2025-03-31-accounts - Whitley Village Hall CIO

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Whitley Village Hall CIO Management Committee Chairs’ Annual report (01/04/2024 – 31/03/2025)

Overview

It has been another busy year in the life of Whitley Village Hall. Following incorporation on 16[th] June 2023 and Whitley Village Hall CIO becoming financially operational on 1[st] October 2023, the charity Whitley Village Hall (registered charity number 520135) was closed down with The Charity Commission and completion notification was received on 21[st] May 2024. Our sincere thanks to Kevin Janes who guided us through the incorporation process from start to end in a most diligent and helpful way. The vesting of the land is the only outstanding issue which needs resolving post incorporation.

Whitley Village Hall continues to be filled with regular meetings, events, shows and much more. It is home to many well-established local groups and events. Indeed the local community organisations continue to ensure the Village Hall plays a sizable part in our village life. Whitley Community Preschool runs for thirty eight weeks a year out of the main hall and the Whitley Community Toddler Group restarted in January 2025. Local user groups such as the WI, Mothers Union, the Parish Council and the Friendly Club hold regular meetings in the hall and key events such as the Rose Queen Selection Disco, the Rose Queen Fete and the Rose Queen Christmas Party, for all those over sixty in the village, continue to demonstrate the hall’s role as a key asset within the community.

Finances are closely monitored by the committee and discussed on a monthly basis with a focus on getting the best deals for today whilst ensuring new legislation is adhered to and due diligence is carried out on potential future projects, such as solar panels, heat pumps, sound proofing and CCTV Deals on Broadband, electricity and waste were all renegotiated during the year as well as pricing for caravan rallies and hall parties being adjusted upwards. CWAC members budget funding of £1000 was received in February for the purchase of Smart TVs/digital signage - many thanks to Lynn Gibbon, Phil Marshall and Norman Wright. Accounts and our trustee annual report were filed on time with The Charity Commission in January for the financial year 01/10/2023 – 31/03/2024.

Committee and Governance

During this financial year the VHMC registered trustees were Scott Tolson, Ian Merrell, Cathy Ure, Paula Brierley Jones, Philip Barber, Melanie Barber and Neil Summerton. It should be noted that, according to our constitution, there is a space for an eighth trustee. Hall user groups were also represented on the committee: Melanie Barber (WI and Parochial Church Council), Phil Barber (Parish Council and Rose Queen Committee) and Vicki Brown (Whitley Community Pre-school and Toddler Group.) Chris Pennington and Rob Bruford have also been invaluable members of the VHMC. It must be noted with some members representing more than one user group the ability to attract new volunteers and members is becoming increasingly difficult despite the recent transition to a CIO. We are still running without a permanent Chair in place and therefore adopting a rotating Chair policy. Our membership with the Village Halls Network (ACRE) was once again renewed. This low cost membership has been of great use over the recent years.

Hall users and activities

It is pleasing to reflect on the breadth of users and activities that are once again getting great

use out of the hall. Over the year we have supported many groups including Pre School, Toddlers, Dance, Metafit, Yoga, WI, Mothers Union, Friendly Club, Parish Council, Parochial Church Council, Mothers Union, Stretton Young Farmers, The Hornby Railway Club, Lymm Anglers, St Lukes Church, Cheshire Garden Group, the Institute of Advanced Motorists and The Rose Queen Committee. In addition, we have hosted an eclectic array of caravan, dog and vintage motorcycle clubs, bingo evenings and parties, as well as being a polling station for both local and main elections.

We hosted a very successful Burns Night on 25[th] January 2025 which was well attended and enjoyed by all, a Beer and Band Night in October 2024, a Race Night, in conjunction with WCP-S and FOWS, in November 2024 and an entertaining quiz night in April 2024. Our thanks to Ian for managing the bar at these events.

We continue to push for new members following the successful relaunch of Whitley Village Hall’s Monthly Lottery Draw. 102 numbers have been allocated so far.

Lastly we were pleased to facilitate, at the instigation of her children, the placing of a bench in the Village Hall field to mark the passing of the late Vicky Swinden.

Improvements to facilities

The main hall was redecorated in August and a multitude of other odd jobs were also carried out over the course of the year. Our thanks must go to all committee members, but in particular Phil Barber and Neil Summerton, for sorting many of these out.

Managing the Village Hall

Our mission remains to provide facilities that enable meetings, education, recreation and leisure activities with the object of improving the quality of life for the local community. We have an ongoing challenge to ensure we represent the needs of those that live in and around Whitley and, as we have said before, with more people moving into the local area it is important we think about how we can do that even more effectively.

It is a pleasure working with the Whitley Village Hall CIO committee, all of whom are fantastically dedicated, always in good humour and willing to support on anything. Everything we do is a team effort. We must extend our thanks to Liz Williams for her much needed and significant contribution. This year particular thanks must go again to Ian, our Treasurer/often nominated rotating Chair/ and bar manager, for the challenging work he has been involved in this year. Ongoing credit and thanks are due to Phil for managing the diary and the constant demands this brings and Melanie for managing the invoicing (as well as managing Phil.). Lastly thanks to Neil for organising the Christmas meal at The Leigh Arms this year. A truly unforgettable event.

Paula Brierley-Jones

Trustee of Whitley Village Hall CIO

BANKBALANCE
CurrentAccount
OpeningBalance:1stApril2024	10,194.46
AddReceipts	31,901.50
DeductPayments	34,313.11
ClosingBalance31stMarch2025	7,782.85
DepositAccount
OpeningBalance:1stApril2024	30,091.87
AddTransin	10,000.00
InterestReceived	426.92
ClosingBalance31stMarch2025	40,518.79
PrizeAccount
OpeningBalance:1stApril2024	Nil
AddTransin	900.00
AddReceipts	1,588.00
DeductPayments	1,895.00

Independent examiner's report on the accounts

Section A Independent Examiner’s Report

Report to the trustees/ Charity Name members of Whitley Village Hall CIO On accounts for the 31[st] March 2025 Charity no 1203604 period ended (if any) Set out on pages (remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets) I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the period ending 30[th] November 2023. Responsibilities and As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the basis of report accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).

I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and 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 I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that disclosed below *) which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.

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.

Date: 19/11/2025 Signed: Name: James Gaffney MAAT BSc (Hons) Relevant professional ACCA (non-active member), MAAT, BSc (Hons) qualification(s) or body

Oct

IER 2018

(if any):

Address: 101 Dale Lane, Appleton Warrington Cheshire, WA4 3DN

Section B Disclosure

Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).

Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .

Oct

IER 2018