THE SOMERTON LIBRARY TRUST Registered Charity No: 1181508
ANNUAL REPORT & FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
YEAR ENDING 31 MARCH 2024
| Contents | Page |
|---|---|
| The Trust and Trustees | 2 |
| Trustees' Report | 3 |
| Accounts for the Year Ended 31 March 2024 | 7 |
| Breakdown of Accounts | 8 |
| Independent Examiner’s Report on the Accounts | 9 |
THE SOMERTON LIBRARY TRUST
Trust information
Charity number 1181508
Trust’s correspondence address:
Little Barns The Triangle Somerton Somerset TA11 6ND
Library address:
Somerton Library Cox’s Yard West Street Somerton TA11 7PR
Charity Trustees:
| Trustee name | Office | Dates as Trustee if not for whole year |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremy Greenop | First charity Trustee, Chair, Communications and PR and Fundraising |
Throughout |
| Martyn Smith | First charity Trustee, Treasurer. | Throughout |
| Robert Cherry | Facilities Manager | Throughout |
| Susan Partington | Community Engagement | Throughout |
| Alexandra Stannett | Health & Safety | From 8 August 2023 |
| Peter Richardson | Town Council Nominated Trustee | 22 May to 29 October 2023 |
| Sheila Taylor | Health & Safety | To 31 July 2023 |
| Ray Thompson | Fundraising | To 31 May 2023 |
2
THE SOMERTON LIBRARY TRUST THE TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT
For the year ended 31 March 2024
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 – now Somerset Council; hereafter referred to as ‘ SC ’) 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 to the Trust at a peppercorn rent, with an initial term of no more than 7 years from 31 March 2019. STC owns the library building and is responsible for its maintenance. The Trust assumed responsibility for running Somerton Library as a CLP on 1 April 2019.
Successful delivery of the Trust’s Object is dependent on commitment to the ‘Partnership’ by SC, STC and the Trust.
Trust Management
The Trust is managed in accordance with the Constitution endorsed by the Charity Commission.
Meetings are held when required. In the reporting year the Trust has held 2 routine meetings. The 2022/2023 Annual General Meeting was held on 3 July 2023. Minutes are produced for all meetings and retained with key Trust documents to which all Trustees have access.
On 21 October 2023, the Charity Commission acknowledged receipt of the Annual Return for 2022/2023 and the Trustees’ Annual Report and Accounts. The Report was publicised locally and copies submitted to SC and STC.
The Trustees’ Annual Report and Accounts document for 2023/2024 (this report) was circulated by e-mail. It was endorsed by the Trustees and subsequently approved by the Members at the Annual General Meeting on 2 May 2024.
Details of serving Trustees are on page 2. The Trust has been without a Town Council nominated Trustee for almost 7 months of the reporting period.
A programme of continuous improvement and self-appraisal, that was introduced in January 2021 and repeated in January 2022, has been deferred for a further year while the purpose and benefit of the process is reviewed.
The Trust and the Somerset Library Service ( SLS ) hold regular CLP review meetings to assess the effective delivery of library services and interaction with the community. This year SLS has noted the expanding range of community activities offered by Somerton Community Library and noted that statistical data gathered by SLS marks the Library as one of the highest achieving libraries within the Community Library Partnerships in Somerset.
3
Trust Priorities and EOY Review
Priorities for 2023/2024 were to:
-
❖ Establish effective lines of communication with STC;
-
Lines of communication are tenuous. STC’s nominated trustee resigned
-
after 7 months in post. In that time there was minimal interaction. A replacement has not been nominated. STC does not always acknowledged or responded to communications from the Trust.
-
❖ Work with STC to institute more efficient and eco-friendly systems for temperature control in the library;
-
✓ A National Grid grant funded the installation of additional loft insulation that was completed in January 2024.
✓ A Somerton Community Association grant will fund the installation of fans that will take place in early April 2024.
-
❖ Recruit Trustees to undertake the roles of: ‘Communications and PR’ and ‘Fundraising’;
-
Despite extensive advertising and personal contacts there have been no
-
offers to fill the posts.
-
❖ Develop a formal fundraising strategy and programme to meet budgetary targets;
-
Assistance is being offered by a supporter (who has, thus far, declined to
-
accept an invitation to join the Trust) and a survey initiated to engage local businesses. The responses to the survey will be reviewed in 2024.
-
❖ Maintain an enthusiastic volunteer base - recruiting additional volunteers if necessary - and continue a rolling training programme;
-
✓ Offers to join the volunteers exceeds the number of volunteers required. An effective training programme is maintained.
-
❖ Review and update the programme of work and enhancements to the building.
-
✓ All current projects are in hand and funding is available. In the longer term, the Trust has to work with STC to plan the redecoration of the inside of the building.
As indicated above (✓) there has been substantial success in the achievement of many of the 2023/2024 goals. Those that require further work () will be pursued in 2024/25.
Priorities for 2024/2025 are on page 6.
Volunteers
The volunteer policy document is being drafted.
The volunteer programme is managed by 2 coordinators, one of whom is the Clerk to the Trust.
A programme for volunteer refresher training was agreed with SLS and is in place: all volunteers undergo inhouse training once a year. Customer Service volunteers will undertake a programme of training for the new Library Management System due to ‘go live’ on 30 May 2024.
4
Health & Safety (H&S)
H&S responsibilities are apportioned between SLS and the Trust for which there are separate policies. The division of responsibility for observance and implementation of the policies is defined in the Agreement. The Trust is responsible for the H&S policy as it applies to the building and for activities outside staffed opening hours, while SLS is responsible for the implementation of both policies during staffed opening hours.
The Trust’s Health & Safety Policy was reviewed, updated and endorsed in October 2023. The Trust’s Risk Assessment was updated on 22 February 2024.
Librarians and volunteers receive induction training in accordance with the H&S Policy and changes in the risk assessment.
A Fire Risk Assessment was conducted in January. STC have still to manage the implementation of 2 measures. The remainder of the recommended measures and improvements have been implemented within the recommended timeframe.
Facilities Management
STC own the library building. As the Trust’s landlord, they are responsible for the security and maintenance of the building in accordance with the tenancy agreement. The Trust has proposed the development of a memorandum of understanding to which STC will respond later in 2024. The Trust is responsible for managing the facilities and utilities within the library building. SLS maintain the library IT systems and associated infrastructure.
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 SC: a payment called the ‘Annual Sum’ as set out in the Agreement. In addition, there is income from rentals and fines, as well as donations from local parishes and various benefactors.
Expenditure is primarily to SC for provision of full-time library staff. Other budgeted expenditure is for: utilities; maintenance; and various administrative outgoings.
On 1[st] April 2023 the balance was just under £29,000.
INCOME
Received £9,600 from SCC (£8,000 +VAT) as per the Agreement. Income from fines and loans was £2,500. The Trust:
Received a further £2,600 from the Co-Op Communities Fund.
Reclaimed just over £2,800 of VAT (the Trust pays more than it charges and reclaims the difference).
Received a grant of £8,100 from National Grid for insulation work.
Received an anonymous donation to purchase a larger monitor for the workroom. Approached STC to establish a commitment to provide annual funding; this has been a very protracted exercise.
Total income was almost £30,000.
5
EXPENDITURE
Once again SC made a large backdated pay award. The total wage bill was £23,500 of which £1,300 was to the cleaner.
The Trust has spent over £3,100 on utilities. Improved insulation and LED lighting should reduce consumption.
Apart from £8,100 spent on insulation, maintenance cost just over £1,000.
Total expenditure amounted to £43,000.
The year closed with a balance of £15,500.
There is concern that STC has not been putting aside funds for the future protection of the library, nor contributing the £3,000 “matched funding” agreed in 2018.
STC was informed that without further support the Trust will run out of money in 2024. STC agreed to ring fence around six months’ worth of the Trusts expenditure as a fall back contingency. For the coming financial year STC has committed £18,000; to access this the Trust has had to go through the procedure of making a formal grant request. The first half of the payment (£9,000) is due in mid April.
Future Plans
Priorities for 2024/2025 are to:
-
❖ Develop more effective lines of communication with STC;
-
❖ Work with STC to agree a memorandum of understanding for the security and maintenance of the Library premises;
-
❖ Recruit Trustees to undertake the roles of: ‘Communications and PR’ and ‘Fundraising’;
-
❖ Based on the findings of a survey for Somerton businesses, develop a plan to strengthen ties with local businesses;
-
❖ Maintain an enthusiastic volunteer base and continue a rolling training programme;
-
❖ Review and update the programme of work and enhancements to the building with particular focus on redecoration of the interior.
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 Chair of Trustees
8 April 2024
6
THE SOMERTON LIBRARY TRUST
ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024
APPROVAL OF THE ACCOUNTS
The attached accounts (below) are approved on behalf of the Trustees.
Jeremy Greenop Chair of Trustees 8 April 2024
THE SOMERTON LIBRARY TRUST
ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31 MARCH 2024
ACCOUNT DETAILS:
Balance on 1 April 2023: £28,825 Total receipts to 31 March 2024: £29,796 Total 31 March 2024: £58,621 Total payments to 31 March 2024: £43,085 Balance on 31 March 2024: £15,536
Martyn Smith Treasurer of the Somerton Library Trust
03 April 2024
7
THE SOMERTON LIBRARY TRUST
ACCOUNTS FOR YEAR ENDING 31 MARCH 2024
BREAKDOWN OF ACCOUNTS
| 31 March 2023 | 31 March 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| RECEIPTS | ||
| £2,426 | Grants | £2,892 |
| £2,403 | LibraryIncome | £2,495 |
| £3,541 | VAT repayments | £2,824 |
| £9,984 | Lettings & Service provision | £11,645 |
| £1,939 | Donations | £9,939 |
| £20,292 | TOTAL | £29,796 |
| PAYMENTS | ||
| £24,673 | Wages SCC/Cleaner | £27,939 |
| £2,392 | Gas,Electricity,Water | £3,114 |
| £1,152 | Maintenance | £9,108 |
| £2,517 | Administration | £2,924 |
| £30,735 | TOTAL | £43,085 |
| -£10,443 | Netforyear | -£13,289 |
| £39,268 | Balance brought forward | £28,825 |
| £28,825 | Balance carried forward | £15,536 |
Martyn Smith Treasurer Somerton Library Trust
03 April 2024
8
INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT ON THE ACCOUNTS 2023-2024
The Somerton Library Trust
Accounts are set out on pages 7 and 8
Responsibilities and basis of report
I report to the Trustees on my examination of the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2024.
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 give me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
-
accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act; or
-
the accounts do not accord with the accounting records.
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.
Mary Palmer The Old Shoemaker’s Sutton Road SOMERTON
4 April 2024
9