LAMBERHURST WAR MEMORIAL HALL
TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023
The trustees present their annual report for the year ended 31st December 2023
Charitable Objects
The object of the charity is the provision and maintenance of a village hall for the use of the inhabitants of the Parish of Lamberhurst without distinction of political, religious or other opinions, including use for meetings, lectures and classes, and for other forms of recreation and leisure-time occupation, with the object of improving the conditions of life for the said inhabitants.
Charitable registration and governance
Lamberhurst War Memorial Hall is a registered charity, number 302781.
The hall stands on a freehold site held by Lamberhurst Parish Council as Custodian Trustee for the charity.
The charity is governed by a Charity Commission Scheme dated 1st October 1987. Under the scheme, the Committee of Management comprises representatives and up to three elected members, who are thus the trustees of the charity.
Officers and Committee Members who served during the year were as follows:
| Chairman | Mr C Stott |
|---|---|
| Vice Chairman | Mr J Uren |
| Treasurer | Mr F Trew |
| Secretary | Ms C Hamilton |
| Representative Members | |
| Lamberhurst Parish Council | Mr R Smith |
| Lamberhurst Parochial Church Council | Mr J Reid |
| Lamberhurst and Bayham Royal British Legion | Mr A Kerton |
| Gardeners Association | Mr C Marshall |
| Lamberhurst Playing Fields Association | Mr J Uren |
| Local History Society | Mr J Uren |
| Pantomime Society | Mr C Stott Mr P Nicholas |
| Lamberhurst Community Cinema | Mr N Hepher |
| Elected Member No. 1 | Mr S Tait |
| Elected Member No. 2 | Mr F Trew |
| Elected Member No.3 | Mr D Fordham |
Representative Members
The Committee may appoint additional members to represent any other organisation by resolution passed at a duly constituted meeting by not less than two thirds of the Members for the time being. The Committee meets 3-4 times a year, and holds an Annual General Meeting that all village members may attend.
LAMBERHURST WAR MEMORIAL HALL
TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023
Contact address
The charity may be contacted c/o the Chairman: Mr C Stott, Horse and Groom Cottage, Old Town Hill, Lamberhurst, TN3 8EN or the Secretary: Ms C Hamilton, White Cottage, Free Heath Road, Hook Green, Tunbridge Wells, TN3 8LL.
Accounting Policies
As Lamberhurst War Memorial Hall is a “small” charity, advantage has been taken of exemption from the requirement to present full accruals accounts. Accordingly, the financial statements are presented as a receipts and payments account.
In the interest of consistency, and to enable a meaningful comparison to be made between one year and the next, the presentation has been modified to include debtors due for hall lettings and creditors for key deposits at the year end. These balances are shown, with the bank balances, at the bottom of the receipts and payments account.
REVIEW OF ACTIVITIES
2023
Mr Graham White stepped down as representative for the Bonfire Society and has not been replaced . Mr Peter Nicholas was appointed as an additional representative of the Pantomim e Society. Other than Mr Tait, the caretaker, no trustees were remunerated for their work. Charges were increased by approximately 10% for most hirers in July.
New heating and lighting was installed in the main hall, at a cost of £16,700 and with the help of grants of £6,700 from the LoCase initiative and £8,000 (member’s grant) from KCC.
A fundraising campaign was launched in April and a number of fundraising activities have resulted in a total of over £4,000 being raised in 2023 for further enhancement projects, notably the kitchen. In August the main hall was completely redecorated at a cost of £7,300 met from hall reserves. A significant contribution to the work was made by volunteers.
During the year Income from hall hire at £10,600 rose 41% but remained below the pre-Covid level. With a deficit of £11,523 during the year, balances at year end fell to £16,370.
2024
The year to date has seen a further increase in income from hall hire. The Lamberhurst Dance School, the Community Cinema and the Pantomime Society continue to make significant use of the Hall. The Toddler group and the History Society have restarted and a new community “coffee and chat” group has begun meeting once a month. Two new commercial groups have started, a new Pilates group and another pre-school group “Fun Train”.
On the expenditure side, we still experience rising utility costs. Also the flat roof of the hall is experiencing frequent leaks and the guarantee runs out this year. The roof will need to be replaced in due course at an estimated cost of £30,000.
LAMBERHURST WAR MEMORIAL HALL
TRUSTEES’ REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023
Fundraising continues for the hall improvements and, to date, the total raised during the past two years stands at £4,800. Further activities are planned throughout the year. It is hoped eventually to find grants to refurbish the kitchen and toilets and to renew and repurpose redundant areas behind the hall, notably for storage.
Risks and reserves
The committee has considered and taken steps to mitigate the risks arising from the management and use of the hall, for example in the area of health and safety, litigation, fire and financial risks. The trustees’ policy is to hold sufficient reserves to deal with three months’ normal running costs for the hall (approximately £3,000) together with a variable sum to deal with anticipated maintenance and refurbishment requirements.
Public Benefit
The trustees have complied with their duty to have due regard to public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission. Lamberhurst War Memorial Hall is available to members of the public, mainly those living in the Parish of Lamberhurst, and the charity thus serves that public benefit.
Francis Trew Treasurer
………………………………….. 2024
REPORT OF THE INDEPENDENT EXAMINER TO THE TRUSTEES OF LAMBERHURST WAR MEMORIAL HALL
I report to the trustees on the accounts of the Lamberhurst War Memorial Hall for the year ended 31[st] December 2023, comprising a receipts and payments account modified by the inclusion of short-term debtors and creditors.
Responsibilities and basis of the report
As the charity trustees of the Trust 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 Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 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:
- accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act; or
2. the accounts do not accord with those 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 a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
John Francis FCA DChA
3, East Hill, Tenterden, Kent TN30 6RL
…………………………………………. 2024
LAMBERHURST WAR MEMORIAL HALL
RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST DECEMBER 2023
| Receipts Hall lettings Interest Parish Council reimbursement for Public Lavatories Donations and fundraising Borough & County Council grants Insurance claim Payments Repairs, maintenance and improvements Heating Electricity Cleaning and caretaking Water and sewerage Licences Administration / miscellaneous Insurance Public Lavatories cleaning and maintenance Balances at 1st January 2023 Balances at 31st December 2023 representing: General Fund Reserves for improvement projects Total funds Statement of Assets and liabilities Santander current account Santander deposit account COIF deposit account Debtors Creditors - key deposits Surplus (deficit) of income over expenditure for the year |
2023 £ 31,752.51 1,231.01 1,480.74 4,532.00 336.65 430.56 259.40 1,554.74 627.60 |
2023 2022 £ £ 10,597.79 637.72 602.63 4,135.36 14,707.76 - 30,681.26 28,199.12 1,089.04 946.06 4,352.00 143.00 320.56 232.80 1,655.38 4,409.98 42,205.21 ( 11,523.95) 27,893.84 16,369.89 12,316.51 4,053.38 16,369.89 2,196.50 3,077.01 10,870.13 607.25 ( 381.00) 16,369.89 |
2022 £ 7,494.29 161.75 2,969.96 - 9,517.00 15,524.00 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35,667.00 41,347.94 |
|||
| ( 5,680.94) 33,574.78 |
|||
| 27,893.84 | |||
| 27,893.84 - |
|||
| 27,893.84 | |||
| 5,472.63 23.54 22,246.79 531.88 ( 381.00) |
|||
| 27,893.84 |
Presented to the Trustees on …....................... by Francis Trew, Treasurer