## **Lawrence House Museum**
**Charity Number 276656**
**Trustee's Report and Unaudited Receipts and Payments Account For the year ended 31 March 2023**
||Pages|
|---|---|
|Trustee's Annual Report|1-4|
|Independent Examiner's Report|5|
|Receipts and Payments Account|6-7|
|Statements of Assets and Liabilities|8|
|Notes to the Accounts|9|
## **Lawrence House Museum**
## **Charity Number 276656**
## **Trustee report for year ended 31st March 2023**
Charity's Address Lawrence House Museum, 9 Castle Street, Launceston, PL15 8BA
Principle Office: Launceston Town Hall, Western Road, Launceston, PL15 8AR
Name Of Trustees
Councillors following May 2021 election
Cllr H Bailey (Vice Chair) Cllr P Bullen - co-opted June 2021 Cllr J Conway
Cllr N Gilbert Cllr D Gordon Cllr D Green Cllr J Harris Cllr J Heaton Cllr B Hogan Cllr J Nancarrow
Cllr I Nolan - Resigned September 2022 Cllr P O'brien
Cllr L Penhale (Chairman) Cllr B Soanes Cllr R L Tremain Cllr M Young The Town clerk acted as secretary Buttons Accounting acted as Treasurer
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The curator during the year was Dr. Damon Dennis
## **Professional Advisers**
Bankers: HSBC, 18 Broad Street, Launceston, PL15 8AQ
Accountants: Buttons Accounting Limited, 11 Western Road, PL15 7AS
## **Governing Document**
9 Castle street was leased to the Launceston Town Council by the National Trust for places of Historic interest or Natural Beauty on 29th December 1964, and subsequently on 19th May 1992 for a period of 99 years at a peppercorn rent. The Trust Deed was drawn upon 22nd September
## **Trustee Selection**
The management, maintenance, repairs and fabric of the building and gardens are vested in the Trustee, Launceston Town Council. Town Councillors automatically become members of the Trustee body upon election or co-option to the Council, their Trusteeship terminates at the end of their term of office.
## **Objects Of The Charity**
The objects of the charity are the advancement of education by the provision of a public museum in the town of Launceston and its surrounding district
## **Public Benefit**
The Museum is open Tuesday - Saturday from the end of March to the end of October, but due to Covid and maintenance requirements it has not been open. There is no charge for admission, so anyone may freely access the collections. The Museum is a repository of Launceston's history; gifts are frequently made for the benefit of the community.
## **Management**
The Launceston Town Council, as tenant under the terms of the lease, is responsible for maintenance and repair of the building. The Trustees are responsible for the management and control of Lawrence House and garden and the running expenses. The Curator manages the maintenance of exhibts and other activities carrieb on by the Museum with a team of volunteers. The Town council has established a Lawrence House Trustee Museum Management and Liaison Committee to support the work of the Curator and the volunteers. The forward plan was reveiews in November 2019 and revised in 2021.
## **Museum Mentor**
Ms Mary Godwin has been appointed as Museum Mentor
Review Of Activities
The Museum was compelled to close to the public in March 2020 due to Covid, a global
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pandemic. A Programme of exhibitions had been planned for the forthcoming season. It was during this period that previously reported works required, accelerated with water leakage, collapsing plaster ceilings and wall, and damage to artifacts. It was planned that safe parts of the Museum could be used for activites during the Causley Festival.
Extensive works are being carried out at the Museum and they are being overseen by the Council's Estates and Properties manager and an appointed project manager.
In order to have a presence in the town during the repairs of the Museum, the Curator propsed to seek and find a suitable venue to open a Pop Up museum with changing exhibitions to keep the public interested and informed. The Merchant's house in the centre of the town was secured as a suitable venue and the first exhibiton was the North Cornwall Motor Club's Centenary Celebrations which had been postponed due to Covid. Then followd an exhibition of buildings in Launceston- prominent buildings of significance and interest, The Passmore Edwards Libarary, Lawrence House, the Hayman's building and Merchant's House to name a few.
A Victorian Christmas exhibition was next displayed in splendour, but due to another Covid lockdown, it had to be closed prematurely. The Pop up museum then moved into the larger corner position in readiness for the next summer exhibition.
The Curator's post was made permanent from April 2020.
## **Accreditation**
The Museum was awarded Accredited status in August 2009, and was re-accredited in March 2014. This distinction is awarded by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council. The latest reaccreditation application was submitted in line with the closing deadline of December 2019 but has not happened due to the Covid outbreak. A new application will be submitted for March
## **Memberships**
Lawrence House Museum is a member of AIM (Association of Independent Museuma), SW Museums Federation, Visit Cornwall, the SE Museums Group, Cornwall Museums Partnership and Tavata (Tamar Valley Tourism Association)
## **Funding, Reserves and Investment Policies**
The Museum does not have a reserves policy, nor an investment policy. Launceston Town Council makes an annual donation to enable the Management and Liaison Committee to deal with the day to day running of the museum. All monies received as grants, donations from activites, sponsorhips, covenants and from the donation boxes are used for improvements to displays and for the furtherance of the collections and management policy. The Museum also recieves income from the rent of a flat in the upper part of the house.
The Friends of Lawrence House Museum raise additional funds for the museum through a programme of talks, exhibitions and other events, and the sale of monographs. The Friend of Lawrence House Museum is a registered charity.
3
## **Risk Mitigation**
Annual fire inspections are undertaken and measured taken to implement any recommendations. A new fir alarm and security system is required and has been quoted for, but will not be installed until repairs have been carried out to the Museum.
The Museum is locked and alarmed. The alarms are tested annualy and the Curator and Town Hall hold keys.
Stewards undergo training for emergencies and all exits are clearly marked. The stewards' role is primarily the secutiry of the collections.
A Collections policy is in place.
The Building has a flat on the top two floors which is occupied by tenants, so it is not left empty.
## **Declaration**
I Declare in my capacity of charity trustee that the trustees have approved the report above and have authorised me to sign it on their behalf
Chairman of the Trustees …....................................................................... Date …........................
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## **Independent Examiner's Report to the trustees of Lawrence House Museum**
I report to the trustees on my examination of the receipts and payments account of Lawrence House Museum for the year ended 31 March 2023 which comprise the receipts and payments account, statement of assets and liabilities and the related notes.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the charity's trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011('the Act').
The trustees consider that an audit is not required for this year under the Charities Act 2011, s.144(2) (the 2011 Act) and that an independent examination is needed.
I report in respect of my examination of the charity's financial statements carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
## **Independent examiner's statement**
I have completed my examination. I can confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
- 1 the accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 130 of the Act; or
- 2 the receipts and payments account do not accord with those records; or 3 do not comply with the accounting requirements of the 2011 Act.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the receipts and payments account to be reached.
Buttons Accounting Ltd Prospect House 11 Western Road Launceston Cornwall PL15 7AS 21 November 2023
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## **Lawrence House Museum**
## **Receipts and Payments Account For the year ended 31 March 2023**
|**Receipts**
Launceston Town Council Grant
Cornwall Council: Small Business Grant
Other Grants
Donations
Donation Boxes
Rents
Gift Aid
Deposit Account Interest
**Total**
**Total receipts**
**Payments**
Repairs and Garden
Curator's Salary
Employer Pension Costs
Electricity
Water
Rent
Equipment and Display Costs
Printing, Stationery and Postage
Telephone
Website
Subscriptions
Advertising
Professional Fees
Travel Expenses
Computer Expenses
Bank Charges
Health and Safety
Sundries
**Total**
**Total payments**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**Total funds**
**2023**
**2023**
**2023**
**£**
**£**
**£**
25,000
25,000
-
-
-
-
2,175
2,175
558
558
3,150
3,150
-
-
146
146
31,029
-
31,029
31,029
-
31,029
181
181
19,050
19,050
390
390
10,646
10,646
588
588
6,000
6,000
2,899
2,899
539
539
424
424
864
864
989
989
833
833
600
600
616
616
890
890
71
71
-
-
-
-
45,580
0
45,580
45,580
0
45,580|**Total funds**
**2022**
**£**
37,353
-
5,000
1,000
182
5,400
-
6|
|---|---|---|
|||48,941|
|||48,941
538
19,084
1,430
4,871
566
3,500
1,053
422
-
6,853
781
104
1,821
714
1,035
17
41
5|
|||42,835|
|||42,835|
**Net receipts**
6
|**for the year**
**Cash funds**
**brought forward**
**Cash funds**
**carried forward**|-14,551
-
-14,551
43,510
5,990
49,500
28,959
5,990
34,949|6,106|
|---|---|---|
|||43,394|
|||49,500|
Approved by the trustees on 21 November 2023
And signed on their behalf by:
Chairman of the Trustees
21 November 2023
7
## **Lawrence House Museum**
## **Statement of Assets and Liabilities For the year ended 31 March 2023**
|**Cash funds**
Cash at Bank
Petty Cash
**Total**
**Assets retained for the**
**charity's own use**
**Total**
**Liabilities**
PAYE
Epson Lease
**Total**|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**Total funds**
**2023**
**2023**
**2023**
**£**
**£**
**£**
32,694
32,694
497
497
33,191
-
33,191
1,782
1,782
1,782
-
1,782
440
440
3,984
3,984
4,424
-
4,424|**Total funds**
**2022**
**£**
49,370
130|
|---|---|---|
|||49,500
-|
|||-
416
5,184|
|||5,600|
Approved by the trustees on 21 November 2023
And signed on their behalf by:
Chairman of the Trustees
21 November 2023
8
## **Lawrence House Museum**
## **Notes to the Receipts and Payments Account For the year ended 31 March 2023**
## **1 Basis of preparation**
The statement of account has been produced on a receipts and payments basis and is in accordance with the Charities Act 2011 and by reference by the Charities SORP where relevant.
## **2 Fund accounting**
Unrestricted funds These are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objects of the charity. Designated funds These are unrestricted funds earmarked by the trustees for particular purposes. Restricted funds These are available for use subject to restrictions imposed by the donor or through terms of an appeal.
## 3 **Taxation**
The charity is exempt from tax on its charitable activities.
## **4 Non-monetary resources**
The Trust has the benefit of the lease of the premises which is occupied for charitable purposes.
There are no rental payments made by the Charity for the lease.
## **5 Transactions with related parties and trustees**
There have been no transactions with Trustees or other related parties in the period of account.
## **6 Pension costs**
The charity operates a defined contribution plan for its employees. A defined contribution plan is a pension plan under which the charity pays fixed contributions into a separate entity. Once the contributions have been paid the charity has no further payments obligations. The assets of the plan are held separately from the charity in independently administered funds.
## **7 Number of employees**
The average monthly number of full time equivalent employees during the year was 1 (2022: 1)
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