Snodland Community Association —Treasurer’s Report — Year to 31st March 2022
The Association’s accounts to 31st March 2022 are herewith presented. As usual, the accounts have been independently prepared and scrutinised by Mr. T. Aylward, accountant of Boughton Monchelsea, Maidstone. The beginning of the last financial year coincided with the coronavirus pandemic, but as the year continued the operation of the community centre began to get back to something like normal. As a result of this and a couple of government grants worth £13,987, the surplus for the Association over the year increased to £15,397 compared to £8104 in the previous year.
Fundraising: until 2022 no income this financial year had been raised from this source, but after Christmas a quiz and Sixties Night were arranged. These were very well-supported and £1,860 was added to the funds compared to nothing in the previous year. Boxing and wrestling shows have taken place or are planned and these will raise extra funds by the provision of refreshments and a bar. Many thanks to those volunteers, who plan and organise these activities.
Centre Operation: the dramatic decrease in the amount of money raised from hall hire, which fell from a high of £51,541 (2019-20) to £8297 (2020-21) has been thankfully halted with this year’s figure rising to £34,880, an increase of £26,583. At the beginning of the last financial year, the country was still in the grip of covid restrictions, which meant that the hall’s facilities were barely used, but as the year progressed more clubs and groups returned. Although one or two groups did not survive the pandemic, the majority have and new groups have taken over their slots, so that at the moment the Centre is hosting a wide programme of activities. The opening three months of 2022 have been very healthy with more money being taken from regular groups per month compared to just before covid. If this is maintained, this year could match or even exceed the £51, 541 noted above.
The fees raised from one-off events, such as parties, began to get back to normal as the financial year progressed. The officers of the Association decided to keep some covid restrictions in place until the dawn of 2022. Children’s parties in particular have been very popular in both halls and feedback is always very positive. Adult parties have taken place, but not in such abundance, which meant that there have not been as many bars over this period. As a result of this, the decision was taken again not to charge the Downsview Bar Company their annual rent of £5000. Hopefully this will change over the next year.
The hire fees being charged for the Centre have not been increased and have remained the same since 2019. However, the hourly wage of all staff was increased to £10 in April 2022 to keep them above the minimum wage.
The increased use of the Centre as it emerged from the pandemic did, however, mean that more was spent on cleaning, maintenance and such services as dustbin collection, which at one point had been cancelled to save money. Increased usage also understandably saw electricity costs increasing from £2840 to £6,743 over the year. A new contract came into force in February 2022 and whilst it is at a higher rate than was being paid, it is fixed for three years and hopefully will protect the Association from the very high increases now being predicted. Even so, electricity continues to be a major consumer of the Association’s funds and all users should be vigilant and avoid wasting it wherever possible.
The Centre did find itself the victim of external damage over the year. This has been a very rare occurrence in the past, but there were several instances over the last year, either because of wilful vandalism or thoughtlessness. The popularity of the 3G pitch has meant that more people are passing the front of the Centre with footballs, which are sometimes kicked at the guttering, tiles or windows of the building, which either results in damage or ball marks over the windows. On another occasion, some drunken youths climbed onto the roof of the new changing rooms and threw tiles, causing £300 of expense. Such damage is frustrating as well as expensive, but is not really covered by insurance, which increased by £314 this year, which was more or less what we were paying two years ago.
As mentioned last year, water & sewerage costs continue to be a little muddled. The company which deals with sewerage disposal continues to overcharge the Association via direct debit and the Centre is too much in credit. This clearly needs to be addressed.
Downsview bar accounts are available for the year ending 2021.
community centre. The original changing rooms have not been used since the pandemic and the number of times that the new changing rooms have been used by the Sunday and Veterans teams has been very limited over the last season. The need for two sets of changing rooms is, therefore, questionable and perhaps once finances are straightened out again, a discussion needs to be had regarding how the space occupied by the old changing rooms can be best re-deployed.
Summary: Despite the traumas of the pandemic, the past year has seen the Community Centre emerging once more and fulfilling its vital role in the community. With the additional support it has received as well as its increased use, the Association remains financially viable with sufficient funds to meet all future commitments. However, as was highlighted last year, this is partly based on the volunteer work, which is done by the few and which keeps the Centre’s costs to a minimum. To continue in this way, more volunteers are needed urgently. Failure to do so may result in having to employ more staff, which would seriously affect the finances of the Association, or possibly even the viability of the Association itself.
Chris Howick (Treasurer)
SNODLAND COMMUNrrY AssoaATION AccouNfs FOR IHE YEAR ENDED 31" MAROI X122 and $yd on their behalf br. I cerdfythat the %tounts overleaf show a true and falr view of the Snodland Communty Associatiorfs afPdifS for the year ended 31 March 2021 and the Balance Sheet as at that date and are In accordance with the Ix)oks and ,.¥LTrJ4Q4 T.GAylward FAIA FMAAT Hon. Auditor
As at31 2ty22 146,098) 47.539 6244 14 11.83n {1.34 11.1951 (T17) 11 119121 15A97 &104 103S27 Ptyo1of1
13. 1YJ 51.n7 3129B 11.440) {1.4041 143881 14.7541 pwi r22431 16.7431 r13741 (J.ow) {581 14333) 113711 1261 3.1*1 P8p1141
EIID INCOME Hieher tmknr%fees LowerGrants Equal Rents Equal paypl)ne Lowergffts & lknnations AfvFundrnisi TOTAL 20441 LYPENDrnJRE H68herCaretskef W48es HigherSer¥i Hl8her Rates HiBher Insurarxe H6gheraeani Higher H(wJsekeeiMnB -57 -314 -3819 -131 Fl Hfj8her Repairs & MaintenaiKe Equal Le8al exper Hl8herAudft &ACcolal HigherStstThery Equal PthrUsl 115 49 HiBher Depreciatio -13148 15397