ANNUAL
REPORT
2023/2024
INCORPORATING THE ANNUAL ACCOUNTS FOR YEAR ENDING 31[ST] JULY 2024
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EWCA AGM Chairman's Report Monday 4th November 2024
Ian Richardson, the Chairman, began by welcoming all the attendees, followed by thanking the Centre Manager's Michelle and Paul, the Volunteers, Members and Supporters. Ian continued to share his gratitude to the team of Holding and Charity trustees with a very special thanks to the Hon Treasurer Andrew Gardiner.
Ian thanked Andrew for his continued excellent financial expertise tackling the everincreasing financial demands to operate and keep our Community Centre functioning well. Later in the meeting Andrew will be explaining the need to address the inflationary increases with running this Centre since we met in 2023, now soon to enter in year 2025.
The Chairman reminded the meeting of the importance to our communities to have their Community Centre's including here in East Worthing. He acknowledged and noted the difficulties with people's lifestyles post COVID, generally making it far more challenging to retain and attract new members and groups.
However, the EWCA managers do excellent work and effort to bring to our Centre new people and groups. He reflected on the good news of the impact on the opening of the Centre once again concerning the shared car park now being available from the Range Store, no longer threatening and giving parking fines. This situation covered a period of two years affecting our Community Centre users.
We are always aware not to damage the business of our neighbours positioned next to us, in the Range Super Store. He thanked the Range for their Community support in 2024 and hopefully beyond in years to follow.
The Chairman was extremely disappointed and frustrated none of the three local East Worthing Councillors had attended the AGM. These local Councillor's had all been sent invitations giving a long period of notice of the AGM stating the date and time. Ian said he would speak with the Leader of Worthing Council in the morning explaining to her this is not acceptable.
Finally, the Chairman raised his continued concerns regarding the difficulties in how to gain and recruit new Charity trustees. He updated the meeting on news of his two Surfleet Transport and Historic Groups. He also gave details about the Council of Worthing and Adur Districts’ Community Centres and Associations.
Ian Richardson
Chairman East Worthing Community Association / Centre
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East Worthing Community Association Annual General Meeting
4 November 2024
Manager’s Report
Thank you for coming out this evening and for your continued support of the centre. It has been a good year with many new groups starting and a lot of parties with people re-booking for another event.
Maintenance of this nearly forty year old building is obviously ongoing and there have been a couple of bigger issues in the past twelve months.
Back in December, Southern Asphalt came to inspect a leak in the hall ceiling. On examining the building they also discovered that the lightening conductor at the front of the building had been attached through the guttering, causing a lot of water to run down the wall, which could lead to a damp problem. By February the guttering was blamed, as the water level in the guttering was high, due to the leaves from the overhanging trees, this was cleared a few months later.
The longstanding problem of the high level of water in the gents toilets, because of a blockage, caused the outside manhole to overflow in February. The council managed to clear some of the problem but the manhole in question couldn’t be raised. The blockage was towards the corner end of the building near the road, which is maintained by Southern Water, so they came out a couple of days later. Still overflowing another couple of times over the year, the problem was finally sorted in September when 1[st] Clearflow pulled out a piece of wood that had got lodged in the pipe! Extremely badly timed on the worst occasion, the manhole overflowed on election day in July when the centre saw around 2,700 voters visit the centre, with queues of people across the car park! We are hopeful that after spending two days thoroughly cleaning out the pipe and putting down a liner that it will be the end of the problem!
The trees outside Room 3 were cut down in June, giving more light but also more exposure when the pre-school are playing outside. In the summer holidays Paul covered over the side gate with wooden boards to give more privacy and security. The flowerbed under the centre sign is looking lovely all year round now thanks to Lesley, a local resident who enjoys gardening. It has made such a difference, we really appreciate all her time and effort on hugely improving the look of the outside and keeping it tidy.
A heat controller was fitted to the hot tap in the disabled toilet so that the pre-school toddlers can use it safely, also a mixer tap in Room 1 as the water was coming through far too hot.
The beginning of the year finally saw the QR codes for parking in The Range car park being used. Although some centre users were still hesitant to park there, late groups such as Colin’s Stroll class and Ian’s meetings running after 9pm welcomed the convenience. Not without problems though, the codes had to be changed to one only, instead of separate
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ones depending on the time of day, after some registrations weren’t registered on one particularly busy evening.
Events held at the centre are always varied! During the Christmas break KAPOW wrestling brought their fun fighting ring into the hall, where there was a good attendance and a promise of a rebook, when it doesn’t clash with other similar nights in the town. In March we hosted a divorce party, a film shoot for Netflix which involved a bouncy castle in the hall and the start of a regular Sunday evening modern jive dance. Red Balloon learning group joined our users, an organisation that is an alternative to school for children affected by severe bullying, mental ill-health or trauma. A local group based in Windsor Road, the teachers use our hall for PE lessons. Unfortunately two long standing groups left us around April, one being Becky from BAM Fitness who had run twice weekly classes for 14 years! So sad to see her go, but we then welcomed Chantelle’s Zumba and Fitness to replace one of the sessions. Luckily another group, ‘Everyone Health’ filled the other time slot, an exercise class to improve strength and balance to reduce the risk of having a fall. Also Hartbeeps, a pre-school music class, left us due to lack of numbers after a three year stint. More recently, Tranquility Nails have booked a four month training course twice a week, with one day and one evening session. September saw the start of a new art class at the centre, always a popular activity, weekly on a Monday morning in the coffee lounge. So over the year a very promising new influx of groups which we hope will flourish.
Scamps Pre-School Christmas raffle raised over £200 and the summer one £118 for the children. Throughout the year monies have been raised by the sale of donated books and DVDS totalling close to £200. On the subject of funds for the centre, the phone contract has been changed to a fibre system, saving the centre £20 a month as there is no line rental
charge. The downside is the phone won’t work in a powercut, which was proved recently when the lights went out for about an hour! Also a new gas contract with British Gas Lite has secured the centre the best deal available.
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EAST WORTHING COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION (Registered Charity No. 276850)
REPORT OF TREASURER
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING – 4[th] NOVEMBER 2024
1. INTRODUCTION
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1.1 I have pleasure in presenting my 44[th] Treasurer's Report and the Annual Accounts for 2023/2024 for the East Worthing Community Association.
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1.2 This is always a particularly busy time of year for me. April and May are traditionally busy with the preparation of the annual tax return for the previous year due in April, the completion of the Annual Report for the Community Association for the previous year, plus the submission of the Annual Return to the Charity Commissioners which was due by the end of May 2024. The Trustees were pleased to note that these were all completed and submitted on time.
2. STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS 2023/2024
- 2.1 The following paragraphs give a brief explanation of each account for the year 1[st ] August 2023 to 31[st ] July 2024.
Page 3 Community Centre Account Page 4 Community Centre Equipment and Centre Reserve Page 5 General Income and Expenditure Account and General Reserve Page 6 Balance Sheet Page 7 – 8 Independent Examiner's Report.
2.2 Community Centre Account (Page 3)
Employees - The largest single cost of running the Centre continues to be the employment costs of the staff at the centre. This is £51,034.47, an increase of £4,432 over the previous year. As stated previously, for the whole of this period, employees pay has been based on an average monthly amount calculated on 2019/20 pay uprated for changes to the National Minimum Wage. A welcome contribution towards reducing the cost of employment was the continuation of the Government's Scheme to relieve small employers of the burden of paying Employer's National Insurance contributions. This has saved the Centre £4,226.52 (2022/23 £3,842.34) in the tax year ending 31[st ] March 2024.
Total Expenditure on running the Centre has increased by £3,735 over the year. Much of this increase has resulted from the significant increase in Energy costs now totalling £10,936, up by 13% from the previous period and other increases in the overall operational costs in running the Centre.
Income - It is very pleasing to note the receipts derived from Centre bookings fees (£67,225.73), continued to show an improvement over the previous period. The net surplus from the Coffee Lounge (£1,784) was also an increase of £83 compared to the previous year. It is almost impossible to draw any meaningful comparisons but there is strong evidence from the increased receipts that the Centre is bouncing back to more normal levels of activity and usage.
The overall effect of the increase in expenditure offset by the increase in receipts, has resulted in the Centre producing a deficit of £3,239.28 compared to the previous year’s deficit of £2,623.02, excluding repairs and maintenance.
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2. STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS 2023/24 (continued)
This result is disappointing as the Centre should now be producing surpluses to maintain its viability for the future. The Centre is an ageing asset, with more and more items requiring maintenance, updating and even replacement. The cumulative effect of this needs to be managed and will continue to command the Management Committee's attention over the coming months and years. The Management Committee spends much time in discussing options for investment in the Centre to maintain or improve on its present standard of operation and condition.
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2.3 Community Centre Equipment Account (Page 4) - This account refers to the purchase of equipment which is financed over a period of time by an annual depreciation charge to the Centre Account. There were no purchases by the Centre during 2023/2024.
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2.4 Centre Reserve (page 4) - the costs of routine maintenance and planned maintenance works are charged to this account. These totalled £1,464.49 in 2023/24. The Centre Reserve now has a balance of £3,665.00 down from £8,368.77 in 2022/23. I have continually suggested that the Centre really needs to produce an operating surplus of between £4,000 and £5,000 each year to build up sufficient reserves to meet cyclical maintenance liabilities when they fall due. It is disappointing to note that this year, for the second year running, we have moved away from this target.
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2.5 Community Association's General Income and Expenditure Account (Page 5) - this account includes all transactions relating to the general running of the Association. In 2023/24, there has been no major expenditure and receipts from Affiliation Fees of £1,067.00.
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2.6 The General Reserve (Page 5) - the contribution from the Association's Income and Expenditure Account is carried here. The reserve includes the profit on investments for the year from the annual revaluation of the Associations investments (£12,108.57).
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2.7 Balance Sheet (Page 6) - this is a statement of the closing balances of the Association's assets and liabilities as at 31[st ] July 2024.
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2.8 Post Balance Sheet Events - I reported in paragraph 2.6 above the profit from the revaluation of the Association's Investments held by COIF (Charities Official Investment Fund) as at 31[st] July 2024. This is a much better position than expected as the value of investments during the year was influenced by the trading conditions in the world and home financial markets. The value of the investments as at 31[st ] October 2024 is £126,831.82, which shows a reduction in value of £819.19 from the July valuation as shown in the Balance Sheet and Accounts.
3. INDEPENDENT EXAMINATION OF ACCOUNTS
- 3.1 Under the Charities Act 2011 and the General Directions of the Charity Commissioners an Independent Examination of the Accounts has taken place. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. The Independent Examiners Report is shown on pages 7 - 8.
4. EXPRESSION OF GRATITUDE
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4.1 I would like to express my sincere thanks to all the staff and volunteers working at the Centre, and in particular to Michelle Smith and Paul Brooker who manage the day to day operations at the Centre.
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4.2 My thanks are also due to the Independent Examiner, Nick Sarjeant, for examining the accounts within the timescale required.
ANDREW D. GARDINER
Hon. Treasurer – 4[th ] November 2024
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EAST WORTHING COMMUNITY CENTRE
ACCOUNT FOR YEAR 1ST AUGUST 2023 TO 31ST JULY 2024
2022/2023
| £ EXPENDITURE 46,602 Salaries & Overheads - Manager & Assistants 0 HM Government Job Retention Scheme Grant 1,000 Accountancy/Payroll Expenses 8,989 Premises - Electricity 714 Gas 1,898 Cleaning 316 Business Rates 515 Waste Collection 1,125 Water Rates 3,173 Insurance 259 Security 0 Routine Maintenance - charged to Centre Reserve 973 Telephones - Rental/Calls 616 Entertainment Licences 1,057 Office Expenses 900 Miscellaneous 135 Depreciation:- Equipment 16/17 156 Equipment 18/19 225 Equipment 19/20 147 Equipment 22/23 £68,800 TOTAL EXPENDITURE INCOME 63,987 Booking Fees 475 Donations & Miscellaneous Income 15 Use of Photocopier 1,784 Coffee Lounge * (net surplus) £66,261 TOTAL INCOME -£2,539 Surplus / (Deficit) for period transferred to Centre Reserve Account COFFEE LOUNGE TRADING STATEMENT £ p 2,284 Coffee Lounge: Gross Takings (583) - provisions £1,701 Surplus for period* |
£ p £ p 51,034.47 - 1,000.00 7,522.39 3,413.56 1,739.19 155.94 670.80 1,105.99 1,743.19 163.07 - 1,286.17 1,451.64 717.20 24.60 135.00 - 225.00 147.00 £72,535.21 67,225.73 255.85 29.94 1,784.41 £69,295.93 -£3,239.28 £ p 2,531.68 (747.27) £1,784.41 |
|---|---|
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EAST WORTHING COMMUNITY CENTRE
COMMUNITY CENTRE EQUIPMENT ACCOUNT FOR YEAR 1ST AUGUST 2023 TO 31ST JULY 2024
| 2022/32 £ £ p £ p |
2022/32 £ £ p £ p |
2022/32 £ £ p £ p |
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|---|---|---|---|
| 1,146 Purchase of equipment, crockery, staging, 1,218.00 photocopier 735 Add: new purchases of equipment during year (listed) 0.00 1,881 1,218.00 Less: Depreciation- 135 Equipment 16/17 135.00 156 Equipment 18/19 0.00 225 Equipment 19/20 225.00 147 Equipment 22/23 147.00 - £1,218 £711.00 £ New purchases of equipment during year (listed) 735 Purchase of new Office PC and software £735 |
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| £ £ CENTRE RESERVE - FOR YEAR 1ST AUGUST 2022 TO 31ST JULY 2024 |
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| 11,358 2,623 - |
Balance brought forward 1st August Contribution from / to Centre Account |
8,368.77 3,239.28 - |
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| 8,735 | 5,129.49 * 1,464.49 |
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| 80 | Less: Routine Maintenance 1,010.53 |
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| 286 8,369 |
Less: Planned Maintenance Works (listed) 453.96 Surplus / (Deficit) for year |
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| £8,369 | Surplus / (Deficit) for year | £3,665.00 | |
| £ 168.00 285.96 |
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| £ | Planned Maintenance Works 2023/2024 | ||
| 286 | Southern Fire Alarms Annual Fire Alarm Service Southern Fire Alarms Annual Fire Alarm Service |
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| £286 | 453.96 | ||
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EISTWORThING COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION GENERAL INCOME 1110 EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT FOR12 MONTHS FROM1ST AUGUST 2023 TO 31st JULY 2024 2022123 INCOME 863 mbShIp and Affilialicfi Fees 1067.00 Donations 0.00 16 Inlei8St on Investments 32.37 £1,099.37 EXPENDrruRE 45 subscri.0nS SJO $CelIanecS 260.00 £345 £2fy).00 £534 SURPLUSIIDEFICITI FOR PERIOD CARRIED TO GENERIL RESI £839.37 140,664 Balance brought fcAward1st August £142,279.52 1,081 Piofft I (Lossl cm Revalualicfi of hveslmwls 12,108.57 ConlriEMionllDefictl from General AccnI £839.37 141280 Balance caiiied forward £155,227.46
EAST WORTHING COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31ST JULY 2024
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I'
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| 2022/23 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ p | £ p | ||||
| FIXED ASSETS | ||||||
| 14,014 5,000 |
Building Exension - Construction/Fees Less: Grant (W.B.C.) |
14,014.15 5,000.00 |
9,014.15 | |||
| 9,014 | ||||||
| 577 | Purchase & Installation of Storage Shed (net of grant) | 577.00 | ||||
| 1,218 | Equipment | 711.00 | ||||
| £10,809 | £10,302.15 | |||||
| CURRENT ASSETS | ||||||
| 114,723 | **Investments | 126,831.61 | ||||
| 2,545 | Sundry Debtors | 3,636.05 | ||||
| 264 | Payments in Advance | 118.19 | ||||
| 23,008 | Bank Current Accounts | 19,173.29 | ||||
| 480 | Cash and Stock in Hand | 292.25 | 150,051.39 | |||
| £141,020 | ||||||
| LESS: CURRENT LIABILITIES | ||||||
| 1,181 | Sundr Creditors Receipts in Advance |
1,461.07 0.00 |
1,461.07 | |||
| £1,181 | ||||||
| £139,839 | £148,590.32 | |||||
| £150,648 | NET CURRENT ASSETS |
£158,892.47 | ||||
| REPRESENTED BY: | ||||||
| 142,280 | General Reserve | 155,227.46 | ||||
| 8,369 | Centre Reserve | 3,665.00 | ||||
| £150,648 | 2022/23 | £158,892.461 2023/24 |
o.oo1 | |||
| £p | £ p | |||||
| Investment with Charities Official Investment Fund | 114,723.03 | 126,831.61 | ||||
| Valuation at close of business on 31st July(Previous Year) | 113,641.67 | 114,723.03 | ||||
| Less Cost Price of Investments sold | ||||||
| Change in value of investment in 2023/24 | £1,081.36 | £12,108.57 | ||||
| Reconciliation of Shares sold: | 0 | |||||
| Profits taken on shares sold in 2023/24 | 0 | |||||
| Cost Price of Investments sold in 2023/24 | 0 | £0.00 | ||||
| Prepared by: | ||||||
| Andrew Gardiner | ||||||
| Hon. Treasurer | ||||||
| . _ |
Audited and found correct: | "' � ; ._:_I Nick Serjean� Independent Examiner |
_ ..
Prepared by ADG
26/09/2024
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CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES
Independent examiner's report on the accounts
| SectionA | lndepend·ent Examiner's Report • |
lndepend·ent Examiner's Report • |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Repor to the trustees | ||||
| On accounts fr the year ended �i <-;�u'-' �-�L Charity no�,��io (if any) �-AC6 Set out on pagesI ' -------------------------- |
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| I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above | ||||
| charity ("the Trust") for the year ended | ||||
| Responsibilities and | As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the | |||
| basis of report | accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 | |||
| ("the Act"). | ||||
| I report in respect of my examination of the Trust's accounts 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 | [The charity's gross income exceeded £250,000 and I am qualified to | |||
| examiner's statement | undertake the examination by being a qualified member of [insert name of | |||
| applicable listed body]].Delete[ ]if not applicable. | ||||
| I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have | ||||
| come to my attention in connection with the examination (other than that | ||||
| disclosed below *) which gives me cause to believe that in, any material | ||||
| respect: | ||||
| • the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 |
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| of the Charities Act; or • the acco1nts did not accord with the accounting records; or • the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements |
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| concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities | ||||
| (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other | than any requirement | |||
| that the accounts give a 'true and fair' view which is not a matter considered as par of an independent examination. |
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 accounts to be reached.
- Please delete the words in the brackets if they do not apply.
Signed: I N' s��[l ] Date: j 2. 3 J i c} -�2..4! Name: N ~~I~~ 1c__k
Oct 2018
IER
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(if any):
Address: 2\ G Q A'- A '" � � clL�\, 1-J G
\J-..:J6�-1· S:�-� [s-1'-l, \ \ ~~{_~~
Section B
Disclosure
Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).
Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose.
N c:;:r-'\ "--l , .\i'-l G
Oct 2018
IER
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