## **ASHTON ALMSHOUSE CHARITY Charity Reg. No. 200349**
## **Trustees Annual Report for the period 1[st] April 2023 to 31[st] March 2024**
## **Charity Address:**
Association of Dunstable Charities Grove House, 76 High Street North, Dunstable, Bedfordshire. LU6 1NF
## **Trustees for the period 1[st] April 2023 to 31[st] March 2024**
## **Ex Officio:**
Rector of Dunstable - Revd. Rachel Phillips
## **Representative Governors Dunstable Town**
## **Council:**
Cllr Mr Greg Alderman
Cllr Mr Louise O’Riordan
## **Co-optative Governors:**
Mrs Cynthia Gresham Mr Peter Hollick
Mrs Elizabeth Bentley Mrs Jana Veyres
## **Chairman:**
Mrs Cynthia Gresham
## **Clerk to the Governors:**
Mrs Julie Tipler
## **Charity Structure, Governance and Management:**
**Governing document:** Trust Foundation under scheme framed by will dated 30[th] March 1885, and Charities Act 1960. Amended and updated by Trustees in 2012.
## **Trustee Selection Methods:**
**One ex officio** – Incumbent of the benefice of the Ecclesiastical Parish of Dunstable
**Two Nominative Trustees** – Appointed by Dunstable Town Council
## **Four Co-optative Trustees** – Appointed by resolution of the Trustees.
## **Objectives and Activities**
Maintenance and upkeep of the Frances Ashton Almshouses and the gardens and help towards energy and other costs for residents. Concern for the welfare of the six residents.
## **Achievements and Performance in the past year**
Trustees inspect all the flats in the Almshouse and grounds annually. The Chairman/Clerk make regular visits throughout the year. The gardens continue to be well maintained, and all residents are very happy and have been enjoying socialising together in the garden.
Maintenance of the gardens and building is all up to date and replacement RCD fuse boxes will be undertaken next financial year. A flat became vacant and had been redecorated and awaits a new resident. The top floor walkway was re-surfaced.
## **Finances**
Buildings and grounds are the main asset. Money is invested and helps with the maintenance and upkeep of the building, day to day running costs, administration, and refurbishments. Other income is obtained from the maintenance charges from residents **.**
**Mrs Julie Tipler Clerk to the Charity 4[th] December 2024**
## **ASHTON ALMSHOUSE CHARITY**
## **Statement of Accounts as at 31st March 2024**
|**RECEIPTS**
Maintenance Charges
Council Tax Rebate
Other (Jane Cart Grant -£3120/
£65.01 Grout ins overpay)
Affinity Water
**Income from Investments:**
C.O.I.F
Higher Interest a/c £47.63& £51.33
National Savings
**Total receipts**
**EXPENDITURE**
**Administration of Almshouse**
Gas
Water
Careline
Insurance
Electricity
T.V. Licence
Council Tax/ J Bradley
Fire Protection Service
Council Tax
Building Survey
**Maintenance of Almshouse**
Window/internal cleaning
Garden Maintenance
General white goods/carpets
Surveys
Signage
Electrics
Heating
Keys/locks
Sundries Voile/blocked drain)
Windows
**Administration of Charity:**
Rent & Admin
Payroll Rent & Admin
COIF goes out then returned
Almshouse Assoc
**Total Expenditure**|**Apr 2023 - March 2024**
**£**
**£**|**Apr 2023 - March 2024**
**£**
**£**|**Apr 2022 -**
**£**|**Mar 2023**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
||3,035.61
163.89
0.00|33,937.59|3,085.01
29.66
23.66|31,250.22
9,995.00
3,138.33
44,383.55|
|||3,185.01|||
|||3,199.50|||
||Income ex Grant
6,216.84
936.00
508.80
1,249.80
2,040.65
15.00
1,493.33
66.84
1,029.00
1,768.05
273.95
2,880.00
744.97
460.10
2,335.20
34.56
862.73
120.00|**£**
**40,322.10**|4,870.00
538.76
271.00
1,255.32
2,115.46
0.00
155.58
207.78||
|||37137.09|||
|||||**9,413.90**
**20,144.45**
**7,909.09**|
|||**12,527.26**
**10,508.56**
**9,699.00**|576.75
1,861.14
1,150.00
0.00
1,193.98
588.93
14,331.60
21.42
43.40
377.23||
||0.00
9,216.00
120.00
363.00||1,484.84
6,038.85
169.40
216.00||
||||||
|||**32,734.82**||**37,467.44**|
||||||
|**NET RECEIPTS / (EXPENDITURE)**
**Balances as at 31st March 2023**
Total of Investments
National Savings Account
Total of bank balances
**Total assets brought forward**
Add Net Receipts/(Expenditure)
Add movement in investments
**Balances as at 31st March 2024**
Total of Investments
National Savings Account
Total of bank balances
**Total assets carried forward**
**Check**|185,052.83
25,444.18
48,764.84|**7,587.28**||**6,916.11**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||**259,261.85**
**7,587.28**
**19,650.11**|189,684.26
25,420.52
41,872.39|**256,977.17**
**6,916.11**
**(4,631.43)**
**259,261.85**|
||204,702.94
25,444.18
56,352.12||185,052.83
25,444.18
48,764.84||
|||**286,499.24**|||
||||||
|||0.00||**£0.00**
0|
||||||
43 Summer Street Slip End Luton LU1 4BL
15[th] January, 2025
## To Whom It May Concern
## ASHTON ALMSHOUSE CHARITY – Charity Reg. No: 200349
I have been asked by the Clerk to The Trustees of the above charity, Mrs Julie Tipler, to carry out an independent inspection of the accounts for the period from 1[st] April 2023 to 31[st] March 2024.
I have been given full access to all relevant documents including:
- The list of current Trustees & their appointment dates
- The Trustees Annual Report for the period 1[st] April 2023 to 31[st] March 2024
- Minutes of the Trustees Meeting 28/6/2023
- Minutes of the Trustees Meeting 1/11/2023
- Minutes of the Trustees Meeting 6/3/2024
- Cashbook spreadsheet 2023-4
- Statement of Accounts for 2023-4 and 2022-3
- Assets & Liabilities Summary at 31/3/2024
- BACS confirmations for all transactions, supported by suppliers invoices.
- Bank Statements for both bank accounts.
I have fully cross-checked all the Bank Statements, BACS payment confirmations, and the relevant invoices for the period against the cash book spreadsheet and have found no inconsistencies or errors. There are no cash transactions. VAT is paid where it is due and is correctly managed. The Clerk has confirmed that all tax and NI due on her salary and that of her assistant is paid and in order – this is managed via the Association of Dunstable Charities to which the Ashton Almshouse Charity pays a monthly contribution. The queries I raised with the Clerk were answered swiftly and satisfactorily. There is no separate budget meeting, but financial matters are addressed as part of every trustee meeting.
The original aims of this historic charity are being well met. There is clear evidence from both the minutes and the financial transactions, that the 6 dwellings and associated gardens are well maintained and are meeting the practical and social needs of the tenants in line with the spirit of the charity. Gardening, property repairs and maintenance are carried out in a timely, efficient and costeffective manner, by reliable tradespeople known to the Association of Dunstable Charities. These tradespeople, and other suppliers, are paid promptly.
Day to day financial accounting and record-keeping is accurate, efficient and timely. Paperwork is well managed and there is clear evidence that income and payments are regularly scrutinised.
Thank you for asking me to carry out this inspection. Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Yours faithfully,
Nicola E West