The Deddington Charity Estates
Charitable Incorporated Organisation Charity registration number 1188691
Annual Report 31 December 2024
The Deddington Charity Estates was registered as a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO) in March 2020. It is the successor to a charity of the same name (but without the definite article) and assumed its roles on registration. However, the process of transferring the assets to the new charity took longer than anticipated but was finally confirmed by the Land Registry this year.
The purpose of the CIO is:
(a) the provision of housing accommodation for beneficiaries.
(b) the relief of persons resident in the area of benefit who are in need, hardship or distress.
(c) the maintenance and preservation of the CIO’s assets.
(d) the promotion of education by providing or contributing to such special benefits of any kind for any local resident or for any school substantially serving the area of benefit.
To fulfil the above, the charity owns, maintains and administers three asset groups.
a) The Almshouses (4 in number)
b) The Town Hall, and
- c) The Pest House Field
The Almshouses consist of a listed building housing four individual units. The Town Hall comprises an upper level room rented to a local gallery owner and a lower level undercroft which is an open space benefiting from occasional lettings eg the Farmers Market, local vendors, local
events. The Pest House Field is presently divided into two sections andlet to a local farmer used for arable farming and grazing.
The trustees regularly review the Constitution and it’s aims and objectives to ensure any decisions are in accordance with its terms. During the year the trustees approved a change to the Objects to clarify and confirm the objects as including the preservation as well as maintenance and retention of the buildings vested in the Charity. This has been approved by the Charity Commission and will be adopted at the January 2025 Annual General Meeting.
The charity also makes occasional grants to local students for educational purposes and supports an extracurricular art teacher and resources for the local primary school. Two grants were offered to students planning to attend an educational trip to Cambodia in 2025.
No volunteers or employees are engaged by the charity.
During the last financial year, the charity has continued to maintain its assets and has undertaken an extensive project to replace the roof tiles, battens and felting on the almshouses’ roof. This major project was completed in February 2025. Fibre optics were installed at the almshouses in line with the BT rollout.
The two-year lease for the Town Hall upper room was renewed and plans have been passed to carry out some remedial work on the lower level – the Undercroft - which is scheduled for 2026, including new lighting.
The tenant of the Pest House Field gave notice in March that he did not intend to renew his lease and a land agent was appointed to handle the renewal. Three names were presented to the agent for consideration and a new contract is anticipated to be signed in March 2025.
The charity began the year with a healthy balance of £137,843 in bank accounts. With two significant exceptions, costs incurred during the year were in line with budgets. The two exceptions related to the slate roof over the terrace of almshouses.
The first exception, an early roof repair costing £4,656, arose due to a water leak and damp in one of the properties, but it brought to our attention the actual poor state of the whole roof and the slates. It rapidly became clear this needed much more than odd repairs and we put out
tenders for a re-roofing project. Due to the discovery of bats, the state of the roof structure and the slates themselves, lengthy discussions with the local authority due to the heritage status of the buildings, and the requirement to use Welsh slate throughout, the project has ultimately cost the charity £89,178. £44,903 of these costs were incurred in 2024.
We ended the financial year with £113,785 in bank accounts. We are comfortable this allows us the flexibility to operate the charity with lower but still manageable reserve levels.
Trustees are recruited through public advertising and a panel of existing trustees carry out interviews. We have had no new trustees join the board this year other than the incumbent who joined the parish church in September.
A new treasurer was elected from the trustee body in September 2024, to assume the role in the New Year, following the notice of retirement from the current office holder who has served for 17 years.
The charity operates with a Chair, Treasurer and Clerk and currently has six further serving trustees. They are Michael Liebrecht, Colin Lambert, Julie Westley, Helen Oldfield, Maureen Cox, Fern Stringer, Mark Treadwell, Aimee Leszczenski and Rev Nick Fielden.
The principal address of the charity is:
The Town Hall, Market Place, Deddington, OXON, OX15 0SE
THE DEDDINGTON CHARITY ESTATES- C I O CHARITY N MBER 1188691 INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024 Funds @ 1.1.24 BaTElays Cla Cambridge and Counties Bank Redwood Bank INCOME Rents: Field Tenants - Almshouses Town Hall 7054.53 84081.18 46707.38 137843.09 1787.50 27340.00 6075.00 35202.50 4925.22 50.13 1008.00 62.28 Interest Wayleaves Lettings ~ 2023 and 2024. Misc- TIH fire extinguishers. 41248.13 EXPENDITURE Alms Houses Association Insurance Independent examination 267.00 3427.49 175.00 Almshouses: Repairs & Renewal New equipment Servicing PW Properties Thames Water T V Licen Christmas Boxes Bat surveys 45065.49 148.70 312.00 3875.00 987.42 7.50 100.00 6094.80 56590.91 56590.91 Town Hall.- Repairs & renewal Service Asbestos survey Redevelopment plans 274.00 231.26 360.00 2430.00 3295.26 1290.00 260.95 School Bursary Mis 65306.61 24058.48 Excess of expenditure over income -24058.48 Funds @ 31.12.24 113784.61 Represented by:. Lloyds Cla Cambridge and Counties Bank Redwood Bank 15070.83 87706.37 11007.41 113784.61 These accounts h8ce been 8pproved and accepted by the Trustees on...........,.............. Michael Liebrecht- Chairman Mrs Julie Westley - Clerk Co-ordinator
THE DEDDIh'GTON CIIARITY ESTATES CHARITY NUMBER 1188691 ASSETS OWNED BY THE CHARITY ALMSHOUSES AND TOWN HALL TOGETHER WITH THE PEST HOUSE FIELD According to the Land Registy following the transfer of the assets to the new CIO under title Iiumbers ON 288516 and ON 288518 tlie two properties and the 27.673 acres of land are valued at £3.6M.
Report of the independent examiner to the Deddington Charity Estates CIO This report o he accounts of the Deddington Charity Estates CIO for the period ended 31 December 2024, set o on the attached page, is in respect of an examination carried out In accordance with section 145 of the Charities Act 2011. Respective responsibilities of the trustees and the independent examiner he ees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. On the basis that the trustees consider that the audit requirement of section 144(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (2011 Act) does not apply, it is my responsibility to follow the procedures specified in the General Directors given by the Charity Commissioners under s145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act, and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention. Basis of the independent examiner's report My examination was carried out in accordance with the General Directions given by the Charity Commissioners. The examination included a review of the accounting records maintained by the treasurer and a comparison of the accounts with those records. It also included the consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and the seeking of explanations from you as the trustees concerning such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts. Independent examiner's statement In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention: which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in an material respect the requirements to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; and to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records have not been met; or to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. N Westbury Bsc (Hons) FCCA Bloxhom Banbury Oxon 20 February 2025
Report of the indeper)d8nt exominer to the l)eddington Chority Estates Liv This report on the oc¢ounts of the Deddington Chority Estates CIO for tho period endèd 31 December 2024, set out on the otto¢hed pag&. is in iespect of cn examinotion corried out In occordance with section 145 of the Charities Act 2011. Respective responsibilities of the trustee5 and the independent exominer Thè trustees ore responsible for the preparation ol the accounts. On the bosis that thè trustees consider thot the audit r&quir&meTht of section 144121 of th ChaTlties Act 2011 12011 Act) does not apply. it is my responsibility to follow the procedures specified In the General Directors g1ven by the Chority Commissioners under $14515Hbl of the 2011 Act, ond to stote whether porticvlor mottefs hove comè to my ottention. Basis ol the independent exominer's report My &xarninoiion wos corried out In occordance with thè Genèrol Direction5 given by the Chority Commissioners The examination Included o rewew ol the occounting records mointoined by the treosurer and o comparison ol the accounts with thos? r8cords. It olso Included the considerotion of any unusual items or disclosures In the occounts, oncl th seeking of explonolions from you os the trustees conc¥ning such motters The procedures LJThYÈrtaken do not provide all the evidence that would be fequirèd In on avdit. and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on tre view given by the accounts Independent exominerfs staternent In connection w1th my exomintstion, no motter hos come to my ottention.. which gives me reosonobl& cause to bèlieve thot In any rmtèriol respect the requirements to keep occounting records in occordance with 5e¢tDn 130 of the 2011 Act.. ond to prepare accounts which occord with the occounting rècofds hove not been met.. or to which. In my opinion, ottention sh(xJld be drawn to enable a propéf undeistonding of thè occounts to be reached. N Westbury Bsc (H($} FCCA 81oxhom Banbury Oxon 20 Fèbruory 2025