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- WIDECOMBE IN THE-MOOR CHURCH HOUSE AND LANDS CHARITY Established 1635 – Registered charity number 241096
2022 Annual Report
Year ended 31 Dec 2022
Widecombe-in-the-Moor Church House and Lands Charity is registered with the Charity Commission under registration number 241096. The history of the charity goes back to 1635.
The governing documents of the Charity comprise:
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29 June 1877 Scheme by the Charity Commission;
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▪ 13 March 1883 Scheme by the Charity Commission;
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25 November 1904 Order by the Charity Commission; and
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▪ 19 January 2021 Scheme by the Charity Commission;
supplemented by:
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24 June 2004 Order by the Charity Commission;
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▪ 23 March 2005 Resolution by the Trustees of the Charity; and ▪ 25 June 2020 Resolution by the Trustees of the Charity.
The trustees throughout 2022, and at the date of this report, were:
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Rev Geoffrey Fenton Vicar of Widecombe-in-the-Moor
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Michael Pascoe a churchwarden of Widecombe-in-the-Moor parish church
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Andrew Power substitute for a churchwarden of Widecombe-in-the-Moor parish church
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▪ John Dracup appointed by the PCC ▪ Caroline Mann appointed by the PCC ▪ John Southcombe appointed by Devon County Council
The clerk to the trustees throughout 2022, and at the date of this report, was David Thomas. The charity’s public address is Stone, Natsworthy, Widecome-in-the-Moor, Devon, TQ13 7TR.
The Church House itself was disposed of more than 100 years ago. The charity’s principal assets now comprise 1 to 4 Church Cottages, Dunstone, Widecome-in-the-Moor, Devon, TQ13 7TH.
1 to 4 Church Cottages are all let to tenants at affordable rents, broadly equivalent to 80 per cent of the open-market rent (with an additional temporary discount on one property, pending improvements). The Charity Commission scheme of 19 January 2021 confirms the properties can be let at less than market rents.
In November 2020 the charity applied to Devon County Council to revise the register of common land, in order to remove an area adjacent to 4 Church Cottages – which the charity contends had been included in error. A site inspection took place in March 2022, but the application has not yet been determined.
Under the governing documents of the charity:
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half of any distributable money remaining goes towards the upkeep and outgoings of Widecombein-the-Moor parish church; and
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the other half goes to the Widecombe Educational Foundation (registered charity number 306864).
The principal activities of the charity during 2021 comprised:
- managing the tenanted properties;
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making grants to the two beneficiaries; and
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continuing to review the charity’s operations and documentation.
Public benefit was provided through:
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the provision of accommodation for affordable rent;
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assisting the maintenance of the parish church; and
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(through the Widecombe Educational Foundation) assisting education.
During 2022:
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income amounted to £28,415.55 (rents of £28,407.00 plus interest of £8.55);
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all debts were paid as they fell due;
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outgoings (including on property renovations, repairs and insurance) amounted to £16,096.17;
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▪ a grant of £2,000.00 was paid to the Widecome-in-the-Moor Parochial Church Council;
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a grant of £2,000.00 was paid to the Widecombe Educational Foundation; and
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income exceeded outgoings plus grants by £8,319.38.
In 2021, to facilitate the refurbishment of the charity’s properties, Mr and Mrs John Southcombe lent the charity £15,000.00 interest-free, repayable by yearly instalments of £3,000.00 each payable on 1 May in 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026. Following a repayment of £3,000.00 in 2022, £12,000.00 is currently outstanding.
At 31 Dec 2022:
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the charity’s bank balances amounted to £37,922.57;
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this includes the £12,000 balance of the loan;
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financial commitments (repairs and renovations contracted for but not yet due) were £16,690.00.
At their 2023 annual general meeting, the trustees decided to:
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make a grant £2,000.00 of to the Widecome-in-the-Moor Parochial Church Council;
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make a grant £2,000.00 of to the Widecombe Educational Foundation; and
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to place the balance to reserve against repairs to the tenanted properties.
This annual report for 2022 was approved by a meeting of the trustees on 20 February 2023
Signed by the chair of the meeting
Geoffrey Fenton
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- WIDECOMBE IN THE-MOOR CHURCH HOUSE AND LANDS CHARITY Registered charity number 241096
2022 Annual Accounts
Year ended 31 Dec 2022
| INCOME(CASH BASIS) | £ | £ |
| Rent1 ▪ 1 Church Cottages ▪ 2 Church Cottages ▪ 3 Church Cottages ▪ 4 Church Cottages Bank interest TOTAL INCOME |
6,753.00 6,642.00 7,263.00 7,749.00 |
28,407.00 8.55 |
| 28,415.55 | ||
| EXPENDITURE(CASH BASIS) | £ | £ |
| Repairs and renovations ▪ John Berry - Electrical repairs #3 ▪ Dartmoor National Park Authority - Planning application fees ▪ Jettadrain Ltd - Clear drains #3 ▪ MD Group - Release of retention #3 ▪ Richmond Building - Balance of repairs #1 and #2 - Tap #1 ▪ Timpsons2(reimbursing John Southcombe) - New keys #3 ▪ C Tonepohl - Shower #3 - Oil service and certificate #4 - Immersion heater #3 ▪ C R Whale - Repairs #3 ▪ The Window Centre - Front door #3 Services ▪ Always Cleansing - Emptying septic tank #1-4 |
60.00 439.20 132.00 1,750.00 5,339.93 160.34 10.50 82.79 174.00 432.28 107.45 1,295.00 |
9,983.49 |
| 179.00 |
1 Amounts actually received during the year. There were no outstanding arrears of rent.
2 Paid by John Southcombe and refunded to him by cheque.
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| ▪ Howard Douglas - Annual inspection report #1-4 ▪ Ecclesiastical Insurance - Trustee insurance - Property insurance ▪ Zoom3 - Half Zoom subscription (shared with Parochial Church Council) Loan repayment ▪ Mr and Mrs John Southcombe - First annual loan repayment Payments to beneficiaries ▪ Widecombe Educational Foundation ▪ Widecombe-in-the-Moor Parochial Church Council TOTAL EXPENDITURE |
312.00 296.79 2,252.95 71.94 |
3,112.68 3,000.00 4,000.00 |
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| 2,000.00 2,000.00 |
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| 20,096.17 | |||
| EXCESS INCOME/EXPENDITURE(CASH BASIS) | £ | ||
| Total income (as above) Total expenditure (as above) EXCESS INCOME |
28,415.55 20,096.17 |
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| 8,319.38 | |||
| CASH MOVEMENTS 31 DEC 2021 TO 31 DEC 2022 | £ | £ | |
| Santander bank balances at 31 Dec 2021 Current account Less: unpresented cheque: MD Group: in 2021 annual accounts Deposit account Excess income as above Long term loan by Mr and Mrs John Southcombe4 BALANCE AT 31 DEC 2022 |
33,819.96 -14,284.95 19,535.01 10,068.18 |
29,603.19 8,319.38 |
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| 37,922.57 12,000.00 |
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| 25,922.57 | |||
| CASH BALANCE AT 31 DEC 2022 | £ | £ | |
| Santander bank balances ▪ Current account ▪ Deposit account CLOSING BALANCE |
27,845.84 10,076.73 |
37,922.57 | |
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3 Paid by Geoffrey Fenton and refunded to him by cheque.
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4 To facilitate the refurbishment of the charity’s properties, Mr and Mrs John Southcombe have lent the charity £15,000.00 interest-free, repayable by yearly instalments of £3,000.00 each payable on 1 May in 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026. Following a repayment of £3,000.00 in April 2022, the outstanding balance is £12,000.00.
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| ADJUSTMENT FOR COMMITMENTS £ |
£ |
| Actual closing balance as above Commitments incurred but not paid by 31 Dec 2021 ▪ South Devon Roofing - Cost of tile-hanging #15 ADJUSTED BALANCE |
37,922.57 16,690.00 |
| 21,232.57 | |
| These 2022 annual accounts were approved by a meeting of the trustees on 20 February 2023 | |
| Signed by the chair of the meeting Geoffrey Fenton |
5 The work has not yet been carried out, as planning permission was not received until January 2023. It is currently expected that the work will be carried out in April/May 2023. This work appeared in the 2021 accounts as a commitment, for a different amount, to Williams & Burrows; but they subsequently withdrew from the contract.
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Scrutiny of Accounts Calendar FYE 31 Dec 2022 Widecombe Church House & Lands Charity 241096
Financial Year to 31[st] December 2022.
The Accounts’ income and expenditure amounts were again found to be well presented. A cheque for £14,,84.95 was delayed from Last F-Year. Records of income and expenditure paid, and opening and closing balances in the two bank accounts have been checked and tally satisfactorily.
The Committee continue to use procedures for the safe authorisation of their grants and timely release of funds for payment.
Confirmation of receipt of the two Charitable grants continues to be documented appropriately.
I confirm that my checks indicate that the accounts give a fair assessment of the monies passed through this Charity and that the resulting money balances for the last financial year to 31[st] December 2022 tally correctly after clearing the delayed cheque for £14,284.95.
Comments.
There have been developments in the governance of the Charity last year. The 2021 Charity Commission scheme revised rules allowing the Charity to let properties at belowmarket rates. It should be emphasised that this would reduce the income available to fund grants to the PCC and educational objectives, and this must be on the basis of relieving individual hardship.
It remains a particularly sensitive area to provide suitable evidence of this in all cases. I suggest that in principle the nominal rent should be the full market rate as a default position.
Presented documents were reviewed by Mr R G Casey.
16[th] Jan 2023
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Rgc WCH&LC - Scrutiny ReportFY2022b.doc