KIRKBY FLEETHAM VILLAGE HALL Registered Charity No. 1172318 **Trustees’ Annual Report**
2021 – 2022
COMMITTEE 2021 - 2022
Names of Trustees
Mike Dillon Chairperson Lesley Bottomley Vice-Chairperson and Bookings Secretary
Jean Morley
Treasurer
Linda Lodge
Secretary
Lynda Dillon (Co-Opted) Assistant Treasurer Fran Artley
Ann Herbert
Sheila Minto
Margaret Osler
Rob Perkins
Rebecca Pitcher (Co-Opted) Linda Rough (Co-Opted)
Ian Woodcock
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## **Governance**
Kirkby Fleetham Village Hall was established as a charity by a Trust Deed and Lease dated 7[th] December 1973. On March 29[th] 2017, it was entered on the Register of Charities as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), No.1172318. The original charity is now dormant (see below). The Village Hall Management Committee is responsible for keeping the building in a good state of repair.
## **Trustees**
**Number of trustees.** There should be not more than 10 trustees with the remainder of the management committee comprising not more than 3 co-opted members and not more than 1 representative of each of the hall’s user groups. **Appointment of trustees.** The constitution states that trustees will retire by rotation, one-third each year. Those to retire shall be those who have been longest in office since their last appointment or reappointment, thus 4 trustees will automatically retire and this process shall continue at every subsequent annual meeting. If the number of trustees is not three or a multiple of three, then the number nearest to one-third shall retire from office, but if there is only one trustee, he or she shall retire.
**Reappointment of trustees.** Any person who retires as a trustee by rotation or by giving notice to the CIO is eligible for re-election by simple majority vote of members.
## **Policies and Procedures**
To guide the Management Committee in exercising its duty of care to committee members and users of the hall, the following policy statements have been adopted: Meetings Policy; Finance Policy; Hiring Policy; Health & Safety Policy; Safeguarding - Child & Vulnerable Adults Policy; Equality Policy; Environmental Policy, Age Verification Policy and a Data Protection Policy. Copies of these policies are included in a Management File in the Village Hall and in the Trustees’ Welcome pack. Where appropriate, they have been updated. Trustees have revised and extended regular maintenance check lists and a detailed check list for the contract cleaner.
## **Hiring Agreement**
The village hall uses an on-line booking system. Each booking is subject to a Hiring Agreement to which all hirers must agree before any booking can be made. The hiring agreement sets out the conditions of hire and identifies the respective responsibilities of each party.
## **Licences**
The hall has a Premises Licence, including the sale of alcohol. The hall is licensed by the _Performing Right Society_ and _Phonographic Performance Ltd_ . for live and recorded music and has a Public Video Screening Licence.
## **Risk Management**
## **Insurance**
Trustees took advantage of the offer of a re-evaluation report from their insurers and acted upon recommendations. As a result, the village hall is insured with respect to property damage (buildings insurance) by Allied Westminster Insurance Ltd (£532,145 cover). It is insured with the same company with respect to loss of revenue (£7,000); public liability (£10,000,000); employers’ liability (£10,000,000); legal expenses (£100,000); and furniture, fixtures and fittings and all other contents (£12,514). The Management Committee recognises that it is under a legal obligation to protect the
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building, its volunteers, its users and any employees through adequate and appropriate insurance.
**Building Issues** A building condition survey is undertaken at 5-year intervals as is the mains electrical installation, both by qualified professionals. A Fire Safety Risk Assessment is updated annually by the Committee’s own Fire Safety Officers as required by law. Firefighting appliances are inspected annually under contract with the supplier. Volunteers from the Committee carry out other regular maintenance checks. A portable appliances check is carried out annually by a qualified electrician.
## **Objectives of the Charity**
The objective is the provision of a village hall for the benefit of the inhabitants of the Parish of Kirkby Fleetham with Fencotes without distinction of gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, nationality, race or political, religious or other opinions. Use of the village hall is for meetings, lectures and classes or other forms of recreation and leisure time occupation in the interests of social welfare and with the object of improving the social conditions of the life of the inhabitants. The Trustees consider these objectives to be consistent with Charity Commission guidance on providing for the public benefit and these objectives have been pursued in the activities of the charity this year.
## P **rincipal Activities in pursuit of Objectives**
The Village Hall has been in use most days of the week for a variety of activities including Ballroom Dancing; Book Lovers’ Group; Bridge; Carpet Bowls; Church Coffee mornings; Gardening Club; The Village Hub; Keep Fit & Aerobics; ‘Sound Bath’ Group Relaxation; Martial Arts; Yoga; Arts and Crafts; Community Cinema; Speakers and Women’s Institute meetings. The community library has been open at any time when the room is not in use by other groups. In addition, the village hall has been used for meetings of its own committee, of the Parish Council and of the Feast Committee and is also hired, increasingly so, for private functions / presentations. It has continued to be used by Hambleton District Council as a polling station. We have continued to take our responsibilities for public health very seriously regarding COVID-19, always following national guidance and our own instinct for community safety. The easing of restrictions generally and the Committee’s vigilance in complying with public health best practice has allowed us to deliver a full programme during the reporting year, enhanced by new activities linked to Hambleton District Council’s _Making a Difference_ grant, detailed below.
## . **Funding Strategy**
The underlying funding strategy of the Trustees is to manage the revenue budget on a self-financing basis. Generous and much appreciated grants from local government and elsewhere have helped us to enhance our offer to the community, and our carefully managed reserves have enabled us to improve and enhance our facilities. We are fortunate in receiving ad-hoc financial gifts from members of the community which help us to keep our village hall in the best of order, but it is the remarkable success of the Plant Stall, now in its 8[th] year, which continues to provide excellent financial support through the work and commitment of its volunteers.
## **Volunteers’ Effort**
Management costs are kept to a minimum through, where possible, the use of volunteers for regular maintenance and the improvement of facilities. Our commitment to retaining the excellent condition of the hall ready for reopening led to Trustees’ decision to continue employing our contract cleaner throughout lockdown to service the building on a weekly basis. Our cleaner has willingly turned her hand to 3
other tasks, such as repainting the main hall and kitchen, resulting in the oftcomplimented facilities users can enjoy.
## **2021 - 2022 Achievements**
The current reporting year has seen many of our earlier ambitions come to fruition but has also seen the sad loss of a much-loved friend of the village and very long-standing and devoted Trustee of the Village Hall. A beautiful memorial bench was commissioned by the Committee to remember and celebrate Anthony Barker. This sits in pride of place at the front of the hall, paid for through our reserve funds along with contributions from the Feast Committee and a private donation. The whole village came together on the day of Anthony’s funeral to join together for a funeral tea which we were proud to host.
Outside the village hall we have installed a twin Electric Vehicle Charging Point for use by the village and visitors. Linked to this we have installed block paving to improve the carpark and the whole outside area has been enhanced through the purchase of new planters, with the Gardening Club planting them up. Addditional high-quality outdoor seating has also been installed which, combined with the planters, make the outdoor area to the front of the hall an attractive and comfortable area for the enjoyment of villagers and visitors to the hall alike. All these have been funded through the profits of the Plant Stall.
The Hub, our twice-weekly community café social event, continues to provide an invaluable opportunity for villagers and friends to meet and enjoy each other’s company over a cup of coffee or tea, a cake and even a bacon sandwich! It is probably no exaggeration to say for some this is a social lifeline, and for all this is simply a lovely event.
Our successful grant application to Hambleton District Council led to the installation of state-of-the-art sound and lighting equipment which enables us to present top quality musical and theatrical performances in great surroundings. A commercial quality hearing loop has been installed, greatly improving the accessibility of our offer. We have installed commercial standard fast broadband which is available to the community, along with computing and printing facilities for in-house and community use. We have used funds from the Plant Stall to provide highly effective accoustic panels to the ceiling of the main hall, greatly improving the sound quality in the room. Again using Plant Stall funds, we have improved the kitchen by renewing white goods and installing a range of floor and wall units to complement those already in place.
Although COVID delayed the launch of the programme of activities under the _Making a Difference_ (MAD) banner, once circumstances allowed we started in earnest to roll out the events we had planned. These included an ‘in conversation’ evening where BBC Look North’s Jeff Brown interviewed best-selling historian Dan Jackson, who gave a very well-received presentation on _The Northumbrians_ to a crowded village hall.
Internationally-acclaimed musician Keith James delighted a Sunday afternoon audience with a tribute concert celebrating the music of Cat Stevens, fully utilising the newly installed PA system and enabling volunteer sound technicians to learn how to turn the correct knobs! This event was followed by an ambitious evening of French gypsy jazz and dancing, as the village hall was transformed into a Parisien café of the 1920s, with _Hot Club du Nord_ providing live and brilliantly authentic acoustic music.
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As Christmas approached we worked with Badapple Theatre Company to host _The Snow Dancer,_ a seasonal performance for young and old, on this occasion working also with Friends of Kirkby Fleetham School, who managed refreshments in aid of school funds. Badapple Theatre Company returned in May to perform their comedy musical _Elephant Rock_ , marking our intention to stage high-quality productions by both amateur and professional performers for the enjoyment of the whole community.
Under the aegis of MAD’s _Local History Programme_ within our grant application we part-funded the printing of a high quality publication: ‘St Mary’s Church Kirkby Fleetham – monumental inscriptions and their stories’. This book, which emerged from a small group who were interested in the stories hidden within the monuments outside and inside the church, was written by two members of the village hall Committee, with photographs by the husband of a third member of the Committee. It will without doubt provide a lasting resource for those interested in the social history of Kirkby Fleetham, as well as a fascinating read for local people. As we had hoped, enthusiasm for learning about and celebrating the interesting history of this part of the world has really flourished, leading to the establishment of our large Local History Group which is meeting regularly and already gathering material for an exhibition in the village hall.
As post-Christmas COVID restrictions were eased we hosted a wonderful afternoon tea to celebrate the Queen’s accession to the throne 70 years ago. This was remarked upon by all as a truly great village event and a remarkable achievement to serve such high quality food and refreshments to so many people. The team created the perfect setting, with lovely decorations and a very interesting slideshow depicting Queen Elizabeth’s reign playing in the background.
Following an application to _Broadacres_ we received a grant from their social fund for a sun canopy to allow more residents, including those living in Broadacres homes, to enjoy outside gatherings, for example at The Hub. We have purchased a commercial quality gazebo designed for flexible use, including during the early season as part of the plant stall outside the Willows. Now in its 8[th] successful year, the plant stall continues to raise considerable funds for the village hall, with the quality and value for money of plants at the stall drawing local and not-so-local gardeners in their hundreds to purchase its fare. The new canopy will certainly enhance the plant stall before it is moved to its place during the summer at the hall itself.
Trustees continue in their intention to support other groups who work hard for our community, often featuring them in their monthly newsletter, ‘Social News’, through which the Committee keep the local community informed and involved. This includes important information about local support and services available for elderly and vulnerable people. Other articles are included from the Parish Council and it also provides information about church services and events. The newsletter is published both in printed form and also digitally through _InfoNet._ The editor takes great care to make sure content is interesting and relevant, and also that there are lots of photographs to make it cheerful.
All necessary legal arrangements for the transfer of Assets to the new CIO are in hand and are being dealt with by Hunt & Wrigley (Solicitors, Northallerton). Trustees completed the Vesting Document in 2019 and this has been lodged with the Charities Commission. Remaining Assets will be transferred to the new CIO and the ‘old’ charity merged with the CIO once circumstances allow. As last year, the Land Registry is dealing with urgent cases only. Once this issue has been resolved, we will be in a 5
position to apply to the Charities Commission to merge and then remove the old charity. Currently, however, it is the new CIO, which, running alongside the old, is responsible for all the organisation and running of the Village Hall.
As part of the management of the village hall as a community facility, the Trustees produce a management plan. Trustees revisit the plan annually in order to prioritise the component parts of the next phase of development. (See below: Future Plans)
## **Reserves Policy**
It is the Trustees’ policy to maintain unrestricted reserves of between 100% and 150% of annual revenue budget expenditure.
## **Future Plans**
The Trustees’ efforts over the coming months will be concentrated on:
- Further defining the roles and responsibilities of Trustees and co-opted members
- Implementing the delivery plan drawn up by the Committee following an evaluation of the first set of _MAD events_
- Increasing the security of the village hall in line with the investment of recent years and the need to demonstrate due diligence to our insurers
- Seeking funding from the Solar Farm Grant via the Parish Council for external maintenance of the fabric of the village hall and boundary walls, especially where rendering appears damaged, along with external repainting of outside walls and improvement to outdoor security
- Continuing to work collaboratively with our community partners in ways that add value each to the other and which make clear our separate mission and responsibilities.
## **The Trustees declare that they have approved the Trustees’ report above.**
## **Signed on behalf of the charity’s Trustees**
## **Signature(s)**
**Date**
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KIRKBY FLEETHAM VILLAGE HALL CHARITY NUMBER 1172318
Receipts and payments accounts 1st April 2021 to 31 st March 2022
Restric Unrestri 4/21-3/22 4/20-3/21
ted cted total funds total
funds funds (£) funds (£)
RECEIPTS
Hire of hall by user groups 5526.33 5526.33 1136.75
Private hire of hall or 1304.50 1304.50 20.00
equipment 1068.53 1068.53
Fundraising events 103.23 103.23
Miscellaneous
Donations and grants
Gift Aid 7938.67 7938.67 6936.90
Donations 8525.00 10096.00 18621.00 17335.00
Grants
Other income
Interest
Petty cash
TOTAL RECEIPTS 8525.0 26037.2 34562.76 25428.65
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Restric Unrestri 4/21-3/22 4/20-3/21
ted cted total funds total
funds funds (£) funds (£)
PAYMENTS
Hall running costs
Energy 857.60 857.60 797.28
Water 208.18 208.18 75.65
Insurance & licences 1100.01 1100.01 699.95
Improvement & 8525.00 23935.40 32460.40 6716.61
maintenance 129.82 129.82
Broadband 1362.38 1362.38 80.00
Miscellaneous 200.00 200.00
Accounting
TOTAL PAYMENTS 8525.0 27793.3 36318.39 8369.49
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**Total receipts less total payments - 1755.63**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Restric Unrestri 4/21-3/22 4/20-3/21
ted cted total total funds
funds funds funds (£) (£)
ASSETS
Cash at bank and in hand 25934.25
Current bank account 387.98 24178.6 24178.62
Petty cash 2
RESERVES
Balance brought forward 387.98 25546.2 25934.25 8875.09
Net surplus 7 17059.16
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Balance carried forward
24178.62
25934.25
## INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF KIRBY FLEETHAM VILLAGE HALL 31 March 2022
I report on the accounts of the Charity for the period ended 31 March 2022.
## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner**
The Charity's Trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The Charity's Trustees consider that an audit is not required for this period under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
- examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act;
- to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the Charities Act); and
- to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
## **Basis of independent examiner's report**
My examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fair view' and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
## **Independent examiner's statement**
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
- (1) which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:
- to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; and
- to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act
have not been met; or
- (2) to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Suzanne Bolton FCA Streamline Accountants 5 Battalion Court Colburn Business Park Catterick Garrison DL9 4QN