## **THE THOMAS POOLE LIBRARY, NETHER STOWEY** ## REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES 1 October 2022 to 30 September 2023 ## **Reference and Administrative Information** ## **Registered charity name** The Thomas Poole Library Nether Stowey **Charity registration** 1181213 **Constitution** Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), Association model. Established by constitution dated 21[st] October 2018, amended 15[th ] December 2018. Approved by the Charity Commission and registered on 17[th] December 2018 **Operational address** The Thomas Poole Library Nether Stowey Castle Street Nether Stowey Bridgwater Somerset TA5 1LN **Trustees** Susan Aubrey Catherine Christie Norma Frood Eliza Sackett Roger Stacey **Bankers** Co-operative Bank 1, Balloon Street Manchester M60 4EP ## **Structure, Governance and Management** The charity is administered by a Management Committee consisting of the Trustees above and the following officers: |Roger Stacey|Chairman| |---|---| |Eliza Sackett|Secretary| |Eric Coates|Treasurer| |Norma Frood|Funding; Membership Secretary| |Catherine Christie|Oversight, including budgeting, forward planning,| |compliance|| |Jo Davison|Health and Safety Oficer (co-opted)| |Lynn Scales|Volunteers leader (co-opted)| Page | 1 ## Bill Streeter Sian Stafford Events and Publicity Manager. Employed by SC/TPLNS Kevin Ferriday Parish Council representative **Objects** 1. For the public benefit, the provision of a library in Nether Stowey, Somerset and a library service for the village and surrounding parishes. 2. For the residents of Nether Stowey and the surrounding area, to promote the library for recreation and/or other leisure-time occupation of people who need these facilities because of their youth, age, infirmity or disablement, financial hardship, or social and economic circumstances; and for the public at large in the interests of the community, and with the object of improving the condition of life of the residents. 3. To advance the education of the public in the history and heritage of the area, particularly in the lives of Samuel Taylor Coleridge and the local benefactor Thomas Poole, and in the local environment. ## **Public Benefit** In planning activities for the period covered by this Report the Trustees kept in mind the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit. ## **Library Performance** TPLNS is one of only two public libraries in Somerset to be entirely managed and run by volunteers. Opening hours: 18 hours per week (up from 14 hours last year). Volunteer hours: volunteers gave a total of 2548 hours of their time, both within the library and elsewhere (up from 1659 hours last year). Community Library Partnership meetings: two have been held with Somerset Library Service representatives to review performance, and TPLNS has received quarterly performance statistics. Meetings: five meetings of the Trustees were held, five of the Management Committee, and four of the Volunteers. In order to increase book borrowing, this year a major programme of stock reduction and stock refreshment has begun, along with themed displays to tempt readers. To make the library more attractive and convenient for readers, the non-fiction room has been re-configured and the fiction shelves have been re-arranged. ## **Activities** Evening Talks **:** nine were given. Page | 2 Groups regularly using the Library **:** Reading Group, Patient Participation Group. Regular weekly/monthly/annual activities **:** Children’s activities, including weekly Storytime for toddlers, weekly Story Reading to a class from the village school, and reading and craft activities for children in the holidays, including the summer Reading Challenge Knit and Natter Chess Club Book sales – held regularly, plus a book table in the library and book stalls at village events Thrive Tribe – free NHS health checks Diversity Voice – organisation for refugees Women’s Walk – help with planning and catering, plus storage of archive and banner Participation in village events, including the Walking Festival and Somerset Activity and Sports Partnership walks Breathing techniques sessions Visits from Jason Wyatt, Stowey’s PCSO Ancestry research facilities available Displays, including natural history, local history, arts and crafts, children’s art Annual plant sale A defibrillator has been kindly donated to the library. Regular training sessions on its use are held ## **Other events** Book launch with local author Ian Pearson. Unveiling of the blue plaque at Poole House: the library hosted a celebratory lunch. A pre-tour show was given by local singer/songwriter Michael Tinker. A party was held in the library to thank the volunteers for their invaluable work. Poole Day: tea at Poole House and a talk on tanning in the library. A talk was given on archaeology in the Quantocks by Dan Broadbent, archaeologist for the Quantock Landscape Partnership Scheme. The library is now at the ‘recommended’ stage for listing on SW Heritage’s Local Heritage List of buildings, structures and places which have cultural significance in Somerset. It is also now on the Somerset Historic Environment Record. The Quantock Landscape Partnership Scheme has been leasing an office in the library since November 2021. TPLNS is delighted to host QLPS, who are doing so much to enhance this area. Page | 3 The Coleridge Collection is now housed in the library. This collection of old, rare, valuable and more modern scholarly books by and about Coleridge and his circle is owned by the Friends of Coleridge. TPLNS is privileged to host this collection, and very pleased that the books can be seen and used by the public. Sian Stafford has joined the Quantock Messenger editors’ group and edits the magazine every three months. Page | 4 ## **Grants and Financial Aid** We are grateful to the following organisations for their generous support: Sedgemoor District Council Waiving of remaining 20% Council Tax (discretionary relief) after 80% charity relief Somerset Council Revenue grant of £5000 for the financial year 2022-2023 HPC Community Fund Grant of £15,000 for period July 2022 to June 2023 Grant of £20,000 for period July 2023 to July 2024 ## **Major maintenance work carried out** Renewal of the flat roof covering Refurbishment of the Dutch gable and the roof lantern Non-fiction room: new blinds, moving the computers ## **Website and social media** TPLNS’s website and Facebook continue to be updated regularly. ## **Acknowledgements** The Trustees express their sincere thanks to the officers and members who make up the Management Committee, to the Events and Publicity Manager, and to the volunteers for their committed service in carrying out daily librarian duties. The work carried out by all of them ensures that The Thomas Poole Library, Nether Stowey continues its Community Library Partnership with the Somerset Library Service. ## **Signed** R.J.Stacey ## **For and on behalf of the Trustees** ## **17 October 2023** Page | 5 ## **The Thomas Poole Library Nether Stowey** Registered Charity No. 1181213 The Thomas Poole Library Nether Stowey Receipts and Payments Accounts for the Year from April 1[st] 2022 to March 31[st] 2023 / |**Incoming Resources**
Surplus from 2019-2020
Grants
Grants for Operations
National Lottery Grant
SCF Grant
Covid-related Grants
Energy Efficiency Grant
Total Grants
Revenues from Operations
Bank interest now included with 'Other'
Subs
Wednesday Talks
Book Sales
Library Takings
Hall hire (including rental for QLP)
Other
Total Revenues from Operations
**Total Income**
**Expenditure**
Services and Utilities
Maintenance
Employee
Outreach including Speakers
Miscellaneous
**Total Expenditure**
**Net (outgoing) incoming resources**||2022-2023|2021-2022| |---|---|---|---| ||Notes|£|£| ||||| ||a|£57,228.29|£40,605.02| ||||| ||b|£5,000.00|£5,068.08| |||£10,000.00|| |||£15,000.00|£25,000.00| ||c|£0.00|£10,667.00| |||£795.00|| |||£30,795.00|£40,735.08| ||||| ||||| |||£145.00|£225.00| |||£791.00|£166.00| ||d|£648.85|£336.80| |||£656.10|£539.50| |||£4,840.00|£200.00| |||£1,001.34|£4,659.54| |||£8,082.29|| |||**£96,105.58**|**£87,666.94**| ||||| ||||| |||£3,312.72|£2,960.19| |||£15,235.95|£5,589.94| ||e|£29,283.93|£19,902.02| ||f|£588.33|£620.95| |||£1,796.11|£1,165.95| ||||| |||**£50,217.04**|**£30,238.65**| ||||| |||**£45,888.54**|**£57,228.29**| The Thomas Poole Library Nether Stowey Statement of assets and liabilities as at March 31[st] 2023 |**Funds**|Notes|2022-2023|2021-2022| |---|---|---|---| |**Co-operative Bank**|||| |Thomas Poole Library
Nether Stowey
_Community Directplus_
_Account_||£2,940.15|£1,240.73| |TPL SCF Grant
_Instant access savings_
_account_||£42,948.30|£55,987.56| |**Total Bank**||**£45,888.45**|**£57,228.29**| |Total Cash funds||£20.13|£20.13| |**Total Funds**||**£45,908.58**|**£57,248.42**| ## **Assets (note g)** |**Assets (note g)**|| |---|---| |
Item|| |Dishwasher|£145.07| |Henryvacuum cleaner|£77.99| |Displaystands|£47.50| |Copier|£41.48| |Bookstands|£47.82| |Book Rack|£79.69| |Copier|£197.99| |Gazebo|£175.98| |Shelving|£1,385.04| |Book Stands|£158.85| ||| |**Total**|**£2,357.41**| ## **Notes to the Accounts** a Surplus from previous FY, including unused portion of grant from Somerset Community Chest b Consists of annual grant from Somerset County Council Library Services, annual grant from local Parish Council if any. c Grants under Government schemes to alleviate Covid losses d Income from selling donated second-hand books. e Employee salary (paid via SCF fund) plus direct employee expenses f Costs of public-facing and public relations activities (e.g. the Website, information panels), funded via SCF grant g Items on the Asset Register, depreciated at an arbitrary 10% p.a. Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of the Thomas Poole Library Nether Stowey I report on the accounts of the Thomas Poole Library Nether Stowey for the year April 1st 2022 to March 31 St 2023 which are set out in the pages (following) Respective responsibilities of trustees and reporting examiner The Charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts, The Charity's trustees consider that the audit requirement of section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities act) does not apply and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to: examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities ACL to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission (under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Charities ACL 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 Commissioners. 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 the 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 examinatio￿ no matter has come to my attention: which gives me reasonable cause to believe thaL in any material respect, the requirements: 11 to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act. and to prepare accounts which accord with those record s and to comply with the accounting records of the Act have not been met. or to whiclL in my opinioffj attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Independent Examiner Signed Date 51 D a3