## **ST MARY’S CHURCH ACCOUNTS YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024** ## **Overview of the financial position** The overall reported result for the year is a deficit of £4,664. This, however, does not include the full Parish Share due for the year as £31,393 relating to 2024 was paid in February 2025. The actual deficit for the year after adjusting for this timing difference is therefore £36,057. This is significantly larger than in previous years (the prior year deficit, excluding legacies, was £3,559) predominantly due to an increase in maintenance costs relating to the church roof and clock (£16,864), reduced income from donations and fees for weddings and funerals (£9,989) and inflationary increases in costs of approximately £6,000. The following balances, adjusted for the outstanding Parish Share, were held at the year end of the year: - Church current account – £87,047 - Church Hall account - £22,821 - CCLA Deposit account - £10,498 - CCLA Investment account - £14,302 Total cash and investment balances therefore amounted to £134,668. ## _**If the current level of deficit was to continue year on year, all other things being equal, St Mary’s would run out of funding within four years.**_ Unfortunately, we know that a large element of the running costs will increase over this period. Parish share has increased in 2025 to £77,704 from £75,344 in 2024, insurance costs have increased by £100 per month and utility charges are set to increase imminently. Whilst we were fortunate to receive an exceptionally large legacy in 2023, we cannot rely on these one-off gifts to support the finances of the Church. It is imperative therefore that regular donations are maximized to ensure the sustainability of St Mary’s into the next decade. ## **Church Hall** Whilst the Church Hall has its own bank account, its results are included within the consolidated accounts. The result for the year ended 31 December 2024 was a surplus of £8,526. Rental income amounted to £15,750 and operating expenses, £7,224. ## **Restricted Funds** Donations for repairs to the roof and windows have been treated as restricted funds as they were given specifically for that purpose. The surplus of £2,265 will be spent in Spring/Summer 2025 when weather conditions improve. The restricted funds relating to the organ remain at £5,664. ## **Helen McCourt Treasurer** Full accounts are on a separate sheet. ||**General**
**Designated**
**Restricted**
**Endowment**
**Total**
£
£
£
£
£
27,989
-
3,008
-
30,997
23,087
-
-
-
23,087
4,074
-
-
-
4,074
11,713
-
-
-
11,713
66,863
-
3,008
-
69,871
2,044
-
-
-
2,044
68,907
-
3,008
-
71,915
10,169
-
-
-
10,169
1,970
-
-
-
1,970
552
-
-
-
552
17,822
-
-
-
17,822
**99,420**
**-**
**3,008**
**-**
**102,428**
_97,376_
-
-
-
_97,376_
43,951
-
-
-
43,951
7,548
-
-
-
7,548
10,712
-
-
-
10,712
5,671
-
-
-
5,671
7,902
-
-
-
7,902
6,692
-
-
-
6,692
3,210
-
-
-
3,210
4,037
-
-
-
4,037
2,400
-
-
-
2,400
6,419
-
743
-
7,162
14,312
-
-
-
14,312
2,021
-
-
-
2,021
114,875
-
743
-
115,618
(15,455)
-
2,265
-
(13,190)
8,526
-
-
-
8,526
**(6,929)**
**-**
**2,265**
**-**
**(4,664)**
**162,669**
**-**
**6,832**
**-**
**169,501**
(6,929)
-
2,265
-
(4,664)
1,224
-
-
-
1,224
**156,964**
**-**
**9,097**
**-**
**166,061**
Held in:
Church current account
118,440
Church Hall current account
22,821
CCLA deposit account
10,498
CCLA investment account
14,302
**166,061**
**Parochial Church of St Mary, Sandbach**
**Year ended 31 December 2024**|**_2023_**
_£_
_38,200_
_19,509_
_3,476_
_12,231_| |---|---|---| |**Receipts**
**_Donations and legacies_**
Other planned giving
Loose plate collections
Giving through Church boxes
Tax recoverable on Gift Aid
Legacies
**_Income from Charitable Activities_**
Fees for weddings and funerals
**_Other trading activities_**
Parish magazine
**_Investments_**
Dividends and bank interest
**_Other income_**
Teas, coffees, tiddlers, fundraising events
**Total receipts**
_Excluding legacies_
**Payments**
Parish share
Staff costs
Church running - insurance
Church office expenses
Church utilities
Upkeep of services
Council tax
Working expenses
Organist fees
Church maintenance
Major repairs
Giving to societies
**Total payments**
**Church net payments**
**Church Hall net receipts**
Net (payments)/receipts
**Opening balance**
Deficit for the year
Increase in value of investments
**Closing balance**|£
£
£
£
27,989
-
3,008
-
23,087
-
-
-
4,074
-
-
-
11,713
-
-
-|| ||66,863
-
3,008
-
2,044
-
-
-|_73,416_
_130,543_| ||68,907
-
3,008
-
10,169
-
-
-
1,970
-
-
-
552
-
-
-
17,822
-
-
-|_203,959_
_16,616_
_1,253_
_763_
_14,770_| ||**99,420**
**-**
**3,008**
**-**|**_237,361_**| ||_97,376_
-
-
-
43,951
-
-
-
7,548
-
-
-
10,712
-
-
-
5,671
-
-
-
7,902
-
-
-
6,692
-
-
-
3,210
-
-
-
4,037
-
-
-
2,400
-
-
-
6,419
-
743
-
14,312
-
-
-
2,021
-
-
-|_106,818_
_74,275_
_2,850_
_9,964_
_5,030_
_7,469_
_4,284_
_2,975_
_2,648_
_2,400_
_3,233_
_1,377_
_705_| ||114,875
-
743
-
(15,455)
-
2,265
-
8,526
-
-
-|_117,210_
_120,151_
_7,329_| ||**(6,929)**
**-**
**2,265**
**-**|_127,480_| ||**162,669**
**-**
**6,832**
**-**
(6,929)
-
2,265
-
1,224
-
-
-|| ||**156,964**
**-**
**9,097**
**-**|| ||Held in:
Church current account
Church Hall current account
CCLA deposit account
CCLA investment account|| ## **St Mary's Church** ## **Accounts Year Ended 31 December 2024** |INCOME
Collections
Gift aid
Standing order collections
Funerals, weddings, baptisms, PCC
Donations
CBF dividends & interest
Investment value increase/(decrease)
Church magazine
Fundraising
Teas, coffees, Tiddlers
Legacies
EXPENDITURE
Parish share
Clergy expenses
Vicarage expenses
Other Ministry expenses
Organist Honorarium
Heat & light
Insurance
Church maintenance & cleaning
General administration
Charity payments
Church Hall (surplus)/deficit
Home mission
Visiting speakers
Major repairs
Opening net assets
Surplus/(deficit)
Closing net assets
Church account
Church Hall account
CBF investment account
CBF deposit account
_Difference_|**2024**
**£**
20,770.79
11,712.87
30,996.61
10,169.00
6,414.55
548.01
1,223.45
1,970.21
6,499.39
11,322.55
2,044.00
103,671.43
43,950.90
4,037.38
5,305.62
3,518.06
2,400.00
5,805.54
10,712.25
9,870.95
13,217.04
984.05
(9,038.81)
1,037.28
999.37
14,312.03
107,111.66
169,501.02
(3,440.23)
166,060.79
118,440.26
22,821.08
14,301.62
10,497.83
166,060.79
_-_|**2023**
**£**
17,738.59
16,233.35
25,759.37
20,296.25
11,161.78
440.61
1,528.02
1,252.60
4,801.16
10,719.08
131,042.72| |---|---|---| |||240,973.53| |||76,615.00
3,763.00
3,639.00
6,870.00
2,400.00
5,280.00
9,964.00
2,431.00
7,082.00
1,005.00
(5,226.75)
-
-
-| |||113,822.25| |||42,349.74
127,151.28| |||169,501.02| |||132,142.75
13,782.27
13,607.00
9,969.00| |||169,501.02| |||_-_| We have examined the books and records as provided by St Mary's Church and can confirm that the above accounts are in accordance therewith. For and on behalf of The Rural Partnership Group 27 March 2025