2022-03-31-accounts

Trustees			Professor SJ Banks	Professor SJ Banks
			Mrs LC Bird
			Mrs P Buckley-Atkins
			Mrs J Flynn MBE
			Mrs A Hawkes			(Appointed	23September
						2021)
			Mrs E Kilgannon	MBE		(Appointed	23 September
						2021)
			Mr MJ Litchfield
			MrJ Robinson
			Professor JF F	Robinson		(Appointed	23 September
			Mrs CA Smith			2021)
			Mrs JM Worters	MBE
Secretary			Mrs K Burrows
Charity number			229119
Company	number		00309329
Registered		offic	8St.Stephens	Court
			Low Willington
			Crook
			County Durham
			England
			DL15 OBF
Independent		examiner	Robson Laidler	Accountants		Limited
			Fernwood House
			Fernwood Road
			Jesmond
			Newcastle Upon Tyne
			Tyne and Wear
			England
			NE2 1TJ
Bankers			Lloyds Bank
			54 Fawcett St
			Sunderland
			SR1 1SF
Solicitors			Muckle LLP
			Time Central
			32 Gallowgate
			Newcastle Upon	Tyne
			NE1 4BF
			Swinburne Maddison		LLP
			Venture House
			Aykley Heads Business Centre
			Durham
			DH1 5TS

			Page
Chair's statement			1-2
Trustees' report			3- 16
Independent examiner's		report	17
Statement offinancial	activities		18-19
Balance sheet			20
Statement of cash flows			21
Notes to the financial	statements		22 - 32

outcomes	outcomes	th	at provided cle	at provided cle	ar public benefits:	ar public benefits:
Objective		1	- Supporting		Community Organlsatlons: Keeping in touch, providing support and help		(information,
advice,	and		guidance)	for	community organisations and groups, particularly for volunteer led groups. Supporting
development			and public	access to community spaces and services.
Priorities					~	Keeping in touch with volunteer led community groups, and providing	a range	o
						information, updates &news, advice, and guidance.
					~	Supporting groups with funding and training,
					~	Providing opportunities for networking and training, plus on-going support for		the
						wider Voluntary, Community &Social Enterprise Sector (VCSE).
					~	Supporting community groups providing informal mental health support	through	the
						Cree network
					~	Assisting local groups planning for communi -led housing initiatives.
chievements					~	766 VCSE groups and organisations were supported with information,	advice,	and
						guidance.
					~	The Share and Leam Network for community organisations and groups continued		to
						thrive on-line and we provided a fully subscribed programme of networking		and
						training activities. Membership of the network increased to 327 organisations		and
						groups. The network has a closed Facebook page that now has	an active
						membership of 115organisations.
					~	414 people participated in themed workshops, including three Meet	the Funder
						events, and Community Buildings.
					~	Collaborating with colleagues in the VCSE, we continued to provide information		and
						training, particularly promoting safeguarding and risk awareness for staff		and
						volunteers in the sector. We also contributed to Adult Safeguarding	Awarenes
						Week in November through a series ofon-line activities and events.
					~	We continued with developmental support for the Community Hubs Programme,
						supporting a cohort of47 community organisations through consultancy,	case work
						and training for volunteer trustees, to put governance and business planning		int
						place. We also provided funding advice and access to small grants.
					~	39 organisations in the Cree network were supported, with developmental
						workshops and su ort toaccess grant aid.

Objecti	ve 1 - Suppor	ting Co	mmunity Organlsations (continued)
Public	benefit	~	As a broker and information point for the VCSE, we were able to ensure the secto
			had rapid access to relevant, timely guidance and advice as they sought resources
			to re-open and/or to re-build their activity programmes after being closed due to
			Covid. We supported and advised community services about how they could
			manage and ensure their continuing compliance and safety within new and rapidly
			changing guidelines and regulations.
		~	Advice, guidance, and interventions helped to sustain community-based service
			delivered by volunteers, and community buildings managed by local people, helping
			them to re-establish the resources they need (staff, volunteers, and funding) to
			continue supporting their beneficiaries.
		~	Peer to peer networks for volunteer trustees were expanded and supported,
			ensuring greater shared learning, problem solving and confidence building to plan
			and to sustain their offer.
		~	Knowledge, understanding and access to a changed funding climate were improved
			within the Voluntary, Community &Social Enterprise Sector.
		~	Volunteers and front-line staff were able to work together across sectors, to develop
			good practice and help them to provide stronger support for their clients and use
		~	g rocps. Lessons learned and intelligence were shared and disseminated, to ensure a clea
			view of social infrastructure issues arising through recovery, further crises (triggered
			by impacts of Winter storms), and then through longer term adjustments to different
			ways of working and the tools required e.g., digital services and reach for the most
			vulnerable and isolated eo le.

wellbeing programmes, an	d local community action).
Priorities	Managing our on-line Volunteering Plafform for recruiting volunteers and
	promoting opportunities, Supporting and training for volunteer led groups, including support for mutual aid groups: advice, funding and access to resources and training, Supporting organisations working with volunteers, with advice and training,
	particularly regarding safeguarding. Collaboration with partners to coordinate a voluntary support offer for people
	struggling under Covid restrictions, Establishing, recruiting, and managing a volunteer bank to assist with Covid
	vaccination and testing programmes.
	To ensure that volunteer involving organisations have the resources and skills
	they need to support volunteers and their beneficiaries safely and in full compliance with their legal obli ations.
chievements	705 people, new to volunteering, were supported via the Centre fo Volunteering, with advice, information, and guidance. 247 volunteers were actively volunteering with the Volunteer Bank at the end
	ofthe year, all of whom we recruited and provided induction training for, We developed and expanded training and support sessions on-line and provided good practice support for organisations that are run by, and suppo volunteers in: remote working practices, safeguarding, volunteer recruitment, and supporting younger volunteers. Specific developmental sessions included
	volunteers and the law and safeguarding.
	42 training sessions attracted 342 delegates from 120 organisations and groups. During the year 49 new volunteer led groups linked with us through
	our training programme. The Volunteer Co-ordinators Forum ended the year with a membership of 270
	organisations that work with volunteers. We organised and hosted 4 meetings ofthe Forum on-line, attracting increased participation from the membership.
	We continued to inform and consult with the VCSE Safeguarding Network and provided representation on both the Children and Adult Safeguarding Boards in County Durham. Contributions from the Network are fed through to Safeguarding Board meetings and training events, helping to inform and shape
	resources.
	We sustained contact and support for mutual aid groups across Coun Durham, picking up messages from their contacts with vulnerable people, and assisting Town and Parish Councils with support for development o
	Community Resilience Planning.
Public benefit	As a result of this work, volunteer involving organisations in County Durham are more effectively networking, sharing good practice, and offering mutual
	support for tackling and finding solutions to problems. There are improved pathways for volunteers to access opportunities, develop their experience and make contributions that are both valued and add value to
	civil society. There is now a robust and efficient system of communication and collaboration
	between front line staff in the NHS and the VCSE sector with respect t
	recruitment, support, and placements for volunteers.
	Volunteer led groups and organisations have support and ready access to advice and help when they need it. They are better informed and have the resources on hand that help them to ensure that their volunteers are well
	trained and supported.

working acro	ss the	sector.
Priorities	~	Health and wellbeing - to sustain and ensure a social and community infrastructure is in place
		and has access to resources which help it to thrive and re-build.
	~	Consulting VCSE organisations and service providers to build stronger local connections with
		Primary Care Networks and supporting planning for revised Social Prescribing models and new
		systems for access to health care.
	~	Consulting, surveying, and analysis of intelligence gathered from the VCSE sector and
		disseminating it through partnerships.
	~	Representing community and voluntary sector interests as a member of the County Durham Together Partnership, various Task groups (Funding and Volunteering) and as a member of the
		Board of the County Durham Partnership. This enables DCA to collaborate with public secto
		colleagues to promote a joined-up policy for commissioning and funding, engaging with communities of interest in the development of new funding programmes, and influencing the
		provision of key services by engagement with Heads ofServices.
	~	Consulting and surveying VCSE sector service providers to gather and share intelligence about
		needs, and issues arising from support work in the community. Disseminating important
		information and best practice through multi sector partnerships.
	~	Ensuring that the VCSE sector is fully engaged with co-production on responsive services to
	~	support mental health, access to advice providers and health care Ensuring that Advice in County Durham and 'Better Together' are mobilised to share insights
		and experience, as networks of countywide VCSE and specialist providers, and contributing to
		development and delivery ofobjectives arising from the Poverty Action Group.
	~	Chairing and supporting the review and development of the Advice in County Durham multi
		agency network as the 'go to' practitioner network for all agencies to come together and join up services. Network members provide advice and one to one casework support across County
		Durham.

Ob)ective 3 - Voic	e (continued)
chievements	During the year, we continued to Chair the Better Together Network, including two policy
	forums, and the Advice in County Durham Partnership. We also continued to contribute to
	the County Durham Partnership Board from a VCS perspective. These roles have helped to
	inform strategic agendas for partnership working in County Durham, and for emerging new
	models ofcommissioning services.
	Representing the sector on the Regional Funders Network, we helped inform and shape
	funders approaches to supporting the sector through recovery from the shocks of Covid and
	then winter storms. Working in collaboration with the County Durham Community
	Foundation, we also administered a micro grants scheme to support mutual aid groups with
	supplies, and a small grant scheme for community buildings.
	We continued with development ofa Connector commissioning model, to target funding into
	the VCSE sector more effectively, and consulted with VCSE and commissioning colleagues
	through a Better Together Policy Forum.
	We represented VCSE interests in multi-sector Task Groups, tackling mental health, funding
	and investment, and volunteering. We collaborated with partners from the local authority and
	NHS/Public Health to coordinate communications, resources and reach into communities
	and responding to local needs. We also represented the VCSE into the Community Cell fo
	County Durham, providing regular updates on issues and impacts for the sector.
	Co-ordinating and managing information exchanges for the VCSE and health & social care
	providers about good practice particularly in rural areas, regarding social isolation, health,
	and wellbeing services. This included leadership of workshops about the VCSE in County
	Durham, for NHS staff based in Primary Care practices and Hospital Foundation Trusts.
	Under our leadership, the Advice in County Durham Partnership compiled and supported a
	successful three-year funding bid to develop the partnership. We also consulted and drew
	up plans for a membership survey and a plan for surveying debt advice providers services in
	the County. We refreshed and confirmed a governance model for the Advice Partnership, so
	that partners are robust enough to manage future investment opportunities, together with
	any future resultant conflicts of interest that ma arise.
Public benefit	Voluntary and community sector led partnerships are collaborating to shape community
	services. This will enable them to be responsive to the needs of communities that are
	struggling in the wake of the pandemic, and with the impacts emerging because of the
	economic downturn, particularly regarding mental health, food and fuel poverty and access
	to support and advice services. This in tum ensures that the voluntary sector is actively
	engaged and represented within key public sector led networks.
	Collaborative coalitions are working to influence the design and delivery of public service
	contracts.
	Front line VCS organisations are better informed and trained about the issues that affect
	them and the people they work with.
	Funding and investment into the VCSE sector are becoming more responsive, streamlined,
	and targeted, and more enabling in terms of sustaining a community infrastructure through
	the pandemic.
	The VCSE in County Durham has a strong representational base that is influencing the
	wa s in which public services are shaped.

Risk management	Risk management	(continued)	(continued)
A table outlining	our main risks			and mitigating			tools is provided below.
Nature of risk	Details							Mlti	ation
Loss of	~	Over-reliance		on a small				~	Work to secure multi-year grant funding resources from	a
'ncome		number ofsignificant				funders			range of key funders e.g., National Lottery Community	Fund
									to provide greater security and reduce dependency on	short
									term income.
								~	Reduce reliance on any single funder by broadening and
									diversifying income streams e.g., through the development
									of income generating activities such as bespoke
									consultancy, training etc that build on the strengths ofthe
									staff team.
								~	Support the above objective by continuing to develop niche
									specialities within the staff team that enable DCA to respond
									to need, increase its reach and to fill gaps in service
									provision that open up, ensuring that services are cost
									effective & relevant.
	~	Diminishing		opportunities			to	~	Continued close working with thematic partnerships
		fund infrastructure,			policy,		and		(Volunteering and Advice) to address needs and develop
		support services for							improved collaboration in service provision (shared
		community	organisations.						resources, co-locations, and shared intelligence).
	~	Public service priorities						~	Review and consolidate partnership working where possible
		focused on	crisis						to streamline and build capacity for shared resources with
		interventions		and	removed				partner organisations/service providers.
		from preventative			community
		initiatives /	development.
Large scale	~	Lack ofcapacity and						~	Ensuring formal, relevant, and bid ready consortia are	in
ransfers of		resources to bid for				large			place with Memoranda of Understanding and partnership
ublic sector		contracts.							agreements.
ervices and	~	Payment by		result				~	Spread the risk and share resources and liabilities with	a
ontracts	~	Bankrolling							balance of larger and smaller, niche organisations and
	~	TUPE implications							partners.
								~	Ensure that Durham Community Action retains
									organisational scale and resources that are sufficient to
									deliver realistic levels ofservice, whilst also reacting
									responsivel to opportunities.
Business	~	Impact of pandemic				e.g. ,		~	Business Continuity Plan updated with details of actions to
interruption		Coronavirus							be taken, and regularly tested.
	~	Loss of use		ofoffice		premises		~	Health &Safety Risk Assessments, and Staff provided	with
		due to flood,		fire, storm					appropriate equipment to enable remote working.
		damage, terrorism,			vandalism			~	Use of ITsystems e.g. , video conferencing etc to maintain
		etc							regular contact with clients, partners, and team members.
	~	Loss of ITservices						~	Use of cloud services, and IT back-up systems and
									procedures to ensure that services can be quickly restored
									in the event of problems.

The trustees, who are also the directors for the	The trustees, who are also the directors for the	purpose	of company	of company	law, and who served	during	the year and up to
the date ofsignature	ofthe financial statements	were:
Professor SJ Banks
Mrs LC Bird
Mrs P Buckley-Atkins
Mrs J Flynn MBE
Mrs A Hawkes		(Appointed		23 September 2021)
Mrs E Kilgannon MBE		(Appointed		23 September 2021)
Mr MJ Litchfield
Mr J Robinson
Professor JF F Robinson		(Appointed		23 September 2021)
Mrs CA Smith
Mrs JM Worters MBE

Current financial year	Current financial year
					Unrestricted	Restricted	Total	Total
					funds	funds
					2022	2022	2022	2021
				Notes	6		6
Income from:
Charitable activities						858,931	858,931	777,440
Other trading activities					28,631		28,631	19,091
investments					525		525	308
Total income					29,156	858,931	888,087	796,839
d~dt t
Charitable activities				5	97,160	570,368	667,528	654,581
Net (outgoing)/incoming transfers		resources	before		(68,004)	288,563	220,559	142,258
Gross transfers	between	funds			216,969	(216,969)
Net Income for	the year/
Net movement	In funds				148,965	71,594	220,559	142,258
Fund balances	at 1 April	2021			293,438	166,892	460,330	318,072
Fund balances	at 31 March 2022				442,403	238,486	680,889	460,330

Prior financial year
			Unrestricted	Restricted	Total
			funds	funds
		Notes	2021f	2021 F	2021
Income from:
Charitable activities			52,585	724,855	777,440
Other trading activities			19,091		19,091
Investments			308		308
Total income			71,984	724,855	796,839
~ECht
Charitable activities		5	29,296	625,285	654,581
Net (outgoing)/incoming	resources before transfers		42,688	99,570	142,258
Net income for the year/
Net movement in funds			42,688	99,570	142,258
Fund balances at 1 April	2020		250,750	67,322	318,072
Fund balances at 31 March 2021			293,438	166,892	460,330

					2022		2021
				Notes	E		E
Fixed assets
Tangible assets				10		4,435		5,989
Current assets
Debtors					18,134		8,412
Cash at bank and	in	hand			889,419		543,005
					907,553		551,417
Creditors: amounts		falling	due within
one year				12	(231,099)		(97,076)
Net current assets						676,454		454,341
Total assets less	current		liabilities			680,889		460,330
Income funds
Restricted funds				13		238,486		166,892
Unrestricted funds						442,403		293,438
						680,889		460,330

				2022		2021
			Notes			6
Cash flows from operating activities Cash generated from operations			18		345,889		185,371
Investing Investment	activities income received			525		308
Net cash activities	generated from investing				525		308
Net cash	used in financing	activities
Net increase In cash and cash equivalents					346,414		185,679
Cash and	cash equivalents	at beginning	ofyear		543,005		357,326
Cash and	cash equivalents	at end of	year		889,419		543,005

					Support &	Community	Total	Total
					Advisory	Development	2022	2021
					2022	2022
					2	0
Income	from Charitable		Activities		584,375	274,556	858,931	777,440
Analysis	by fund
Unrestricted funds								52,585
Restricted funds					584,375	274,556	858,931	724,855
Income	from Charitable		Activities
ACRE						42,585	42,585	42,585
Durham	County	Council			308,069		308,069	170,000
Durham	Police,	Crime and		Victims Commissioner	10,000		10,000	10,000
National	Lottery	Community		Fund RC North East &Cumbria		56,219	56,219	98,049
Soil Association					18,000		18,000	4,000
County	Durham	CCG			79,970		79,970	88,236
MHLDF					116,000		116,000	106,000
County	Durham	Community		Foundation	15,000		15,000	33,900
Ballinger Trust						8,585	8,585
Supporting Community			Buildings			123,000	123,000
Other					37,336	44,167	81,503	224,670
					584,375	274,556	858,931	777,440

			Unrestricted	Unrestricted
			funds	funds
			2022f	2021 f
Consultancy			28,631	18,475
Training	and	other services		616
Other trading		activities	28,631	19,091

						Total	Total
						2022	2021
Staff costs						471,414	407,378
Consultancy						40,675	45,090
Meeting expenses						744	34
Stanley Town Council Spsnnymoor Town Council Grants to small communities						69,249	57,500 21,713 39,956
						582,082	571,671
Share ofsupport costs (ses		nots 6)				81,833	74,674
Share ofgovernance	costs	(see note 6)				3,613	8,236
						667,528	654,581
Support costs
		Support	Governance	2022Support	costs	Governance	2021
		costs	costs			costs
		f	f.			f
Depreciation		1,554		1,554	7,167		7,167
Operating lease charges		27,126		27,126	27,109		27,109
Marketing and promotion		2,430		2,430	1,623		1,623
Cleaning and welfare		2,539		2,539	1,849		1,849
Electricity, gas and water Repairs and renewals		5,635 2,846		5,635 2,846	5,492 2,332		5,492 2,332
Insurance		3,250		3,250	2,743		2,743
Staff travel and training		1,654		1,654	1,467		1,467
Printing, postage and telephone		7,523		7,523	5,918		5,918
Publications and
subscriptions		7,700		7,700	7,000		7,000
Computer costs		19,519		19,519	11,601		11,601
Sundries		57		57	373		373
Independent examination			3,360	3,360		3,360	3,360
Legal and professional			253	253		4,876	4,876
		81,833	3,613	85,446	74,674	8,236	82,910
Analyssd between Charitable activities		81,833	3,613	85,446	74,674	8,236	82,910

		2022	2021
		Number	Number
Executive director		1	1
Field workers		14	13
Administrator		1	1
Total		16	15
Employment	costs	2022 8	2021 6
Wages and salaries		417,492	362,817
Social security	costs	35,904	30,321
Other pension	costs	18,018	14,240
		471,414	407,378

		CRM system assets
		6
Cost
At 1 April	2021 and 31 March 2022	18,000
Amortisatlon and impairment
At 1 April	2021 and 31 March 2022	18,000
Carrying	amount
At 31 March 2022

10	Tangible fixed assets
				Leasehold	Fixtures and	Total
				land and	fittings
				buildings
	Cost
	At 1 April 2021			9,539	52,955	62,494
	At 31 March 2022			9,539	52,955	62,494
	Depreciation and impairment
	At 1 April 2021			9,539	46,966	56,505
	Depreciation charged	in the year			1,554	1,554
	At 31 March 2022			9,539	48,520	58,059
	Carrying amount
	At 31 March 2022				4,435	4,435
	At 31 March 2021				5,989	5,989
11	Debtors
	Amounts falling due	within	one year:		2022f	2021 6
	Other debtors				734	1,106
	Prepayments and accrued income				17,400	7,306
					18,134	8,412
12	Creditors: amounts	falling due within one year
					2022	2021
					6
	Accruale and deferred	income			231,099	97,076

donations and grants held on trust for spec	ific purposes:
		Movement in funds
	Balance at t April 202t f	Incoming resources f	Resources expended f	Transfers st f	Balance st March 2022 f
Community Hubs Project	35,951	97,386	(90,218)	(21,038)	22,081
Sustainable Food Places Phase 3	1,217	19,000	(2,217)		18,000
Sport England TIF Fund Ml-ILDF Right Care Right Place Support Covid-19 Vaccination Centre	646 106,000 23,078	116,000 1,000	(445) (102,000) (1,166)		201 120,000 22,912
Supporting Community Buildings County Durham Community Foundation		123,000 18,000	(70,708) (15,000)		52,292 3,000
Ballinger Trust Community Grants		8,585	(8,585)
DCC - Volunteering and Infrastructure Support		304,000	(108,069)	(195,931)
VONNE - Safeguarding Training Fund		5,780	(5,780)
NAVCA VCS Emergencies Partnership		5,500	(5,500)
County Durham CCG - Outreach Fund		45,970	(45,970)
Durham PCVC Fund		10,000	(10,000)
DCC - Mutual Aid and VCS Emergency Support		37,069	(37,069)
Bloom Procurement- Horden Minewater
Project		10,056	(10,056)
Communities CAN Housing Support
Project		15,000	(15,000)
Defra -ACRE funding		42,585	(42,585)
	166,892	858,931	(570,368)	(216,969)	238,486

18	Cash generated from	Cash generated from	Cash generated from	operations	operations				2022	2021
									E
	Surplus for		the year						220,559	142,258
	Adjustments		for:
	Investment		income recognised		in statement		of financial	activities	(525)	(308)
	Depreciation		and impairment		oftangible	fixed assets			1,554	7,167
	Movements		in working	capital:
	(Increase)	in debtors							(9,722)	(1,713)
	Increase in		creditors						134,023	37,967
	Cash generated from			operations					345,889	185,371