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2022-03-31-accounts

THE SOMERTON LIBRARY TRUST Registered Charity No: 1181508

ANNUAL REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

YEAR ENDING 31 MARCH 2022

Contents Page
The Trust and Trustees 2
Trustees' Report 3
Accounts for the Year Ended 31 March 2022 6
Breakdown of Accounts 7
Independent Examiner’s Report on the Accounts 8

THE SOMERTON LIBRARY TRUST

Trust information

Charity number 1181508

Trust’s correspondence address:

c/o Jeremy Greenop Little Barns The Triangle Somerton Somerset TA11 6ND

Library address:

Somerton Library Cox’s Yard West Street Somerton Somerset TA11 7PR

Charity Trustees:

Trustee name Office Dates as Trustee if
not for whole year
Jeremy Greenop First charity Trustee and Chair and
Communications and PR		 Throughout
Martyn Smith First charity Trustee, Treasurer. Throughout
Robert Cherry Facilities Manager Throughout
Sheila Taylor Somerton Town Council nominated
representative and Health & Safety		 Throughout
Susan Partington Community Engagement Throughout
Ray Thompson Fund raising From
17 May 2021

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THE SOMERTON LIBRARY TRUST THE TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT

For the year ended 31 March 2022

The Trust

The Trust’s Constitution as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) with a Foundation Structure was approved and registered by the Charity Commission on 10 January 2019. The Trust’s Object is:

The advancement of education for the public benefit by supporting the operation and maintenance of a public library in Somerton for the benefit of local residents.

The Trust entered into a Service-Level Agreement [ the Agreement ] with Somerset County Council (SCC) to establish a Community Library Partnership (CLP). The ‘Commencement Date’ for the terms of the Agreement was 1 April 2019 and the ‘Expiry Date’ is 7 years from the Commencement Date. Somerton Town Council (STC) leases the library building at a peppercorn rent to the Trust, with an initial term of no more than 7 years from 31 March 2019. STC owns the library building and is responsibility for its maintenance. The Trust assumed responsibility for running Somerton Library within the terms of the CLP on 1 April 2019.

Trust Management

The Trust is managed in accordance with the Constitution endorsed by the Charity Commission.

Meetings were held when required and possible but the constraints of the Covid pandemic meant that much business was carried out by e-mail. In the reporting year the Trust has held 3 routine meetings. The 2020/2021 Annual General Meeting was held on 17 May 2021. Minutes are produced for all meetings and retained with key Trust documents to which all Trustees have access.

On 25 May 2021, the Charity Commission acknowledged receipt of the Annual Return 2020/2021, the Trustees’ Annual Report and Accounts. The Report was publicised locally and copies submitted to SCC and STC.

The Trustees’ Annual Report and Accounts document for 2021/2022 (this report) was circulated by e-mail and approved by the Trustees at the Annual General Meeting on 26 April 2022.

Details of incumbent Trustees are on page 2. Ray Thompson was inducted as a Trustee with specific responsibility for fund raising on 17 May 2021.

A programme of continuous improvement and self-appraisal that was introduced in January 2021 was repeated in January 2022. The process will be repeated every 2 years.

Because of the pandemic, Partnership review meeting (whose purpose is to evaluate the delivery of output and key performance indicators in accordance with the criteria of the Agreement) were deferred until valid data had been gathered for discussion. A Partnership review meeting was held 12 April 2022.

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Trust Priorities

Acknowledging the constraints of operating in a Covid-19 environment, priorities for 2021/2022 were to:

There has been substantial success in the achievement of most of these goals. Those that require further work will be pursued in 2022/23. Options for incorporating more efficient and eco-friendly ways of heating the library were investigated. Beyond improving insulation in the loft no practical solutions were identified. The Trust is still searching for a trustee to manage ‘Communications and PR’. Priorities for 2022/2023 are on page 5.

Covid-19

From 1 March 2021 the library was providing a ‘click-and-collect’ service. As the Government restrictions were eased, access for limited browsing (maximum of 4 users) was introduced on 12 April and from 19 July near-normal operations were reintroduced and, where practical, community activities reinstated.

Volunteers

The volunteer programme is managed by 2 coordinators, one of whom is the Clerk to the Trust.

Volunteers continued to work with the librarian when the library was open to the public. Due to a prolonged period of reduced operations (in which volunteers’ proficiency declined) a refresher training programme was introduced.

Health & Safety (H&S)

H&S responsibilities are apportioned between SCC and the Trust. The division of responsibility for observance and implementation of the Policy is defined in the Agreement. The Trust is responsible for the H&S Policy as it applies to the building and operations within the building outside staffed opening hours, while SCC is responsible for the implementation of both policies during staffed opening hours.

A Covid-19-related risk assessment was developed by the Trust to augment the main risk assessment. This was updated as required to meet the requirements of changing Government policy and SCC proposals.

Librarians and volunteers receive induction training in accordance with the H&S Policy and changes in the risk assessment.

Facilities Management

The Trust is responsible for managing the facilities and utilities within the library building that is owned by STC. SCC maintain the library IT systems and associated infrastructure.

During the year STC installed solar panels on the roof, funded by STC and the Market Towns Investment Group.

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Electronic display boards were purchased and installed – one by the main library door and one inside the library. The purchase was share-funded by: the Trust; the Market Towns Investment Group; the Co-op (through their community fund grant); and the Somerton Historic Building Preservation Trust.

Insurance

The Trust is insured with Zurich for: Public Liability; Employer’s Liability; Hirer’s Liability; and Contents.

Finance

The Trust banks with the Unity Trust Bank and has no investments. The Trust receives £8,000 each year from SCC: a payment called the ‘Annual Sum’ as set out in the Agreement. STC has budgeted funds through to 2025/26 to support the Trust in the delivery of a community library. In addition, there is income from rentals and fines, as well as donations from local parishes and various benefactors.

Expenditure is primarily to SCC for provision of full time library staff. Other budgeted expenditure is for: utilities; maintenance; and various administrative requirements.

Following the Covid-19-related business support payments of £39,143 in 2020/2021 the Trust elected not to seek in-year grants from STC for 2021/2022.

Future Plans

Priorities for 2022/2023 are to:

Appreciation

Thanks are due to STC, the Trustees, generous donors and, above all, to the volunteers, without whom the library could not operate.

Jeremy Greenop Chairman of Trustees

28 April 2022

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THE SOMERTON LIBRARY TRUST

ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2022

APPROVAL OF THE ACCOUNTS

The attached accounts (below) are approved on behalf of the Trustees.

Jeremy Greenop Chairman of Trustees 19 April 2022

THE SOMERTON LIBRARY TRUST

ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31 MARCH 2022

ACCOUNT DETAILS:

Balance on 1 April 2021: £47,354 Total receipts to 31 March 2022: £24,182 Total income on 31 March 2022: £71,536 Total payments to 31 March 2022: £32,269 Balance on 1 April 2021: £39,268

Martyn Smith Treasurer of the Somerton Library Trust

11 April 2021

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THE SOMERTON LIBRARY TRUST

ACCOUNTS FOR YEAR ENDING 31 MARCH 2021

BREAKDOWN OF ACCOUNTS

31 March 2021 31 March 2022
RECEIPTS
£39,825 Grants £5,967
£425 LibraryIncome £1,888
£1,987 VAT repayments £1,733
£8,400 Lettings & Service provision £11,792
£2,349 Donations £2,802
£52,986 TOTAL £24,182
PAYMENTS
£16,166 Wages to SCC £19,173
£3,050 Gas,Electricity,Water £1,461
£1,488 Maintenance £4,059
£2,941 Administration £7,576
£23,645 TOTAL £32,269
£29,341 Netforyear -£8,086
£18,030 Balance brought forward £47,354
£47,354 Balance carried forward £39,268

Martyn Smith Treasurer of the Somerton Library Trust

15 April 2022

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INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT ON THE ACCOUNTS

The Somerton Library Trust

Accounts set out on pages 6 and 7

Responsibilities and basis of report

I report to the Trustees on my examination of the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2022.

I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under s145 of the Charities Act 2011 [the Act] and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under s145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent examiner's statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

V A Medley

7 Behind Berry Somerton TA11 7PD

25 April 2022

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