Elm C(xrt Youth and Commuth Centre 363 Muttrm lane Pot1$ Bar EN6 38P Charity ao number 1189231 TRiIStEES ANNUAL REpoirr 2024-25 Tfustees PretOhren Ichair) Tom Slyrlry Mcèomlr) Slmrm Coomes (Treasurer) Lynn Jones. Mufplry. Bry Stulter, thr15 $IllY. Fleur Albre¢ht Elm Court is a Community Centre situated on a main road runnin8 thmugh Potters Bar. The centre is fegi5tered with the Charity Commission as a Charitable IncorpoTrted Organisation. It provides space for hlre to orgènisions and the general public plus some events run by Elm Court. The Centre is mainly self-funding. As well as income from hiring the Cefttre Tuns weekly cai boot sales through the summer sharing the in(rJme with local groups who help with the running. Elm Court is managed by a volunteer 8r¢)up of Trustees with the aid of three part time stsff. a Centre Adrniftistrat, a caretsker and 3 Car 8t Manager. New Trustees and other volunteers a¥e wekomed from aThYe Interested. ThANKYOU We thank our stsff for their contfinuiro helpfulne55 in keepin8 the Centre open and wekoming all week. Thanks a150 to various Trustees and ¥oJtsnteers who fill in for busy times and times of staff sickness. Our Car Bc4)t lnager reth'red after 25 years in the post and we thank her for all her help. sending her good wishes for the future. We are lucky to have a good team working for Elrn CwrL both paid and as ¥vlunteers which includes the Trustees. Wè eould do vAth more help arml a continuous search is on, any suggesti4)ns wekome. FINANCES The year April 24-25 was our second full year of operating as a Charftable Incorporated Organisatlon. The year ending 31st Df March 2025 showed a surplus of £43,499. This is made up of Interest from our Corf deposit of £29.250 and a Surplus of £14,238. Inwme Car boot income remained steady al £18,692 {pre¥u$ year £18.5131 Total rents and hires increased by 22% to £79.115 for the year (previous year £64,589). little Elrns showed an increase year on year of £8.263,. this was due to a late payment frorn the Previous The remaining increase in rents and hires of circa £6k were due to the"Septernber 2023 hiring fees Increases" now showing for a full 12 months in the accounts (the previous year onty showed the increases for 6 months increase). This increase was needed to cover the increased utility bi115 costs. Expendlture Expendlture reduced 15% to £84.392 (previous year £99,069) This was mainly due to our Utility and NY45te costs reducing down by 33% from £26.491 to £17.649 During the year we refurbished the i)ffice, the lobby. the tostume store. the old nursery offi, the upstairs room overlooking the main road) and repaired the reoccurring IK)le in the car park. Continuine work was cafried out on the Ele¢trlty and Radiator systems. Rent rernained at É50 per annum. The sales are an essential part of Elm Cotjrt finarth. ertabling the Centre to be self-funding. as well as providing welcorne income to the various gTOUPS who help to run thern. In 2024-25 the groups made nearly £30,OLK) between them and Elm Court raised £20.CYM). The first fTh¥ were again cancelled due to weather conditions in April. A new (second handl rnarouee was purchased in July which after a bitof refitting kept the canteen and customers dry. We need to loc* atwhether impriwements to the mechanics. equipment and staffing can be made and a working party has been set up this.
Negotiations between our solicitors and County Council c(Mrtinued. During the year we had con¢erns that County Council Solicito wee vratering down to give less certainty for future Trustees about leasing any redeveloped Elm Court Centre. Instead of a guarantee they said County will 'act in good faith" and only "all reasonable endeavours" would be made to provide afternative premi5e5 during a redevelopmenL However. the definition of redevelopment says it will "include" a Trew Cornmunrty Centre for future occupation of Elm Court Trustees. We had asked our solicitor to Push back on this but County would not move. Therefi)re, it will be up to communtty pressure and publicsty to secure the best outcome for the Centre if this happens. Since the end of the financial year Government has brought in changes to L4[ Government whereby both County Council and also our Borough Council. Hertsmere, will disappear. subsumed by a much larger council area. Where this will all lead to is uncertain. WEBStTE Our new website went live on 2 January 2025. We now habE an attractivè, intefactive and accessible srte with pa8e5 for hirer5 if they wish, and a diary shuwing lIable slots enabling booking via the website. BUILDING The building was apin well-used with little spare capacity. We are available for hire seven days a wee Including evenings with all the administration. cleanlw and wear and tear which accompanies thi5. We conkn'nue to have a variety of groups and individuals hiring the facilities provlne the need for such a building. It is pleasing that our user5 are generally very cooperntt've towards each other, allowing for swift turnover at the end of hire5. Dunng the year redecoratSon and wepairs wwe carri out around Centre actr'vits'es Including decoratitvd of the nursery rooms adding fingeryuards on nursery doors, new door security mechanism f¢tted. carpets cleaned and new curtain rall plus those descfibed in the Finance Report. Leaks- Any old bulkling is suscepts'ble to leaks. especially as the year had several periods of heavy rain. We had several leak issues in the year and various bits of roof were fepalred as needed. Safety chec*5 etc As we were working towards the new lease. County was handing over responsibility for a number of checks prviiousty undertaken by them. plus new la74¥5 have added to this. The Centre is now responsible foT all electrical and fire safety which in¥ol¥es carrying out and paying for various h1th and safety registration, keeping of re8iSter5 foT eg cleaning materials. ladders. kltchen hydiene. fire regulakns, water and asbestos checks. GROUND5 We keep reminding the County Property contractors that County had promised to secufe the field boundary and to rernove the rubbish between us and surrounding houses. Until this happens there will be repeated incursions from the houses usually chlldren playing or dc85 bw'ng let loose. But we had an incident where builders. living in a Card were doing more than this highlighting that County really has to tske this seriously. County sur¥eyor returned to finish the tree survry at the front of the building. We tried a No Mow May experiment on the Ernss at the front of the Centre. There were mixed feelin about this. We had two saturday morning volunteef clean ups fof tiityin8 and clearing rubbish and unused materials. ASSEf OF COMMUNTTYVALVE The current registrats'on ends in Novemb 2025 50 a renvwal application was stsrted in January. 7, November 2025
CHARITY COMM1551 FOII ENGiANO AND WALES Receipts and pa ments accounts CC16a Forth• pwlgd To Section A Receipts and payments Ilnrestrf¢t•d Endowrn• fvn lyl$ Tol•l funds Lo•t y••r A1 R•e•l t4 31WI FunJr8 Iorne t4[on d¢ o¢• 107.n4 A2 Au•i and in¥Htm•ntMI•A. Sub tg 12Tm 12T.U nl• ai booty 17J72 4135 14,lOU 17,21Q 14,741 ¢IrA1& W•tqr RI L&H. Nthrm rnin ro 4.FJ5 17.?10 3.491 &klnlwdnc• Equ¥MonlLwl 14J•• TVi 17• M.J•o Sub tot A4 A8••t •nd nlment urch•••¥. ls•• t•bhl Sub to g?,VOg N•taIrnc¢l4fp•ymts) A5 Transfvrs b•Th¥e•n lund8 Trnn¥f•r Imm fornwr ¢harfty A6 Ci¥h fwnd¥ l•¥t ye¥rend ¢sh hmds IhiByw ethl 4J.49¥ 605,342 Q4M2 5Y6,SYT •DS,342 CCXX R1 Brdl$S 2111(m25
Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Rtgtrlcts lund lon•ir•£ dDwrrbpnt furbds C4iwdes Dot#ll: fund¥ •1£ 81 ¢o•h fund¥ 31.51• Tt)tsl r•shfvnd• Unrnstthl•d ftsnds trkl•d nd Endowm•nt fund to n•r••t£ 82 Oth•r m•n91 M••ts •17,M7 Cwr•rrtw BJ Inv•8tm•nt a•••ts charl1• own •tslls du• BS Ll4bllltl S9n by¢t¥J9I0e5c behdlut&4the iru51eB D8te of CCXXR2*(4Jrts Issi 2111¢Y2tr25
CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Independent examinerfs report on the accounts Section A Independent Examinerfs Report Report to ihfr tmsteesl ELM COURT YOUTH & COMMUNITY CENTRE On a¢counl8 for the y•ar 3110312025 ond•d Charlty no (If any) 1189231 Sot •)Ut on pag•• 1aTK12 I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (Ihe Trusf) for the year ended 31.03.2024. R•sponglbillll•• and ba818 ol report As Ihe charity trustees of the Trust. you are re5wnsible for ts pr8paratlon of the acwunts in a¢¢ordanco wth th8 requirem8nt8 of the Charitles Act 2011 {"the Acr). I report in resped of my examinat40n of Ihe Tru51'$ accounts Garried oui under 5ecllon 145 of the 2011 Act arKI in corrying out my ex8mination, I have followed the applicable Dir8Ctbn$ giverb by the Chanty c(Knmlssitsn under section 145(SXb> of the Act. I have complètod my exwnination. I confirm that no moteri81 matters have come to my attention in COnnOn ¥th the examination whlch gNes me cause to believe that in. any mater181 respect.. accoti records were not kopl in accordarKe wtth sactlon 130 01 the Act or the aettAmls do not accord wlth the accounUn9 records Independent •xamlnerfs statsment I have no ryJncem3 arKI ha come a(xoss Th) 0th8r matters in connoction wjth the examination lo which attention should drawn In or(Jer to enable a proper understarKling of the ac(xwn16 to be reached. Slgn•d: Dat•: 2811012025 Namo: Dean G Coothapen (FCCA M8cI Ralevant prolo*slonal qu8IMIc8tlon(s) or body (If any): Chartered certif Accountsnt Addross: ' 54 Sun Street W81tham Abbey Essex EN9 IEJ IER Octob•r 2018
Section B Disclosure Onty complete rf the examiner needs to highlight matters of concem (see CC32. Independent examination of charity aC(unts. directions and guidance for exarrtiners). Givo her• brlgf detaib of any it•mg that th• oxaminor wlshos to disclos0. IER Octobar 2018