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2023-03-31-accounts

Annual Accounts Report and Financial Statements For the year ended 31[st] March 2023

Registered Charity No 218795 Registered Company No 00421688

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BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31[st] March 2023

Contents
Page
Report of the Trustee Board: 3
Legal and Administrative Details 3
Structure Governance and Management 5
Objectives & Activities, Achievements &
Performance 6
(Includes Public Benefit Statement)
Financial Review 21
Plans for Future Periods 23
Statement of Directors' Responsibilities 27
Report of the Independent Auditors 28
Consolidated Statement of Financial Activities 32
Balance Sheet 33
Consolidate Cash Flow Statement 34
Notes to the Cash Flow Statement 35
Notes to the Financial Statements 36

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31[st] March 2023

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEE BOARD

The Trustee Board presents its annual report and the audited financial statements for the year ended 31[st] March 2023, which also incorporates the directors’ report.

The trustees confirm the annual report and financial statements comply with the current statutory requirements, the memorandum and articles of association and the provisions of Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP), applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019).

LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

Name :

Birmingham Voluntary Service Council, BVSC

Legal Form:

A registered charity and a private company limited by guarantee in England and Wales

Registered Company Number:

00421688

Registered Charity No:

218795

Registered Office and Operational Address :

First Floor Livery Place 35 Livery Street Birmingham B3 2PB

BOARD OF MANAGEMENT

Officers

President: The Lord Mayor of Birmingham Chair: Lisa Martinali (Appointed Chair 23/1/23) Chair: Jonathan Driffill (Resigned 23/1/23) Treasurer: David Harris

Co-opted Members

David Harris Ricky Joseph (Resigned 30/9/23)

Member Representatives

Matthew Forsyth - Sport 4 Life UK Lisa Martinali - The Pioneer Group (until Jan 23)/St Pauls Trust (Feb 23) Jackie Owen - Home from Hospital Care Des Workman - Robin Day Centre

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Dr Fathi Elsadig Jamil - Community Resource Information Centre Dawn Durrant - Birmingham Centre for Arts Therapies (Appointed 23/1/23 / Resigned 14/9/23) Matthew Daniels - Age UK (Resigned 25/5/22))

Network Representatives Peter Rookes - Birmingham Council of Faiths Amrick Singh Ubhi - Nishkam Centre (Resigned 26/7/23)

City Council Representatives Councillor Mohammed Idrees Councillor Ken Wood

Company Directors: Jonathan Driffill (Resigned 23/1/23) Matthew Daniels (Resigned 25/5/22)) Dawn Durrant (Appointed 23/1/23 / Resigned 14/9/23) Matthew Forsyth David Harris Cllr Mohammed Idrees Fathi Jamil Ricky Joseph (Resigned 30/9/23) Lisa Martinali Jackie Owen Peter Rookes Amrick Singh Ubhi (Resigned 26/7/23) Cllr Ken Wood (Resigned 22/02/22 / Reappointed 25/7/23) Des Workman

Chief Executive : Brian Carr Company Secretary: Jasbir Rai Bankers : Unity Trust Bank plc Nine Brindley Place Birmingham B1 2HB Solicitors: Anthony Collins Solicitors 134 Edmund Street Birmingham B3 2ES

Elizabeth Scholes Employment Law and HR Services

Senior Statutory Auditor: Andrew Morris FCA Independent Auditors: Dains Audit Limited 15 Colmore Row Birmingham B3 2BH

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STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Governing Document:

BVSC is a charitable company limited by guarantee, registered as a company limited by guarantee on the 17[th] October 1946 and as a charity on the 28[th] February 1964. The memorandum of association establishes the charity’s objectives and powers and the charity is governed under its articles of association. The memorandum and articles of association were last updated on the 23[rd] January 2023, replaced by Articles of Association, bringing the governing document up to date with best practice and current ways of working.

BVSC’s Board of Management is appointed at a General Meeting. There are provisions in the Articles of Association for a minimum of 8 board members and a maximum of 12 board members. At least 5 board members from member representative organisations, up to 5 board members co-opted to ensure the board has the right skills mix and 2 board members nominated by Birmingham City Council. The board elects its own Chair and Vice Chair and is responsible for appointing a Treasurer. All board members will serve for up to three years with an option to be re-elected for a further three years, with one third retiring each year.

Recruitment and Appointment of Trustees:

There are five types of representatives that make up the trustees of BVSC’s board:

Member Representatives:

There are five places for Member Representatives on BVSC’s board. These trustees are appointed to the board through a nomination and ballot process through our membership.

Co-opted Members:

These are individuals that are asked to join the board because they bring a specific set of skills to the board. The Member Representatives on the board can nominate and vote up to five co-opted members onto the board, with one position reserved for the Treasurer.

Honorary Treasurer:

This trustee is selected by the board can be recruited through a variety of avenues including personal approaches to individuals with the relevant skills. The treasurer can be either a member representative or co-opted onto the board.

City Council Representatives:

Birmingham City Council nominates two representatives onto the board on a yearly basis.

Induction and Training of Trustees:

Trustees have an induction to the organisation by senior managers and have the opportunity to meet with various staff to get an understanding of the organisation and what it does. A comprehensive BVSC Trustee induction pack is prepared for each trustee and an induction day planned. Each trustee will be required to attend mandatory training on legal responsibilities including but not limited to Health and Safety, Safeguarding, GDPR. Each trustee is also asked to sign-up to a code of conduct. Trustees can identify areas of skills for development and BVSC sources any relevant training.

We are in the process of transitioning to the provisions in the new Articles of Association.

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Organisational Structure and Decision Making:

The overall responsibility for the strategic direction of the organisation lies with the board. The board meets up to five times a year (including a strategic planning away day) and has a Governance sub-committee and a Finance and Personnel sub-committee. The board delegate some strategic and operational decision making to the Chief Executive Officer, who in turn delegates and works with a senior management team to implement these decisions. The board in negotiation with the CEO sets senior management pay.

The Charity:

BVSC is an umbrella organisation providing support to the Voluntary and Community sector in Birmingham and aims to work in partnership with all sectors to lead on and drive positive social change.

BVSC is an independent charitable company limited by guarantee; it has three wholly owned subsidiary companies, BVSC Enterprises Ltd – BVSC’s social enterprise, TMCO Birmingham and Solihull –a social enterprise was set up to support the delivery of the Talent Match programme, which has now finished and BVSC Management Services Ltd – currently dormant.

Risk Management:

Risk management is embedded across the organisation and managers are responsible for managing their projects, contracts, staff and other resources within the robust policies and procedures of the organisation. The board are responsible for approving revisions and amendments to existing policies and the development of new polices.

The board regularly reviews the budget, the action plan and risk assessment underpinning this budget.

A health and safety group regularly reviews the processes and practices of the organisation, ensuring compliance with statutory and legal regulations with regular reports to the Deputy Chief Executive and the board.

The senior management teamwork with the board to review environmental changes and their impact on the organisation, managing any emerging risks through strategic and business planning. The board have an away day during the year to consider the strategic direction of the organisation and to look at opportunities and how to maximise these and minimise threats.

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES, ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

Objects of the Charity:

The objects for which BVSC is established is to promote for the benefit of all the inhabitants of the City of Birmingham without distinction of age, sex, race, creed or colour or of political, religious or other opinion all or any purposes for the general good of the community which now are or hereafter may be deemed by law to be charitable and in particular the

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advancement of education, the development of physical improvement and the furtherance of health, and the relief of poverty, distress and sickness.

Public Benefit Statement: Objectives and Activities for Public Benefit

The principal activity of the charity is to promote any charitable purposes for the benefit of the inhabitants of the City of Birmingham, in particular the advancement of education, the development of physical improvement and the furtherance of health and wellbeing, and the relief of poverty, distress and sickness.

The trustees have referred to the guidance from the charities commission on ‘Charities and Public Benefit’. The trustees are confident that BVSC’s aims and activities of brokering volunteer opportunities, providing support to voluntary and community organisations and ensuring the influence of these organisations in the governance of the city (especially in the area of health, wellbeing of individuals, safety and education) and leading on partnership programmes to support people with complex needs, young people into employment and the elderly out of isolation are in accordance with the regulations on public benefit. These aims and activities advance education, develop physical improvement, improve health and helps to relieve poverty distress and sickness, detail of activities delivered that benefit the public is provided in the next section of the report.

Review of Activities, Achievements and Performance and Future Plans:

A message from our Chair Lisa Martinali and our CEO Brian Carr :

We are pleased to bring you this report into how BVSC - in collaboration with a wide range of voluntary, community, faith, social enterprise, private and public sector partners - has been working to support Birmingham and its citizens during another year of real challenges.

Voluntary groups (and the communities they serve) continue to face an unprecedented array of challenges. Global unrest continues to have a huge impact on the economy, as does the ongoing after-effects of the coronavirus pandemic. The resultant cost of living crisis continues, and the rising cost of food and energy impacts the lives of citizens and organisations across Birmingham. This year has seen an added layer of uncertainty introduced into the mix with the announcement of Birmingham City Council's Section 114 notice and the arrival of government commissioners. We will be keeping a close eye on the potential impacts on local authority funded voluntary sector activity in the city, and we remain committed to working with all our partners across all sectors to do everything we can to support the citizens of Birmingham to face these challenges.

This report highlights some of the work BVSC has been engaged in during the past year. As will be obvious from the details that follow, none of this would be possible without the support, hard work and commitment of our members, volunteers, staff, funders, partners, and trustees. We thank them all, and we thank you for your ongoing interest in and support for Birmingham’s voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise sector.

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Our Vision

BVSC’s vision is a Birmingham in which all people enjoy lives of inclusion, safety, wellbeing and fulfilment.

Our Mission

BVSC's mission is to support and advocate for a strong and influential voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) sector.

Our Values

All our work is under-pinned by a commitment to our organisational values, which are:

Becoming an anti-racist organisation

In 2021 RACE Code consultants worked with BVSC to benchmark where we were with regards to race equality and provided us with a comprehensive report that ensures that we continue work on tackling race inequality within our organisation. We made a firm commitment to become a truly anti-racist organisation and completed the RACE Equality Code Assessment. This has given us the opportunity to join a network of other organisations, and attend Focus Group Sessions and Conferences, where best practice, progress, and any challenges can be shared.

BVSC Anti-racist Statement

BVSC is committed to being an anti-racist organisation. This means not only acting in a nondiscriminatory manner, but actively working on driving out racist and discriminatory behaviours. BVSC is an organisation which prides itself on promoting inclusion, honesty and transparency with staff, our partners and organisations across the sector. We are actively reviewing and implementing initiatives which are taking us further along our journey as an anti-racist organisation. These initiatives include but are not limited to:

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The 2021 Census results revealed that Birmingham now has a demographic where ethnic minorities make up the majority of the population of the city. At BVSC we are committed to reflecting this demographic in our workforce by taking positive action to ensure more Black, Asian and other ethnic minorities are represented in our staff.

We are taking positive action to ensure our recruitment practices reflect our commitment to eliminating unconscious bias. These include and are not limited to:

Moving forward, BVSC will look to partner with organisations who demonstrate an equal commitment and intention to delivering active anti-racist practice. We recognise that this will look different within organisations with whom we work, however it will become a prerequisite of partnering with us. We ask that organisations can articulate their pro-active efforts towards achieving racial equity either within their organisation, or externally in the environment. We request that this is undertaken in a way that is proportionate to the size and scope of the organisation.

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Review of activities:

Sale of 138 Digbeth:

Over the past ten year we have been in negotiations to sell our base at 138 Digbeth. We were based in the middle of a re-development and had no choice but to engage with the developers. In June 2022 we sold our building and moved into leased premises at Livery Place. We couldn’t take our fixtures and fitting with us so we donated as much as we could to voluntary and community organisations across the city, everything from cupboards, desks, chairs, tables, conferencing equipment, the kitchen cabinets and an organisation even had the kitchen sink. Practically everything was recycled into the sector .

So what next…..

We have been looking for a building in a central location to create a hub for the sector and BVSC, we were lucky enough to purchase Latham House in 2023. Work has now started on developing this building, to create a hub for the sector, to create space for collaboration, networking, showcasing the amazing work the sector does and to create something new and exciting to meet the needs of the sector post covid and all the changes, challenges and opportunities that bought.

Activities delivered during the year:

1. BVSC Grants

Project Description
Commonwealth
Games Legacy
Work (BCC)		 Grants awarded ranging between ~£3k and ~£70k to 74 grant holders
across the city. Bringing communities together to talk about and share
their experiences of Birmingham in the build up to the Commonwealth
Games and capturing the feedback and thoughts of residents from a
variety of communities of the Games itself. Specific activity included
development of a Peace Garden, a number of walking tours across
the city, and production of a short film of residents sharing their
experiences.
Addressing
Homelessness
(Shelter)		 Small grants of ~£20k and ~£5k working with organisations in and
around 3 defined areas of the city (Erdington, Handsworth and
Sparkhill) who are working in the specified communities. Working with
organisations
to
raise
awareness
of
housing
issues
and
homelessness in the communities and groups they are already
supportingwithother matters.
Engage for Ukraine
(BCC)		 Small grants of ~£20k and ~£5k working with organisations in and
around 3 defined areas of the city (Erdington, Handsworth and
Sparkhill) who are working in the specified communities. Working with
organisations
to
raise
awareness
of
housing
issues
and
homelessness in the communities and groups they are already
supportingwithother matters.
Hardship Grants
Community Fund –
HSF (BCC)		 Individual grant giving to eligible households in the city who are facing
hardship. £200 grant awards to support households with costs
associated with food and energy. BVSC engaged a network of
VCFSE and statutory partners across the city to identify suitable
households and work with them to complete an application for funding
using anonline portal.

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Redundancy &
Retraining – Elevate
(Centre for Ageing
Better)		 Run an open and transparent process to identify a suitable delivery
partner for a pilot project. and provide monitoring and support to the
appointed delivery partner. Activity focuses on over 50s being made
redundant from long term roles in the manufacturing and automotive
sectors.
Compassionate
Communities (BCC)		 Appointing delivery partners across the city to support the promotion
of open communications about end-of-life stages. Supporting delivery
partners toidentify community assets and undergo training.
Workforce
development –
Covid recovery
(BCC)		 Consultation and development of a toolkit for workers across the
VCFSE sector, but especially those in the health & social care sector
to identify, manage and reduce employee burnout, initially the context
of working under covid-19 restrictions but increasingly in relation to
higher demand due to the cost-of-living crisis.

Information provided by Rosa Spawton-Rice – Head of Grants and Partnerships

2. BVSC Research

Research and evaluation

During 2022-2023, we delivered fifteen research and evaluation projects. These are summarised in the table below:

Project Description
Poverty Truth
Commission
Evaluation
(Ongoing)		 We are the Learning and Evaluation partner on the PTC until Summer
2024. We have provided an interim report showing an understanding
of the project evolution during the first stage of the PTC, to assist the
continued development and to identify barriers. A summary of topics
and ideas raised by community commissioners was produced, with a
focus on the types of issues and problems faced by community
commissioners, and a report reflecting on the initial Theory of
Change.
YEF Community
Research & Co-
Design Partner		 This was a long-term project, which finished in December 2022 which
was aimed at reducing youth violence in a specific location in
Birmingham. In its final year, community researchers were trained,
and then deployed to carry out research to inform co-design of an
action plan. A co-design report was completed, in conjunction with a
steering group convened of community partners, citizens and
stakeholders. This report included an action plan, budget and risk
register for the ongoing work within the community, with a particular
focus on strategic development and the strategic landscape, and
sustainability.
Walsall Mental
Wellbeing		 This evaluation consisted of process evaluations exploring early
impact and learning of the four main programmes funded by the
Better Mental Health Fund. Casestudies from citizens were also
collected from participants in the smaller grant funded activities, and
programme output data on individual outcomes and beneficiary reach
were analysed.
DigiKick Evaluation
Partner		 We are the long term (3 year) Learning Partner for Digikick’s National
Lottery Community Fund (NLCF) Reaching Communities grant. Two
separate workshops with DigiKick staff, a set of organisational values,
and a strategic workplan have been produced. Developing values and
setting out a really clear strategy were designed to help DigiKick find
an ideal vision forthefuture and a clear roadmap of howto get

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there.
Forward Carers
Small Grants
Evaluation		 Forward Carers asked BVSC Research to evaluate the process of
their small grant-giving programme, to assess the effectiveness of the
approach they took. This information has been used by Forward
Carers to fine tune their processes. The report also took a deep dive
into three of the organisations who were given grants, exploring the
impact of these projects for Carers.
ICS 10 Yr Strategy The Birmingham & Solihull Integrated Care Partnership has been
developing a 10 Year Integrated Care Strategy. Engagement
activities have taken a variety of forms, and this report includes a
summary analysis and collation of all this feedback with a clear
breakdown of opinions, views, insights and learning. The report also
identifies any gaps in reach and key recommendations.
ICS Neighbourhood
Integration(ongoing
to Sept 2023)		 Neighbourhood Integration (NI) is an approach that seeks to provide
more effective, more appropriate support to individuals at home. This
evaluation will be used to gauge early thoughts from the test sites,
incorporate initial data from the Business Intelligence Team and make
recommendations based on the pilot period. It will be used to help
direct further performance and evaluation activity during the full roll-
out.
Household Support
Fund Evaluation		 Two reports for two funding rounds of the Household Support Fund
grant making scheme were completed, with a third to support funding
round 3 to commence in March. The reports evaluated the
effectiveness of the approach taken in administering the different
funding tranches. The individual evaluations have iteratively informed
the approachtaken forsubsequentfundingrounds.
Covid Engagement
Report		 West Birmingham Covid Vaccination Engagement Partnership was in
receipt of additional funding to support targeted community
engagement with high impact activities in areas where uptake of the
first or second dose of the covid vaccine remained low. This report
analysed local organisations’ responses to a citizen survey in order to
capture good practice andrecommendationsfor future engagement.
NNS Evaluation
(Phase 1 – January
– March 2023)		 An evaluation of the Neighbourhood Network Schemes has been
commissioned, to begin in April 2023. Initial setup work has been
commissioned separately to analyse the effectiveness of the
proposed citizen census approach. A report will be created following
consultation withstakeholders.
ICS Long Covid
Community
Engagement		 Birmingham Community Healthcare are allocating small grants to 25
organisations to run engagement activities to ascertain community
awareness of long covid and any barriers to accessing the long covid
service. This report will comprise analysis of data from surveys
completed by citizens, analysis of feedback from attendee
questionnaires and intelligence and feedback from each of the
organisations.
ICS
CitizenEngagement
Framework		 The development of an outline framework and a model of citizen
representation to be used in BSOL ICS governance arrangements.
This will build on good practice in citizen representation. The report
will include a summary of good practice and service requirements and
suggestrecommendationsforthemodel’s development.
CDPH Community
and Older Adults		 This evaluation seeks to understand what activity/action came about
as a result of participation in the Alongsiders network and what
differenceithasmade to citizens. Itwill lookatwhat barriers there

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were for practitioners in terms of involvement and what resource is
required tohelp overcome these barriers.
Digital Inclusion
Report		 Ageing Better in Birmingham commissioned an independent
evaluation of the Carers Digital Inclusion project, that was delivered
by DigiKick for Forward Carers. The evaluation provided evidence
about whether the project had achieved its outcomes and identified
the impact it had on citizens. The evaluation also made
recommendations toinform futurework.
Vision for
Volunteering		 The facilitation of consultation events comprising workshops
with citizens, the Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise
(VCFSE) sector and partners about creating a Vision for Volunteering
for the city. A draft vision and action plan have been created to form
the basis of an ongoing strategy for the city.

Activity over the year also centred on completing activity for a series of State of the Sector 2022-2023 Insight reports:

Project Description
Volunteering In-person event held with approx. 60+ delegates to explore current
issues regarding volunteering (developed in conjunction with the
Vision for Volunteeringwork).
Staff wellbeing In-person event held with approx. 40+ delegates, exploring current
issues regarding staff wellbeing in the sector (including impact on
recruitment/retentionofstaff)
Race Inequality On-line event held in partnership with Birmingham Race Impact
Group, exploring issues of race equality in the sector (delivered in
partnership with Engage for Good)
Finance and
Funding		 On-line event exploring issues of finance and funding facing the
sector inthe aftermathofthe pandemic and during the COLcrisis.
Cost of Living Crisis In-person event held with over 100+ delegates exploring the
impact of COL on VCFSE organisations and the communities they
serve.(Deliveredinpartnershipwith EngageforGood)

During 2022-2023 we worked in partnership with a range of partners to address the ‘research readiness’ of the VCFSE sector. These pieces of work have been funded/are being funded through the University of Birmingham, NIIHR, and/or the Clinical Research Network.

Project Description
NIHR Events
Support		 Two events held to explore the ‘Research Readiness’ of the
VCFSE sector: exploring barriers to engaging in research and
identifying ways in which to address these barriers. Written report
highlighting key learning has also been supported by the
directorate.
UOB Centre for
Urban Wellbeing:
Community
Engagement		 Commencing in March 2023, this project will focus on community
engagement:
providing
participants
(academics,
community
organisations based in the West Midlands, community members,
research users) with opportunities to engage with and influence
policy focusing on: Digital health technologies; Mental health
inequalities and Disability; Workplace Health and Good Work;
HeathyEnvironments/places.
CRN Innovation
Grant (with UOB)		 Due to commence in March 2023, this work is to develop a
Regional Community Research Hub which will bring together best
practice in research and create a central repository for good

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practice
UOB Building
Participatory
Research (Phase 1)		 This project aimed to build capacity and knowledge exchange in
participatory
research
and
education
among
social
care
researchers and voluntary and community sector organisations
(VCSOs)in Birmingham
UOB Building
Participatory
Research (Phase 2)		 The next phase of the project (from January 2023) will seek to
develop and deliver training for VCSEs and academic researchers
in participatory research, focusing on engaging communities,
evidencing impact and creative methodologies. It will also provide
mentorship to up to five small teams of academic researchers and
VCSEs to co-design and deliver social care focused research
projects orbids thatinclude peoplewith lived experience ofcare.

Information provided by Sophie Wilson – Director of BVSC Research

3. BVSC: Communities and Older Adults

Project Description
Neighbourhood
Network Scheme and
Prevention and
Communities
Support.		 This focuses on supporting the ten area based and two thematic
Neighbourhood Network Schemes (NNS) and the annual £2.7m
Prevention and Communities grants programme. A key part of the
work this year has been to provide advice and practical assistance to
the commissioners and applicants on the recommissioning of these
grants.
Fuel Poverty Fuel poverty project led by Witton Lodge, MECC and by two advisors
working in Yardley. This enabled bespoke advice for citizens at a key
time of the year. In addition, MECC were carrying out community
research about the needs of and solutions for the minority ethnic
communities they support.
Community
Development
Practice Hub		 Asset Based Community Development is one of the priorities of the
Adult Social Care commissioners and they have agreed to fund the
Community Development Practice Hub until March 2024. This legacy
resource from Ageing Better is a resource for people and
organisations who ‘work with’ people in Birmingham so they can take
collective action to make changes to things that are important to
them and their communities. Funding came in at the end of the year
and a programmeis being developed.

Information provided by Benita Wishart - Head of Communities and Older Adults (maternity cover)

4. BVSC: Children, Families and Young People

Project Description
Early Help In 22-23 BVSC continued to oversee the delivery of the VCFSE
sector early help offer, the role of BVSC role is the coordination

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of the locality work across Birmingham and one to one support to the seven voluntary sector leads in each locality to support them in their role to assess local need. The core objective for the whole of the area is to build confidence in the VCFSE sector so there is a role in ongoing Early Help past the current grant end date. BVSC distributed grants to the seven voluntary sector leads on a quarterly basis and also hold responsibility for paying interpreting/translation invoices received from locality leads"

Information provided by Taylor McDonald - Head of Children, Families & Young People

5. BVSC: Multiple Disadvantage

Project Description
Violence Against
Women and Girls
Strategy
Implementation
Support		 BVSC hosted an embedded worker to support Birmingham City
Council undertake a needs assessment around violence against
women and girls. The post holder has been working with stakeholders
to
complete
this
task
and
transition
the
project
towards
implementation.
Rough Sleeper
Initiative (RSI)		 BVSC via the RSI Service Lead were commissioned to assist in the
development of rough sleeping services to ensure that the City’s
services are maximising their impact and effectiveness in reducing
rough sleeping and street-based activity. This included:
-Developing joint working protocols, to enhance partnership work
and management of risks and where applicable service
improvements and practice in line with overall rough sleeping
strategy of the city, with an emphasis on the coordination and
contribution of the voluntary, charitable and faith sector
organisations in response to rough sleeping.
-To prevent and resolve homelessness for rough sleepers through
the provision of good quality, holistic housing advice and
identification of appropriate accommodation solutions.
-Monitor performance and compliance to complete accurate and
relevant
submissions
of
data
and
implement
service
improvements where necessary.
-To build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders,
including Experts by Experience and Birmingham’s faith and
community sector; strategically aligning their work in support of
the rough sleeping agenda.
-Gather evidence and information on the causes of rough sleeping
within Birmingham; develop ideas and solutions to prevent people
from rough sleeping in the first place.
-Reviewing and producing reports with complex data and statistics
to obtain a clear view of year-on-year challenges, patterns, like for
like trends and influences.
-To act as the point of contact for all rough sleeping related matters
and adviseMembers and otherCouncildepartments on rough

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sleeping issues and keep them up to date with developments in
this area.
Birmingham
Supported Exempt
Accommodation
Quality Standards
(SEAQS)		 The Standards aim to highlight good practice, improve the quality of
support, and help build an organisational culture that is aware of
quality of support and improving individual residents' experiences and
outcomes as well as Identify gaps and areas for improvement.
SEAQS team have been working towards getting as many providers
and managing agents signed up to the Quality Standards programme
to ensure that there is sufficient fit for purpose provision to meet
Birmingham’s need within this sector.
Liaison and
Diversion Transition
Worker		 The Transition and Diversion worker supports adults to access
various services available via the No Wrong Door approach
established by the Fulfilling Lives program and helps them to gain
confidence in doing so. This role focuses on ‘refer and accompany’
principle as opposed to ‘refer and signpost’. The aim of the role is to
support people to access and engage with services within and outside
the No Wrong Door Network by:
-Creating trust and rapport with people
-Enable people to access and engage in the services they
need.
-Provide practical and emotional support – having time to
listen, supporting people to attend appointments.
-To work in partnership with external partners ensuring the
smooth transition of client referrals between agencies.
-To forge positive, links and working relationships with
externalservices and agencies.

Information provided by Harpal Bath – Head of Multiple Disadvantage

6. BVSC: Strategic Fundraising and Sector Support

Project Description
Strategic
Partnership
Programme		 BVSC continued on the ‘Engage for Good’ Programme. This included:
raising awareness of issues such as the Real Living Wage (funded by
Barrow Cadbury Trust) and social prescribing; tackling Equality,
Diversity and Inclusion through signing the Birmingham Faith
Covenant and delivering the VCFSE Mini Race Impact Summit (with
Birmingham Race Impact Group); bringing partners together to take
action on support for Ukrainians, Environment & Energy and Cost of
Living issues. Throughout all, ‘Engage for Good’ has enabled the
sector to voice and tackle challenges, work in cross-sector
partnerships and take action forourcommunities.
Business
Development and
Funding Support		 As well as one-to-one support provided to organisations on bid writing,
BVSC has continued with our popular weekly Business Development
& Funding webinars and delivered Engage for Funding (a searchable
database on funding opportunities- now with ~1000 users). Our first
Accelerator Programme supported organisations to further develop
their business development and income generating approaches. This
has all contributed to our ongoing objective of increasing funding and
investment comingintoBirmingham.

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|Community
Champions
Training|Funded by the Public Health Team at Birmingham City Council, the
Community Champions Training aims to engage emerging community
leaders with the skills and knowledge to help them be effective in their
role. We delivered a blend of in-person and on-line learning to over
120people to date. The on-line resource is free to access and can be
found atCommunity Leadership e-learning | Birmingham Voluntary
Service Council (bvsc.org)| |---|---| |Violence Reduction
Community
Partnerships
Manager|
Funded by Violence Reduction Partnership (VRP) the role aimed to
broker relationships with VCFSE organisations working in youth
violence prevention. Embedded at BVSC working to VRP Birmingham
City CouncilandBVSC| |Living Wage City|BVSC is a Living Wage Employer and Barrow Cadbury Trust funded
BVSC to raise awareness of the Real Living Wage amongst the
VCFSE sector. The real Living Wage is independently calculated
based on what employees and their families need to live and is higher
than the National Living Wage. The Birmingham VCFSE Cost of Living
Summit in November 2022, highlighted the relationships between cost
of living and the Real Living Wage with a presentation and workshop
from the Living Wage Foundation to a wide audience from the VCFSE
sector and partners. A Business Development and Funding Webinar
on the Real Living Wage was also delivered during Living Wage Week.
The Real Living Wage was also highlighted on an ongoing basis
through our Living Wage City page on the BVSC website. The effects
of the Covid-19 pandemic combined with rising living costs has left
many VCFSE workers struggling. Despite increased demand for
services, low pay is harming workers within the sector and threatening
stability of the services they provide. With one in seven VCFSE sector
workers being paid less than a living wage, its now more important
thaneverto deliveraLivingWage City.|

Information provided by Ian Henshaw – Head of Strategic Fundraising and Sector Support

Our Engagement and Communication:

E-bulletin :

E-bulletin subscribers rose steadily throughout the year from 3028 in April 2022, to 4928 in March 2023.

Current Headline Comms Stats (as November 2023)

Website : Average page views per month around 40,000 @bvsc Twitter :7,47 followers

Members : 540

Facebook : 1,700 followers Linked - in: 1,994 followers Instagram : 1,196 followers

17

Comms Activity and event attendance year to 31 March 2023

The Comms team helped promote a number of key BVSC activities and attended several events throughout the year, including:

18

OURSTAFF Our dedicated staff team are the heartbeat of our organisation and our recruitment process ensures that staff are recruited to our core values of commitmenL collaboration integrity and inclusion. Our People and Culture Strategy aims to help increase engagement in areas such as wellbein£ pay and benefits and leadership The make up of our staff team Male 33% 43 Female 67% Majority female staff 75.5 %- fulltime 24.4%- part tlme Average Age Unr8cordqdlPref8r rM)tto say 20.5% Anyotherthite bdckgrryjnd Ask￿0rAs1an British lTrJian 5ian QT Asian Brtish Pdki5tani 4% Black. BL*k British Afr￿an backgr￿ 6.1% 8L￿k. Black British Cdribbean 4% Whrte English. Welsh. sCott￿b, Northern Irish or British 19

Average salary of all staff = £36, 302 £34, 022 £36, 950 Average salary of females = Average salary of males= Future Focus As wo sat ujrslghts on th8 ftfftjrn. wo are acllvety engaged kn Inltlatlves to strengthen and enhance org8nl8allon. wlth a partlcular focus on competend8s. lob OV8Iu811on. th•f8lm888 of our pay structurn ondwellbolTrJ. We understand that a 9kllled &id hap wothrce 1$ fvnd8mental to our ongoi c•Bs. To thi8, wo aro thlig•nty Y￿rkIng to en8urn thet our 8taff po8SBGS88 tho nee888ary competèndeg for thelr pectivo rdeg. We will embed our new 4￿mpOt￿cY framowort(. enguring it 18 applled falrly 8fKI ￿n61St8n11y, 8nd18 underntood by all 81aff mombwj and Ilne m•nog•rn. 20

FINANCIAL REVIEW

Going Concern

The trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charitable company has adequate resources to continue to operate in the foreseeable future. They therefore continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the financial statements. Further details can be found under the Accounting Policies.

Financial Review

In the statement of financial activities, (SOFA) BVSC reports a surplus of £2.835m in the year, which is made up of a surplus in unrestricted funds of £3.231m and a deficit of £396k in restricted funds after transfers.

The surplus in restricted reserves is made up of increases and decreases in funding held for specific activities note 19 gives a breakdown of all these projects. Some projects utilised reserves brought forward from the previous year, and some held funding in reserves at the end of the year for delivery of activities in the coming year.

The surplus in unrestricted funds includes a surplus on the sale of the building of £2.973m. A new building has been purchased in 2023/2024 for £3.6m, the board have decided to designate £3.6m of the unrestricted reserves to cover the cost of the new building. Giving unrestricted funds of £320k for the year to 31[st] March 23.

The biggest single activity during the year was that of grant making. We distributed significant funds to organisations in the Voluntary and Community sector in Birmingham and we distributed significant resources to families and individuals suffering hardship. Most of this because of the on-going impact of the cost-of-living crisis. The grant making activities accounted for just under £16m of our income and expenditure during the year.

The second significant activity during the year was the sale of the building for £3.55m.

Incoming Resources and Resources Expended:

The charts below give a breakdown of how BVSC spent its income to deliver its aims and objectives and who funded BVSC during the year.

21

Expenditure on Activities during the year:

----- Start of picture text -----
2%
6% Sector support
3%
5%
An influential voluntary
sector
Voluntary Sector-led
partnership programmes
Grants paid
84% Management costs
----- End of picture text -----

Sources of Income:

22

Review of the Performance of Subsidiaries:

BVSC Enterprises (company registration number 1660160), with the sale of BVSC’s building during the year, conferencing was closed down. The figures in the accounts and the gift aid are as a result of some outstanding transactions from previous year.

The Enterprise board has four directors; two nominations from BVSC’s board of management, BVSC’s CEO and one director with a specific emphasis on business/entrepreneurial skills and experience, there is currently two vacancies. With the sale of 138 Digbeth, we will have not delivered any conferencing services during the year.

BVSC KickStart Limited (formerly Talent Match Birmingham and Solihull Limited) (company registration number 09112870)

KickStart Limited was used to deliver placements under the government Kickstart scheme.

The board is made up of the two directors, we currently have one.

BVSC Management Services Limited (company registration number 3130064) is a dormant company.

Reserves Policy:

BVSC’s reserves policy is to maintain at least three months unrestricted expenditure as free reserves; this should enable the charity to continue in the short term should there be a problem with any funding.

Free unrestricted reserves needed to cover 3 months of unrestricted expenditure in 20232024 is £237k.

The unrestricted reserves for the year totalled £3.920m, of these £3.6m have been designated for the purchase of the new building. Therefore, the current level of free unrestricted reserves are £319k, this is higher than three months unrestricted expenditure for 23/24. In this uncertain environment, the board deem it prudent to leave the reserves at this level.

PLANS FOR FUTURE PERIODS

What we do

We are passionate about making a positive difference to the lives of people in Birmingham and we believe that the key to this is found in our communities.

By supporting a robust voluntary and community sector informed by the lived experience of local people, we enable organisations and individuals working to deliver social change, to identify and build on existing strengths and to enhance these through volunteering and social action.

23

Our aim is to support a vibrant and resilient sector which in turn ensures that people from across the city feel included and engaged and have access to appropriate support from people who understand the issues and challenges they face.

Our strength comes from working in partnership with the voluntary, community, public and private sectors to develop effective responses to these challenges and to engage citizens in an exciting journey towards a better, stronger future.

Our passionate and dedicated staff team leads on the three key areas of our work, which are:

Our Vision

BVSC’s vision is a Birmingham in which all people enjoy lives of inclusion, safety, wellbeing and fulfilment.

Our Mission

BVSC's mission is to support and advocate for a strong and influential voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) sector.

Our Values

All our work is under-pinned by a commitment to our organisational values, which are:

24

Our Strategic Aims:
1: Citizens are
empowered to
make a positive
difference.		 2: Voluntary
groups have
access to the
knowledge and
resources needed
to achieve their
aims.		 3: The voluntary
sector is influential
as a force for
positive change.		 4: BVSC is an
independent,
effective, inclusive
and sustainable
organisation.
Key Strategic Objectives 2023-24:
1: To ensure
citizens are
empowered to
make a positive
difference, we
will…
Increase the level
of all types of
volunteering in
Birmingham.
Increase the level
of co-production
and codesign
across the city
within VCSE
activity and within
partner
organisations.
Deliver a
meaningful
volunteer offer that
supports
volunteering at
both a strategic
and operational
level within
Birmingham.
Support equity of
outcomes for all
our citizens
delivered through
the VCSE and
other partners.		 2: To ensure
voluntary groups
have access to the
knowledge and
resources needed
to achieve their
aims, we will…
Enable the
establishment of
new VCSE
organisations that
meet the needs of
citizens in
Birmingham.
Increase the
effectiveness and
impact of individual
VCSE organisations
across the city.
Provide robust
evaluation for
service level activity
within the city.
Provide and enable
investment
opportunities into
individual VCSE
organisations.
Promote the voice of
individual
organisations where
they meaningfully		 3: To ensure the
voluntary sector is
influential as a force
for positive change,
we will…
Maximise social
transformation and
outcomes in
Birmingham.
Ensure VCSE
effectively utilises
data and learning to
maximise its impact
within Birmingham
Promote effective
system change within
Birmingham.
Support the sector to
speak with an
effective ‘collective
voice’ to influence
change in the city.
Deliver effective
integration of VCSE
activity with other
sectors within the city.
Increase investment
into the VCSE.
Promote the VCSE as
an increasingly valued		 4: To ensure BVSC
is an independent,
effective, inclusive
and sustainable
organisation, we
will…
Deliver an effective
asset structure that
underpins and
supports BVSC’s
objects and
sustainability.
Actively build an
inclusive
organisation.
Deliver year on year
growth of
investment into
BVSC
Transform BVSC’s
internal and external
operations to
effectively meet the
post covid
environment.
Maximise our staff
resource and
capacity

25

To support the
development of a
VCSE sector that
meets the needs
and aspirations
ofallour citizens.		 echo the challenges
and opportunities
facing communities.
Support
organisations to
effectively meet new
and existing
challenges facing
the city.
Facilitate the sharing
of learning, best
practice and policy
issues
Build research and
evaluation capacity
and understanding
across the VCFSE in
Birmingham		 partner by other parts
of the Birmingham
system.
To support the
development of
innovation within
Birmingham’s VCSE.
Create cohesive cross
sector leadership and
delivery.
Increase the reach
and impact of
research and
evaluation in the
sector

26

STATEMENT OF DIRECTORS’ RESPONSIBILITIES

The directors are responsible for preparing the Report of the Directors and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.

Company law requires the directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law the directors have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law). Under company law the directors must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company and the group and of the surplus or deficit of the company and the group for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the directors are required to:

The directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the company and the group and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and the group and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

The directors are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charity’s website.

STATEMENT AS TO DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION TO AUDITORS:

So far as the directors are aware, there is no relevant audit information (as defined by section 418 of the Companies Act 2006) of which the company’s auditors are unaware, and each director has taken all the steps that he or she ought to have taken as a director in order to make himself or herself aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the company’s auditors are aware of that information.

In preparing this report the Directors have taken advantage of the small companies exemptions provided by section 415A of the Companies Act 2006

AUDITORS

The auditors, Dains Audit Limited , will be proposed for reappointment in accordance with section 485 of the Companies Act 2006.

Approved by the Trustee Board and signed in their behalf:

Chair Lisa Martinali Date 15/12/23

27

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL (A company Limited by Guarantee)

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of Birmingham Voluntary Service Council (the 'parent charitable company’) and its subsidiaries (‘the group’) for the year ended 31 March 2023 which comprise the consolidated statement of financial activities, the consolidated and charity balance sheets, the consolidated statement of cash flows and the related notes, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the group in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the United Kingdom, including the Financial Reporting Council's Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the Trustees' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the group’s or the parent charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the Trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The other information comprises the information included in the Annual report other than the financial statements and our Auditor's report thereon. The Trustees are responsible for the

28

other information contained within the Annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Opinion on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

In the light of our knowledge and understanding of the group and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the Trustees' report.

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

Responsibilities of trustees

As explained more fully in the Trustees' responsibilities statement, the Trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the Trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the Trustees are responsible for assessing the group’s

29

or the parent charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the Trustees either intend to liquidate the group or the parent charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an Auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below:

Our approach to identifying and assessing the risks of material misstatement in respect of irregularities, including fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations, was as follows:

We assessed the susceptibility of the company’s financial statements to material misstatement, including obtaining an understanding of how fraud might occur, by:

To address the risk of fraud through management bias and override of controls, we:

30

In response to the risk of irregularities and non-compliance with laws and regulations, we designed procedures which included, but were not limited to:

Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance. The risk is also greater regarding irregularities occurring due to fraud rather than error, as fraud involves intentional concealment, forgery, collusion, omission or misrepresentation.

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council's website at: www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our Auditor's report.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the charitable company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an Auditor's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and its members, as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Andrew Morris FCA (Senior statutory auditor)

for and on behalf of

Dains Audit Limited

Statutory Auditor Chartered Accountants

Birmingham

Date:

31

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES INCORPORATING THE INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

NOTE
INCOME
Donations and legacies
Income from charitable activities:
3
Grants and contracts receivable
4
Income from other trading activities
5
Investment income
6
Other income
TOTAL INCOME
EXPENDITURE
7
Expenditure on raising funds
8
Expenditure on charitable activities
TOTAL RESOURCES EXPENDED
14 Net gains/(losses) on investments
NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)
BEFORE TRANSFERS
Gross transfers between funds
NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)
AFTER TRANSFERS
NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS
RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS
Total funds brought forward
TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD		 Unrestricted Restricted
Total
Total
Funds
Funds
2023
2022
£
£
£
£
1,973
-
1,973
18,849
- 18,391,524 18,391,524 13,969,969
106,642 17,520
124,162
188,534
17,564 -
17,564 -
3,209,049 69,449
3,278,498
61,137
3,335,228 18,478,493 21,813,721 14,238,489
23,419
-
23,419
173
302,847 18,650,779 18,953,626 13,644,916
326,266 18,650,779 18,977,045 13,645,089
(2,050)
-
(2,050)
2,007
3,006,912
(172,286)
2,834,626
595,407
224,158 - 224,158
- -
3,231,070
(396,444)
2,834,626
595,407
3,231,070
(396,444)
2,834,626
595,407
688,903
1,922,258
2,611,161
2,015,759
3,919,973
1,525,814
5,445,787
2,611,166

32

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 MARCH 2023

Company Registration: 00421688

NOTE
FIXED ASSETS
12
Intangible Assets
13
Tangible Assets
14
Investments
TOTAL FIXED ASSETS
CURRENT ASSETS
15
Debtors
Cash at Bank & in Hand
TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS
LIABILITIES
16
Creditors-Amounts falling
due within 1 year
NET CURRENT ASSETS
TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT
LIABILITIES
22
NET ASSETS
THE FUNDS OF THE CHARITY
20
Restricted Income Funds
21
Designated Reserves
21
Unrestricted Income Funds
22
TOTAL FUNDS		 GROUP
2023
2022
£
£
0
6,269
20,850
616,457
4,596
6,646
25,446
629,372
594,961
576,466
8,598,050
1,943,684
9,193,011
2,520,150
3,772,670
538,356
5,420,341
1,981,794
5,445,787
2,611,166
5,445,787
2,611,166
1,525,814
1,922,258
3,600,000
319,973
688,908
5,445,787
2,611,166		 COMPANY
2023
2022
£
£
0
6,269
20,850
616,457
4,697
6,747
25,547
629,473
615,276
583,299
8,573,207
1,920,893
9,188,483
2,504,192
3,772,652
526,908
5,415,831
1,977,284
5,441,378
2,606,757
5,441,378
2,606,757
1,525,814
1,922,258
3,915,564
684,499
5,441,378
2,606,757

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to the small companies regime.

Approved on behalf of the Board :

Date: Chair Lisa Martinali 15/12/23 The notes on pages 34 to 74 form part of these accounts

33

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOW STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Notes
Net cash inflow/(outflow) from operating
activities
(a)
Returns on investments and servicing
of finance
Investment income
Bank Charges
Capital expenditure and financial investment
Surplus on disposal of fixed assets
Sales Proceeds from disposal of assets
Payments to acquire tangible fixed assets
Net cash inflow/(outflow) before financing
Increase/(Decrease) in cash in the year		 17,564
(14,700)		 2023
£
6,079,293
2,864

(572,209)		 -
(23,381)		 2022
£
262,776
(23,381)
(6,300)
(2,973,205)
3,550,000
(4,586)		 0
(6,300)
6,654,366 233,095
6,654,366 233,095

34

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL NOTES TO THE CASH FLOW STATEMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

(a) Reconciliation of deficit of income to net cashflow from operating activities

Net movement in funds for the year
Investment income
Bank Charges
Amortisation/Depreciation charges
(Increase)/Decrease in debtors
(Decrease)/Increase in creditors		 2023
£
2,836,676
(17,564)
14,700
29,662
(18,495)
3,234,314
6,079,293		 2022
£
593,400
(0)
23,381
65,122
(292,215)
(126,912)
262,776

(b) Reconciliation of net cashflow to movement in net funds/debt

(Decrease)/Increase in cash in the year
Movement in net funds and debt in the year
Net funds and debt at 1 April 2022
Net funds and debt at 31 March 2023		 6,654,366
6,654,366
1,943,684
8,598,050		 233,095
233,095
1,710,589
1,943,684

(c) Analysis of net funds/debt

Cash at bank and in hand 2022
Cashflow
2023
£
£
£
1,943,684
6,654,366 8,598,050
1,943,684
6,654,366 8,598,050

35

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 31 MARCH 2023

GENERAL INFORMATION

BVSC is a charity and private company limited by guarantee, company registered no 00421688, registered charity no 218795, registered address First Floor, Livery Place, 35 Livery Street, Birmingham, B3 2PB.

1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES

1.1. Basis of accounting

The financial statements have been prepared under the historic cost convention amended for the revaluation of investment assets and in accordance with applicable Accounting Standards. The accounts have been prepared in compliance with the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS102) (effective 1 January 2019)- Charities SORP (FRS102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102 –Section 1A) and the Companies Act 2006.

BVSC meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102.

1.2. Basis of consolidation

The group financial statements include the financial statements of the parent company and of its wholly owned subsidiary undertakings, BVSC Enterprises Limited, BVSC Kickstart Limited (formerly TMCO Birmingham and Solihull Limited) and BVSC Management Services Limited. The results of the subsidiaries are consolidated on a line-by-line basis.

1.3. Company Status

The charitable company is a company limited by guarantee. The members of the company are voluntary and community organisations in Birmingham. The trustees and directors of the company are listed on page 3 and 4. In the event the company is wound up, the liability in respect of the guarantee is limited to £1 per member of the charitable company.

1.4. Income and Expenditure

A separate summary income and expenditure account dealing with the results of the company has not been prepared as permitted by the Companies Act 2006.

All income is recognised when the charitable company has entitlement to the income, and it is probable the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.

Grants are included in the Statement of financial activities on a receivable basis. The balance of income received for specific purposes but not expended during the period is shown in the relevant funds on the Balance sheet. Where income is received in advance of entitlement of receipt, its recognition is deferred and included in creditors as deferred income. Where entitlement occurs before income

36

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 31 MARCH 2023

is received, the income is accrued.

Other income is recognised in the period in which it is receivable and to the extent the goods have been provided or on completion of the service.

Government grants in support of the Coronavirus response are credited to the Consolidated statements of financial activities as the related expenditure is incurred.

Expenditure is recognised when there is a liability that has been incurred for a period of activity. The costs of delivering activities are made up of direct costs and shared costs which include support costs. Direct costs are charged against specific activities, shared costs are apportioned to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.

Expenditure on raising funds are those costs attributable to income generation and trading activities, expenditure on charitable activities are direct support costs of delivering the charities objectives.

1.5. Intangible assets

Amortisation is calculated to write off the intangible assets over their estimated useful lives. For the ICAT system, which has been purchased as part of the delivery of the Birmingham Changing Future programme and will written off on a straight line basis over 63 months to the end of the project.

1.6. Tangible assets

Depreciation is calculated to write off the tangible assets over their estimated useful lives. The valuation of Freehold Buildings is depreciated on a straight-line basis, over its expected useful life of 50 years. The cost of Equipment is depreciated on a straight-line basis over their expected useful of 3 years.

Under the transitional rules of FRS 102, the revaluation of the Freehold Buildings made in 1998, has not been updated.

1.7. Investment Policy

No powers have been delegated to managers for the investment of funds, at present all investment decisions are referred back to the Board of Trustees.

Investments in listed company shares are remeasured to fair value at the balance sheet date with reference to readily available market prices. Gains and losses on remeasurement are recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities.

1.8. Grant Making Policy

Grants are made to organisations in accordance with the arrangements and conditions set out in the funding agreements for specific projects and programmes.

37

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 31 MARCH 2023

1.9. Fund Accounting

General funds are unrestricted funds that can be used in accordance with BVSC's charitable objectives at the discretion of the Trustees and have not been designated for other purposes.

Restricted funds are funds received for a specific purpose or activity which has been specified by the donor.

1.10. Financial Instruments

The charitable company only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. These basic financial instruments are recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value.

1.11.Cash at Bank and In Hand

Cash is represented by cash in hand and deposits with financial institutions repayable without penalty on notice of no more than 24 hours.

1.12.Operating Leases

Rentals payable under operating leases are charges to the income and expenditure account on a straight-line basis over the period of the lease.

1.13. Debtors

Trade and other debtors are recognised at settlement amount, prepayments are recognised at the amount prepaid.

1.14. Liabilities and Provisions

Liabilities are recognised when there is an obligation at the Balance sheet date as a result of a past event, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefit will be required in settlement and the amount of the settlement can be estimated reliably. Liabilities are recognised at the amount the charitable company anticipates it will pay to settle the debt or the amount it has received as advance payments for goods or services it must provide. Provisions are measured at the best estimate of the amounts required to settle the obligation.

1.15. Pension Scheme

The company operates a defined contribution pension scheme. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the company in an independently administered fund. The costs of the company's contributions to the pension scheme are charged to the income and expenditure account in the period in which they become payable. There are no unpaid or prepaid pension contributions to the defined contribution pension scheme at the balance sheet date (last year no unpaid or prepaid pension contributions).

38

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 31 MARCH 2023

2. NET INCOME FROM TRADING ACTIVITIES OF SUBSIDIARIES

The charity has three wholly owned trading subsidiaries which were incorporated in the UK. BVSC Enterprises limited, a private limited company, registered no 01660160, provides conferencing facilities primarily to the voluntary sector.

BVSC Management Services Limited, a private limited company, registered no 3130064, is a dormant company.

BVSC KickStart Limited formerly Talent Match Company Birmingham and Solihull Limited, a private company, registered no 09112870, provides support to deliver the Kickstart placement programme.

All three companies are registered at First Floor,Livery Place, 35 Livery Street, Birmingham, B3 2PB. Theses subsidiary accounts are consolidated into the group.

39

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 31 MARCH 2023

NOTE

2 Trading Subsidiaries

Trading Subsidiaries
BVSC
BVSC KICKSTART Management
Enterprises Limited Services 2023 2022
Limited Limited Total Total
£ £ £ £ £
Turnover 17,181 27,705 0 44,886 123,172
Cost of sales (27,705) 0 (27,705) (64,319)
Gross Profit 17,181 0 0 17,181 58,853
Interest receivable 0 0 0 0
Administration 4,286 0 0 4,286 (48,700)
Gift aid to BVSC (21,467) (21,467) (10,153)
Operating
(Loss)/Profit 0 0 0 0 0
The assets and liabilities of the subsidiaries were:
£ £ £
Assets 25,995
Liabilities (21,464) (21)
Net assets/(liabilities) 4,531 0 (21)
Representing:
Share capital 100 1
Profit and loss account 4,431 (22)
Shareholders' funds 4,531 0 (21)

40

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 31 MARCH 2023

NOTE
3. Grants and Contracts Receivable - Restricted Funds 2023 2022
Incoming Incoming
Resources Resources
£ £
Accessible Social Investment for B'ham (Barrow Cadbury Connect Fund) 1,000 -
BG Lottery - Good Practice Mentors Project 50,000 -
BIG Lottery Ageing Better (14,821) 668,585
BIG Lottery: Birmingham Changing Futures Together (110,144) 447,753
Birchfield Big Local Partnership 74,053 86,491
Birchfield Big Local Partnership other income 10,368 9,744
Birmingham City Council Covid Recovery - 86,514
Birmingham City Council Strategic Partnership 200,000 200,000
Business Support Coordination - 30,000
Change Into Action - 22,572
Commonwealth Games 560,000
Community Development Practice Hub 104,000 -
Community Leadership Training 75,000 -

41

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 31 MARCH 2023

Compassionate Communities/Covid Recovery Grants - 450,039
Creative Civic Change 48,474 38,353
Domestic Abuse – Mapping - 69,960
Early Help -Children and Families 2,017,704 2,035,142
Exempt Accommodation Quality Standards 88,603 136,094
Fairer Futures Grants 209,687 -
Health Projects: -
Digital Inclusion 83,333 -
Health - VCS support 143,667 121,980
Health Engagement Grants - 26,700
ICS Strategy Engagement 19,250 -
Integrated Care System 85,000 -
Integrated Care System - 25,350
Long Covid Community Engagement 95,000 -
Personal Health Budget - 27,782
Roots to Wellbeing 65,000 -
Telephone Trees - 21,000

42

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 31 MARCH 2023

Women’s Hormonal Health 80,999 -
Covid Vaccination Programme - engagement of communities 50,000 -
-
Holiday Activity Fund - 3,315,480
Household Support Fund 13,863,808 4,974,995
Housing First - 63,280
Kickstart 13,376 54,366
Living Wage -engagement and awareness (Barrow Cadbury) 8,000 4,000
Mental Health Transitional Worker - 38,315
NAVCA Small Grants 10,000 -
Neighbourhood Network Support 99,972 128,000
Neighbourhood Network Support - Fuel Poverty 49,957 -
Redundancy and Retraining 72,452 -
Research 206,126 220,108
Rough Sleepers Initiative 51,454 -
Sector Support - to open building after covid - 23,960
Shelter Grants 113,332 -
Ukraine -Support grants 311,000 -

43

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 31 MARCH 2023

Welsh House Farm Big Local Partnership
Youth Violence Prevention Programme Manager		 158,651
57,223
18,391,524		 83,406
-
13,969,969

NOTE

4 INCOME FROM OTHER TRADING ACTIVITIES

Consolidated trading subsidiary income*
Consultancy fees
Room hire
Rental income
Business solutions		 Unrestricted Restricted
Total
Total
Funds
Funds
2023
2022
£
£
£
£
44,886
-
44,886
66,351
-
17,520
17,520
-
-
-
-
-
875
-
875
45,508
60,881
-
60,881
76,675
106,642
17,520
124,162
**188,534 **

44

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 31 MARCH 2023

NOTE
5
INVESTMENT INCOME
Deposit interest		 2023
£
17,564
17,564		 2022
£
-
6,187

NOTE 6 OTHER INCOME

OTHER INCOME
Unrestricted Restricted Total Total
Funds Funds 2023 2022
£ £ £ £
Book and 'Update' income 18,527
-		 18,527 27,299
Training income 4,350
6,900		 11,250 -
Reimbursement of cost from Beorma Redevelopment - - - 20,665
Income for moving costs 200,000
-		 200,000 -
Surplus on Sale of building 2,973,205
-		 2,973,199 -
Change Into Action - 11,432 11,432 -
Exempt Accommodation - charges to organisations - 7,779 7,779 -
Secondment - 43,653 43,653 -
Other income 12,967 (315) 12,658 13,173
3,209,049
69,449		 3,278,498 61,137

45

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 31 MARCH 2023

NOTE

7 EXPENDITURE ON RAISING FUNDS

EXPENDITURE ON RAISING FUNDS
Consolidated trading subsidiary expenditure
BVSC Enterprises
KICKSTART		 Unrestricted Restricted
Total
Total
Funds
Funds
2023
2022
£
£
£
£
(4,286)
-
(4,286)
173
27,705
-
27,705
-
23,419
-
23,419
173

NOTE 8 RESOURCES EXPENDED ON CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES - Restricted Funds

Grants to
Activities Individuals
Undertaken and Support
Charitable Activity Directly Organisations Costs Total 2023 Total 2022
(Note 8d) (Note 8a)
£ £ £ £
Accessible Social Investment for B'ham (Barrow Cadbury Connect
Fund) - 17,700
BG Lottery - Good Practice Mentors Project 46,032 2,500 48,532
BIG Awards for All 9,950 9,950
BIG Lottery Ageing Better 1,707 5,087 6,794
787,690
BIG Lottery: Birmingham Changing Futures Together 54,855 20,985 75,840 700,673

46

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 31 MARCH 2023

BIG Lottery: Birmingham Changing Futures Together (ICAT) 6,268 6,268 -
BIG Lottery: covid support IT (capitalisation of cost IT equipment) 16,666 16,666 13,928
Birchfield Big Local Partnership 115,384 5,698 121,082 108,066
Birchfield Big Local Partnership other income 10,860 10,860 9,154
Birmingham City Council Covid Recovery 800 800 90,419
Birmingham City Council Strategic Partnership 216,024 15,500 231,524 187,433
Birmingham Parent Carer Forum Secondment 33,988 3,000 36,988 2,758
Building Grant 967 967 5,800
Change Into Action 3,661 1,140 4,801 14,422
Commonwealth Games Legacy Grants 30,455 198,510 228,965 345,742
Community Leadership Training 40,677 3,500 44,177
Compassionate Communities/Covid Recovery Grants 6,700 6,700 171
Creative Civic Change 43,582 10,225 1,997 55,804 42,307
Domestic Abuse - Mapping 14,371 14,371 58,056
Early Help -Children and Families 196,840 1,810,118 20,000 2,026,958 2,012,174
Exempt Accommodation Quality Standards 106,037 18,739 124,776 105,416
Health Projects: -

47

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 31 MARCH 2023

Digital Inclusion 15,510 46,002 5,000 66,512
Health - VCS support 204,406 - 204,406 51,017
Health Engagement Grants - 16,000
ICS Strategy Engagement 6,250 12,000 1,000 19,250
Integrated Care System 71,871 12,000 83,871
Integrated Care System - 4,943
Long Covid Community Engagement 18,234 75,000 2,531 95,765
Personal Health Budget 2,599 2,599 47,950
Population Health management - 12,000 12,000
Roots to Wellbeing 13,602 9,200 22,802 3,400
Telephone Trees 3,535 3,535 24,465
Women’s Hormonal Health 33,921 44,570 2,815 81,306
Covid Vaccination Programme - engagement of communities 14,000 4,000 18,000
Holiday Activity Fund 9,698 9,698 3,271,933
Hope Station -community project - 1,914
Household Support Fund 307,552 13,401,175 214,367 13,923,094 4,843,518
Kickstart 2,008 2,008 66,041

48

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 31 MARCH 2023

Living Wage -engagement and awareness (Barrow Cadbury)
Mental Health Transitional Worker
NAVCA Small Grants
Neighbourhood Network Support
Neighbourhood Network Support Fuel Poverty
Police & Crime Commissioner-Funding Officer
Police & Crime Commissioner-Mapping
Redundancy and Retraining
Research
Rough Sleeping Initiative
Sector Support - to open building after covid
Shelter Grants
Ukraine -Support grants
Violence Against Women and Girls
Welsh House Farm Big Local Partnership
Youth Violence Prevention Programme Manager
Total Resources Expended on Charitable Activities		 7,149
7,149
19,279
4,748
24,027 26,599
- 4,000
4,000
110,331
10,000
120,331 95,205
46,338 30,000
76,338
-
265
-
2,000
9,775 51,608
61,383
216,247 4,300
11,162
231,709 253,732
57,187
3,250
60,437 50,322
-
15,320
3,057
3,057
5,569 219,327
3,113
228,009
20,497
20,497
137,853
6,844
144,697
116,993
46,274
5,202
51,476
1,093
2,338,566
15,918,835
393,378
18,650,779 13,394,619

49

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 31 MARCH 2023

NOTE

8a ANALYSIS OF SUPPORT COSTS

Accommodation Finance Human Total
Charitable Activity Management Costs Costs Resources IT 2023
£ £ £ £ £ £
BG Lottery - Good Practice Mentors Project 550
700
625
375		 250 2,500
BIG Lottery Ageing Better 1,119
1,424
1,272
763		 509 5,087
BIG Lottery: Birmingham Changing Futures Together 4,617
5,876
5,246
3,148		 2,099 20,985
Birchfield Big Local Partnership 1,254
1,595
1,425
855		 570 5,698
Birmingham City Council Strategic Partnership 3,410
4,340
3,875
2,325		 1,550 15,500
Birmingham Parent Carer Forum Secondment 660
840
750
450		 300 3,000
Change Into Action 251
319
285
171		 114 1,140
Community Leadership Training 770
980
875
525		 350 3,500
Creative Civic Change 439
559
499
300		 200 1,997
Early Help -Children and Families 4,400
5,600
5,000
3,000		 2,000 20,000
Exempt Accommodation Quality Standards 4,123
5,247
4,685
2,811		 1,874 18,739
-

50

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 31 MARCH 2023

Health Projects:
-Digital Inclusion
-ICS Strategy Engagement
-Integrated Care System
-Long Covid Community Engagement
-Roots to Wellbeing
-Women’s Hormonal Health
-Covid Vaccination Programme - engagement of communities
Household Support Fund
Mental Health Transitional Worker
Neighbourhood Network Support
Research
Rough Sleeping Initiative
Ukraine -Support grants
Welsh House Farm Big Local Partnership
Youth Violence Prevention Programme Manager
Totals		 1,100
1,400
1,250
750
500
5,000
220
280
250
150
100
1,000
2,640
3,360
3,000
1,800
1,200
12,000
557
709
633
380
253
2,531
2,024
2,576
2,300
1,380
920
9,200
619
788
704
422
282
2,815
880
1,120
1,000
600
400
4,000
47,161
60,023
53,592
32,155
21,437
214,367
1,045
1,329
1,187
712
475
4,748
2,200
2,800
2,500
1,500
1,000
10,000
2,456
3,125
2,791
1,674
1,116
11,162
715
910
813
488
325
3,250
685
872
778
467
311
3,113
1,506
1,916
1,711
1,027
684
6,844
1,144
1,457
1,301
780
520
5,202
86,543
110,146
98,345
59,007
39,338
393,378

51

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 31 MARCH 2023

Support costs are allocated to projects on a percentage basis, or a mixture of time spent and number of staff. .

Accommodation Finance Human Total
Charitable Activity Management Costs Costs Resources IT 2022
£ £ £ £ £ £
BIG Lottery Ageing Better 13,430
17,092
15,261
9,157		 6,104 61,044
BIG Lottery: Birmingham Changing Futures Together 18,467
23,503
20,985
12,591		 8,394 83,940
Birchfield Big Local Partnership 1,098
1,397
1,247
748		 499 4,989
Birmingham city Council Covid Recovery 1,925
2,450
2,188
1,313		 875 8,750
Birmingham City Council Strategic Partnership 3,300
4,200
3,750
2,250		 1,500 15,000
Building Grant -
5,800
-
-		 - 5,800
Change Into Action -
-
1,140
-		 - 1,140
Commonwealth Games Legacy Grants 1,276
1,624
1,450
870		 580 5,800
Creative Civic Change 879
1,118
999
599		 399 3,994
Domestic Abuse - Mapping 1,932
2,460
2,196
1,318		 878 8,784
Early Help -Children and Families 4,510
5,740
5,125
3,075		 2,050 20,500
Exempt Accommodation Quality Standards 2,383
3,034
2,709
1,625		 1,083 10,834

52

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 31 MARCH 2023

Health - Voluntary sector support
Holiday Activity Fund
Household Support Fund
Housing First
Mental Health Transitional Worker
Neighbourhood Network Support
Personal Health Budget
Research
Sector Support - to open building after covid
Telephone Trees
Welsh House Farm Big Local Partnership
Totals		 -
-
-
-
-
-
10,532
13,404
11,968
7,181
4,787
47,872
10,450
13,300
11,875
7,125
4,750
47,500
715
910
813
488
325
3,250
1,045
1,329
1,187
712
475
4,748
2,200
2,800
2,500
1,500
1,000
10,000
550
700
625
375
250
2,500
1,140
1,451
1,296
777
518
5,182
660
840
750
450
300
3,000
616
784
700
420
280
2,800
2,265
2,883
2,574
1,544
1,030
10,295
79,372
106,819
91,336
54,117
36,078
367,722

Support costs are allocated to projects on a mixture of time spent and number of staff.

53

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 31 MARCH 2023

NOTE

8b RESOURCES EXPENDED ON CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES - Unrestricted Funds

Activity
Business Solutions
Tenants
Training
Membership and Communications
Strategic work
Management and Administration
Building negotiations costs
Accommodation costs
Finance, HR, IT
Conferencing costs not charged to subsidiary
Total Resources Expended on Charitable Activities		 2023
£
49,666
797
2,000
29,234
26,309
18,488
34,129
86,615
53,942
1,667
302,847		 2022
£
69,714
859
0
16,856
18,680
10,791
35,725
69,134
24,599
3,939
**250,297 **

54

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 31 MARCH 2023

NOTE 8c RESOURCES EXPENDED ON CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES

Expenditure
Staff costs
Running costs
Computer costs
Room hire/catering
Professional fees/consultancy
Publicity/publications
Cleaning
Maintenance and repairs
Depreciation
Heat/light/rates
Insurance
Bank charges
Sub-contracts with partners
Other direct delivery costs
Grant payments
Volunteer expense
Governance
Total Resources Expended		 2023
£
1,903,334
31,869
84,875
38,055
25,578
34,658
21,436
8,113
29,662
12,723
(3,456)
14,700
(3,768)
812,932
15,918,835
1,941
22,139
18,953,626		 2022
£
1,722,052
29,933
74,275
50,957
40,066
35,376
46,748
30,502
65,121
28,754
16,954
23,381
570,482
711,517
10,168,875
5,104
24,819
13,644,916

55

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 31 MARCH 2023

NOTE

8d RESOURCES EXPENDED ON GRANT PAYMENTS

2023

No of grants No of grants Grants
Grants Programme to individuals organisations paid
Commonwealth Games Legacy Grants 84 198,510
Creative Civic Change 2 10,225
Early Help -Children and Families 7 1,810,118
Health Projects:
Digital Inclusion 5 46,002
ICS Strategy Engagement 17 12,000
Long Covid Community Engagement 25 75,000
Population Health management 12 12,000
Women’s Hormonal Health 2 44,570
Household Support Fund 90,274 12,901,175
Household Support Funds - Lead Agencies Grants 24 500,000

56

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 31 MARCH 2023

NAVCA Small Grants
Neighbourhood Network Support Fuel Poverty
Redundancy and Retraining
Research
Ukraine -Support grants
Total
Grants Programme
Commonwealth Legacy Grants
Health and Social Care Grants
Micro Grants Programme
Vaccine Engagement Grants
Early Help Lead Agencies
Resilience Fund Payments to Individuals and Families
Holiday Activities Fund
Household Support Fund
Household Support Funds - Lead Agencies Grants
Research Grants
Total		 9
1
1
1
17
90,274
207
No of grants
to individuals
No of grants
organisations
72
8
14
11
9
1292
94
28256
9
3
29,548
220		 4,000
30,000
51,608
4,300
219,327
15,918,835
2022
Grants
paid
308,907
32,000
30,002
16,000
1,772,554
123,785
3,139,935
4,183,691
500,000
62,001
10,168,875

57

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 31 MARCH 2023

NOTE

9 STAFF COSTS AND EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

Wages and Salaries
Redundancy Costs
Social Security Costs
Pensions		 2023
£
1,569,641
-
163,394
70,657
1,803,692		 2022
£
1,462,291
7,040
142,064
68,549
1,679,944

No redundancy costs were paid during the year and no payments were outstanding as at the 31st March 2023.

Directors and trustees received no benefits, expenses or remuneration during the year.

One employee received emoluments in the band of £70,000-£80,000 (last year one employee in the band of £70,000-£80,000).

The trustees consider key management personnel comprised of the CEO and the Deputy CEO. The total amount employee benefits received by key management personnel are £152,787 (last year £143,079).

58

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 31 MARCH 2023

NOTE

10 NET INCOME FOR THE YEAR

Net Income is stated after charging:

NET INCOME FOR THE YEAR
Net Income is stated after charging:
2023 2022
£ £
Depreciation and amortisation 29,662 65,122
Auditor's remuneration - audit fee 8,925 8,075

NOTE 11 AVERAGE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES

The average number of employees, not including Directors during the year was as follows:

Senior managers
Project Staff
Corporate services and income
generation
Total number of staff		 2023
11
27
12
50		 2022
9
25
14
48

59

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 31 MARCH 2023

NOTE
12 INTANGIBLE ASSETS
GROUP AND COMPANY
Cost or Revaluation at 31 March 2022
Additions
Disposals
At 31 March 2023
Depreciation at 31 March 2022
Charges for the Year
On Disposals
Depreciation at 31 March 2023
Net Book Value at 31 March 2023
Net Book Value at 31 March 2022		 IT Software
£
131,740
-
-
131,740
125,471
6,269
-
131,740
-
6269

60

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 31 MARCH 2023

NOTE

13 TANGIBLE ASSETS GROUP AND COMPANY

TANGIBLE ASSETS
GROUP AND COMPANY
Cost or Revaluation at 31 March 2022
Additions
Disposals
At 31 March 2023
Depreciation at 31 March 2022
Charges for the Year
On Disposals
Depreciation at 31 March 2023
Net Book Value at 31 March 2023
Net Book Value at 31 March 2022		 Equipment
Freehold
Total
Property
£
£
£
105,505
935,095 1,040,600
4,586
- 4,586
-
935,095 935,095
110,091
0
110,091
68,319
355,824
424,143
20,922
2,471
23,393
358,295 358,295
89,241
-
89,241
20,850
-
20,850
37,186
579,271
616,457

Freehold Property

138 Digbeth was sold in June 2022, for £3,550,000, giving a surplus of £2,973,205.

NOTE

61

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 31 MARCH 2023

14 FIXED ASSET INVESTMENTS Gain/(loss)
in the
2022 Disposals year 2023
UK Listed Investments £ £
1075 Avivs Plc 25p Ordinary Shares 6,396 -
(2,050)		 4,346
(Original Cost £1,231)
6,396 - (2,050) 4,346
Unlisted investments 250 250
Group 6,646 - (2,050) 4,596
Shares in Wholly Owned Subsidiary Companies:
BVSC Enterprises Limited 100 -
-		 100
BVSC Management Services Limited 1 - - 1
Company 6,747 - (2,050) 4,697
OTE
15 DEBTORS (FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR)
GROUP COMPANY
2023 2022 2023 2022
£ £ £ £
Trade debtors 506,358 467,754 505,206 467,754
Other debtors 88,603 108,712 88,603 106,986
Amounts owed by subsidiary undertaking - - 21,467 8,559
594,961 576,466 615,276 583,299

NOTE 15 DEBTORS (FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR)

62

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 31 MARCH 2023

NOTE 16 CREDITORS (FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR)

Trade creditors
Other creditors
*Funds held on behalf of Voluntary
Organisations
Taxation & social security
Accruals & deferred income		 GROUP
COMPANY
2023
2022
2023
2022
£
£
£
£
-
9,833
-
-
959,253
711
959,232
690
64,775
64,775
64,775
64,775
147,112
89,537
147,115
89,537
2,601,530
373,500
2,601,530
371,906
3,772,670
538,356
3,772,652
526,908

NOTE

17 DEFERRED INCOME Deferred income:

Early
Help Research Total
£ £ £
2022 b/fwd.
2023 deferred income 122,313 203,342 325,655
2023 c/fwd. 122,313 203,342 325,655

63

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 31 MARCH 2023

NOTE 18 PAYMENTS TO OR ON BEHALF OF TRUSTEES AND CONNECTED PERSONS

No Trustees of the charity received any emoluments during this or the preceding year. No out of pocket expenses were paid to trustees during the year, (Nil

paid in 2022). Trustees' liability insurance has been obtained as part of the overall insurance cover - no details are available as to the separate cost of this.

NOTE 19 OPERATING LEASES

At 31st March 2023, the group had future minimum lease payments under non cancellable leases as follows:

as follows:
< 1 year
1-5 years		 2023
2022
£
£
38,644
404
0
404
38,644
808

64

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 31 MARCH 2023

NOTE

20 RESTRICTED INCOME FUNDS

The income funds of the charity include restricted funds comprising unexpended balances of donations and grants held on trusts to be applied for specific purposes.

Movement in Funds Movement in Funds Movement in Funds
Opening Incoming Outgoing Closing
Balance Resources Resources Transfers Balance
£ £ £ £ £
Accessible Social Investment for B'ham (Barrow Cadbury Connect -
Fund) 1,936 1,000 936
BG Lottery - Good Practice Mentors Project 50,000 (48,532) 1,468
BIG Awards for All 9,317 (9,950) 633
BIG Lottery Ageing Better 24,166 (14,821) (6,794) 2,551
BIG Lottery: Birmingham Changing Futures Together 202,893 (110,144) (75,840) (16,909)
BIG Lottery: Birmingham Changing Futures Together (ICAT) 6,268 (6,268)
BIG Lottery: covid support 1,801 (1,801) 0
BIG Lottery: covid support IT (capitalisation of cost IT equipment) 27,855 (16,666) 11,189
Birchfield Big Local Partnership (16,044) 74,053 (121,082) (63,073)
Birchfield Big Local Partnership other income 4,313 10,368 (10,860) 3,821
Birmingham city Council Covid Recovery 38,108 (800) 37,308
Birmingham City Council Strategic Partnership 19,354 206,900 (231,524) (5,270)
Birmingham Governors Network 3,403 (3,403)
Birmingham Parent Carer Forum Secondment (2,758) 43,653 (36,988) 3,907
Building Grant 150,800 (967) (149,833)
Business Support Coordination 30,000 30,000
Change Into Action 23,368 11,432 (4,801) 29,999
Commonwealth Games Legacy Grants 214,258 (228,965) (14,707)
Community Development Practice Hub 104,000 104,000
Community Leadership Training 75,000
(44,177)		 30,823
Compassionate Communities/Covid Recovery Grants 449,868 (6,700) 443,168
Creative Civic Change 17,824 48,474 (55,804) 10,494

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BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 31 MARCH 2023

Domestic Abuse - Mapping 11,904 (14,371) 2,467
Early Help -Children and Families 52,284 2,017,704 (2,026,958) 43,030
Exempt Accommodation Quality Standards 19,369 96,382 (124,776) (9,025)
Fairer Futures Grants 209,687 209,687
Health Projects:
Digital Inclusion 83,333 (66,512) 16,821
Health - VCS support 115,686 144,587 (204,406) 4,392 60,259
Health Engagement Grants 10,700 10,700
ICS Strategy Engagement 19,250 (19,250)
Integrated Care System 85,000 (83,871) 1,129
Integrated Care System 15,556 15,556
Level Apps 4,392 (4,392)
Long Covid Community Engagement 95,000 (95,765) (765)
Personal Health Budget 531 (2,599) (2,068)
Population Health management 25,000 (12,000) 13,000
Roots to Wellbeing (2,309) 65,000 (22,802) 39,889
Telephone Trees 3,535 (3,535)
Women’s Hormonal Health 80,999 (81,306) (307)
Covid Vaccination Programme - engagement of communities (32,000) 50,000 (18,000)
Holiday Activity Fund 43,547 (9,698) (33,849)
Household Support Fund 131,477 13,863,808 (13,923,094) 72,191
Housing First 124,829 124,829
Housing First Personalisation Fund 7,666 7,666
Kickstart (11,675) 13,376 (2,008) 307
Living Wage -engagement and awareness (Barrow Cadbury) 4,000 8,000 (7,149) 4,851
Mental Health Transitional Worker 81,069 (24,027) 57,042
NAVCA Small Grants 10,000 (4,000) 6,000
Neighbourhood Network Support 79,653 99,972 (120,331) (26,381) 32,913
NHS Volunteering Covid Project 10,942 10,942
NNS Fuel Poverty 49,957 (76,338) 26,381
PCC - Peer Mentors 11,020 (11,020)

66

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 31 MARCH 2023

PCC- Mapping
PCC-Funding Officer
Redundancy and Retraining
Research
Rough Sleepers Initiative
Sector Support - to open building after covid
Shelter Grants
Ukraine -Support grants
Use IT (ESF funded project)
Violence Against Women and Girls
Welsh House Farm Big Local Partnership
West Midlands Combined Authority Tool Kit
Youth Violence Prevention Programme Manager		 7,426
7,426
8,472
8,472
72,452
(61,383)
11,069
10,492
226,647
(231,709)
5,430
51,454
(60,437)
(8,983)
8,640
(8,640)
113,332
(3,057)
110,275
311,000
(228,009)
82,991
-
(20,497)
(20,497)
(24,759)
154,415
(144,697)
(15,041)
3,046
(3,046)
(1,093)
57,223
(51,476)
4,654
1,922,259
18,478,493
(18,650,779)
(224,158)
1,525,814

67

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 31 MARCH 2023

Note

21 UNRESTRICTED INCOME FUNDS

Unrestricted funds
Designated Funds*		 Movement in Funds
Opening
Incoming Outgoing
Unrealised
Closing
Balance
Resources Resources
Transfers
gain (loss)
Balance
£
£
£
£
£
£
688,903
3,335,228
(326,266) (3,375,842)
(2,050)
319,973
3,600,000
3,600,000
688,903
3,335,228
(326,266)
224,158
(2,050)
3,919,973

68

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 31 MARCH 2023

Notes to Restricted Reserves:

Accessible Social Investment for Birmingham - Barrow Cadbury funding through the Connect Fund to improve the awareness of and engagement with the various forms of Social Investment opportunities withing the Voluntary and Community Sector. This work came to a halt due to the pandemic and the funding was re-purposed to support a BAME let consortium to develop and capacity build them to access funding and get established.

BIG Lottery – Good Practice Mentors Project – Underspend from the Ageing Better programme was agreed to support an additional year activity to support the embedding of learning and legacy of Ageing Better in Birmingham

BIG Lottery- National Lottery Community Fund - Ageing Better - funding to develop a vision and strategy for the Aging Better program to support older people who are isolated. This program was extended for a year to the end of March 2022, to support older people through the impact of the pandemic.

Big Lottery - National Lottery Community Fund: Birmingham Changing Futures Together - An eight year program to be delivered with a partnership of organisations delivering services to beneficiaries with multiple and complex needs, gathering evidence of best practice with the ultimate aim of bringing about systems change. This year is the penultimate year.

Big Lottery - National Lottery Community Fund: : Birmingham Changing Futures Together – ICAT - capital spend on the ICAT IT system to support the delivery of the Birmingham Changing Futures programme, this will be amortised to the income and expenditure account over the lifetime of the programme.

BIG Lottery-- National Lottery Community Fund : Covid Support – Funding to support the Voluntary and Community sector through the impact of COVID and to support BVSC infrastructure to better provide that support.

BIG Lottery-- National Lottery Community Fund : Covid Support IT – Funding for capital spend on IT to support BVSC to support the sector, this will be depleted through depreciation charges over the lifetime of the IT equipment.

Birchfield Big Local Partnership: BVSC is the accountable Body/local trusted partner for the partnership to deliver services and improve the Birchfield local area. The partnership is funded by the Local Trust who is funded through the BIG Lottery.

Birchfield Big Local Partnership other income- Funding raised by the Birchfield Partnership to support the local community in Birchfield.

Birmingham City Council Covid Recovery – Funding from Birmingham City Council to support the Voluntary and Community Sector to recover from the impact of COVID.

Birmingham City Council Strategic Partnership- Funding to enabling more effective public/third sector engagement, strategic alignment and collaboration in Birmingham. A New

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BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 31 MARCH 2023

Integrated Programme of Strategic Support & Development for Voluntary and Community Sector.

Birmingham Governor Network - A network providing support to school governors, the funding is held for the network and BVSC provides financial and database services to the committee of the network.

Birmingham Parent Carer Network Forum – a seconded post, employed by BVSC working with the network.

Building Grant – ESF grant for the extension of the building, depreciation is charged to this fund over the economic life of the building. This has been transferred to unrestricted reserves upon the sale of the building to which it related.

Business Support Co-ordination – to provide support to organisations in Birmingham.

Change into Action - An initiative with West Midlands Combined Authority for donations through Just Giving to support individuals who are homeless.

Commonwealth Games Legacy Grants – a grants program to build stronger communities in light of the Commonwealth Games that were being hosted by Birmingham in 2022.

Community Development Practice Hub - is a resource for people and organisations who ‘work with’ people in Birmingham so they can take collective action to make changes to things that are important to them and their communities.

Compassionate Communities/Covid Recovery Grants – grants programme to support the sector to recover from the pandemic.

Creative Civic Change – BVSC became the Local Trusted Organisation for the is collaborative project between the Birchfield Big Local and Welsh House Farm Big Local partnerships.

Domestic Abuse Mapping –funding from BCC to carry out Domestic Abuse assessment of need, mapping exercise, review of the DA Strategy in Birmingham

Early Help -Children and Families-Funding from BCC to support families and vulnerable children through ten Voluntary Sector led local lead agencies, community grants to organisations and resilience grants to families and young adults. This support was already being developed by the Birmingham Children’s Partnership but was fast tracked in response to the pandemic.

Exempt Accommodations Quality Standards - Birmingham has the largest Exempt Supported housing sector in the country. With greater and more effective scrutiny this could be an asset, enhancing the offer of accommodation for individuals experiencing homelessness. The Quality Standards alongside the ‘Charter of Rights’ aim to support this complex issue.

Fairer Futures Grants - an initiative developed by partners in the Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care System to tackle health inequalities.

70

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 31 MARCH 2023

Health:

-Digital Inclusion – , this project was first phase public engagement exploring Accessibility, Connectivity and Digital Literacy

-Health – Various funding to develop and engage the the voluntary and community sectors in Birmingham with health, including the Integrated Care System.

-Health Engagement Grants – to small organisations to support vaccine uptake.

-ICS Strategy Engagement- VCFSE organisations were provided with micro grants to engage with communities on the ICS 10 Year Strategy

-Long Covid Community Engagement - small grants to engage within their communities to increase awareness of Long Covid

-Personal Health Budget – a pilot project to support people with end-of-life care

-Roots to Well Being – The portal for GPs to access third sector services for their patients was adapted and developed to provide support through the pandemic to those who needed it most.

-Women’s Hormonal Health – working to develop a new service to support working women with menopausal issues to stay in or return to the workplace

-Covid Vaccination Programme – Funding to engage with communities to encourage uptake of the covid vaccination

Holiday Activity Funds – Grants programme to support Voluntary and Community sector organisations to provide holiday activities and food for vulnerable children in the summer holidays and the Christmas holiday period.

Household Support Fund – Funding from BCC to support people/families in hardship with small grant payments.

Housing First - Funding to support homelessness across the West Midlands using the principles of the Housing First model.

Living Wage – engagement and awareness – funding from Barrow Cadbury Trust to engage the sector on being Living Wage employers.

Mental Health Transitional Worker - funding secured to support the work of Birmingham Changing Futures Together.

NAVCA – small grants – small grants to support organisations to support people with the cost-of-living crisis

Neighbourhood Network Support - To provide support to neighbourhood network schemes across Birmingham, this funding and the network were used to co-ordinate support across Birmingham during the lockdowns.

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BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 31 MARCH 2023

NNS Fuel Poverty – to work with organisations to support citizens facing fuel poverty.

NHS Volunteering Covid Project – Funding to support the NHS with volunteers during the pandemic.

PCC-Funding Officer -Funded by the Police Crime Commissioners office to support voluntary and community organisations to access funding to address guns, gangs and violence and to address elderly isolation. Additional funding was secured to map the sector.

PCC- Mapping – funding secured to map the sector.

PCC - Peer Mentors- The Police and Crime Commission have part funded the position of two Peer Mentors to support them to support people under the BCFT that are homeless, have mental health issues, are at risk of re-offending or substance misuse. Personal Health Budget Project: Funding to support individuals to use their personal budgets to access end of life care.

Redundancy and Retraining – Support for older adults facing redundancy, to support them to retrain with a view to gaining alternative employment.

Research - Research function in BVSC, funded by various funders and income generation, there has been significant development of research projects during the year- please see the Trustees report for information.

Shelter Grants - Working with organisations to raise awareness of housing issues and homelessness in specific communities in three geographical locations in Birmingham.

Ukraine – Support grants – a grant scheme to support organisations working with refugees displaced as a result of the Ukraine war.

Violence against Women and Girls - embedded worker to support Birmingham City Council undertake a needs assessment around violence against women and girls.

Welsh House Farm Big Local Partnership- We are the Local Trusted Organisation of the Welsh House Farm project funded by the Local Trust; a community led partnership approach to support the local residents to address local issues.

Youth Violence Prevention Programme Manager - a secondment to support youth violence prevention.

72

BIRMINGHAM VOLUNTARY SERVICE COUNCIL NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 31 MARCH 2023

NOTE 22 ANALYSIS OF GROUP NET ASSETS BETWEEN FUNDS

31st March 2023
Intangible Assets
Tangible Fixed Assets
Fixed Asset
Investments
Net Current Assets
Total Net Assets
31st March 2022
Intangible Assets
Tangible Fixed Assets
Fixed Asset
Investments
Net Current Assets
Total Net Assets		 Unrestricted Restricted
Funds
Funds
£
£
-
-
9,661
11,189
4,596
-
3,905,716
1,514,625
3,919,973
1,525,814
Unrestricted Restricted
Funds
Funds
£
£
-
6,269
437,802
178,655
6,646
-
244,460
1,737,334		 Total
Funds
2023
£
-
20,850
4,596
5,420,341
5,445,787
Total
Funds
2022
£
6,269
616,457
6,646
1,981,794
688,908
1,922,258		 2,611,166

NOTE 23 Pension

Employees have the option to join the company's defined contribution pension or have contributions made directly to their private pension scheme. There are no unpaid or prepaid pension contributions as at the balance sheet date. Pensions are allocated to unrestricted expenditure or to restricted expenditure depending upon where the salary costs for individual staff have been charged.

NOTE 24 Related Party Transactions

A payment in respect of Gift Aid remained payable to BVSC from BVSC Enterprises of £21,467 as at the balance sheet date (2022: £8559).

73