Patcham Memorial Hall. Registered Charity 213464
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES OF PATCHAM MEMORIAL HALL for the year January 1st to 31st December 2021
TRUSTEES’ ACTIVITIES, ACTIONS and EVENTS in 2021
Committee Work In 2021
In 2021 the Management Committee comprised seven people appointed as Charity Trustees, the estates management member who is not a Trustee, and a local resident appointed as a new committee member at the previous AGM in September 2021. In addition, a caretaker who is contracted on a self-employed basis, also contracted during the year. Six members of the committee are residents in the Patcham area covered by BN1 8 or BN1 5 postcodes (previously Patcham parish). Membership of the Board includes appointed representatives from two Brighton-based branches of national charities: University of the Third Age (U3A) and the Confederation of Women’s Institutes (WI), both being long-term supporters and users of the Hall. A number of clauses in the Memorandum and Articles relate to rules around their appointment, duties and resignation, and they are eligible to vote. Currently we have two appointed members representing Patcham U3A and one appointed member sits for the WI; as there are two places per charity, we await an additional appointee from the WI. Christine Eden’s appointment as a second U3A representative and trustee was confirmed in February 2021. We are always delighted to welcome new trustees to share the running of the Hall and share the tasks and decision making across our community.
Government COVID-19 restrictions have been gradually easing over the year and the full Board has been able to meet twice over this year, minutes being taken by the charity’s Secretary and approved by those meeting. In addition, correspondence related to estates and expenditure for discussion and approval was carried out by email and online, to mitigate health risks in physical attendance. Trustees and attendees are asked to declare any conflict of interest in agenda items, and no conflict of interest has been apparent or declared this year. We continue using a standardised agenda, with Standing Items of Finance, Bookings, Estates, Discussion points and AOB. The Charity’s Annual Return was completed, and accounts submitted, as required by the Charity Commission, in October 2021.
The officers (Treasurer etc) and the estates committee also met to progress special projects, including our ongoing renovations. We are pleased that we have now completed the installation of a Air Source Heat Pump system, to replace the gas and electric storage heating. An initial feasibility study was paid for by last year’s crowdfunding initiative. It will reduce our long-term heating bills and be more ecologically sustainable.
After one of the Brighton & Hove City councillors for Patcham, who was active on our behalf, resigned we had hoped to maintain our links with the remaining two but have experienced little contact.
With our long-term refurbishment plan nearly complete, the work of the Estates Sub Committee continues under the eye of John Hogg, providing guidance and expertise on capital expenditure for larger projects that will benefit the hall and its users. The cleaning and maintenance of the hall together with ensuring compliance of legal and statutory requirements are of primary concern to the Estates Team in order to provide a safe, welcoming and clean environment for hall users. This was of particular importance during the COVID-19 crisis, and we have been noting other halls’ approaches to cleaning.
The Trustees would like to thank John Hogg for leading on the management of the refurbishment programme, commissioning tenders for work, and monitoring the progress of the work.
The new wildlife garden is developing well. Our small venture into creating a wildlife and ‘rewilding’ area has been much commented on and we are very pleased to have pre-empted current gardening trends! Thanks also to Jan Mulreany & Maria Hogg who have been actively maintaining the garden as a gardening taskforce.
During 2021 our bookings have gradually built up thanks to the persistence and patients of John Williams.
Covid has had a serious impact on our running of the hall. With no income from bookings, our excellent Treasurer, Hugh Woodhouse has maintained a constant and proactive vigilance in applying for the available grants and financial support from the Government to keep us in a good financial state and many thanks are due to him for our current financial stability.
Planning for 2022 and beyond
We shall maintain recommended post-Covid safety standards so as to keep the hall open for both new and existing users. We will continue to monitor other halls’ activities and Government guidance and reinforce compliance with our own and the Charity Commission guidance and regulations.
Other plans
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Redecoration of the hall.
-
Installation of WiFi since the Covid regulations have reinforced the usefulness of online platforms such as Zoom, Team, Face Time for distance participation in courses, meeting etc.
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Purchase of a screen and projector for use by hall hirers. The Patcham Community Association could be approached for a contribution to funding these.
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Purchase and install black out blinds to improve the use of the projector
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Reorganisation and redecoration of the green room following the ingress of squirrels.
Our next Big Event will be in February 2024, the centenary of the opening of the Memorial Hall which we will start planning for soon. We would welcome more Patcham residents to join the Managing Committee so that we can have more local people to help us with planning, researching and presenting a suitable display for that celebration. Gaining more general support in running the Hall is another objective: up to two positions are vacant at the moment. This would be especially useful to supplement some of the other work we do, such as representing the PMH charity at local events and, when invited, to contribute to consultations, eg. planning committees etc. The role is voluntary, and doesn’t involve having to become one of the legal Trustees, although we would welcome eligible people for this too. Younger members of the community and those with marketing, fundraising and social media skills, would be ideal!
Many thanks to our management team and supporters for their hard work in keeping the hall going as we moved into a post Covid period.
Elizabeth Storey
Chair, PMH Trustee & Management Committee
3 Old London Road, Patcham, Brighton, BN1 8XR email contact: patchammemorialhall@gmail.com
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS for 2021
Trustees are appointed for three years, in order to maintain continuity in decision-making and locus of responsibility. The following people continued in their service to our community in 2021:
Elizabeth Storey, Chair [elected, resident]
Hugh Woodhouse, Treasurer [elected, resident]
Jan Mulreany, Charity Secretary [elected, contracted user group]
John Williams, Bookings manager
Mary Taylor, WI rep
Pamela Hubbard and Christine Eden, U3A reps John Hogg, Estates Manager and local resident
Maria Hogg, local resident and gardening workforce
Sophie Hogg, contracted caretaker
3 Old London Road, Patcham, Brighton, BN1 8XR email contact: patchammemorialhall@gmail.com
| Patcham Memorial Hall | Patcham Memorial Hall | Patcham Memorial Hall | Patcham Memorial Hall | Patcham Memorial Hall | 213464 | 213464 | 213464 | CC16a | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| For the period from |
01/01/2021 Period start date |
To | 31/12/2021 Period end date |
||||||
| Section A Receipts and payments | |||||||||
| A1 Receipts | Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ |
Restricted funds to the nearest £ |
Endowment funds to the nearest £ |
Total funds to the nearest £ |
Last year to the nearest £ |
||||
Commercial Providors |
3,644 | - | - | 3,644 | 2,962 | ||||
| Social Dance | 1,077 | - | - | 1,077 | 479 | ||||
| Hall Rental Others | 1,297 | - | - | 1,297 | - 670 | ||||
| Parties | 1,426 | - | - | 1,426 | 160 | ||||
| Donations | 26 | 5,000 | - | 5,026 | 11 | ||||
| Covid Business Support Grant(BHCC) | 20,708 | - | - | 20,708 | 10,000 | ||||
| Insurance Claim(21)Aviva C C F('20) | 13,015 | - | 13,015 | 995 | |||||
| Interest | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| Sub total(Gross income for AR) | 41,191 | 5,000 | - | 46,191 | 13,938 | ||||
| A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table). |
|||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| - | - | ||||||||
| Sub total | - | - | |||||||
| Total receipts A3 Payments |
|||||||||
| 13,938 | |||||||||
OperatingExpenses |
- | - | - | - | - | ||||
| Utilities | 1,001 | - | - | 1,001 | 1,483 | ||||
| Insurance | 1,252 | - | - | 1,252 | 1,243 | ||||
| Repairs & Maintenance | 4,276 | - | 4,276 | 2,498 | |||||
| Garden(Renewal 2019) | 453 | - | - | 453 | 2,128 | ||||
| Heat PumpCosts | - | 14,500 | - | 14,500 | 1,494 | ||||
| Rates | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| PRS | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| Trustees & Governance | - | - | - | - | - | ||||
| Other | 104 | - | - | 104 | 191 | ||||
| **Sub total ** | 7,086 | 14,500 | - | 21,586 | 9,036 | ||||
| A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table) |
|||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| - | |||||||||
| **Sub total ** | - | - | |||||||
| Total payments Net of receipts/(payments) A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end |
|||||||||
| 9,036 | |||||||||
| 34,105 | 4,902 | ||||||||
| - 9,500 | - | ||||||||
| 42,605 | 37,703 | ||||||||
| 67,210 | 42,605 |
CCXX R1 accounts (SS)
12/10/2022
1
| Commercial Social Dance Hall rental others Parties Donations Rampion Business Interruption Claim Covid Grant interest CAF |
cfwd error 3,668 -24 3,644 1,077 1,077 1,297 1,297 1,426 1,426 26 5,000 5,026 0 0 13,015 0 13,015 20,708 20,708 0 0 0 |
|---|---|
| 41,215 5,000 0 -24 46,191 |
46,191
6559 2459 4100
| R&M | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| reclass | |||||||
| Operating Expenses | 0 | 0 | |||||
| Utilities | 1,001 | 1,001 | 1,001 | ||||
| Insurance | 1,252 | 1,252 | 1,252 | ||||
| Repairs & Maintenance | 4,276 | 4,276 | 4,276 | ||||
| Garden Enhancement | 453 | 453 | 453 | ||||
| Heat Pump Costs | 14,500 | 14,500 | 14,500 | ||||
| Rates | 0 | 0 | |||||
| PRS | 0 | 0 | |||||
| Trustees & Governance | 0 | 0 | |||||
| Other ( Bank Charges (net)) | 104 | 104 | |||||
| 21,586 | 0 | 21,586 | 0 | 21,586 | |||
| check | 13,497 | ||||||
| 21,586 | 0 | 21,586 | |||||
| 19,630 | 0 | 19,630 | |||||
| santander opening | |||||||
| santander closing |
CCXX R2 accounts (SS)
12/10/2022
2
Patcham Memorial Hall Charity no 213464
Treasurers Report for the period 1st January to 31st December 2021.
RATIONALE: SOURCES OF FUNDING
The income for the year under report was affected by the final throes of the Covid-19 Pandemic. The special Government Covid regulations were fully relaxed in May 2021 and PMH reopened in mid May 2021. Consequently we only earned £7,368 rental/room hire fees (as against £2,942 in 2020). In 2019 before Covid rental income was £20,739. Income from some Hirers who asked to carry forward their Hire payment until the Hall was reopened had a modest effect on 2021 income.
The rental income shortfall was supplemented by a Council Covid business Support Grants of £20,708 in early 2021. (£10,000 in 2020 ). We also received a £13,015 settlement from our insurers for Pandemic Induced Business Income Interruption.
In November 2019 the Aviva Community Fund invited PMH to apply to a Crowdfunding exercise to raise funds for innovative projects. Using this crowd funding in 2020 PMH funded a consultants report which recommended a heat pump system, which allowed both heating and cooling to replace the elderly gas-fired heating system. Using this report PMH applied to The Rampion Fund for a contribution to the purchase of the recommended heat pump. At the same time we held a competitive bidding process with installers. The chosen installer, Camcool, installed and commissioned the Air source heat pump ( costing £13,015 ) in May 2021. The Rampion fund gave £5,000, and the balance, £8,000, was funded from PMH’s reserves.
INCOME
Due to the Covid Pandemic Hiring income £7,468 in 2021 fell by 66% compared with 2019. We were able to cover continuing expenses due to our reserves (£37,703) at 31 December 2020. But we did not need to draw on our reserves to meet our expenses as we received £20,708 further Council Covid Business Support Grant (£10,000 2020 ). We also claimed on our Insurance policy’s business interruption clause and were awarded £13,015 for Covid Closure from March 2020 to May 2021.
This combined multiple source PMH’S total 2021 income was £41,191 this exceeds the Charity Commission’s Inspection threshold limit of £25,000. The accounts have been inspected and found to be a true and fair record of 2021’s income and expense. The Independent Examiner’s Report is attached at the end of this document.
EXPENSES
During the Covid Pandemic Enforced closure operating expenses were £7,086 (£ 9,068 in 2020) (the historical average expense level pre covid was £9,200). The Council gave us 100% rate reduction in business rates again in 2021. Following the 2020 consultant’s report we installed an Air Source heat pump which cost £14,500 in May 2021.
Cash Balances
As our income (including the Covid Support Grant and Rampion Fund donation) was above the required inspection threshold (£25,000) our accounts have been examined and approved before approval by the AGM and submission to the Charity Commission. We ended 2021 with a bank balance of just over £67,200 (£42,600 2020). This more than meets our revised twelve month expenses reserves policy.
As operating expenses increase annually Trustees are careful to balance income with outgoings and funding major improvements to the fabric of an almost 100 year old building. The hire costs were compared to other venues in 2020 and a consultation with regular users
indicated a small increase in hire charges was anticipated. The implementation of the increase in hire fees was delayed due to the Pandemic closure and they were introduced when the Hall reopened in May 2021.
Financial Uncertainties. Going Concern
You will recall that the 31 December 2020 Treasurers report disclosed that the Trustees had agreed, that in the light of the continuing uncertainty of the pandemic’s duration and the likelihood that the hall would ever be able to open, a policy to use of two years reserves to maintain the hall should the pandemic last that long. The expenses (averaging £9,200 in the six years 2014 to 2019). In accordance with Charity Commission advice a budget was drawn up and monitored, and forward planning was maintained so that the hall could be permanently closed and wound up before its reserves were exhausted. Happily that did not happen, Vaccine Research and Medical Science developed vaccines which allowed steadily reducing Government regulations which permitted the hall to reopen in May 2021.
The Trustees are happy that the Hall’s reserves are sufficient to meet another year’s loss of income should a new pandemic appear on the horizon.
Subsequent events
In the early part of 2022 the Hall was closed for a full month to allow redecoration and the installation of new blinds. The redecorated hall reopened to the universal approval of Hirers and users.
Conclusion
It is clear that PMH’s finances have survived a unique set of years when it was completely closed due to the Covid Pandemic Restrictions, notwithstanding that the Trustees have revised its reserves policy (formerly three months expenses which was deemed to be inadequate) to maintain a reserve equivalent to one year’s expenses ( say £10,000) following the 2020 AGM’s approval.
The trustees have reviewed this reserve policy and feel that it is adequate for the foreseeable future.
Hugh Woodhouse, Charity Treasurer
Independent Audit report:-
Proposed by Hugh Woodhouse Seconded by Pamela Hubbard Approved by The Trustees 16[th] June 2022
To Patcham Memorial Hall- Management Committee I have reviewed the accounts to 31 December 2021 and the underlying documents, and I think the accounts you have drawn up are a fair reflection of the underlying transattions as shown in the bank account. s1,,J Jenny Robinson FCA 209 Ladies Mile Road Patcham Brighton BNI 8TF