2020-09-30-accounts

LONG BUCKBY COMMUNITY CENTRE

Charity No. 271609

ANNUAL REPORT

November 2020

This report is my second as Chair of LBCC management Committee and given the strange times we currently live in, it will be comparatively short.

The period started well, with continuing interest from the new housing estates.

The 1[st] floor renovation project was making good progress, with one of the new WCs completed, and the wheelchair accessible WC 90% complete.

Everything changed of course with the SARS-covid 19 emergency. Initially, some groups remained active in the centre, and adapted to the social distancing and hand sanitising regulations in force. However many groups, especially those with elderly members, found the risks too great.

Lockdown itself caused the centre to close apart from Schoolwrap, who were allowed to operate when appropriate under the Covid regulations. Being located in a self contained part of the building helped, as did availability of the new WC adjacent to the Schoolwrap rooms. This meant that SW staff did not need to venture into the rest of the centre. (Children have their own self-contained facilities within the SW area).

We have continued to regularly host Blood Transfusion sessions, and Children’s Dance classes resumed this autumn, permissible under the Tier restrictions.

All Wedding receptions and parties have had to be cancelled.

Jane Tress has successfully moved her Enhance Fitness classes online, as restrictions on distancing meant that physical classes became no viable. The massage and therapy rooms have had to close.

Essential checks such as fire alarm and emergency lighting inspections, gas appliance servicing, lift maintenance have had to continue, and be paid for, and annual bills such as insurance have still been due.

Several emergency lights failed the 3 hour tests, and had to be replaced.

However we have held our ground financially, thanks to a combination of the Government furlough scheme and council grants, coupled with a reduction in outgoings such as heating, lighting and water charges, and cessation of the majority of maintenance and project work.

I would like at this point to say a huge thankyou to David Cadd, our Hon Treasurer, for the significant amount of work he has undertaken to first of all understand the

financial rules for claiming furlough and grants, and then progressing them. I can foresee that this will continue for some time yet.

Many thanks too to our regular staff, Alan Gautrey, Chris Culbert, and Clive Dunkley, who although furloughed for much of the time have risen to the new challenges, particularly at the start before lockdowns began.

I would also like to thank Mike Fellowes for auditing our Annual Accounts for this last year.

We remain members of ACRE, who have been very good at dissemination of covid regulations and advice relevant to Village halls and Community Centres.

Margaret Owen, our parish Council representative, has kept the council updated with our situation, and passed on our thanks for the final instalment of the £10,000 grant towards our renovations that was received this year.

In closing I would just like to express my hope that by this time next year there will be a whole different experience to report, and that by then Chris will have her new office ready.

David Bostrom

Chair, LBCC

November 2019

LONG BUCKBY COMMUNITY CENTRE STATEMENT OF ACCOUNT 2019/20

EOY

	EOY
	Bank (Current) @ 1 Oct-19	£	5,793.00
	Bank (Project Fund) @ 1 Oct-19	£	4,387.60
	Redund/Emergency @ 1 Oct-19	£	3,266.21
	PayPal @ 1 Oct-19	£	99.99
INCOME				OUTGOINGS
Booking Credits per bank		£	19,156.25	General Maintenance	£	1,167.21
				Stationery	£	30.87
				Eon	£	1,897.49
LOTTO		£	38.80	Water	£	1,109.08
Gift Aid		£	470.00	Gas	£	2,245.55
Donations		£	2,880.00	Insurance	£	1,951.46
Bank Interest				BT	£	1,690.70
COIF Interest		£	11.58	Waste & Cleaning	£	2,595.63
The Stables		£	1,600.00	Wages	£	13,531.00
DDC Capital Grant		£	3,749.75	PAYE/NIC	£	1,758.20
PC Grant		£	2,500.00	Staff Expenses	£	131.93
SCHOOL WRAP		£	2,720.00	Project	£	7,578.65
CJRS		£	6,140.00	Lift	£	2,741.02
DDC Hospitality & Leisure	Grant	£	10,000.00	Daventry District Council	£	-
				Equipment	£	120.00
				Mill Park Reserve	£	1,675.00
				Licences and Subs	£	548.51
TOTAL MONTHLY HIRE INCOME		£	23,476.25	TOTAL MONTHLY EXPENDITURE	£	40,772.30		141 %
				Balances @ end	Sep-20
				BANK (CURRENT ACCOUNT)	£	1,717.57
				BANK (PROJECT)	£	20,318.95
				PAYPAL	£	4.36
				Sub Total	£	22,040.88
TOTAL		£	62,813.18	TOTAL	£	62,813.18	£	-
Prepared by	D M CADD
	Print name				Signature
Examined by	M FELLOWES
	Print name				Signature

Long Buckby CC

Annual accounts review

Feb 2021

Review notes -

I can confirm that I have reviewed the accounts platform with access approved by David Cadd and carried out the annual review (2019/ 2020) of the L B C C financial information.

Clearly Covid has had a major impact on LBCC and life in general for approaching a year now which has contributed to the late timing of this review and being unable to present it in person -

1. The transition to the ‘software based’ financial management and record keeping is now fully established and operating for all transactions and accounting functions, including cloud access for file sharing.

It has been suggested previously that this platform (or similar) be utilised further to provide a valuable digital record of non financial items such as H&S and maintenance. Given the voluntary nature of the committee this may prove valuable / helpful over the longer term. Un aware of a decision to capturing these element as yet.

1. A random sample of specific transaction’s has been examined to identify the appropriate records and an audit trail was evident via the system.

A point of note is that when looking at the ‘confirmation of payment’ details, whilst the bank details, amount and party being paid are evident, the nature of the service / work is not. It was not evident where this detail is captured / accessed?

1. The previously recommended amendments to the presentation of accounts have been adopted which is helpful. A further comment is that the ‘ Total Monthly Hire Income ’ total appears to include all the donations and non hire income which is perhaps misleading.

The total for the year shows c- £23, 470, of which, actually £19,700 is from interest, grants and donations and the remainder is C- £3,750. Whilst Covid has seriously effected hire income having a true representation of actual hire income ( V non hire income) will be important when assessing trading and costs.

1. Clearly this years accounts show the dramatic negative effect on trading of the Covid pandemic. The income breakdown reflects this as follows-

2. Prior year income was c£61,500 with c- £30k hire income, however whilst this years total income is similar (£62,500) the breakdown is c- £19k bank deposits, c-£20,000 grants / donations and hire income dropping to c- £3,750.

The Covid impact has directly effected the hire income from the two main users (EF & WRAP) who provided a hire income of c- £11,500 last year. The implications of their ability / desire to return to hire the hall at the same level post Covid restrictions will need to be assessed. For example EF having established an active on line presence which may prove popular and financially attractive could drastically reduce the need for face to face classes at the hall. Also a local village hall has seen its long standing Pre school close permanently due to Covid.

Year on year costs have not followed the fall in hire income directly. Whilst some of this is to be expected due to the nature and balance of fixed costs. A greater focus may be needed to assess ongoing costs in light of the dramatically reduced revenue.

A few observations -

Project costs (£7,600) are at c 50% of prior year spend levels enabling some important improvements to be completed and project funds held at bank are at c- £20k which provides a useful ‘buffer’, partly boosted by grant receipts.

Long Buckby CC

Annual accounts review

Feb 2021

Maintenance spend at c- £1,170 are similar to prior year and perhaps reflects the opportunity to carry out works whilst the hall is un used.

Electricity shows a refund of £565 in Feb 20 and sizeable fall from prior year, £3,300 down to £1,900, which is to be expected reflecting lower usage levels.

Water, having raised the apparent low level of costs previously in the accounts this now appears to have been corrected with a large bill in Feb 20 of £750 and through to Sept 20 more realistic monthly costs being shown instead of the previous £8.50 / month.

Gas, this cost does not reflect the fall in use of the hall, unlike electricity, costs are similar this year to last year at c- £2,450. A drop in monthly consumption may have been expected expected from May 2020? Checking meter readings may be advisable.

BT, these costs at c- £1,700 are slightly higher than last year. Quarterly charges are showing at c- £420 which might suggest the years cost is high and may be worth investigating . If this amount is correct at over £100/ month, a better deal may be attainable.

Waste & Cleaning, costs are showing a healthy fall from prior year (some 30%) and some credit notes may also be due. Given the reduced level of activity at the hall it may be worth looking into other cost saving / service level reductions that can be accommodated to save costs.

Lift, cost levels are at £2,740 are higher than last year, has there been a change of supplier and or service level?

An assessment of likely underlying hire revenues as we move out of Covid restrictions sometime later this year will be worthwhile. This coupled with a likely cessation of DDC/ government Covid grants will also impact future income levels.

To highlight this, the run rate of costs from May to Sep 2020 (Covid impact) was running at 400% of monthly income rate. The rate for the year with the mix of Covid impact and grants was 140% which reflects an unsustainable long term position.

1. As raised previously, the government continues to highlight its ‘green agenda’ and the need for UK PLC to ‘ramp up’ the move away from fossil fuels. This may well lead to public use buildings having to adopt more efficient forms of energy use. Therefor keeping a close eye on developments may prove worthwhile, it may also be that government grants or incentives are made available which may be of use to LBCC.

2. As raised previously, the long term impact of Covid on costs and hire income may also emphasis the need to have a ‘life cycle’ fund review which ensure adequate funds are planned for key life cycle items likely to be needed at the hall into the future.

Mike Fellowes