13

Report of the trustees Year to 28 February 2021

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements (continued) Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below.

Our approach to identifying and assessing the risks of material misstatement in respect of irregularities, including fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations, was as follows:

We assessed the susceptibility of the charitable company’s financial statements to material misstatement, including obtaining an understanding of how fraud might occur, by:

To address the risk of fraud through management bias and override of controls, we:

Ursuline Sisters Brentwood CIO 14

Report of the trustees Year to 28 February 2021

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements (continued)

In response to the risk of irregularities and non-compliance with laws and regulations, we designed procedures which included, but were not limited to:

There are inherent limitations in our audit procedures described above. The more removed that laws and regulations are from financial transactions, the less likely it is that we would become aware of non-compliance. Auditing standards also limit the audit procedures required to identify non-compliance with laws and regulations to enquiry of those charged with governance and management and the inspection of regulatory and legal correspondence, if any.

Material misstatements that arise due to fraud can be harder to detect than those that arise from error as they may involve deliberate concealment or collusion.

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the accounts is located on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor’s report.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the charity’s trustees, as a body, in accordance with section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 and with regulations made under section 154 of that Act. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charity’s trustees those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity and the charity’s trustees as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Buzzacott LLP 10 December 2021 Statutory Auditor 130 Wood Street London EC2V 6DL

Buzzacott LLP is eligible to act as an auditor in terms of section 1212 of the Companies Act 2006

Ursuline Sisters Brentwood CIO 15

Statement of financial activities Year to 28 February 2021

Notes Unrestricted funds Unrestricted funds
2021
£		 2020
£
Income from:
Donations and legacies
1
Investments and interest receivable
2
Other sources
. Surplus on disposal of tangible fixed assets
. Refund of development costs contracted as part of prior period
property disposal
. Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme funding
. Miscellaneous income
Total income
Expenditure on:
Charitable activities
. Support of the members of the Congregation and their ministry
3
. Donations in support of miscellaneous charitable activities
Total expenditure
Net expenditure before investment gains
Net gains on investments
10
Net income (expenditure) for the year and net movement in
funds
5
Reconciliation of funds
Fund balances at 1 March 2020
Fund balances at 28 February2021
271,057

158,898
2,000
50,046
32,439
—		 257,017
143,863
20,000
—
—
3,118
514,440 423,998

674,019
20,210		 881,814
30,737
694,229 912,551
(179,789)

405,493		 (488,553)
94,030
225,704
8,569,980		 (394,523)
8,964,503
8,795,684 8,569,980

All recognised gains and losses are included in the above statement of financial activities and are derived from continuing activities..

Ursuline Sisters Brentwood CIO 16

Notes
Fixed assets
Tangible assets
9
Investments
10
Current assets
Debtors
11
Short term deposits
Cash at bankandinhand
Liabilities
Creditors: amounts falling due
withinoneyear
12
Netcurrent(liabilities) assets
Totalnetassets
The fundsofthe charity:
Unrestricted funds
. Tangible fixed assets fund
13
. Designated funds
14
. General funds		 2021

£


33,144
112,150
101,511		 2021
£
4,243,463
4,594,288
8,837,751
(42,067)		 2020
£		 2020
£
3,116,848
4,588,795
7,705,643
864,337
8,569,980
3, 116,848
5,110,071
343,061
8,569,980
37, 134
910,744
147,044
246,805
(288,872)		 1,094,922
(230,585)
8,795,684
4,243,463
3,867,007
685,214
8,795,684

Statement of cash flows Year to 28 February 2021

cash flowsYear to 28 February 2021
Notes
2021
£		 2020
£
(288,522)
136,289
17,859
20,000
(971,776)
(4,253,782)
4,253,782
(797,628)
(1,086,150)
2,143,938
1,057,788
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net cash used in operating activities
A
Cash flows from investing activities:
Income received from listed investment and interest received
Rents received from investment properties
Proceeds from the disposal of tangible fixed assets
Purchase of tangible fixed assets

Purchase of listed investments
Proceeds from the disposal of listed investments
Net cash used in investing activities
Change in cash and cash equivalents in the year
Cash and cash equivalents at 1 March 2020
B
Cash and cash equivalents at 28 February 2021
B
(309,127)
145,227
16,650
2,000
(1,098,877)
—
400,000
(535,000)
(844,127)

1,057,788

213,661
Notes to the statement of cash flows for the year to 28 February 2021.

A Reconciliation of net movement in funds to net cash used in operating activities

2021
£		 2020
£
Net movement in funds (as per the statement of financial activities)
Adjustments for:
Depreciation charge
Gains on listed investments and investment property
Investment income and interest receivable
Surplus on disposal of tangible fixed assets
Loss on demolition of tangible fixed assets
Decrease in debtors
(Decrease) Increase in creditors
Net cash used in operating activities
225,704
54,839
(405,493)
(158,898)
(2,000)
—
1,011
(24,290)		 (394,523)
54,086
(94,030)
(143,864)
(20,000)
165,080
136,419
8,310
(309,127) (288,522)

B Analysis of cash and cash equivalents

Analysis of cash and cash equivalents
2021
£		 2020
£
Cash at bank and in hand
Short term deposits
Total cash and cash equivalents:		 101,511
112,150		 147,044
910,744
213,661 1,057,788

No separate reconciliation has been prepared between the movements in net debt of the charity as there is no difference between the movements in cash and cash equivalents and the net cash (debt) of the charity.

Ursuline Sisters Brentwood CIO 18

Principal accounting policies Year to 28 February 2021

The principal accounting policies adopted, judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty in the preparation of the accounts are laid out below.

Basis of preparation

These accounts have been prepared for the year ended 28 February 2021 with comparative information provided in respect to the year ended 29 February 2020.

The accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policies below or the notes to these accounts.

The accounts 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 Charities SORP FRS 102, 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 and the Charities Act 2011.

The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102.

The accounts are presented in sterling and are rounded to the nearest pound.

Critical accounting estimates and areas of judgement

Preparation of the accounts requires the trustees to make significant judgements and estimates. The items in the accounts where these judgements and estimates have been made include:

Ursuline Sisters Brentwood CIO 19

Principal accounting policies Year to 28 February 2021

Assessment of going concern

The trustees have assessed whether the use of the going concern assumption is appropriate in preparing these accounts. The trustees have made this assessment in respect to a period of at least one year from the date of approval of these accounts.

The trustees acknowledge and recognise the continuing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the operations of the charity, its beneficiaries and stakeholders and on wider society. However, it is not anticipated at the current time that the overall financial position of the charity will be adversely affected or its financial solvency threatened.

Therefore, the trustees have concluded that there are no material uncertainties related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the ability of the group or charity to continue as a going concern. The trustees are of the opinion that the charity will have sufficient resources to meet its liabilities as they fall due.

The most significant areas of judgement that affect items in the accounts are detailed above. With regard to the next accounting period, the year ending 28 February 2022, the most significant areas that affect the carrying value of the assets held by the charity are the level of investment returns and the performance of the investment markets.

Income

Income is recognised in the period in which the charity has entitlement to the income, the amount of income can be measured reliably and it is probable that the income will be received.

Donations, including salaries and pensions of individual religious received under Gift Aid or deed of covenant, are recognised when the charity has confirmation of both the amount and settlement date. In the event of donations pledged but not received, the amount is accrued for where the receipt is considered probable. In the event that a donation is subject to conditions that require a level of performance before the charity is entitled to the funds, the income is deferred and not recognised until either those conditions are fully met, or the fulfilment of those conditions is wholly within the control of the charity and it is probable that those conditions will be fulfilled in the reporting period.

In accordance with the Charities SORP FRS 102 volunteer time is not recognised.

Investment income is recognised once the dividend has been declared and notification has been received of the dividend due.

Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the charity; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the bank.

Ursuline Sisters Brentwood CIO 20

Principal accounting policies Year to 28 February 2021

Income (continued)

Any surplus on the disposal of tangible fixed assets is calculated as the difference between the sale proceeds net of sale costs and the net book value of the asset immediately prior to disposal. It is accounted for once legal completion of the disposal has taken place.

Income relating to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is credited to the statement of financial activities at the time the charitable company has become entitled to the grants and the amount receivable has become quantifiable.

All other income is recognised to the extent that it is probable that the economic benefits will flow to the charity and the revenue can be measured reliably. It is measured at fair value and accounted for on an accruals basis.

Expenditure

Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.

All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis. Expenditure comprises direct costs and support costs. All expenses, including support costs, are allocated or apportioned to the applicable expenditure headings.

Expenditure on charitable activities includes all costs associated with furthering the charitable purposes of the charity through the provision of its charitable activities. Such costs include costs in respect to the support of members of the Congregation and enabling their ministry including governance costs.

Charitable grants and donations in support of miscellaneous charitable activities are made where the trustees consider there is real need following a review of the details of each particular case and comprise single year payments rather than multi-year grants. Grants and donations payable are included in the statement of financial activities when approved and when the intended recipient has either received the funds or been informed of the decision to make the grant and has satisfied all performance conditions.

All expenditure is stated inclusive of irrecoverable VAT.

Support and governance costs

Support costs represent indirect charitable expenditure. In order to carry out the primary purposes of the charity it is necessary to provide support in the form of personnel development, financial procedures, provision of office services and equipment and a suitable working environment.

Governance costs comprise the costs involving the public accountability of the charity (including audit costs) and costs in respect to its compliance with regulation and good practice.

Ursuline Sisters Brentwood CIO 21

Principal accounting policies Year to 28 February 2021

Support and governance costs (continued)

All expenditure on support and governance is attributed directly to the charitable activities of supporting members of the Congregation and enabling their ministry and hence has there has been no apportionment between the headings.

Tangible fixed assets

All assets costing more than £1,500 and with an expected useful life exceeding one year are capitalised.

The charity leases land and buildings to governing bodies of two Catholic voluntary aided schools which are separate charities and publicly funded. In both cases the leases are for a peppercorn, expiring in 2034 and 2054 respectively.

The trustees consider that no meaningful value can be attributed to these assets since they are not used directly by the charity, do not generate income and cannot be disposed of in the open market value or put to alternative use while such occupation, which may be indefinite, continues. They are therefore valued at £nil in the accounts.

The two schools are St Ursula’s School, Harold Hill and Brentwood Ursuline Convent High School.

Non-specialised buildings are those designed as, and used wholly or mainly for, private residential accommodation. As permitted under Financial Reporting Standard 102 (FRS 102) the charity adopts a policy of not revaluing its tangible fixed assets. The charity has adopted the value of land and buildings as transferred from The Congregation of the Sisters of the Order of St Ursula of the Diocese of Brentwood Charitable Trust on 1 March 2017 as their deemed cost. Additions since 1 March 2017 are stated at cost.

Specialised buildings comprise a large residential convent. The charity has adopted the value of this building as transferred from The Congregation of the Sisters of the Order of St Ursula of the Diocese of Brentwood Charitable Trust on 1 March 2017 as its deemed cost. Additions since 1 March 2017 are stated at cost. Depreciation is provided at 2% per annum on a straight-line basis to write the buildings off over their estimated useful economic life to the charity.

♦ Assets under construction

Assets under construction are accounted for at cost based on the value of building certificates and other direct costs incurred during the year. No depreciation is applied until the assets are brought into use.

♦ Property improvements

Ursuline Sisters Brentwood CIO 22

Principal accounting policies Year to 28 February 2021

Tangible fixed assets (contined)

Expenditure on the purchase of furniture, equipment and motor vehicles is capitalised and depreciated over a four year period on a straight line basis.

Fixed asset investments

Fixed asset investments comprise:

Listed investments are a form of basic financial instrument and are initially recognised at their transaction value and subsequently measured at their fair value as at the balance sheet date using the closing quoted market price.

The charity does not acquire put options, derivatives or other complex financial instruments.

As noted above, the main form of financial risk faced by the charity is that of volatility in equity markets and investment markets due to wider economic conditions, the attitude of investors to investment risk, and changes in sentiment concerning equities and within particular sectors or sub sectors.

These are included on the balance sheet at fair value estimated as their open market value based on a trustees’ valuation determined with professional assistance.

Realised gains (or losses) on investment assets are calculated as the difference between disposal proceeds and their opening carrying value or their purchase value is acquired subsequent to the first day of the financial period. Unrealised gains and losses are calculated as the difference between the fair value at the period end and their carrying value at that date. Realised and unrealised investment gains (or losses) are combined in the statement of financial activities and are credited (or debited) in the period in which they arise.

Debtors

Debtors are recognised at their settlement amount, less any provision for nonrecoverability. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid. They have been discounted to the present value of the future cash receipt where such discounting is material.

Cash at bank and in hand

Cash at bank and in hand represents such accounts and instruments that are available on demand or have a maturity of less than three months from the date of acquisition.

Ursuline Sisters Brentwood CIO 23

Principal accounting policies Year to 28 February 2021

Creditors and provisions

Creditors and provisions are recognised when there is an obligation at the balance sheet date as a result of a past event, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefit will be required in settlement, and the amount of the settlement can be estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are recognised at the amount the charity anticipates it will pay to settle the debt. They have been discounted to the present value of the future cash payment where such discounting is material.

Funds structure

The funds of the charity are unrestricted and available for use in furtherance of the charity’s objectives at the discretion of the trustees. Within the total unrestricted funds of the charity, the trustees have identified funds represented by tangible fixed assets and designated amounts for specific purposes. Details are provided in notes 13 and 14.

Services provided by members of the Congregation

For the purposes of these accounts, no monetary value has been placed on administrative and other services provided by the members of the Congregation.

Ursuline Sisters Brentwood CIO 24

Notes to the accounts Year to 28 February 2021

1 Income from: Donations and legacies

Income from: Donations and legacies
2021
£		 2020
£
Salaries, pensions and other income of individual religious received
under a Gift Aid compliant deed of covenant
Other donations		 261,388
9,669		 250,042
6,975
271,057 257,017

2 Income from: Investments and interest receivable

Income from: Investments and interest receivable
2021
£		 2020
£
Income from listed investments – UK Common investment funds and
UK Charity Authorised Investment Funds
Bank interest receivable
Rental income from investment properties		 140,766
1,482
16,650		 115,050
10,954
17,859
158,898 143,863
2021
£		 2020
£
Staff costs (note 6)
Premises
Loss on demolition of tangible fixed assets
Sisters' living expenses
Education, training and spiritual renewal
Legal expenses
Management, computer development and office expenses
Governance costs (note 4)		 346,730
144,235
—
142,198
1,336
4,697
19,497
15,326		 300,536
219,661
165,080
144,941
2,330
2,188
32,250
14,828
674,019 881,814

4 Governance costs

Included within expenditure on supporting members of the Congregation and their ministry are governance costs as detailed below:

2021
£		 2020
£
Audit and accountancy 15,326 14,828

Ursuline Sisters Brentwood CIO 25

Notes to the accounts Year to 28 February 2021

5 Net expenditure for the year and net movement in funds

This is stated after charging:

Net expenditure for the year and net movement in funds
This is stated after charging:
2021
£		 2020
£
Staff and related costs (note 6)
Auditor’s remuneration (including VAT)
. Statutory audit services
Depreciation
Loss on demolition of tangible fixed assets
Surplus on disposal of tangible fixed assets
Operatinglease rentals		 346,730
15,326
54,839
—
2,000
—		 300,536
14,828
54,086
165,080
20,000
2,039

6 Staff costs

Staff and related costs during the year were as follows:

2021
£		 2020
£
Wages and salaries
Social security costs
Pension costs		 319,978
20,728
6,024		 279,336
16,084
5,116
346,730 300,536

There were no employees who earned £60,000 per annum or more (including taxable benefits) during the year (2020 - none).

The average monthly number of employees (based on headcount) during the year, analysed by function, was:

2021 2020
Support of members of the Congregation 34 37

A significant number of employees work part-time. The full time equivalent number of employees during the year was 10.75 (2020 – 12.4).

7 Key management personnel and transactions with trustees

The trustees consider that they comprise the key management personnel in charge of directing, controlling, running and operating the charity on a day to day basis. No trustees received remuneration or reimbursement of expenses in connection with their duties as trustees during the year (2020 – none). A number of trustees are also members of the Congregation. Their living and personal expenses were borne by the charity during the year.

The trustees who are members of the Congregation have no resources of their own as all earnings, pensions and other income are donated to the charity under a Gift Aid compliant Deed of Covenant. During the year, the total amount donated to the charity by these trustees was £64,544 (2020 - £61,133).

Ursuline Sisters Brentwood CIO 26

Notes to the accounts Year to 28 February 2021

8 Taxation

The Ursuline Sisters Brentwood CIO is a registered charity and, therefore, is not liable to income tax or corporation tax on income derived from its charitable activities, as it falls within the various exemptions available to registered charities.

9 Tangible fixed assets

Freehold land and
buildings		 Freehold land and
buildings		 Assets
under
construction
£		 Property
improvements
£		 Furniture
and
equipment
£		 Motor
vehicles
£		 Total
£
Specialised
£		 Non-
specialised
£
Cost
At 1 March 2020
Additions
Disposals
At 28 February 2021
Depreciation
At 1 March 2020
Charge for the year
Released on
disposal
At 28 February 2021
Net book values
At 28 February 2021
At 28 February2020		 1,144,385
—
—		 1,310,186
9,044
—		 976,584
1,163,280
—		 204,684
—
—		 129,242
2,880
—		 28,266
6,250
(6,000)		 3,793,347
1,181,454
(6,000)
1,144,385 1,319,230 2,139,864 204,684 132,122 28,516 4,968,801
442,757
22,887
—		 —
—
—		 —
—
—		 99,482
20,468
—		 112,790
7,725
—		 21,470
3,759
(6,000)		 676,499
54,839
(6,000)
465,644 — — 119,950 120,515 19,229 725,338
678,741 1,319,230 2,139,864 84,734 11,607 9,287 4,243,463
701,628 1,310,186 976,584 105,202 16,452 6,796 3,116,848

Assets under construction relate to the building construction work taking place. In the prior year two non-specialised properties owned by the charity were demolished to make way for the construction of new houses to be occupied by the charity. At 28 February 2021 the charity had capital commitments in respect to the costs to complete this project. Due to variations to plans then the contracted sum has been exceeded but the committed funds to complete amounted to £230,000 (2020 - amounts contracted for but not provided for totalled £1,110,000).

It is likely that there are material differences between the open market values of the charity’s land and buildings and their book values. These arise from the specialised nature of some properties and the effects of inflation. The amount of such differences cannot be ascertained without incurring significant cost, which, in the opinion of the trustees, is not justified in terms of the benefit to the users of the accounts.

Ursuline Sisters Brentwood CIO 27

Notes to the accounts Year to 28 February 2021

10 Investments

Fixed asset investments comprised:

2021
£		 2020
£
Freehold investment properties (a)
Listed investments and cash held for re-investment (b)
Total cost and market value of investments at 28 February 2021		 500,000
4,094,288		 425,000
4,163,795
4,594,288 4,588,795

Movements on each category of investment are summarised below:

(a) Freehold investment properties

(a) Freehold investment properties
2021
£		 2020
£
Market value at 28 February 2020
Reclassification to tangible fixed assets
Market value at 28 February2021		 425,000
75,000		 425,000
—
500,000 425,000

The freehold investment property has been valued in these accounts at its fair value estimated as its open market value which has been determined by the trustees with assistance provided by estate agents local to the property concerned.

(b) Listed investments

(b) Listed investments
2021
£		 2020
£
Market value at 29 February 2020
Additions at cost
Disposals at book value (proceeds £400,000;
realised gains: £25,627)
Net unrealised investment gains (losses)
Market value at 28 February 2021
Cost of listed investments at 28 February2021		 4,163,795
—
(374,373)
304,866		 4,069,765
4,253,782
(4,069,765)
(89,987)
4,094,288 4,163,795
3,871,319 4,253,782

At 28 February 2021 and 29 February 2020, the charitable company’s listed investments consisted entirely of units in the BlackRock Catholic Charities Growth and Income Fund managed by BlackRock Investment Management (UK) Limited.

All listed investments were dealt in on a recognised stock exchange.

11 Debtors

Debtors
2021
£		 2020
£
Accrued investment income
Other debtors
Prepayments		 17,590
4,192
11,362		 20,569
6,256
10,309
33,144 37,134

Ursuline Sisters Brentwood CIO 28

Notes to the accounts Year to 28 February 2021

12 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year

Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
2021
£		 2020
£
Monies held on behalf of individual members of the Congregation
Additions to tangible fixed assets
Accruals
Social security and other taxes		 69,996
182,345
35,108
1,423		 69,996
99,768
58,643
2,178
288,872 230,585

13 Tangible fixed assets fund

The tangible fixed asset fund represents the net book value of the charity’s tangible fixed assets. This value has been set aside to highlight the fact that the tangible fixed assets are required for the charity’s activities and are not available as a reserve to fund expenditure or meet future contingencies.

or meet future contingencies.
2021
£		 2020
£
At 1 March 2020
Net movement in the year
At 29 February2021		 3,116,848
1,126,615		 2,264,470
852,378
4,243,463 3,116,848

Ursuline Sisters Brentwood CIO 29

Notes to the accounts Year to 28 February 2021

14 Designated funds

The income funds of the charity include the following designated funds, which have been set aside out of unrestricted funds by the trustees for specific purposes and have been transferred to the CIO:

At 1
March
2020
£		 Utilised/
released
£
(400,000)
(840,000)
(3,064)		 At 28
February
2021
£
Retirement reserve
Property development fund
Dr N Hunt fund		 3,650,000
1,165,000
295,071		 3,250,000

325,000
292,007
5,110,071 **(1,243,064) ** 3,867,007
At 1
March
2019
£		 Utilised/
released
£
(350,000)
(835,000)
(10,063)		 At 29
February
2020
£
Retirement reserve
Property development fund
Dr N Hunt fund		 4,000,000
2,000,000
305,134		 3,650,000
1,165,000
295,071
6,305,134 (1,195,063) 5,110,071

♦ Retirement reserve

The retirement reserve had been calculated using actuarial principles and consists of monies set aside by the trustees to assist in providing for the sisters in their retirement.

♦ Property development fund

The property development fund is to be applied towards the property developments that will take place over the next few years.

♦ Dr N Hunt fund

The Dr N Hunt fund represented money received from the estate of the late Dr Noreen Hunt and will be used to make donations to those in need.

Ursuline Sisters Brentwood CIO 30

Notes to the accounts Year to 28 February 2021

15 Analysis of net assets between funds

General
fund
£		 Tangible
fixed
assets
fund
£
Designated
funds
£		 Total
2021
£
Fund balances at 28 February 2021
are represented by:
Tangible fixed assets
Fixed asset investments
Net current liabilities
Total net assets		 —
727,281
(42,067)		 4,243,463
—
—		 —
3,867,007
—		 4,243,463
4,594,288
(42,067)
685,214 4,243,463 3,867,007 8,795,684
General
fund
£		 Tangible
fixed
assets
fund
£
Designated
funds
£		 Total
2020
£
Fund balances at 28 February 2020
are represented by:
Tangible fixed assets
Fixed asset investments
Net current assets
Total net assets		 —
—
343,061		 3,116,848
—
—		 —
4,588,795
521,276		 3,116,848
4,588,795
864,337
343,061 3,116,848 5,110,071 8,569,980

The total unrealised gains as at 28 February 2021 constitute movements on revaluation and are as follows:

and are as follows:
2021
£		 2020
£
Unrealised gains (losses) included above:
On listed investments
On investment properties
Total unrealised gains at 28 February 2021
Reconciliation of movements in unrealised gains
Unrealised gains at 1 March 2020
In respect to disposals in the year
Net (losses) gains arising on revaluation in the year
Total unrealisedgains at 28 February 2021		 222,969
500,000		 (89,986)
425,000
722,969 335,014
335,014
8,089
379,866
722,969		 1,254,863
(829,863)
(89,986)
335,014

Ursuline Sisters Brentwood CIO 31

Notes to the accounts Year to 28 February 2021

16 Ultimate control and member’s liability

The Superior General of the Congregation for the time being shall automatically, by virtue of holding that office, be ex officio the sole member of the CIO. The sole member is responsible for the appointment of the trustees.

If the CIO is wound up, the member of the CIO has no liability to contribute to its assets and no personal responsibility for settling its debts and liabilities.

17 Related party transactions

Other than the transactions with trustees described in note 7 to these accounts, there are no related party transactions requiring disclosure (2020 – none).

18 Lease commitments

At 28 February 2021, the charity no commitments under non-cancellable operating leases or finance leases.

Ursuline Sisters Brentwood CIO 32