Trustees’ Annual Report for year Sept 2020-Sept 2021, Acklington Village Hall
Charity Name: Acklington Village Hall Registration Number: 522018 Address: Acklington Village Hall, The Village, Acklington, NE65 9BW Trustees: Tessa Sayers (Chair), Edward Critchlow (Treasurer), Rosie Bush (Secretary), Alison Sharpe, Tony Burns, David Shipley (from Nov 21), Sylvia McClure (Art Group rep), Barbara Cock (Church rep), Graham Cock (Bowls club rep), Violet Currie (Acklington Community Team rep)
Purposes
The objectives of Acklington Village Hall are to provide a safe, welcoming, affordable space for the use of the local community (both groups and individuals), in order to enhance the life of residents of Acklington Village.
Governance
The management committee (composed of all trustees, above) meets 4-6 times a year to consider matters pertaining to the ongoing use of the hall, identify problems and opportunities to improve the hall’s facilities. Trustees are drawn from the local community and are either nominated representatives of the main community user groups or independent members. They are re-elected at the AGM (usually November) each year.
Public Benefit
Trustees are aware of the need for all charities to provide a public benefit and consider that Acklington Village Hall fulfils that requirement in providing an essential community facility for activities welcoming a wide spectrum of members of the local community, including children, young people, families and older people. The wide variety of cultural and leisure activities and events that it hosts enriches the lives of Acklington residents.
Activities, 20-21
As we began the year in Sept 2020, we were still able to host bookings and a few of our regulars were starting to come back but as autumn progressed and Northumberland went into tier 3 and then full lockdown in early 2021, the hall closed its doors again. In March, ACT held a socially distanced outdoor plant sale and then in May, events and groups were able to restart (albeit with restrictions). It was a year of reading and issuing of guidelines and risk assessments! At each new stage we used the information that was sent out by ACRE (via North Northumberland Village Halls Consortium) to ensure that we were following best practice with regard to Covid precautions. Once things opened up, all of the regular groups have returned and some new ones (e.g. guides and brownies) have been welcomed. Private events such as weddings and parties also began to be booked. Bookings are now strong and the hall is being well-used.
Many improvements and repairs to the hall were undertaken over the year, including:
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Repair to the roof
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Electrical check and remedial work plus new power points around the stage
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Front porch painted and carpet laid
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Stone tiles at the side of the hall cleaned
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Water butts installed and work done by Tony and Louise to beautify the garden (and thanks to ACT for planting bulbs in the garden near the railings)
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Radiator reflectors installed behind the radiators to increase their efficiency
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Cupboard near the kitchen was cleared out and unwanted contents sold or donated to local groups
Other, less tangible, things include:
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Acklington Village Hall has its own page on the new Northumberland Village Halls website hosted by Community Action Northumberland. User groups also have a profile there and several have submitted photos and text.
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An online booking system was set up and implemented and has been running since the end of April. It is working well and helps to automate the invoicing process too.
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Broadband has been installed (by Alncom) and is free for hall users
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A safeguarding policy was drawn up and approved
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An energy assessment was done
The hall is well placed for another year of healthy and growing bookings and further improvement to systems and infrastructure.
Financial Review
Total income for 20-21 was £30,186.73, of which £22,973.95 was Covid recovery grants and £5,000 a donation from a local housing developer. The remainder was rent and a very small amount of interest. The rent was lower than the previous year because of Covid-related restrictions.
Total expenditure was £5,829.07 which was composed of utilities, maintenance costs and insurance. No major improvements or repairs were undertaken in 20-21.
Acklington Village Hall does not currently have a reserves policy.
Annual Report and Accounts approved by trustees on 19[th] June 2022
Signed on behalf of trustees
Name:
Signature:
Name:
Signature:
Acklington Village Hall Accounts 1st October 2020 - 30th September 2021
| Current Account Savings Account Petty Cash |
Balance 01/10/20 Income £12,751.60 £30,184.45 £5,147.20 £28,002.28 £75.91 £0.00 £17,974.71 |
Expenditure £33,829.07 £0.00 £0.00 |
Balance 30/09/21 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
£9,106.98 £33,149.48 £75.91 £42,332.37 |
Transfers from Current Account to Savings
| Account | £28,000.00 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| INCOME | 2020/21 | 2019/20 | |
| Hall Rental | |||
| Groups | £800.00 | £2,793.70 | |
| Private | £1,030.50 | £1,710.00 | |
| Elections | £320.00 | £320.00 | |
| Unknown | £60.00 | ||
| Donations | £5,000.00 | £10,750.00 | |
| COVID Grants | £22,973.95 | ||
| Interest | £2.28 | £26.78 | |
| TOTAL | £30,186.73 | ||
| Hall Booking | System | ||
| Invoiced | £1,645.50 | ||
| Paid | £1,545.50 | ||
| Outstanding | £100.00 |
| EXPENDITURE Gas Electricity Water Insurance General Maintenance Grass Cutting Window Cleaning Misc NNVHC Cleaning Hall Booking System TOTAL |
2020/21 2019/20 £982.97 £1,414.08 £744.20 £897.39 £129.95 £227.43 £1,307.05 £634.97 £1,587.40 £3,834.80 £595.00 £650.00 £120.00 £80.00 £65.00 £170.00 £50.00 £40.00 £127.50 £354.69 £120.00 £5,829.07 |
2019/20 |
|---|---|---|
60 North Accounts Ltd www.60northaccounts.co.uk Company Number: SC496614
Hillside Cottage Voe Shetland ZE2 9PT
01806 588 214
Acklington Village Hall – Registered Charity 522018
Independent Examiner’s Report to the trustees of Acklington Village Hall
I report on the accounts of the charity for the year ended 30 September 2021.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner
The charity's trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts. The charity's trustees consider that an audit is not required this year under S144 (2) of the Charities Act 2011 and that an independent examination is needed.
It is my responsibility to:
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examine the accounts under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011
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to follow the procedures laid down in the general direction given by the Charity Commission under section 145 (5) (b) of the Act; and
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to state whether particular matters have come to my attention
Basis of independent examiner’s report
My examination was carried out in accordance with the general directions given by the Charity Commission. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as trustees concerning any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently, no opinion is given as to whether the accounts present a 'true and fair view' and the report is limited to those matters set out in the statement below.
Independent examiner’s statement
In connection with my examination, no matter has come to my attention:
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Which gives me reasonable cause to believe that, in any material respect, the requirements:
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a. to keep accounting records in accordance with section 130 of the Act; and
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b. to prepare accounts in accord with the accounting records and to comply with have not been met;
or
- To which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
18 February 2022
R Nicol ACCA
Independent Examiner
60 North Accounts Ltd Hillside Cottage Voe Shetland ZE2 9PT