2025-06-01-accounts

Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 02//06/24 Period start date To 01/06/25 Period end date Charity name: Essex Shire Hall Trust Charity registration number: 1204500

Objectives and Activities

	SORP reference
Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document	Para 1.17	The preservation and restoration for the public benefit of the grade 2 * listed building known as ‘The Shire Hall’ Chelmsford. The education of the public in its acrioss the historic county of Essex. The advancement of the carts for the public benefit through display and exhibition at ‘The Shire Hall’ Chelmsford. Provide or assist in the provision and the surrounding area, of community development in such as the welfare, recreation or other leisure time activities for individuals who have need of such facilities by reason of their age, infirmity or disability, financial hardship or social circumstances, with object of improving their condition of life
Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts.	Para 1.17 and 1.19	We have agreed they terms of a lease from Essex County Council (ECC0free hold owners of this 1791 public building. We will, on securing planning consent from the City Council, complete the arrangements for the transfer of the building to the Trust, ECC have intimated their intention to lease the building to ESHT four a period of 125 years. We will implement our programme of activities in stages. This approach is necessitated by the need to resolve outstanding issues related to provision of a fire escape, inadequate disabiulity access and security. We have continued our consultations locally. Meetings with Marconi Veterans, the Civic Society, Friends of Chelmsford museum, will followed with meetings for

		Chelmsford Cathedral, Anglia Ruskin University and the Rotary Club. We are using the facility for one off events, arranged with local organisations. The Shire Hall foyer is linked for such events, with the adjoining pedestrianised Tindal Square. The Shire Hall has become an integral part of Heritage Open Days week. This includes open public tours of the building.
Statement confirming whether	Para 1.18	The Trustees have considered what are the likely outcomes for those engaged inn our planned activities. Our Heritage Centre will connect with the Marconi Veterans and with the City Council to learn more about their Heritage assist them, in passing ilt on to their chldren and grandchildren. Similarly, our exhitions will enable us to involve more young people and a m ore diverse range of both residents and visitors in engaging with visual arts. Hithrto, there has been no such facility in Chelmsford, outside of school and College courses.
N

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

	SORP reference
Policy on grant making	Para 1.38	N/A
Policy on social investment including program related investment	Para 1.38	N/A
Contribution made by volunteers	Para 1.38	We have secured paid specialist and volunteer support for the Trustees. We have a volunteer Minutes Secretary and a Project Manager, together with advisory support. We will appoint a Co- ordinator. As we reach the delivery stage, we will rec rust volunteers for all of the strands in our programme. We will utilise the expertise of the managers of the Chelmsford Ideas Hub in training volunteers. We will start with our Heritage

Centre. N/A Other

Achievements and Performance

	SORP reference
Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole.	Para 1.20	Our achievements to relate to the setting up of the charity, consultations with interested parties and preparations for taking over Shire Hall. We have secured a positive pre- application action review from City Council planners. We have submitted expressions of interest to possible founders, including the Heritage Lottery Fund. We have secured agreement from ECC a loan of £100,000. We were required to to submit a business Plan to ECC. This was done and has been approved by ECC. The building has not been used on a regular basis since 2012. We have begun to use it again for a limited number of events. This has shown the public that we are serious about its future.

Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

Achievements against objectives set	Para 1.41	N/A
Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set	Para 1.41	N/A
Investment performance	Para 1.41

against objectives Other

Financial Review

Financial Review
Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period	Para 1.21	ECC has approved the advance of £100,000 the Trust. These funds are being made available to the Trust on a drawdown basis as costs are incurred. The balance of the Trust's bank account at the year-end was £nil.
Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held	Para 1.22	There are no reserves.
Amount of reserves held	Para 1.22	None
Reasons for holding zero reserves	Para 1.22	We are still in the process of starting up and therefore not in a position to hold reserves.
Details of fund materially in deficit	Para 1.24	None
Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern	Para 1.23	N/A

Additional information (optional)

You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:

The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising)	Para 1.47	We will make application the Heritage Lottery Fund, on receipt of planning consent and a lease from ECC.
Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted	Para 1.46	N/A
A description of the principal risks facing the charity	Para 1.46	The risk relate to the condition of the building, after it has been empty and unused since 2012. The Shire Hall dates from 1791 and was re-structured internally, to meet the needs of the courts service in 1936. A survey will be undertaken to show what needs to be done before any part of the building may be deemed accessible to the public.
Other

Structure, Governance and Management

Description of charity’s trusts:		N/A
Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter)	Para 1.25	Governing document based on the Charity Commission Foundation Model Constitution
How is the charity constituted? (e.g unincorporated association, CIO)	Para 1.25	CIO
Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees	Para 1.25	The charity was an initiative of the first four Trustees. They decided to select another Trustee with expertise on property matters. Not yet in place.
Additional information (optional) You may choose to include further statements		where relevant about:
Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees	Para 1.51	Not yet in place.
The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works	Para 1.51	N/A
Relationship with any related parties	Para 1.51	None
Other

Reference and Administrative details

Charity name	The Essex Shire Hall Trust
Other name the charity uses
Registered charity number	1204500
Charity’s principal address	32 Vellacotts, Broomfield, Chelmsford Essex CM1 7EB

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20	Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year	Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (if any)
	Honorary Alderman of Essex John Aldridge
	Honorary Alderman of Essex Dick Madden
	Malcolm Noble	Chair
	Pam SwabyBEM
	PhilipTolhurst

– Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved

Director name None

Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity

Trustee name	Dates acted if not for whole year
None

Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others

Description of the assets N/A held in this capacity Name and objects of the N/A charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for N/A safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets

Additional information (optional)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Type of Name Address adviser

Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

Exemptions from disclosure

Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details

N/A

Other optional information

N/A

Declarations

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.

Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees

Signature(s) Full name(s) Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc) Date
	Malcolm Murray Noble
	Chair
	5thMarch 2026
	5thMarch 2026

CHARITY COMMISSIO FOR ENGIAND ANO WALE Essex SNr¢ TrWI Tni Recei tsand ments accounts CC16a For the period 011CW2024 To 0IIW2025 Section A Receipts and payments Unrestdcted fund• Restrlcted lund8 Endowment Total funds L28t year Al R¢¢èl t• ECC L￿Th 16M8 16,86B AR) 16A68 88• see tsble . Sub total A4 A#￿t and Inv•8bn•nt Consultsnt fe￿ in relatlon to the regenortlon of the Shbre 18.86B Sub total 16,868 18,868 16068 16,86B Net of rncelptsl(wyments) AS Transfers between funits A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds thls yw•nd CCXX R1 ￿￿))￿ts ISSI

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Unrestricted funds to ne4tost£ Restrictsd funds EndowFn8nt funds 10 nèarest£ Categofles Detsil$ Total cash funds r￿?)} Endowmont funds lund8 fund• FurJ towtleh ¢o•tlopik)M Current valu• Dètails Fund lovthlch c￿l{op110n• Curr•nt ¥ilu¢ 84 A88•ts r•tslnod for th• eharlty'• own u 16.86B Fundto whkh th￿￿rrt Wh•fi du• BS Liabiliti08 16,868 Signed by one or tsuse$ on behalf of all the tr￿lee8 ture Prknt Namo D81e of roval JGth rtL)e It) CCXX R2 acwjnts ISS} OW/2026

Essex Sbire Hall Trust Independent Examiner's Report to the trustees of Essex Shire Hall Trust I report io the charity trnsiees on my examination ofthe accoun15 ofihe ¢hariLI' for Ihe s'ear ended l June 2025. Respective respoN5ibilities of trustee5 and examiner A5 the charity s m4iees of F_*seK Shire Ilall Trust )'ou are resw)n%ible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance w'ith the requiremenis of the Chariries Aci ?01 l {'Ihe Act'l. I report in respeci of rn). examination of F.ssex Shiie Hall Trusi Charity. s accoun1£ carried oui under seeiion 145 of the ?f)I l Act and in tarrying out examinaiion I have follo%ied all the applicable r)ireaion% given bl, Ihe Charity Commi5sian under seciion 145(5Xbl of the Act. Independent eiaminer's st8ternent I have completed MN examinaiion. I confim) that no material matters have come io my attention in connection wirh Ihe examinaiion giving me Cause to believe thai in an% material respect.. accouniiny reeords were not kept in respeffl of F.ssex Shire Hall Trust as required bv 5e¢rion 130 of the Aci,. or 2. the ac¢oun15 do not accord with those records.. or J. the aecount8 do nor compl} i%iih ihe accouniino requirements concerninLJ Ihe fonn and conieni of occounts et aul in the Chariiies IA¢counis and Reports) Regulaiions ?(K)8 oiher than anK' requirement ihai the accounts give a 'true and fair view, which is noi a maller considered as part of an independ¢ni examination. I have no concerns and have come across no oiher matter5 in conneciion M'iih ihe examination to iihich attention should be drawn in ihis r¢pon in order io enable a pmper underntanding of ihe 8¢couni$ 10 be reached. Mrs V Coffman FCCA Viewpoint Acctsuniants l.td axon I lou%¢ 27 r)Iike Streei Chelmsford CMI IIIT Date.. 101.0ts12021J.