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2022-03-31-accounts

Eighty Fifth Annual Report

1[st] April 2021 to 31[st] March 2022

SWRLS CIO

C/O Plymouth College of Art Tavistock Place PLYMOUTH Devon, PL4 8AT

www.swrls.org.uk

Charity Registration Number: 1176414

South Western Regional Library Services CIO Annual Report for year ended 31 March 2022

Contents

1. Objectives, Activities and Public Benefit Statement ......................................................................... 2
2. Chair’s Comments ............................................................................................................................. 3
3. Achievements and Performance, April 2021 - March 2022 .............................................................. 5
4. Report of Honorary Treasurer, April 2021 – March 2022 ................................................................. 8
5. Structure, Governance and Management ........................................................................................ 9
6. Reference and Administrative Information .................................................................................... 11
7. Trustees’ Responsibilities in Relation to the Financial Statements ................................................ 12
8. Financial Statements ....................................................................................................................... 13

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South Western Regional Library Services CIO Annual Report for year ended 31 March 2022

1. Objectives, Activities and Public Benefit Statement

The Trustees are pleased to present their Annual Report and financial statements of the charity for the period from 01 April 2021 to 31 March 2022. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with the charity’s constitution, the Charities Act 2011 and 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 (FRS 102) (Effective 1 January 2015).

The charity’s objects are:

1. The advancement of education for the benefit of the public by:

2. The advancement of literature, knowledge and lifelong learning for the benefit of the public by promoting:

The Trustees confirm that they have taken into account the guidance contained in the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit when reviewing the charity’s aims and objectives and in planning future activities.

Examples of the work carried out in the period covered by this report are highlighted in section 3, Achievements and Performance.

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South Western Regional Library Services CIO Annual Report for year ended 31 March 2022

2. Chair’s Comments

With unnerving speed, we have once again reached the point of writing our annual report, reflecting on the year just gone, and planning for the year(s) ahead.

Following the departure of Katherine Findlay, our SWRLS Coordinator, in summer 2021, we were pleased to welcome Heather Norman-Soderlind to replace her, a few months later. Heather has been working hard with board members to progress the activities highlighted in our strategic plan and has been instrumental in organising some well received training and development events. She has also promoted our initiatives in a lovely new-look newsletter which reaches over 220 recipients.

During the year we also warmly welcomed a new trustee, Sim Taylor, who works at Bicton College in Devon (a Cornwall College partner) and represents academic, health and other libraries. Our board of trustees is particularly healthy, at present, and working well. I greatly appreciate the time, initiative and effort they contribute to steering and supporting the SWRLS endeavour.

Following our practice during the lockdown, we have continued to organise most events and meetings online which has been helpful for SWRLS members, given the breadth and width of the SW region. We will, nonetheless, be reviewing this for the future, as we are aware that networking between members often happens more freely “in 3D”!

The Members’ Day in April 2021 and the Conference/AGM in November 2021 excited a lot of interest with the range and depth of presentations and discussion. At November’s event we also presented prizes to the two winners of the SWRLS awards – one for personal achievement and one (team) initiative. [More detail within.]

Our interlibrary loans colleagues have been informally borrowing and lending (or, more accurately, requesting and delivering) in a helpful straightforward (and largely online) way.

I am extremely aware that as the cost of living gets greater and budgets diminish in inverse proportion, libraries will be facing more challenges even as we are (hopefully) getting to grips with life after/with Covid. Here at SWRLS, we are committed to offering as much value for money as possible for SWRLS

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South Western Regional Library Services CIO Annual Report for year ended 31 March 2022

member organisations and their users. As such, we invite you, at every opportunity, to feel free to feed in ideas, comments and requests. We made the decision to maintain the lower subscription rates we introduced after Covid and so will be looking to seek funding from grant-making bodies for future SWRLS initiatives. All our activities are designed to enhance networking and collaboration across the library sectors, and we sincerely hope you can take part and derive benefit from this.

In the meantime, we wish you all the best for this year and look forward to seeing as many of you, and your colleagues, as possible at our upcoming events. Thank you for your continued support for and engagement with SWRLS.

Jackie Chelin, Chair

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South Western Regional Library Services CIO Annual Report for year ended 31 March 2022

3. Achievements and Performance

In consultation with our membership during the 2020 AGM, we agreed and published a new four year strategic plan 2021-2024. Updates on the implementation of the Plan are provided for Board of Trustees meetings and the Plan is reviewed at least twice a year.

2021-22 presented SWRLS and the library sector we serve with continuing challenges as we began to recover from Covid-19 pandemic closures and associated recovery risks. Notable activities during the period include the appointment of a new SWRLS Coordinator in December, a new training programme, the delivery of a major collaborative project, supported by a SWRLS grant, and a developing project pipeline.

Our Board of Trustees agreed to keep membership fees for 2022-2023 at the discounted level for public libraries agreed during the pandemic year 2020-21, an action which was favourably received by the membership, notified in March 2022.

1. Co-operative working and partnerships

Networking opportunities: During this period all meetings, training and networking opportunities, including Members Day and our AGM, were held online in response to continuing Covid-19 risks. This meant significant savings on the time and cost of travel and room hire and enabled more people from member organisations to engage with events.

The 2021 AGM and Conference focused on the theme ‘Providing Sanctuary’ with impactful presentations from John Vincent from The Network and Jamie Darwen, EDI Projects Lead, UWE, Bristol. As a direct result, Falmouth Exeter Plus (FXPlus) Library is now leading a project called ‘Peninsula of Sanctuary: Libraries ’, bringing together a host of libraries right across the sector to collaborate on learning and acquiring assets to support new arrivals across Devon and Cornwall.

SWRLS CIO Award Scheme: the 2021 winner of the SWRLS Personal Achievement Award was Ian Harris, Libraries Unlimited, for his work with vulnerable communities, including those living with disabilities or addiction as well as working with new arrivals. The 2021 SWRLS Initiative Award was presented to Cornwall College Libraries and Learning Centres for supporting students and users during the pandemic lockdown.

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South Western Regional Library Services CIO Annual Report for year ended 31 March 2022

2. Developing the workforce.

SWRLS Training Offer

Announced in Q4, SWRLS offered both a spring and summer season of workforce training opportunities to members including:

3. Supporting the cultural and community engagement role of libraries

SWRLS Grants

Word Online: SWRLS approved a grant in 2020 to Word Online- a 15-library digital tour of writers/performers across South West England which completed in September 2021, reaching over 800 people, supporting workforce skills and highlighting diversity. The project was led by Bristol Libraries with Literature Works, the literature development agency for SW England, as delivery partner. SWRLS is now in discussion with the project instigators for an enhanced sequel in 2023.

“Libraries and authors need each other. World Online helped me to not only connect with readers and library enthusiasts but to, hopefully, also encourage them to stay involved by sharing some of my own library stories. At a time when libraries are facing cutbacks, authors can lend their support through initiatives such as this – but it needs people behind the scenes such as at Word Online to make this happen. I look forward to getting invited back for more such events!”

Vaseem Khan, Word Online at Libraries Unlimited

Re-Imagining Libraries: Bath: Bath Spa University, in partnership with University of Bath, Bath & North East Somerset Libraries, Bath College and House of Imagination applied for a grant in January 2021 to develop an inclusive consultation methodology to identify how libraries can engage with and meet the changing needs of local communities. SWRLS approved the grant in July and we will report its progress in 2023.

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South Western Regional Library Services CIO Annual Report for year ended 31 March 2022

4. Effective Governance.

Coordinator appointment: Heather Norman-Soderlind took up the post of SWRLS Coordinator in December 2021.

Board meetings: The Board met four times, in June, September, December and March. All meetings took place online.

Marketing and advocacy:

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South Western Regional Library Services CIO Annual Report for year ended 31 March 2022

4. Honorary Treasurer’s Report

Management

The trustees have considered the major risks to which the charity is exposed and have reviewed our current level of insurance. The Board is confident that review services have been established to mitigate those risks and that we have sufficient cover.

Financial review

In the Treasurer’s Report for 2020/2021, I said that the Coordinator and Trustees were monitoring the charity’s income from membership fees and training, and its expenditure, to ensure that SWRLS continued to provide a service that provides value for money for all sectors. It was also decided to review the fees charged for the 2021/2022 financial year in recognition of the difficulties experienced by libraries across all sectors over the pandemic. Early in 2021 the Board decided to reduce membership fees by 50% for public libraries for the financial year. This decision was taken after the initial invoices had been sent out and the Board would like to thank members for their patience and cooperation at the time. This reduction in fees was possible partly because there have been fewer expenses in terms of travel, and because of the success of our online courses. At the same time, across sectors there were fewer grant submissions and collaborative projects requiring funding. As the world slowly returns to ‘the new normal’ the Board will continue to monitor spending and income to provide the best value for its members.

While the future remains uncertain, there were some very positive signs for our members and for SWRLS at the end of the 2021/2022 financial year. As you will have seen elsewhere in this report, SWRLS continues to promote and encourage networking across sectors, and to offer training with a broad appeal. The library sectors in the South West continue to support their workforces, to serve their users, and to seek to support the most vulnerable in society. SWRLS is pleased to be in a strong enough financial position to support initiatives that reflect its aims and values, and is proud to share in its members’ continued commitment to benefiting library users and the wider public.

At the end of the financial year, our reserves stood at £119,630 despite the reduced fees. This is a healthy position. The intention of the Board in the next financial year is to regard a proportion of this reserve as designated funds, in effect ring-fencing a proportion of our reserve for specific activities. As always, we welcome suggestions and grant submissions from all sectors. We also regularly request feedback on the way funds are spent, whether positive or as a critical friend, so that the work of SWRLS continues to reflect the priorities of its members.

As always, thanks are due to everyone who helped and supported me in the role of Treasurer over the past year with particular thanks to Heather Norman-Soderlind, Caroline Morrison and Andrew Crocker.

Merryn Kent Honorary Treasurer

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South Western Regional Library Services CIO Annual Report for year ended 31 March 2022

5. Structure, Governance and Management

SWRLS is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) and is governed by the Constitution and Rules, agreed in 2017. These set out the appointment process for the Trustees as follows:

The Coordinator is an ex-officio member of the Board of Trustees, but is not a trustee.

Member Organisations: SWRLS is proud of its cross-sectoral membership across the region. In 2021-22 the following 52 organisations were members:

Bath & North East Somerset

Bath and North East Somerset Libraries and Information; Bath Spa University; University of Bath

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

AECC University College; Arts University Bournemouth; BCP Libraries; University of Bournemouth

Bristol

Bristol City Council Libraries; Bristol Grammar School; North Bristol NHS Trust; University of Bristol; University of the West of England

Cornwall

Cornwall College; Cornwall Council Libraries; Cornwall Health Library; Falmouth University

Devon

Devon Libraries; Petroc; Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust; University of Exeter; Exeter Cathedral & Archives

Dorset

Dorset Libraries

Gloucestershire

Cirencester Sixth Form College; Gloucestershire County Council Libraries & Information; Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Hartpury University; University of Gloucestershire

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South Western Regional Library Services CIO Annual Report for year ended 31 March 2022

Guernsey

Guille-Allès Library

Hampshire

Hampshire Healthcare Library Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust

Jersey

Jersey Library

North Somerset

North Somerset Health Care Library (NHS); North Somerset Library Service

Plymouth

Plymouth College of Art; Plymouth Library Services; Plymouth Marjon University; University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust; University of Plymouth

Somerset

Bridgwater and Taunton College; Somerset Libraries & Information Service; Strode College; Yeovil College, Somerset NHS Hospitals Trust

South Gloucestershire

South Gloucestershire and Stroud College; South Gloucestershire Library and Information Service

Southampton

Southampton City Council Libraries

Swindon

New College, Swindon; Science Museum Library and Archives at Wroughton; Swindon Borough Council Libraries

Torbay

Torbay Libraries

Wiltshire

Cranfield University; Wiltshire Libraries

Representatives on other regional bodies:

CILIP South West Members Network Inspire, Libraries in Cornwall Read South West Executive Libraries Connected South West South West Higher Education Libraries (SWHELS) South West Fed

Mike Hosking Merryn Kent Merryn Kent Emma Wellard Jackie Chelin Heather NormanSoderlind

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South Western Regional Library Services CIO Annual Report for year ended 31 March 2022

6. Reference and Administrative Information

Registered Charity 1176414 Registered Office Plymouth College of Art Tavistock Place Plymouth Devon, PL4 8AT

Bankers Royal Bank of Scotland Direct Business Banking PO Box 5479 1 Springfields Square Manchester, M61 0NH

Trustees : trustees serve to the AGM in November in any given year, unless otherwise stated:

o Chair: Jacqueline Chelin, to serve to 2023

o Secretary: Donna Gundry, to serve to 2024

o Treasurer: Merryn Kent, to serve to 2022

Ordinary Trustees:

o Academic, special and other libraries:

 Jolanta Peters, to serve to 2024

o Public libraries:

 Emma Wellard, to serve to 2022

 Frances Tout, to serve to 2023

o Non sector specific (independent):

 Helen Chaloner, to serve to 2024

 Michael Hosking, to serve to 2022

Coordinator: Heather Norman-Soderlind is an ex-officio member of the Board of Trustees, but is not a Trustee.

Signed on behalf of the Trustees

Chair of Trustees

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South Western Regional Library Services CIO Annual Report for year ended 31 March 2022

7. Trustees’ Responsibilities in Relation to the Financial Statements

The charity Trustees are responsible for preparing a Trustees’ Annual Report and Financial Statements 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 charity Trustees to prepare financial statements for each year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources of the charity for that period. In preparing the financial statements 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 to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with Charities Act 2011, the applicable Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations and the provisions of the Constitution. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

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South Western Regional Library Services CIO Annual Report for year ended 31 March 2022

8. Financial Statements

Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA)

Unrestricted Funds Restricted Total 2022 Total 2021
Funds
Note £ £ £ £
Income
Income from charitable activities:
Full member subscriptions 18,375 - 18,375 38,608
Course Fees 1,550 - 1,550 2,980
Libraries Change Lives - - - -
Inspiring Leadership Programme - - - -
Performing Arts Seminar - - - -
Bank deposit income 54 - 54 58
Compensation 150 - 150 -
__ __ __ __
Total Income 20,129 - 20,129 41,646
__ __ __ __
Expenditure
Expenditure on charitable activities:
Director’s costs
-
- - 15,098
Co-Ordinator Support Post 9,240 - 9,240 -
Travelling and subsistence - - - 54
Training and Development 6,581 - 6,581 -
Training and conference fees - - - 2,794
Conference & Meeting Fees (AGM & 16 - 16 -
Members Day)
Website / internet 326 - 326 1,078
Metadatis Portal 1,800 - 1,800 -
Printing, postage, and stationery - - - 5
Subscription Payments (143) - (143) -
Sundry expenses / Interest charges - - - 252
Insurance 257 - 257 257
Academic Book Return Scheme - - - 1,279
Grant / Award Payment 2,200 - 2,200 -
Support and governance costs:
Office support services 6,480 - 6,480 4,907
Legal and professional fees - - 1,500
Independent Examiner’s report 34 - 34 1,158
__ __ __ __
Total Expenditure 26,791 - 26,791 28,382
__ __ __ __
Net income/ (expenditure) and net (6,662) - (6,662) 13,264
movement in funds
Reconciliation of Funds
Total funds brought forward 119,630 - 119,630 106,366
__ __ __ __
Total funds carried forward 112,968 112,968 119,630
══════ ══════ ══════ ══════

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South Western Regional Library Services CIO Annual Report for year ended 31 March 2022

2022 2021
Note £ £ £
Current assets
Debtors 2 704 2,040
Cash at bank and in hand
Bank Deposit Accounts 69,878 69,849
Bank Current Account 52,536 58,746
__ __
123,118 130,635
__ __
Creditors falling due within one
year
Trade creditors 9,800 9,847
Accruals and deferred income - 1,158
Income in advance 350 -
__ __
10,150 11,005
__ __
Net current assets 112,968 119,630
__ __
Net assets 112,968 119,630
══════ ══════
The funds of the charity:
General fund 3 112,968 119,630
__ __
Total unrestricted funds 112,968 119,630
__ __
Restricted funds 3 - -
__ __
Total charity funds 112,968 119,630
══════ ══════

Approved by the Board of Trustees on 25 November 2022, and signed on its behalf by

J Chelin

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South Western Regional Library Services CIO Annual Report for year ended 31 March 2022

Notes forming part of the financial statements

1.) Accounting Policies

a) Scope and Basis of the Financial Statements

The financial statements 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 Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) – (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).

The financial statements have been prepared to give a 'true and fair' view and have departed from the Charities (Accounts and Reports) regulations 2008 only to the extent required to provide a 'true and fair view'. This departure has involved following Accounting and Reporting by Charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS102) rather than the Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice effective from 1 April 2005 which has been withdrawn.

South Western Regional Library Service CIO meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the accounting policy note.

South West Regional Library Service CIO was incorporated on 21 December 2017. The assets and liabilities of the previous charity (registered number 284072) were transferred to the CIO on the 1 April 2018.

The Trustees have considered the impact of COVID-19 and are not aware of any material uncertainties that would cast doubt on the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern. The financial statements have therefore been prepared on a going concern basis.

The functional currency of the charity is considered to be pounds sterling because it is the primary economic environment in which the Charity operates.

b) Income recognition

All income is recognised once the charity has entitlement to the income, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount of income can be measured reliably.

Membership subscriptions and grants receivable are credited to the Statement of Financial Activities (SOFA) in the year to which they relate.

Deposit interest is recognised in the accounts when receivable.

Other income represents the amount invoiced by the charity for the services provided.

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Notes forming part of the financial statements (continued)

c) Resources expended and allocation of costs

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

All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis. Grants payable are payments made third parties in the furtherance of SWRLS’ charitable objects.

Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in order to meet its charitable activities. Governance costs include those costs associated with meeting the constitutional and statutory requirements of the charity.

d) Irrecoverable VAT

Irrecoverable VAT is charged against the expenditure heading for which it was incurred.

e) Taxation

The charity is exempt from income and capital gains taxes under the provisions of sections 521 to 536 of the Income Tax Act 2007 and section 256 TCGA 1992 respectively.

f)

Financial instruments

The charity only has financial assets and liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. The charity currently holds – trade debtors, trade creditors and cash at bank.

2.) Debtors

2022 2021
£ £
Trade debtors 704 2,040
_
_____
704 2,040
════
════

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South Western Regional Library Services CIO Annual Report for year ended 31 March 2022

Notes forming part of the financial statements (continued)

3.) Fund Balances

General Restricted Total
Fund Fund
£ £ £
At 1 April 2021 119,630 - 119,630
Income 20,129 - 20,129
Expenditure (26,791) - (26,791)
Net transfers between funds - - -
____ ____ ____
At 31 March 2022 112,968 - 112,968
══════ ══════ ══════

2021 Comparative Fund Balances

General Restricted Total
Fund Fund
£ £ £
At 1 April 2020 106,366 - 106,366
Income 41,646 - 41,646
Expenditure (28,382) - (28,382)
Net transfers between funds - - -
____ ____ ____
At 31 March 2021 119,630 - 119,630
══════ ══════ ══════

4.) Analysis of net assets between funds

Unrestricted Restricted Total
Funds Funds
£ £ £
Current assets 123,118 - 123,118
Current liabilities (10,150) - (10,150)
____ ____ ____
Total net assets 112,968 - 112,968
══════ ══════ ══════

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Notes forming part of the financial statements (continued)

4.) Analysis of net assets between funds

2021 Comparative

021 Comparative
Unrestricted Restricted Total
Funds Funds
£ £ £
Current assets 130,635 - 130,635
Current liabilities (11,005) - (11,005)
____ ____ ____
Total net assets 119,630 - 119,630
══════ ══════ ══════

5.) Trustee expenses

2022 2021
£ £
Chairman - -
Other trustees 257 256
____ ____
257 256
══════ ══════

No remuneration was paid to trustees, or persons connected to trustees, in the period.

There were no related party transactions in the period.

6.) Consultancy

7.) Staff costs and remuneration

The charity has no employees.

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