NORTHFLEET CENTRAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 30 JUNE 2021
REGISTERED NUMBER CE021095
A Charitable Incorporated Organisation - Charity number 1188503
Brendan P Byrne & Co Ltd
Accountants
12 Old Bexley Lane Bexley Kent DA5 2BN Tel; 01322 555530
NORTHFLEET CENTRAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 30 JUNE 2021
CONTENTS
Pages
2 to 5 6
7 8
9 & 10
Trustees Annual Report Independent Examiners' Report Statement of Financial Position (Balance Sheet)
Statement of Financial Activities (Receipts and Payments or Profit and Loss Accounts)
Notes to the Financial Statements
P a g e | 1
NORTHFLEET CENTRAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 30 JUNE 2021
TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT
The Trustees are pleased to present their annual report together with the financial statements of the charity for the period ended 30 June 2021
The financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011, and Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2015). OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
The Objectives of the Charity are;
-
To promote for the benefit of the inhabitants of Northfleet, Kent and the surrounding area the provision of facilities for recreation or other leisure time occupation of individuals who have need of such facilities by reason of their youth, age, infirmity or disablement, financial hardship or social and economic circumstances or for the public at large in the interests of social welfare and with the object of improving the condition of life of the said inhabitants.
-
To develop the capacity and skills of the members of the socially and economically disadvantaged community of Northfleet in such a way that they are better able to identify, and help meet, their needs and to participate more fully in society.
The application for the charity was initially submitted in July 2019 and was entered on the Register of Charities on 12[th] March 2020.
Two events entirely out of the control of the new charity were to influence the progress during the first year: The first and most serious was that only six days after registration, the nation entered the most serious pandemic for a century and the necessary measures to control the infection required the population to be locked down.
Secondly negotiations to potentially lease the Northfleet Hub Community Centre, within which many of the potential activities would take place, came to an abrupt end in early 2020, when a building survey carried out by the owners indicated that in order to meet safety and habitation standards, significant and for the charity unrealistic expenditure would be required.
ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE
Following registration, the board immediately began meeting via Zoom and met formally once a month, a total of 10 meetings, with informal contacts between meetings by phone, WhatsApp and further zoom meetings. Minutes of meetings were taken and standard items on the agenda included a Chairman’s Report, Treasurer’s Report and progress report on the preparation of a review of the Business Plan.
This was a very challenging process for all Trustees, managing the personal issues around their families, employment and at the same time trying to meld into a new team.
Advice from the Charity Commission website indicated that a new charity could take up to six months to establish itself. Clearly this was during more normal times and although we all did our best things took a frustratingly long time. Notwithstanding the problems, the Trustees set about putting the building blocks in place to ensure the charity would be in a position to hit the ground running when the pandemic lockdown was ended.
We discovered very early that many of the organisations that as a new charity we would have expected to contact, were also going through their own difficulties. This was particularly the case within local community organisations. Some immediately closed down during the pandemic and all their activities ceased. Some local organisations and activities were to close permanently.
The Treasurer faced a serious challenge as all banks stopped opening new accounts. We were able to negotiate with our local ‘Council for Voluntary Services’ that they would act as our bank account holder until such times as we could open our own account.
Individual Trustees took on specific areas of interest and we mapped out in basic detail the areas in which we wanted to operate with the community and started to build contacts. We developed our business plan to a point that we could produce specific actions to deliver it.
We set up our communications system, obtained the services of a webmaster who designed our website, we registered our domain address and developed an email strategy which includes enables all mails to be stored. We opened Facebook and Instagram accounts.
A key element of our plan during the registration process was that we would have a venue to deliver the programme of activities that would meet our objectives. The loss of the Hub Community Centre was a setback but one that it is important we overcome. We have begun building relationships with the Ebbsfleet Garden City Project and with other local developers who have responsibility in the medium future to construct new community Centres within the area, with the ultimate aim to either become the managing tenant of the
P a g e | 2
NORTHFLEET CENTRAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 30 JUNE 2021
centre or at least have access to provide community activities.
Our aim is to ultimately improve the lives of the residents of Northfleet. To do that we need to be at the table when key decisions are made. Trustees have also set about actively developing relationships with other local groups, developers and with the local authority to ensure that we can present a vision of how things can improve. We contributed to consultations on new developments, on new leisure facilities and other local social projects. We have developed a reputation for effective, consistent and professional comments which have been welcomed by the organisations we have worked with.
Over Zoom, we met with several important community liaison groups and are represented on the London Resort Community Forum, Bellway Community Forum, The Foundry and Harbour Community Forum where we have provided input about the effect of major developments on employment and housing in the area.
Christmas 2020 was a difficult time for many families. The Trustees joined in with the local food bank and the Romani Slovak Czech community to distribute Christmas chocolates to local children. This was particularly welcome given that children had been quite severely affected by the lockdown.
In early 2021 it became clear that local children were disadvantaged because of a lack of IT access. Working from home presented difficulties to families where connectivity was an issue and particularly where more than one child was required to join in lessons at the same time. Reacting quickly to this issue, the Trustees set up a scheme in conjunction with a local computer repair company to refurbish and digitally clean donated laptops. It was a modest scheme, low cost but by working with local schools we were able to identify specific families that needed the support. Appeals for unwanted laptops via the local newspaper and on social media were quite successful.
As lockdown restrictions were eased but clearly still affected by the need to meet the required safety measures to control the spread of the virus, we initiated a ‘Work Club’ assisting local residents to find work, complete CVs and prepare for interviews. This takes place in a local church hall in conjunction with the Foodbank and also provides an opportunity for residents to receive debt advice and other face to face support. Covid restrictions limit our efforts at present and there are clear signs that people are still reluctant to leave their homes.
FINANCIAL REVIEW
This report covers the period from registration on 12 March 2020 to this first year end on 30 June 2021, this was an unusual period for the finances as the organisation did not have its own bank account. It relied upon the support of another local charity, the Council for Voluntary Services North West Kent to manage any necessary financial transactions using their own robust measures under their restricted funds. During this period net incoming resources held on behalf of the charity totalled £29,937 which were not transferred to the charity until after this period of account. £3,918 of those resources are to be used on restricted projects.
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
The Charitable Incorporated Organisation was registered on 12 March 2020 and is governed by a Foundation Constitution.
There are currently eight Trustees in place with two vacancies.
The Trustees are: Stephen Stamp (Chair) Jagjit Klair (Treasurer) Deborah Keys (resigned 31 March 2022) Dawn Wellbelove Caroline Pieroni Andrea Jackova Paul Avery Lauren Sullivan Samuel Reece Watts (appointed 01 April 2022)
The Charity Trustees manage the affairs of the CIO and may for that purpose exercise all the powers of the CIO. It is the duty of each Charity Trustee to exercise:
-
his or her powers and to perform his or her functions in his or her capacity as a Trustee of the CIO in the way he or she decides in good faith would be most likely to further the purposes of the CIO
-
in the performance of those functions, such care and skill as is reasonable in the circumstances having regard in particular to any special knowledge or experience that he or she has or holds himself or herself out as having; and, if he or she acts as a Charity Trustee of the CIO in the course of a business or profession, to any special knowledge or experience that it is reasonable to expect of a person acting in the course of that kind of business or profession.
P a g e | 3
NORTHFLEET CENTRAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 30 JUNE 2021
Individual Trustees have specific areas of focus:
Understanding the needs of the ‘quiet’ members of the community.
Researching and communicating to appropriate organisations and developers our specification for the “ideal community centre”. Focussing on the frontline social issues in our community.
Communicating what we are doing, how to access our services and encouraging financial support.
Ensuring our finances comply with the legal and other regulations.
Monitoring the local, county and national opportunities to engage with government and other agencies Focussing on fund raising opportunities. Attracting investment and support for youth provision.
All Trustees are tasked with delivering our Business Plan.
TRUSTEES RESPONSIBILITIES
Company law requires the trustees to prepare accounts for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company and of the net movement of funds for that period. In preparing those accounts, the Trustees are required to:
-
select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently
-
observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP
-
make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent
-
state whether applicable accounting standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements, and
-
prepare the accounts on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in business.
The Trustees are responsible for maintaining proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the company and to enable them to ensure that the accounts comply with the Charities Act 2011. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
RISK MANAGEMENT
The Trustees confirm that they have identified the risks to which the CIO is exposed. Primarily they are the need to operate in a legal framework that meets the requirement of the relevant Legislation, to manage our affairs in a financially prudent and open way, and to ensure that the conduct of Trustees reflect both the values and ethos of our CIO. Operating within a community requires us to ensure that the CIO builds and maintains a reputation for transparency, integrity and placing the needs of the community at the heart of our actions.
The Trustees addressed the financial structure of the charity, agreeing and putting in place financial authorities and controls.
The Trustees compiled and regularly review a ‘Conflict of Interests Register’ We have reviewed and amended the Constitution where appropriate.
The ‘Notice of meetings’ is issued at least 7 days before the meeting and contains the draft minutes of the previous meeting. Draft minutes of meetings are prepared within 48 hours of the formal meeting and circulated to Trustees. Minutes are formally approved at the following meeting.
The Trustees have set up and regularly update a website which contains details of our business plan, Trustees and examples of our current activities.
Where appropriate the Trustees use social media to communicate to local people about our activities.
The Trustees have taken out an insurance policy to safeguard against any personal liability the Trustees might incur.
A major risk to the charity is that we fail to comply with the requirements of the Charity Commissioners and the important regulations that govern our activities. The Trustees have entered into a service agreement with a well established local accountancy firm who have an oversight of our accounts and provide advice when appropriate to ensure we comply with any legal and financial requirements.
An important aspect of our activity is the need to cooperate with and work alongside other local an national organisations. The Trustees have made a conscious decision that we will only partner organisations that can demonstrate that they meet the necessary legal and professional standards associated with the particular service they deliver.
FUTURE STRATEGY
The effect of the pandemic was far more prolonged than anyone could have forecast. Throughout our first year it was at times impossible to plan for the future in any meaningful way. This was of course not just an issue for us but also for other organisations and
P a g e | 4
NORTHFLEET CENTRAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 30 JUNE 2021
more importantly the members of the community who were focussed on day to day survival.
Our objectives to address social welfare and poverty have assumed greater importance post Covid.
Employment opportunities abound in the area, surrounded as we are by a major construction project in the Ebbsfleet Garden City and with the London Resort project only a few kilometres away. We will continue to develop links with the main developers and form partnerships with local government and private training organisations to provide opportunities for local residents to achieve qualifications to improve their employment chances.
The Work Club has been a successful initiative and grown as covid requirements are scaled back. There will be opportunities to increase the opening hours and frequency by recruiting more volunteer support.
Children at primary schools have been particularly disadvantaged during the pandemic, losing contact with friends, having fewer opportunities for outside exercise and restricted in our area by the lack of green spaces. We are finalising plans for a summer sports programme that will offer local primary children a chance to use the local school playing fields during the summer holidays.
The lack of a community centre is an impediment to progress for the whole community and we will continue to develop opportunities and partnerships with organisations that can provide space and facilities.
REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS
Northfleet Central Charitable Incorporated Organisation was registered on 12 March 2020. Registered Charity Number 1188503
REGISTERED OFFICE c/o Northfleet Veterans Club, The Hill, Northfleet, Gravesend, Kent, DA11 9EU We operate the website www.northfleetcentralcio.org.
ACCOUNTANTS:
Brendan P Byrne & Co Ltd, Bexley
BANKERS The Co-Operative Bank:
STATEMENT AS TO DISCLOSURE TO OUR ACCOUNTANT
In so far as the Trustees are aware at the time of approving our annual report there is no relevant information, being information needed by the accountant in connection with preparing their report, of which the Independent Examiner is unaware, and the Trustees, having made enquiries of fellow trustees and the Independent Examiner, that they ought to have individually taken, have each taken all steps that he/she is obliged to take as a Trustee in order to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the Independent Examiner is aware of that information.
This report was approved by the board on
and signed on their behalf
P a g e | 5
NORTHFLEET CENTRAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 30 JUNE 2021
INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS' REPORT
In accordance with the engagement letter dated 27 August 2021, and in order to assist you to fulfil your duties for the Charity Commission, we have compiled the financial statements of the company which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, Balance Sheet and the related notes from the accounting records and information and explanations you have given to us.
This report is made to the Charity’s Board of Trustees, as a body, in accordance with the terms of our engagement. Our work has been undertaken so that we might compile the financial statements that we have been engaged to compile, report to the Charity's Board of Trustees that we have done so, and state those matters that we have agreed to state to them in this report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the Charity and the Charity's Board of Trustees, as a body, for our work or for this report.
You have acknowledged on the Balance Sheet for the period ended 31 June 2021 your duty to ensure that the company has kept proper accounting records and to prepare financial statements that give a true and fair view. You consider that the charity is exempt from the statutory requirement for an audit for the year.
We have not been instructed to carry out an audit of the financial statements. For this reason, we have not verified the accuracy or completeness of the accounting records or information and explanations you have given to us and we do not, therefore, express any opinion on the financial statements.
Brendan P Byrne & Co Ltd
12 Old Bexley Lane Bexley Kent DA5 BN
P a g e | 6
NORTHFLEET CENTRAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 30 JUNE 2021
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION (BALANCE SHEET)
| FIXED ASSETS Note Tangible assets CURRENT ASSETS Amounts held by related body 3 Cash at bank and in hand CREDITORS: Amounts falling due within one year 4 TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES NET ASSETS THE FUNDS OF THE CHARITY General funds Restricted income funds TOTAL CHARITY FUNDS |
2021 £ - 30,537 - (600) 29,937 |
|---|---|
| £ 29,937 | |
| 26,019 3,918 £ 29,937 |
In approving these financial statements as trustees of the charity we hereby confirm the following:
Trustees' responsibilities:
1) The members have not required the company to obtain an audit for its accounts for the year in question 2) The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities with respect to accounting records and the preparation of accounts.
3) That no guarantees have been given and no debts are subject to a charge on assets
These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to small companies subject to the small companies regime and in accordance with FRS102 SORP.
The accounts were approved by the board of trustees on
Stephen Stamp
P a g e | 7
NORTHFLEET CENTRAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 30 JUNE 2021
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES (RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS OR PROFIT AND LOSS ACCOUNT)
| Note 1b Expenditure 1c Advertising/Promotional Computer Costs Events Insurances Meeting Room Hire General Administrative Expenses Other Professional Services 2 Miscellaneous 5 Transfers between funds Net movement in funds Total funds carried forward Total Expenditure Net income/(expenditure) Grants Receivable Total Income Income Income and endowments from: |
Unrestricted funds Restricted income funds Total funds £ £ £ 32,000 6,953 38,953 32,000 6,953 38,953 800 - 800 - 2,727 2,727 518 - 518 404 - 404 72 100 172 - 35 35 4,187 - 4,187 - 173 173 5,981 3,035 9,016 26,019 3,918 29,937 - - - 26,019 3,918 29,937 26,019 £ 3,918 £ 29,937 £ |
|---|---|
P a g e | 8
NORTHFLEET CENTRAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 30 JUNE 2021
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS
ACCOUNTING POLICIES
1a Basis of preparation
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2015) and the Charities Act 2011.
Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy note(s).
1b Income
Income comprises grants, donations received and the value of sales of educational services in the normal course of business based on subsidised fees for each session(s). The charity is not required to be registered for VAT.
1c Expenditure
Expenditure, includes VAT if applicable, and is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.
1d Legal Status
The Charity has been formed as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation under the foundation model.
P a g e | 9
NORTHFLEET CENTRAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 30 JUNE 2021
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS (CONTINUED)
2. STAFF COSTS
The charity is staffed entirely by volunteers.
3. DEBTORS
| 3. DEBTORS |
|
|---|---|
| Amounts held by the Council for Voluntary Services, North West Kent. These sumsare stated net of fees &were handed over on 28 July 2021 |
2021 £ 30,537 |
| 4. CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR Accruals and sundry creditors 5. TAXATION |
2021 £ 600 |
|---|---|
The charity is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within section 505 of the Taxes Act 1988 as any excesses of income over expenditure, if made, are applied to its charitable objects.
P a g e | 10