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2022-03-31-accounts

Company registered number 1754257 Registered charity number 514371

Better Leeds Communities

Financial Statements for the year ended 31st March 2022

Better Leeds Communities Report of the Board of Trustees/Directors for the year ended 31st March 2022

The Board presents its report and the audited financial statements for the year ended 31st March 2022. Included within the trustees’ report is the directors’ report as required by company law.

The financial statements comply with current statutory requirements, the memorandum and articles of association and the Statement of Recommended Practice - Accounting and Reporting by Charities: SORP applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with FRS 102.

1. Reference and Administrative Information

Charity name Better Leeds Communities Limited
Charity Registration Number 514371
Company Registration Number 1754257
Registered Office Better Leeds Communities 42-46 Burley Lodge Road
Leeds
LS6 1QP
Trustee/Directors Neil Canwell (Chair)
William Hird
Sarah Walker
John O’Dwyer – resigned 19/07/2022
Rajinder Saggu – resigned 16/11/2021
Steven Cochrane – resigned 16/11/2021
Christopher Eatwell – resigned 29/11/2022
Matt Farrar – joined 16/11/2021 & resigned
22/07/2022
Terri McGregor – joined 01/03/2022
Alexander Knight – joined 19/07/2022
Richard Napier – joined 31/05/2022
Kulvinder Richardson - joined 29/11/2022
Senior Management Team Taira Kayani
Tracey Simpson-Laing – resigned 31/08/2021
Auditors Slade & Cooper Limited Chartered Certified
Accountants and Registered Auditors
Beehive Mill
Jersey St
Ancoats Manchester M4 6JG
Bankers Unity Trust Bank plc COIF
Nine Brindley Place 80 Cheapside
Birmingham London B1 2HB
Scottish Widows Bank plc
67 Morrison Street
Edinburgh EH3 8YJ
CCLA COIF Charities Deposit Fund
Senator House
85 Queen Victoria Street
London EC4V 4ET

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Better Leeds Communities

Report of the Board of Trustees/Directors for the year ended 31st March 2022

2. Structure, Governance and Management

Company Status and Governing Document

Better Leeds Communities is a charitable company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 19 September 1983 and registered as a charity on 21 July 1983. The company was established under a Memorandum of Association which established the objects and powers of the charitable company and is governed by its Articles of Association. In the event of the charity being wound up, members are required to contribute an amount not exceeding £1. There are currently 10 members.

Recruitment and Appointment of Trustees

All the directors of the company are also trustees of the charity. The trustees who served during the year under review and to date are set out on page 1. In accordance with the Articles of Association, onethird of the directors or, if their number is not three or a multiple of three, the number nearest to onethird, must retire from office and being eligible, can offer themselves for re-election. The directors to retire by rotation shall be those who have been longest in office since their last appointment. If any directors became or were appointed directors on the same day those to retire shall (unless they otherwise agree among themselves) be determined by lot.

Our strategy continues to be to recruit individuals with skills we have identified as necessary to continue to ensure effective governance.

Anyone interested in joining the Board is first asked to submit a CV, which is scrutinised by the Chair. If appropriate, the prospective trustee is offered the opportunity to observe a Board meeting. By mutual agreement an interview is scheduled, a DBS check is carried out and references are taken up. A final recommendation is then made to the trustees. The final decision to appoint a new trustee is taken at a Board meeting.

Induction and Training of Trustees

All current trustees are already familiar with the practical work of the charity and many will participate in staff training, meetings, and away days. Trustees are informed of the provision of activities and meet all senior staff members.

Additionally, all new trustees receive a prepared Trustee Induction Pack, which includes the following Better Leeds Communities information:

Publicity leaflet Latest annual accounts Latest annual report All organisational policies Memorandum and Articles of Association Minutes of the latest Board meeting Contact details for the Board Relevant Charity Commission leaflets The NCVO – Good Trustee Guide

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Better Leeds Communities

Report of the Board of Trustees/Directors for the year ended 31st March 2022

Organisational Structure

Better Leeds Communities is organised, so the trustees meet regularly to manage its affairs and provide strategic direction. The organisations day-to-day management is undertaken by the Chief Executive Officer who is directly accountable to the Chair and collectively the wider Board of Trustees.

The CEO manages the Enterprise Manager, the Communities Manager, the First Contact Manager, the Debt Supervisor, Generalist, Housing and Support & Engagement staff; the Debt Team are managed by the Debt Supervisor; and the First Contact Team is managed by the First Contact Manager and the Communities Team is managed by the Communities Manager. The. Income generation is the responsibility of the Enterprise Manager. Remuneration for key personnel is reviewed by the Board of Trustees on an annual basis with reference to the NJC pay scales.

Risk Management

Consideration of risk is an ongoing aspect of all project planning, monitoring, and quality assurance. Many procedures such as authorisation, monitoring and reporting, staff vetting and appraisal, safety procedures for staff, property and clients, and adequate insurance cover are in place; and security equipment has been installed to safeguard against theft from the building. We continue to invest in training, resources, and development of new policies on all aspects of safety in the workplace.

The principal financial risk to the charity is the loss of income through major contracts coming to an end and the risk of being unable to secure continuation funding. The trustees review this risk on a regular basis and keep a risk register. The Board holds strategy meetings to plan for the future and ensure that the charity remains responsive to new opportunities. Decisions taken at these meetings inform the future direction of the charity.

3. Our Aims and Objectives

The main object of the charity is the promotion of any charitable purpose for the benefit of the inhabitants of, principally but not exclusively, the local government area of Leeds and its environs, and more particularly the promotion of learning and social inclusion amongst the inhabitants of the area and the provision of facilities in the interests of social welfare, recreation, and leisure time occupation.

The organisation provides a range of services and activities in pursuance of these objectives including legal advice in welfare benefits, debt, and housing. We deliver social prescribing services across Leeds in partnership with service leads, and deliver intensive, holistic support packages to individuals in financial crisis. Additionally, we also work alongside local residents to develop participatory activities that they have pride in and ownership of, including coordinating and delivering community activities and fun days; and run a personalised community leadership programme developing skills, confidence, and civic participation. In addition, within our building we house specialist facilities (including training and interview rooms, an activity studio, and a kitchen) to run our own activities to cater for the needs of community groups, public and private sector organisations.

Having such excellent community-based facilities means that we can readily host a range of activities, public events and meetings for the benefit of the local community and beyond.

Better Leeds Communities’ staff and volunteers are guided by the following set of values that positively influence the culture of the organisation: Our values are:

Excellence - We are ambitious for Leeds, we are committed to delivering high quality, continuous improvement and value for money.

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Report of the Board of Trustees/Directors for the year ended 31st March 2022

Collaboration - Partnership is at the centre of all we do, we work positively with others to achieve more for the people who use our services.

Inclusion - We value diversity, we promote equality. Our services are open, accessible and our opportunities are available to all. We are always welcoming, encouraging, and respectful.

Sustainability - We are innovative, forward looking, and creative. We are enterprising, relevant, and progressive in pursuit of our vision.

The trustees confirm that they have referred to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit when reviewing the aims of the organisation and its future activities.

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Report of the Board of Trustees/Directors for the year ended 31st March 2022

4. Our Achievements and Performance

Chair's Report

I am pleased to introduce Better Leeds Communities Annual Report 2021-2022 which sets out for our clients, supporters, staff, funders and the public our work and achievements during the year and our future plans. I would like to thank the Directors/ Trustees, the Senior Management team and all of our staff for their hard work during a challenging period, which included an extended period of working from home and the start of a gradual return to more normal working patterns.

Better Leeds Communities is a long-established charity that has delivered vitally important services in Leeds for many years. The Directors/Trustees and the Senior Management team are very conscious of the need to ensure that it continues to operate for many years into the future and to do that financial stability is crucial. I am pleased to report that at the end of the 2021/22 financial year we continued to be financially stable. Although our income was down by £33k on the previous year, our costs were also down by £50k. Our net surplus in the year was £56k and our net assets increased to £612k.

Our funders continued to be extremely supportive during this period, and our service volumes gradually returned to levels experienced prior to the Covid outbreak, reflecting increased demand for our services as our client’s lives gradually returned to something approaching pre Covid levels.

We invested in upgrades to our building and our IT facilities to improve our service standards even further and we are now seeing the benefits of this as our room hiring activity welcomes back clients who are returning to face-to-face activities.

Staff recruitment proved challenging during the year and posts remained unfilled for longer than we would have liked, reflecting the tightening in the jobs market post Covid. This placed extra demands on existing staff members, and we are extremely grateful for their hard work in providing cover.

During the course of 2021-2022 Rajinder Saggu and Steven Cochrane retired from our Trustee Board and we are very grateful for the time and experience that they contributed for a number of years. We were pleased to welcome Matt Farrar and Terri McGregor to the Board. Tracey Simpson-Laing, our Enterprise Manager, left during the year and we wish her good luck in her future career. I am very grateful to my fellow Trustees for continuing their involvement during what has been a very difficult period.

I would like to record my thanks to all our staff, funders and partners for their support.

Neil Canwell Chair of Trustees

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Report of the Board of Trustees/Directors for the year ended 31st March 2022

Better Leeds Communities

Chief Executive’s Report

The last year was again hugely challenging globally, nationally, and locally for organisations and individuals alike. The Covid-19 pandemic lingered for most of the year, with periods in and out of lockdown for most of the country. This created a period of unique disturbance to our operational delivery and many of our service users were disproportionately affected by the consequences of the virus. Poverty, insecure employment and housing and health and race inequalities had combined to put many of our clients at significant and enduring disadvantage. Additionally, a closed down economy resulted in those of our clients that were ‘just about’ managing, finding themselves stretched to crisis point both financially and emotionally. Food and Fuel Poverty meant increasing numbers approached us in crisis for financial support.

We do not see this situation improving over the coming year and are concerned about the predicted increases in utility and food prices and the impact of this on service demand, further increasing pressure on our dedicated staff team. The challenges faced by our staff and the reliance and compassion demonstrated is a source of immense pride for me as are their achievements and creativity given the challenges they face on a daily basis.

In the coming year, we will increase the management resource by appointing a Deputy CEO and an inhouse bookkeeper/accountant to support with fundraising and income generation as well as the increasing bookkeeping/finance requirements of the organisation.

The start of the financial year saw our staff team returning to working from the Burley Lodge Centre on a phased basis. We welcomed staff back to start to engage in their client work in the supportive environment of the workplace, amongst colleagues and managers.

Better Leeds Communities closes the year in a strong position both financially and strategically. We are expecting demand for services to surge over the next year as the impact of lockdowns and associated rising unemployment filters down to communities. We reaffirm our commitment to empowering people, working co-operatively with partners, and co-producing our services and activities. We remain committed to ensuring that we continue to work holistically with individuals and families in order to achieve demonstrable long-lasting change in their lives.

We thank all of our stakeholders, particularly our funders who have been understanding and supportive of our challenges. We look forward to working with all our supporters in the coming year.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our team of staff and volunteers for all their commitment and dedication, without their enthusiasm for the work and commitment to our service users we would be unable to achieve such excellent outcomes.

I am also extremely grateful to the Directors/Trustees for their continued energy and commitment to our mission.

Taira Kayani Chief Executive Officer

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Report of the Board of Trustees/Directors for the year ended 31st March 2022

5. Our Services

Advice Services

Debt Advice Service

The Debt Advice Service delivers debt advice sessions to Leeds residents. The service is funded by the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) through Citizen Advice.

The Debt Service provides detailed Debt Casework, when needed, and a wide range of support including negotiations with creditors, agreement to debt write offs, assistance with court proceedings, discussions with enforcement agents, and advice on the full range of statutory debt solutions; plus help with income maximisation and financial capability.

Referrals come from a wide variety of agencies and organisations including education settings, Leeds Voluntary Sector organisations, Housing Support Workers, GP surgeries, self-referral and from Better Leeds Communities services.

The services Specialist Debt Advisors deliver advice on a range of debt issues including credit cards, loans, rent, utilities, and council tax arrears; and all are qualified to act as approved intermediaries for Debt Relief Orders when appropriate to client situations. As with previous years, Advisors have seen an upward trend in the complexity of debt problems and in the number of debts each client presents with, and the added complexity of appointments being via telephone or video due to the COVID-19 pandemic – this has resulted with an increase in the time spent supporting clients.

The contract requires our Advisors to engage in continuing professional development to ensure delivery is up to date and appropriate advice is given; and there continues to be an emphasis on quality as well as being target driven.

As a result of Government COVID-19 legislation once again we found ourselves in a period of national ‘Lockdown’, delivering the service via telephone, video, and email. We continued the year in lockdown periods and took a cautious approach to returning to the office and face-to-face delivery. As all restrictions were lifted in March 2022, it was planned to return to face-to-face delivery in the next financial year.

The project dealt with 473 new cases in year, continued to work with 76 clients from the previous year and supported clients responsible for the care of 470 children. In-year, the funder ‘relaxed’ project targets in recognition of the reduced ability for people to engage with support agencies due to COVID-19 legislation and because of the government support packages that introduced ‘payment holidays’ for monies owed.

In the year, the project managed debts totalling £3,180,049.13 and over £130,000 of debt was written off completely.

The average number of creditors a client had was 5, with 10 clients dealing with over 20 creditors.

Children’s Centres

The Children’s Centre service is funded by Citizen Advice Leeds and is aimed at those responsible for (or expecting) a child under 16 years of age in Leeds and focusing on those expecting a baby or that have children under the age of 5.

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Report of the Board of Trustees/Directors for the year ended 31st March 2022

Referrals are received from numerous sources, including Citizen Advice Leeds, Family Support Workers, and self-referrals.

Our Generalist Advice Workers deliver advice on Welfare Benefits, housing, debt, and immigration; assist clients with form filling, benefit appeals and mandatory reconsideration; and signpost to other services provided by Better Leeds Communities and those of appropriate external organisations depending on client needs.

Due to the continuation of COVID-19 related national lockdowns and reluctance for Children’s Centres to host visitors, we continued to deliver the service via telephone and virtual appointments until early March 2022 when we returned to City & Holbeck Children’s Centre with plans in place to ramp up the face-to-face delivery to other Children’s centres over the following months.

In-year we continued the previous year's promotion of the service through the Advice Service, First Contact Team and social media as well as through our networks and partnerships. Additionally, we distributed printed media to a large proportion of education settings across the city.

In-year the funder ‘relaxed’ project targets in recognition of the reduced ability for people to engage with support agencies due to COVID-19 legislation and because of the government support packages that introduced ‘payment holidays’ for monies owed.

Due to ways of working changing internally and with our external referral partners, we saw a downturn in referral numbers, though the project still supported new clients who received benefit gains of around £28,000.

Housing Advice Service

Our Housing Service delivers housing advice to Leeds residents and is funded by Citizen Advice Leeds

The service provides detailed advice to ‘Casework’ level; supports those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, or in need of help with an urgent housing issue - including referral to some temporary accommodation schemes; and advises on a wide range of other issues including renting, housing options after relationship breakdowns, tenants’ rights and obligations, harassment, repairs and legal procedures, and can also refer clients to some temporary accommodation.

Clients continue to present with complex housing needs that increases the time and intervention required; and we are also seeing clients that have multiple complexities in their lives including debt and poor wellbeing.

As a result of Government COVID-19 legislation once again we found ourselves in a period of national ‘Lockdown’, delivering the service via telephone, video, and email.

We continued the year in lockdown periods and took a cautious approach to returning to the office and face-to-face delivery. As all restrictions were lifted in March 2022, it was planned to return to face-toface delivery in the next financial year. However, due to a 92% of client engagement level, it was decided that the focus for the project would be telephone advice.

During the year, Housing Advice delivered 260 appointments who all but 5 were new clients.

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Better Leeds Communities

Report of the Board of Trustees/Directors for the year ended 31st March 2022

Henry Smith 2020-2023

In late September 2020 we were awarded a new three-year contract by The Henry Smith Charity. The service commenced in November 2020 and has worked predominantly under Government COVID-19 restrictions and national ‘Lockdowns’.

The Henry Smith Project offers holistic Debt Advice and support to clients referred by the Linking Leeds Project. The project has the resource to offer Debt Advice alongside holistic support to empower clients to address issues that have impacted on their health and wellbeing.

Initial client feedback replicates that seen previously. Clients feel that our support has resulted in them feeling more optimistic and that they have an improved sense of how to deal with problems; that they feel more relaxed and were thinking more clearly; that their financial stability had improved; and were less likely to become homeless. However, it is also evident that the social effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are putting an extra strain on clients.

During the operational period of the financial year the service has supported 130 new clients which is has increased significantly from the previous year.

Stronger Families

Stronger Families is a collaboration of third sector organisations across Leeds and Bradford. It is funded by the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) and the National Lottery and managed by the DWP – local management is provided by Leeds City Council.

Stronger Families supports parents to access training, start job searching and find employment - Better Leeds Communities supports parents to do this by providing Specialist Debt and Housing Advice for families struggling with unemployment, low school attendance, physical health, social emotional and mental health issues, and financial exclusion.

To be eligible for support people must:

Clients are allocated a Key Worker to support them to access specialists who can help with:

As a result of Government COVID-19 legislation once again we found ourselves in a period of national ‘Lockdown’, delivering the service via telephone, video, and email. We continued the year in lockdown periods and took a cautious approach to returning to the office and face-to-face delivery. As all restrictions were lifted in March 2022, it was planned to return to face-to-face delivery in the next financial year.

During the year the client referral flow has been consistent due to the Stronger Families programme consistently achieving their targets.

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Better Leeds Communities

Report of the Board of Trustees/Directors for the year ended 31st March 2022

Our Specialist Debt & Housing Advisors continue to report that those accessing support continue to present with complex issues and require longer periods of support; and it is evident that the restrictions of the pandemic are affecting families’ lives.

The service aims to support 64 clients during a contract year. During the year the service supported 121 new clients, 45 more than the previous year; and our work with new clients supported the carers of 177 children. The number of debts has increased when compared to the previous year. 34% of clients had less than 5 creditors, with the highest being 28. The average number of creditors amongst all clients was 8. The project managed debts totalling £482,235.96.

Horizons

Horizons is a five-year project funded by the Big Lottery which is delivered in partnership with Leeds Mind. In April 2021 the project started its final few months of delivery.

Horizons works to reduce the immediate and medium-term impacts of severe financial hardship, and levels of hardship-related crisis for Leeds residents; and aims to better equip people to manage and exit hardship-related crisis through peer support, advice, and advocacy. It seeks to do so by:

The service remit is to deliver independent, professional, and impartial advice through attendance at Foodbanks and through one-to-one ongoing support - our Support & Engagement Workers support clients to access services and assist with relevant paperwork. Horizons also runs Peer Support workshops and courses to share knowledge and learn life skills as a way to prevent future crisis.

We continued the year in lockdown periods and took a cautious approach to returning to the office and face-to-face delivery.

Throughout the remainder of the project clients continued to experience difficulties due to the city’s Foodbanks being closed.

Leeds City Council Covid Business Support

Our Burley Lodge Centre was classed as a business that was unable to trade or had restricted trading due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As a result of this classification, our Business Rates for the financial year were reduced and we received financial support through the available grants.

HMRC Furlough Scheme

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the inability of our Room Hire business to trade due to Government COVID-19 legislation restrictions, we placed a number of staff on furlough who have remained on the scheme until September 2021.

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Report of the Board of Trustees/Directors for the year ended 31st March 2022

Better Leeds Communities

Communities and Families

1 Burley: 170 Voices

After a successful Bid to the Reaching Communities Fund from the National Lottery, in the last financial year, we started the project on 01 April 2021 whilst we were still in the throws of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Project ended its first year as participants grew in engagement and continue to develop confidence in themselves and each other. We hear them facing into their fears of the impending ‘Cost of Living Crisis’ and continue to be aware of the changing needs and general mood of the community. Despite struggling to achieve our project outputs and the quantitative outputs; qualitatively we are proud of the achievements.

Our volunteers are central to what we do and provide us with the steer on how and what the project delivers. We have now taken the approach to be on a continuous recruitment drive as part of our dayto-day work paying particular attention to those participants that appear keen to give. We have recently inducted a small team of 4 who have shown commitment and dedication to their roles so far.

Our Networks and partnerships are strengthening and growing locally. It has been great to get back to inviting people back into the building, getting out to their own homes and really feeling a sense of connection and working together.

Our local Councillors are big supporters of the project and understand that it is a good reach into a community that may not otherwise be as easily accessible. They signpost those they see would benefit from being involved into us and often attend our events and call into the groups to hear from residents.

“I have found the Women’s group to be very focused and dedicated to getting their lives back after the last two difficult years.

Their resilience and creativity have been very impressive, and I am proud to support them. The Burley Lodge Centre has been a safe place for the Women’s group. Abigail Marshal Katung – Ward Councillor

The project has worked closely with the Youth Service who share what is being tried and tested in other parts of the city when it comes to liaison and diversion for some of the more ‘at risk’ of offending young people. This is valuable in our decision making and something the participating parents have expressed a wish to be addressed.

We continue to signpost into other local community organisations and commonly into Better Leeds Communities’ own specialist advice services. We have seen a spike in referrals to financial and money advice over the last month of the year as our contact with families has highlighted diminishing incomes and household funds being squeezed.

The Window display box of the Burley Lodge Centre is regularly full of advertisements of our initiatives and is proving a great way of showing our local residents what’s on offer via the project.

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Better Leeds Communities

Report of the Board of Trustees/Directors for the year ended 31st March 2022

Amongst our activity was:

Leeds 2023 Artist

An enormous success for the project was ‘my neighbourhood, my city, my world’ which brought local community artist Cassy Oliphant into our community to inspire and empower dreaming big for the citywide celebration:

Here is what Cassy has to say about the group’s journey,

“The group came together to share their ideas, their backgrounds, as well as learning new skills such as filming each other and their area. There was also a noticeable desire to help new members joining and work inclusively. It was great getting to the know the community from my point of view as a community artist - and I think there's huge scope to support the creative voice of the women."

Recipe Sharing

This group has been one that has been in continuous demand and is always well received. A large percentage of the group have attained their level 1 Food Safety and Hygiene Certificate with us, and we are now looking at supporting this interest through to level 2.

1Burley Christmas Market

Having a wide range of skills between them, a group of participants made the decision to hold a Christmas Market. The group decided to make homemade gifts (crafts, food stuff,) and create a few stalls (tombola, raffle) to raise money for the local children’s hospital. Everything for sale was sold at a low price and the success of this small-scale event has given participants the confidence to do the same again, and perhaps venture out into the wider community to reach a larger audience.

My Place

My Place, funded by the Lloyds Foundation, provides Housing Support alongside our existing Specialist Housing Advice provision. The service commenced in September 2018 and is initially funded for three years.

The service works with people experiencing multiple disadvantages at a critical point in their life such as living in the private rented sector and struggling to pay high rent costs due to low incomes, reducing housing benefit, the introduction of Universal Credit and the benefits cap which are causing many vulnerable people to become homeless, on the verge of homelessness or vulnerably housed.

My Place’s aim is to transition people from a position of no accommodation or being vulnerably housed to managing a tenancy/accommodation; and works to address a range of other transition and progression outcomes that are linked to participants being able to manage a tenancy/accommodation.

My Place supports people to feel safer, build resilience, be independent and able to make positive choices; be more able to manage mental health issues; to have improved self-esteem/confidence and physical health, it aims to reduce isolation and stress/anxiety; and have increased support networks.

The service is normally delivered face to face by a Support Worker who attends appointments with clients and where appropriate undertakes interventions on their behalf. However, we started the year as we had ended the previous working under Government COVID-19 legalisation and delivering the service via telephone, video, and email.

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Better Leeds Communities

Report of the Board of Trustees/Directors for the year ended 31st March 2022

During the year, the project exceeded its target.

Social Prescribing

Linking Leeds

Linking Leeds is the integrated city-wide Social Prescribing service for people in Leeds that links individuals attending GP practices or living in the community with a range of local community services to improve social, emotional, and mental wellbeing. It is commissioned by NHS Leeds Clinical Commissioning Group.

The service is a consortium of seven local partners, including Better Leeds Communities, who have over a decade of collective experience delivering Social Prescribing to the people of Leeds. The Linking Leeds service commenced delivery on the 1st September 2019. Linking Leeds provides Social Prescribing for all Leeds residents aged 16 years and above and responds to the specific health profiles of communities.

Linking Leeds is aimed at anyone who may benefit from better links with their local community, including those who wants to improve their general health and wellbeing. It can connect people with a range of services in their area, including mental health support, fitness classes, volunteering or employment opportunities, faith groups, money or housing services and hobby groups.

Our Wellbeing Coordinators started the year as they had ended the previous, working from home, and delivering the service via telephone, video, and email as a result of Government COVID-19 legislation. Client numbers were below target throughout the year as patients were not visiting General Practice Surgeries and so not being referred to the service. Throughout the year discussion took place about a return to surgeries but come the autumn and the return to restrictions this did not take place.

Services and Room Hire

First Contact Service

The First Contact Team, which includes our Casual First Contact Team who work evenings and weekends, are the welcoming face of the organisation and is the first point of contact for all clients, customers, contractors, and funders coming into Better Leeds Communities services and facility.

At the start of the Government COVID-19 legislation restrictions we placed members of the team on to the Governments Job Retention Scheme (Furlough) due to the requirements to close our Burley Lodge Centre to Room Hire customers. As restrictions were lifted and some customers returned, we were able to bring staff back on reduced hours and in line with the scheme’s requirements, but due to the lack of custom during the year staff have remained on Furlough through part of the year.

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Better Leeds Communities

Report of the Board of Trustees/Directors for the year ended 31st March 2022

The First Contact deliver element that support our service delivery and have adopted a hybrid working pattern to ensure Room Hire Bookings were taking place and client contact was maintained. They ensured that calls were answered in a timely manner and that emails were replied to within 3 days.

Room Hire

In year, and as a reflection of bookings during 2020/2021 we had hoped to begin to re-grow the business. However, the room booking income target was reduced significantly due to periods of complete closure, some limited operation under strict regulatory COVID-19 guidance and a reluctance or inability of some groups to return due to concerns over their group’s health.

We have continued to make improvements to the building including the purchase of additional furniture to alleviate the need to move furniture from room to room.

6. Financial review

2021/22 was a particularly challenging year in terms of new or renewed funding being available. Many funders closed their programmes or altered the length of any potential continuation of funding in order to reassess their programmes and ensure their funds were best placed to support people on the road to Covid recovery. Some of our funding was under threat of withdrawal and this created a great deal of uncertainty for both the organisation and the individuals working for us. We lost some experienced, skilled staff and recruitment and retention issues threatened our ability to fulfil contract obligations. Thankfully, towards the end of the financial year, we received news that the impending cuts to funding would not in fact materialise and we were able to meet all our funding outputs and outcomes.

Income in the year decreased from £689,242 to £656,033. Expenditure also decreased in the year from £649,012 to £599,760. This left an overall net movement in funds in the year of £56,273 made up of £71,474 in unrestricted funds and (£15,201) restricted funds.

Funding came from a variety of statutory and non-statutory bodies. Better Leeds Communities is grateful to all our funders, especially in these difficult times, for helping the organisation to work towards its mission of creating opportunities that enable Leeds residents to achieve their potential by raising aspirations, removing barriers, and developing abilities that lead to a better life.

Reserves policy

The trustees have established a policy whereby the unrestricted funds not committed or invested in tangible fixed assets (the free reserves) held by the charity should be adequate to ensure that current levels of activity could continue for at least six months during a period of unforeseen difficulty. At 31 March 2022 the total reserves were £612,540. Of this £25,317 are restricted and not available for general use and £165,670 are held as functional fixed assets. This leaves the level of free reserves amounting to £421,553 . The trustees are mindful of their responsibilities for the maintenance and repair of the Burley Lodge Centre building. Significant investment has been made to improve and maintain the building to date, however, there are ongoing issues with the building infrastructure and design. Trustees will next year consider allocating a designated reserve to ensure the high standard of maintenance and repair are preserved. This provides adequate wind down costs should this be necessary. This reserve level, together with ongoing sources of income, give the trustees the confidence to consider that this reserve is sufficient to meet the above objective.

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Better Leeds Communities

Report of the Board of Trustees/Directors for the year ended 31st March 2022

The free reserves are required to:-

  1. Finance new and existing projects until such time as funds are received from the relevant grant making body, where appropriate.

  2. Finance an orderly close-down of BLC should the need arise.

  3. To ensure that there are adequate Reserves to finance repairs to the building – we are responsible for full repair costs

7. Funders

Better Leeds Communities would like to thank its funders during the 2021-2022 financial year . It is only with the continuation of funding being available that we have been able to continue to deliver the muchneeded services for Leeds residents.

Big Lottery Community Fund Citizens Advice Citizens Advice Leeds The Henry Smith Charity European Structural and Investment Funds/Leeds City Council Leeds City Council Lloyds Foundation Community Links Hyde Park Source

8. Plans for future periods

During the forthcoming financial year we will revert to our long-term plan to continue to explore how we can ensure the sustainability and expansion of services to Leeds residents. We will continue with a focus on the development of community assets and strong local partnerships; and continue to empower our clients to make informed choices about their lives via the provision of quality services.

In the financial year 2021-2022 the organisational plan was to review our services and income streams with an aim to expand services going forward. However, the slower than expected resumption of activity post COVID-19 has mean that progress has been slower than anticipated. During 2022-2023 we will continue to apply for funding and market our Room Hire Business. In addition, we aim to improve our internal resources with the appointment of a full time Deputy CEO with specific responsibilities around fundraising and marketing activity. We have strongly held principles in regard to how and where we want to work with our clients, we look to resume face to face activity as a matter of priority and hope to have Outreach locations operational from the start of the 2022/23 financial year. We have started to get our staff back in the building to work from the office at least 60% of their working week so we can support and encourage the return to face to face work.

16

Report of the Board of Trustees/Directors for the year ended 31st March 2022

Better Leeds Communities

10. Statement of the Board of Directors’ responsibilities

The trustees (who are also directors of Better Leeds Communities for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Report of the Board of Directors and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company law requires the Board of Directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the Board of Directors are required to:

They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. In so far as the Board of Directors is aware:

11. Auditors

Slade & Cooper Ltd were re-appointed as the charitable company's auditors during the year and have expressed their willingness to continue in that capacity.

This report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies’ regime of the Companies Act 2006.

Approved by the Board of Directors and signed on its behalf by

Neil Canwell (Chair)

Date: 30/11/2022

17

Independent Auditor’s Report to the Members of Better Leeds Communities

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of Better Leeds Communities (the ‘charitable company’) for the year ended 31 March 2022, which comprise the Statement of Financial Activities (including the income and expenditure account), the Balance Sheet, the Statement of Cash Flows and the related notes. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charitable company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charitable company's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The trustees are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information included in the trustees’ annual report, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information

18

Independent Auditor’s Report (continued)

and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.

In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements or a material misstatement of the other information. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

In the light of our knowledge and understanding of the charitable company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the trustees’ report.

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

Responsibilities of trustees

As explained more fully in the trustees’ responsibilities statement set out on page 17, the trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view,

19

Independent Auditor’s Report (continued)

and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charitable company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The specific procedures for this engagement and the extent to which these are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below:

Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance. The risk is also greater regarding irregularities occurring due to fraud rather than error, as fraud involves intentional concealment, forgery, collusion, omission or misrepresentation.

A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: https://www.frc.org.uk/Our-Work/Audit/Audit-and-assurance/Standards-and-guidance/Standards-andguidance-for-auditors/Auditors-responsibilities-for-audit/Description-of-auditors-responsibilities-foraudit.aspx. This description forms part of our auditor’s report.

20

Independent Auditor’s Report (continued)

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the charitable company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and the charitable company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Catherine Hall FCCA DChA

Senior Statutory Auditor for and on behalf of

Slade & Cooper Limited Statutory Auditors Beehive Mill Jersey Street Manchester M4 6JG Date: _______

21

Better Leeds Communities

Statement of Financial Activities (including Income and Expenditure account) for the year ended 31 March 2022

Unrestricted
funds
Note
£
Income from:
Donations and legacies
3
8,078
Charitable activities:
4
Advice Service
11,667
Communities and Families
-
Services and Room Hire
27,862
Investments
5
111
Total income
47,718
Expenditure on:
Charitable activities:
6
Advice Service
-
Communities and Families
-
Services and Room Hire
22,060
Total expenditure
22,060
25,658
8
25,658
Transfer between funds
45,816
Net movement in funds for the year
71,474
Reconciliation of funds
Total funds brought forward
515,749
Total funds carried forward
587,223
Net income/(expenditure) before
net gains/(losses) on investments
Net income/(expenditure) for the
year		 Restricted
funds
£
-
432,349
175,966
-
-
608,315
401,734
175,966
-
577,700
30,615
30,615
(45,816)
(15,201)
40,518
25,317		 Total funds
2022
£
8,078
444,016
175,966
27,862
111
656,033
401,734
175,966
22,060
599,760
56,273
56,273
-
56,273
556,267
612,540		 Total funds
2021
£
37,069
464,529
175,969
11,367
308
689,242
424,825
175,969
48,218
649,012
40,230
40,230
-
40,230
516,037
556,267

The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.

22

Better Leeds Communities Company number 1754257

Balance sheet as at 31 March 2022

Note
£
£
Fixed assets
Tangible assets
13
165,670
Total fixed assets
165,670
Current assets
Debtors
14
20,634
Cash at bank and in hand
444,135
Total current assets
464,769
Liabilities
Creditors: amounts falling
due in less than one year
15
(17,899)
Net current assets
446,870
Total assets less current liabilities
612,540
Net assets
612,540
The funds of the charity:
Restricted income funds
16
25,317
Unrestricted income funds
17
587,223
Total charity funds
612,540
2022		 £
£
185,385
185,385
24,298
370,358
394,656
(23,774)
370,882
556,267
556,267
40,518
515,749
556,267
2021		 £
£
185,385
185,385
24,298
370,358
394,656
(23,774)
370,882
556,267
556,267
40,518
515,749
556,267
2021
185,385
370,882
556,267
556,267
40,518
515,749
556,267

These accounts are prepared in accordance with the special provisions of part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies and constitute the annual accounts required by the Companies Act 2006 and are for circulation to members of the company.

The notes on pages 25 to 41 form part of these accounts.

Approved by the Board of Directors on ______ and signed on their behalf by:

Neil Canwell (Chair)

23

Better Leeds Communities

Statement of Cash Flows for the year ending 31 March 2022

Note
2022
£
Cash provided by/(used in) operating activities
20
73,666
Cash flows from investing activities:
Dividends, interest, and rents from investments
111
Purchase of tangible fixed assets
-
Cash provided by/(used in) investing activities
111
73,777
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year
370,358
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year
444,135
Increase/(decrease) in cash and cash
equivalents in the year		 2021
£
55,275
308
(7,346)
(7,038)
48,237
322,121
370,358

24

Better Leeds Communities

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2022

1 Accounting policies

The principal accounting policies adopted, judgments and key sources of estimation uncertainty in the preparation of the financial statements are as follows:

a Basis of preparation

The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102), second edition - October 2019 (Charities SORP (FRS 102)), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Companies Act 2006 and UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice.

Better Leeds Communities meets the definition of a public benefit entity under FRS102. Assets and liabilities are initially recognised at historical cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policy note.

b Reconciliation with previous Generally Accepted Accounting Practice

In preparing the accounts, the trustees have considered whether in applying the accounting policies required by FRS 102 and the Charities SORP FRS 102 the restatement of comparative items was required.

c Preparation of the accounts on a going concern basis

The trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties about the charitable company's ability to continue as a going concern.

The trustees do not consider that there are any sources of estimation uncertainty at the reporting date that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amount of assets and liabilities within the next reporting period.

25

Better Leeds Communities

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2022 (continued)

d Income

Income is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the item(s) of income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.

Income from government and other grants, whether ‘capital’ grants or ‘revenue’ grants, is recognised when the charity has entitlement to the funds, any performance conditions attached to the grants have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably and is not deferred.

For legacies, entitlement is taken as the earlier of the date on which either: the charity is aware that probate has been granted, the estate has been finalised and notification has been made by the executor(s) to the charity that a distribution will be made, or when a distribution is received from the estate. Receipt of a legacy, in whole or in part, is only considered probable when the amount can be measured reliably and the charity has been notified of the executor’s intention to make a distribution. Where legacies have been notified to the charity, or the charity is aware of the granting of probate, and the criteria for income recognition have not been met, then the legacy is a treated as a contingent asset and disclosed if material.

Income received in advance of a provision of a specified service is deferred until the criteria for income recognition are met.

e Donated services and facilities

Donated professional services and donated facilities are recognised as income when the charity has control over the item, any conditions associated with the donated item have been met, the receipt of economic benefit from the use by the charity of the item is probable and that economic benefit can be measured reliably. In accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102), general volunteer time is not recognised; refer to the trustees’ annual report for more information about their contribution.

On receipt, donated professional services and donated facilities are recognised on the basis of the value of the gift to the charity which is the amount the charity would have been willing to pay to obtain services or facilities of equivalent economic benefit on the open market; a corresponding amount is then recognised in expenditure in the period of receipt.

f Interest receivable

Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the charity; this is normally upon notification of the interest paid or payable by the Bank.

26

Better Leeds Communities

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2022 (continued)

g Fund accounting

Unrestricted funds are available to spend on activities that further any of the purposes of charity.

Designated funds are unrestricted funds of the charity which the trustees have decided at their discretion to set aside to use for a specific purpose.

Restricted funds are donations which the donor has specified are to be solely used for particular areas of the charity’s work or for specific projects being undertaken by the charity.

h Expenditure and irrecoverable VAT

Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that settlement will be required and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably. Expenditure is classified under the following activity headings:

Irrecoverable VAT is charged as a cost against the activity for which the expenditure was incurred.

i Allocation of support costs

Support costs are those functions that assist the work of the charity but do not directly undertake charitable activities. Support costs include back office costs, finance, personnel, payroll and governance costs which support the charity's programmes and activities. These costs have been allocated between cost of raising funds and expenditure on charitable activities. The bases on which support costs have been allocated are set out in note 7.

j Operating leases

Operating leases are leases in which the title to the assets, and the risks and rewards of ownership, remain with the lessor. Rental charges are charged on a straight line basis over the term of the lease.

k Tangible fixed assets

Individual fixed assets costing £1,000 or more are capitalised at cost and are depreciated over their estimated useful economic lives on a straight line basis as follows:

Leasehold improvements Over the period of the lease Fixtures, fittings & equipment 25% reducing balance Computer equipment 33.3% straight line

27

Better Leeds Communities

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2022 (continued)

l Debtors

Trade and other debtors are recognised at the settlement amount due after any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.

m Cash at bank and in hand

Cash at bank and cash in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit or similar account.

n Creditors and provisions

Creditors and provisions are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are normally recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts due.

o Financial instruments

The charity only has financial assets and financial liabilities of a kind that qualify as basic financial instruments. Basic financial instruments are initially recognised at transaction value and subsequently measured at their settlement value with the exception of bank loans which are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

p Pensions

Employees of the charity are entitled to join a defined contribution ‘money purchase’ scheme. The

2 Legal status of the charity

The charity is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales and has no share

3 Income from donations and legacies

CJRS grants
Donations
Total
Total by fund 31 March 2021		 Unrestricted
£
5,078
3,000
8,078
37,069		 Restricted
£
-
-
-		 Total 2022
£
5,078
3,000
8,078
37,069		 Total 2021
£
37,069
-
37,069

28

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2022 (continued)

Better Leeds Communities

4 Income from charitable activities

Advice UK
Asda Foundation
Big Lottery Fund
Citizens Advice Bureau
Citizens Advice Leeds
Clothworkers' Foundation
George A. Moore Foundation
Henry Smith Charity
Hyde Park Source
Leeds City Council
Stronger Families
Lloyds Foundation
Natwest
Advice Service
Linking Leeds
Communities and Families
Other income - room hire
Other income
Services and Room Hire
Total
Total by fund 31 March 2021		 Unrestricted
£
1,000
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
10,667
-
-
-
11,667
-
-
27,634
228
27,862
39,529
11,367		 Restricted
£
-
-
106,653
125,421
88,352
-
-
56,750
6,250
-
48,923
-
-
432,349
175,966
175,966
-
-
-
608,315
640,498		 Total 2022
£
1,000
-
106,653
125,421
88,352
-
-
56,750
6,250
10,667
48,923
-
-
444,016
175,966
175,966
27,634
228
27,862
647,844
651,865		 Total 2021
£
-
600
117,409
127,282
114,500
1,120
630
28,350
-
630
35,599
29,993
8,416
464,529
175,969
175,969
11,277
90
11,367
651,865

29

Better Leeds Communities

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2022 (continued)

Previous reporting period
Advice Service
Asda Foundation
Big Lottery Fund
Citizens Advice Bureau
Citizens Advice Leeds
Clothworkers' Foundation
George A. Moore Foundation
Henry Smith Charity
Leeds City Council
Stronger Families
Lloyds Foundation
Natwest
Advice Service
Communities and Families
Linking Leeds
Communities and Families
Services and Room Hire
Other income - room hire
Other income
Services and room hire
Total
5
Investment income
Income from bank deposits		 Unrestricted
£
111
111		 Unrestricted
£
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
11,277
90
11,367
11,367
Restricted
£
-
-		 Restricted
£
600
117,409
127,282
114,500
1,120
630
28,350
630
35,599
29,993
8,416
464,529
175,969
175,969
-
-
-
640,498
2022
£
111
111		 Total 2021
£
600
117,409
127,282
114,500
1,120
630
28,350
630
35,599
29,993
8,416
464,529
175,969
175,969
11,277
90
11,367
651,865
2021
£
308
308

All investment income in the previous year was unrestricted

30

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2022 (continued)

Better Leeds Communities

6 Analysis of expenditure on charitable activities

Advice
Service
£
Staff costs
281,581
Administration
11,033
Depreciation
-
Project costs
17,544
-
91,576
401,734
Previous reporting period
Staff costs
Administration
Depreciation
Project costs
Restricted expenditure
Unrestricted expenditure
Governance costs
(see note 7)
Support costs (see
note 7)
Governance costs
(see note )
Support costs (see
note )		 Communities
and Families
£
148,177
1,413
-
-
-
26,376
175,966
Advice
Service
£
322,243
26,666
-
16,057
-
59,859
424,825		 Services and
Room Hire
£
-
-
19,715
-
3,172
(827)
22,060
Communities
and Families
£
146,820
96
-
-
-
29,053
175,969		 Total 2022
£
429,758
12,446
19,715
17,544
3,172
117,125
599,760
Services and
Room Hire
£
-
-
18,868
-
6,303
23,047
48,218
2022
£
577,700
22,060
599,760		 Total 2021
£
469,063
26,762
18,868
16,057
6,303
111,959
649,012
Total 2021
£
469,063
26,762
18,868
16,057
6,303
111,959
649,012
2021
£
600,794
48,218
649,012

31

Better Leeds Communities

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2022 (continued)

7 Analysis of governance and support costs

8

Basis of
apportionment
Staff costs
Time spent
Office costs
Time spent
Audit fees
Governance
Legal and professional
Governance
Previous reporting period
Basis of
apportionment
Staff costs
Time spent
Office costs
Floor area
Audit fees
Governance
Legal and professional
Governance
Net income/(expenditure) for the year
This is stated after charging/(crediting):
Depreciation
Auditor's remuneration - audit fees		 Support
£
72,167
44,958
-
-
117,125
Support
£
77,619
34,340
-
-
111,959
2022
£
19,715
3,120		 Governance
£
-
-
3,120
52
3,172
Governance
£
-
-
3,944
2,359
6,303
2021
£
18,868
3,000		 Total 2022
£
72,167
44,958
3,120
52
120,297
Total 2021
£
77,619
34,340
3,944
2,359
118,262

32

Better Leeds Communities

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2022 (continued)

9 Staff costs

Staff costs during the year were as follows:

ff costs during the year were as follows:
Wages and salaries
Social security costs
Pension costs
Recruitment, training and travel
Allocated as follows:
Charitable activities
Support costs		 2022
£
441,117
35,967
20,698
4,143
501,925
429,758
72,167
501,925		 2021
£
482,899
38,739
23,737
1,308
546,682
469,063
77,619
546,682

No employees has employee benefits in excess of £60,000 (2021: Nil).

The average number of staff employed during the period was 24 (2021: 27). The average full time equivalent number of staff employed during the period was 16 (2021: 19).

The key management personnel of the charity comprise the trustees and the Chief Executive Officer. The total employee benefits of the key management personnel of the charity were £55,405 (2021: £55,346).

33

Better Leeds Communities

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2022 (continued)

10 Trustee remuneration and expenses, and related party transactions

Neither the management committee nor any persons connected with them received any remuneration or reimbursed expenses during the year (2021: Nil).

No members of the management committee received travel and subsistence expenses during the year. (2021:£nil).

There are no donations from related parties which are outside the normal course of business and no restricted donations from related parties.

No trustee or other person related to the charity had any personal interest in any contract or transaction entered into by the charity, including guarantees, during the year (2021: nil).

11 Government grants

The government grants recognised in the accounts were as follows:

Leeds City Council
CCG - Linking Leeds
HMRC job retention scheme		 2022
£
59,590
175,966
5,078
240,634		 2021
£
55,660
175,969
17,638
249,267

There were no unfulfilled conditions and contingencies attaching to the grants

12 Corporation tax

The charity is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within Chapter 3 of Part 11 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010 or Section 256 of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objects. No tax charges have arisen in the charity.

34

Better Leeds Communities

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2022 (continued)

13 Fixed assets: tangible assets

Cost
Additions
Disposals
Depreciation
Charge for the year
Disposals
Net book value
14
Debtors
Other debtors
Prepayments and accrued income
At 1 April 2021
At 31 March 2022
At 1 April 2021
At 31 March 2022
At 31 March 2022
At 31 March 2021		 Leasehold
improvements
£
398,137
-
-
398,137
220,432
16,256
-
236,688
161,449
177,705
2022
£
1,796
18,838
20,634		 Computer
equipment
£
13,956
-
-
13,956
6,276
3,459
-
9,735
4,221
7,680
2021
£
1,736
22,562
24,298		 £
412,093
-
-
Total
412,093
226,708
19,715
-
246,423
165,670
185,385

35

15 Creditors: amounts falling due within one year

Better Leeds Communities

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2022 (continued)

Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
Other creditors and accruals
Taxation and social security costs
Deferred income		 2022
£
8,865
8,492
542
17,899		 2021
£
13,331
10,443
-
23,774

No accrual for holiday pay was required at the end of March 2022 (March 2021: £0)

36

Better Leeds Communities

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2022 (continued)

16 Analysis of movements in restricted funds

Balance at
1 April
2021
£
Advice Service
600
-
-
5,033
20,245
-
-
-
-
My Place (Leeds)
14,640
Stronger Families
-
40,518
Communities and Families
-
-
Total
40,518
Asda Foundation
Burley Voices
Children's Centre
Advice Service
Henry Smith
2020/2023
Horizons
Hyde Park Source
Leeds Advice
Service
MaPS Trainee
Money Advice
Service
Linking Leeds		 Income
£
-
79,563
52,349
56,750
27,090
6,250
36,003
22,900
102,521
-
48,923
432,349
175,966
175,966
608,315		 Expenditure
£
(600)
(51,295)
(52,349)
(49,606)
(35,990)
(4,533)
(36,003)
(22,900)
(85,721)
(13,814)
(48,923)
(401,734)
(175,966)
(175,966)
(577,700)		 Transfers
£
-
(15,954)
-
-
(11,345)
(1,717)
-
-
(16,800)
-
-
(45,816)
-
-
(45,816)		 Balance at
31 March
2022
£
-
12,314
-
12,177
-
-
-
-
-
826
-
25,317
-
-
25,317

37

Better Leeds Communities

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2022 (continued)

Balance at
1 April
2020
£
Advice Service
-
-
-
-
-
-
17,210
14,542
-
-
-
My Place (Leeds)
14,192
-
Money Matters
5,572
Stronger Families
-
51,516
Communities and Families
Linking Leeds
-
-
Total
51,516
Previous reporting
period
Asda Foundation
100% Digital Fund
Burley Voices
Children's Centre
Clothworkers'
George A. Moore
Debt Outreach
Henry Smith
Horizons
Leeds Advice
MaPS Trainee
Money Advice
My Place (Covid-19		 Income
£
600
630
9,993
111,300
1,120
630
-
28,350
107,416
3,200
18,888
108,394
24,857
5,136
8,416
35,599
464,529
175,969
175,969
640,498		 Expenditure
£
-
(630)
(9,993)
(94,229)
(1,120)
(630)
(17,210)
(23,317)
(89,474)
(3,200)
(18,888)
(87,809)
(23,602)
(5,136)
(13,988)
(35,599)
(424,825)
(175,969)
(175,969)
(600,794)		 Transfers
£
-
-
-
(17,071)
-
-
-
-
(12,239)
-
-
(20,585)
(807)
-
-
-
(50,702)
-
-
(50,702)		 Balance at
31 March
2021
£
600
-
-
-
-
-
-
5,033
20,245
-
-
-
14,640
-
-
-
40,518
-
-
40,518

38

Better Leeds Communities

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2022 (continued)

Name of

Description, nature and purposes of the fund

Children's Centre This is a scheme providing an outreach advice service at centres across Leeds Advice Service Debt Outreach This is a project run to offer a debt outreach service. Horizons This is a project to support people facing hardshipt crisis.

Money Advice Service This forms part of a national initiative to provide debt advice.

Henry Smith This project provides holistic debt advice and support to clients referred by the Linking Leeds Project.

17 Analysis of movement in unrestricted funds

General fund
Building fund		 Balance
at 1 April
2021
£
338,044
177,705
515,749		 Income
£
47,718
-
47,718		 Expenditure
£
(5,804)
(16,256)
(22,060)		 Transfers
£
45,816
-
45,816		 As at 31
March 2022
£
425,774
161,449
587,223

Name of Description, nature and purposes of the fund General fund The free reserves after allowing for all designated funds Building fund The fixed assets are essential for the future operation of the charity and so

39

Better Leeds Communities

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2022 (continued)

Previous reporting
period
General fund
Building fund		 Balance
at 1 April
2020
£
270,560
193,961
464,521		 Income
£
48,744
-
48,744		 Expenditure
£
(31,962)
(16,256)
(48,218)		 Transfers
£
50,702
-
50,702		 As at 31
March 2021
£
338,044
177,705
515,749

18 Analysis of net assets between funds

Tangible fixed assets
Net current assets/(liabilities)
Total
Previous reporting period
Tangible fixed assets
Net current assets/(liabilities)
Total		 General
fund
£
4,221
421,553
425,774
General
fund
£
7,680
330,363
338,043		 Designated
funds
£
161,449
-
161,449
Designated
funds
£
177,705
-
177,705		 Restricted
funds
£
-
25,317
25,317
Restricted
funds
£
-
40,518
40,518		 Total
£
165,670
446,870
612,540
Total
£
185,385
370,881
556,266

19 Operating lease commitments

The charity's total future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases is as

Less than one year
One to five years
Over five years		 2022
2021
£
£
1
1
4
4
8
8
13
13
Property		 2022
2021
£
£
489
489
977
977
-
-
1,466
1,466
Equipment		 2022
2021
£
£
489
489
977
977
-
-
1,466
1,466
Equipment
1,466

40

Notes to the accounts for the year ended 31 March 2022 (continued)

Better Leeds Communities

20 Reconciliation of net movement in funds to net cash flow from operating activities

Net income/(expenditure) for the year
Adjustments for:
Depreciation charge
Dividends, interest and rents from investments
Decrease/(increase) in debtors
Increase/(decrease) in creditors
Net cash provided by/(used in) operating		 2022
£
56,273
19,715
(111)
3,664
(5,875)
73,666		 2021
£
40,230
18,868
(308)
(7,180)
3,665
55,275

41