# Annual Report and Accounts 2023 ## **Lands Village Hall Association** ## **Prepared for next Annual General Meeting** ## Prepared by: Glenn Reffin Lands Village Hall ⚬ High Lands ⚬ County Durham ⚬ DL13 5AR Lands Village Hall is regulated by the Charity Commission of England and Wales (reg. no. 520841) ## Contents ||Contents|| |---|---|---| ||**Contents**|**3**| |**1 **|**Charity declaration**|**5**| ||**Ofcers and Trustees**|**6**| ||**Other Trustees (Management Committee Members)**|**6**| ||**Annual Returns**|**6**| |**2 **|**Ofcers’ Report**|**7**| ||**Introduction**|**7**| ||**Projects and funding**|**7**| ||Installation of a generator and heating|7| ||Emergency contingency plan|8| ||Coffee morning subsidy|8| ||Kitchen refurbishment project|8| ||Hall painting|8| ||Noticeboards project|9| ||Storage facility|9| ||**Future projects**|**9**| ||**Other achievements**|**10**| ||Solar farm development|10| |**3 **
**4 **|Lands**Village Hall**
Annual Report and**Accounts**| |---|---| ||Events
11
Relationships
11
**Summary**
**12**
**Governance**
**13**
**History of the trust**
**13**
**Structure of the Trust**
**13**
**Membership**
**14**
**Risk management**
**14**
**Financial report**
**15**
**Financial review**
**15**
**Responsibilities**
**16**
**Independent examiner’s report**
**19**
Responsibilities and basis of report
19
Independent examiner’s statement
19
**Balance sheet**
**21**
**Income and expenditure report**
**22**
**Income, Expenditure and Balance Chart**
**25**| Page 4 of 26 ## 1 Charity declaration Lands Village Hall Association is a registered trust regulated by the Charity Commission of England and Wales and subject to the _Charities Act, 1993_ . **Charity name:** Lands Village Hall Association **Charity number:** 520841 **Registered office:** 54 High Lands, Co. Durham, DL13 5AS **Aims:** The provision and maintenance of a village hall for use by the inhabitants of the area of benefit without distinction of political, religious or other opinions, including use for: meetings, lectures and classes; and other forms of recreation and leisure–time occupation, with the object of improving the conditions of life for the inhabitants. **First registered:** 5 October 1965 **Website:** landsvillagehall.uk **Bankers:** Virgin Money Plc, Paypal inc. **Solicitors:** Wrigley’s Solicitors LLP (Leeds, Sheffield, Newcastle) Lands **Village Hall** Annual Report and **Accounts** ## Officers and Trustees **Chairman:** Glenn Reffin **Secretary:** Alison Deakin **Treasurer:** David Dodd ## Other Trustees (Management Committee Members) Simon Dobson Paul Dodd Gerard Gaynor Elaine Harrison Carol Suddick Evenwood and Barony Parish Council did not appoint a representative. ## Annual Returns **Report for year 2022** submitted 15 November 2023 (15 days late)[1] **Report for year 2021** submitted 1 October 2022 (on time) **Report for year 2020** submitted 9 October 2021 (on time) **Report for year 2019** submitted 22 September 2020 (on time) > 1 The report was submitted 15 days late because of a technical issue with access to the register. Page 6 of 26 ## 2 Officers’ Report ## Introduction During 2023 Lands Village Hall has undergone a major facelift thanks to the grant funding made available from foundations and grant funders. The primary aims of the funding I have sought have been twofold: 1. to enable and advance the refurbishment of the hall and to improve its facilities; and, 2. to achieve these refurbishments and improvements whilst enhancing the resilience of the community for an emergency. These aims have resulted in the following achievements. ## Projects and funding ## Installation of a generator and heating Although grant support was provided by The Northern Powergrid Foundation at the end of 2022, we did not receive the £9,950 funding or start substantial work until this financial year. We installed a new heating system that provides heating throughout the premises on a zonal basis, and a new diesel generator that enables us to use the hall during a power failure. Lands **Village Hall** Annual Report and **Accounts** Resulting from this project we can provide a safe, warm space and refreshments during emergencies and power failures. ## Emergency contingency plan The funding from Northern Powergrid also provided a grant to purchase suitable emergency equipment (such as wind–up torches, hi–vis vests, whistles, clipboards, etc). This equipment is available as part of our new _Emergency contingency plan_ that enables us to coordinate a community response to an incident and coordinate with the emergency services through the County Council’s Civil Contingencies Unit. ## Coffee morning subsidy We received a small grant from NAVCO of £500 to subsidise our coffee mornings for the first few months of 2023. This enabled us to temporarily reduce the price of our coffee morning menu during the funding period. ## Kitchen refurbishment project In March, we received £9,383 from The National Lottery Community Fund, which enabled us to refurbish and equip our kitchen. Through this project, we completely removed the dilapidated old kitchen and installed a contemporary, professional kitchen, ceiling insulation, and new flooring. The project transformed the facilities we have available at the hall, making them fit for purpose and suitable for general use and particularly for use during an emergency. The project was completed by closing the hall for six weeks from the end of July through to the beginning of September, which enabled volunteers (David Dodd and Glenn Reffin) to complete the work. ## Hall painting While the hall was closed for the kitchen refurbishment, the main room and toilets also received a makeover. Malcolm Steer volunteered to remove loose paint and plaster from the walls, replaster where we had water damage, and to paint the hall and windows. We are grateful for the long hours he spent up a ladder plastering and painting. Page 8 of 26 Lands **Village Hall** Annual Report and **Accounts** In addition, he fixed cementing problems causing water ingress along the roof edges. While there are still some issues to be resolved and fixed, the majority of the water problems are solved and the hall has been transformed into a brighter, cleaner state. ## Noticeboards project We received £2,313 towards installation of a village noticeboard in our car park, and poster frames for the hall’s front elevation from our Durham County Council Neighbourhood Budget. The project will provide a letterbox on the front of the building for the first time, enabling us to register the hall with the Post Office, and to replace the hall’s signage. We anticipate installing these and completing this project in spring 2024. ## Storage facility Thanks to our regular communication and building a good working relationship with The Northern Powergrid Foundation, we received a further £7,105 through the second tranche of funding. The Foundation provided this grant towards a new storage unit for the hall to enable us to store all of the emergency and other equipment securely onsite ready for use during an incident. This critical project will help to clear clutter from the hall and bring emergency equipment to one central, secure location. We anticipate use of this funding and the completion of the project during spring 2024. ## Future projects In 2024, we will complete work associated with some of the grants that were awarded during 2023. The funding we received is ring–fenced for use on specific projects and purposes, it cannot be used for general running costs or other needs. In addition, we will work towards installation of a defibrillator at the hall, and anticipate starting various energy efficiency projects that will be made available through further funding and (with the assistance of the community fund grant from Bluefield Development,) match funding. Page 9 of 26 Lands **Village Hall** Annual Report and **Accounts** ## Other achievements ## Solar farm development It would be remiss of me to fail to mention the work done during 2023 to improve the community benefits offered from the Bluefield Solar Farm Development proposal at Bluestone Farm. Our involvement in the proposal was to discuss with the developers the proposed community benefit fund and how that would be deployed. While we remained neutral to the proposals, we sought to represent the views expressed to us by our members and the wider community wherever we could. Through our negotiations with Bluefield, we achieved a significant increase in the community offer, meaning additional benefits for the community as a whole from the proposed development. The planning application was approved by Durham County Council in January 2024. The agreed community benefits package constitutes: - a direct grant of £75,000 for energy efficiency projects for Lands Village Hall; - installation of solar panels and batteries on the hall to reduce our electricity bills; - installation of solar panels and batteries at Butterknowle Primary School to reduce its bills; - free energy efficiency surveys for up to 60 residential properties directly affected by the solar farm; - a grant of up to £5,000 towards energy efficiency measures highlighted in the surveys at residential properties; - opportunity to create a community garden or similar subject to appropriate legal agreements. Community benefits are receivable once the farm is developed, although Bluefield say they may provide early funding for suitable projects we identify, which are time–critical. Page 10 of 26 Lands **Village Hall** Annual Report and **Accounts** ## Events During the year, we offered several community events, such as: - Dog day!; - Two open meetings for Bluefield Development; - Easter Afternoon Tea; - Christmas Cheer!; and, - Christmas breakfast. Our events always prove popular and draw in significant numbers of people from our area of activity and the surrounding areas. Events raise funds to further our activities and improve the village hall. Without the financial support offered by successful events, we would be unable to meet our running costs or provide additional events and activities in the future. Our Coffee mornings remain popular and further our aims to combat social isolation, poverty, provide facilities for the community, engage the community, and improve our environment. During 2023, our coffee mornings brought in almost £1,000 towards our running costs. ## Relationships We improved our relationships with other village halls and local supporters. We helped to set up and organise the new Teesdale Community Hall Network, which is a network of community buildings across Teesdale who informally get together to discuss the issues we face, best practices, and provide support to each other. We continued to develop our relationship with Durham Community Action, who have been instrumental in helping us with our organisation, plan funding and get noticed. We decided not to continue our membership of the Teesdale Village Hall Consortium (TVHC), which saved our subscription fee. An analysis of the value for money offered by membership was negative, with no significant benefits achievable through membership of the organisation. We will keep TVHC’s offer under review, in case the benefits of membership are improved. Page 11 of 26 Lands **Village Hall** Annual Report and **Accounts** ## Summary During this year we have significantly increased our grant funding for the refurbishment of the hall and dramatically improved the facilities we offer. The grants received since the new committee took over in April 2020 amounts to £68,156. This does not include the £75,000 grant or the donation of the panels installation on the hall that are due when the solar farm is developed. Our plans continue and in the next financial period the funding we received will be put to use in achieving the aims of projects that will have a significant benefit to the community. None of this would be achieved without the skill to apply for and receive funding, ability to engage with stakeholders and funders to build our relationships across County Durham and beyond, and our volunteers, who have made it all possible. As has become a tradition, I would personally like to name David Dodd and Peter Jacques for their volunteering work throughout the year. Glenn Reffin Chairman Page 12 of 26 ## 3 Governance ## History of the trust Through significant research, Glenn Reffin has recovered the original deeds for the building and car park. The deeds were updated on 7 June 1940, when the premises was sold by _Henry Stobart and Company Ltd_ (25/26 Northgate, Darlington) to William Dowson—Labourer (35 Lands Bank); Ernest Liddle—Education Inquiry Officer (School House, Howden–le–Wear); Ernest Morley—Electric Engineman (27 Lands Bank); George Oldfield—Labourer (66 Lands Bank); and, John George Stainthorpe—Poultry Farmer (25 Lands Bank). These five men set up a trust, called “the Institute”, for public use, having paid £50 for the premises. This became the village hall when it was registered in 1965. ## Structure of the Trust The Association is a charitable trust registered on 5 October 1965 with registration number 520841. The Association is governed by the _Charities Act, 1993_ and regulated by the Charity Commission of England and Wales. The Association is composed of subscribing members. It has a Management Committee that ensures the trust operates according to its constitution and regulatory requirements. The committee sets the fees and benefits of membership. Members are currently entitled to: Lands **Village Hall** Annual Report and **Accounts** - reduced rates of hall hire; - reduced rates or free access to some events during the year; - early notice for some events; - voting rights at General Meetings; and, - right to stand for election to a position on Standing Committees. ## Membership During 2023, we had 33 members, 26 of whom were voting members. ## Risk management We have reviewed all significant risks facing the charity and implemented controls where necessary to ensure: - we meet our charitable objectives; - we have satisfactory financial controls in place to cover our immediate needs; - we have adequate policies and insurance to cover possible liabilities; and, - we have mitigated as far as possible the risks we can alleviate. We manage the charity’s risks and exposure to public liability through control mechanisms, including safety and fire risks. These are regularly reviewed. The charity also has suitable insurance policies in place covering public liability and other insurances, as applicable. Page 14 of 26 ## 4 Financial report ## Financial review At the start of 2023, the Trust’s liquid assets were worth £5,987.45, and at the end of the financial period on 31 December 2023, the trust had a net sum of £24,025.21. This change reflects a significant push for funding and time spent on grant applications during the year to raise funds for our refurbishment programme, outlined in the Officers’ report. Our relationship with these funders has been nurtured throughout the year, with regular feedback and information. This effort has paid off with commitments of project funding from many sources, summarised in the following table: Lands **Village Hall** Annual Report and **Accounts** |**Source**|**Project**|**Amount**| |---|---|---| |Northern Powergrid|Generator, resilience planning|9,950| |Foundation||| |NAVCO|Coffee mornings|500| |The National Lottery|Kitchen refurbishment and|9,383| |Community Fund|equipment|| |Durham County Council|Village noticeboard and hall poster|2,313| |Neighbourhood Fund|frames|| |Northern Powergrid|Storage facility|7,105| |Foundation||| |||29,251| ## Responsibilities The association’s governing document requires the Management Committee to prepare and present annual financial statements giving a true and fair reflection of the charity’s activities throughout the year and its financial position at the year–end. In preparing these statements, the Management Committee must: - select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently; - make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; - state whether applicable accounting standards, and statements of recommended practices, were followed, subject to any departures disclosed and explained in the financial report; and, Page 16 of 26 Lands **Village Hall** Annual Report and **Accounts** - prepare the financial statements on a going–concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume the Trust will continue to operate. The Management Committee must keep proper accounting records that disclose the trust’s financial position with reasonable accuracy at any time. These financial statements must comply with the _Charities Act, 1993_ . The Management Committee is responsible for safeguarding the assets of the trust and for prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. During 2023, Lands Village Hall broke through the income threshold whereby it must provide audited or independently inspected accounts to members and the Commission. Therefore, these accounts have been inspected independently by Keith Hatton of West Auckland, our appointed Independent Examiner, and his report is attached. On behalf of the Trustees G Reffin **Glenn Reffin** Chairman Page 17 of 26 Lands **Village Hall** Annual Report and **Accounts** ## Independent examiner’s report To the trustees of Lands Village Hall Association I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Lands Village Hall Association (the Association) of the year ending 31 December 2023. ## Responsibilities and basis of report As the charity trustees of the Association you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”). I report in respect of my examination of the Association’s accounts carried out under section 1445 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. ## Independent examiner’s statement I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect: - accounting records were not kept in respect of the Association as required by section 130 of the Act; or, - the accounts do not accord with those records. I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. ## Signed: _Original signed by Keith Hatton_ Name: Keith Hatton Relevant professional qualification or membership of professional bodies (if any): ## Address: _Address supplied_ Date: 08 April 2024 Page 19 of 26 Lands **Village Hall** Annual Report and **Accounts** ## Balance sheet |Balance sheet|||| |---|---|---|---| ||Opening balance|Period change|Closing balance| |Property–cost|0.00|0.00|0.00| |Fixtures and fttings–cost|0.00|0.00|0.00| |Fixed Assets Total|0.00|0.00|0.00| |Bank account|1,630|17,850|19,480| |Savings account|3,676|21|3,697| |Cash|681|135|816| |Paypal account|0|32|32| |Current Assets Total|5,987|18,038|24,025| |**Assets Total**|**5,987**|**18,038**|**24,025**| |Expense creditors|0.00|0.00|0.00| |Current Liabilities|0.00|0.00|0.00| |Retained earnings|0.00|0.00|0.00| |Proft and Loss Account|5,987|18,038|24,025| |Equity|5,987|18,038|24,025| |**Liabilities and Equity**|**5,987**|**18,038**|**24,025**| Page 21 of 26 Lands **Village Hall** Annual Report and **Accounts** ## Income and expenditure report ## **Receipts** ||Unrestricted|Restricted|Endowment|Total|Last year|| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ||funds|funds|funds|funds||| |Donations, grants|1,158|28,751|0|29,909|2,962|| |Fundraising events|891|0|0|891|634|| |Interest|31|0|0|31|26|| |Membership fees|50|0|0|50|56|| |Hall hire|110|0|0|110|201|| |Other income|0|0|0|0|140|| |**Gross income**|**2,240**|**28,751**|**0**|**30,991**|**4,018**|| |**Asset and investment sales**||||||| |Receipts from asset|0|0|0|0|0|| |sales||||||| |Loan repayments|0|0|0|0|0|| |received||||||| |**Asset income**|**0**|**0**|**0**|**0**|**0**|| |**Total receipts**|**2,240**|**28,751**|**0**|**30,991**|**4,018**|| Page 22 of 26 Lands **Village Hall** Annual Report and **Accounts** ## **Payments** ||Unrestricted|Restricted|Endowment|Total|Last year|| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| ||funds|funds|funds|funds||| |Cost of fundraising|1,026|0|0|1,026|758|| |Repairs/maintenance|908|6,834|0|7,741|17,844|| |Light and heating|2,916|0|0|2,916|1,192|| |Water and sewerage|197|0|0|197|367|| |Insurance|458|0|0|458|439|| |Postage/telephone|1|0|0|1|4|| |Sundries|79|535|0|614|868|| |Grants, donations,|0|0|0|0|219|| |subscriptions||||||| |Bank charges|0|0|0|0|0|| |**Subtotal**|**5,584**|**7,369**|**0**|**12,953**|**21,690**|| |**Asset and investment purchases**||||||| |Fixed asset purchase|0|0|0|0|0|| |Investment purchase|0|0|0|0|0|| |Loans made|0|0|0|0|0|| |Funders loans repaid|0|0|0|0|0|| |**Subtotal**|**0**|**0**|**0**|**0**|**0**|| |**Total payments**|**5,584**|**7,369**|**0**|**12,953**|**21,690**|| ## **Balance of payments and receipts** |**Net payments/receipts**|**(3,344)**|**21,382**|**0**|**18,038**|**(17,672)**| |---|---|---|---|---|---| |**Transfers between funds**|**9,394**|**(9,394)**|**0**|**0**|**0**| |**Cash funds last year end**|**5,987**|**0**|**0**|**5,987**|**23,659**| |**Cash funds this year end**|**12,037**|**11,988**|**0**|**24,025**|**5,987**| Page 23 of 26 Lands **Village Hall** Annual Report and **Accounts** ## Income, Expenditure and Balance Chart This chart shows the historical income, expenditure and total assets of Lands Village Hall from 1969 to 2024. Page 25 of 26 y. VILLACf LANDS ALL CHARITY COMMISSION FOR ENGLAND AND WALES Receipts and payments accounts CC16a For the p•rfod To Section A Receipts and payments Unrestricted funds funds Totsl fvnd• A1 R•cel Donatiw$, I FundraLvn Interest Di￿dendS Membershi aryes and a751 events J1 Hol hir 110 110 201 Other 140 Sub lotal(Gross income forAR) A2 Aswt and In￿5¢mOnt sales. s•• lable . 24751 LoAn Sub total Total rec*ts 14751 J• A3Pa Cost of fiJndr8isirvJ events Wages, salartes. nati￿al inswa Pension c￿bU￿￿8 R8ntthire c4 rrKMn$ Repalrs znd rnaintenance Llght healing 758 197 Insurnn Telaphane. Intem81 ￿ago p￿leS Grants. don811￿ ￿ wb5WFdirrt paNJ 614 Bank knterem #nd tharges Sub total A4 Asset and Investment purchasex, (Je• table) Purchase of fixed assets Purchase of investments Loans made Loans repaid to extemal fvnder Sub to¢al 4504 Net ofrewptslpaynwnts) . A5 Transfers betwoentrfurtd$ A6 Cash funds last year end Cash funds this year end 4344 17.8n 5,987 111)37 23,659 4987 11.988 CCXX R1 accounts (SS) 418r2024 Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period Categorios Details Endowmtrnt funds fund• B1 Cash funds Total cash funds 11037 11W8 Endowmorrt funds nds fund8 Details to rI••m￿£ B2 Other monetary assets 152 Details Furtdto*hkth Curv•nt valu• Detarls B4 Assets retalned for th• harfty's own use Fund tts Twhlch Details B5 Uabllltlos Slgned ty one trlwo IJu8tees ￿ behaff of all the trustèes Signature Print Name Date of approval o?/a CCXX R2 accounts (SS) 41812024 Independent examiner's report To the trustees of Lands Village Hall Association I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Lands Village Hall Association (the Association) of the year ending 31 December 2023. Responsibilities and basis of report As the charty trustees of the Association you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 ("the Act?. I report in respect of my examination of the Association's accounts carried out under section 1445 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act. Independent examiners statement I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect: accounting records were not kept in respect of the Association as required by section 130 of the Act; or, the accounts do not accord with those records. I have no concems and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. Signed.. Name: Keith Hatton Relevant professional qualification or membership of professional bodies (if any): Address: 10 >kn￿rIe*P AM¢kl_J 1S Date".