2024-07-31-accounts - Lewes Little Theatre

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

LEWES LITTLE THEATRE BOARD REPORT 2024

	Last Appointed	Term Expires	6-Year Rule	Attendance
Chris Spinks	October 2021	2024	2027	8/8
Darren Heather	October 2023	2026	2029	6/8
Chloe Holland	October 2022	2025	2028	7/8
Mike Palmer	October 2022	Retired February 2024		3/3
Tony Potter	October 2022	2025	2028	6/8

1. Governance and Management

The Board of Trustees have met on eight occasions since the last AGM with Chris Spinks as Chair, including two joint meetings with the Executive Committee.

The day to day management of the theatre is delegated to the Executive Committee (EC), with Chris Spinks as Chair. The other members are Chloe Holland, Shaun Hughes, Chris Pugh, David Rankin, with Tony Bannister coopted as secretary. The EC meet fortnightly, and are directly accountable to the Board, by whom they are appointed.

Shaun Hughes is continuing as Artistic Director, and Bob Leeds as guardian of the Charity’s finances. The Premises Manager is David Rankin.

2. Appointment of Trustees

We are very grateful to Mike Palmer, who stepped down as a Trustee in February. Mike was one of the first members of the new Board, and served as Chair of the Executive Committee for several years. His wise, calm advice is greatly missed.

Chris Spinks is reaching the end of his first three year term of office, and the Board recommend his reappointment for a second three year term.

Our constitution stipulates that the Charity must have a Board of no fewer than four, and no more than eight trustees, and we feel that the optimum number at the moment is six. We are approaching the new term with two vacancies, and the Board recommend the appointment of the following:

David Rankin

David served as a trustee until 2023, and is now eligible for reappointment. David has extensive experience as Premises Manager and member of the Executive Committee, as well as acting and designing and building sets in his capacity as Stage Director, all of which will be valuable to the work of the Board.

Robert Hamilton

Robert is a highly respected actor and performer with many years of experience onstage, and in the field of company and production management. He also has extensive knowledge of the world of copyright and licensing having recently retired from a career with Samuel French (latterly Concord Theatricals), and Rogers and Hammerstein.

3. Maintenance of the Building

The care, maintenance and development of our ageing building has been a priority for the Board over the last six years, and continues to be so.

Having replaced the flat roof over the dressing rooms in 2022, it was decided to conduct a survey of all other roof areas. As a result of this work it was discovered that extensive remedial action was needed to ensure the continuing structural safety of the inner auditorium roof and lighting gantry. To allow this work to be conducted without interruption, the main auditorium was closed to the public at the end of July, and will not reopen until November.

The main contract was awarded to D.F. Tourle Ltd, at a total of £68,867 including VAT. We have also budgeted for an additional £10,000 for contingencies, and for the refitting of lighting and electrical connections. We have received a grant of £5,000 from the Chalk Cliff Trust, and a Go Fund Me page which was set up in April has to date raised £5,500. In addition, we have been given an interest-free loan of £50,000 by three guarantors, repayable over a period of five years.

The work is expected to be fully completed on schedule to allow the auditorium to be reopened to the public in November, the season for 2024/25 having opened in October with a studio production staged in the foyer. It was recently found that the air-conditioning unit in the gallery had reached the end of its useful life, and it has been decided to replace it at a cost of £5,520+VAT. It has also been found necessary to replace the loft access ladder at a cost of £1,560+VAT. Both will be funded from the contingency budget.

4. Financial Position

The accounts for 2023/24 have been submitted under item 4 of the agenda. We have, as last year, reduced the book value of our fixtures and fittings by well over £14,000; without this there would have been a surplus of income over expenditure of over £7,000. The same reduction will take place for the last time next year, after which the accounts will reflect the true surplus/deficit.

Our priority going forward will be to repay the interest free loan, and continue to rebuild our reserves. The challenge will be to achieve financial growth without compromising production quality. The costs incurred in mounting a main stage production can be significant. For a play in copyright, the cost of a performance licence for a week is in the region of £1,000, and costs are also incurred in costume creation and hire, set building and painting, lighting and sound effects, properties and furniture, rehearsal room hire, advertising and the printing of posters, flyers, programmes and newsletters. The trustees are investigating additional income streams permissible within the terms of our constitution which will not compromise our core activity.

5. Inclusion and Accessibility

The need for strict financial management does not reduce our duty to seek ways of developing our building to improve inclusion and accessibility. The lack of full accessibility to the foyer and the bar are of particular concern. This could not be achieved without grant aided funding, and we are actively pursuing potential options.

LEWES LILE THEATRE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31STJULY 2024

Lewes Little Theatre Accounts for the year ended 31st July 2024 EXAMINER'S REPORT I have examlned the Balance Sheet as at 31st July 2024 together with the attached Income and Expenditure Account for the year ended on that date, and hereby certify that they have been correctly prepared in accordance with the book5, records, vouchers and explanations furnished to me by the Hon Treasurer. Signed Date

LE¥VES LirrLE THEATRE BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 JULiI>024 20234 20224 Flxed Assats Freehdd proFerty- Site Value Fixtures and fith'ngs Less depréci8tson for year £2,100.0(LI £2,100.000 £28,1 -£14.451 £43,351 -£14,450 £14,450 £28,901 CuNent Ass•ts Bank current accounts Bank deposit 3ccounts Harnphhire Trust B8nk Monmouthshire BS Cash £1,305 £251 £1.223 £22,658 £56,442 £83 £23,501 £59,552 £157 Totsl and banked funds £87,879 £80,663 Bar strKk £782 £785 Total WnI assets £88,661 £81,448 L•ss Curr•nt Llabilltl•s Sundry creditors (Audft Fo81 £eoo N&t CL5rrant assèts t88,1 £8fj,848 TOTAL ASSETS £2,201611 £2.209,149 REPRESENTED BY Accumulatsd lunds brought lorward Change to UrtorS InerÈ85elldeuea¥el in bar stock From income and expenditwe £2,209.749 . £0 43 -£7,235 £2,206,592 -£100 £446 £2,811 £2,202,611 £2,209,749 APPROVEO.. (Hon Treasurer)

LEWE8 LITfLE THEATRE INCOME FOR THE PERIOD ENDIN¢.JI JULY 2024 20234 2022-3 Productlon Incomg Bar88188 Foyer wfreshments income pr[ErnM8 sales Seat sa £11,W26 £1,175 £1,738 £55,758 £73,0 £1,089 £1,238 £67,993 Total Produ¢lh)n In¢om• £70.597 £83.320 Non4roductlon Income Car park rental Grdnts Incoma tax fUnd (Gfft Akll Interest income Legaaès Subscriptions & donaliw¥ Theatre hire £225 £5,000 £0 f2.C69 £500 £15,168 £350 £300 £0 £920 £482 £2,000 £9,967 £0 Total Ilon4rodu¢tion Incom• £23,312 £13,889 TOTAL INCOME £93,909 £96,989

LEWES LifTLE THEATRE EXPENDITURE FOR THE PERIOD ENISING 31 JULY 2024 20234 20224 Productlon •xpondlfvr• Backstsge refreshment Bar expendltufe Bar purchases Costumes & wgs Foyer Refreshments Expendire Hall hire Lic8nc£$ £207 £240 £5,802 £518 £97 £570 £4,457 £366 £6.415 £1, 784 £72 £740 £1,576 F i i Lights"ng & sound Makg up Music Photographs Programmes Props & furniture Publi¢ity Saipts Set expenditure SpacAal effects £11,683 £44 £73 £1,Q24 £82 £2,435 £654 £10, 199 £370." £3, 109 £135 £100 £1,5 £1.375 £8,046 £711 £4,227 Totsl productlon txpèndir £39.628 £28,478 N0n4rodueon •xpèndIr0 Accessibility Audr( fee Depieciation Electriryty & gas Equipment Heatth and Safety Insuranc8 Litde Theatre Guifd Maintsnance £4,634 £600 £14,451 £9,523 £506 £1,23g £4.175 £105 £5,502 £0 £500 £14.450 £7,048 £1,099 £446 £3,889 £iQ5 £5,944 E I I miSlIaneouS N8wslett8r Postage Rates. water & refuse Softwar8 statH)nery 8nd printing Tehone Theatre management Upkeep ol pr&mi56S £180 £1,785 £1,153 £1,534 £1.209 £178 £913 £433 £3,140 £868 £1,815 £1.735 £94 £749 £5,820 £IY,565 £6.929 Total Non•roductlon oxpondltur• £61.516 £64700 TOTAL EXPENDITURE £101.144 £94.17& CHANGE IN ACCUMULATED FUNDS £2,811

LEWES LILE THEATRE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31STJULY 2024