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2025-12-31-accounts

ST MICHAEL WITH ST AUGUSTINE BECKENHAM

within the United Benefice of St James with St Michael and St Augustine Beckenham

Trustees’ Report and Financial Statements

for the year ended 31[st ] December 2025

CONTENTS:

Administrative information page 1
Report of the Trustees pages 1-4
Statement of PCC Members’ responsibilities page 4
Independent Examiner’s report page 5
Receipts and payments account page 6
Statement of Assets and Liabilities page 7
Notes to the Financial Statements pages 8-9

PARISH OF ST MICHAEL WITH ST AUGUSTINE, BECKENHAM

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Registered Charity Number: 1179081

Address and Contact Details :

St Michael’s Church Ravenscroft Road Beckenham Kent BR3 4TN Tel: 07838146467 Email: office.stmichaelbeckenham@gmail.com

Vicar:

Fr Russell Stagg

Bank:

HSBC Bank plc

Independent Examiner:

Mr Tim Birse MA FIA 8 Keswick Road, Orpington, Kent BR6 0EU

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES

Aims and Purposes

The Parochial Church Council (PCC) of St Michael with St Augustine Beckenham has the responsibility to promote within the ecclesiastical parish, the whole mission of the Church – pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. The Parish is affiliated to The Society under the Patronage of St Wilfrid and St Hilda.

Structure, Governance and Management

The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of St Michael with St Augustine, Beckenham is a Registered Charity, number 1179081. All members of the PCC are Charity Trustees. The PCC is a corporate body established by the Church of England and operates under the Parochial Church Council Powers Measure. The method of appointment of PCC members is set out in the Church Representation Rules.

PCC members who served during 2025 and up to the adoption of this report:

Ex Officio members:

Fr Russell Stagg Churchwarden: Matthieu Philippault Lay Deanery Synod Representative: vacant

Elected members of the PCC:

Carol Edwards, Roger Edwards, Hayley Philippault, Eileen Ironside

PCC members are responsible for making decisions on all matters of general concern and importance to the parish including deciding on how the funds of the PCC are to be spent.

Page 1

The PCC has complied with the duty under section 5 of the Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure 2016 (duty to have due regard to House of Bishops' guidance on safeguarding children and vulnerable adults). The Child Protection Policy was adopted by the PCC in accordance with the procedures as set by the Church of England and the Diocese of Rochester. The PCC met in person 6 times throughout 2025.

Electoral Roll

In 2025 the Electoral Roll was amended as required by the Church of England. There were 25 names on the updated Electoral Roll.

United Benefice

The Parish of St Michael and St Augustine is part of the United Benefice of St James with St Michael and St Augustine, Beckenham. The patrons of the united benefice are the Bishop of Rochester and the Society for the Maintenance of the Faith. Mass was offered at St Michael’s on Sunday at 11am, , Wednesday at 10am and Friday at 7pm

Objectives and Activities

The PCC is committed to promoting public worship for all, and in particular to all residents of the ecclesiastical parish and to enabling all who wish to worship at St Michael's and become part of the life of the church to do so. To this end, all services are public, and we also seek to be open to all comers in relation to our community and social events.

When planning activities and responding to requests for use of the premises, the PCC takes account of the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit in relation to charities for the advancement of religion, and we make provision for the availability of pastoral care to all residents of the parish, and any others who come in need of it, as well as our social, missionary, and outreach work. Responding to pastoral needs of both regular congregation and parishioners is regarded as an important part of the work of the PCC and priest.

Achievements and Performance

The sacraments of Matrimony, Baptism and Confirmation, and the Funeral Rites are available to all who are resident in the parish or on the church electoral roll, subject to the provision of the Canon Law of the Church of England. During 2025, 2 funeral services were held in church, 3 banns of marriage were called, 3 baptisms and 3 confirmations were conducted and one wedding. The average Sunday attendance at St Michael’s in 2025 was 14 adults.

The year began with a significant moment in February, when members of the parish were delighted to be present at the episcopal ordination of Luke Irvine-Capel as Bishop of Richborough at Canterbury Cathedral. It was a privilege for us to witness this important occasion in the life of the wider Church and of our own episcopal family.

Throughout the year we continued to maintain a regular rhythm of worship and fellowship within our parish. Our weekly Sunday Mass at 11.00am has remained central to our common life, supported by a small but committed congregation. We have also continued to offer a Wednesday Weekday Mass, followed by coffee and conversation, which provides a valued time of fellowship. A Friday evening Mass has likewise been maintained, offering an additional opportunity for prayer and reflection.

Page 2

During Holy Week the whole benefice came together at St Michael’s to celebrate the Triduum. It was heartening to see members of both churches worshipping together through these most sacred days of the Christian calendar. In August, the benefice gathered again for a summer barbecue at the Vicarage. This was well attended and greatly enjoyed, further strengthening our sense of shared life.

In September we were honoured to welcome Bishop Luke to St Michael’s for the first time as our new Bishop, as he presided at the celebration of St Michael’s Day. It was a particular joy to present three confirmation candidates from across the benefice. We were also pleased to be joined by members of the wider Richborough family, including two confirmation candidates from St John’s, Higham. This was a truly uplifting occasion for all who attended.

Engaging with local schools continues to be an important part of our mission and community life. Stewart Fleming School made two curriculum-based visits: Year 4 in March to explore Christian festivals, and Year 2 in September to learn about church buildings. Churchfield School’s Year 3 visited in May as part of their RE studies. In December, we once again welcomed classes, staff, and parents/carers from both schools for their Christmas nativity plays and concerts. All money raised at these events was donated to the Bromley Living Well Foodbank, supporting those most in need within our wider community.

Our Christmas services were especially encouraging this year. We offered a full programme including Café Carols, a Crib and Christingle Service, Midnight Mass, and our Christmas Morning service. Attendance at all these services increased significantly from the previous year, with several of them seeing numbers at least double. This was a heartening sign of renewed engagement and growth.

Throughout the year the church continued to be used regularly by a number of community groups who hire our space and provide an important and stable source of income. These included studio and recording sessions, Pilates for older adults, Virtue Taekwon-Do classes for all ages, rehearsals and concerts by the South East London Orchestra, and regular organ practice. We were also pleased to welcome Mini Athletics as a new regular hirer. In keeping with our charitable purpose and mission, community-based organisations are offered concessionary rates for the use of our facilities.

Financial Report

The financial situation of the Parish remains secure. The parish’s main sources of income are dividends form the investments managed by CCLA Investment Managers Limited, rental income from the property at 121 Ravenscroft Road, and the proceeds from letting various spaces within the church premises. We paid the indicative offer to Rochester Diocese in full, recognising that our accumulated assets makes St Michael’s one of the most well-off parishes in the diocese. Overall, our cash balances declined by £12,000, due to decreased lettings income and increased expenditure. (£8500 was spent on essential repairs to the building and drawn from the Deposit account, £4100 was spent on Architect fees.) This indicates that we are able to live within our income, without drawing on accumulated assets.

Our investments are largely linked to stock markets and so go down as well as up. 2025 was a good year for markets, but our funds, run by CCLA Investment Managers Ltd, performed very poorly, declining in value by £44,500 during the year. Not only did the funds underperform markets substantially, but they also underperformed their own benchmark. The managers have explained to their clients that the root cause of this poor performance was individual stock selection rather than any strategic asset allocation. The PCC will be monitoring performance closely in 2026 and will also be considering whether it is appropriate to have all our funds with a single manager.

Page 3

Risk Management Policy

Risks to which the PCC is exposed have been reviewed and systems/procedures designed to manage those risks have been established.

The PCC now makes all payments by bank transfer as opposed to by cheque in previous years. The HSBC bank transfer system requires each payment to have a secondary authoriser in addition to being input by the Parish Administrator. All the cheque signatories can act as secondary authorisers.

Wherever possible, two people count the collection and the money is banked at the earliest opportunity, usually by the Church Administrator. Money is kept in the safe if it is required to stay on the church premises prior to banking.

There is a policy of expenditure authorisation and control, and the current financial situation is reported to the PCC at their meetings.

The annual accounts are scrutinised by an independent examiner or auditor as required.

Reserves Policy:

It is the policy of the PCC to ensure that the church retains sufficient reserves to meet future capital requirements to maintain the fabric of the church building and to adequately fund the activities and work of the church. Within this framework it is the policy to maintain unrestricted funds which equate to approximately six months’ ordinary unrestricted expenditure.

Approved by the Parochial Church Council on 12[th] April 2026 and signed on its behalf by:

Chair

STATEMENT OF PCC MEMBERS’ RESPONSIBILITIES

Charity law requires the PCC members, as Trustees, to prepare financial statements for each financial year that give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the surplus or deficit of the charity for that period. In preparing those financial statements, the PCC members are required to:

The PCC members are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which 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 the Charities Act 2011. 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.

Page 4

HONORARY INDEPENDENT EXAMINER’S REPORT TO THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF St MICHAEL WITH ST AUGUSTINE BECKENHAM

I report on the financial statements of the Parochial Church Council (the PCC) for the year ended 31 December 2025, which are set out on pages 6 to 9.

Respective responsibilities of the PCC and the Examiner

As members of the PCC and Charity Trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements. You consider that the audit requirement of section 144 (2) of the Charities Act 2011 (the Act) does not apply and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to:

Basis of this 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 PCC, and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes considering any unusual items or disclosures in the financial statements 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 financial statements present a true and fair view, and this report is limited to the matters set out in the statement below.

Independent Examiner’s Statement

In connection with my examination, no matters have come to my attention:

T J Birse MA FIA 8 Keswick Road Orpington Kent BR6 0EU 13[th] April 2026.

Page 5

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST MICHAEL WITH ST AUGUSTINE BECKENHAM

RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025

NOTE
5a
5b
5c
5d
6a
6b
6c		 UNRESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
TOTAL
TOTAL
2025
2024
£
£
£
£
RECEIPTS
Voluntary receipts
Voluntary income
5,439
0
5,439
6,411
Activities for generating funds
15,994
911
16,905
21,150
Investment Income
56,339
0
56,339
56,094
Other incoming resources
0
0
0
0
77,772
911
78,683
83,655
Proceeds of investment sales
0
0
0
0
Total receipts
77,772
911
78,683
83,655
PAYMENTS
Church activities
Costs of generating funds
0
0
0
0
Other church activities
88,793
911
89,704
84,681
Investment property expenses
1,481
0
1,481
3,069
Total payments
90,274
911
91,185
87,750
EXCESS OF RECEIPTS OVER PAYMENTS
-12,502
0
-12,502
-4,095
Transfers between Funds
0
0
0
0
NET MOVEMENT IN CASH BALANCES
-12,502
0
-12,502
-4,095
Balances at 1 January
49,939
398
50,337
54,432
CASH BALANCES AT 31 DECEMBER
37,437
398
37,835
50,337
Transfers between Funds
NET MOVEMENT IN CASH BALANCES
Balances at 1 January
CASH BALANCES AT 31 DECEMBER

The notes on pages 8 and 9 form an integral part of these financial statements.

Page 6

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST MICHAEL WITH ST AUGUSTINE BECKENHAM

STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES AT 31st DECEMBER 2025

NOTE
CASH FUNDS
Bank current account
Bank deposit account
Deposits at Rochester DBF
Total
1
INVESTED ASSETS
121 Ravesncroft Road, Beckenham
CBF Investment Fund - Income shares
LIABILITIES
NET ASSETS
REPRESENTED BY:
General Fund
Capital - Real property
Church repair fund
2
Church Hall maintenance
2
Choir fund
TOTAL		 UNRESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
TOTAL
TOTAL
2025
2024
£
£
£
£
11,873
398
12,271
18,671
19,433
0
19,433
28,073
6,131
0
6,131
3,593
37,437
398
37,835
50,337
678,663
0
678,663
678,663
987,263
82,151
1,069,414
1,113,947
1,665,926
82,151
1,748,077
1,792,610
0
0
0
0
1,703,363
82,549
1,785,912
1,842,947
1,018,569
0
1,018,569
1,074,721
678,663
0
678,663
678,663
6,131
0
6,131
3,593
0
82,151
82,151
85,572
0
398
398
398
1,703,363
82,549
1,785,912
1,842,947

The notes on pages 8 and 9 form an integral part of these financial statements. Approved by the Parochial Church Council on 12 April 2026 and signed on its behalf by

___ Chairman ______ Member

Page 7

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST MICHAEL WITH ST AUGUSTINE BECKENHAM NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Church Accounting Regulations 2006, using the receipts and payments basis, which the PCC believes is appropriate for these financial statements.

The PCC owns 121 Ravenscroft Road, Beckenham, a property adjacent to the church. This property is included in the financial statements at the cost of purchase in 2018. The PCC believes this is a fair reflection of the current open market sale value of the property, subject to the existing tenancy.

Consecrated and beneficed property is excluded from the accounts by section 96 (2) (a) of the Charities Act 1993. No value is placed on movable church furnishings which require a faculty for disposal since the PCC considers this to be inalienable property.

Other investment assets comprise holdings in the CBF Church of England Investment Fund – Income Shares. These are included in the financial statements at mid-market value at the balance sheet date.

2. RESTRICTED FUNDS

Church Hall – CBF Investment Account shares

The capital in this fund was originally donated to allow the maintenance of the church hall. Up to 50% of the funds can be drawn down to make repairs but must subsequently be repaid to the fund. The income is paid to the PCC’s general fund and may be used without restriction. As the Church Hall has been sold, the Diocese of Rochester has indicated that the fund may be used for repairs to the main church building on the same basis as previously for the Church Hall.

Choir fund

A donation of £500 was received for use by the choir. To date £102 has been used and the remaining balance is held for use of the choir in the future. The cash is held in the bank current account.

3. TRANSACTIONS WITH RELATED PARTIES

During the year the PCC paid travel and other expenses totalling £2588 to the vicar who was an exofficio member of the PCC. The PCC, together with the PCC of St James, paid the council tax and water charges and provided a business telephone line in the vicarage.

Mr Matthieu Philippault, a member of the PCC was paid £2,483 for carrying our repairs to the Church exterior brickwork. Mr Philippault was selected for this work after demonstrating specialist knowledge of the work and submitting a competitive quote to the PCC. As a trustee, Mr Philippault retired from the PCC meeting while this item was discussed.

4. AUDIT

Under the provisions of the Charities Act an audit of the accounts is not required. An Independent Examination of the accounts has been carried out, and it is expected that the Independent Examiner will request a charitable donation to be made in lieu of a fee.

Page 8

PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF ST MICHAEL WITH ST AUGUSTINE BECKENHAM

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
5
5a
5b
5c
5d
6
6a
6b
6c		 FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2025
UNRESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
TOTAL
TOTAL
2025
2024
RECEIPTS
£
£
£
£
Voluntary Income
Tax efficient planned giving
2,020
0
2,020
2,320
Income Tax recovered
1,141
0
1,141
1,709
Other planned giving
30
0
30
184
Collections
850
0
850
1,038
Donations and appeals
390
0
390
1,160
Legacy
1,008
0
1,008
0
Total
5,439
0
5,439
6,411
Activities for generating funds
Church Lettings
15,617
0
15,617
18,975
Fund Raising Events
23
911
934
1,522
Fees
354
0
354
653
Total
15,994
911
16,905
21,150
Investment income
Dividends and interest
31,553
0
31,553
30,894
Rental income
24,786
0
24,786
25,200
Total
56,339
0
56,339
56,094
Other incoming resources
Sundry income
0
0
0
0
Total
0
0
0
0
TOTAL RECEIPTS
77,772
911
78,683
83,655
PAYMENTS
Fund raising trading costs
0
0
0
0
Church Activities
Charitable giving
634
911
1,545
2,362
Diocesan contribution
37,423
0
37,423
36,220
Clergy including vicarage
4,846
0
4,846
8,405
Other clergy
0
0
0
316
Church utilities
10,002
0
10,002
9,469
Church maintenance
7,366
0
7,366
5,294
Church insurance
2,889
0
2,889
2,808
Upkeep of services
3,068
0
3,068
3427
Organist and choir
947
0
947
816
Church cleaner - staff costs
6,939
0
6,939
6,950
Parish administrator - staff costs
6,049
0
6,049
5,635
Office administration
1,288
0
1,288
1,175
Printing and stationery
2,318
0
2,318
1,124
Professional fees
4,117
0
4,117
0
Sundry expenditure
907
0
907
680
Total
88,793
911
89,704
84,681
Investment Property expenses
1,481
0
1,481
3,069
TOTAL PAYMENTS
90,274
911
91,185
87,750
RECEIPTS
Voluntary Income
Tax efficient planned giving
Income Tax recovered
Other planned giving
Collections
Donations and appeals
Legacy
Total
Activities for generating funds
Church Lettings
Fund Raising Events
Fees
Total
Investment income
Dividends and interest
Rental income
Total
Other incoming resources
Sundry income
Total
TOTAL RECEIPTS
PAYMENTS
Fund raising trading costs
Church Activities
Charitable giving
Diocesan contribution
Clergy including vicarage
Other clergy
Church utilities
Church maintenance
Church insurance
Upkeep of services
Organist and choir
Church cleaner - staff costs
Parish administrator - staff costs
Office administration
Printing and stationery
Professional fees
Sundry expenditure
Total
Investment Property expenses
TOTAL PAYMENTS

Page 9