2023-03-31-accounts - Durham Community Action Limited

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Trustees			Professor SJBanks	Professor SJBanks	Professor SJBanks
			Mrs LC Bird
			Mrs P Buckley-Atkins
			Mrs J Flynn MBE
			Mrs A Hawkes
			Mrs E Kilgannon		MBE
			Mr MJ Litchfield
			MrJ Robinson
			Professor JFFRobinson
			Mrs CA Smith
			Mrs JM Worters	MBE
Secretary			Mrs KJ Burrows
Charity number			229119
Company	number		00309329
Registered		office	8St.Stephens	Court
			Low Willington
			Crook
			County Durham
			England
			DL15OBF
Independent		examiner	Robson Laidler	Accountants			Limited
			Femwood 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
Chairman's statement		1-2
Trustees' report		3-16
Independent examiner's	report	17
Statement offinancial activities		18-19
Balance sheet		20
Statement ofcash flows
Notes to the financial statements		22-32

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 th
	wider VCSE.
	Supporting community groups providing informal mental health support through
	the Cree network
	Assisting local groups planning for community-led housing initiatives.
chievements	871 VCSE groups and organisations were supported with information, advice, an
	guidance.
	The Share and Learn Network for community organisations and groups continue
	to thrive on-line and we provided a fully subscribed programme of networking an
	training activities. Membership ofthe network increased to 339organisations and
	gl'cups.
	809 people participated in themed workshops, including Meet the Funder,
	Community Buildings, Themed Meetings &Good Food Network
	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 Awareness
	Week in November 2022 through a series ofon-line activities and events.
	We delivered the Community Hubs Development Programme, supporting a coho
	of 68 community organisations through consultancy, case work and training fo
	volunteer trustees, to put governance and business planning into place particularl
	focusing on energy efficiency measures. We also provided funding advice an
	access to small grants.
	39 organisations in the Cree network were supported, with developments
	workshops and support to access grant aid.

Object	ive 1 - Suppo	rting Community Organisations (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 built back u after Covid restrictions. We supported and advised community services about ho
		they could manage the issues and problems which emerged for volunteer led
		groups, such as sustaining their volunteer base, and dealing with fuel costs and
		increasing demands on services.
		Advice, guidance, and interventions helped to sustain community-based services
		delivered by volunteers, and community buildings managed by local people,
		helping them to establish, grow and develop 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 wer
		improved within the Voluntary, Community &Social Enterprise Sector.
		Volunteers and front-line staff were able to work together across sectors, t
		develop good practice and help them to provide stronger support for their dient
		and user groups.
		Lessons learned and intelligence were shared and disseminated, to ensure a clea
		iew ofsocial infrastructure issues arising through cost-of-living pressures and throug
		onger term adjustments to different ways ofworking and the tools required e.g., digital
		ervices and reach for the most vulnerable and isolated people.

wellbeing programme	s, and local community action).
Priorities	Sustaining our online County Durham	Volunteering		plafform for recruiting
	volunteers and promoting opportunities.
	Supporting networking with the Volunteer Co-ordinators Network membership.
	Sustaining, developing and evaluating the	Volunteer	Bank for Covid vaccinations
	and immunisations approach; the development ofcloser			relationships with Social
	Prescribing Link Workers and the Primary	Care Networks (PCNs), so they ar
	better connected to the Volunteer Bank to inform		longer term opportunities		fo
	development.
	Support and training for volunteer led groups, advice,			funding and access	to
	resources and training.
	Supporting organisations with volunteers,	with advice		and training, particularl
	regarding safeguarding.
	Collaboration with partners to support the	on-going	development ofa scheme fo
	Employee Supported Volunteering (ESV).
	To ensure that volunteer involving organisations have		the	resources and skills the
	need to support volunteers and their beneficiaries		safely and in full complian
	with their le al obligations.

chievements	We were one of the first three organisations nationally to be awarded th
	Volunteer Centre Quality Accreditation (VCQA); this is the quality mark fo organisations delivering volunteer centre functions and the assurance to voluntee
	centre stakeholders ofthe quality ofour provision (administered by NAVCA).
	681 people, new to volunteering, were supported via the Centre for Volunteering, with advice, information, and guidance.
	We developed and expanded training and support sessions and provided good
	practice support for organisations that are run by, and support volunteers in:
	volunteer recruitment & management, volunteers and the law, safeguarding, and
	with new workshops on Disdosure and Barring, and Cyber Secudity.
	46 training sessions attracted 434 delegates from 149 organisations and groups,
	with 71 organisations attending more than one training session.
	The Volunteer Co-ordinators Forum ended the year with a membership of 23
	organisations that work with volunteers. We organised and hosted 4 meetings o
	the 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 spontaneous and emergency volunteerin
	actMty, and assisted 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 ar
	more effectively networking, sharing good practice, and offering mutual support fo
	tackling and finding solutions to problems.
	There are improved pathways for volunteers to access opportunities, develop thei
	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 advi
	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.

Objective 3 - Voice: Representing and championing the VCSE (Voluntary, Community SSocial Enterprise Sector) voice, through the range of strategic multi sector partnsrships, and through continuing reviews of partnership working across the sector.	Objective 3 - Voice: Representing and championing the VCSE (Voluntary, Community SSocial Enterprise Sector) voice, through the range of strategic multi sector partnsrships, and through continuing reviews of partnership working across the sector.	Objective 3 - Voice: Representing and championing the VCSE (Voluntary, Community SSocial Enterprise Sector) voice, through the range of strategic multi sector partnsrships, and through continuing reviews of partnership working across the sector.
Priodties		Health and wellbeing - to sustain, and ensure that a social and communit
		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 loca
		connections with Primary Care Networks and supporting Social Prescribin
		models and new systems foraccess to health care.
		Consulting, surveying, and analysis of intelligence gathered from the VCSE secto
		and disseminating it through partnerships.
		Representing community and voluntary sector interests as a member of the
		County Durham Together Partnership, and as a member of the Board of th
		County Durham Partnership (CDP). This enables DCA to collaborate with publi
		sector colleagues to promote a joined-up policy for commissioning and funding,
		engaging with communities of interest in the development of new fundin
		programmes, and inRuencing the provision of key services by engagement wit Heads ofServices.
		Consulting and surveying VCSE sector service providers to gather and shar
		intelligence about needs, and issues arising from support work in the community.
		Disseminating important information and best practice through multi secto
		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.
		Ensudng that Advice in County Durham (AiCD) and 'Better Together' are mobilise
		to share insights and experience, as networks of countywide VCSE and specialis
		providers, and contributing to development and delivery ofobjectives arising from
		the Poverty Action Group.
		Chairing and supporting the development ofthe Advice in County Durham multi
		agency network as the 'go to' practitioner network for all advice agencies to corn
		together and join up services. Network members provide advice and one to on
		casework support across County Durham.
		Continued development of a shared approach to system and workfor
		development in order that front line staff and volunteers have access to th
		training and support they will be needing remained critical (plus the tools t
		provide support e.g., access to referral pathways and link workers, funding fo
		initiatives, and for addressing needs highlighted by people in crises, triggered
		throu h health, financial or housing related issues .

The calculation ofour free reserves,	and the amounts th	at have b	ee	n alloc	ated against each	category ar
Descri tion						Amount
otal reserves comprising Restricted	and Unrestricted	Funds				f592,123
Deduct Restricted Funds which are	rin fenced to su	ort specific		pro'ects)		f108,412
Deduct fixed assets (which are necessary forthe operation ofthe			charity)			(620,623)
Free reserves						8463,088
Free reserves are ring-fenced for the followin:
ix months' core costs and estimated	redundan costs					6243,692
ocover the ro'ected shortfall in DCA's budget for the		current year				830,000
Desi nated investment to im lement	a rural catalyst project in Coun			Durham		627,000
Desi nated fund for future o anisational development						630,000
Designated fund for the provision of	services in the next	business	plannin		c cle (2024-27)	6100,000
Contingency fund						632,396
otal						6463,088

Risk management	Risk management	(continued)
Nature ofrisk		Details							Miti ation
Loss ofincome		Over-reliance				on	a small		Work to secure multi-year grant funding resources from a
		number		of		significan			range of key funders e.g., National Lottery Communities
		funders							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 developmen
									of income generating activities such as bespoke
									consultancy, training etc that build on the strengths of the
									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 a
									cost effective & relevant.
		Diminishing			opportunities				Continued close working with thematic partnership
		to fund		infrastructure,					(Volunteering and Advice) to address needs and develo
		policy,	and				suppo		improved collaboration in service provision (shared
		services	for			communi			resources, co-locations, and shared intelligence).
		organisations.
		Public service					prioritie		Review and consolidate partnership working where possible
		focused			on			crisi	to streamline and build capacity for shared resources with
		interventions						an	partner organisations/service providers.
		removed						fro
		preventative				communi
		initiatives	/	develo				ment
Large	seal	Lack of		capacity				and	Ensuring formal, relevant, and bid ready consortia are in
ransfers	of publi	resources		to	bid		for larg		place with Memoranda of Understanding and partnership
ector	service	contracts.							agreements.
and contracts		Payment	by		results				Spread the risk and share resources and liabilities with
		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 of service, whilst also reactin
									responsively to opportunities.
Business		Impact of	pandemic					e.g.,	Business Continuity Plan updated with details of actions t
interruption		Covid-1 9							be taken, and regularly tested.
		Loss of	use			of		ofii	Health & Safety Risk Assessments, and Staff provided with
		premises	due			to		flood,	appropriate equipment to enable remote working.
		fire, storm				damage,			Use of IT systems e.g., video conferencing etc to maintai
		terrorism,	vandalism					etc	regular contact with clients, partners, and team members.
		Loss of IT	services						Use of cloud services, and IT back-up systems and
									procedures to ensure that services can be quicldy restored
									in the event of roblems.

Current financ	ial year
				Unrestricted	Restricted	Total	Total
				funds	funds
			Notes	2023	2023f	2023 8	2022 8
Income from:
Charitable activities Other trading activities				18,010	815,791	815,791 18,010	858,931 28,631
Investments				13,630		13,630	525
Total Income				31,640	815,791	847,431	888,087
~Cht
Charitable activities			5	150,991	785,206	936,197	867,528
Net (outgoing)/incoming		resources before
transfers				(119,351)	30,585	(88,766)	220,559
Gross transfers	between	funds		180,859	(160,659)
Net income/(expenditure)		for the year/
Net movement	in funds			41,308	(130,074)	(88,766)	220,559
Fund balances	at 1 April	2022		442,403	238,486	680,889	460,330
Fund balances	at31March 2023			483,711	108,412	592,123	680,889

Prior financial	year
				Unrestricted	Restricted	Total
				funds	funds
				2022	2022	2022
			Notes	8	8	F
Income from:
Charitable acbvities					858,931	858,931
Other trading activities				28,831		28,631
Investments				525		525
Total income				29,156	858,931	888,087
~ddl
Charitable activities			5	97,160	570,368	667,528
Net (outgoing)/incoming		resources before transfers		(88,004)	288,563	220,559
Gross transfers	between	funds		216,969	(218,969)
Net income/(expenditure)		for the year/
Net movement	in funds			148,965	71,594	220,559
Fund balances	at 1 April	2021		293,438	168,892	460,330
Fund balances	at 31 INarch 2022			442,403	238,486	680,889

			2023		2022
		Notes	8		6
Fixed assets
Tangible assets				20,623		4,435
Current assets
Debtors		12	7,002		18,134
Cash at bank and in	hand		616,340		889,419
			623,342		907,553
Creditors: amounts	falling due within
one year		13	(51,842)		(231,099)
Net current assets				571,500		676,454
Total assets less current liabilities				592,'l23		880,889
Income funds
Restricted funds				108,412		238,486
Unrestricted funds				483,711		442,403
				592,123		680,889

				2023
			Notes	5
Cash flows from operating		activities
Cash (absorbed by)/generated		from	19
operations					(263,056)		345,889
Invesgng activities
Purchase oftangible fixed assets				(23,653)
Investment income received				13,630		525
Net cash (used in)/generated		from
investing activities					(10,023)		525
Net cash used In financing		activities
Net (decrease)/increase in	cash and		cash
equivalents					(273,079)		346,414
Cash and cash equivalents	at beginning		ofyear		889,419		543,005
Cash and cash equivalents		at end of	year		616,340		889,419

						Support &	Community	Total	Total
						Advisory	Development	2O23	2022
						2023	2023
						f	f
Income	from Charitable			Activities		521,756	294,035	815,791	858,931
Income	from Charitable			Activities
ACRE							42,585	42,585	42,585
Durham	County	Council				338,304	120,000	458,304	308,069
Durham	Police,	Crime and			Victims Commissioner	10,000		10,000	10,000
National	Lottery	Community			Fund - RC North East and
Cumbria	Region						116,200	116,200	100,386
SoilAssociation						2,000		2,000	18,000
County	Durham	CCG							79,970
MHLDF						116,000		116,000	116,000
County	Durham	Community			Foundation	35,000	6,750	41,750	15,000
Supporting Community			Buildings						123,000
Other						20,452	8,500	28,952	37,336
						521,756	294,035	815,791	858,931

		Total	Total
		2023	2022
Staff costs		567,439	471,414
Consultancy		66,246	40,675
Meeting expenses		3,887	744
Grants to small communities		194,718	89,249
		832,090	582,082
Share ofsupport costs (see note 6)		97,881	81,833
Share ofgovernance	costs (see note 6)	6,226	3,613
		936,197	887,528

Support costs
	Support	Governance	2023Support costs		Governance	2022
	costs	costsf	f	f	costsf
Depreciation	7,465		7,465	1,554		1,554
Operating lease charges	27,128		27,126	27,126		27,126
Marketing and promotion	858		856	2,430		2,430
Cleaning and welfare	3,654		3,854	2,539		2,539
Electricity, gas and water	11,421		11,421	5,635		5,635
Repairs and renewals			443	2,846		2,846
Insurance	2,689		2,689	3,250		3,250
Staff travel and training	2,732		2,732	1,654		1,654
Pdnting, postage and
telephone	9,083		9,083	7,523		7,523
Publications and
subscriptions	8,044		8,044	7,700		7,700
Computer costs	24,308		24,308	19,519		19,519
Sundries	60		80	57		57
Independent examination		3,564	3,564		3,360	3,360
Legal and professional		2,662	2,682		253	253
	97,881	6,226	104,107	81,833	3,613	85,446
Analysed between
Charitable activities	97,881	6,226	104,107	81,833	3,613	85,446

The average	monthly number ofemployees during th	e year was:
		2023	2022
		Number	Number
Executive director		1	1
Field workers		14	14
Administrator		1	1
Total		16	16
Employment	costa	2023	2022
		8	8
Wages and salaries		499,067	417,492
Social security	costs	46,033	35,904
Other pension	costs	22,339	18,018
		567,439	471,414

		CRM system assets
		8
Cost
At 1 April	2022 and 31 March 2023	18,000
Amortisation and impairment
At1 April	2022 and 31 March 2023	18,000
Canying	amount
At 31 March 2023

				Leasehold	Fixtures aod	Total
				land and	Stdnas
				buildingsf
	Cost
	At 1 Apdil 2022			9,539	52,955	62,494
	Additions				23,653	23,653
	Disposals				(2,884)	(2,884)
	At 31 March	2023		9,539	73,724	83,263
	Depreciation	and impairment
	At 1 April 2022			9,539	48,520	58,059
	Depreciation	charged	in the year		6,951	6,951
	Eliminated in	respect	ofdisposals		(2,370)	(2,370)
	At 31 March	2023		9,539	53,101	62,640
	Carrying amount
	At 31 March	2023			20,623	20,623
	At 31 March	2022			4,435	4,435
12	Debtors
					2023	2022
	Amounts falling due		within one year:		8	E
	Other debtors					734
	Prepayments	and accrued income			7,002	17,400
					7,002	18,134

				Illlovement in funds	Illlovement in funds
			Balance at	Incornlna	Resources	Transfers	Balance at
			1April 2022	resources	expended		31INarch 2023
			6	6		6	6
CDCF Mental Health	Emergency	Welfare		5,000	(5,000)
CDCF Pathways toAccessible
Volunteering				30,000	(30,000)
Community Buildings	Energy Audit			120,000	(120,000)
Community Hubs Project			22,081	116,200	(138,281)
County Durham Community Foundation			3,000	6,750	(9,750)
Covid 19Vacdnafion	Centre		22,912		(22,000)		912
Crook hall Community	Development
Project				4,927	(4,927)
DCC - Volunteering and Infastructure
Support				338,304	(177,645)	(160,659)
Defra - ACRE Funding				42,585	(42,585)
Durham PCVC Fund				10,000	(10,000)
MHLDF Right Care Right Place Support			120,000	116,000	(136,000)		100,000
NAVCA VCS Emergencies Partnership				8,500	(8,500)
North East &Cumbria	ICB			15,000	(7,500)		7,500
Sport England TIF Fund			201		(201)
Supporting Community	Buildings		52,292		(52,292)
Sustainable Food Places Phase		3	18,000	2,000	(20,000)
Wesrdale Area Action	Partnership			525	(525)
			238,486	815,791	(785,206)	(160,659)	108,412

Cash generated from operations	Cash generated from operations			2023	2022
				8	9
(Deficit)/surpus for the year				(88,766)	220,559
Adjustments for:
Investment income recognised in statement Loss on disposal oftangible fixed assets		ofgnancial	activities	(13,630) 514	(525)
Depreciation and impairment oftangible fixed assets				6,951	1,554
Movements in working capital:
Decrease/(increase) in debtors (Decrease)/increase in creditors				11,132 (179,257)	(9,722) 134,023
Cash (absorbed by)/generated	from operations			(263,056)	345,889