## **Trustees’ Annual Report for the period** **From 1 April 2023 To 31 March 2024 Charity name: Hardingstone Village Hall Association (HVHA)** ## **Charity registration number:270767** ## **Objectives and Activities** ||SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Summary of the purposes of
the charity as set out in its
governing document|Para 1.17|**a) To promote the benefit of the**
**inhabitants of Hardingstone and**
**surrounding area. This benefit will be the**
**provision of opportunities for leisure,**
**social , recreational, educational and any**
**other activities that enhance the lives of**
**those living in the area.**
**b) To provide a community centre in**
**Hardingstone and to manage and**
**maintain the Centre for activities**
**promoted by the Association in**
**furtherance of the objectives in a) above.**| |Summary of the main
activities in relation to those
purposes for the public
benefit, in particular, the
activities, projects or services
identified in the accounts.|Para 1.17 and
1.19|**Letting the premises for social, well-**
**being and educational purposes; being a**
**polling station; one-off lettings to**
**members of the community for parties**
**and celebrations and local organisations**
**for fundraising events, dramatics**
**productions, craft fairs etc.**
**Letting the premises on a regular**
**schedule to hirers providing wellbeing,**
**social or educational activities.**
**Maintaining the landmark Victorian**
**building in the centre of the village as a**
**used space**| |Statement confirming
whether the trustees have
had regard to the guidance
issued by the Charity
Commission on public
benefit|Para 1.18|**Yes**| ## **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: ||
SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Policy on grant making|Para 1.38|**The Association does not make any**
**grants or monetary social benefits.**| |||| |---|---|---| |Policy on social investment
including program related
investment|Para 1.38|N/A| |Contribution made by
volunteers|Para 1.38|**The Association is run by volunteers.**
**The premises are managed by a paid**
**manager.**
**Commercial contractors provide**
**maintenance services.**| |Other||| ## **Achievements and Performance** ||SORP reference|| |---|---|---| |Summary of the main
achievements of the charity,
identifying the difference the
charity’s work has made to
the circumstances of its
beneficiaries and any wider
benefits to society as a
whole.|Para 1.20|**The Hall is in a good state of repair;**
**Our Hirers provide a range of activities**
**for the local and wider community;**
**The Hall is a polling station when**
**required.**| ## **Additional information (optional)** You may choose to include further statements where relevant about: ||Achievements against
objectives set|Para 1.41|**Objective- To increase Lettings-**
**Post-Covid, the lettings are reduced,**
**regular activities by about 1/3 of**
**previous level and one-off events by**
**about ½**
**Lettings have increased including two**
**new regular hirers but have not returned**
**to pre-Covid levels. This is in common**
**with local and national village halls.**
**Objective- Upgrade garden and**
**Basement to be a separate let-**
**Garden and fabric of Basement**
**improved; basement conversion to toilet**
**and kitchenette stopped due to**
**contraction of market for parties/events**
**(target market), limitations of site and**
**escalating building costs.**
**Objective- to encourage interest in**
**potential new trustees, especially for**
**officer posts. (Chairman retiring at next**
**AGM and treasurer at the following**
**AGM)**
**Parish Council considered involvement**|| |---|---|---|---|---| |||**but declined.**
**Non-profit making organisation running**
**several local Halls made representation**
**but would have curtailed the availibilty**
**and servicing of the Hall.**
**One of our hirers came forward with an**
**offer for sevaral of their members to**
**stand for election for trustees and**
**officers to safegard the Hall and thus**
**their use of it.**| |---|---|---| |Performance of fundraising
activities against objectives
set|Para 1.41|**No fundraising undertaken in the period**| |Investment performance
against objectives|Para 1.41|**N/A**| |Other||Chairmans Report 2024.
Good evening, everyone and thank you for
coming.
As I sit down to write my final report, I have
taken a few moments to look back on my
time at the Village Hall. I feel proud of what
we as a committee have achieved over the
years, new toilet facility in the friend’s room
refurbishment of the old gents’ toilets
gazebos in the garden new boilers Wi-Fi
new energy efficient lighting to name a
few. None of this happens without hard
work planning and careful financial control
most of this achieved from our own funds.
So well done to those people that made
this happen.
Over the past few years, it has been
apparent that we needed to reevaluate the
way the hall operates so with this in mind
over the last 12months we have explored
various options by approaching different
organisations with view to either take
control of the Village Hall or to assist in
helping us moving forward.
Firstly, we approached Hardingstone
Parish Council as the main governing body
of the village to see if they were willing to
help,
we had several meetings with councillors
to talk over how they could help either with
funding or manpower. The face-to-face
meetings went well with various ideas
being discussed which the representatives| of the council took back to the full council for further discussion. The conclusion that the parish council came to was that why it would be a loss to the village if the hall was to closed in their minds the hall is not financially viable, and they would be pouring good money after bad if they were to offer the hall any credible financial help. It was suggested that we apply for a general funding grant which we did resulting in a very disappointing offer of £200.00 which in my opinion shows how little regard or concern they have for what is probably one of the largest assets of the village. (ask any Estate agent what people are looking for when moving to a village). Having been turned down by our own parish council we sort further external options and approached an organisation called community spaces who run various community facilities around the town and again we had a meeting with them to discuss how they could help with taking the hall forward. we listened to what they had to say and discussed what they could offer. the committee felt that at the present time they are not a good fit for the hall or our users. The conclusion of these various options is that we should for the present continue to run hall in its current format and look for new committee members who can bring new and fresh ideas to take the hall forward. I am pleased to say that we have offers from various sources to join the committee and having had several meetings with them feel that I am leaving the hall in good hands. It only leaves me to offer my thanks to a very dedicated small team who have worked hard to keep the hall going I have enjoyed working with you are wish you the best for the future. Paul Weatherley retiring Chairman ## **FACILITIES MANAGER REPORT** This year of April 2023 – March 2024 has been challenging with all high inflation effecting every aspect of running our hall. Thankfully we have maintained most of our regular bookers, we have lost Bouverie WI after 40 years, but the NCT group have returned after a couple of years break. **Our ongoing tests and maintenance contracts have been completed; -** Fire Alarm and Extinguishers, Rodent Control, Garden upkeep, building electric, Pat testing, Boiler and cooker service, and checks on the Door entry system. Plus, the floor cleaning machine has been services and repairs carried out. Our cleaning contractor has been with us for 12 months now and has proved to be helpful and an asset to the hall. We recently had to drop some of their hours due to finances, so we are asking all our regular users to be vigilant with their checks and leaving everywhere tidy and clean. **General maintenance** of the building takes a lot of time and money for the general upkeep we have a very helpful maintenance man, with the multi-use of our building there is always something needing attention. We have managed to get the gents toilet painted this year, but finances have not allowed any big projects. We have shelved the garden project, but we will need to get the main hall floor sorted out over the next 12 months. The small part of the room the laminate is coming up and the larger half needs the wood sanding, sealing and polishing. Projects/Maintenance/Equipment required for the future – in order of priority and subject to funding. Main hall floor Windows in the main hall may need the opening sections replacing as they no longer seal/ close or lock properly **My thanks go to the committee for their** **support in helping me do the best I can for the building and to all our users, we need you as much as you need us.** ## Gaynor Weatherley - Manager TREASURER’S REPORT TO HARDINGSTONE VILLAGE HALL ASSOCIATION ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 12 JUNE 2024 The Accounts for the year 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024 are in the same format as previous accounts showing total Income and Expenditure by activities and the year’s Trading Profit/Loss. The Reserves brought forward from the previous year less the trading loss equals the monetary funds held by the Association. There have been no grants and only small donations received this year. The accounts have been reviewed and signed by an Independent Examiner, Mr Andrew Mackay. He has stated verbally that there were no anomalies or matters of concern in the accounts. There is a Trading Loss of £10,000, a £1,000 more than the loss made last year. Hardingstone Village Hall has been trading at an increasing loss since the Covid pandemic; this is unsustainable. Letting the Hall is the only source of income and even when the Hall was hired at near full capacity only a small profit was made. Lettings have not recovered to the levels before the Covid pandemic whereas costs have risen, especially energy costs. This has been a major concern of the management committee and new strategies will be tried during the coming year. In the autumn of 2022 it was estimated that it cost £12 per hired hour to operate the Hall. By the end of 2023 this had risen to £17, this is not including any planned our unexpected maintenance or equipment replacement. The hire fee for both rooms was raised in April to £15 per hour (this is the rate currently charged at smaller and less well equipped local Halls) and at that time it was warned that rates would need to rise to at least £17 per hour in September. The committee have decided that on September 1 2024 the hire rates will need to be increased to Richard Gibbs Room to £17.50ph and the Friends Room to £16.50ph from September, with a proviso that a further review may be necessary in 2025. The trading balance will be monitored through the coming year and rates will be re considered at the beginning of 2025. The committee’s aim is to keep the rates as low as possible whilst ensuring the Hall remains viable and open for business. The fee for use of the main kitchen will not be payable for light use, such as drinks refreshment, and will remain at £2.50 per session for extensive use such as cooking. We ask the AGM to ratify these rates. I ask the AGM to accept the Accounts for the year 2023-24. The reserves fund is still £5,000 below the requirements of the reserves policy however there is also the remaining £8,000 of the Covid recovery grants in hand. The constitution of the Association will need major updating before the transfer of the lease holding can be made to the Charities Commission. This will be a project for the coming year. Val Brambley Treasurer HVHA ## **Financial Review** |Review of the charity’s
financial position at the end
of the period|Para 1.21|**£29,000 Funds carried forward after**
**£10,000 Trading Loss. Over the past 5**
**years the Hall has been trading at a loss;**
**this was an increased loss on previous**
**years.**| |---|---|---| |Statement explaining the
policy for holding reserves
stating why they are held|Para 1.22|**Reserves for contingencies, especially**
**unforeseen maintenance of an old**
**building.**
**Policy to hold £20,000**| |Amount of reserves held|Para 1.22|**at present £15,000 Reserve,**
**there is also a residue of £8,000 of the**
**Business Continuation (post-Covid)**
**grants which is held separately.**| |Reasons for holding zero
reserves|Para 1.22|**N/A**| |Details of fund materially in
deficit|Para 1.24|**No funds are in deficit.**| |Explanation of any
uncertainties about the
charity continuing as a going
concern|Para 1.23|**Continuing Trading Losses cannot be**
**funded at the current level for more than**
**2 more years.**
**Recruiting trustees and officers is**
**difficult-appeals have been made to our**
**Parish Council (negative response) and**
**our hirers (potential positive response)**| |**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:||| |The charity’s principal
sources of funds (including
any fundraising)|Para 1.47|**Lettings are the source of funding;**
**despite efforts, this has not been greatly**
**increased and the Hall is running at a**
**Trading Loss.**
**HVHA applies each year to the Parish**
**Council for funding support; this year**
**they have awarded £200, the same as**
**they have awarded other village groups.**
**HVHA does not meet the criteria for many**
**national and local sources of funding.**
**The Garfield Weston Foundation awarded**
**a £5,000 grant towards the upgrading of**
**the garden and basement.**| |Investment policy and
objectives including any
social investment policy
adopted|Para 1.46|**N/A**| |A description of the principal
risks facing the charity|Para 1.46|**Maintaining an old building in a**
**conservation area can bring unexpected**
**expenses.**
**Our hirers are very loyal and appreciate**
**the standard of accommodation we offer**
**however, the loss of a major hirer would**
**put the Hall’s viability in jeopardy**| **A rapid escalation in running cost could not be met by lettings at the market value Lack of volunteer trustees to meet the requirements of the Constitution. New interest expressed by a hirer group could bring new trustees, skills and ideas.** Other ## **Structure, Governance and Management** |Description of charity’s
trusts:||| |---|---|---| |Type of governing document
(trust deed, royal charter)|Para 1.25|**Constitution**| |How is the charity
constituted?
(e.g unincorporated
association, CIO)|Para 1.25|**Unincorporated Association**| |Trustee selection methods
including details of any
constitutional provisions e.g.
election to post or name of
any person or body entitled
to appoint one or more
trustees|Para 1.25|**Constitution**
**The Association will form a Management**
**Committee of up to 11 people ;**
**nominated by the Holding Trustees,**
**individual (community) and**
**organisation(hirers) representative**
**members. Those members of the**
**Association present at the AGM will vote**
**on nominations, elect a Chair, Secretary**
**and Treasurer, or the Management**
**Committee [can] be responsible for**
**electing these from its body.**| |**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:|**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:|**Additional information (optional)**
You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:| |---|---|---| |Policies and procedures
adopted for the induction and
training of trustees|Para 1.51|| |The charity’s organisational
structure and any wider
network with which the
charity works|Para 1.51|| |Relationship with any related
parties|Para 1.51|**A company run by a trustee (current**
**Chair) tenders for certain maintenance**
**projects.**
**The current Chair is the spouse of the**
**Manager (employee of HVHA)**| |Other||| ## **Reference and Administrative details** |Charity name|Hardingstone Village Hall Association| |---|---| |Other name the charity uses|None| |Registered charity number|270767| |Charity’s principal address|Hardingstone Village Hall| High Street Hardingstone Noirthampton NN4 6DA ## **Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity** |1
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20|**Trustee name**|**Office (if any)**|**Dates acted if not for whole**
**year**|**Name of person (or body) entitled**
**to appoint trustee (ifany)**| |---|---|---|---|---| ||Paul Weatherley|Chair||| ||Valerie Brambley|Treasurer||| ||John Brooks|||| ||LucyDriscoll|||| ||LesleyJohnson|||| ||William LLoyd|||| ||Marianne Martin|||| ||Leslie Pace||1/4/2023 to 7/11/2023|| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| |||||| – Corporate trustees names of the directors at the date the report was approved **Director name None** Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity |**Trustee name**|**Dates acted if not for whole year**|| |---|---|---| |**Norman Pope**||| |**Rev Canon Beverley**
**Hollins**||| |||| |||| |||| |||| ## **Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others** Description of the assets None held in this capacity Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets ## **Additional information (optional)** ## **Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)** **Type of Name Address adviser** **Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)** ## **Exemptions from disclosure** Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details ## **Other optional information** ## **Declarations** **The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above.** **Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees** **Signature(s)** **Full name(s)** **Position (eg Secretary, Chair, etc)** **Date** HARDINGSTONE VILLAGE HALL ASSOCIATION AccouKfs April 2023 to 31 March 2024 c(￿0p Nationwid Cash Written Curr A¢¢ Lloyds In¢ome 31-03-24 33.252.56 Letting8 88.24 Bank Interest 0.00 Advertising fees 185.00 Donations 375.W Donations to Del 2.152.￿ DepK)Sits retaineé 40.09 K¢y [kI￿lts s.Cw.￿ Grants 63.26 Payroll credit rep 187.20 Cancelled Trdinii 0.00 Fund Raising 1,(M)1.02 Payment in ¢rmr 32,092.10 0.￿) 32.0￿.10 295.15 0.00 .15 o.LK) 202.00 0.00 3.820.(X+ 40. 0.00 3.820.00 o.(K) 0.00 o.TrJ 171.00 32.Cl) 171. Refunded purcha 42 2J7 TOTAL 57.10 £o.o £295.15 £0. lo.￿ Llo 52.25 -18,801.67 Salaries and pene -19,118.42 4,1￿4 40 Grounds- 4)3.70 -14,242.58 Pr¢m jses 4,138.51 O.&) Transfer Curr. o. 4.180.88 Cleaning and Cle 4.136.85 4.982.93 Gas -3.932.( .1.431.32 Electricity .1.203.08 95.30 Watsr Rates 41.64 Rates 488.11 Communications -01.04 Stationery, Posta 474.64 Insurance -81.97 Subscription8lAf -889.90 Equipment -1.029.20 Was* disposal 0.00 CRB ¢lKcks 417.55 tnttery & Music -25.00 Defibrillator -187.20 Stalyand commi1 -110.80 Advertising -2.330.00 Returned de￿it 4225.(Kl .115 00 Annual accounts -115.Q) 40.00 Key Deposit retu 48.81 Miscellaneous .130.00 Conrctions, ova 0.00 Difference writt¢n off -£%1437.94 TOTAL £46 78S.26 -19.118.42 403.75 4.136.51 ,136.85 ,932. .1,293.99 485.84 -108.80 -1.021.82 -108.80 -1.021.62 -548.12 -1UYI.88 -141. 48.12 -1W.88 -141.98 -1.127.V2 -1.127.tr2 O.LY) 4￿.35 0.35 o.ty) 40.CKI 4225.(Ml -115.ivj 40. o. o.c £0. £Loo £0.00 £46 78S.26 -£9.094.57 Trxdin I￿58 beln exeejj of Ex dhure over Ineom £10 i.ii.ni HARDINGSTONE VILLAGE N. BALANCE S ETAT31M h2024 Statement of assets #n 2024 48.092.38 Reserves & accumulated profits Wf -p 095 57 Trading Balance for the y¢ar £38,996.81 TOTAL 39.366.81 -10.133.01 £29.222.80 RepreJent¢d by:_ Bank b%lan¢eJ Is at 3141>2024 10.652.54 Nationwid¢ Business Savings Accoimt 12,354.CEt Lloyds TSB Busin¢ss Call alc 11,440.85 C(>•Op Community Account 8.33 Cash in hand £39.385.81 TOTAL -£.1 jll.1111 Key deposit held a8ainst key return 15.847. 9.364.09 4.012Ag £29.222.80 £38,998.81 TOTAL Avalknble Fund# £28,903.80 Reprexnted a• followB:_ Lloyd• TSB MDepoJlts" Covld Fund Depo8M• held lor •ntrw keyo r•kThl c fibrillator d(xtth• for rtfftntr￿ cofjts 8.328.89 319.CL) 7(6.20 9,354.09 CIo8lng Bthnce 31J2024 Natlonwlde BllilD¢s8 Savlnp Aeeount Thls18 nmde up •• folm: Op8nJng Balanc• 10.052.54 Inlera8t Eam•d Clo•ing Bal•n¢¢ 31J.2024 295.16 1S.847.69 CO OP Bank Openlng BalarK• Trnn8fern from othar 11.440.85 3.￿M1.(K) Income 36.357.10 46.785 28 4,012.89 C1081ng BAl•nce 31J2024 Cath In Hand I rththved the the fr￿ndS[s￿lerr￿nts for 31.3.2024. aroa ## Report of VERBAL REPORT FROM INDEPENDENT ASSESSOR MR A. MACKAY Mr Andrew Mackay reported verbally on 24 May 2024 that he had found no anomalies or issue with the accounts and that in his opinion they were a true reflection of Hardingstone Village Hall’s finances during the year 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024. His signature on the accounts summary confirmed this opinion. Reported to Val Brambley, Treasurer