2025-02-01-accounts - Otley 2030

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

Otley 2030 CIO

Charity number 1202220

Annual Report and Financial Statements

for the year ended 31 March 2025

Otley 2030 CIO

Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2025

Contents	Page
Trustees' report	2 to 6
Examiner's report	7
Receipts and payments account	8
Statement of assets and liabilities	9
Notes to the accounts	10 to 12

Prepared by West Yorkshire Community Accountancy Service CIO

Otley 2030 CIO

Trustees' report for the year ended 31 March 2025

Reference and administrative details of the charity, its trustees and advisors

The trustees during the financial year and up to and including the date the report was approved were: Name Position Dates

Name Position Dates Trevor Williams Chair Resigned 10 Feburary 2025 Ann Forsaith Chair Sarah Mumford Michael Bradley Astrid Copeland John Costello Ruth Woodhead Helge Urdal Appointed 26 September 2024 Sioban Lenzionowsk Appointed 17 July 2025 Charity number 1202220 Registered in England and Wales Registered and principal address Bankers 38A Weston Park View Unity Trust Bank Plc Otley Planetary Road Flat 2 Wilenhall LS21 2DU WV1 9DG

Registered in England and Wales

Independent examiner Sarah Coates MAAT West Yorkshire Community Accountancy Service CIO Stringer House 34 Lupton Street Leeds LS10 2QW

Structure, governance and management

The charity is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) association formed on 7 March 2023 and is governed by a constitution.

Method of recruitment and appointment of trustees

The trustees of the charity are appointed by the trustees at a duly convened meeting.

Otley 2030 CIO

Trustees' report (continued) for the year ended 31 March 2025

Objectives and activities

The charity's objects

To promote sustainable development for the benefit of the public by:

The preservation, conservation and the protection of the environment and the prudent use of resources;

The relief of poverty and the improvement of the conditions of life in socially and economically disadvantaged communities;

The promotion of sustainable means of achieving economic growth and regeneration among areas of social and economic deprivation.

To advance the education of the public in subjects relating to sustainable development and the protection, enhancement and rehabilitation of the environment.

The charity's main activities

Our goal is to make Otley a carbon-zero, sustainable and fair town by the 2030s, and to ensure that this transition is made in a just and democratic way, involving all areas of our local community.

Public benefit statement

In setting our objectives and planning our activities our Trustees have given serious consideration to the Charity Commission’s general guidance on public benefit and in particular the advancement of sustainability.

Achievements and performance

Otley Community Larder operates from Otley Social Club on the Weston Estate, redistributing surplus food from local businesses and growers within a five-mile radius. This food is made available to the local community on a pay-as-you-feel basis, helping reduce food waste and improve access to fresh produce.

Thanks to funding from the National Lottery Community Fund, we’ve been able to pay for a Larder Coordinator, and make some essential changes to the building we operate from. We are also supported by a dedicated team of over 50 volunteers who help run the service smoothly each week. Additional grants from Leeds Food Aid Network and the ASDA Foundation have allowed us to purchase more food from Fare Share and expand our reach across the community.

As of March 2024, the Larder is open two days a week for a total of eight hours and welcomes around 120 visitors each week—over 60% of whom have children under 18 in their household. Since October 2023, we’ve saved around 40 tonnes of food from going to waste.

Alongside our core sessions, we also deliver food to around 30 households who are unable to attend in person due to physical or mental health reasons. We support local groups and events with food donations too, helping us reach an additional 500 people in the wider community in the last 6 months.

Future Weston Project – In December 2023, we secured £50k in funding from Leeds City Council’s Community Climate Fund. This has enabled:

l Energy/Climate Resilience - During 2024 installed solar panels on Otley Social Club and Under 12’s Football club buildings. We also funded the training of key local stakeholders in carbon literacy and consulted with the local community about their future priorities.
l In November 2024, we ran energy saving workshops - open days where local people could attend and learn about how to save energy in their houses. Attendees got free LED lightbulbs and the chance to make their own draft excluders.
l Community Nature Recovery - During spring 2024, we planted a nature garden at the football club with community involvement, and in November 2024, a community orchard around the local children’s play park. Both the nature garden and orchard have interpretation boards showcasing artwork by local primary school pupils and the garden has a bench donated by a local business.

Otley 2030 CIO

Trustees' report (continued) for the year ended 31 March 2025

Achievements and performance continued Future Weston Project continued

l We also held a series of Citizens’ Assembly-style workshops to engage local people in plans for the future of their neighbourhood. Each workshop had a different theme: Transport, Nature, Food, Energy and Housing.

Otley Youth Theatre – Providing free youth theatre provision in Otley. The majority of current OYT participants reside in Otley’s Weston ward, which is in the 20% of most deprived wards in the country, meaning paid-for arts provision is inaccessible. It is a key part of Otley 2030’s charitable purpose to ‘improve the conditions of life in socially and economically disadvantaged communities,’ and we are committed to retaining free access to arts provision for local young people.

Community Nature Recovery Plan Toolkit – In 2024 we secured a Climate Action Leeds microgrant to produce a Community Nature Recovery Plan Toolkit, based on Otley’s Local Nature Recovery Plan. The funding resulted in a physical, printed toolkit now being used by other Climate Action Leeds Hubs and communities in other areas of Leeds.

Northern Powergrid Feasibility Study - In 2024, we secured funding, recorded as service income, to carry out a feasibility study into the installation of a district heat network in Otley. We employed local environmental and sustainability consultants WRM to research sources of waste heat in the town from industrial and municipal buildings, and look at the viability of creating a heat network that would power local homes, reducing their energy bills and carbon consumption. The first option for waste heat that we looked at was Sinclair’s paper factory, but they are a very sustainable business and are already developing plans to use their excess heat themselves, so we switched focus to Wharfedale Hospital. WRM recommended using excess capacity from the hospital's boilers to power approximately 40 homes in the vicinity. They recommended using green gas tariffs to reduce the carbon footprint of the project.

University of Leeds Climate Hub Research - following on from Otley 2030’s involvement in the Leeds Community Research Network, we were approached by a group of academics from the University of Leeds who wanted to research the development of community climate action hubs. The research looked at how Climate Action Leeds have used Imagine Leeds to engage people on a city-wide scale and how Otley 2030 has used a project based approach to engage a community in climate action in a more dynamic, mobile way. The researchers spent a lot of time in Otley interviewing participants, volunteers, staff, and trustees of Otley 2030. The outputs were a matrix for assessing the effectiveness of a climate hub (mobile/static) and the activities that happen there, and an interactive cartoon and video that documented the journey of Otley 2030 through the past, present, and future.

Walk to School Week 2025 Initial Outreach - Outreach/community engagement work for this project, funded by Climate Action Leeds, began in February 2024. We engaged with all the primary schools in Otley, identifying key contacts and encouraging them to sign up to join our Walk to School Week project, part of a national initiative led by Living Streets.

Financial review

The net receipts for the year were £8,868, including net receipts of £6,796 on unrestricted funds and net receipts of £2,072 on restricted funds, after transfers.

Reserves policy

The charity's free reserves, at the year end were £8,538.

1 Introduction Otley 2030 is a small charity committed to promoting sustainability and achieving net-zero carbon emissions within the community of Otley by the year 2030. To ensure the financial stability and long-term sustainability of our activities, it is essential to maintain adequate reserves. This policy outlines the purpose, target level, and management of reserves held by Otley 2030.

Otley 2030 CIO

Trustees' report (continued) for the year ended 31 March 2025

Reserves policy continued

2 Purpose of Reserves

Reserves are funds set aside to ensure that Otley 2030 can continue its work in the face of financial uncertainty, unexpected expenses, or unforeseen reductions in income. The reserves provide a financial cushion that allows the charity to:

l Continue delivering its core activities and services during periods of fluctuating income or unexpected expenditure.
l Mitigate the risk of grants not being received in full. Reserves could be used to allow related projects to be wound down in such a way to maximise what benefits to the community can still be achieved.
l An allowance to cover work required in seeking additional funding. Especially where such proposals require external consultancy work, room hire/events, and general professional services that cannot be provided by volunteers.
l To cover emergencies or unexpected expenses not identified in the budget. Note: where possible, expensive assets such as refrigerators should have warranty or maintenance agreements with costs that have been accounted for.
l To be deployed in the event of the charity closing. Such exit management should cover notification to all parties, capturing and possible transfer of knowledge, archiving of all records and documentation including those held on the web, termination of external contracts, disposal of physical assets. Note: ideally, larger assets such be offered to local groups providing, or looking to provide, similar services.
3 Target Level of Reserves

The target level of reserves for Otley 2030 will be determined based on the following considerations:

l Operating Costs: A target of a minimum reserve equivalent to three to six months of the charity's operating costs will be maintained. This ensures that Otley 2030 can continue functioning in the event of a significant drop in income or unexpected expenses.
l Risk Assessment: The reserve level will be reviewed annually based on the risk assessment of Otley 2030’s income streams, expenditure patterns, and external factors that may impact the charity.
l Future Plans: Additional reserves may be accumulated for planned future projects or initiatives that are critical to achieving the charity’s mission but for which funding is not yet secured.
4 Management of Reserves
l Review and Monitoring: The reserves level will be reviewed annually by the Board of Trustees as part of the budget-setting process. The reserves policy and target level will also be reviewed if there are significant changes to the charity’s income, expenditure, or strategic plans.
l Use of Reserves: Any decision to use the reserves will be made by the Board of Trustees, based on a recommendation from the Treasurer. The Board must ensure that any use of reserves does not compromise the charity’s ability to meet its financial obligations or deliver its core services.
l Replenishing Reserves: If reserves are used, the Board will agree on a plan to replenish them to the target level within a reasonable timeframe, taking into account the charity's financial position and future income expectations.

5 Reporting and Transparency

l The level of reserves and the reserves policy will be clearly stated in Otley 2030’s annual report and financial statements.
l Any deviation from the target reserves level and the reasons for this will be explained in the annual report.

6 Policy Review

This reserves policy will be reviewed by the Board of Trustees every year or sooner if there are significant changes in the charity’s circumstances or financial position.

Otley 2030 CIO

Trustees' report (continued) for the year ended 31 March 2025

Funds in deficit

The Climate Hub Research (University of Leeds) fund had a negative £3,000 balance at the year end. An additional grant to clear this balance was received in April 2025.

Funds held as an agent on behalf of other groups

At year end, we were holding £1,015 on behalf of Otley Common (Friends of the Wesley Otley Ltd) .This was held in error as a cheque and cash were paid in to our account instead of theirs. It was returned in April 25.

During the year we also held money from a fund raiser for Climate Justice and paid the venue booking on their behalf. We transferred the balance to the organiser in December 2024.

Approved by the board of trustees on 21/10/2025

Ann Forsaith Trustee

Otley 2030 CIO

Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Otley 2030 CIO

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the CIO for the year ended 31 March 2025, which are set out on pages 8 to 12.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity trustees of the CIO you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act').

I report in respect of my examination of the CIO's accounts as carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act. In carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent examiner's statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

1 accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Charities Act; 2 the accounts do not accord with those records.

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Sarah Coates MAAT

21/10/2025

West Yorkshire Community Accountancy Service CIO

Stringer House 34 Lupton Street Leeds LS10 2QW

Otley 2030 CIO Receipts and payments account for the year ended 31 March 2025

Notes 2025 Unrestricted funds £ Receipts Grants and donations (2) 3,899 Sales and fees 10,360 Management charge - Donation from unincorporated charity - Total receipts 14,259 Payments Freelance workers 1,397 Veg box costs - Activity and project costs 9,060 Food and drink 109 Lighting and heating - Repairs and maintenance - Insurance - Room hire 202 Printing and stationery 76 Memberships - Digital and hosting costs 626 Marketing costs - Fundraising 15 Training - Bank charges 71 Miscellaneous costs 106 Donations given - Independent examination 792 Equipment - Total payments 12,454 Net receipts / (payments) 1,805 Transfers between funds 4,991 Net movement in funds 6,796 Fund balances brought forward 1,742 Fund balances carried forward (3) 8,538	2025 Restricted funds £ 95,750 5,880 - - 101,630 45,617 2,690 30,668 508 972 630 351 1,524 507 - - - 15 4,400 - 134 - - 6,551 94,567 7,063 (4,991) 2,072 17,927 19,999	2025 Total funds £ 99,649 16,240 - - 115,889 47,014 2,690 39,728 617 972 630 351 1,726 583 - 626 - 30 4,400 71 240 - 792 6,551 107,021 8,868 - 8,868 19,669 28,537	2024 Total funds £ 55,776 3,364 455 4,309 63,904 28,450 4,718 2,238 1,413 103 3,146 434 734 1,334 52 188 120 720 246 90 162 87 - 44,235 19,669 - 19,669 - 19,669

Otley 2030 CIO Statement of assets and liabilities

as at 31 March 2025 2025 Unrestricted £ Cash funds Cash at bank 8,510 Cash in hand 28 Total cash funds 8,538 Debtors and prepayments Prepayments Assets retained for the charity's own use Larder fridge x2 HOST Glass Door White Display Freezer Larder freezer x2 Weighing scales Storage Sumup Solo smart card terminal Larder shelter Bench Liabilities Accruals	2025 Restricted £ 19,857 142 19,999	2025 Total £ 28,367 170 28,537 2025 £ 146 146 2025 £ 1,080 1,080	2024 Total £ 19,469 200 19,669

The financial statements were approved by the board of trustees on 21/10/2025

Ann Forsaith (Trustee)

Otley 2030 CIO

Notes to the accounts

for the year ended 31 March 2025

1 Accounting policies

Basis of accounting

The trustees have taken advantage of section 133 of the Charities Act 2011 and have prepared the accounts on a receipts and payments basis.

There has been no change to the accounting policies since last year.

No changes have been made to the accounts for previous years.

Taxation

As a charity the organisation benefits from rates relief and is generally exempt from income tax and capital gains tax but not from VAT. Irrecoverable VAT is included in the cost of those items to which it relates.

Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity.

Restricted funds are subjected to restrictions on their expenditure imposed by the donor or through the terms of an appeal.

Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the accounts.

Otley 2030 CIO Notes to the accounts continued for the year ended 31 March 2025

2 Grants and donations Asda Foundation Climate Action Leeds (CAL) Cooperative Leeds Christian Community Trust (LCCT) Leeds City Council Neighbourly Otley Town Council The National Lottery Community Fund Together for Peace University of Leeds Leeds Inspired Leeds Love It Share It (LLISI) Leeds Quaker Meeting Trust Other donations 3 Restricted funds Balance b/f £ The National Lottery 9,715 Community Larder 9,017 LCCT Food Aid Network - Future Weston Project (45) CAL Community Development (2,615) University of Leeds - CAL Nature Recovery 1,500 Youth Project 130 Cycling Project 225 Climate Hub Research - Asda Foundation - Otley Town Council - Together for Peace- Equipment - Cooperative - Together for Peace - 17,927	2025 Unrestricted funds £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3,899 3,899 Incoming £ 16,493 8,853 4,000 49,540 10,652 3,668 - - - 3,000 2,000 650 424 450 1,900 101,630	2025 Restricted funds £ 2,000 10,652 450 4,000 49,540 500 650 16,493 2,324 788 - - - 8,353 95,750 Outgoing £ 13,200 9,774 1,766 47,720 8,037 3,464 1,344 - - 6,000 1,304 108 - 450 1,400 94,567	2025 Total funds £ 2,000 10,652 450 4,000 49,540 500 650 16,493 2,324 788 - - - 12,252 99,649 Transfers £ - (3,176) (600) - - (204) (156) (130) (225) - - - - - (500) (4,991)	2024 Total funds £ - 23,268 - 2,750 - 500 500 9,715 - - 1,200 990 250 16,603 55,776 Balance c/f £ 13,008 4,920 1,634 1,775 - - - - - (3,000) 696 542 424 - - 19,999

For fund descriptions see next page.

Otley 2030 CIO Notes to the accounts continued for the year ended 31 March 2025

3 Restricted funds continued

Fund name Purpose of restriction The National Lottery Towards staffing costs and an E-cargo bike and secure locker for the Community Larder.

Community Larder General donations and donation from 'Pay as You Feel' towards running the Otley Community Larder. The transfers relate to % for unrestricted costs LCCT Food Aid Network Towards the Community Larder costs. The transfer relates to 15% for overheads to be used on unrestricted costs. Future Weston Project To install solar panels and plant a nature garden. CAL community Development Towards freelance staffing costs. University of Leeds To provide Youth Theatre service. The transfer relates to an underspend, permission has been granted to move this to unrestricted funds. CAL Nature Recovery Towards a Nature Recovery Project. The transfer relates to an underspend, permission has been granted to move this to unrestricted funds.

Youth Project Funds raised by Duke of Edinburgh scheme students for work with Young People. The transfer relates to an underspend, permission has been granted to move this to unrestricted funds. Cycling Project Funding for cycling family fun days. The transfer relates to an underspend, permission has been granted to move this to unrestricted funds. Climate Hub Research For Climate Hub research. £3,000 grant paid in after the year end. Asda Foundation To purchase equipment. Otley Town Council Towards the cost of room hire. Together for Peace- Equipment For walk to School Initiative, preparatory meetings and initiation. Cooperative Towards the costs of a bench. Together for Peace Towards the costs of training for BID writing. The transfer relates to £500 allocated towards unrestricted funds.

4 Related party transactions

Trustee expenses

No trustee received any expenses during this year or the previous year.

Trustee remuneration and benefits

No trustee received any remuneration or benefit during this or the previous year.

5 Funds held as agent Wesley Otley Common Climate Justice Otley Common	Balance b/f £ - - - -	Incoming £ 1,500 150 1,015 2,665	Outgoing £ 1,500 150 - 1,650	Balance c/f £ - - 1,015 1,015

Additional information

Fund name Additional information Wesley Otley Common Fund received on behalf of the group. Climate Justice For venue booking. Otley Common Amount of £1,015 paid into bank in error. The money was refunded to the group in April 2025.