COMMON GROUND (A COMPANY LIMITED BY GUARANTEE) REPORT AND ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023 Company number: 01645674 Registered Charity:. 326335; Chartered AGGounlants COMMON GROUND CONTENTS Pagg Reference and administrative information Report of the trustees Independent examiner's report Statement of financial activllies {includlng income and expenditure. account) Balance sheet Notes lo the accounts COMMON GROUND REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION Reglstered charlty 326335 Company number 01645674 Address Ford, Pineapple Lane, Salwayash Bridport, Dorsel DT6 5HZ Regl8tered Offlce Ford. Pineapple Lane, Salwayash Bridport, Dorset DT6 5HZ Trustees Tim Dee Neil Sinden Garelh Evans Julian Francis stephen Boyce Alexa De Ferranli Advisors: Accountants Edwards and Keeping, Chartered Accounlanls Unity Chambers, 34 High East Street Dorchesler, Dorsel DT11 PIA Independent examlner M J Mcmahon FCA 2 North Streel,.ChaTminster Dorchesler, Dorset DT2 9QS COMMON GROUND REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023 The Trustees present their report and the accounts of Common Ground for tho year ended 31 December 2023 whl¢h are also prepared lo meet the requirements for a directors, report and accounts for Companies Act purposes. The Iruslee8 have adopted the provisions of the Statement of Recommended Practice ISORPI "Accounllng and Reporting by Charities" in preparing the annual report and finan¢lal slalements of the charity. The financial statements comply with the Charlties Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006, the charitable ¢ompany's memorandum and artlcles and Accountlng and Reporting by Charities.. Statement of Recommended Practice applicable lo charities preparing their accounts in a¢¢ordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic ol Ireland IFRS 1021 published in October 2019. In preparing this annual report the trustees confirm that due regard has been paid lo the public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission. Trustges of the Charity The trustees who have served during the year end since the year end were 88 follows.. Tim Dee Neil Sinden Garelh Evans Julian Francis stephen Boyce Alexa De Ferianli Oblectlves and a¢tivities for the public beneflt The ¢harily's objectives and principal acllvty contlnue lo be thal.of inspiring, informing and encouraging people in the care and celebralSon of their own localities, linking natu￿ and Gulture. From maintenance of its extensive.websile, creation of publications, oonference and workshop speaking, working with the media, collaboration with other bodies and advisory work, all of Common Ground's activities are for public benefit. Achlevements and perfomiance 2022 s8es the continued devèloprnenl of Raise the Roof project In Dorset and the exploration of local materials in building homes and placÈ-making. Continued funding and editorial development of Common Treasures, collection of wrillng about rural issues, for publlcalion in 202312024 in collaboration with Assemble. Seasonal Schools projects continue in Manchester 2nd Lost Orchards project was published in the autumn of 2023, focussing on Dorset and Somerset lost apple varieties. Dis¢ussions began about future approaches lo distributing information and ideas. Discus8Son8 also around developing a film-making strategy for documenting different community projects around the UK. COMMON GROUND REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023 Flnanclal revlew Common Ground received fees and supplies income of £34 during the year 12022 £271 with total Income of £25,374, Gompared wllh £28,769 In the prevlous year. There was a corresponding decrease in expenditure on raising funds which lotalled £22,667 12022 £24,180) and on charitable aclivilies, £2,538 (2022 £2,678)., total expenditure being £25,205 compared with £26,858 in 2022. Nel income for the year was £169, compared with £1,911 in the previous year, so that total funds were £13,636 at 31 December 2023. Pollcy on reserves The reserves policy aims lo build up 5ufficienl funds to absorb setback5 and fundraising difficulties as well as allowing opportunity and challenges to be faGed positively. Minimurn reserves should cover liabilities - sufficient for rent and overhead commitments - but we struggle to achieve savings of unreslricled reseTves which usually gel allocated lo help with matching funding for projeols and gaps be￿een projects. Structurei governance and management The organisalion is a charitable company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 22 June 1982 and registered as a charity on 23 May 1983. The company was established, under a Memorandum of Association which established the objects and powers of the Charitable company and is governed under its Articles of Association. In the event of the company belng wound up members are requlred to conlrlbute an amount not exceeding £1. ReGruitmont and appolntment of trustees The board has the power lo appoint and remove trustees as it consideTS Il fil to do so. To remove a Iruslee at least half the board musl pass a resolution after.,giving the members fourteen clear day's notice of the resolution specifying the circumstances. This report has been prepared in a¢wrdance wllh the small companies regime under the Companles Act 2006. Approved by the trustees for Sssue on and signed on their behalf by Alexa De Ferranti Trustee COMMON GROUND INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF COMMON GROUND I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the a¢¢ounts of Common Ground for the year ended 31 December 2022, set out on pages 5 to 9. Respon8lbllltlès and basls of report As the charity Iruslees land also its directors for the purposes of company lawl you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requlrements of the Companies Act 20061'the 2006 Acl'l. Having sallsfied myself that the accounts of the eompany are not Tequired lo be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and a￿ eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your company's accounts as carried out under seGtion 145 of the Charilies Act 2011 {'Ihe 2011 Act'}. In carrying out my examination I have followed the directions given by the Charity commisslon under section 14515}Ib) of the 2011 A¢1. Independent examlner's statemgnt I have completed rhy examination. I confirm that no mallers have come to my attention in connection wth the examination giving me cause lo believe.. 11 a¢Gounling records were not kept Sn respect of the company as"requSred by section 386 of the 2006 Act,. or 21 the a¢¢ounls do not accord with those accountinq records.. or 31 the a¢¢ounts ¢Jo not comply with the accounting requlremenls of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a'lrue and fair view whlch is not'a matter considered as part of an independent examination., or 4} the accounts have not been prepared in aocordance.wilh methods and prin¢lples of the Statement of Reoommended Practice for accounting and. reporting by. charllles. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination lo which atlenllon should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts lo be reached M J Mcmahon FCA 2 North Street Charminsler Dorchester Dorsel DT2 9QS Date COMMON GROUND STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES IINCLUDING INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023 Total funds Total funds {unrestrlcted) {unrestri¢todl 2023 2022 Income Donations from individuals Donations from inslilulions Fees and supplie8 Sales of good5 and services Interest receivable on bank deposits 1,254 23,756 34 330 28.024 27 702 16 Total Income 25,374 28,769 Expendlture Donations from institutions passed on to Thlrd Parties for projects Film and publication production costs Wages and salarfes Subconlracl cost Travel and sub$islen¢e Rent and rates Repairs and renewals Telephone Advertlsing and marketSng Slalionery, sundries and computer expenses Bank charge8 Depreciation Accountancy and independent examination 't¥.%, 22,667 20,500.00 763 2,917 553 14 13 917 393 15 1,227 314 27 970 773 Total expendltura 25,205 26,858 Net (expendlture)Ilncome for the year 169 1,911 Reconclllatlon of funds Funds brought forward 13,467 11.556 Funds carrled forward 13,636 13,467 COMMON GROUND Company number: 01645674 BALANCE SHEET AS A T 31 DECEMBER 2023 2023 2022 Notos Fixed assets Tangible assets Curront assets Stock Debtors Cash at bank and in hand 300 16,084 300 16,073 16,384 16,373 Liabilities Creditors.. amounts falling due within one year 12,7S6) 12,9141 Net currgnt a$sgts 13,628 13,459 Net assets 13,636 13,467 Funds of thg charity: Unrestricted Income fund8-,¥,. Unrestrrcted funds 13,636 13,467 Total funds 13,636 13,467 For the year ending 31 December 2023 the company was entitled to exemption from audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small'corripanies. The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its accounts for the year in question in accordance with section 476., The directors acknowledge their respon8ibililies for comp￿ing with the requirements of the Act with respeGI to accounting records and the preparation of accounts. These financial slalements have been prepared in accordan¢e with the provisions 8ppll¢able lo companies subject lo the small companies, regime . Approved by the trustees for issue on and signed on their behalf by Jullan Fran¢i$ TTUStee COMMON GROUND NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023 1 Accounting policies la) Ba818 of preparatlon Comn)on Ground 18 a private ¢harilable company limited by guarantee and incorporated in England and Wales. In the event of liquidation, the liability in respect of tha guarantee is limited lo £1 per member. The address of the registered office is gSven in the Charlty informalion on page 1 of these accounts. Common Ground conslltules a public benefit enlily as defined by FRS 102. The accounts have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities.. Slalement of Recommended Practice applicable lo charities preparing their aocounts in aocordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland IFRS 102) issued in October 2019, the Charitios Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006 and UK Generally Accepted Pra¢b'ce. The charity has applied Update Bulletin 1 a8 published on 2 February 2016 and doe$ not include a cash Ilow statement on the grounds that il is applying FRS 102 Section 1A The accounts are prepared on a going concern basis under the historical cost convention. The accounts are presented in sterling whlch Is the functional currency of the Tr4JSt and rounded.to the nearest £. The Significant accounting policies applied in the preparation of these accounts are set out below. These polScles have been consiglenlly applied to all years presented unless olheNl$e staled. In preparlng the accounts, the trustees have considered whether in applyiiig the accounting policies required by FRS 102 and the Charities SORP FRS 102 a restatement of comparative items was needed. No reslatemenls were required. (b) Income All income is recognised when the charity has entlllemenl to the income, there is sufficient certainty of receipt and so 11 is probably that the in¢ome Will be received, and the amount receivable can be measured reliably. No expenditure is netted off income. Investment income 15 earned through holding assets for Investment purposes such as shares and property. It Includes dividends, interest 3nd rent, Interest income is recognised using the effective inl$rest method and dividend and rent income is recognised as the Trust's rlght lo receive payment Is established. (cl Expendlture Expenditure is recognised on an accruals basis 89 soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to the expenditure , il is probable that selllement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure includes any VAT whi¢h Gannot be fully recovered. Donations and grants payable are payments made to third parties in the furtherance of the charitable objects of the charity. In the case of an uncondSb'onal grant offer thls Ss accrued as a commitment once the trustees have approved the application and the recipient has been notified of the grant award. COMMON GROUND NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS (CONTINUED FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023 Id) Tanglble flxed a88ets Tanglble fixed assets purchased for continuing use by the charity are staled al cost {or deemed costl or valuation less aGcumulaled depreciation and aGGumulated impairment losses. Depreclation is provkled on all tangible fixed asset8, al rates calculated to write off the cost, le8s estimated resSdual value, of each asset on a systematic basis over its expected useful life as follows'.- Fixtures and fittings over 4 years le} Stock Stock is valued at the lower of cost and estimated selling price less costs lo complete and Sell, after due regard for obsolete and slow moving slo¢k$. Cost is determined using the firsl.in, first-out IFIFOI. 2 Net Income for tho year 2023 2022 This is slated after charging.. Depreciation AcGounlanls' fees other Services - accountancy 970 773 3 Tangibl¢ fixod 4$5gt$ Flxturas, flttlngs and equlpfflent Cost Al 1 January 2023 and al 31 December 2023 15,753 Depreclatlon Al 1 January 2023 Charge for the year 15,745 At 31 December 2023 15,745 Net book value At 31 December 2023 At 31 December 2022 COMMON GROUND NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS (CONTINUED) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023 4 Debtors 2023 2022 Trade debtors Prepayments Other debtors 300 300 300 300 S Crnditors". amounts falllng due wlthln ono year 2022 2022 Trade creditors Other creditors Accruals and receipts in advance 898 958 900 990 1,024 900 2,766 2,914