2024-03-31-accounts

Lower Hardres and Nackington Village Hall Committee Accounts for year ended 31[st] March 2024

Trustees Annual Report

The trustees herewith present their annual report for the year ended 31[st] March 2024

Registered Charity Number 280691

Trustees/Committee Members

All committee members are trustees. The committee members who held office during the year are as follows:

Graham Brown Chairman Sean Bone-Knell Vice Chairman (temporarily stood down November 2022) Barbara Jane Grundy Secretary Brian Moore Treasurer ( resigned July 2023) Mick Wadey Caretaker Adrian Beaumont Committee Member Alison Mannering Treasurer ( June 2023 )

Structure, governance, and management

The Association has been set up under a deed of trust dated 14[th] March 1980, amended by Order of the Charity Commissioners dated 8[th] February 1996, as a trust managed by the Committee who have the authority to appoint the trustees. All committee members are required to retire each year and offer themselves for re-election if they so choose at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). The reelection clause does not apply to the position of chairman. Elections are undertaken by a quorum of committee members in general meeting. A quorum comprises two-thirds of committee members.

A maximum of ten committee members is permitted at any one time. In order that the committee can fulfil its objectives it is empowered to co-opt new members as needs be.

Objectives of the Charity

The Charity’s objectives, as set out in the Governing Document, are to maintain a village hall for the use of the inhabitants of the parish and the wider neighbourhood, without distinction of political, religious, or other opinions, including use for meetings, lectures, classes, and recreation, with the object of improving the conditions of life for the said inhabitants.

We exist to maintain and improve a modern purpose-built village hall in the parish of Lower Hardres and Nackington. This is available for use by the local and wider community for social events, entertainment, education, and exercise.

Financial Review and Projections

The 2023/2024 financial year we have been totally self-funded through 2023/2024.

We have observed an increase income from hires of around £ 6,500. At the same time expenses have remained high, with electricity costs increasing by 50%.

In the near-term we anticipate a further £5000 expenditure to maintain the trees on site, especially where these are adjacent to neighbouring properties and the highway.

This year we received a grant of £11,000 and were able to improve the acoustics of the hall We had previously received an £8,000 “Covid Recovery” grant, in order to encourage people to return to their previous sociable ways after the pandemic. We continue to use this money to help finance activities in the local community. A social sub-committee under our vice-chairman has so far organised a hog roast, three carol concerts, a Platinum Jubilee party, and a Coronation Party and planning for a D Day party are under way. Currently £2,675 of this fund remains. These social activities have proved popular,

Funding Strategy

Our broad strategy has been to grow our funds by generating a healthy operating surplus each year. In this way we can afford to undertake periodic improvements to the hall so that it remains an attractive venue for. Consequently, we plan to market ourselves more assiduously, primarily by refashioning our website and by advertising our facilities locally. We also need to position ourselves as a wedding venue since these events add significantly to our income. Though not central to our charitable purpose, wedding receptions help sustain the income stream which is vital for our continued viability.

Inflationary pressures, and the substantial rise in electricity costs, have prompted us to increase our hire charges in the forthcoming year. A small increase in hire charges should not be a deterrent to new hirers, especially since we believe we can still remain competitive relative to other halls.

Our plans to increase storage capacity at the hall have been postponed for the moment, primarily as a consequence of increasing building costs coupled with our uncertainty about how quickly we can replenish our cash funds in the near term.

Through 2024/2025 the Committee will be focussed on increasing the income from hires, attracting external funding, containing costs, and defining our spending strategy in the face of competing demands for project funding.

Insurance

The Committee recognise that it us under a legal obligation to protect the building and its users through adequate and appropriate insurance.

In April 2021 we obtained a Buildings Valuation Report from our insurers (Allied Westminster) which is indexed-linked and valid until 2026.

We increased our Contents insurance from £7,500 to £15,000 during 2019/2020 but may need to revisit this. Substantial public liability insurance is also in place, as is trustee indemnity insurance.

Our continued compliance with the terms of our insurance requires that

• Portable electrical appliances are tested by qualified personnel annually.

• The mains electrical installation is checked by a qualified engineer every five years.

• A Fire Safety Risk Assessment is updated annually by the Committee.

• Fire-fighting appliances are inspected annually under contract with the supplier.

• Our Risk Assessments are reviewed independently and updated.

• We operate a Covid-secure environment.

• We notify hirers of our Covid risk assessments.

Records and documentation are retained by the Secretary.

Hiring

Use of the hall is subject to a GDPR-compliant Hiring Agreement which must be signed by the hirer when booking. The hall has a Premises Licence, which dictates the hours the hall can be used, and is licensed by the Performing Rights Society for live and recorded music. We have a licence to sell alcohol within the hall which requires the hirers, or their nominees, to take formal responsibility for adherence to the terms of the licence. Any variation in conditions (e.g. to sell alcohol in the grounds) requires the hirer to apply to Canterbury City Council for a Temporary Events Notice.

We increased our hire charges in September 2023. This was intended to ensure that our income exceeded expenditure and that we could grow our funds for the future whilst still remaining competitive.

Policies and Procedures

To guide the Management Committee in exercising its duty of care to members the following policy statements have been adopted

• Health and Safety Policy

• GDPR policies and procedures

• Child Protection Policy

• Vulnerable Adults Policy

• Lone Worker Policy

• Fire Safety Policy

• Risk Assessment and Safety Review Policy

• First Aid Policy

Copies of these policies are maintained with the Secretary.

Acknowledgements

The committee would like to take this opportunity to thank all its members and volunteers for all their hard work during the year. Similarly, we wish to thank our regular and occasional hirers for their continuing support.

LOWER HARDResAND NACKINGTONVILLAGE H￿L Re¥15teredcharily no 2￿91 RECEIPISANDPAYMENT ACCOUNtS SECTIQN A.. Rtcolpis and payments 12 month5 1031 March 202A 2022123 UnrestrlEttd Resirlcte Total RECEIPTS funds lunds H&llHl￿-c1￿bs&soc1¢iIQs ILI.878 7,031 14,878 7,081 1.789 12,741 ,706 2.179 174 Comtnurrityevenis 1,789 Grants Insurantetialm ii,ooo 1.889 ii,ouo 1,889 TOTAL RECE￿1$ 34,757 1,789 36,586 23,800 PAYMENTS Repalrslmalnienancelreiuiblshmonts 7,248 7,710 7,218 7,710 6,769 1.506 1.600 65 21.270 6.720 3.448 1.320 1,780 In$uian¢e S8Thlc8srenderod OMlce&5undryexpans05 Canceilatlons Bioadband &websile PRSIPPL ExpeTrdbiuie8galns1 [￿StrIcted ￿8￿[5 Legal& prOfe$Sk)￿aIfeeS Donaiior 1,600 65 804 1,347 365 4,087 284 2,875 2.675 1,423 25 1,423 25 TOIALPAYMENTS NETRECEIPTSIPAYMENTS 27.472 7,325 2,675 30.147 fj,439 41,929 .18.129 Cashlunds-prloryear Ca5hlunds-Ihlsyear In¢reaselnfunds 50,466 56,905 6,4S9 68,595 -IB,129 Se¢rion B:Assels anii Llabiiiiies Nalwesieuireniaccounl 56,905 50,466 51gn<iuie'. Namp POs1￿D fi)aie C. 21,Jl4L Approved HtAGN dai¢d

Independent examiner's report on the accounts

Section A Independent Examiner’s Report

Report to the trustees/ Charity Name members of Lower Hardres and Nackington Village Hall Committee

On accounts for the year 31 March 2024 ended

Charity no 280691 (if any)

Set out on pages

3

(remember to include the page numbers of additional sheets)

I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above

charity ( “the Trust”) for the year ended DD / MM / YYYY31 March 2024 .

• Responsibilities and As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation basis of report of the 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 the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attention (other than that disclosed below *) in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

• accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or

• the accounts do not accord with the accounting records

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn 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:

Date: 6 January 2025

Name: David Peter Nicholls Relevant professional qualification(s) or body (if any):

Address:

Spire View

Street End, Lower Hardres Canterbury CT4 5NP

October 2018

1

IER

Section B Disclosure

Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight 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 .

October 2018

2

IER

LOWER HARDRES AND NACKINGTON VILLAGE HALL Registered charity no 280691

RECEIPTS AND PAYMENT ACCOUNTS

SECTION A: Receipts and payments RECEIPTS Hall Hire - Clubs & Societies Hall Hire - Single functions Community events Interest Grants Insurance claim TOTAL RECEIPTS PAYMENTS Repairs/ maintenance/ refurbishments Cleaning Utilities Insurance Services rendered Office & sundry expenses Cancellations Broadband & website PRS/PPL Expenditure against restricted grants Legal & professional fees Donations TOTAL PAYMENTS NET RECEIPTS/PAYMENTS Cash funds - prior year Cash funds - this year Increase in funds Section B: Assets and Liabilities Nat West current account Signature:

12 months to 31 March 2024 2022/23 Unrestricted funds Restricted funds Total funds Total funds £ £ £ £ 14,878 14,878 12,741 7,031 7,031 8,706 1,789 1,789 2,179 - 174 11,000 11,000 - 1,889 1,889 - - 34,797 1,789 36,586 23,800 7,248 7,248 21,270 7,710 7,710 6,720 6,769 6,769 3,448 1,506 1,506 1,320 1,600 1,600 1,780 65 65 788 - - 804 843 843 1,347 284 284 365 2,675 2,675 4,087 1,423 1,423 - 25 25 - 27,472 2,675 30,147 41,929 7,325 -886 6,439 -18,129 50,466 68,595 56,905 50,466 6,439 -18,129 56,905 50,466 Name Position Date

Approved at AGM dated

Page 3