2021-03-31-accounts - Colney Heath Village Hall

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COLNEY HEATH VILLAGE HALL

Location : 83 High Street, Colney Heath, Herts AL4 0NS

www.colneyheathvillagehall.com

DOCUMENT CONTROL Date Revision Prepared by Approved 12 May 2021 Issue for AGM John Clemow At AGM 18 May 2021

ANNUAL REPORT

For the financial accounting period April 2020 to March 2021

By a Deed of Transfer dated 31[st] March 2020 Colney Heath Village Hall, a Charitable Incorporated Organisation charity number 1182267, accepted the transfer of the hall from the original charity (number 312357) established in 1936.

Trustees

John Clemow, Pam Fox, Iris Green, Anne Jarman, Mike Redfern, Gerry Savage, Graeme Shaw, Eddie Walsh. The trustees form the management committee.

1. CHARITABLE PURPOSES

The “Objects” in our Constitution are “The provision and maintenance of a village hall for the use of the inhabitants of the Parish of Colney Heath and the surrounding neighbourhoods without distinction of political, religious or other opinions, including use for:

(a) Meetings, lectures and classes, and

(b) Other forms of recreation and leisure-time occupation, with the object of improving the conditions of life for the inhabitants.”

The Trustees confirm it has taken the commission’s public benefit guidance into account when making any decision it is relevant to meet its purposes.

In accordance with the UK Government’s directive the Hall was closed for use on 21 March 2020. The Hall was opened for use from May 2020 within the legal restrictions imposed.

2. STRUCTURE AND MANAGEMENT

The Hall is managed by the Trustees in accordance with the charity’s Constitution. The Trustees did not delegate powers in the reporting period. Trustees fulfil the functions of secretary, bookings, marketing, treasurer, and facilities management. One part-time employee provides housekeeping services. There is no standing Chair, the chair is elected at each management meeting.

The trustees gratefully accepted the offer by Mike Redfern to join as a trustee in February 2021.

3. REVIEW OF YEAR

With the “lockdown” and closure of the hall in March 2020 the charity faced a very uncertain future. A budget was drawn up minimizing expenditure while no income could be forecast with any confidence. Forecasts of the depletion of cash reserves showed the charity would continue to be solvent for several years.

While pre-school providers were permitted to open, it took time to work with Treasure Tots PreSchool to understand and implement the Covid-19 Secure Facility requirements before they restarted in June 2020. During the school holidays in July and August Iris’ Art Group and A Different Dog used the Hall with Badminton and Taekwan Do returning in August and September respectively. Yoga classes started in September.

The second “lockdown” was imposed on 31[st] October with only Treasure Tots continuing and hires by Mad Science for permitted childrens’ activities in the 2021 half term and Easter school holidays

Colney Heath Village Hall, a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, Charity number 1182267 registered in England & Wales Public and correspondence address 54 Bullens Green Lane, Colney Heath, Herts AL4 0QS

COLNEY HEATH VILLAGE HALL

Location : 83 High Street, Colney Heath, Herts AL4 0NS

www.colneyheathvillagehall.com

The Hall is the official local polling station for statutory elections (which were cancelled in May 2020) and provides shelter in the event of an emergency being declared in the locality.

Step 2 in the UKG’s Road Map out of Lockdown started on 12 April 2021.

4. ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

4.1 Marketing

a. website

Started in December 2017 our website has created an online presence for people searching for a Hall both on Google and referring websites. This has been maintained and has provided a good platform for enquiries that began to increase in March 2021 in anticipation of the easing of restrictions in the Roadmap out of Lockdown announced in February 2021.

b. bookings

Bookings in the reporting period reduced dramatically as reflected, for example, in the comparison of the 51 bookings Jan-March 2021 with 197 bookings in the same period in 2020.

c. pricing

The Trustees have maintained the pricing policy set by the original charity i.e. regular user hire rates to cover the operational costs of the Hall (the “breakeven cost”) with casual hire income contributing to improvements. However, this has not been applied during the FYE March 2021. Trustees continue to provide a subsidized rate for the Old Friends Club to support this group in the community.

Casual hire rates are benchmarked against other Halls on a “best value” basis with a rate structure to encourage social and community use the Hall.

4.2 Facilities management

a. Assurance

To the best of our knowledge and belief, insurance cover within all legal boundaries for all foreseeable eventualities was placed.

All licenses are up to date as are all tests and checks of building systems. All our 5 year electrical test issues have been cleared and tested.

b. Covid-19 Secure Facility

With guidance from ACRE and CDA Herts the requirements to establish and maintain a “Covid-19 Secure Facility” were implemented. No reports of infection have been received and compliance by hirers has been carefully monitored and shown to be good.

c. Building maintenance and repairs

Currently the building is in reasonable condition with some items that need to be addressed in the ordinary course.

d. Garden and hard surface areas

Trustees and volunteers have maintained the Bill Franklin Garden and other external areas§.

e. Housekeeping

Our housekeeper has continued to do an excellent job in keeping the Hall in an exemplary condition with the additional requirement for a “Covid-19 Secure Facility” and we had no complaints from users.

f. Improvements

Given the reduction in income and the uncertainties during the reporting period, improvements planned were put on hold.

g. Issues to resolve

COLNEY HEATH VILLAGE HALL

Location : 83 High Street, Colney Heath, Herts AL4 0NS

www.colneyheathvillagehall.com

More car parking is needed to prevent problems with the neighbours especially when we have large functions.

4.3 Parish Council ongoing issues

The charity is supporting the original charity trustees who are being sued by the Colney Heath Parish Council who refused to mediate prior to making in Court, having resolved to request mediation by the Court.

The trustees have issued a s25 notice under the Landlord and Tenant Act to recover the office space that the Parish Council occupy for a “work near to home” alternative and to host a digital inclusion service.

5. FINANCIAL REVIEW

The Accounts for the period ended March 2021 have been submitted for independent examination and signature by David Gutteridge. Comparisons with the previous year relate to the final accounts for the original charity year end 31[st] March 2020.

Income from bookings of £9,487 reflects the impact of the lockdown on the income (previous year £19,543)

Operating Expenditure of £8,892 was reduced (previous year £16,953 which included £6,094 on rainwater system replacement).

The operating surplus/deficit for the year is shown to be a surplus of £692 (previous year £3,894).

Grants from St Albans District Council under the Covid-19 schemes totaled £20,241. This support has been vital as it has protected the reserve fund established for estimated costs for medium and long term maintenance, repair and replacement of the hall’s facilities, and contingencies.

As of 31[st] March 2021 the total of the charity’s funds was £58,956 (previous year £43,279).

From this total a provision of £16,000 has been set aside for future facility liabilities. The annual transfer to the reserve fund of £4,000 is based on an opening balance in the reserve of £15,000 set in 2018.

The balance for improvements and contingencies is therefore as follows Total funds £58,956 Base reserve fund £15,000 Reserves made £16,000 Balance remaining £27,956 for improvements and contingencies

All the funds are held by the charity.

6. OUTLOOK

Bookings have increased and the bookings calendar has started to fill up again with most of the previous regular users returning and with several new regular users. Booking for parties etc have started. The Trustees remain cautious in view of potential restrictions being imposed again.

John Clemow Secretary 12 May 2021

COLNEY HEATH VILLAGE HALL L(¢thn.' 83 Hith W Cdrw Hth. HE AL4 CWS vttAv.¢olneyheathvillagehail.(J)m 31103121 ISSUE OPENING BALANCE Curiern ACcLni8nd Cash 29.747 29,696 29.0 13,532 43.279 58.696 16.000 42.696 Prty415 INLe l) INCOME ular Lets 15.853 3.69) 8.343 Li44 Casud Lets otal Letti Retnable Dep)yts Retumab 4.870 CHPC Utilmes clwit CHPC Grani for e Wl sign 2x1 47 Miiianeo Refund on Insui 120 TAL IN¢¢X ai,740 1ntwe5t1NatirzJ Sa 107 97 TOTAL INCOME ludi Inte 20,847 ENDMJRE O ratiDnal costs C*aJ ene Hdid Com Gas & Uecii nsaticn 18119 + 19r2D + 21WU 18631 11.769 91 UDlities 2.0791 Counal Ta 665 Cleani ateria Cowtk19 relared Irerns Genera MnIence Oecorate Lots5 174 18 Facilme5 Is 1926) New VThlty Hal . 135 In5wance 1.233) ebs PRS for mSit Cer Posi Ncrfe 3 Mi5cdIane 1201 Gifts arnj cdelxauL¥ Put CDA mem Bank Account Fee Bo)n refunds tknE ty CL¥on&wL TOTAL OPERATING COSTS 16,953 892

PERATING SURPLUS SPECIAL rrEMS 10 Cthverwn CHPC Claim 117131 io,r SADC Grw SADC Grant 8.145 SADC G1 SURPLUS EFEC 3,708 15.417 cApAL One off tostsrmtDmÈ irt ICIn and Ccmm .74 28.747 18361 (3.195 (793) ARMAC Grar*for KJICI 8nd R(KJm Proie¢t rdP CHVHC rt81 balan CLOSING BALANCE 41279 58,696 116,QU)I PrtrIon eli Note I Note 2 io be 9fr rTwh ofttEye N(rte 3 Nrte4 Nrrte 5 I, the undegned. in ac¢ordance the wshes of the members, elected as HonoTary Auditor to the Colney Heath village Hall Counryl. have examined the records and accounts arKI firKI them to te a tyue aThJ ac(#JRte record as psenIed by the Treasufer. Signed ...

COLNEY HEATH VILLAGE HALL V•*W.cdneyheathvillagehatl.com ndituye 2021 Bance held in account 201912020 Income 202012021 Total 29.746.78 2,739.26 32.486.04 Less ex rS otal balance in bank 31° Pawch 2021 32,486.04 0.00 Bpjance held in account 201912020 Income 202012021 Total 0.00 72,433.40 72.433.40 Less expenses otsl bolance In bank 31" March 2021 142.737.08 29.69632 Balance held in account 201912020 Income 202012021 otal l>alance in bank 31" March 2021 0.00 29,000.00 29,000.00 Balance held In account 201912020 Income 202012021 13.531.82 147.43 Less ex otal balance in bank 31" March 2021 n5es 13.679.25 o.oo Bdance held in Santander Account 31° March 2021 CLOSED Batance held in CAF Account 31° March 2021 Bdance held in CAF Sawngs Account 31" Marth 2021 8alance held in National Savin s at 31° March 2021 CLOSED otal balance in bank 31" March 2021 0.00 29,696.32 29,000.00 0.00 58,696.32 l. the undersigned, in acwdance the wshes ofthe members. elected as Honorary Auditor to the Colney Heath Village Hdl Courril. have examined the records arKI accounts and find them to be a true and accurate Tecord as presented by ihe Treasurer.