DesfordCommunity Managed Library
Annual Report
Date of transfer to community management: 18[th] January 2018
Period being reviewed:December 2024 – November 2025
Date and time of annual review meeting:Tuesday 10[th] February 2026, 2.30pm
The requirement for an annual review is contained in the Support Agreement Schedule 9.
The annual review meeting will take place approximate every 12 months and will be organised by the Community Managed Libraries Support Officer and will be attended by the Principal Manager (Chair) and the Support Officer (Notes)
Sections of this report relating to performance statistics have been completed by your Support Officer. Please contact them if you require assistance to complete any other elements of the report.
1.0 Executive Summary
Overview of key highlights and issues that arose in the period being reviewed to include update progress achieved against previous years’ plans and evaluation of new areas of activity.
Desford Library continues to provide an appreciated service to the local community. We continue to support DoE students from the local area. The exhibition for VE day & the dig for Victory garden where well received Invitation to relocate to a refurbished village hall as been reviewed & declined
2 New Trustees have been recruited & meetings are being held more regularly Financially 2025 saw a headline deficit of £2892.35 With transfers to reserves & interest received this reduces to around a deficit of £22.00
Detailed plans to replace the frontage & to install a disabled toilet are inplace & should be auctioned early 2026
The proposed 5 year plan has not progressed well & still needs to detailed. It is recognised that operating costs must be reduced with plans in place. Also income needs to be increased, again ideas are being developed
1
2.0 Library Performance
2.1 Issue, new joiner, active borrower and annual visitor statistics.
| Previous Year | Review Year | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Issues | 6,800 | 5,323 | Issues with Axiell stats so no accurate comparison |
| New Joiners | 175 | 133 | |
| Active Borrowers | 343 | 352 | +9 |
| Annual Visitors | 4420 |
2.2Analysis of performance
Given we have increased numbers by 133 not sure why active borrowers has fallen perhaps we need to do more publicity within the community
3.0 Community Managed Library Events and Activities
In the 3 tables below please provide an overview of events and activities undertaken (add rows as necessary).
3.1 Regularly scheduled events
| Activity | Frequency | Average attendance per session |
Average attendance per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knit & Natter | Weekly | 16 | |
| Wriggly Readers | Weekly | 10 | |
| Heritage Walks | 6 | 16 | |
| Heritage Family History | Twice monthly | 10 | |
| ABC Book Club | Monthly | ||
| weekly | 12 |
2
Total Attendance
- 3.2 One-off activities undertaken in the library
| Activity | Date | Attendance |
|---|---|---|
| Desford VE Day Exhibition | 3rd/4thMay | Not Recorded |
| A number of local organisation use the Library on an ad-hoc basis for meetings |
||
| Total Attendance |
- 3.3 Events undertaken in thewider community
| Activity | Date | Attendance |
|---|---|---|
| Desford neighbourhood Plan Working Group | 5 meetings | |
| Parish Council & Committee Working Group Meetings |
Monthly | |
| DCAG Meetings | Monthly | |
| DiB Committee metings | Monthly | |
| Heritage Socity Committee | Bi-Monthly | |
| Village Hall Meetings | Bi-Monthly | |
| Barns Charity meetings | 6 monthly | |
3
Total Attendance
4.0 Summer Reading Challenge (SRC)
The theme for this year’s challenge was Story Garden and ran in Leicestershire between 5[th] July & 6[th] September 2025.
| Starters | Finishers | % Finishers | Trend | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Review Year | 47 | 35 | 74% | ꜛ |
| Previous Year | 54 | 23 | 43% |
5.0 Volunteers
| Number of volunteers | Number of new volunteers | Number of volunteers Leaving in year |
|---|---|---|
| 33 | 3 | 3 |
6.0 Library User and Volunteer Feedback
6.1
----- Start of picture text -----
Library User and Volunteer Comments
Main comments from users are thanks for keeping the library open
Positive comments on introduction of jisaws
6.2
Library User and Volunteer Complaints
----- End of picture text -----
4
Temperature in Library has been an issue but resolved following recent boiler service
7.0 Financial Viability and Sustainability
Summary overview of finances including as appendices:
-
7.1 Annual profit/loss accounts
-
7.2 Funding position including summary of grant applications and outcomes
-
7.3 Capital investment plans where applicable
-
7.4 5 year financial projection
8.0 Progress Update on Current Plans andFuture Plans for Development
Outline of future development plans including services to be provided and income generation.
Plan Action Required Progress Risks
8.1 Future Training Requirements
5
9.0 Additional Information
Please use this section for any additional information you wish to provide.
There is a risk that the Parish Council may relocate which would likely make the library financially unviable – this is not seen as an immediate risk but should be noted
For 2026 we hold a £5000 credit with Gas supplier which should mitigate against any financial short fall for this year
10.0 Documentation Review
As part of the annual review process the Support Officer will review the following documents. These can be submitted electronically alongside your report or hard copies can be reviewed at the annual review meeting.
10.1 Insurance
Reviewed
10.2 Risk Log
6
Reviewed 10.3 Policies reviewed: Safeguarding Children Safeguarding Adults Health and Safety Trustee Conflict of Interest Data Protection Volunteer Management Complaints Procedure Equality and Diversity Financial Management and Control Library User Complaints and Compliments
7
Desford Library 2025 Accounts Summary
| Opening Bank Statement | Opening Bank Statement | 01/01/2025 | 13748.46 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Closing Bank Statement | 31/12/2025 | 10856.11 | |
| -2892.35 | |||
| 2025 Income | 22918.26 | ||
| 2025 Expenditure | 25810.61 | ||
| -2892.35 | |||
| Income | Book Sales | 1346.39 | |
| Easy Fund Raising | 48.87 | ||
| Cash | 310.00 | ||
| Warm Welcome | 2700.00 | ||
| PCC | 6500.00 | ||
| Grants/Sect 106 | 10863.00 | ||
| Gas Refund | 1150.00 | ||
| 22918.26 | |||
| Expenditure | Total Energy | 7656.77 | |
| Castlewater | 1045.65 | ||
| Cleaning (Sculthorpe) | 1075.00 | ||
| LCC | 295.67 | ||
| Bank Charge | 40.00 | ||
| Maintenace | 766.39 | ||
| Equipment | 682.80 | ||
| 3 Rings Service | |||
| Charge | 95.34 | ||
| AJGIBL | 617.73 | ||
| ADT | 1701.26 | ||
| Proudcastle | 720.00 | ||
| Ashwell | 114.00 | ||
| Transfer to Reserves | 11000.00 | ||
| 25810.61 | |||
| Assets | Deposit Account | 60211.43 |
8
Grant Applications 2025
National Lottery Grant application for £9200 agreed with monies to be used for provision of disabled toilet in 2026
2 Grants received from Rural Council (?) for £250 towards purchase of laminator & £500 towards purchase of shelving unit Grants totalling £2700 received from Warm Welcome (one of these was for services during 2024)
Replacement of Library frontage in progress after application for funding agreed
Capital Investment 2026
Once the disabled toilet is complete and assuming grants can be sourced then we will be looking at the following with a view to reducing operating costs :
changing existing lighting to LED tubes
installing double glazed windows
costing installation of A rated boiler (present boiler is G rated)
Financial Projection 2026 only
Core Operating Costs estimated at around £13500
Base Income estimated at £10300 Anticipated shortfall is £3200
It should be noted that costs for 2006 are below “normal” as we have a credit of around £3500 with total energies for overbilling of gas in previous years.
It is intended to approach local businesses with a view to gaining sponsorship
Future Projections
There are a number of issues that need to be resolved, main one being will the Parish Council remain as tenants within the Library given the option proposed to them of moving to the village hall. If this option is taken up we would see an immediate reduction of £6500 in income
9
Desford Library Community Hub Income and Expenditure Account
Year ending 31 December 2025
£
Income:
| Grants received: | ||
|---|---|---|
| National Lottery | £9,200.00 | |
| Rural Community | £750.00 | |
| LCC | £913.00 | £10,863.00 |
| Desford Parish Council | £6,500.00 | |
| Warm welcome | £2,700.00 | |
| Book sales | £1,346.39 | |
| Fund raising | £48.87 | |
| Other income (fnes, photocopier, | donations) | £310.00 |
| Total Gas refund | £1,150.00 | |
| Interest received | £870.34 | |
| £23,788.60 |
Expenditure:
| LCC waste disposal Security Insurance Cleaning Property maintenance Equipment Heat and light Subscriptions Bank charges |
£295.67 £1,701.26 £617.73 £1,075.00 £1,600.39 £682.80 £8,702.42 £95.34 £40.00 |
|---|---|
| £14,810.61 |
Surplus for the year
£8,977.99
Deposit Account:
Current a/c:
| Interest received: Transfer from Current a/c Total Deposit a/c statement: bf 31/12/24 cf 31/12/25 Movement |
£870.34 £11,000.00 RM summary: Corrections £11,870.34 £48,341.09 £60,211.43 RM summary: Corrections £11,870.34 as above |
Income: Book Cash Easy Desford Warm National Rural LCC Gas Sales (Other fund raising PC Welcome Lottery Community Refund Income) £1,346.39 £310.00 £48.87 £6,500.00 £2,700.00 £9,200.00 £750.00 £913.00 £1,150.00 £1,346.39 £310.00 £48.87 £6,500.00 £2,700.00 £9,200.00 £750.00 £913.00 £1,150.00 Expenditure: Refuse Cleaner Insurance Security Gas/Electric Castle Deposit Equipment Subscriptio Property Water a/c tfr Maintenan £295.67 £1,075.00 £617.73 £1,701.26 £7,656.77 £1,045.65 £11,000.00 £682.80 £95.34 £1,600.3 -£11,000.00 |
Total £22,918.26 £0.00 £22,918.26 IT Bank Expenses cSystem charges reimbursed 9 £40.00 £25,810.61 RM Summary -£11,000.00 Corrections (see below) 9 £0.00 £40.00 £0.00 £14,810.61 Total (below) |
|---|---|---|---|
| £295.67 £1,075.00 £617.73 £1,701.26 £7,656.77 £1,045.65 £0.00 £682.80 £95.34 £1,600.3 |
| Check totals Bank bf Bank cf Increase Surplus for the year |
Current a/c Net expen Bank statement (curr bf 31/12/24 cf 31/12/25 Movement £62,089.55 £71,067.54 £8,977.99 £8,977.99 £0.00 |
diture (above) ent a/c) £13,748.46 £10,856.11 -£2,892.35 |
-£2,892.35 |
|---|---|---|---|
| £0.00 |