Charity no. 290575 

## **Design West Report and Audited Financial Statements 31 March 2024** 



## **Design West** 

## **Reference and administrative details** 

|**For the year ended 31**|**March 2024**||
|---|---|---|
|**Charity number**|290575||
|**Registered office and**|16 Narrow Quay||
|**operational address**|Bristol||
||BS1 4QA||
|**Trustees**|The trustees who served during the year and up to the date of this report||
||were as follows:||
||N Childs|Chair until 20 July 2023|
||G Eddy||
||N Fairham|Appointed 20 July 2023,|
|||Chair from 20 July 2023|
||S Hilton||
||C Kwiatkowski||
||S Loyn||
||E Marco Burguete|Resigned 24 May 2024|
||C Mckeivor|Secretary|
||D Murphy|Resigned 25 July 2024|
||T Russell|Resigned 14 April 2023|
||H Salih|Resigned 26 February 2024|
||D Waterhouse||
|**Chief Executive**|Dr Anna Rutherford||
|**Bankers**|Natwest Bank plc||
||45 / 49 Broadmead||
||Bristol||
||BS1 3EU||
|**Auditors**|Godfrey Wilson Limited||
||Chartered accountants and statutory auditors||
||5th Floor Mariner House||
||62 Prince Street||
||Bristol||
||BS1 4QD||



1 



## **Design West** 

## **Report of the trustees** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2024** 

The Board of Trustees presents its annual report and financial statements for Design West for the year ended 31 March 2024. The financial statements comply with current statutory requirements, the constitution and Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019) – (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011. 

## **INTRODUCTION** 

Design West brings people together to shape better places. Over the past year the charity has continued to grow and develop, settling into our refurbished harbourside venue and building our programmes. 

Our public programmes of talks, tours and our award-winning education programme Shape My City, continue to grow in terms of audience demand and diversity. The ever-popular Stirling Prize lectures, sitting alongside events on nature, heat networks and urban swimming as we sharpened focus on designing for people, prosperity and planet. 

We piloted a new series of participatory public debates ‘Six O’Clock Sessions’ in our café-bar which brought public, politicians and professionals together, encouraging respectful and robust debate, in the context of an increasingly polarised world. 

The value of our work is reflected in the contributions of our volunteers who step forward to support and shape these programmes. In 2023/24 we valued this for the first time, with 213 volunteers contributing £68K worth of in-kind time and expertise. 

Again the charity expanded our regional work through Design Services. Impactful in ensuring better design outcomes for people, prosperity and planet; the programmes expanded from partnerships across the West of England, Exeter and Cornwall into Dorset and Torbay. A team of 160 of the best experts stepping forward to serve on our panels to shape a better built environment for everyone. 

More people visited our venue than ever before, and used our refurbished spaces for their own programmes, often aligned with the work of our charity, building a network of impact. 

In July 2023 we welcomed our new Chair of Trustees, with Nick Fairham (Chief Executive of BDP) stepping forward to commit his significant expertise, and passion to the work of the Charity. We thank outgoing chair Nick Childs for the support provided across seven years (2016 – 2023), during which time he oversaw a significant transformation of the organisation with the Director, Trustees & Team. 

It is testament to our outstanding team, board, collaborators, audiences, funders and supporters that the charity again recorded a year of growth, increasing our impact on the world around us. 

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## **Design West** 

## **Report of the trustees** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2024** 

## **1) OBJECTIVES & ACTIVITIES** 

The design of our built and natural environment has a profound impact on all of our lives on a daily basis. Our health and wellbeing, our economy and our climate is all dependent on the design choices we make. Everyone in our society is impacted by the quality of the homes we live in, by the design of our commutes and our communities, by the design of our schools, hospitals, our blue and green spaces, and the public realm we share. Globally, it is estimated that the built environment is responsible for 40% of carbon emissions. In the context of a climate emergency, Design West has a key role to play in advocating for sustainable architecture and design. 

Founded in 1996, Design West is a centre of excellence for design and placemaking. Our mission is to inspire the public, politicians and professionals across the built environment to design, better, healthier, places to live, work and relax. We learn from our heritage to build our future. Our objects are to advance education and research in, and to foster public appreciation of, architecture and its related disciplines. A registered charity; we put design and social value at our heart. 

Our programmes inspire, inform and involve people in the design of the world around them. We work across sectors and society to innovate, co-design and challenge. We are international and local, bringing the best people together to shape better places. We are collaborative, creative, expert, independent, open and visionary. 

We seek to achieve our objectives through: 

## • **Design Services** 

Our independent Design Review service supports local authorities and developers to shape better places across the South West. This service brings together the best international and national expertise to shape the design of developments for public benefit, raising the bar for architecture, landscape, and urban design, and promoting a culture of good design in the region. 

## • **Placemaking** 

We bring people together to co-design and vision great places. We collaborate with public and private sectors, engaging citizens with opportunities to influence the design of their place. 

## • **Public Engagement** 

Our world class public programmes inspire and involve. From the Stirling Prize lecture to environmental pioneers, and Bristol Open Doors, we engage audiences with the built and natural environment. 

## • **Education** 

We develop skills for the future. Our award-winning Shape My City programme accelerates the best diverse talent in partnership with schools, universities, local authorities and the private sector. 

## • **Strategy** 

From housing to the climate crisis, we address the challenges of today, working with local government to translate ambition into deliverable visions. 

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## **Design West** 

## **Report of the trustees** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2024** 

## **2) ACHIEVEMENTS & PERFORMANCE** 

During the year our activities reached over 500,000 people. 

## **Public Programme** 

Audiences began to return to our programmes post-pandemic: 

- 65,571 people visited our venue; 

- 3,502 people experienced our public programmes; 

- 2,254 attended our monthly talks, 153 people took part in workshops, 449 people attended architectural tours; 

- 192 bookings of our venue spaces for 4,571 people; and 

- 33 partner programme events at our venue. 

## **Digital Audiences** 

- 66,074 people visited our websites during the year (42,041 Design West & 24,033 BOD); 

- 14,095 people subscribed to our newsletters; 

- 26,845 people followed Design West on social media; and 

- >500,000 people experienced our work through broadcast, online and social media. 

## **Design & Policy Review** 

- 160 of the best cross-sector professionals served on our expert panels; 

- We conducted 104 Design Reviews of developments right across the South West 

   - 63 in the West of England (Bristol, Bath & North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire & North Somerset); 

   - 41 in the wider South West including Bournemouth, Cornwall, Devon, Exeter, Swindon and Wiltshire; and 

- We advised on improvements to >29,000 homes; to 11,027 school and university places; 877,300 m2 commercial space, 1,113 hotel beds, care homes, co-housing and sheltered living, a health centre, a stadium, 10 strategic sites, Bristol City Centre, three new neighbourhoods and a zoo. 

## **Placemaking** 

Our placemaking work saw: 

- 3 x final engagement workshops shaping the BANES Local Plan; 

- 1 co-designed Strategy for Young People’s Provision & Strategic Brief Sidmouth Youth Hub; and 

- • 100,000+ people again benefit from placemaking project The Green Way – using the new outdoor furniture and bike parking, or experiencing the murals we commissioned and experiencing the designed Lockleaze cycle way. 

## **Education, Young People & Volunteering** 

- 35 diverse young people from 21 schools across Bristol people joined our Shape My City diverse talent accelerator programme; 

- 100 students from UWE took part in Architecture Anonymous; and 

- • We worked safely with 213 volunteers in total across our public and placemaking programmes. The value of their contributions totalling £68,070. 

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## **Design West** 

## **Report of the trustees** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2024** 

## **PROGRAMME** 

Design West is a place where design, discussion, culture and communities converge. As a worldleading centre for design and creative placemaking, we enable everyone to actively engage with the built environment and architecture around them. Throughout the year we showcase the world’s most inspiring thinkers and practitioners from home and abroad through our public programme. This year we continued to slowly build back audiences. 3,502 people took part in our public programmes and workshops, with 1,805 people booking tickets for our core events programme, and 449 people booking onto 18 tours for Bristol Open Doors. 

## **National & International Talks Programme** 

In 2023/24 we featured keynote talks from national and international speakers addressing topics of global significance, from designing city heat networks & and the global switch to renewable energy, to human-centred social housing, the rise of AI, and how we stitch nature and urban swimming opportunities back into cities. We also partnered with RIBA to deliver high profile public talks in Bristol and Exeter. 

## **Highlights included:** 

- In April we looked at the regeneration of industrial heritage through the lens of ‘Battersea Power Station’. “How do you transform a 20th Century Icon of Industry into a 21st Century fun palace?” Project Director Sebastien Ricard (WilkinsonEyre) took us through London’s largest regeneration project. 

- In May Design West discussed the UK government’s plans for city-wide Design Codes. Cany Ash (Ash Sakular Architects) and Bob Allies (Allies & Morrison) ‘Can you Code a City?’. 

- As the health benefits of cold-water swimming become evident, and a generation of indoor pools reach the end of their lifespan, June saw Design West discuss the importance of designing swimmable blue infrastructure into cities. Architect Chris Romer Lee (Studio Octopi) gave the global perspective (Sydney, New York & Copenhagen). Heather Massey (University of Portsmouth) reviewed the scientific health benefits, Dan Anderson (Fourth Street) talked economics and the history of investment in leisure infrastructure and Jonny Palmer demonstrated the role of activism in placemaking with his successful campaign to permit swimming in Bristol Harbour. 

- What can we learn from the world’s most successful green cities? In response to the climate and ecological emergencies, our July talk saw us partner with the Landscape Institute on bringing nature back into cities. Landscape Architect Catherine Birkin (Director, LDA Design), Ecologist Mike Wells (Biodiversity by Design) and Urban Designer Mike Cowdy (McGregor Coxall) shared strategies and case studies from around the world, to a full house at Watershed. 

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## **Design West** 

## **Report of the trustees** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2024** 

- In September Design West worked in partnership with the Royal Academy of Engineering and Buro Happold to host ‘Switch’ a talk on the Built Environment’s transition to clean energy. Chaired by leader of the Green Party, Cllr Carla Denyer, we heard from policy expert Dr Iain Soutar (University of Exeter), Alasdair Young (Buro Happold), Julian Miller (Ameresco) and engineer Selene Molina (Vattenfall). The audience gained a valuable insight into Bristol’s groundbreaking City Leap heat network project, to remove 140,000 tonnes of carbon from the city in 5 years. The talk formed part of our Ingenious work with RAE to profile the role of engineers as #ClimateSuperheroes. We commissioned media interviews with engineers, to bring the programme to a wider online audience and hosted an interdisciplinary networking session after the event. Young people from our Shape My City programme attended the event for free as part of their development. 

- Social Housing took centre stage in October, as respected architect-activist Peter Barber shared his approach to providing high quality social and affordable housing in ‘Home’. Design West hosted a delegation from Exeter City Council and worked to bring housing commissioners, politicians, developers and small practices together to a networking session after the talk, with the aim of raising the bar for design quality. Politicians of all parties tweeted positively after the event, and we achieved further public benefit through an interview with Peter published online. 

_“Thank you for a great opportunity to talk about my work on social housing to a mixed audience including local councillors from across the South West. I'm keen for councils to be bold about the housing they build and to ensure that everyone has access to high quality housing. Events like this are critical for pushing everyone to do more_ !’ **Peter Barber, Architect** 

- In November, Design West partnered with Afrika Eye Film Festival to host an evening celebrating Diébédo Frances Kéré, an architect, activist and educator from Burkina Faso. Kéré was the first African to receive the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize (2022). Ann de Graft-Johnson (UWE), Shankari Raj (Design West) and Manu Maunganidze discussed Kere’s influence, impact and legacy to date. 

_“Design West  has done a brilliant job developing creative and artistic engagement with architecture over the last 20 years. It is an organisation that consistently challenges itself to innovate and excel, combining a passion for design excellence with a great track record for bringing people and places together.”_ **Phil Gibby, Area Director, South West, Arts Council England** 

- We strengthened our partnership with RIBA, and continued our regional programme (with support from the Creating Excellence Fund) through The Stirling Prize lecture. The Stirling Prize is the UK’s most prestigious architecture award, given yearly to the architect of the building thought to be the most significant for the evolution of architecture and the BE. The Prize marks a key opportunity for audiences to witness design excellence. As Designs West’s services expand into the South West, we are keen to build a culture of design excellence, bringing leading architects, architectural ideas, and project teams to regional centres, and audiences. In November 2023, Stirling Prize winner Alex Ely of Mae Architects spoke to sell-out audiences in Bristol (Arnolfini) and Exeter (Picturehouse). The events told the story of the John Mordern Centre, a beautiful, lowcarbon, residential and nursing facility to support elderly living without isolation. Sponsorship from Turley, RIBA and Avalon Planning and Heritage supported cross-sector stakeholder events to facilitate knowledge transfer and learning. 

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## **Design West** 

## **Report of the trustees** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2024** 

_“The RIBA were delighted to collaborate with Design West to bring the 2023 Stirling Prize winners to speak in Exeter and Bristol. The talks and conversation reached an audience not normally well served and the whole event was well received and enjoyed. RIBA look forward to working with Design West in the future to help ensure that people in the South West are engaged and inspired by the very best architects and architecture”._ **Simon Allford, RIBA President (2021-23)** 

- In February ‘Beacons of Light’ discussed the design and delivery of major cultural infrastructure projects. Featuring Bristol Beacon and Aviva Studios in Manchester, a 7,000 capacity venue that represents the largest investment in a national cultural project since Tate Modern (2000). Louise Mitchell, CEO of Bristol Beacon and architect Mark Lewis (Levitt Bernstein) described the renovation and rebuild of the Beacon, whilst Sheen Wrigley (Factory International/Avivia Studios) told the story of Manchester’s culture-led approach to regeneration, taking audiences through Ellen Van Loon’s (OMA) design. Many of the South West’s cultural leaders joined the talk, learning about architecture and regeneration. 

The capacity for our events programme was affected during the year by political protesting of our partner venue Arnolfini, as we transitioned events to Watershed. Risk was closely monitored by the CEO and trustees. 

## **6’O’Clock Sessions** 

Debate is a critical part of democracy, but very few opportunities exist for people to openly discuss how the Built Environment impacts our lives. In 2023 Design West took a step forward in our programmes with the creation of the 6’O’Clock Sessions - a place where public, politicians and professionals come together to debate the future of our cities. Home to informed civic debate, the sessions are participatory in nature. Different opinions are welcome, heard and respectfully challenged. Guest contributors sit amongst the audience, and microphones are passed democratically around the room. 

Created by our Director in collaboration, the 6’O’Clock sessions are co-ordinated by a small team of volunteers, early career professionals and lecturers. In 2023/24 the programming team were Dr Rutherford, Keiron Stephens (Autor Architects), Josie Stephens (APG Architects), Fidel Miraz (UWE Bristol) and Darby Georgeson (Design West). 

A huge success, the sessions addressed topical debates including Hostile Cities, Tall Buildings, Goodbye Greenbelt, Conserve or Destroy?, What is Beauty? and Rethinking Housing. Each event featured four contributors with a perspective from across the built environment, charity, research, and community sectors, and a chair who acted as both guide and umpire for the debates. Fire fighters, developers, conservationists and young people unable to buy a home, passionately debated the pros and cons of ‘Tall Buildings’. Wheelchair-users, BID managers, skateboarders and visually impaired citizens discussed their competing rights in ‘Hostile Cities’. Many of the sessions were attended by city council officers and councillors, who listened keenly to the discussions. We will seek funding support in future years. 

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## **Design West** 

## **Report of the trustees** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2024** 

## **Bristol Open Doors** 

In Oct 2023 we delivered a series of 18 tours (10 different experiences) across Bristol for Bristol Open Doors. 91% of tickets were sold, to 449 adventurers (including 31 children) who explored fascinating buildings and sites old and new, through the programme. Long term planning for the event has proved challenging as it relies on core public subsidy to underpin match-funding and sponsorship, Bristol City Council delayed the cultural funding decisions three times over 9 months, making planning very challenging. We have begun to plan a more sustainable model to enable tours to continue in future through our programme fund. 

Design West remains the only place in the South West for inspiration, information, and debate about the design of our built environment, and the impact of design decisions on environment, economy, equality and health. 

## **DESIGN & POLICY SERVICES** 

The South West of England is growing, with >100,000 new homes set to be built across the West of England Combined Authority alone by 2036. 

Design West support local authorities, public sector bodies, councillors, and developers to design high quality and more sustainable places. We help to ensure that the pressure for growth, does not compromise quality, and provide support to authorities that are often under-resourced, whilst giving developers access to the best interdisciplinary advice on design and placemaking. 

Building on a long history of bringing people together to shape better places, Design West runs an independent design review service across the South West. We now convene over 100 professionals that represent the best cross-sector talent in the region, with specialisms in design, housing, climate resilience and net zero, engineering, transport and active travel, landscape, heritage, accessibility, inclusive growth and placemaking. The expert panels provide independent guidance early in the planning process for significant development proposals. The Design Review process leads directly to design improvements for citizens and the environment whilst often adding value to projects. 

Our design review and policy support services continued to be in high demand. In 2023 we signed new agreements with Dorset and Torbay Council, and prepared to start work with Wiltshire & Plymouth to raise the bar for design quality. 

In 2023/24 we conducted 104 Design Reviews, up from 93 in the previous year, and finishing the year close to target. This included 63 in the ‘West of England’ area and 41 in the wider South West including Devon, Exeter, Swindon, Plymouth, Torbay and Dorset. 

Design West Design Review panels advised on improvements to >29,000 homes; to 11,027 school and university places; 877,300 m2 commercial space (including office, leisure and retail), 1,113 hotel beds; care homes, co-housing and sheltered living, a health centre, a stadium, four new neighbourhoods and a zoo. 

In 2023/24 we also began to support South Gloucestershire Council with design and capacity advice for their Strategic Sites as part of the Site Allocation process, working upstream of Design Review. The panels also reviewed policy and design guides for our LPA partners. 

8 



## **Design West** 

## **Report of the trustees** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2024** 

Our panel chairs for 2023/24 were as follows: Bristol, Cora Kwiatkowski (BSc AA Dipl.-Ing. Arch RIBA) and Jane Fowles (BA(Hons) DipLA (Hons) MA UD CMLI); BANES, Colin Cobb (BA(Hons) Dip Arch ARB), South Gloucestershire, Prof. Alex Wright (BSc Dip Arch MDesS ARB FHEA), North Somerset, Juliet Bidgood (MA Dip Arch RIBA), Exeter, Richard Rose Casemore (BA (Arch) Dip Arch (Dist) FRSA RIBA) and Yuli Cadney-Toh (BA (Arch) Hon Dip Arch RIBA), Dorset, Warren Lever (BSc Hons PG Dip UD MRICS IHBC) and Cornwall, Estelle Doughty and Frazer Osment (MPhil UD BA (Hons) LA CMLI). We continue to refresh and diversify our panellists to bring new critical skills and experience and to improve gender balance and diversity. 

We thank our chairs and all of our valued expert panellists for their commitment and contribution to this charitable work. Commendations also to Pippa Goldfinger and Julie Tanner for their work alongside our Director in leading the services. 

_“There's not a scheme that's gone to Design West that hasn't improved as a result. These are professionals at the top of their game.”_ 

**Chris Griggs, Principle Planning Officer, Bath & North East Somerset Council** 

_“The Design West panel has been invaluable as a critical friend casting a fresh eye on complex frameworks and masterplans.  The multi-disciplinary team combine professional expertise with sound local knowledge. The panel is always well selected to cover the specialisms required for the framework under scrutiny.”_ **Abigail Stratford, Head of Regeneration, Bristol City Council** 

## **Design Review Highlights** 

Key schemes reviewed during the year included city centre sites The Galleries and the final phase of Wapping Wharf in Bristol, a major new science park (Epic) in North Somerset, >2,000 homes and employment land at the new neighbourhood of Brabazon in South Gloucestershire, new homes at Bath Quays, >3,500 homes in a new garden village (Langarth) in Cornwall and a new Campus at University of Exeter. 

Notably the service has particularly supported developers to change their designs with practical interventions to create better, healthier places to live and work, through: 

- Prioritising active travel; 

- Improving biodiversity & landscape; 

- Improving the character & build quality of developments; 

- Guidance on designing for health, well-being & the creation of new communities (e.g. student accommodation & residential-led developments); 

- Supporting zero carbon strategies & sustainable transport; 

- Accessible & inclusive design; and 

- Design & viability advice for creating economically sustainable places. 

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## **Design West** 

## **Report of the trustees** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2024** 

_“Exeter City Council have found the Exeter Design Quality Group formed with Design West has helped drive up design standards in the city. The panellists convened by Design West combine local knowledge with national and international expertise. Working in collaboration with Exeter City Council, Design Reviews are pushing developers to deliver schemes that help the council deliver on its commitment to a Liveable Exeter.”_ **Ian Collinson, Head of Regeneration & Housing, Exeter City Council** 

_“Can you share my appreciation to the panel for their time & constructive advice. I have attended a few of these over the years & I have to say the conduct & approach taken by the panel was by far the best. I would encourage anyone to come & share their ideas with you_ _**.”**_ **Emma Geater, Associate Director, Crest Nicholson** 

## **PLACEMAKING** 

Our Placemaking work brings the public, politicians, and professionals together to shape better places. In 2023/24 we ran several placemaking projects. 

## **Bath & North East Somerset Local Plan** 

In Spring 2023, Design West were commissioned to support engagement work for Bath & North East Somerset Council on the developing Local Plan, ensuring that a range of voices inputted into the strategy. The approach built on the West of England Placemaking Charter. We convened a total of 10 engagement workshops of 20 – 40 people on the project through 2023, reaching >300 people. 

- Bath & Environs Officer Workshop; 

- Bath & Environs Stakeholder Workshop x 2; 

- Rural Area Officer Workshop; 

- Rural Stakeholder Workshops x 2; 

- Rural Stakeholders Keynsham x 2; 

- Young Entrepreneurs Workshop; and 

- Young People Workshop (Chew Valley High School). 

The resulting options document, received over 7,500 responses in BANES. This work was led by Juliet Bidgood and Jo Widdecombe. 

_‘It was a pleasure working with Design West on the Stakeholder Engagement for the developing local plan. The resulting options document, received over 7,500 responses, a really good level of engagement.”_ **Richard Daone, Deputy Head of Planning, Bath & North East Somerset Council.** 

10 



## **Design West** 

## **Report of the trustees** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2024** 

## **Knowledge Exchange** 

## **Exeter & Bristol** 

In October Design West supported a delegation of 20 Elected Members and Officers from Exeter to travel to Bristol to meet council counterparts, architects and developers to discuss housing delivery. The visit included site tours of high-density, residential-led developments and facilitated sessions around regeneration and best practice for public benefit. 

_“I wanted to thank Design West for a successful day in Bristol. We saw interesting high density brownfield developments & heard rare insights from the developers on their experiences and challenges. The presentation from the Bristol City Council Regen team was excellent & the conversations throughout the day were rich, extremely relevant and transferrable. The itinerary was great & really well thought through.”_ **Ian Collinson, Head of Regeneration & Housing, Exeter City Council** 

## **Esbjerg (Denmark) & Bristol** 

In April 2023 our CEO hosted a visiting delegation from Esbjerg (Denmark). 30 leads from the city’s planning and culture departments met their counterparts in Bristol City Council, with teams gaining an overview of each other’s work and approach. 

## **Christchurch Design Code** 

In 2023 we completed a Design Code for Christchurch Town Council, overseen by Christchurch, Bournemouth & Poole. The code provides guidance on allocated sites in the town and was developed by Design West Panel Members Warren Lever and Garry Hall. 

## **Sidmouth Young People’s Strategy** 

In May 2023 we completed the work to produce the Young People’s Strategy & Strategic Brief for Sidmouth Youth Club. 

## **Lockleaze Cycle Path** 

In May 2023 we also finished the installation of the co-designed works for Lockleaze Cycle Path, commissioned by Bristol City Council and designed in collaboration with young people. 

_“Design West has built relationships across the sector enabling them to form panels which act as a ‘critical friend’ to local authorities ensuring emerging plans and strategies meet the ambitions and needs of the communities they serve.”_ **Sophie Camburn, Director, Arup** 

11 



## **Design West** 

## **Report of the trustees** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2024** 

## **EDUCATION PROGRAMME** 

Design West is a national leader in place-based education. We inspire young people of all ages in the built environment, and open-up career pathways, intervening to provide valuable opportunities which many young people would otherwise not have. We believe that successful places of the future need a diverse workforce to design them. 

Our work is desperately needed by the sector. 1% of British Architects are black, 12% of UK Engineers are women, 5% of Construction Directors and Senior Managers are BAME. Only 7% of Directors, and 5% of Senior Directors in the Private Planning Sector are women. 

## **Shape My City (15 – 18 yrs)** 

Shape My City offers high quality careers development support aimed at girls and young people from BAME and lower socio-economic backgrounds, making a tangible impact on their lives, whilst working towards building a more diverse and representative built environment sector. 

_“Design West’s innovative Shape My City Programme is an essential initiative that empowers young people from diverse backgrounds to enter the built environment sector. Inspired by Stephen Lawrence, the programme is designed to tackle the lack of diversity in the sector, to identify & nurture young talent, so that in future our city is shaped by professionals who better represent the communities they serve._ 

_Built in partnership with Bristol’s schools, communities, world-class universities & companies, the programme builds confidence, skills & networks for young Bristolians. Designed for maximum impact, the programme gives young people a voice in live development happening across our city today, ensuring everyone can access the industry, & delivers two-way change in the companies that engage. As our city continues to grow & become more diverse, Bristol is proud to be home to this awardwinning programme.”_ 

## **Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol** 

**“** _Being part of Shape My City makes me believe I can have a real effect on our city, should I really try.”_ **Shape My City Graduate** 

In Summer 2023 our reinvigorated programme saw exceptional outcomes. 

Over 85% of participants reported growth in: 

- An increase in confidence; 

- Strength to recognise individual skills; 

- Confidence to influence change in their environment; 

- Knowledge of how to reach goals; and 

- Ability to communicate with authority. 

12 



## **Design West** 

## **Report of the trustees** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2024** 

Some of the student voices are captured below. 

**“** _The best thing about Shape My City was going to live development sites and learning about different companies!”_ 

**“** _Being part of Shape My City makes me believe I can gain the skills I need to get the career I want.”_ 

In Autumn 2023 we took on a new cohort of students, the charity went into school assemblies to further increase and diversify our intake. A record of 96 young people applied, with 35 students accepted from 21 schools, 80% of the students identify as BAME and 66% are female, 3% nonbinary. In Winter 2023 Shankari Raj went on maternity leave, and Rosy Jones an experienced architect and educator from AHMM covered her role on secondment. 

_“Shape My City lifts the lid on a number of key disciples that help shape the places we live, work and play.  Seeing the various cohort's engage with, question, and understand these complex topics helps to show that they have a role to play in the future of our cities.”_ 

## **Jason Ramlugon, Senior Architect, AHMM** 

Awarded a **special commendation** for the programme at the **2022 Thornton Education Trust Awards** . In 2023 Design West nominated programme lead Shankari Raj for **Individual of the Year** , Shanks won the award, presented at the Building Centre in London (Dec 2023). 

_“Shankari’s passion & enthusiasm for communicating all aspects of the built environment has made for an impactful and popular programme which is increasingly oversubscribed by both potential students & partner companies”_ 

**Inspire Future Generations Awards** 

We thank the organisations who signed up to take part in the academic year, namely AHMM, Arup, AWW, Buro Happold, Churchman Thornhill Finch, Dandara Living, FCB Studios, LDA Design, Purcell, Stantec and Vattenfall We extend our thanks to all the volunteer professional inspirers, young people and university students who give their energy, enthusiasm and skills to the transformative programme. 

_“The Shape My City programme is truly a guiding light in inspiring and empowering future generations, especially in providing invaluable opportunities to talented young individuals who might otherwise lack access, notably those from underrepresented socio-economic groups.”_ 

## **Victoria Thornton OBE, Thornton Education Trust** 

13 



## **Design West** 

## **Report of the trustees** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2024** 

## **Architecture Anonymous (18 – 23 yrs)** 

In partnership with students from UWE Bristol, we developed a peer-to-peer monthly event for students to build confidence in presenting their work, pitching and sharing ideas. Termed Architecture Anonymous, the event grew from a series of conversations with students who identified the need to develop confidence, and to do this in a safe and nurturing space. Design West offered space and audio visual facilities in the ground floor café-bar supporting the students with the concept, marketing and production of the event series. 

## **3) FINANCIAL REVIEW** 

2023/24 saw Design West again report another strong year, again the group hit targets and reported the highest turnover on record, nudging up to £1.11M as the organisation continued to build impact, despite a challenging economic climate for charities. 

The year was particularly strong for our charitable services, Design Services grew by 26% from £442K 2022/23 to £556K in 2023/24, as we partnered with more Local Planning Authorities to deliver Design and Policy Review work across the South West. Under times of austerity, LPAs see real value in working with a strong third sector organisation, to drive up the design quality of developments, to meet social, economic and environmental agendas. In the year our Director and Heads of Design and Planning Services worked to deliver two new contracts with Torbay and Dorset building on the additions of Exeter and Cornwall City Councils in the previous year. The charity continued to expand our services across the South West of the UK, in addition to retaining contracts across WECA and North Somerset. 

Our Design Services drives up architectural and design quality, promoting understanding of design with local authorities, and amongst developers and elected members, whilst improving the quality of the built environment for the public. Income is raised from both local authorities and the development and planning sector. 

We downscaled our placemaking work (£32K from £198K), as we focused on Design Services due to team capacity. The charity is uniquely positioned to support placemaking particularly for the public sector; in 2024/25 we will look to restructure the charity for growth such that we can support this work. Placemaking services sees the charity bring together politicians, professionals and a broad cross-section of the public to inspire and support these stakeholders to co-design and vision great places (centring great design and architecture in social, health, environmental and economic benefits). This work is primarily won through competitive tenders, and sometimes through direct commissions linked to existing service level agreements. 

Public programmes performed well in a UK context of challenging economic circumstances. Audiences continued to return to live talks and events, demonstrating the value of the activities. Our talks Box Office income has grown from 50% to 80% of pre-pandemic levels. Bristol Open Doors was downscaled as planned, given the funding climate, as we transition to a more sustainable event. Overall Box Office income was £16.7K, with a further £10.5K raised from sponsorship and small grants. 

We continued to gain strong sponsorship income for the Shape My City education programme, collaborating with top companies in the Built Environment Sector, and were able to supplement this with small project funding from the Royal Academy of Engineering. 

14 



## **Design West** 

## **Report of the trustees** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2024** 

Design West is a lean, efficient and dynamic charity. Currently we run our public programmes on a very small staffing budget, made possible by team working across multiple strands of work. Public programmes will always require an element of public subsidy. In recent years, given the context of austerity and reduced public funding, we have prioritised driving the growth of our services, above investing expensive resource in risk-heavy charitable bid-writing to support our programmes. Surplus from our services helps subsidise our programmes and we are building up a Designated Fund that we can use to leverage match-funding to expand our programmes from 2025. The charity will always seek to develop a healthy range of income sources and to think effectively about where to invest the team resource for maximum return. 

Core income (shown in the accounts as ‘Raising Funds’) from venue hire, rent and memberships grew by to £125K, largely due to increases in rental and hires income, as we worked our venue assets harder. 

Critically we outperformed our income target (+2%) whilst keeping expenditure tight (-5% target). Expenditure for the year was £1.04M, and we combatted rising costs across the board by renegotiating cheaper contracts with key suppliers for electricity, insurance, IT and waste. Design West seeks to obtain value for money across all areas of our work, with regular cost reviews, and careful procurement, whilst being a fair employer. 

The Trading Arm of the charity was established in September 2022. The Trading Arm operates the café-bar, and services venue hires and associated catering. 2023/24 represents the first full year of independent trading. The trading arm finished on a year deficit of -£20.8K. Whilst income continues to grow for the new business, the hospitality sector requires control of tight margins. The Directors took action in Quarter 4 to performance manage the leadership and restructure the team to ensure better cost control moving forwards. The Directors and Trustees also reflected on the relationship between the two entities tweaking the model for 24/25 to better financially reflect arrangements. The trustees of the parent charity will monitor this risk. 

The trustees recognise that several benefits of the Trading Arm are not captured in the finances. In 2023/24 Design West had over 60,000 visitors to our venue, with the vast majority of this footfall driven by The Architect; the space plays a key role in hosting public programme, debates, learning sessions with UWE students, exhibitions and book events through the year, and is a meeting place, enabling knowledge exchange in architecture and design; the Design West Trading team service charitable activity (managing the logistics of design review sessions, space hires, and catering for partner programmes) for the parent charity. Governance will keep this model under review. 

Salary Costs finished the year below budget, but increased to £420K (Trading Arm £170K) from £350K, the rise is a combination of planned team growth and inflation. Like all charities postpandemic, the organisation is experiencing pressure to recruit and retain talented staff in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis and high inflation. In 2023/24 the charity implemented 5% salary rises to all staff, and introduced a performance-related bonus scheme to help retain and reward talent. 

Overall Design West is pleased to report an in-year surplus of £67.5K, enabling the trustees to invest in some critical designated funds for the future, and allowing the charity to build reserves commensurate with our size. Total charity funds are £1,536,414. 

Restricted reserves are at £29,812 this includes £9,456 left in the three-year Creating Excellence Fund for regional work, £20,000 held for a commission in Temple Quarter and small amounts for Placemaking commissions. 

15 



## **Design West** 

## **Report of the trustees** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2024** 

Unrestricted funds total £1,225,100, which includes designated funds including the leasehold property (£638,069), designated cash funds of £220,000 and a general fund of £367,031. The general fund contains our unrestricted net current assets of approximately £288,381 (up £54K from £234K in the previous year) and tangible fixed assets of £78,650. 

The trustees have designated funds for projects where future spend is needed. This includes setting aside funds for Building Renovation (£60K), as the roof, rear render and lift have a limited lifespan and may soon need investment. Funds have also been set aside for Education (£10K) to safeguard Shape My City, as sponsorship may dip in the predicted recession. 

The charity has grown fourfold in recent years, and now needs investment In senior team to manage the next phase of growth, as we are limited by capacity. Designated Funds are therefore being set aside for organisational development (£80K) to de-risk this investment. We expect to make an appointment in 2024/25. 

As Public Programme requires ongoing investment the trustees have also set aside £70K to enable us to develop in-venue programme and a Festival of Design. This will be used to leverage further match funding over the next three years. 

The trustees are pleased to report a responsible reserves position leading into 2023/24, and a strong mix of income streams now supporting our activities. With clear leadership and the support of new and existing clients for our impactful work, we are confident in our sustainable future. 

_“Massive congratulations on a great day. I was most privileged to be part of it & enjoyed it all hugely. Your work is a total triumph, and the ability to continue the conversation in The Architect Bar after events  is truly inspired. I go around the country all the time & I have to say, hand on heart, I do not think any place in the UK has a better platform for growth than you.”_ _**Jackie Sadek, Urban Strategy**_ 

## **Risk Management** 

The board of trustees has considered the major risks to which Design West is exposed, and have developed a plan to mitigate exposure. These are reviewed quarterly, with escalation of any major changes between meetings. The board hold a live risk register to track and mitigate exposure to risks, and to take action. The team regularly discuss risk mitigation and feed into the register. 

The principle risks identified include, financial pressures on local government and the impact of recession on the built environment sector and design review. Design West mitigate this through maintaining quality of service, value for money, networking and increased involvement on a national level with the Design Network. The client base is geographically large, the charity has developed a range of income streams and has built strong reserves to help the charity weather short-to-medium term impacts of recession. 

With tight margins in Hospitality, the Trading Arm is also a key risk. The Trading Arm now has a repayment plan and will begin repayments in 2024/25. The Trustees of the CIO ensure that the risk is managed as part of the risk register. 

16 



## **Design West** 

## **Report of the trustees** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2024** 

Fraud and digital risk has increased, processes and training has been tightened by the team & is reviewed at board meetings. Although the charity received more scam attempts in 23/24, all were identified and averted. 

Finally the trustees recognise the need to invest in operational stability in a growing charity, creating new senior roles to manage growth, and retain existing talent. This will be addressed through a new three-year business plan, and operational review, alongside the development of appropriate staff benefits, training and performance packages. The trustees have set aside a designated fund to provide investment for significant development in 2024/25. 

Design West has stringent financial processes. Budgets and cashflow positions are carefully monitored throughout the year to ensure any risks are identified and mitigated at an early stage. Overhead and administration costs are reviewed annually to ensure maximum cost efficiency and value for money. We continually look for ways to maximise income and make efficiency savings without compromising public benefit or the quality of the offer. 

## **Reserves Policy** 

Design West’s reserves form part of the organisation’s strategic planning process informing business planning, budget and risk management, ensuring that the organisation remains sustainable, has the capacity to manage unforeseen financial circumstances and is able to invest in its future. 

The trustees have reviewed the reserves policy to a risk-based assessment which takes into account our income certainties and sources of income, compared to our fixed and committed expenditure. Following this review, the Trustees' agree that in order to weather variations in cash flow our free reserves should reach six months expenditure (£300,000) as a general reserve. In addition to this, the board have assigned designated reserves funds. At the end of March 2023 the board are pleased to report significant progress against our business plan. Unrestricted free reserves increased by £54K to £288,381 in the general unrestricted reserve fund (£367K), and £220,000 in the designated funds described above. The trustees will continue to balance holding strong reserves for the organisation, with the ongoing business risks, including inflation, talent retention, recession, and the cost-of-living crisis. 

The trustees believe that the current business plans make the business a going concern and are confident of a mixed income stream over the next 3 years. The organisation has a 125-year lease asset that will be used to generate increased revenue and has demonstrated valuable service provision increasing our earned income through our Design Review and Placemaking Services. 

## **4) STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE & MANAGEMENT** 

## **Constitution & Organisational Structure** 

Design West is a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO), the constitution is the primary governing document of the charity. 

The charity operates with a Board of Trustees who are non-executive and unpaid, and who meet quarterly. Over the past four years, Director Dr Anna Rutherford has been working with the Chair and the Board to make sustainable strategic change across the organisation, including developing the structure, finance and impact model, and the policies and processes of the organisation. 

17 



## **Design West** 

## **Report of the trustees** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2024** 

In 2022/23 after significant preparation, the organisation converted from a charity regulated by Companies House to its current more modern form, a CIO regulated by the Charity Commission. The trustees also changed the legal name from Bristol Centre for the Advancement of Architecture to Design West. 

In September 2022 the charity set up an operational trading arm to manage the functions of the café bar and venue, and to service venue hires. Design West Trading is registered with Companies House and is overseen by a board of Directors consisting of hospitality-specific expertise, a trustee from the parent charity and the Director of the main charity. The Design West Trading is bound by a Deed of Gift, a legal obligation to transfer all profits to the parent charity, Design West. The trading arm is run day-to-day by the General Manager, Leon Etchells (23/24) replaced by an Operations Manager – Café Bar & Venue, Jen Lester in April 2024. 

In July 2023 Design West appointed a new chair of Trustees Nick Fairham. The trustees would like to thank outgoing Chair of Trustees Nicholas Childs for his 7 years of service. Nick steered an exceptional period of growth, including renovation of the Design West venue, and key structural changes to the charity which leave Design West in a healthy resilient position for the future. 

Nick Fairham has significant sector and business experience. As chief executive of a multi-national company BDP, Nick is excellently placed to lead the trustees to support our next phase of growth. 

## **Future Development** 

Following the successful changes to the structure and name of the charity. Over the next 18 months the board of trustees plan to work with the new Chair and team to structure the charity for growth, and evolve the business plan. The trustees will naturally reduce in number, then rebuild around the new business plan. The board also plan to update the objects of the organisation (drafted 1984), to better reflect the needs of society today. 

## **Board of Trustees** 

Design West operates with a Board of Trustees who meet on a quarterly basis and have overall responsibility for: 

- Ensuring the aims & objectives of the charity are effectively achieved; 

- Providing strategic support to the Director & staff; 

- Agreeing the annual budget & ensuring financial best practice & resilience; 

- Ensuring by regular review the maintenance & implementation of policies, including Child Protection, Equality & Diversity, Finance, Health & Safety & Volunteers; and 

- • Building landlord matters. 

The Director and the Chair of Trustees meet on a monthly basis, to discuss progress, and work on strategic development. Project Working Groups are drawn from the Board of Trustees, and meet as required. 

18 



## **Design West** 

## **Report of the trustees** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2024** 

The trustees regularly review the composition of the board to ensure is has the skills and diversity necessary for continued good management and the financial success of the organisation. Trustee roles are advertised through relevant networks, and potential trustees go through an interview and induction process. 

## **Senior Team** 

The trustees delegate their powers to the Director for day-to-day management of the organisation, with support from the newly formed Senior Leadership Team. The Senior Leadership Team also maintain and implement the policies of the organisation. During the year the Senior Leadership Team was: 

Dr Anna Rutherford (Director) Pippa Goldfinger (Head of Design) Leon Etchells (General Manager, Design West Trading) Julie Tanner (Head of Design & Planning Services) Jenny Hayes (Head of Marketing & Communications) 

All staff roles are assessed and paid in relation to responsibility, skills and capabilities required. Roles are regularly benchmarked. In 2023/24 we introduced a new system of performance targets and reviews with the board of trustees. 

## **Trading Arm** 

The Board of the Trading Arm meet quarterly and have responsibility for: 

- Agreeing the business plan and annual budget & ensuring financial best practice & resilience; and 

- • Providing strategic support to the General Manager & staff. 

## **Networks & Memberships** 

Design West is a key member of the Design Network. The Director is a member of several leadership groups in Bristol. The charity is also a member of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations. 

## **Public Benefit** 

Design West has complied with the duty in Section 17(5) of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to public benefit guidance published by the charity commission. 

19 



## **Design West** 

## **Report of the trustees** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2024** 

## **Statement of responsibilities of the trustees** 

The trustees are responsible for preparing the trustees' report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102: The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). 

The trustees are required to prepare financial statements for each financial year, which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and the group and the incoming resources and application of resources, including the net income or expenditure, of the charity and the group for the year. In preparing those financial statements the trustees are required to: 

- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; 

- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP; 

- make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent; 

- ▪ state whether applicable accounting standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and 

- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation. 

The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and the group and which enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011. The trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and the group and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. 

The trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and financial information included on the charitable company's website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions. 

The trustees are members of the charity but this entitles them only to voting rights. The trustees have no beneficial interest in the charity. 

## **Auditors** 

Godfrey Wilson Limited were appointed as auditors to the group and parent charity during the year and have expressed their willingness to continue in that capacity. 

Approved by the trustees on 22 January 2025 and signed on their behalf by 


Nicholas Fairham, Chair 

20 



## **Independent auditors' report** 

## **To the trustees of** 

## **Design West** 

## **Opinion** 

We have audited the financial statements of Design West (the 'parent charity') and its subsidiary (the 'group') for the year ended 31 March 2024 which comprise the consolidated statement of financial activities, consolidated and parent charity balance sheets, consolidated statement of cash flows and the related notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102: The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and the Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice). 

## In our opinion, the financial statements: 

- give a true and fair view of the state of the group and parent charity's affairs as at 31 March 2024 and of the group's incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for the year then ended; 

- have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and 

- have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011. 

## **Basis for opinion** 

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the group and parent charity in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and the provisions available for small entities, in the circumstances set out in note 8 to the financial statements, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. 

## **Conclusions relating to going concern** 

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate. 

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charity's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue. 

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report. 

## **Other information** 

The other information comprises the information included in the annual report other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. 

21 



## **Independent auditors' report** 

## **To the trustees of** 

## **Design West** 

In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements or a material misstatement of the other information. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact. 

We have nothing to report in this regard. 

## **Matters on which we are required to report by exception** 

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 require us to report to you if, in our opinion: 

- the information given in the trustees’ report is inconsistent in any material respect with the financial statements; or 

- sufficient accounting records have not been kept; or 

- ▪ the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or ▪we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit. 

## **Responsibilities of the trustees** 

As explained more fully in the trustees’ responsibilities statement set out in the trustees’ report, the trustees are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as they determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. 

In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charity or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so. 

## **Our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements** 

We have been appointed as auditor under section 151 of the Charities Act 2011 and report in accordance with the Act and relevant regulations made or having effect thereunder. 

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements. 

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The procedures we carried out and the extent to which they are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud, are detailed below: 

22 



## **Independent auditors' report** 

## **To the trustees of** 

## **Design West** 

(1) We obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory framework that the charity operates in, and assessed the risk of non-compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Throughout the audit, we remained alert to possible indications of non-compliance. 

(2) We reviewed the charity’s policies and procedures in relation to: 

- Identifying, evaluating and complying with laws and regulations, and whether they were aware of any instances of non-compliance; 

- Detecting and responding to the risk of fraud, and whether they were aware of any actual, suspected or alleged fraud; and 

- Designing and implementing internal controls to mitigate the risk of non-compliance with laws and regulations, including fraud. 

(3) We inspected the minutes of trustee meetings. 

(4) We enquired about any non-routine communication with regulators and reviewed any reports made to them. 

(5) We reviewed the financial statement disclosures and assessed their compliance with applicable laws and regulations. 

(6) We performed analytical procedures to identify any unusual or unexpected transactions or balances that may indicate a risk of material fraud or error. 

(7) We assessed the risk of fraud through management override of controls and carried out procedures to address this risk. Our procedures included: 

- ▪Testing the appropriateness of journal entries; 

- ▪Assessing judgements and accounting estimates for potential bias; 

- ▪Reviewing related party transactions; and 

- ▪Testing transactions that are unusual or outside the normal course of business. 

Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. Irregularities that arise due to fraud can be even harder to detect than those that arise from error as they may involve deliberate concealment or collusion. 

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor’s report. 

23 



## **Independent auditors' report** 

## **To the trustees of** 

## **Design West** 

## **Use of our report** 

This report is made solely to the charityʼs trustees, as a body, in accordance with Part 4 of the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charityʼs trustees those matters we are required to state to them in an auditorʼs report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity and the charityʼs trustees as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed. 

## Godfrey Wilson Limited 

Date: 22 January 2025 

## **GODFREY WILSON LIMITED** 

Chartered accountants and statutory auditors 5th Floor Mariner House 62 Prince Street Bristol BS1 4QD 

Godfrey Wilson Limited is eligible for appointment as auditor of the charity by virtue of its eligibility for appointment as auditor of a company under section 1212 of the Companies Act 2006. 

24 



## **Design West** 

## **Consolidated statement of financial activities** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2024** 

|Restricted<br>Unrestricted<br>Note<br>£<br>£<br>**Income from:**<br>Donations and legacies<br>3<br>-<br>2,633<br>_Charitable activities_<br>4<br>Design services<br>-<br>556,049<br>Placemaking<br>1,806<br>30,695<br>Public programme<br>9,920<br>70,395<br>Other trading activities<br>5<br>-<br>386,543<br>Investments<br>-<br>48,661<br>**Total income**<br>11,726<br>1,094,976<br>**Expenditure on:**<br>Raising funds<br>-<br>474,583<br>_Charitable activities_<br>Design services<br>-<br>435,699<br>Placemaking<br>12,620<br>19,295<br>Public programme<br>11,708<br>85,291<br>**Total expenditure**<br>7<br>24,328<br>1,014,868<br>Net gains on investments<br>12<br>-<br>-<br>**Net income and net movement in funds**<br>8<br>(12,602)<br>80,108<br>**Reconciliation of funds:**<br>Total funds brought forward<br>42,414<br>1,144,992<br>**Total funds carried forward**<br>29,812<br>1,225,100|Restated<br>**2024**<br>2023<br>**Total**<br>Total<br>**£**<br>£<br>**2,633**<br>33,593<br>**556,049**<br>442,166<br>**32,501**<br>198,337<br>**80,315**<br>96,681<br>**386,543**<br>285,125<br>**48,661**<br>36,259<br>**1,106,702**<br>1,092,161<br>**474,583**<br>352,304<br>**435,699**<br>370,823<br>**31,915**<br>170,750<br>**96,999**<br>90,367<br>**1,039,196**<br>984,244<br>**-**<br>75,000<br>**67,506**<br>182,917<br>**1,187,406**<br>1,004,489<br>**1,254,912**<br>1,187,406|
|---|---|



All of the above results are derived from continuing activities. There were no other recognised gains or losses other than those stated above. Movements in funds are disclosed in note 20 to the accounts. 

The prior period has been restated to correct the split of property between fixed assets and investments. More detail is provided in note 22 to the accounts. 

25 



## **Design West** 

## **Consolidated balance sheets** 

## **As at 31 March 2024** 

|Note<br>**Fixed assets**<br>Tangible assets<br>11<br>Investments<br>12<br>**Current assets**<br>Stock<br>15<br>Debtors<br>16<br>Cash at bank and in hand<br>**Liabilities**<br>17<br>**Net current assets**<br>**Net assets**<br>19<br>**Funds**<br>20<br>Restricted funds<br>Unrestricted funds<br>Designated funds<br>General funds<br>**Total charity funds**<br>Creditors: amounts falling due within 1<br>year|**The group**<br>**2024**<br>**£**<br>**166,719**<br>**550,000**<br>**716,719**<br>**7,585**<br>**127,250**<br>**626,292**<br>**761,127**<br>**(222,934)**<br>**538,193**<br>**1,254,912**<br>**29,812**<br>**858,069**<br>**367,031**<br>**1,254,912**|Restated<br>The group **The charity**<br>2023<br>**2024**<br>£<br>**£**<br>201,211<br>**122,685**<br>550,000<br>**825,001**<br>751,211<br>**947,686**<br>7,371<br>**-**<br>118,837<br>**174,018**<br>517,609<br>**622,413**<br>643,817<br>**796,431**<br>(207,622)<br>**(207,703)**<br>436,195<br>**588,728**<br>1,187,406<br>**1,536,414**<br>42,414<br>**29,812**<br>800,193<br>**1,089,033**<br>344,799<br>**417,569**<br>1,187,406<br>**1,536,414**|Restated<br>The charity<br>2023<br>£<br>156,115<br>825,001|
|---|---|---|---|
||||981,116|
||||-<br>161,164<br>503,604|
||||664,768<br>(198,854)|
||||465,914|
||||1,447,030|
||||42,414<br>1,030,096<br>374,520|
||||1,447,030|



Approved by the trustees on 22 January 2025 and signed on their behalf by 


Nick Fairham - Trustee 

26 



## **Design West** 

## **Consolidated statement of cash flows** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2024** 

|**Cash used in operating activities:**<br>Net movement in funds<br>Adjustments for:<br>Depreciation charges<br>Gains on investments<br>Dividends, interest and rents from investments<br>(Increase) / decrease in stock<br>(Increase) / decrease in debtors<br>Increase in creditors<br>**Net cash provided by operating activities**<br>**Cash flows from investing activities:**<br>Dividends, interest and rents from investments<br>Purchase of tangible fixed assets<br>**Net cash provided by investing activities**<br>**Increase in cash and cash equivalents in the year**<br>Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year<br>**Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year**|**2024**<br>**£**<br>**67,506**<br>**42,892**<br>**-**<br>**(48,661)**<br>**(214)**<br>**(8,413)**<br>**15,312**<br>**68,422**<br>**48,661**<br>**(8,400)**<br>**40,261**<br>**108,683**<br>**517,609**<br>**626,292**|2023<br>£<br>182,917<br>43,867<br>(75,000)<br>(36,259)<br>1,262<br>41,013<br>40,097|
|---|---|---|
|||197,897|
|||36,259<br>(18,926)|
|||17,333|
|||215,230<br>302,379|
|||517,609|



The charity has not provided an analysis of changes in net debt as it does not have any long term financing arrangements. 

27 



## **Design West** 

## **Notes to the financial statements** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2024** 

**1. Accounting policies** 

## **a) Basis of preparation** 

Design West is a charitable incorporated organisation registered in England and Wales. The registered office address is Architecture Centre, 16 Narrow Quay, Bristol, BS1 4QA. 

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities in preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019) - (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102). 

Design West meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS 102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy note. 

## **b) Group accounts** 

These financial statements consolidate the results of the charity and its wholly-owned (controlled) subsidiary on a line by line basis. Transactions and balances between the charity and its subsidiary have been eliminated from the consolidated financial statements. Balances between the two entities are disclosed in the notes of the charity's balance sheet. A separate Statement of Financial Activities for the charity is not presented as the charity has taken advantage of the provisions of section 24 of the SORP. 

## **c) Going concern basis of accounting** 

The accounts have been prepared on the assumption that the charity is able to continue as a going concern, which the trustees consider appropriate having regard to the current level of unrestricted reserves. There are no material uncertainties about the charity's ability to continue as a going concern. 

## **d) Income** 

Income is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the item of income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably. 

Income from the government and other grants, whether 'capital' grants or 'revenue' grants, is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the grants have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably and is not deferred. 

Income received in advance of provision of design services is deferred until criteria for income recognition are met. 

## **e) Interest receivable** 

Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the charity: this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the bank. 

28 



## **Design West** 

## **Notes to the financial statements** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2024** 

## **1. Accounting policies (continued)** 

## **f) Funds accounting** 

Unrestricted funds are available to spend on activities that further any of the purposes of the charity. Designated funds are unrestricted of the charity which the trustees have decided at their discretion to set aside to use for a specific purpose. Restricted funds are donations which the donor has specified are to be solely used for particularly areas of the charity's work or for specific projects being undertaken by the charity. 

## **g) Expenditure and irrecoverable VAT** 

Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. 

Irrecoverable VAT is charged as a cost against the activity for which the expenditure was incurred. 

## **h) Allocation of support costs** 

Support costs are those functions that assist the work of the charity but do not directly undertake charitable activities. Governance costs are the costs associated with the governance arrangements of the charity, including the costs of complying with constitutional and statutory requirements and any costs associated with the strategic management of the charity’s activities. These costs have been allocated between cost of raising funds and expenditure on charitable activities based on the proportion of staff time as follows: 

||**2024**|2023|
|---|---|---|
|Raising funds|**52%**|44%|
|_Charitable activities_|||
|Design services|**33%**|34%|
|Placemaking|**3%**|10%|
|Public programme|**12%**|12%|



## **i) Tangible fixed assets** 

Depreciation is provided at rates calculated to write down the cost of each asset to its estimated residual value over its expected useful life. The depreciation rates in use are as follows: 

|Leasehold property|125 years|
|---|---|
|Office equipment|3 years|
|_Fixtures and fittings_||
|Bespoke fixtures|5 years|
|Other fixtures and fittings|3 years|
|Leasehold improvements|10 years|



Items of equipment are capitalised where the purchase price exceeds £1,000. 

## **j) Investment in subsidiaries** 

The charity has one wholly owned subsidiary, Design West Trading Ltd, (registered company number 14049103). The subsidiary is used for non-primary purpose trading activities. The subsidiary undertaking is valued at cost less any cumulative impairment losses in the charity's accounts. 

29 



## **Design West** 

## **Notes to the financial statements** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2024** 

## **1. Accounting policies (continued)** 

## **k) Investment property** 

Investment property is property (land or a building, or both) held to earn rentals. 

Investment property is initially measured at cost, including transaction costs. Investment property is subsequently measured at fair value at the reporting date. This method of valuation applies to all the charity’s investment properties. 

Gains or losses arising from changes in the fair value of investment property are included in net profit or loss on the face of the Statement of Financial Activities for the period in which they arise. 

## **l) Stock** 

Stock is included at the lower of cost or net realisable value. Donated items of stock are recognised at fair value which is the amount the charity would have been willing to pay for the items on the open market. 

## **m) Debtors** 

Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due. 

## **n) Cash at bank and in hand** 

Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account. 

## **o) Creditors** 

Creditors and provisions are recognised where there is a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due. 

## **p) Financial instruments** 

The trust only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value with the exception of bank loans which are subsequently recognised at amortised cost using the effective interest method. 

## **q) Pension costs** 

The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme for its employees. There are no further liabilities other than that already recognised in the SOFA. 

## **r) Accounting estimates and key judgements** 

In the application of the charity's accounting policies, the trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and underlying assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates. 

30 



## **Design West** 

## **Notes to the financial statements** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2024** 

## **1. Accounting policies (continued)** 

## **r) Accounting estimates and key judgements (continued)** 

The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised if the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods if the revision affects both current and future periods. 

The key sources of estimation uncertainty that have a significant effect on the amounts recognised in the financial statements are: depreciation (see accounting policy 1i), the split of the property between tangible fixed assets and investments (see note 12) and the valuation of investment property see (accounting policy 1k). 

## **2. Prior period comparatives: statement of financial activities (restated)** 

|**Income from:**<br>Donations and legacies<br>_Charitable activities_<br>Design services<br>Placemaking<br>Public programme<br>Other trading activities<br>Investments<br>**Total income**<br>**Expenditure on:**<br>Raising funds<br>_Charitable activities_<br>Design services<br>Placemaking<br>Public programme<br>**Total expenditure**<br>Net gains on investments<br>**Net income and net movement in funds**|Restricted<br>£<br>£<br>11,377<br>22,216<br>-<br>442,166<br>4,999<br>193,338<br>25,000<br>71,681<br>-<br>285,125<br>-<br>36,259<br>41,376<br>1,050,785<br>-<br>352,304<br>7,230<br>363,593<br>16,171<br>154,579<br>-<br>90,367<br>23,401<br>960,843<br>-<br>75,000<br>17,975<br>164,942<br>Unrestricted|2023<br>Total<br>£<br>33,593<br>442,166<br>198,337<br>96,681<br>285,125<br>36,259|
|---|---|---|
|||1,092,161|
|||352,304<br>370,823<br>170,750<br>90,367|
|||984,244|
|||75,000|
|||182,917|



31 



## **Design West** 

## **Notes to the financial statements** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2024** 

## **3. Income from donations and legacies** 

|**3.**<br>**Income from donations and legacies**|||
|---|---|---|
|Donations<br>**Total income from donations and legacies**<br>**Prior period comparative:**<br>Donations<br>Grants<br>**Total income from donations and legacies**<br>**4.**<br>**Income from charitable activities**<br>_Design services_<br>Service provision<br>_Placemaking_<br>Grants<br>Service provision<br>_Public programme_<br>Grants<br>Service provision<br>Sponsorship<br>Memberships<br>Events<br>**Total income from charitable activities**|Restricted<br>£<br>£<br>-<br>2,633<br>-<br>2,633<br>Restricted<br>£<br>£<br>-<br>2,216<br>11,377<br>20,000<br>11,377<br>22,216<br>Restricted<br>£<br>£<br>-<br>556,049<br>1,806<br>-<br>-<br>30,695<br>1,806<br>30,695<br>9,920<br>-<br>-<br>400<br>-<br>34,512<br>-<br>18,824<br>-<br>16,659<br>9,920<br>70,395<br>11,726<br>657,139<br>Unrestricted<br>Unrestricted<br>Unrestricted|**2024**<br>**Total**<br>**£**<br>**2,633**|
|||**2,633**|
|||2023<br>Total<br>£<br>2,216<br>31,377|
|||33,593|
|||**2024**<br>**Total**<br>**£**<br>**556,049**|
|||**1,806**<br>**30,695**|
|||**32,501**|
|||**9,920**<br>**400**<br>**34,512**<br>**18,824**<br>**16,659**|
|||**80,315**|
|||**668,865**|



32 



## **Design West** 

## **Notes to the financial statements** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2024** 

**4. Income from charitable activities (continued) Prior period comparative** 

|**Prior period comparative**<br>_Design services_<br>Service provision<br>_Placemaking_<br>Grants<br>Service provision<br>_Public programme_<br>Grants<br>Service provision<br>Sponsorship<br>Memberships<br>Events<br>**Total income from charitable activities**<br>**Income from other trading activities**<br>Café/bar sales<br>Sponsorship<br>Space hire<br>Service provision<br>**Total income from other trading activities**|Restricted<br>£<br>£<br>-<br>442,166<br>4,999<br>-<br>-<br>193,338<br>4,999<br>193,338<br>25,000<br>-<br>-<br>5,488<br>-<br>34,250<br>-<br>20,743<br>-<br>11,200<br>25,000<br>71,681<br>29,999<br>707,185<br>**2024**<br>**£**<br>**330,435**<br>**-**<br>**35,383**<br>**20,725**<br>**386,543**<br>Unrestricted|2023<br>Total<br>£<br>442,166|
|---|---|---|
|||4,999<br>193,338|
|||198,337|
|||25,000<br>5,488<br>34,250<br>20,743<br>11,200|
|||96,681|
|||737,184|
|||2023<br>£<br>256,194<br>250<br>21,218<br>7,463|
|||285,125|



**5. Income from other trading activities** 

All income from other trading activities in the current and prior year was unrestricted. 

## **6. Government grants** 

The charity receives government grants, defined as funding from Bristol City Council to fund charitable activities. The total value of such grants in the period ending 31 March 2024 was £1,806 (2023: £4,999). There are no unfulfilled conditions or contingencies attaching to these grants in 2023/24. 

33 



## **Design West** 

## **Notes to the financial statements** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2024** 

## **7. Total expenditure** 

|**Total expenditure**||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|£<br>Staff costs (note 9)<br>192,645<br>Recruitment and training<br>-<br>Cost of goods sold<br>148,500<br>Production<br>2,010<br>Consumables<br>10,298<br>Marketing and communications<br>2,562<br>Building costs<br>4,131<br>Office and admin<br>1,931<br>Finance and legal<br>13,574<br>Organisational development<br>-<br>Depreciation<br>-<br>**Sub-total**<br>375,651<br>Allocation of support and governance costs<br>98,932<br>**Total expenditure**<br>**474,583**<br>Raising funds|£<br>121,590<br>-<br>-<br>250,634<br>-<br>862<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>171<br>-<br>373,257<br>62,442<br>**435,699**<br>Design<br>services|£<br>10,031<br>-<br>-<br>16,312<br>-<br>420<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>26,763<br>5,152<br>**31,915**<br>Placemaking|£<br>43,368<br>215<br>-<br>15,426<br>-<br>15,719<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>74,728<br>22,271<br>**96,999**<br>Public<br>programme|£<br>52,162<br>5,138<br>-<br>1,351<br>-<br>10,486<br>32,153<br>22,598<br>18,264<br>3,753<br>42,892<br>188,797<br>(188,797)<br>**-**<br>Support and<br>governance<br>costs|**2024 Total**<br>**£**<br>**419,796**<br>**5,353**<br>**148,500**<br>**285,733**<br>**10,298**<br>**30,049**<br>**36,284**<br>**24,529**<br>**31,838**<br>**3,924**<br>**42,892**|
||||||**1,039,196**<br>-|
||||||**1,039,196**|



Total governance costs were £14,189 (2023: £10,117) 

34 



## **Design West** 

## **Notes to the financial statements** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2024** 

**7. Total expenditure (continued) Prior period comparative (restated)** 

|**Prior period comparative (restated)**<br>£<br>Staff costs (note 9)<br>141,358<br>Recruitment and training<br>-<br>Cost of goods sold<br>75,061<br>Production<br>49,210<br>Consumables<br>4,303<br>Marketing and communications<br>1,501<br>Building costs<br>6,292<br>Office and admin<br>216<br>Finance and legal<br>1,619<br>Organisational development<br>645<br>Depreciation<br>-<br>**Sub-total**<br>280,205<br>Allocation of support and governance costs<br>72,099<br>**Total expenditure**<br>352,304<br>Raising funds|£<br>107,837<br>-<br>-<br>207,520<br>-<br>456<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>315,813<br>55,010<br>370,823<br>Design<br>services|£<br>30,857<br>-<br>-<br>120,927<br>-<br>3,179<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>154,963<br>15,787<br>170,750<br>Placemaking|£<br>38,761<br>-<br>-<br>17,756<br>-<br>11,869<br>-<br>2,125<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>70,511<br>19,856<br>90,367<br>Public<br>programme|£<br>33,099<br>6,457<br>(1,916)<br>843<br>-<br>4,680<br>31,956<br>24,498<br>15,677<br>3,591<br>43,867<br>162,752<br>(162,752)<br>-<br>Support and<br>governance<br>costs|2023 Total<br>£<br>351,912<br>6,457<br>73,145<br>396,256<br>4,303<br>21,685<br>38,248<br>26,839<br>17,296<br>4,236<br>43,867|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||||||984,244<br>-|
||||||984,244|



35 



## **Design West** 

## **Notes to the financial statements** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2024** 

**8. Net movement in funds** 

|This is stated after charging:<br>Depreciation<br>Trustees' remuneration<br>Trustees' reimbursed expenses<br>Auditors' remuneration (excluding VAT)<br>Statutory audit<br>Other services|**2024**<br>**£**<br>**42,892**<br>**Nil**<br>**225**<br>**11,350**<br>**1,912**|2023<br>£<br>43,867<br>Nil<br>281<br>7,500<br>1,844|
|---|---|---|



In the current year, two trustees were reimbursed for travel and subsistence costs (2023: three trustees were reimbursed for travel and certification costs). 

In common with other charities of our size and nature we use our auditors to assist with the preparation of the financial statements and to prepare and submit returns to the tax authorities. Our auditors have also provided occasional bookkeeping support to the charity during the year. 

## **9. Staff costs and numbers** 

Staff costs were as follows: 

|Salaries and wages<br>Social security costs<br>Pension costs<br>Freelance staff|**2024**<br>**£**<br>**391,266**<br>**20,118**<br>**8,412**<br>**419,796**<br>**135,247**<br>**555,043**|2023<br>£<br>319,765<br>23,813<br>8,334|
|---|---|---|
|||351,912<br>112,022|
|||463,934|



No employee earned more than £60,000 during the current or prior year. 

The key management personnel of the group comprise the Trustees, Director, General Manager, and Head of Design. The total employee benefits of the key management personnel were £134,382 (2023: £128,833). 

|Average number of employees (headcount)|**2024**<br>**No.**<br>**21**|2023<br>No.<br>20|
|---|---|---|



## **10. Taxation** 

The charity is exempt from corporation tax as all its income is charitable and is applied for charitable purposes. The subsidiary company distributes any profits to the charity and therefore no corporation tax is payable. 

36 



## **Design West** 

## **Notes to the financial statements** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2024** 

## **11. Tangible fixed assets** 

|**Group (restated)**<br>**Cost**<br>At 1 April 2023<br>Additions in year<br>Disposals<br>At 31 March 2024<br>**Depreciation**<br>At 1 April 2023<br>Charge for the year<br>Disposals<br>At 31 March 2024<br>**Net book value**<br>**At 31 March 2024**<br>At 31 March 2023<br>**Charity**<br>**Cost**<br>At 1 April 2023<br>Additions in year<br>Disposals<br>At 31 March 2024<br>**Depreciation**<br>At 1 April 2023<br>Charge for the year<br>Disposals<br>At 31 March 2024<br>**Net book value**<br>**At 31 March 2024**<br>At 31 March 2023|Leasehold<br>property<br>£<br>265,566<br>-<br>-<br>265,566<br>175,373<br>2,124<br>-<br>177,497<br>**88,069**<br>90,193<br>Leasehold<br>property<br>£<br>132,783<br>-<br>-<br>132,783<br>87,686<br>1,062<br>-<br>88,748<br>**44,035**<br>45,097|Office<br>equipment<br>£<br>26,490<br>3,373<br>(1,368)<br>28,495<br>14,924<br>6,018<br>(1,368)<br>19,574<br>**8,921**<br>11,566<br>Office<br>equipment<br>£<br>26,490<br>3,373<br>(1,368)<br>28,495<br>14,924<br>6,018<br>(1,368)<br>19,574<br>**8,921**<br>11,566|Fixtures<br>and fittings<br>£<br>£<br>107,975<br>46,039<br>5,027<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>113,002<br>46,039<br>48,101<br>6,461<br>30,146<br>4,604<br>-<br>-<br>78,247<br>11,065<br>**34,755**<br>**34,974**<br>59,874<br>39,578<br>Fixtures<br>and fittings<br>£<br>£<br>107,975<br>46,039<br>5,027<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>113,002<br>46,039<br>48,101<br>6,461<br>30,146<br>4,604<br>-<br>-<br>78,247<br>11,065<br>**34,755**<br>**34,974**<br>59,874<br>39,578<br>Leasehold<br>improvement<br>Leasehold<br>improvement|**Total**<br>**£**<br>**446,070**<br>**8,400**<br>**(1,368)**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||**453,102**|
|||||**244,859**<br>**42,892**<br>**(1,368)**|
|||||**286,383**|
|||||**166,719**|
|||||201,211|
|||||**Total**<br>**£**<br>**313,287**<br>**8,400**<br>**(1,368)**|
|||||**320,319**|
|||||**157,172**<br>**41,830**<br>**(1,368)**|
|||||**197,634**|
|||||**122,685**|
|||||156,115|



37 



## **Design West** 

## **Notes to the financial statements** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2024** 

## **12. Investments Group and charity** 

|Investment property<br>Design West Trading Limited<br>**At 31 March**<br>**Investment property:**<br>Market value at the start of the year<br>Revaluation gains<br>**Market value at 31 March**|Restated<br>**2024**<br>2023<br>**£**<br>£<br>**550,000**<br>550,000<br>**-**<br>-<br>**550,000**<br>550,000<br>Restated<br>**2024**<br>2023<br>**£**<br>£<br>**550,000**<br>475,000<br>**-**<br>75,000<br>**550,000**<br>550,000<br>**The group**<br>**The group**|**2024**<br>2023<br>**£**<br>£<br>**825,000**<br>825,000<br>**1**<br>1<br>**825,001**<br>825,001<br>**2024**<br>2023<br>**£**<br>£<br>**825,000**<br>712,500<br>**-**<br>112,500<br>**825,000**<br>825,000<br>**The charity**<br>**The charity**|**2024**<br>2023<br>**£**<br>£<br>**825,000**<br>825,000<br>**1**<br>1<br>**825,001**<br>825,001<br>**2024**<br>2023<br>**£**<br>£<br>**825,000**<br>712,500<br>**-**<br>112,500<br>**825,000**<br>825,000<br>**The charity**<br>**The charity**|
|---|---|---|---|
||||825,000|



## **Investments in subsidiaries** 

The investment represents 100% of the ordinary share capital of Design West Trading Limited (company number 14049103), whose principal activity is to carry out trading activities in support of the charity. A summary of the financial results and position of trading subsidiary is given in note 13. 

## **Investment property** 

16 Narrow Quay, Bristol was transferred to the charity on 24 June 1997. The property was held as a tangible fixed asset and depreciated over the 125 year leasehold term. At this time, the building was used fully by Design West for operational use. In the year ended 31 March 2017 the building became a mixed use investment property. 50% of the building is recognised as investment property and held at fair value, with the remaining 50% held as a tangible fixed asset and depreciated over the 125 year leasehold term. On consolidation, the portion of the building occupied by Design West Trading Limited is reclassified as a tangible fixed asset, resulting in 25% of the building being recognised as investment property, and the remaining 75% held as a tangible fixed asset. 

An external valuation of the residential properties was carried out by Alder King LLP, chartered surveyors, in November 2023 and a fair value of £1,100,000 was reported. Unless advised to the contrary, the valuers assume that no work would is required to any building by a prospective owner or occupier to comply with regulatory requirements. Prior year valuations have been provided by the trustees. 

The trustees are satisfied that the valuation provided by Alder King Property Consultants was carried out by experts with sufficient relevant qualifications, and recent experience in the location and class of the property being valued. 

38 



## **Design West** 

## **Notes to the financial statements** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2024** 

## **13. Subsidiary undertakings** 

## _Design West Trading Limited_ 

The charity owns the whole of the issued share capital (1 ordinary £1 share) of Design West Trading Limited, a company newly registered in England and Wales on 14 April 2022. The subsidiary is used for non-primary purpose trading activities. All activities have been consolidated on a line by line basis in the statement of financial activities. Available profits are donated to the charity. A summary of the results of the subsidiary is shown below: 

|Turnover<br>Cost of sales<br>Gross profit<br>Administrative expenses<br>Loss on ordinary activities<br>Corporation tax<br>Loss for financial period<br>The aggregate of the assets, liabilities and funds was:<br>Assets<br>Liabilities<br>Funds|**2024**<br>**£**<br>**368,546**<br>**(160,808)**<br>**207,738**<br>**(228,551)**<br>**(20,813)**<br>-<br>**(20,813)**<br>**2024**<br>**£**<br>**13,462**<br>**(63,994)**<br>**(50,532)**|2023<br>£<br>119,110<br>(50,183)|
|---|---|---|
|||68,927<br>(98,647)|
|||(29,720)<br>-|
|||(29,720)|
|||2023<br>£<br>21,528<br>(51,247)|
|||(29,719)|



39 



## **Design West** 

## **Notes to the financial statements** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2024** 

## **14. Parent charity** 

The parent charity's gross income and the results for the year are disclosed as follows: 

|Gross income<br>Results for the year|**2024**<br>**£**<br>**791,306**<br>**89,379**|2023<br>£<br>992,802<br>212,636|
|---|---|---|



## **15. Stock** 

|Café and bar stock<br>**Debtors**<br>Trade debtors<br>Prepayments and accrued income<br>Amounts due from group undertakings<br>**Creditors : amounts due within 1 year**<br>Trade creditors<br>Accruals<br>Deferred income (see note 18)<br>Other taxation and social security<br>VAT<br>Other creditors|**2024**<br>2023<br>**£**<br>£<br>**7,585**<br>7,371<br>**2024**<br>2023<br>**£**<br>£<br>**122,737**<br>110,389<br>**4,513**<br>8,448<br>**-**<br>-<br>**127,250**<br>118,837<br>**2024**<br>2023<br>**£**<br>£<br>**51,783**<br>41,579<br>**31,799**<br>25,579<br>**97,190**<br>96,767<br>**6,734**<br>9,941<br>**33,707**<br>31,690<br>**1,721**<br>2,066<br>**222,934**<br>207,622<br>**The group**<br>**The group**<br>**The group**|**2024**<br>2023<br>**£**<br>£<br>**-**<br>-<br>**2024**<br>2023<br>**£**<br>£<br>**120,743**<br>110,239<br>**4,513**<br>8,448<br>**48,762**<br>42,477<br>**174,018**<br>161,164<br>**2024**<br>2023<br>**£**<br>£<br>**51,323**<br>40,946<br>**28,549**<br>24,379<br>**97,190**<br>96,767<br>**5,261**<br>7,255<br>**23,904**<br>27,441<br>**1,476**<br>2,066<br>**207,703**<br>198,854<br>**The charity**<br>**The charity**<br>**The charity**|**2024**<br>2023<br>**£**<br>£<br>**-**<br>-<br>**2024**<br>2023<br>**£**<br>£<br>**120,743**<br>110,239<br>**4,513**<br>8,448<br>**48,762**<br>42,477<br>**174,018**<br>161,164<br>**2024**<br>2023<br>**£**<br>£<br>**51,323**<br>40,946<br>**28,549**<br>24,379<br>**97,190**<br>96,767<br>**5,261**<br>7,255<br>**23,904**<br>27,441<br>**1,476**<br>2,066<br>**207,703**<br>198,854<br>**The charity**<br>**The charity**<br>**The charity**|
|---|---|---|---|
||||198,854|



## **16. Debtors** 

## **17. Creditors : amounts due within 1 year** 

40 



## **Design West** 

## **Notes to the financial statements** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2024** 

## **18. Deferred income** 

|**2024**<br>2023<br>**£**<br>£<br>At 1 April 2023<br>**96,767**<br>45,979<br>Deferred during the year<br>**97,190**<br>96,767<br>Released during the year<br>**(96,767)**<br>(45,979)<br>At 31 March 2024<br>**97,190**<br>96,767<br>Deferred income relates to services paid for in advance of provision.<br>**The group**|**2024**<br>2023<br>**£**<br>£<br>**96,767**<br>45,979<br>**97,190**<br>96,767<br>**(96,767)**<br>(45,979)<br>**97,190**<br>96,767<br>**The charity**|**2024**<br>2023<br>**£**<br>£<br>**96,767**<br>45,979<br>**97,190**<br>96,767<br>**(96,767)**<br>(45,979)<br>**97,190**<br>96,767<br>**The charity**|
|---|---|---|
|||96,767|
||||



**19. Analysis of group net assets between funds** 

|Tangible fixed assets<br>Investments<br>Current assets<br>Current liabilities<br>**Net assets at 31 March 2024**<br>Tangible fixed assets<br>Investments<br>Current assets<br>Current liabilities<br>**Net assets at 31 March 2023**<br>**Prior year comparative**<br>**(restated)**|£<br>-<br>-<br>29,812<br>-<br>**29,812**<br>£<br>-<br>-<br>42,414<br>-<br>42,414<br>Restricted<br>funds<br>Restricted<br>funds|£<br>88,069<br>550,000<br>220,000<br>-<br>**858,069**<br>£<br>90,193<br>550,000<br>160,000<br>-<br>800,193<br>Designated<br>funds<br>Designated<br>funds|£<br>78,650<br>-<br>511,315<br>(222,934)<br>**367,031**<br>£<br>111,018<br>-<br>441,403<br>(207,622)<br>344,799<br>General<br>funds<br>General<br>funds|**Total**<br>**funds**<br>**£**<br>**166,719**<br>**550,000**<br>**761,127**<br>**(222,934)**|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||**1,254,912**|
|||||Total<br>funds<br>£<br>201,211<br>550,000<br>643,817<br>(207,622)|
|||||1,187,406|



41 



## **Design West** 

## **Notes to the financial statements** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2024** 

## **20. Movements in group funds** 

|**Restricted funds**<br>BCC Lockleaze<br>BCC CIL<br>Temple Commission<br>Creating Excellence Regional Fund<br>Ingenious Climate Superheroes<br>**Total restricted funds**<br>_Designated funds:_<br>Building renovation<br>Property<br>Education<br>Programme<br>Organisational development<br>_Total designated funds_<br>General funds<br>**Total unrestricted funds**<br>**Total funds**<br>**Unrestricted funds**|Restated<br>At 1 April<br>2023<br>£<br>6,064<br>2,144<br>20,000<br>14,206<br>-|Income<br>£<br>1,806<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>9,920|£<br>(7,870)<br>-<br>-<br>(4,750)<br>(11,708)<br>Expenditure|£<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>20,000<br>-<br>-<br>20,000<br>20,000<br>60,000<br>(60,000)<br>-<br>-<br>Transfers<br>between<br>funds|**£**<br>**-**<br>**2,144**<br>**20,000**<br>**9,456**<br>**(1,788)**<br>**At 31 March**<br>**2024**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||42,414|11,726|-||**29,812**|
||40,000<br>640,193<br>10,000<br>50,000<br>60,000|-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-|-<br>(2,124)<br>-<br>-<br>-||**60,000**<br>**638,069**<br>**10,000**<br>**70,000**<br>**80,000**|
||800,193|-|(2,124)||**858,069**|
||344,799|1,094,976|(1,012,744)||**367,031**|
||1,144,992|1,094,976|(1,014,868)||**1,225,100**|
||1,187,406|1,106,702|(1,014,868)||**1,254,912**|



## **Purposes of restricted funds** 

BCC Lockleaze 

Bristol City Council partnership funding for a small Placemaking project for community co-design in Lockleaze, Bristol. 

## BCC CIL 

Bristol City Council, Community Infrastructure Levy fund towards The Green Way, a series of infrastructure, cycling and tree planting improvements across three sites (St Pauls Learning Centre, St Pauls Adventure Playground, Halston Drive Community Room) and a ‘green’ route through St Pauls. 

## Temple Commission 

Funding for public art commission in the area of Redcliffe and Temple (Cubex) to be deployed when conservation works are finished. 

## Creating Excellence Regional Fund 

Funding from Creating Excellence to develop regional working, promoting design and placemaking into the South West regions. 

42 



## **Design West** 

## **Notes to the financial statements** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2024** 

## **20. Movements in group funds (continued)** 

## **Purposes of restricted funds (continued)** 

Ingenious Climate Superheroes 

Funding for 'Engineering Climate Superhero'. Engagement project aimed at highlighting the important role of engineers in tackling the climate emergency. Plus inspiring and informing a future generation of diverse engineers. 

## **Purpose of designated funds** 

## Building renovation 

Buildings require continual investment and maintenance. Following the capital transformation (21/22) of the ground and first floor, the trustees have created a building fund to secure future capital work and urgent repairs. This will cover critical future work including repairing exterior render and roof renewal. It will also be used in 24/25 to assist in works to floors 2 and 3 and upgrading the energy efficiency of the building to meet forthcoming regulations. 

## Property 

The property fund represents the net book value of the investment and leasehold property held at the year end. 

## Education 

The Trustees have designated a fund towards the development and safeguarding of our education work with diverse young people. We anticipate that this work may be impacted by recession. 

## Programme 

Our public programmes, including Bristol Open Doors are reliant on a dwindling pool of public subsidy. In light of austerity and the current funding climate, the trustees have put aside a fund for developing programme to cover public tours, awards and a conference (2024-2027). 

## Organisational development 

The charity has been through a period of rapid growth. Over the past year, the trustees have tested new structural models to build capacity and enable future growth. In 2024-2025 we anticipate creating a senior business operations role in the organisation. This investment will be loss-making in the short term, thus a fund is set aside for 2024-2026 to pay for this investment. 

## **Transfers** 

The transfer to designated funds represents an amount the trustees deem reasonable to allocate for a specific project. 

43 



## **Design West** 

## **Notes to the financial statements** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2024** 

## **20. Movements in group (continued) Prior year comparative (restated)** 

|At 1 April<br>2022<br>£<br>**Restricted funds**<br>BCC Lockleaze<br>7,695<br>BCC CIL<br>2,744<br>Temple Commission<br>20,000<br>Unlocking Resilience<br>(25,000)<br>19,000<br>-<br>**Total restricted funds**<br>24,439<br>_Designated funds:_<br>Building renovation<br>25,000<br>Property<br>567,317<br>Education<br>10,000<br>Programme<br>25,000<br>-<br>_Total designated funds_<br>627,317<br>General funds<br>349,993<br>Share capital<br>2,740<br>**Total unrestricted funds**<br>980,050<br>**Total funds**<br>1,004,489<br>**Unrestricted funds**<br>Organisational<br>development<br>Education & Inspiration<br>Fund<br>Creating Excellence<br>Regional Fund|At 1 April<br>2022<br>£<br>7,695<br>2,744<br>20,000<br>(25,000)<br>19,000<br>-|Income<br>£<br>4,999<br>-<br>-<br>25,000<br>-<br>11,377|£<br>(6,630)<br>(600)<br>-<br>-<br>(4,794)<br>(11,377)<br>Expenditure|£<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>Revaluation<br>gains|£<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>15,000<br>-<br>-<br>25,000<br>60,000<br>100,000<br>(97,260)<br>(2,740)<br>-<br>-<br>Transfers<br>between<br>funds|£<br>6,064<br>2,144<br>20,000<br>-<br>14,206<br>-<br>At 31 March<br>2023|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||24,439|41,376|(23,401)|-||42,414|
||25,000<br>567,317<br>10,000<br>25,000<br>-|-<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>-|-<br>(2,124)<br>-<br>-<br>-|-<br>75,000<br>-<br>-<br>-||40,000<br>640,193<br>10,000<br>50,000<br>60,000|
||627,317|-|(2,124)|75,000||800,193|
||349,993<br>2,740|1,050,785<br>-|(958,719)<br>-|-<br>-||344,799<br>-|
|||1,050,785|(960,843)|75,000||1,144,992|
||1,004,489|1,092,161|(984,244)|75,000||1,187,406|



44 



## **Design West** 

## **Notes to the financial statements** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2024** 

## **21. Related party transactions** 

During the year, C Kwiatkowski, trustee, was paid for design services by the charity totalling £2,009 (2023: £3,581). No amounts were outstanding at year end. 

N Fairham, trustee, is a director of Building Design Partnership (BDP). During the year, the charity received £235 from BDP for space hire (2023: £Nil). No amounts were outstanding at year end. 

In the prior year, the charity paid £4,740 to Creating Excellence for Design Review Services. This entity was connected through Dominic Murphy who was a trustee of Design West and director of Creating Excellence until it was dissolved on 3 January 2024. 

## **Design West Trading Limited (wholly owned subsidiary of Design West)** 

Design West Trading Limited was incorporated on 14 April 2022 and is a wholly owed subsidiary of Design West. At 31 March 2024, Design West Trading Limited owed Design West £48,762 (2023: £42,477). 

## **22. Prior period restatement** 

Prior period funds, expenditure, gains on investment, leasehold property and investment property have been restated in the group accounts to reflect the correct classification of the mixed-use property between tangible fixed assets and investments. 

## **Funds brought forward** 

This has affected funds brought forward, as follows: 

|**The group**<br>Adjustment to property classification<br>Funds as restated at 1 April 2022<br>Adjustment to property classification<br>Funds as restated at 31 March 2023<br>Funds as originally stated at 1 April<br>2022<br>Funds as originally stated at 31<br>March 2023|£<br>24,439<br>-<br>Restricted<br>funds|£<br>818,659<br>(191,342)<br>Designated<br>funds|£<br>349,993<br>-<br>General<br>funds|£<br>2,740<br>-<br>2,740<br>-<br>-<br>-<br>Share<br>capital|£<br>1,195,831<br>(191,342)<br>Total funds|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||24,439|627,317|349,993||1,004,489|
||42,414<br>-|1,030,097<br>(229,904)|344,799<br>-||1,417,310<br>(229,904)|
||42,414|800,193|344,799||1,187,406|



## **Expenditure** 

Expenditure balances shown in the SoFA have been affected as follows: 

|Expenditure as originally stated at 31 March 2023<br>Adjustment to depreciation charge in year<br>Expenditure as restated in 31 March 2023|£<br>351,897<br>407<br>Raising<br>funds|£<br>631,285<br>655<br>631,940<br>Charitable<br>activities|£<br>983,182<br>1,062<br>Total<br>expenditure|
|---|---|---|---|
||352,304||984,244|



45 



## **Design West** 

## **Notes to the financial statements** 

## **For the year ended 31 March 2024** 

## **22. Prior period restatement (continued)** 

## **Gains on investment** 

Gains on investment shown in the SoFA has been affected as follows: 

|Gains on investment as originally stated at 31 March 2023<br>Adjustment to gains on investment in year<br>Gains on investment as restated in 31 March 2023<br>**Leasehold property**<br>This has affected leasehold property brought forward, as follows:<br>Leasehold property balance as originally stated at 31 March 2023<br>Adjustment to property classification<br>Leasehold property balance restated at 31 March 2023<br>**Investment property**<br>This has affected investment property brought forward, as follows:<br>Investment property balance as originally stated at 31 March 2023<br>Adjustment to property classification<br>Investment property balance restated at 31 March 2023|£<br>112,500<br>(37,500)<br>Gains on<br>investment|
|---|---|
||75,000|
||The group<br>£<br>45,097<br>45,096|
||90,193|
||The group<br>£<br>825,000<br>(275,000)|
||550,000|



46