## **VILLAGE HALL CHAIRMAN’S REPORT, MAY 2025** 

I have the pleasure this evening of presenting this Chairman’s report.  I think we can claim that it has been a highly successful year, and at the end of it we are in a strong financial position.  Gaining a major client – Lavender Mill – has naturally helped us in this. 

We have continued to undertake improvements to the Hall and its facilities.  The main one has been the renovation of the toilets (strictly speaking completed in the current Financial Year), for which we gratefully acknowledge the contribution of the Parish Council.  The exhibition “Cottesmore Then and Now”, sponsored by the History Group, also adds to the attraction of the Hall.  Of course, there are still improvements that we would like to make. Perhaps the chief one of these is the remodelling of the entrance area, although we have yet to decide how best to tackle this. 

The Treasurer, who is unable to be with us tonight, has produced and circulated his detailed financial report, which fully explains the reasons for our quiet confidence for the future. 

We continue to collaborate closely with the Parish Council, with a hard-working Liaison Group producing some very useful results. The Events Group has been highly active too – witness the music event to take place here in the Hall early next month. 

In closing, it is of course appropriate for us to recognise that we have a gallant band of volunteers who keep the Hall going.  There are a good few who put in time to help us, but I hope they will not mind if I give a special mention to Ian, who really does prodigious amounts of work for the Hall; also to Jean for her skill in the role of Lettings Secretary – not to mention her work on the general maintenance of the premises; to Pam, for keeping the Committee in order; to Michael, who has taken on some of the “heavy maintenance” activity; to Susan, for organising our monthly film shows: and last but certainly not least to Anna, for leading another highly successful firework event. 

All in all, we hope for a prosperous, successful and sustainable future! 

John Meara 27.05.2025 



Cottesmore Vllloge Hulllncome and E%￿dIt￿reALlQu￿tr. Aprfl 2024 to March 2025
2023124
Income
Bolanees Brou
2024125
2023124
Expendlture
2024125
1,488.CM) Contract aeaner
15.lJXI.IJ)
1.757.62 Insurance
19.487.09
4.319.88 Electricity
3(KI,￿ 1.331.40 Oil
429.88 Water
725.69 Repairs and Maintenance
397.20 Fire/H&S
10.(Kl Ground Rent
2.478.57 Refuse Collection
289.38 Consumable5
3.715.90 Firework Display
223.46 Licenses
20.(N) Donations and Glfts
474.91 Film Expenses
18.99 Stationery
267.28 Committee Expenses
O.CK) Bingo
0.1)) IT
0.00 MUSK Event
1,301.25
1,593.80
3,703.57
3,265.10
980.99
1,959.96
2.107.95
iO.(K)
2,752.25
388.79
4.235.70
244.22
0.00 Savings Account
28.576.19 Current Account
306.00 Cash
Sub Totol
8,793.50 Regular Hall Hire
2.039.25 Private Hall Hire
7,484.18 Firework Display
5,070.33 Sports & Social Club rent
1,254.00 Film Club
491.00 EntertainmenVBingo
0.00 Lavender Mill
0.￿ New Activity
11.981.50
3,024.75
8.444.57
5,711.74
1.290.
1.020.75
5.599.IXI
532.48
0.00
270.00
141.63
50.40
1,225.44
25,132.26
Sub Total
37.072.31
17.948.16
Sub fotoi
24,763.53
natlons
8,680.00 Grant/Funding
0.00 Gift Aid
2,176.06 Feed in Tarlff - pv Panels
0.00 Sponsorshlp
0.00 Mlscellaneous
Ml Ilan
132.62 Misc Equipment
12,024.CKI Capital Expenses
157.CX) New Actlvity
8.(￿.¢))
120.IJ)
2,097.02
250.C
225.lY)
0.00
12.568.57
10,856.06
Sub Total
10.692.02
12,31162
Sub Total
12,568.57
Mlscellon
8olon¢es Carrled Forword
0.00 Inland Revenue
178.36 Bank Interest
o.ffi Special Events
15.C(M).C(I Savings Account
19,487.09 Current Account
3(Kl.(K) Cash
25,CKMJ.00
21,963.01
703.95
230.14
2.217.50
178.36
Sub Tot41
2 447.64 34787.09
Sub Total
47,666.96
65,048.87
Totol
84 999.06 65,04&87
Totol
Certified that the above sumrnary of accounts is a true and fair record of the Cotte5more Village Hall book of
accounts for the finanoal year ending 3110312025
Treasurer
1310412025
Inde
ndent Examiner
IC4fOL 202£.
lan Pluck
Fox Cottage
27, The Leas
Cottesmore
LE15 7DG
David O W Wallace
FirTree Bam
Main street
Cottesmore
LE15 7DJ
Pa8elofi

ottesmore Willa
e Hall Mana
ement Committee
Chari
Trustee and Treasurerfs Financial R
Trusteesnreasurerfs Report:
Financial Year April 2024- March 2025
Intr
duction and ove￿ieW
The final accounts have been reviewed and signed off by an independent external examiner and
verification of the yearond ￿SuIt for the Charity duringApril 2024. The increase In the Charivs assets
Is due to an increased income. There was a significant increase in expenditu￿ durin8 the year. relating
to delay work from the previous financial year. The result however was Improved due to timlng of the
refurbishment of the Community Centre toilets, which was originally planned for March and April but
delayed until April. The financial year benefrted from the receipt of the Brant fundin8 from the Parish
Council In this year, while the expendlture will fall entlrely in the new year.
Income.. The final income was £37.072.31 (excluding grant funding and the Feed In Tariff IFtn. The
Income in the year increased due to several new bookings. The regular hall hire In¢￿aSe by 30% over
the prevlous year and private hlre was 50% higher. with additional blrthday parties and two elections
durin8 the year, with no elections expected in the next year, this income will almost certainly fall.
The other areas of improvement were in events income. a new activity Introduced during the year and
the income recelved from monthly Bingo sessions. Income from the annual firework dlsplay surpassed
all expettations, wfih tickets available online for the first tlme. which proved very popular, alon8 wlth
electronic payments on the night in recognltlon of the reduction in cash carrled by the a8e group
attending the event. Finally. a new re8ular bookin8 was secU￿d following 5ignlflcant Investment In
the hall heatlng systems during the year.
Other income recefved was Grant ftsnding from the Parlsh Councll of £5,(￿1 towards the 2025126
toilet refurbishment, the LLR Community Fund provided £2,950 towards replacement electrical
distributions boards and Rutland CC of £50 towards new badminton and pickleball equipment.
Ex
enditure: £37.322 an Increase of £7.1(N) on the previous year. There We￿ several special Items of
expenditure during the year. General expenditure increased by 38% over last year. However, the
largest increases were In Repairs & Maintenance with a 270% increase (£19591 and Fire/H&S
Increasing by 525%1£21701. These increases reflect the essential works that were required during
the year operate the facility and the Charity has benefitted from S￿nificantIV lower ￿e15 in the recent
past. Utility cost5 were higherfor water. due to an 0￿$tandIng query and elertrlcty which was lower
following a credit i55ued for the first three months.
Investment in the building fabric wlth the support of 8rant funding accounted for a thlrd of the yearfs
total expenditure at £12,568.
Accounts Ovemew
Overall, as wlth the previous year. the financial year was a significant challenge, and the Management
Committee was pleased wtth the outcome of the financial perfomiance, but without Government and
a successful Grant fundin8 application. the outcome would have been significantty drfferent. There
was an unexperted surplus which relates almost entirely to the timing of the toilet refurbtshment.
which will be undertaken in April and May 2025. The result of which is the bud8et for the new financial
vear Is currently expected to be a10$5 equal to the surplus achieved in 2024125.

Accounts Review
The External Verifier raised a single Con￿rn in the revlew of the accounts. as he did in the prevlous
year. This cOn￿rn relates to the perfom)ance of M¢Neill's Icottesmore AFC Enterprises) use of the
Social Club and in particular theirfinancial viabilityand the inability to make regular payments. A5 part
of this concern, is recognition that the rent has been reduced each of the last two years and late
payments have inC￿ased. despite this support from the Village Hall.
It is not clear IF this situation can be sustained into the future and the new financial year, may be
crltical to both or8anisations and any fvture relationship.
The final accounts were slgned on i* April and included with this ￿P)rt.
I would Ilke to express my sincere thanks to Davld Wallace. Extemal Verifier, for once agaln, revlewing
the Cttaritys accounts and financial performance and providin8 a prompt but invaluable review,
challenge. and detsiled examlnatlon of the flnances.
ari
The last financial year witnessed an Increase in overall income, for the first time since 2020 and the
Impact of COVID on the Centre. The Committee. with extemal fundin8 SUPI)ort has continued to Invest
heavily In the Communlty cent￿ as a whole. It is expected that thls will continue over a number of
vears. with an expectation that the next fve years, will requTr￿ investment levels similar to those of
the last fwe years. The committee remain very concerned over the performance of the social club -
McNelll's and continued delays in rental payments as highlighted by the External Verifier.
The Charlty has contlnued to benefft from significant 5UPPOrt from the Parlsh Council, through grant
fundlng and the joint PCNllla8e Hall bi-monthly liaison 8roup. The liaison meeting has enabled 8reater
dlscusslon on essential Jolnt Issues and related topics for the mutual benefit of both parties.
On behalf of the Management Commlttee. I would like to express our thanks to the regular hirers of
the facility, theirvolunteers forensurin8 a wide and varled activity programme is available to residents
and visltors to the Parish of Cottesmore. Further, the new hirers in Lavender Mill, Oakham Swin8
Dance and Rutland U3A has added to the varied programme of activities that a￿ offe￿d to the
communlty.
This last finandal proved to be successful, wlth a flnanclal result far better than we could have hope
or planned to achieve. New bookings and In¢￿aSed usage. alon8 With careful spen(ling has enabled
this success alon8 wlth grant fvndln8 frorn the Paflsh Council to protect and enhance the Communty
Centre.
There remains a considerable amount of work to maintsin the building fabric in the Community Centre
and Hall in a good condition and thi5 will undoubtably provlde flnancial challenges In the years to
come, and the need to find suitable grant funding to support the Charity for the foreseeable future.
The Commtttee agreed in March to retaln hire charges at the prevlous level for another financlal year.
despite the financial challenges, particularly the planned investment in the building fabric. The price
freeze has only been posslble due to the significant increase Sn use of the hall over the last financial
year.
The Events Group has added a new dimension to our artivities available at the Hall and it is hoped this
group will continue to develop a varied programme to attract visitors to the Community Cent￿, which
in turn will support our future development and as in the last year attract new business.

The committee would welcome all offers of help to support the few dedicated volunteers currently
involved and to enhance this valuable community asset enabling the continued development of the
hall's potential. New volunteer5 will bring new ideas and spread the workload to enable greater
actNities in the future to enhan￿ this valuable community assetenabling the contlnued development
of the hall's potential.
As always, in c105in& I would like to express my sincere thanks to my fellow Trustees and the Vlllage
Management Committee for their continuous support. 8u•dance and 8ood humour. It continues to be
pleasure to work you all and manage the Villa8e Hall for the benefit of the community and vlsltors
to Cottesmore.
For and on behalfof Cottesmore Village Hall Trust and Managernent Committee.
lan Pluck
Trusteenreasurer
May 12. 2025