## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period** ## **From 1 April 2023 Period start date To 31 March 2024 Period end date** ## **Charity name: Earls Barton Library & Community Centre** ## **Charity registration number:1184350** ## **Objectives and Activities** ||SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Summary of the purposes of
the charity as set out in its
governing document|Para 1.17|**Provision of a public library plus related**
**community activities for recreation and/or**
**other leisure time occupations for the**
**benefit of the residents of Earls Barton**
**and the surrounding area.**| |Summary of the main
activities in relation to those
purposes for the public
benefit, in particular, the
activities, projects or
services identified in the
accounts.|Para 1.17 and
1.19|**In addition to being a volunteer-run library**
**facility for the benefit of Earls Barton and**
**the surrounding villages, our community**
**centre continues to generate income**
**through its many additional activities,**
**We run a film club twice monthly and hold**
**monthly coffee mornings and an annual**
**quiz night.**
**We received a significant portion of our**
**income through the hire of the community**
**space to a variety of organisations – local**
**ukelele groups, mah-jong group, art**
**group, yoga group, Spanish Lessons and**
**music therapy to an 8-year-old autistic girl**
**We have streaming equipment to facilitate**
**Earls Barton Talks Books, which hosts a**
**series of author events. This equipment is**
**available for hire for private events, as is**
**our overhead projector, screen and sound**
**equipment, including microphones**
**We have internal and external CCTV to**
**help improve the safety of our volunteers**
**and library users.**
**Externally, we have an INPOST automated**
**parcel machine, which is extremely well**
**used.**| |Statement confirming
whether the trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity|Para 1.18|**Our trustees have been issued with all**
**guidance notes as issued by the Charity**
**Commission on public benefit. This**
**information is revised annually.**| Commission on public benefit |**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:|**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:|**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:| |---|---|---| ||SORP reference|| |Policy on grant making|Para 1.38|**Not Applicable.**| |Policy on social investment
including program related
investment|Para 1.38|**Not Applicable.**| |Contribution made by
volunteers|Para 1.38|**We have approximately 39 active**
**volunteers who are fully involved in the**
**day to day running of this Community**
**Managed Library.**
**These are supported by a strong**
**management team drawn from the**
**volunteers together with a number of**
**small sub-committees which take**
**responsibility for different aspects of**
**our work.**| |Other||**Not applicable**| |**Achievements and Performance**||| ||SORP reference|| |Summary of the main
achievements of the charity,
identifying the difference the
charity’s work has made to
the circumstances of its
beneficiaries and any wider
benefits to society as a
whole.|Para 1.20|**Our major achievement and Investment**
**of £15,000 was the installation of a new**
**air conditioning/heating system. This**
**provided a warm, comfortable**
**environment during the winter and will**
**be of real benefit during the summer**
**months as our building is largely glass**
**with a flat roof and becomes extremely**
**uncomfortable if it is hot outside.**
**We have introduced a Thursday**
**afternoon activity welcoming anyone**
**who would like to pursue their own craft**
**with like-minded individuals. Extremely**
**well attended, this provides a safe and**
**secure environment for numerous**
**single, widowed and disabled**
**individuals who would otherwise be**
**isolated in their own homes.**| **We have invested nearly £3000 from our reserves to provide a dropped kerb enabling safer passage from our car park for our disabled and elderly users, Our in-house gardening team has used some of our reserves to extend our garden area and keep it seasonally planted. To assist with this, a secure lockup unit on a slabbed base has been installed at a cost of £3000. Although the recently refurbished WC is not fully compliant as a disabled facility due to its size; it is accessible for a wheelchair and also provides baby changing facilities We continue to offer free of charge**  **Collection point for donations to a local food bank**  **Recycling point for various items**  **Free English lessons to Ukrainian and other refugee students. We ran and facilitated an extremely successful Summer Reading Challenge which involves visiting several local schools to promote the project. We run various children’s events throughout the year. Once a week, we offer IT Training and support for anyone struggling with phones/tablets and laptops. Our new office facility is being used free of charge, by our local PCSO who holds a monthly surgery. Also, on an ad-hoc basis, by our local MP. Northants Blind Association run a quarterly clinic in our car park.** ## **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |Achievements against
objectives set|Para 1.41|**Although we are a Community Managed**
**Library, we are acknowledged as part of**
**the statutory provision for the county,**
**which means that we must meet certain**
**Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) as**
**laid down by the library service. We**
**have, for the fourth year running, met all**
**of these, successfully increasing: -**
**-**
**Our footfall**
**-**
**Book borrowing**
**-**
**General use of the library**| |---|---|---| |Performance of fundraising||**As above.**
**Our film clubs and coffee mornings have**| |activities against objectives
set|Para 1.41|**been enhanced by our investment and**
**thus attendance at these has increased**
**significantly with donations to match,**| |---|---|---| |Investment performance
against objectives|Para 1.41|**Not applicable.**| |Other||**Not applicable**| ## **Financial Review** |**Financial Review**||| |---|---|---| |Review of the charity’s
financial position at the end
of the period|Para 1.21|**For this year, we are showing a loss of**
**£12,571.08 on income of £25.012.08. This**
**is due to the strategic decision of the**
**trustees to allow us to spend £26,153 on**
**the projects referred to elsewhere in this**
**report. Our income includes a final**
**Section 106 payment of £6,266.92.**
**Adjusting for these exceptional items a**
**surplus of £7,306 which we consider to**
**have been an excellent result**
**Our reserves stood at £7,409.48 at year**
**end. Our financial position is strong,**
**and we remain cash generative.**| |Statement explaining the
policy for holding reserves
stating why they are held|Para 1.22|**The Charity’s policy for reserves is that**
**these will be reinvested to improve and**
**enhance our amenities.**
**This year we have undertaken our major**
**projects already referred to and**
**additionally have: -**
**-**
**Spent £5500 on external**
**redecoration of the building.**
**-**
**£2000 on updating and improving**
**our Fire Panel and related**
**equipment following a Fire**
**Inspection Review**| |Amount of reserves held|Para 1.22|**£7,409**| |Reasons for holding zero
reserves|Para 1.22|**N/A**| |Details of fund materially in
deficit|Para 1.24|**N/A**| |Explanation of any
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a going
concern|Para 1.23|**The charity is properly constituted, well**
**supported by Earls Barton Parish**
**Council, and has no issues about**
**continuing as a going concern**| **Additional information (optional)** ## You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |
The charity’s principal
sources of funds (including
any fundraising)|
Para 1.47|
**Any revenue raised by library services,**
**remain with the Charity. Our main**
**income streams are generated through**
**hiring of space and related activities.**| |---|---|---| |Investment policy and
objectives including any
social investment policy
adopted|Para 1.46|**We look to protect our reserves by**
**switching funds to interest bearing**
**accounts.**| |A description of the principal
risks facing the charity|Para 1.46|**Our principal risk is our reliance on the**
**continued health and welfare of our**
**Senior Managers. This has been**
**highlighted twice during the last two**
**years by the loss of two Senior**
**Volunteers/Managers**
**Another risk is our ability to continue to**
**recruit and retain volunteers.**
**Additionally, we rely on the services**
**provided by the Unitary Authority who**
**run the library service across both North**
**and West Northamptonshire. A planned**
**disaggregation of this service causes**
**some concern.**
**The Unitary Authority is now run by**
**Reform and we have no knowledge to**
**date of their plans for the Library**
**Service.**| |Other||**Not applicable**| ## **Structure, Governance and Management** |Description of charity’s
trusts:||**Not applicable**| |---|---|---| |Type of governing document
(trust deed, royal charter)|Para 1.25|**Constitution**| |How is the charity
constituted?
(e.g unincorporated
association, CIO)|Para 1.25|**CIO**| |Trustee selection methods
including details of any
constitutional provisions e.g.
election to post or name of
any person or body entitled
to appoint one or more
trustees|Para 1.25|**We try to have a mix of trustees from**
**different elements of the local**
**community i.e. Teacher and Governor of**
**local school, Parish Councillors, Library**
**Volunteers, Local Magazine Editor,**
**Financial and Health & Safety Experts.**| ## **Additional information (optional)** ## You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: |
Policies and procedures
adopted for the induction
and training of trustees|
Para 1.51|
**Trustees’ induction documents sent to**
**all trustees**| |---|---|---| |The charity’s organisational
structure and any wider
network with which the
charity works|Para 1.51|**Not applicable**| |Relationship with any
related parties|Para 1.51|**Earls Barton Parish Council are the**
**formal leaseholders under a 25-year**
**lease.**
**We continue to work with them at all**
**times.**| |Other||**Not applicable**| ## **Reference and Administrative details** |Charity name|**Earls Barton Library & Community Centre**| |---|---| |Other name the charity uses|| |Registered charity number|**1184350**| |Charity’s principal address|**Earls Barton Library & Community Centre**
**27 Broad Street**
**Earls Barton**
**Northamptonshire**
**NN6 0ND**| ||| ## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity** |1
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20|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year**|**Name of person (or body) entitled**
**to appoint trustee (ifany)**| |---|---|---|---|---| ||Geoff Adams|Chairman||| ||Robert Watts|Treasurer||| ||Carolyn Palôt-Watts|Secretary||| ||Nicholas Chapman|||| ||Iona Flanagan|||| ||HilaryHillman|||| ||Claire Poole|||| ||Dean Smith|||| ||Stephen Watkins|||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| ## – Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved **Director name** Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity **Trustee name Dates acted if not for whole year** ## **Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others** Description of the assets **NIL** held in this capacity Name and objects of the **N/A** charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for **N/A** safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets ## **Additional information (optional)** ## **Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)** **Type of Name Address adviser** ## **Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)** ## **Exemptions from disclosure** Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details ## **Other optional information** ## **Declarations** **The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.** **Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees** **Signature(s)** **Full name(s) Carolyn Lesley Palôt-Watts** **Position (eg Secretary, Secretary Chair, etc)** **Date** **24 July 2024** ## **EARLS BARTON LIBRARY AND COMMUNITY CENTRE** ## _**INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT - 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025**_ |**_INCOME_**||||**_EXPENDITURE_**||| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |Actvites (_Ukulele, M-J, Scrabble_)|£2,917.00||Sundry Purchases|(cash + non-cash payments)|£6,089.17|| |Sales_(Cards, Books, Jigsaws)_|£1,477.55||EBTB Author Costs (cash and non-cash)||£298.00|| |Fines|£336.18|||||£6,387.17| |Printng/Copying|£422.25||**Service**|**Contracts**||| |General Donatons|£1,549.60||Newfame Limited||£2,080.40|| |Friends Donatons|£286.00||Saxon Blinds||£65.00|| |||£6,988.58|Scorpion Security||£60.00|| |**_Other Income Lines_**|||Wellingborough Doors||£115.20|| |Author Events||£1,373.00|Virgin Media||£561.60|| |CofeeMornings/Craf events||£2,208.70||||£2,882.20| |Film Club||£1,665.90|Dropped Kerb £2886 + Library Redecoraton £5424|||£8,310.00| |Quiz Night||£396.00|Cleaning|||£1,192.00| |Book Sales - Zift/World of Books||£476.10|Design and Printng - (£155.88+)|||£155.88| ||||Slabbing and Shed|Project||£2,820.00| ||||Air ConditoningHeatng £13200 + Electrics £1120.80 +||£692.40)|£15,013.20| |Secton 106 Residual (£1130.00 + £5136,92)||£6,266.92|Licences (MPLC & PPL/PRS and Zoom)|||£651.12| |Room Hire||£4,431.25|Bank Charges|||£108.45| |InPost hostng||£969.18|Sumup Card Reader Charges|||£63.14| |Bank Interest Received||£236.45||**_Sub-total_**||**£37,583.16**| |||||**Surplus/Loss Carried down**||**-£12,571.08**| |||**£25,012.08**||||**£25,012.08**| |Bank Balance - 1 April 20244||£794.38|**Balances as at 31**|**March 2025**||| |Business Money Manager Account - 1 April 24||£10,623.96|Business Bank Account|||£800.44| |CAF 60 Day Notce Account. Shawbrook Bank 1|April 24|£8,038.42|Business Money Manager Account|||£6,354.44| |Cash held at 1 April 2024||£523.80|Cash held|||£254.60| |**Surplus/Loss brought down**||**-£12,571.08**||||| |||**£7,409.48**||||**£7,409.48**| |BOB WATTS||||||| |…………………………………....................................
Treasurer|||JAMES CAFFERKEY|….........................................................||| DATE DATE CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examiner's report on the accounts Section A Independent Examinerfs Report Report to th? trusteesl . members of Earls Barton Library and Communty Centre On accounts for the year 31" March 2025 ended .. Charity no lif any) 1184350 Set out on page I I report lo the ttustees on my examinatio charity (Ihe Trust") for the year ended 31 Responsibilities and As the charity tnjslees, you are responsible for the preparation of the basis of report ac￿￿TrI$ in ac£ordance with Ihe Chartties Ad 2011 ('the AcV}. I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 14515){b) of the Act. e accounts of the above Independent examinerfs statement I have no concems and have across no other matters in connection with the examination lo which attentÈon should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the aC(￿untS to be reached. Signed- Date: 3 June 2025 Name: JAMES CAFFERKEY Relevant professional qual¥ficationls) or body (bf anyl: ICAEW Address: 60 Midland Road Wellingborough Northants NN8 1LU Section B Disclosure Onty complete rf the exarniner needs to h￿hlIght matters of concem {see CC32. Independent examination of charity accounts." directions and guidance for ex8miners}. IER October 2018