Chairman’s Annual Report - 2021 Presented to the Trustees and Members February 2022
With erratic COVID rules throughout the year we have experienced many stops and starts of events in the Hall. Users have tried hard to get started whilst keeping within the rules and I compliment them for their efforts.
Some activities have a small number of attendees, such as Badminton, Table Tennis, Short Mat bowls and small clubs have been able to run quite well and can easily cope with distancing and other rules. For larger gatherings this has not been possible.
During this year we have not been idle, using our own members and contractors to get the Hall ready and able to serve larger groups again. With the new rules this is starting to happen, although clubs are expecting smaller audiences until the population has the confidence to return.
We are moving ahead with some delayed projects and have completed the installation of new drapes surrounding the inside of the stage area. We will move on to the installation of a new LED stage lighting system. These activities will be paid for by the legacies referred to in the financial report.
The Hall is unique in the area, having a large stage, the Windmill Room at the rear to be used separately for small events or as a supporting area for the production of plays and other activities in the Main Hall. Sophisticated sound
equipment and stage lighting, digital cinema projection and a large screen to enable high definition recordings of opera and ballet to be shown along with current movies.
Trustees
The Trustees who are elected at the AGM were as follows during the year: C. Keith Rushton Chairman Alan Sugarman Treasurer Edwin Preece Acting Secretary Carole Newton Bookings secretary Terry Reeves Maintenance support
Cllr John Blackall Trustee
Booking Secretary’s Report
After a lengthy period when the hall was closed due to the pandemic, and then a period when we could only accept bookings for small groups to operate, we are pleased to report that the local groups who meet for badminton, table tennis, therapeutic pilates, short mat bowls, yoga and line dancing are back and using the hall on a weekly basis. Clubs/groups using the hall for monthly meetings include the Dramatic Society, the Theatre Arts Group, the Jazz Club, the Floral Club, Horticultural Society, Cavaliers Club and W.I., and they are now reporting that their members are becoming more confident to attend meetings with anti-Covid measures in place. A monthly cinema streaming of Opera, Ballet and Concerts has been established and is very popular, and meetings for the Film and Book Clubs have been booked in the Windmill Room.
Last year we had 14 bookings for individual one-off events and the number of regular weekly and monthly bookings dropped to 325 for the year. Compared to the pre-pandemic period when bookings regularly exceeded 1,100 to 1,300 per annum, it is easy to see that our income in 2021 took a significant drop. However, enquiries for bookings for meetings, concerts, adult and child parties now remain constant and it is pleasing to note that the schedule includes a booking for the West Chiltington Summer Show which has been missing for two years.
For 2022 the Trustees have agreed to increase the hire charge for non-regular groups to £28.00 per hour and for regular groups there is an increase of approximately 5%. Despite the increased charges, the hall is very competitively priced in comparison with other village halls in this area.
We are looking forward to another busy year and being able to continue to maintain this very valuable asset for the local community.
Treasurer’s Report
It has been another atypical year heavily affected by the current pandemic and it is therefore impossible to draw any long-term conclusions from looking at the figures.
Our outgoings exceeded our income, by a modest amount,
largely because we were unable to totally reduce our expenses in line with the covid-imposed reduction in rentals.
In 2020 we benefitted from two legacies, the proceeds of most of which were hypothecated to making various improvements to the stage. Although none of this was spent in 2021 we would expect this work to be carried out this year.
In 2021 we received another, very generous, legacy, from Phil Garnham our ex-chairman, of £25,000. These funds have, for the time being, been added to our reserves while consideration is given to how much should be spent and to what end.
We felt it prudent to increase our charges in line with inflation and would hope that this year we will see a return to something like our normal level of income and expenditure.
Maintenance Report
Although the Hall has had fewer bookings over 2021 the maintenance of the building and surroundings has continued as usual with safety checks, Covid associated works and the repair of a window due to a close encounter with a cricket ball!
At the request of South East Coast Ambulance Service we have purchased and installed a new defibrillator cabinet on the front corner of the kitchen to allow 24/7 access, the water heater in the WR failed and has been replaced, the clock at the rear of the Hall has been replaced (the old clock had been in place since the opening of the Hall so had given good service!) and various lights have been replaced with more to follow. The stage curtains have been replaced and the stage surround is being redecorated. Externally we have arranged a new grass cutting contract and thanks go to the members of the Hort. Society who have given their time in improving planted beds.
There is a long list of items planned for this year including new heating in the WR, new lights in the Foyer, new plinths in the kitchen, upgrading of the car park lighting and ongoing discussions with the Cricket Club on a new location for their sight screens and the Parish Council on the installation of the barrier at the entrance to the car park.
Notes to Payments & Receipts for the year ended 31st December 2021 for West Chiltington Village Hall
Note 1 - New/Replacement Equipment
| ew/Replacement Equipment Note 2 - Maintenance D'fib cabinet £558.00 Doors Gutters Decoration Fire Ext'g's £558.00 Heating Piano Tuning Dishwasher Refuse collection Sundries |
£450.80 £175.00 £28.31 £148.68 £411.72 £65.00 £100.98 £374.40 £166.89 |
|---|---|
| £1,921.78 |
Note 3 - Funds of the Charity held as at 31st December 2021
| HSBC Current account HSBC Savings account Less retained booking deposits Less funds in hand carried forward total Rebuilding/contingency Reserve (Virgin Money) Note 5 Planned expendture Replacement furniture Stage area equipment General lighting |
2021 2020 £4,677.92 5,438 £14,869.86 14,868 £19,547.78 20,306 £75.00 £19,472.78 £2,162.50 -1,351 |
|---|---|
| £17,310.28 18,955 |
|
| £88,368.81 £63,260 £8,000 £14,000 £10,000 £32,000 |
Note 6
Assets retained for the Charity's own use includes land and buildings, furniture & fittings, electrical and kitchen equipment with an insured value of £1,204,040.85
Note 7
Trustees have not been paid expenses except for reimbursement in respect of purchases made on behalf of the Charity.
| . | iYReSeipQ | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9. | lncsneFromr ttrall | Yexn2A21 | ||
| t7,447 | Hire lncome | e{0,877.00 | ||
| lnterestlnconreftonrBankaccounts | ||||
| x,as | Mrginilo*ey | g1(ts.67 | ||
| t10 | HSBC | f1_49 | ||
| Otherlncome | ||||
| t41 | UKPwer | t40.v9 | ||
| t{4,W tlo,w |
Legiack$/Donations Grant -Covrt*lg |
f25,(m.00 | ||
| t31,802 | TotalReceipts | f, | .95 | |
| PavrnenE | ||||
| ViIHBHallCGts | ||||
| t3,324 | Utilities | f3,811.88' | ||
| t6,310 ff,o74 |
Mainhnane(Noe2 see overleaf) lnsurance |
t1,921.78 €1,540.87 |
||
| f939 | Gardentfiaintsrane | 9720.00 | ||
| f3.563 | Cleaning | . | f2,97,5.74 |
|
| tl6,210 | c1a,973.27 | |||
| Licenses&Admin | ||||
| ffi44 | Limnses(HDC & PRS) | €569.30 | ||
| f30 | Tel/Printing/Stationery | |||
| f144 | Gersalfryensm | 2144.A4 | ||
| NonDoneslicsRdes | t47.70 | |||
| fffi tl,694 |
WSSlhrAdnslilsirU | ,f,i81.29 81,033.20 |
||
| f4,059 xt79 |
Other payments SpecialproF* l{mEquipnwrt( NoteIseeoverbaf) |
€558.m | ||
| f305 | TransfstoResene$ | f25,108.67 | ||
| t!.74s | f25,666.S7 | |||
| 22,647 | TotalPa:frene | |||
| 9,165 e.890 |
t{etofReceiptstPayments WorkingFundslaslYearend |
-€1,e15.19 **1!.999.4?- |
||
| 18,955 | t{UorldqgFun&this | yarend{ltlote3 seeoverteaf } | t17,310.28 |