2025-03-31-accounts

Charity No: 269399

PELDON & WIGBOROUGHS COMMUNITY HALL

BOARD OF TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND ACCOUNTS

For the year ended 31 MARCH 2025

Registered charity number: 269399

Board of Trustees’ report for the year ended 31 March 2025

The Trustees present their report and accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025.

Principal activity and governance structure

The principal activity of the Charity is to maintain and manage the Hall for the benefit of the residents of Peldon, Great & Little Wigborough and local community groups. The Trustees are also responsible as charity trustees for administering certain funds held in trust for the enhancement of the nave of St. Stephen’s Church, Great Wigborough to make it more suitable for use as a community venue (“Nave Project”).

The Board of Trustees has delegated certain powers to a Management Committee. The role of the Management Committee is to ensure that the Hall functions effectively and efficiently on a day-to-day basis. The Management Committee’s report on the year is on pages 4 – 5.

Financial review

The Treasurer’s report on pages 6 – 11 provides a commentary on the financial results for the year and position at the year end, including details of the Nave Project. The Treasurer and the Trustees would like to thank Steve Copeland for his ongoing and invaluable support in acting as the Independent Examiner of the Charity’s accounts.

Trustees

The following Trustees served during the year:

Mrs Alison Biegel*

Mr Stewart Bilsland (Treasurer) Mrs Liz Davidson Mr Robert Davidson (Chairman)

Mr Phil Gladwin Mr Bob Holmes Mrs Katrina Lewis Mr Jamie Longstaff Mr Will Newton* (Secretary)

*elected Trustees; otherwise appointed Trustees.

Changes to the Board of Trustees after the year end

Nil

Changes to the Charity’s governing documents

Nil

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Required disclosures

In the financial year:

1. none of the Trustees have been paid any remuneration or received any other benefits from an employment with the Charity;

2. none of the Trustees received reimbursement for expenses other than in relation to the reimbursement at cost of various supplies purchased for the normal operating requirements of the Hall; and

3. no related party transactions were entered into by the Charity.

On behalf of the Trustees.

Will Newton Secretary June 2025

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Report of the Management Committee for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

It is a pleasure to be able to report on another successful year for the Hall.

As I mentioned in last year’s report, the Hall has come of age as the income it receives from hire charges to external users and from the clubs it runs is more than enough to cover its dayto-day running costs. This means that any income earned from fundraising activities can be used to improve the Hall’s facilities, as well as setting aside funds to replace existing equipment when the time comes to do this. The Treasurer’s report that follows this report sets all this out in more detail.

The Hall has been well used throughout the year, both by regular hirers, one-off bookings and Hall clubs. We welcomed one new weekly activity – Fitness for Seniors – in the year, while new activities that started in 2023/24 proved successful and are continuing into summer 2025. The increase in hiring income compared to the previous year shown in the accounts is the result of a full year’s effect of this previous growth, as our hire charges were not increased in 2024.

The big development in 2024 has been the installation of solar panels on the roof of the Hall at a cost of around £16,500. This project was completed in August 2024 since when we have seen a dramatic decrease in our electricity costs, even in the winter months, as well as earning income from supplying surplus power to the grid. We’re still in the first year of operation so haven’t yet seen the full annual impact of this investment on our running costs, but it is clear that the level of costs we would have faced without the panels – at least £3,000 pa – will be much reduced. This investment, together with the stable use of the Hall, has enabled us to hold our hire charges at the same level for yet another year in 2025.

We were fortunate to have been able to fund the entire investment in the solar panels with grants. £4,000 was received in 2023/24 from Essex County Council’s Community Initiatives Fund. The remainder came from the Rural England Prosperity Fund, managed by Colchester City Council, and we have Robert Davidson to thank for his work in securing these funds.

The Peldon Players’ pantomime in January, Jack and the Beanstalk, was yet another triumph on so many levels – the fun that the cast and production team have in staging it; the development of talent as those from the chorus in previous years take on main roles; the financial contribution it makes to the Hall; and most importantly, the enjoyment that over 500 people get from watching the show. The pantomime has been a staple of the Hall’s social activities for well over 30 years and is a great example of how our community punches above its weight – long may it continue! Our thanks, as ever, go to Alison Biegel and Mel Newton for being the driving forces behind it, and to Joe Kennils for his direction.

Our monthly Saturday coffee mornings have also become a regular feature of the Hall’s fundraising and social activities. The May meeting hosts a Craft and Table Top Sale, while in November we hold a Christmas Fayre. But every other month has a theme, with a quiz and a raffle. None of these events would happen without the effort that Jane Anderson puts in to organising them, ably helped in the kitchen by Caroline Wilson and a number of other volunteers. We also held a quiz night in the autumn, thanks to the efforts of Keith Banks and Lionel Bloomfield, and three music events thanks to Crissy Lee, including a very successful Rock Night with Kenny Petrie in December. As I mentioned last year, Crissy has decided to scale back the number of music events she organises, but I’m delighted to confirm that there will be two events towards the end of 2025.

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The solar panels were not the only investments made this year. Using the surplus funds earned in the previous year, the Hall bought some more tables and parts for the stage, reinforced a further part of the overflow car park in front of the Hall, and acquired a second storage container. We are continuing to invest in 2025 with a redesign of the Hall’s website, which will make it easier to book tickets for events in the Hall as well as allowing our booking manager, Mel Newton, to manage hirings more easily. And we also intend to extend the reinforcing of the grass parking to cover all the remaining area, a project for which we hope to attract some more grant funding.

On a day-to-day basis, it is Mel and Tony Wilson, our caretaker, who keep things on track, addressing any issues that may arise, while our Treasurer, Stewart Bilsland, keeps a watching eye on the Hall’s finances. The rest of the Management Committee offer operational support and organise and help run fundraising events. We were very pleased to welcome Bevan Waghorn to the Committee at the start of 2025. The Hall’s Trustees (who include 4 members of the Management Committee) provide a watching brief on the way the Hall is run, ensuring necessary policies and procedures are in place and approving major decisions. My thanks go to all of those mentioned, and to our other supporters and users, for making the Hall the success it is.

Bob Holmes PWCH Management Committee Chairman June 2025

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Treasurer’s Report on the Accounts for the Year Ended 31 March 2025

Overview

The year ended 31 March 25 saw the seventh full year of operation of the new hall and the sixth in relation to the St. Stephens Trust.

The General Fund records receipts and payments from ongoing operating activities and new capital expenditure associated with the Hall. The Trustees have previously decided that there would also be an Equipment Replacement Fund (ERF) to provide funds for the replacement of equipment in the Hall before the Hall itself needed to be rebuilt.

This year there were no payments made from the St Stephens Trust Fund to the PCC of Great and Little Wigboroughs. All monies associated with this Trust are identified in a separate column within the Accounts. There are separate bank accounts associated with the Trust which are totally independent from the Hall’s bank accounts.

There was a total net outflow of funds of £2,941 over the year, and consequently cash balances at the end of the year had fallen to £111,661. This net outflow was the result of two factors. Firstly, the net funds during the year associated with the St Stephens Trust was an inflow of £1,755 being the interest earned. Secondly, the costs of running the Hall, including capital expenditure and loan repayments, were higher than the receipts from its operating activities by £4,696.

During the year, it was decided by the Trustees to transfer £3,664 of funds from the General Fund and add it to the Equipment Replacement Fund. This leaves the General Fund with a balance of £29,131 at the end of the financial year, while the Equipment Replacement Fund has increased to £25,520 including the interest earned.

General Fund

The Hall normally earns income from 3 main sources – the hiring of its premises and equipment to third parties, the running of a number of regular activities such as Hall clubs, and from fundraising events and activities it organises. Total receipts (including sundry income) in the year amounted to £55,103 compared to £44,357 in the previous year. This increase in income this year, compared with last year, is a result of the Hall having significantly increased income from hiring out the Hall with a similar level of activity from Hall clubs.

Receipts from third party hiring’s went up from £14,686 to £19,451. This includes income of £368 from the hire of tables/chairs etc.

The hall was hired for a total of 1020 hours in the year (last year 862 hours), of which 585 hours (last year 514 hours) were hiring’s by regular users and 435 hours (last year 348 hours) were for one-off bookings. Among regular hirers, the Church of the Citadel of Grace, was the biggest user with 132 hours for their weekly Sunday morning meetings.

Receipts from the Hall Clubs in the year stayed the same as last year at £6,973 compared with £6,980 last year, as these activities notionally accounted for 542 hours’ use of the hall (compared with 519 hours last year).

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The Peldon Players’ pantomime took place in January 2025 (gross £8,067). There were also 3 x Crissy Lee Music evenings in the Hall (gross £3,077), 12 x Coffee Mornings were held (gross £2,732) and a Quiz night was held (gross £318). Also, a bar was run for a couple of Third-party events (gross £121) and there was £40 income received for a future Coffee Morning in 202526.

Therefore, gross receipts from these fund-raising activities were lower than last year’s activities at £14,354 compared with £17,733 the previous year. This was principally due there not being a Summer Concert and also fewer Music events being held.

General Fund expenditure can also be grouped in 3 areas – payments to keep the building running, payments incurred in staging fundraising activities, and administrative expenses.

Building expenses totalled £22,046, an increase of £2,909 from the £19,137 incurred in the previous year. Caretaking/Cleaning and Utilities etc costs were higher due to the Hall being in use more than the previous year. This resulted in an increase in these elements of £2,023 over the previous year. Repairs and Maintenance of the hall were higher by £886 during this year.

Expenditure associated with the Fundraising activities, detailed above, came to a total of £5,141 (2024 - £7,384) thus after these related costs are taken into account, the net contribution to the Hall’s funds from Fundraising activities reduced from £10,349 last year to £9,213 this year. As indicated above, this is principally due to there not being a Summer Concert this year and also fewer Music nights.

Administration expenditure and Sundry payments accounted for £3,306 which was £540 lower

than last year’s figure of £3,846.

£3,212 was also spent on scheduled repayments of the loan the Hall arranged with the Rural Communities Buildings Loan Fund in 2017 to fund the purchase of sound, lighting and stage curtaining equipment in the new hall. This is the same as last year.

Capital assets purchased during the year were split into two categories – firstly, Land and Buildings, of which there were the works carried out to reinforce a further area of the grass overflow car park (£3,308), supply and installation of a 2[nd] storage container to the rear of the Hall (£4,512) and the supply and installation of the Solar Panel system on the roof of the Hall (£16,555). The total of this element was £24,375. Secondly, Equipment and Furnishings which principally comprised of additional tables and stage parts (£1,684), extra lighting and sockets in the loft space (£330), new Hall printer (£220), additional mugs, glasses etc for the kitchen (£138) and various small items of electrical equipment for projector, sound system etc (totalling £150). A number of miscellaneous smaller items totalling around £147 made up the remainder of the £2,669 for this element.

The Hall has also received, in 2024/25, a Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) Grant of £13,244 through Colchester City Council towards the installation of the Solar Panels on the roof of the Community Hall. As indicated last year, we had previously received, in the 2023-24 Financial Year, a Community Initiatives Fund Grant of £4,000 from the Essex Association of Local Councils also towards the installation of Solar Panels. This meant that the Solar Panel Project for the Hall could proceed, and the Solar Panels were installed and became operation in early August 2024.

Since then, electricity costs have substantially reduced as the Hall is fed by electricity generated by the solar panels, and the batteries which store surplus electricity. Further, any

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electricity generated over and above that used by the Hall is fed back into the national grid and we receive payment for this through the Smart Export Guarantee scheme.

Equipment Replacement Fund – Hall

This fund has been set aside to meet the costs of replacement of major equipment/assets in the Hall, and the funding of this expenditure has been separated from the main General Fund and is, therefore, ring fenced for this purpose. Examples of the expenditure that could be paid by this fund is replacement kitchen cupboards, air conditioning, sound equipment etc.

During this year, two new bank accounts with Redwood Bank were opened to replace the previous account. Firstly, a 1-year Fixed Rate account was set up for the ERF. Secondly, a new 35-day notice account was set up for the General Fund. At the time of the opening of the new 1-year Fixed Rate account, it was agreed that an additional £3,664 would be transferred from the General Fund to the ERF to bring the starting amount for this new account to £25,000.

Prior to these new accounts, the interest paid through the old Redwood Bank account had been split between the General Fund and the Equipment Replacement Fund. As a result of this and the new 1-year Fixed Rate account, the total interest added to the ERF over the year is £950 giving a total for the Fund at the end of the 2024/25 year of £25,520.

St Stephens Trust Fund

As indicated at previous AGM’s, half of the net proceeds of Wigboroughs Village Hall Management Committee’s sale of the old village hall site in Great Wigborough has been paid to the Charity during the 2019-20 financial year to be held by PWCH on trust, in a separate fund, to meet improvements to the Nave of the St Stephen’s Church in Great Wigborough to provide a community space. The total amount received was £142,009. Amounts as yet unspent are distributed into two savings accounts with a small remainder in the Santander Current account. Interest totalling £1,755 has been earned during the 2024/25 year from these savings accounts. As indicated, all these accounts are totally independent of the Community Hall’s accounts.

There were no approved payments in relation to the St Stephens Trust this financial year between 1 April 2024 to 31[st] March 2025.

Therefore, at the end of the financial year the total funds remaining in the St Stephens Trust fund is £57,010 including the interest.

Statement of Assets and Liabilities

Cash and bank balances as at 31 March 2025 totalled £54,651 in relation to the Community Hall’s Funds, a decrease of £4,696 since the previous year end. In addition, there is £57,010 in bank balances in relation to St Stephens Trust as at 31[st] March 2025.

Amounts due to the Hall from its use in Feb/March 2025 are £875 (2024 – £1,253). Around £936 (2024 - £854) of the operating expenditure paid in the year was attributable to the 2025/26 financial year (pre-paid insurance, publicity and licence costs).

Capital assets reflect the amounts spent on building the new hall (but excluding abortive costs incurred earlier in the project) and equipment/assets purchased for it. Donated assets are

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shown separately based on their valuation. As was agreed 3 years ago, the capital assets, including donated assets, have been adjusted for depreciation. In depreciating the assets, we are writing the amounts we paid for them (or their donated value) down to zero in equal annual instalments over the estimated useful life of the asset (which varies according to the type of asset).

The Hall’s liabilities have reduced overall from £11,471 in 2023/24 to £5,710 in 2024/25. Accrued operating costs of £2,301 (2024 - £1,031) include amounts due for utilities costs, rates and also amounts due under the caretaking, cleaning and maintenance contract which are settled monthly in arrears. Further, £1,012 income has been received in the 2024/25 financial year for advanced bookings in 2025/26. The only capital liability is the Rural Communities Buildings Loan Fund loan which has reduced to £2,397 (2023 - £5,547) including accrued interest.

Stewart Bilsland

Treasurer 18[th] June 2025

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- Peldon and Wigboroughs Community Hall Annual Accounts

Receipts and Payments Accounts Receipts Operating activities Hire charges Hall clubs Fundraising events Donations & gift aid Interest received Sundry Income Capital funding Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) Grant Reinbursement of VAT Refunds claimed by PCC Total receipts Payments Operating costs Rates, utilities and insurance Caretaker Cleaning & domestic sundries Repairs & maintenance Fundraising events Marketing & publicity Licenses & subscriptions Administration costs Sundry payments Asset purchases & debt repayments St Stephens Nave Trust Land & Buildings Equipment & furnishings Loan repayments & interest Net receipts/(payments) for the year Transfers between funds Cash funds at start of year Cash funds at end of year	St Stephens Equipment Total General Replacement Trust Fund Funds Fund Fund £ £ £ £ 19,451 0 0 19,451 7,068 0 0 7,068 14,354 0 0 14,354 0 0 0 0 986 950 1,755 3,691 0 0 0 0 13,244 0 0 13,244 0 0 0 0 55,103 950 1,755 57,808 5,523 0 0 5,523 5,471 0 0 5,471 5,049 0 0 5,049 6,003 0 0 6,003 5,141 0 0 5,141 1,378 0 0 1,378 952 0 0 952 519 0 0 519 457 0 0 457 0 0 0 0 24,375 0 0 24,375 2,669 0 0 2,669 3,212 0 0 3,212 60,749 0 0 60,749 -5,646 950 1,755 -2,941 -3,664 3,664 0 0 38,441 20,906 55,255 114,602 £29,131 £25,520 £57,010 £111,661 Year ended 31 March 2025 Community Hall		2023-24 Total Funds £ 14,686 6,973 17,733 0 3,208 100 4,000 0
	55,103 950		46,700
	5,523 0 5,471 0 5,049 0 6,003 0 5,141 0 1,378 0 952 0 519 0 457 0 0 0 24,375 0 2,669 0 3,212 0		5,456 4,267 4,297 5,117 7,384 2,092 741 762 251 2,100 4,058 801 3,212
	60,749 0		40,538
	-5,646 950 -3,664 3,664 38,441 20,906		6,162 0 108,440
	£29,131 £25,520		£114,602

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- Peldon and Wigboroughs Community Hall Annual Accounts

Statement of Assets & Liabilities Cash Funds Bank deposit accounts Bank current accounts Cash in hand Other Monetary Assets Debtors Accrued interest receivable Prepaid expenditure Capital Assets Land and buildings at depreciated cost Purchased equipment at depreciated cost Donated assets at depreciated valuation Liabilities Accrued operating costs Income received in advance Grant Rec'd in advance for expenditure next yr Accrued capital expenditure ACRE loan & accrued interest to 31 March Net Assets	General Equipment St Stephens Total Fund Replacement Trust Fund Funds Fund £ £ £ £ 27,954 25,520 56,960 110,434 689 0 50 739 488 0 0 488 29,131 25,520 57,010 111,661 875 0 0 875 11 0 72 83 936 0 0 936 1,822 0 72 1,894 500,303 0 0 500,303 25,372 0 0 25,372 8,409 0 0 8,409 534,084 0 0 534,084 2,301 0 0 2,301 1,012 0 0 1,012 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2,397 0 0 2,397 5,710 0 0 5,710 £559,327 £25,520 £57,082 £641,929 As at 31 March 2025		2023-24 Total Funds £ 112,136 1,484 982
			114,602
			1,253 81 854
			2,188
			487,642 25,099 9,578
			522,319
			1,031 893 4000 0 5,547
			11,471
			£627,638

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Independent examiner's report on the accounts R•port to the trusteesl members of Peldon & Imgboroughs Communty Hall On accounts for the year ended 31# MarGh 2025 Charity no (if any) 269399 Set out on pages 1 to11 Respective The charty's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounls. responsibilities of The charty's trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year trustees and examiner under section 144 of the Charities Act 2011 (the Charities Act) and that an independent examination is needed. It is my responsibility to.. examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act, to follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission {under section 145{5){b) of the Charities Act, and to stste whether particular matters have come to my attention. Basis of Independent My examination was carried out in accordan￿ with general Directions given oxamlnerfs statement by the Charity Commission. An examination inclLtdes a review of the a¢counting records kept by the chanly and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from the trustees conceming any such matters. The prO￿dureS undertaken do not provide all the eviden￿ that would be required in an audit, and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fairf view and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below Independent In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention examinerfs statement 1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in. any material respect, the requirements: to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act. and to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with the accounting requirements of the Charities Act have not been met" or 2. to which, in my opinion. attention should be drawn in order to enabl8 proper undefstanding of the accounts to be reached. Slgnod: Date: 20th June 2025 Namo: S J Copeland Relevant professlonal qualification(s) or body (If any): F.C.C.A. Address: Elmdale, Peldon Road. Little Wigborough. Essex C05 7RB IER March 2012

Section B Disclosure Only Gomplete If the examiner needs lo highlight mateiial problems. Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishès to disclose. None IER March 2012