## **THE VILLAGE HALL, HIGHWOOD** ## **ANNUAL REPORT & ACCOUNTS** **31st MARCH 2024** **Registered Charity Number 301343** ## **THE VILLAGE HALL, HIGHWOOD** ## **YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024** ## **CONTENTS** **----- Start of picture text -----**
||| |---|---| |Trustees' report|1| |Independent Examiner's report|4| |Receipts & payments|5| |Statement of assets & liabilities|6| **----- End of picture text -----**
**THE VILLAGE HALL, HIGHWOOD** ## **TRUSTEES' REPORT** ## **YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024** The Trustees have the pleasure in presenting their report and the financial statements of the Charity for the year ended 31st March 2024. ## **REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS** **----- Start of picture text -----**
||| |---|---| |Charity Name|The Village Hall, Highwood| |Charity Number|301343| |Address|Highwood Village Hall| |Highwood Road| |Chelmsford| |CM1 3QW| |Trustees|S Maclean| |M Cameron| |D Cameron| |M J Goddard| |J R Young| |Independent Examiner|Sandra Morrell FCCA| |Edmund Carr LLP| |146 New London Road| |Chelmsford| |Essex CM2 0AW| **----- End of picture text -----**
1 **THE VILLAGE HALL, HIGHWOOD** **TRUSTEES' REPORT (continued) YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024** ## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES** The objects of the Trust, as set out in the governing document, are to manage a community facility by way of a village hall for educational and leisure purposes for the local community. The Trustees confirm that the activities of the charity are undertaken to achieve the charity’s aims with regard to the public benefit guidance. ## **ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE** ## **CHAIRMAN'S REPORT** It gives me great pleasure to present the annual report for Highwood Village Hall, reflecting on our achievements over the past year and outlining our goals for the future. Our community hall continues to be a focal point for various activities, and we have made significant strides in enhancing its sustainability. One of our significant achievements this year has been the installation of a second Tesla PowerWall. This addition has enhanced our energy storage capacity, allowing us to better manage and utilise the electricity generated by our solar panels. The new PowerWall not only provides backup power during outages but also helps in reducing our overall electricity costs by storing excess solar energy generated during the day for use during peak hours or at night. In our continued effort to promote sustainability and reduce our carbon footprint, we have initiated an investigation into the feasibility of installing additional solar panels. This project aims to increase our renewable energy generation capacity, further decreasing our reliance on the grid and enhancing our energy independence. We are currently in the process of evaluating potential locations for the new panels, assessing the financial implications, and considering the environmental impact. Our open foyer for residents and guests have proved extremely popular and continues to be a meeting place for groups and parents. We also offer a book exchange, and a seed bank for anyone visiting the hall. My thanks, as usual, go to our hard working trustees and committee members who assist in keeping the hall clean, tidy, modern and viable for all our hirers, in no particular order: Janet Young, David Cameron, Margaret Cameron, Martin Goddard, Alison Shuttleworth and Brian Murphy. Our bookings continue to grow and thanks goes to our bookings clerk Tracy Stringer who continues to ensure that hirers are informed and any issues are dealt with quickly and efficiently. Our thanks as always goes to Edmund Carr LLP for providing the Charity with expert accounting and independent examination service. ## **FINANCIAL REVIEW** Our receipts and payments accounts show a net surplus of £365 in the year (2023 – deficit of £38,116 due to significant expenditure on improvements, repairs and maintenance). At the year end the charity had cash balances totalling £65,727. 2 **THE VILLAGE HALL, HIGHWOOD** ## **TRUSTEES' REPORT (continued)** ## **YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024** ## **Reserves Policy** Reserves are required to meet the normal running costs of the Village Hall as well as any unexpected maintenance costs. In addition reserves will be used to fund future improvements to facilities. ## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT** The Trust is constituted under a Trust Deed dated 5th August 1949 and was registered as a charity on 8th May 1963. The Highwood Village Hall Committee are a management committee publicly elected at the AGM every September to manage the Trust. All members are volunteers and retire annually at the AGM where new representatives of the Parish or user groups have the opportunity to put themselves forward and join the Highwood Village Hall Committee. The Highwood Village Hall Committee consists of no more than 15 members and the quorum shall never be less than a third of the committee members. Approved by the Trustees on ....................................... and signed on their behalf by: ................................ **Steve Maclean** Chairman 3 **THE VILLAGE HALL, HIGHWOOD INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES** ## **YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024** I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2024 which are set out on pages 5 to 6. ## **Responsibilities and basis of report** As the charity’s trustees you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ('the Act'). I report in respect of my examination of the charity's accounts carried out under section 145 of the Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. ## **Independent examiner's statement** I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect: 1. accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity accordance with section 130 of the Act; or 2. the accounts do not accord with these records. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. ......................................... ## **Sandra Morrell FCCA** Edmund Carr LLP 146 New London Road Chelmsford CM2 0AW ................................ 4 ## **THE VILLAGE HALL, HIGHWOOD** ## **RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS** ## **YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024** **----- Start of picture text -----**
31/03/2024 31/03/2023
Unrestricted Restricted Total Total
Receipts £ £ £ £
Hall hire turnover 30,833 - 30,833 31,846
EDF renewable income 8,197 - 8,197 8,151
Fundraising - - - 9
Interest 674 - 674 134
Donations 166 - 166 393
-
Total Receipts 39,870 39,870 40,533
Payments
-
Returned hire fee deposits 8,620 8,620 6,380
Repairs and maintenance 225 - 225 37,933
Salaries 8,190 - 8,190 8,138
-
Electricity 9,523 9,523 11,143
-
Cleaning and general expenses 5,729 5,729 3,307
-
Miscellaneous expenses 2,991 2,991 6,309
-
Accountancy and payroll fees 1,553 1,553 1,293
Telephone and broadband 1,004 - 1,004 857
Rates 796 - 796 758
Insurance 796 - 796 760
Consulting 78 - 78 295
Fire Extinguishers - - - 45
Licences - - - 477
Printing and Stationery - - - 954
-
Total Payments 39,505 39,505 78,649
Net receipts/(payments) 365 - 365 (38,116)
-
Cash funds last year end 65,362 65,362 103,478
-
Cash funds this year end 65,727 65,727 65,362
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5 ## **THE VILLAGE HALL, HIGHWOOD** ## **STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES** ## **YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2024** **----- Start of picture text -----**
31/03/2024 31/03/2023
£ £
Cash Funds
Current Account Lloyds 725 3,130
Deposit Account Lloyds 58,169 55,471
ASHP & Solar Thermals Boiler Lloyds 2,277 2,253
Floor Replacement Lloyds 2,278 2,254
Air Con Replacement Lloyds 2,278 2,254
Total Cash Funds 65,727 65,362
Fixed Assets at Cost
Buildings and fittings 420,613 420,613
Approved by the Trustees on …....................... and signed on their behalf by:
…..........................
Steve Maclean
Chairman
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