2025-12-31-accounts

The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of St James, Millbrook

Annual Report and Accounts for the Year Ended 31 December 2025

2025 REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST JAMES MILLBROOK

1. Legal and Administrative Information

Charity Name	The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of James
	Millbrook
Charity registration	1211534
number
Governing Documents	Parochial Church Councils (Powers) Measure 1956 as amended;
	Church Representation Rules - contained in Schedule1 to the Church
	Representation and Ministers Measure 2019 (No. 1).
Independent Examiners	Stewardship Services (UKET) Ltd, 1 Lamb’s Passage, London, EC1Y 8AB
Bank	Virgin Money, Clydesdale Bank, Symington House, 7 North Avenue,
	Clydebank Business Park, Clydebank, G81 2NT
Correspondence Address	St James Church
	Huddersfield Road
	Millbrook
	Stalybridge
	SK15 3JL
Telephone	07984 286038
Email	[e-mail]
Website	https://www.stjamesmillbrook.uk
Context	St James Church is situated on the edge of Stalybridge in Tameside,
	Greater Manchester, in an area that was predominantly a mill town. St
	James is part of the Church of England and is located in the Diocese of
	Chester.
Priest-in-Charge	Rev Gary Kennaugh, 277 Mottram Road, Stalybridge, SK15 2RT (to 1
	September 2025)
	Rev Charlie Laver, 11 Standrick Hill Rise, Millbrook, Stalybridge,
	SK15 3RT (from 1 September 2025)
Curate-in-Charge	Rev Charlie Laver, 11 Standrick Hill Rise, Millbrook, Stalybridge,
	SK15 3RT (to 1 September 2025)

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2025 REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST JAMES MILLBROOK

Trustees / PCC Members serving during 2025

Role	Name	Note
Priest-in-Charge / PCC Chair	Rev Gary Kennaugh	To 1 September 2025
Priest-in-Charge / PCC Chair	Rev Charlie Laver	From 1 Sep 2025 to 31 Aug 2030
PCC Vice-Chair	Suzanne Vincent
Licensed Pastoral Worker	Janette Hodgkinson	From 11 October 2025
Churchwardens		No nominations received
Deanery Synod Members	Angela Cattell	To 2026
	Wendy Hulse	To 2026
Elected Members	David Carter	To 2028
	Suzanne Vincent	To 2028
	Alan Carter	To 2027
	Shirley Hulland	To 2027

Responsibilities of Trustees

Responsibility for setting policy and for determining the parameters within which the charity should operate rests with the PCC, which meets regularly to monitor the activities of the charity.

Charity law requires us as Trustees to prepare financial statements for each accounting year which record the receipts and payments of the charity for the year.

We are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable us to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011.

We also have a responsibility to safeguard the assets of the charity and to take reasonable steps to prevent fraud or any other irregularities.

Statutory Duties

In pursuing the aims described in this report the Trustees can confirm that they have:

• had due regard to the Charity Commission’s public benefit guidance, as required by the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations

• complied with their duty under Section 5 of the Safeguarding & Clergy Discipline Measure 2016 (duty to have regard to House of Bishops’ guidance on safeguarding children and vulnerable adults).

It is our intention that no one starts a paid or voluntary role with children, youth, or adults at risk before they have received appropriate training and been taken through the DBS process. The Diocese has produced a basic level e-learning safeguarding training tool, which we ask all volunteers and staff and PCC to do. A copy of our safeguarding policy is on our website and held within the church office.

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2025 REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST JAMES MILLBROOK

2. Aim and purposes

St James Parochial Church Council (PCC) has the responsibility of cooperating with the Priest in Charge, in promoting in the ecclesiastical parish the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. The PCC is also specifically responsible for the maintenance of the following building:

• The Church of St James Millbrook, Huddersfield Road, Millbrook, Stalybridge.

3. Objectives and Activities

• St James holds five values at its centre, focusing and shaping our ministry and mission:

• Jesus Centred - Jesus is at the heart of who we are and what we do. We look to Him in our worship, our teaching, and our everyday lives. Everything we do, as a church, flows from following Jesus together - “Fixing our eyes on Jesus…” (Hebrews 12:2)

• Building Community - We believe church is about belonging, not just attending. We are committed to building a genuine community where people are known, cared for, and encouraged to grow in faith together - “They shared life together…” (Acts 2:42–47)

• Generous - We live open-handed lives because God has been generous to us. We give our time, our energy, and our finances gladly, trusting God to use what we offer to bless others. “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35)

• Building Disciples - We want to help people grow as followers of Jesus. That means learning from Him, becoming more like Him, and living out our faith in everyday life - at home, at work, and in our communities - “Until we all reach unity in the faith…” (Ephesians 4:13)

• On Mission - We believe God has placed us here for a purpose. As ordinary people following Jesus, we seek to love our neighbourhoods, serve our town, and share the hope we’ve found in Christ - “Go and make disciples…” (Matthew 28:19).

4. Achievements and Performance

The partnership with Holy Trinity Stalybridge ended in 2025 as planned. Rev Charlie Laver was appointed as Priest-in-Charge and a 5-year plan was agreed with the diocese to assist in the move towards paying a full parish share by the end of 5 years.

Below is a list of activities and achievements from the last 12 months.

Children & Families

• The PCC appointed a Children and Families worker in September 2025 on a 2-year contract. She has responsibility for leading the Children's ministry, discipleship and outreach.

• We have continued to take assemblies in both Millbrook and Buckton Vale Primary School. We have hosted visits from school groups and hosted Christmas and Easter experiences for years 3 & 4.

• In January we launched our service for Primary families, Thursday Church. This is a place for worship and discipleship for those with primary school aged children.

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2025 REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST JAMES MILLBROOK

Youth

• We have continued our relationship with the Message Trust, supporting their Respect Me Tour and No More County Lines tours to Mossley Hollins school and the supporting concerts.

Outreach

• We have been building our relationships with the local community, hosting a stall at the village fete, becoming a Community Recycling hub and co-ordinating litter picks in the area

• Our Tuesday coffee morning, Fancy a Cuppa, has been well attended and has seen growth. It has been an opportunity for people to connect with church and church family

• We launched a Grief Cafe in partnership with two other local churches. This has been well attended, providing a safe space where people can meet with others and process their loss at whatever stage they find themselves.

Pastoral

• Our licensed Pastoral Worker joined the team in October 2025. She gives the church 2 days a week and is working on building a team and expanding our pastoral work. She leads the Grief Cafe.

Discipleship

• We have four House Groups whose main aim is to support discipleship. They have met to go deeper from the Sunday message.

5. Worship and Prayer

• We have continued to meet on Sundays at 10.15 for worship and we join with Holy Trinity Stalybridge for a Wednesday Holy Communion service

• This year we have focused on our core values, mentioned above, and worked through a course called Jesus Shaped People, to help us explore how God is calling us to our community and in our walk with him

• We have continued to meet on Sunday mornings and had additional services at significant times such as Easter and Christmas. We also held a Bereavement service in November and started exploring using Messy Church to help us engage with the community

• We work closely with other churches in Stalybridge meeting on Sundays in January for a month of prayer and celebrating Pentecost with a joint service in the park

• Urgent matters for prayer are circulated to the St James prayer chain using text message.

The total number of parishioners on the electoral roll at the APCM in 2025 was 44 (2024 – 48).

The average attendance at Sunday services was 40. This figure increased significantly at our carol service and Christingle service.

6. Tithed Giving

In 2025 the PCC allocated a total of £6,300, to support the work of Open Doors, Stalybridge Street Pastors, Silver Cord and the Congo Church Association.

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2025 REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST JAMES MILLBROOK

7. Financial Overview

Total receipts on unrestricted funds were £67,291 – a reduction of £49,023 on the 2024 figure of £116,314. A total of £44,076 was spent from unrestricted funds in 2025, compared with £53,245 in 2024. The net result was a surplus of £23,215 in 2025. The main reason for the reduction in unrestricted income was that General Fund income in 2024 included a large capital receipt and a substantial one-off donation

Restricted Funds increased from £4,482 at the beginning of 2025, to £4,521 at 31 December 2025.

8. Reserves Policy

The charity aims to hold a minimum of £11,000 (which is approximately three months of expenditure) as unrestricted cash, so that the charity could continue to operate should income and/or expenditure vary adversely.

At the year-end, the charity held unrestricted cash of £100,324 - well above the target figure. The reason for this is that the partnership initiative with Holy Trinity Stalybridge resulted in a significant increase in our giving, and an exemption from parish share contributions until October 2025 (given this exemption, the PCC decided to make a contribution of £3,500 towards the parish share costs of its partner church, Holy Trinity Stalybridge).

Expenditure will increase as new areas of ministry develop. In addition, the Diocese has agreed a phased transition to full parish share by 2029. This is a generous settlement on the part of the Diocese, but the PCC is aware that income will need to increase considerably by 2028, to enable this settlement to be affordable. The present level of General Fund reserve provides the PCC with a cushion over the next two years.

9. Quinquennial Inspection

A Quinquennial Inspection of the church building was carried out in August 2024 and a number of areas identified in that report have already been addressed. However, a second inspection was necessitated in 2025, with the appointment of an alternative Inspecting Architect – the results of this inspection are awaited and will be factored into our forward plans.

10. Structure, Governance and Management

10.1 Parochial Church Council (PCC)

Members of the PCC are either ex-officio, elected at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (APCM) in accordance with the Church Representation Rules or co-opted to the PCC. PCC member standing down/standing for re-election each year.

The PCC consists of the Priest in Charge (PCC Chair); licensed lay worker; churchwardens (none appointed in 2025); deanery synod members and up to six elected members. Four of the six elected places were filled at the 2025 APCM. From 2025, PCC members serve for a period of three years (as suggested in Church Representation Rules), with one-third of members standing down or standing for re-election each year.

PCC members are responsible for making decisions on all matters of general concern and importance to the parish, including deciding on how the funds of the PCC are to be spent.

The PCC held eleven meetings during 2025.

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2025 REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST JAMES MILLBROOK

10.2 Standing Committee

This is the only committee required by statute. It has power to transact the business of the PCC between full Council meetings, subject to any directions given by the Council. There were no Standing Committee meetings during 2025.

10.3 Deanery Synod

Two places on the Mottram Deanery Synod were available to St James from 2022 to 2025 - Angela Cattell and Wendy Hulse are our elected members at the date of this report. Deanery Synod members hold office for a term of three years – the next elections will take place at our 2026 annual meeting.

10.4 Church Officers at the date of this Report

Priest-in-Charge & PCC Chair Rev Charlie Laver (PCC Chair) PCC Vice-Chair Suzanne Vincent PCC Secretary Vacant PCC Treasurer David Carter Planned Giving Officer Angela Cattell Electoral Roll Officer Christine Carter Safeguarding Officer Angela Cattell

This report was approved by the trustees and signed on their behalf by Rev Charlie Laver (PCC Chair).

Signature

C Laver

C Laver (Mar 25, 2026 10:09:25 GMT)

Date Mar 25, 2026

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Independent Examiner’s Report

TO THE TRUSTEES OF THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST JAMES, MILLBROOK

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of St James, Millbrook ('the charity') for the year ended 31[st] December 2025 on pages 8 to 1 2 following.

Responsibilities and basis of report

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

I report in respect of my examination of the charity’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 2011 Act.

Independent examiner’s statement

in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:

1. accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the 2011 Act; or

2. the accounts do not accord with the accounting records.

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

Sarah Crispin Sarah Crispin (Mar 26, 2026 08:58:20 GMT)

Sarah Crispin ACA

Stewardship 1 Lamb’s Passage London EC1Y 8AB

Date: Mar 26, 2026

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The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of St James Millbrook

Receipts & Payments Accounts

For the Year Ended 31 December 2025

	Unrestricted	Restricted	Total	Prior Year
		Receipts
Donations & Legacies
Donations	54,691	524	55,215	59,950
Gift Aid	11,063	0	11,063	12,155
Grants	0	6,500	6,500	9,384
Charitable Activities
Fees	1,119	0	1,119	1,562
Investments
Bank Interest	8	0	8	0
Dividend income	0	1,576	1,576	1,869
Other
Other Income	410	34	444	45,761
Total receipts	67,291	8,634	75,924	130,681
		Payments
Charitable Activities
Clergy Costs	0	0	0	117
Gifts Given	6,551	795	7,346	10,897
Ministry Costs	7,013	1,872	8,885	3,110
Parish Share	6,400	0	6,400	0
Running Costs	23,061	882	23,943	50,648
Staff Costs	462	5,148	5,610	0
Governance Costs
Governance Costs	588	0	588	579
Other
Fixed Asset Purchases	0	0	0	138
Total payments	44,076	8,697	52,773	65,489
Net Receipts / Payments (before transfers)	23,215	-63	23,152	65,192
Fund Transfers In	0	102	102	0
Fund Transfers Out	102	0	102	0
Net Movement of Cash Funds	23,113	39	23,152	65,192
Total Cash Funds Brought Forward	77,211	4,482	81,693	16,501
Total Cash Funds Carried Forward	100,324	4,521	104,845	81,693

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The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of St James Millbrook

Statement of Assets & Liabilities

For the Year Ended 31 December 2025

Cash Assets

For the Year Ended 31 December 2025	For the Year Ended 31 December 2025	For the Year Ended 31 December 2025	For the Year Ended 31 December 2025	For the Year Ended 31 December 2025	For the Year Ended 31 December 2025	For the Year Ended 31 December 2025	For the Year Ended 31 December 2025	For the Year Ended 31 December 2025	For the Year Ended 31 December 2025	For the Year Ended 31 December 2025
Cash Assets
				Unrestricted		Restricted	Total	Prior Year
Cash at bank with immediate access				100,011		4,301	104,312	81,383
Cash received but not banked at 31 December 2025				313		220	533	310
Other Monetary Assets
		Notes		Unrestricted		Restricted	Total	Prior Year
Gift Aid claim	Due January 2	026		4,513		47	4,560	3,854
Investment Assets
		Notes		Unrestricted		Restricted	Endowment	Prior Year
Investment Fund Shares	Endowment F	und		0		0	54,447	56,714
Liabilities
	Notes	Unrestricted		Restricted		Total	Prior Year
Independent Examination Fee		810		0		810	588
HMRC Payments Owed		389		0		389	0
Vicarage Utilities		509		0		509	0

These accounts were approved by the trustees on 23 March 2026, and are signed on their behalf by:

Rev Charlie Laver

C Laver

C Laver (Mar 25, 2026 10:09:25 GMT)

Mar 25, 2026

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The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of St James Millbrook

Receipts & Payments Accounts

For the Year Ended 31 December 2025

Accounting Policies

The accounts have been prepared on a receipts and payments basis and comprise a statement that shows the charity's receipts and payments, a statement that summarises the charity's assets and liabilities and related notes. The accountancy profession have determined that only accounts prepared in accordance with applicable accounting standards present a 'true and fair' view and, as these receipts and payments accounts have not (and cannot) be prepared in accordance with accounting standards, these accounts do not present (and are not intended to present) a 'true and fair' view of the charity's financial activities and state of affairs.

General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity. Designated funds comprise unrestricted funds that have been set aside by the trustees for particular purposes. Restricted funds are donations which are to be used in accordance with specific restrictions imposed by donors; they include donations received from appeals for specific activities or projects.

Transactions with Related Parties

During the year the charity made no payments to PCC members for their work as charity trustees. Reimbursement for expenses when acting on behalf of the charity are not included in this declaration.

Rev Charlie Laver, who is a clergy member of the PCC, receives a stipend from the Diocese; the cost of the stipend is not included in payroll costs. However, it should be noted that some of the Parish Share is used to help pay stipends. On becoming Priest-in-Charge, Rev Laver was provided with accommodation, which is customary for clergy.

General Fund

Total receipts on unrestricted funds were £67,291 – a reduction of £49,023 on the 2024 figure of £116,314. A total of £44,076 was spent from unrestricted funds in 2025, compared with £53,245 in 2024. The net result was a surplus of £23,215 in 2025. The main reason for the reduction in unrestricted income was that General Fund income in 2024 included a large capital receipt and a substantial one-off donation

A designated fund was created by the PCC during the year to help finance the work of Open Doors in supporting persecuted Christians – proceeds came from items sold at the local Carrbrook fete.

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The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of St James Millbrook

Receipts & Payments Accounts

For the Year Ended 31 December 2025

Restricted Funds

Restricted Funds increased slightly - from £4,482 at the beginning of 2025, to £4,521 at 31 December 2025.

Restricted Fund Details

Social Club	Funds connected with the running of a daytime Social Club, which met weekly until the Covid pandemic, and has now been discontinued. The funds will be re-directed to activities meeting the same objectives.
Buildings Fund	Monies donated for building repair and maintenance.
Community Fund	Funds donated to finance community activities in the parish.
Alice Arnfield Fund	Income generated by an Endowment Trust established in 1999, with a stipulation that this income should be used to maintain the churchyard in good order.
Children's Society	Donations towards the work of the Children's Society in supporting vulnerable 10 to18 year olds throughout England.
Lowe / Hague / Tonge Charity	Charities for the relief of poverty and for the promotion of evangelism / Christian education, whose funds are administered by the PCC (previously grouped as Lowe Charity).
Stalybridge Churches Together	Funds donated by various chuches in Stalybridge to finance the annual Pentecost in the Park service.
Grief Café	A drop-in café, held fortnightly at Holy Trinity Stalybridge, but led by the St James pastoral support worker.
Royal British Legion	Proceeds from the sale of poppies around Remembrance Day.
Children & Families Worker	A grant received towards the cost of employing a Children & Families Worker.

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The Parochial Church Council of the Ecclesiastical Parish of St James Millbrook

Notes to the Accounts

For the Year Ended 31 December 2025

Movement of Funds

Fund Name	Opening Balance	Income	Expenditure	Fund Transfers	Closing Balance
Unrestricted
General (Unrestricted)	77,211	67,040	43,825	-102	100,324
Total	77,211	67,040	43,825	-102	100,324
Designated
Open Doors (Designated)	0	251	251	0	0
Total	0	251	251	0	0
Unrestricted Total	77,211	67,291	44,076	-102	100,324
Restricted
Social Club (Restricted)	1,275	0	0	0	1,275
Buildings Fund (Restricted)	708	0	0	0	708
Community Fund (Restricted)	339	0	0	0	339
Children's Society (Restricted)	146	186	146	0	186
Alice Arnfield Trust (Restricted)	0	1,576	817	0	759
Lowe, Hague, Tonge Charity - Agency (Restricted)	1,421	338	1,322	0	436
Stalybridge Churches Together (Restricted)	507	0	609	102	0
Grief Cafe (Restricted)	85	0	85	0	0
Royal British Legion (Restricted)	0	34	34	0	0
Children & Families Worker (Restricted)	0	6,500	5,683	0	817
Total	4,482	8,634	8,697	102	4,521
Restricted Total	4,482	8,634	8,697	102	4,521
TOTAL	81,693	75,924	52,773	0	104,845

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