**Milborne Port Village Hall – Annual Report 2025** _**Cllr. Chris Phillips, Chair of the Village Hall Committee chair@milborneportvillagehall.org.uk**_
The new Committee took charge on 17[th] June 2024 after the previous trustees stood down and were replaced by the corporate body of the Parish Council. This Village Hall Committee oversees the strategic management of the Village Hall. Chris Sheeran, who joined us in April last year, oversees the day-to-day, week-to-week running of the Village Hall and has been doing a fantastic job. There have been several new Committee members, including Jimmy Flynn, who has worked with Chris Sheeran to upgrade and streamline the website. Further new members would be very welcome.
So, at the beginning of our taking charge, there was a period of consolidation - getting to know how the Hall operated and assessing what improvements were needed. We were able to act quickly: to clean all of the windows and to terminate the Biffa bin contract due to cost and litter-tipping. A further early project was the replacing of the rotten timber fire-escape doors in the Committee Room which have now been replaced with PVCu frames and doors.
We then caried out a consolidation of the internal and external locking systems, replacing the locks to nine internal doors, all now suited – one key for all relevant doors. The front door lock was also upgraded; the locks have been confirmed as being in accordance with insurance requirements.
Chris has negotiated a very competitive deal with a new electricity supplier, but we continue to monitor usage and look to ways of reducing waste. PAT testing of appliances has recently been carried out and is now recorded.
A fire safety risk report was commissioned last year and since receiving the report, all recommendations have been acted upon, for example, signage has been replaced or improved as required. A structure for weekly alarm tests has been put in place; the fire extinguishers have, as they always have been, tested. The emergency light has been attended to when required.
Late last year, the Parish Council provided the Village Hall with a grit bin, located in the Car Park, together with bags of grit.
In recent months, a new floor polisher has been purchased, the old one being very difficult to lift or manoeuvre by members of the team.
The number of bookings has improved immeasurably in the last half of the year; indeed, not only just the booking, but also the number of organisations that are now using the Hall’s facilities; for instance, Chris has reported a considerable increase in the number of birthday parties being held in the Hall.
The film nights have continued to be popular and will continue later in the year. A recent gong bath was very popular and there is already talk of another session.
Future projects include: the upgrading of the ladies’ toilets with facilities for babychanging; the repair and redecoration of the ceiling in the disabled toilet following a recent check for leaks; a complete upgrade of the lobby and entrance area and improvements to the Committee Room, for which funding is required.
There are further improvement ideas being discussed for the future, somewhat influenced by the Long-Term Vision sub-committee of the Village Hall; this Committee would welcome new members.
## **Milborne Port Village Hall Charitable Trust**
## **Receipts and Payments Account**
## **1st April 2024 - 31st March 2025**
## **Barclays Bank Account**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Opening Balance as at 1.4.24 £5,821.61
Plus Receipts 1.4.24 - 31.3.25 £30,773.18
Less Payments 1.4.24 - 31.3.25 £25,354.18
Closing Balance as at 31.3.25 £11,240.61
**----- End of picture text -----**
## **Receipts**
## **Payments**
|Film Night
Floor Damage
Hire of Camelot Suite
Hire of Main Hall
Key Deposits
Milborne Port Opera
Other Receipts
Previous Financial Year|£1,021.59
£1,220.00
£4,881.00
£16,030.00
£300.00
£2,707.96
£1,960.13
£2,652.50|
|---|---|
||**Payments**||
|---|---|---|
|£1,021.59
£1,220.00
£4,881.00
£16,030.00
£300.00
£2,707.96
£1,960.13
£2,652.50|Bank Charges
Cleaners Wages
Cleaning Materials
Electricity
Film Night
Floor Damage
General Repairs and Maintenance
Insurance Costs
Internet Costs
Milborne Port Opera
Other Payments
Previous Financial Year
Replacement Door Locks
Waste Disposal
Water
Window Cleaning|£10.16
£6,836.63
£568.22
£7,058.80
£538.00
£1,320.00
£1,162.36
£1,059.20
£563.34
£723.86
£1,107.09
£1,725.45
£1,246.14
£491.98
£542.95
£400.00|
|£30,773.18||£25,354.18|
## **Virgin Money Deposit Account**
|Bank Balance as at 1.4.24
Interest Added
Closing Bank Balance as at 31.3.25|£18,213.11
£201.73
£18,414.84|
|---|---|
## **Earmarked Funds**
|Bequest Dr. H. Rhys-Davis
Bequest J.H.G. Raymond
Junior Badminton Fund|£119.61
£1,553.08
£525.00
£2,197.69|
|---|---|
## Milborne Port Village Hall Charitable Trust Financial Review
Date of Inspection: Wed 18/6/2025 Auditor: Mrs V. Jackson
Milborne Port Village Hall Trust Charity Number 277538
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity for the year ended 31st March 2025
Basis of the Independent Examiner's Report:
My examination was carried out in accordance with the general directions given by the Charity Commission in order to provide assurance to trustees that the charity's financial records are in order and that the charity is adhering to proper financial management practices. This included a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit and consequently no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fair view' and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination
That the accounting records and requirements are kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act
That financial statements comply with accounting requirements and accord with the records
Immediate Actions Required:
|Immediate Actions Required:|||
|---|---|---|
|**Issue found:**|**Resolution:**|**Who:**|
|Cleaners: No Self-employment
declarations on file
Currently at risk of tax, NI, pension
implications.|Self-employment declarations to be
obtained (back dated if possible) to
cover wage payments made.|Manager /
Treasurer|
|Cleaners: No satisfactory invoices on
file|Require issue of invoice before
making payment|Manager /
Treasurer|
|Sales invoice numbers are not
consecutive|Reason for this to be identified and
rectified. Failing which, monthly list of
missing invoices to be prepared and
authorised by Manager/Treasurer.|Manager|
Other Recommendations:
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Issue: Resolution: Who:
Sales invoices unpaid after 60 To be reported to Treasurer & Chair each Manager
days month
Electricity represents a high Meter readings be taken monthly; usage and Manager
percentage of Village Hall cost to be calculated and reconciled with
expenditure. direct debit payments. Treasurer to review.
Excessive use and anomalies to be reported
to Management Committee
Water as above but lower Manager
priority.
Electricity cost Electricity contract to be reviewed annually. Manager
No Asset Register To be compiled. Management
Committee
Policy and procedures to be • Financial reserves
reviewed • Internal charity financial controls
• Paying staff
• Trustee expenses
• Significant risks
Adequacy of reserves Review reserves annually. Set a minimum Management
reserve level Committee
Stock control Review whether stock control of purchases is Management
required – drinks, cleaning materials, etc Committee
Financial controls Review financial controls annually Management
Committee
Earmarked funds Investigate evidence for earmarked funds to Treasurer
clarify whether they are ring fenced or
whether they can be used for general Village
Hall expenditure.
Cost of running Village Hall Calculate approximate cost of running Village Treasurer
Hall for a week and how many hours of
bookings are required to cover this.
Compare to actual in monthly report (graph?)
to facilitate early warning of downward trend
in order that timely action may be taken.
Expenses All expenses to be authorised by Manager /
Manager/Treasurer. Treasurer
Job procedure for bookkeeper When time permits compile written job Management
role. procedure for book keeper role. Committee
**----- End of picture text -----**