Stanton Harcourt Village Hall – Chairman’s Report for the Year 2020/21
AGM 29.04.2021
Well, having just read last year’s Chairman’s report, written near the start of the first lockdown, I certainly didn’t expect to be having a second Zoom AGM and for the hall to still be only partially reopen after Lockdown 3.
My first job is to thank everyone who has been involved with the hall over the past year, for their tremendous support. We haven’t been able to do much as a group this year, but the support has always been there if needed. Thank you all very much.
It has been a mixed year in terms of bookings, due to Governement COVID restrictions. Regular bookings (mainly the exercise and dance ones) were only really possible for three months out of the twelve, and many had to reduce the numbers allowed to attend because of social distancing. Other regular groups have not yet returned, either because of the nature of the activity or the age/vulnerability of members. Four or five weddings, many birthday parties and other celebrations were cancelled or postponed. No Summer Festival, local elections, Village markets or other village events were organised. As a result, our income for this financial year has approximately halved, partly helped by Government support measures – Lucy will give more detailed figures. It is remarkable that we are still in a very healthy financial situation, despite all the lockdowns. The knock-on effect will also impact on the new financial year, as the timetable for reopening is very carefully staggered. Jo has suggested a Village Market for July (10[th] ) and we have fingers crossed for this but will discuss at the meeting.
John and I kept the website calendars updated as far as possible, but often events overtook us! John has tendered his resignation from the committee and gone into retirement! He has handed over his passwords and wisdom, and remains happy to answer any questions if or when needed! He has been involved with the hall for over 20 years and feels it’s time to handover to someone else. I have written a thank you in May’s Village Voice for all his contributions, and we can discuss anything we may wish to do beyond this, as well as how the gap he leaves can be addressed.
Others have also been busy during the past year. Lucy has kept the finances ticking over in brilliant order. She and Judith have sifted the endless stream of COVID guidance and information emails that we’ve received. Jenny has completed the Village Hall Maintenance report and schedule which I will circulate. Jan and Gill have drawn up a Safeguarding policy and relevant amendments to hiring conditions etc. This will also be circulated for approval at the AGM. Sue has actioned the replacement of some broken slabs which were a Health & Safety issue.
The Post Office and shop are still with us, with Hitesh playing a valuable community role during the various lockdowns. Gill and others are considering how best to ensure this valuable provision remains viable and in the most suitable location in the village.
Garden: Robin Smith has taken on the fortnightly mowing of the grass for us and the removal of the laurels has given us more space and light. Lucy hopes to sow the empty edges where the laurels were with a wildflower grass mixture and we will consider planting a few smaller, non-invasive shrubs, as well as some extra benches to make the garden a pleasant place to be.
Hall COVID cleaning: We have purchased hand sanitisers, tissues, and anti bacterial sprays which are located at each entrance point, with signage reinforcing their use. Out of lockdown, Elaine has worked hard to keep the hall clean, sanitised and COVID secure
in between bookings, often popping in more than once on the same day to do so. During lockdowns, she kept a close eye on the security of the building. I am very appreciative of her efforts. We did agree to pay her a percentage of her normal rate as furlough income when the hall was closed. She was very appreciative of this.
Looking to the future, we hope to forge a positive relationship with the new Parish Council, with a clear understanding of mutual roles in maintaining and improving our fantastic hall.
Jane Eagle
25.04.21
Now,please forgive me if I have missed anything or anyone out and help me with a list for formal thanks beyond committee members:
Names:
Elaine
Rob Brown
Robin Smith
Stanton Harcourt Village Hall – Treasurer’s Report for the Year 2021-22
The Village Hall accounts have been independently checked and signed off by Mrs Gill Mason. A summary is attached below and some analysis provided as a comparison to the previous year.
Despite another challenging year where, due to Covid restrictions, we were unable to fully open the Village Hall to all activities, we ended it with a very positive balance of £55,873.18. This was largely due to the receipt of several Covid relief grants from West Oxfordshire District Council to the sum of £20,526.20 and also the ability to run some fundraising events that raised £2,142.52. We also had a 75% reduction in our Council Tax payments this year and lower usage of water. We managed to double our hall letting income from the previous year to £7,265.45, which doesn’t include income still due from the Post Office, school, baby ballet, and some Parish Council meetings. This is still short of pre-Covid hall lettings income, normally of around £11.5K/year, but getting back to normal.
Our lettings have been for general hire such as parties, meetings, the village school, as well as various exercise classes such as badminton and dance, art activities, weddings and one funeral wake. The Drama Group were unable to perform their annual pantomime, which would normally bring in c.£600.
Our total expenditure for the year was £15,400.87 . Of this, we are very grateful that the hall insurance costs were covered by the Parish Council as their contribution, leaving our day-to-day running costs matched by our income from hall lettings.
We spent over £6K in hall improvements and repairs to the fire alarm system, hedge removal and an LED lighting upgrade in the kitchens, toilets and entrance hall. We reduced our normal pre-Covid spend on electricity but our new electricity contract, which started on March 1[st] 2022 at a 2 year fixed rate, is more than double the previous one. On the new rate, the PO/Village shop uses on average around £6/day but we continue to charge £1/day as consider it as an important village service. With the proposed solar project and associated battery to store energy, we hope to save up to 60% on our carbon and money spend. The Parish Council is currently holding £30,119 of planning obligation money towards this project and we will be contributing c.£6 from our reserves.
The hall once again benefitted from substantial contributions in kind of time, soup and cakes by Committee members. The Chair covered hall bookings, the ever-changing situation with Covid regulations and ensured the hall was Covid safe for the activities we were allowed to do. We end the year in an even better financial position than last year mostly due to the ongoing support of the Covid related grants.
Lucy Heath Treasurer 22nd April 2022
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STANTON HARCOURT
VILLAGE HALL ANNUAL
ACCOUNTS 2021/22
YEAR ENDING 31ST MARCH
2022
RECEIPTS (£) 2021-22 2020-21 EXPENDITURE (£) 2021-22 2020-21
7,265.4
Hall lettings 5 3,783.00 Cleaning 2,294.31 2,088.80
PC support (Hall annual 1,199.3
insurance) 3 - Electricity 2,479.87 1,498.64
Interest 28.57 142.59 Council Tax 253.52 -
Dividend 0.33 - Water 254.00 412.74
3,348.8
Fund raising 5 - Insurance 1,199.33 1,162.02
Donations 66.20 130.00 Running Costs 1,417.16 971.71
20,526. 10,000.0
WODC Covid grants 20 0 Fund raising costs 1,206.33 -
Window cleaning 200.00 200.00
Repairs/Improveme
nts 6,096.35 293.99
Returned Hire Fee - 150.00
32,434. 14,055.5 TOTAL 15,400.8
TOTAL INCOME 93 9 EXPENDITURE 7 6,777.90
7,682.8 38,839.1
Current Account 3 1,277.34 Balance b/f 2 31,561.43
48,090. 37,461.7 32,434.9
Deposit Account 35 8 Income 3 14,055.59
71,274.0
Cash float 100.00 100.00 Total 5 45,617.02
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15,400.8
Less payments 7 6,777.90
55,873. 38,839.1 55,873.1
BALANCE 18 2 BALANCE 8 38,839.12
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ANALYSIS
INCOME 2021-22 2020-21 PAYMENTS 2021-22 2020-21
Day to day running
Hall hire: costs:
Badminton 725.00 - Cleaning 2,294.31 2,088.80
2,479.
Life drawing 280.00 - Electricity 87 1,498.64
Chinese 253
painting 552.00 - Council Tax .52 -
254 412.
Ballet - 200.00 Water .00 74
1,417. 971.
Bounce 660.00 320.00 Running costs 16 10
Ballroom/Scotti 200 200.
sh 1,022.00 445.00 Window cleaning .00 00
1,162.
Zumba 110.00 490.00 Insurance 1,199.33 02
Wedding 500.00 -
Funeral/memor 6,333.
ial 100.00 - Total 8,098.19 30
School hire - 576.00
Drama Group - 621.00 Maintenance
Repairs and 293.
Post Office - 360.00 improvements 6,096.35 99
Parties, events
etc 3,316.45 -
7,265
Total .45 3,012.00
Fundraising
net of
expenses: Fundraising costs
1,252 Donation to
Markets .43 - Festival - -
Other fundraising 1,206.
Theatre 566.24 - costs 33 -
1,206.
Festival picnic 323.85 - Total 33 -
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2,142
Total .52 -
Additional
Income
1,199
Parish Council .33 -
66 130.
Donations .20 00
20,526.2 10,000.
Covid grants 0 00
0
Dividend .33 -
28 142.
Interest .57 59
21,820 10,272.
Total .63 59
Analysis of Stanton Harcourt Village Hall Accounts 2021-2022
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