PONTHIR VILLAGE HALL (A registered Charity)
CHARITY NUMBER 524348
TRUSTEES REPORT AND UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 March 2025
Richard Alsept Chartered Accountant 16 Burlington Terrace Cardiff CF5 1GG
PONTHIR VILLAGE HALL
| LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE | INFORMATION |
|---|---|
| NAME OF CHARITY: | Ponthir Village Hall |
| ORGANISATION TYPE: | Charity |
| REGISTERED No: | 1198034 |
| TRUSTEES: | Paul Buffery |
| Neale Wood | |
| Karl Gauden | |
| Myfanwy Bowen | |
| Philip Kenney | |
| PRINCIPAL OFFICE: | Ponthir Village Hall |
| Caerleon Road | |
| Ponthir | |
| Gwent | |
| NP18 1GX | |
| INDEPENDENT EXAMINER: | Richard Alsept Chartered Accountant |
| 16 Burlington Terrace | |
| Cardiff | |
| CF5 1GG | |
| BANKERS: | Lloyds Bank |
PONTHIR VILLAGE HALL
CONTENTS Page Trustees Report Independent Examiners Report Statement of Financial Activities Balance Sheet Notes to the Financial Statements 9 - 14
PONTHIR VILLAGE HALL
TRUSTEES REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 MARCH 2025
Introduction
The Trustees present their report and the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025.
The Trustees have prepared the annual report and financial statements in accordance with the provisions of the statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) “Accounting and Reporting by Charities” issued in January 2019.
STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
Governance
Ponthir Village Hall (PVH) is a registered charity which is managed by a board of trustees (BOT) according to a new constitution adopted in November 2022. Prior to the new constitution the charity was managed according to the original deed of trust adopted in 1966.
Trustees
The Board of Trustees consists of a maximum of 12 trustees, who are charity trustees for the purpose of charity law. Up to 7 are nominated by appointing local bodies and the remaining are elected trustees. As of July 2025, there are 5 current trustees. A number of trustees left during the last year having worked extremely hard to deliver both the improvements funded by the grant funding and the other actions identified when the new team took over at the end of 2022.
All Trustees give their time voluntarily and receive no benefits from the Charity. No Trustee received any remuneration for services as a Trustee during the year ended 31 March 2025. The Trustees and the charity receive support from Torfaen Voluntary Alliance on governance, new trustee induction and other areas.
Related parties and relationships with other organisations
The Charity is not affiliated with any other organisation.
Risk Management
Where appropriate, policies and procedures or systems have been put in place to mitigate the risks the Charity might face. Torfaen Council provides support on key duty of care tasks with key activities managed via their online Ramis system.
Two individuals associated with the running of the hall, prior to the new BOT being appointed in December 2022, have been taking action under employment legislation, claiming unfair dismissal.
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The current trustees are confident that there is no case to answer and that their unfair dismissal claim will be unsuccessful. There is a current police investigation into the actions of these individuals, and some of their family, when they were in control of the charity and we believe these may lead to criminal charges.
An Employment Tribunal hearing was scheduled for October 2025. However, this was postponed allowing the police criminal investigation into the actions of the claimants to be completed. The police stated under oath to the ET court that the investigation was complex and wide ranging and involved these individuals.
These issues have been reported to the charity commission under a serious incident report originally submitted in January 2023.
OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES
The aim of the charity is to provide a facility (the hall) for social welfare, educational, recreational and leisure time activities with the objective of improving the condition of life for the inhabitants of the local community.
Ponthir Village Hall is popular facility which is used extensively for a wide range of activities and events. Charitable and community activities make up most of these events. The price of hiring the hall for community and charitable groups is kept as low as possible, and the hall is effectively subsidising these activities because the costs of running the hall exceed the prices charged. The hall, therefore, relies on generating revenue from hiring the facility to private users for functions and parties to break even financially.
Overall activity levels increased in the year despite the hall having to close for around 5 weeks to allow improvements to be completed.
Achievement and Performance
The operations and performance of the hall continue to improve. In the financial year 2024 / 2025 the charity obtained a significant amount of grant funding which allowed long overdue improvements to the hall facilities to be completed. The trustees would like to thank all the organizations which helped.
In total over £140K of grant funding was obtained and the planned improvements were successfully delivered on time and within budget. The objective of these improvements was to improve the facilities in order to make the hall more attractive to users, thereby increasing revenues and enabling the charity to be financially self-sufficient.
Key Improvements completed in the last year included the following: -
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Major renovation of the building including electrics, low energy lighting, building work, decoration, new flooring and layout improvements
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Investment in the kitchen facilities and additional furniture which has enabling the hall to offer improved catering
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Installation of a solar panel system.
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Creation of an improved website and social media sites.
A huge amount of work was required from the trustees, staff and volunteers to deliver these improvements in a very short timescale, and everyone associated with the charity is grateful for these efforts.
As part of the programme associated with the social enterprise challenge the charity created a detail business plan, and despite ongoing challenges the hall is on track to achieve its objective of increasing the numbers using the facilities, along with being financially self-sufficient by the end of 2026.
Prices for using the hall for charity and community groups were not increased in the year.
Ongoing Challenges
The hall continues to face challenges due to inflation, employment costs and the general issues impacting the hospitality sector. These are being managed and plan to break even financially in the next year.
The charity will limit applications for new grants over the next year because there is a need to absorb the improvements made recently, and also the effort of delivering the recent improvements has put major strain on the trustees and staff.
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PONTHIR VILLAGE HALL
FINANCIAL REVIEW
The charity remains grateful for the help and support given by local authority and other funders, and by local clubs, groups and residents who have supported and used the Village Hall during the year.
This review covers the 12-month period to 31[st] March 2025.
The charity generates a significant proportion of its operating income from running a bar, from events and from facility hire, together with grant income. Total income in the year ended 31[st] March 2025 was £217,283 (2024: £107,052), this included grant income of £134,666 (2025: £27,726), with £81,748 from the main operating activities. The grants included £133,666 from Local Authority projects, specifically targeted at upgrading and improving the Hall facilities. All of these grants were fully spent in the year.
Total expenditure was £219,908 (2025: £111,728). This included £144,829 on the Hall improvements and upgrades, funded by the grant income referred to above. Other operating charitable costs were £75,079. That meant a small operating, unrestricted fund surplus of £8,538 in the year. The overall deficit, including the restricted grant funded expenditure was a small deficit for the year of £2,625 (2025: £4,726 deficit).
On 31[st] March 2025, total funds were £30,738 (2024: £33,363). Of this amount, £39,204 (2024: £32,653) was held in bank and cash balances. All of the total net funds were unrestricted.
With respect to Hall improvements of a capital nature, the charity has adopted a policy of fully expensing these items to the Statement of Financial Activities in the year of purchase. The charity considers that as all of these items relate to the Hall building and infrastructure, there is minimal commercial or resale value, and therefore there is no carrying value of fixed assets in these accounts.
Grant Making Policy
The Charity does not make grants.
Investment Policy
The charity holds no investments, other than reserve funds held in interest bearing bank deposit accounts, and as such has no formal investment policy.
Reserves Policy
The Trustees aim to have a reserve of sufficient unrestricted funds to cover three months’ operating costs, plus exit charges. This figure has been identified following consideration of the main financial risks to the charity. On 31 March 2025 free unrestricted reserves held amounted to approximately 5 months’ operating costs, and therefore this policy was met.
The strategy is to continue to maintain reserves through economies of scale wherever possible, suitable cost control, and seeking additional funding to meet essential expenses which underpin the provision of service to members. The Trustees regularly review the level of unrestricted reserves at Management Committee meetings with the aim of ensuring that
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a temporary shortfall in grant funding does not have an immediate impact on services for members. Funding is sought against individual projects to enable the charity to fulfil its aims and objectives without a disproportionately high drawdown of unrestricted reserves; the Trustees authorise a new project only when sufficient funds have been obtained.
Statement of Trustees' Responsibilities
Charity law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of the affairs of the charity as at the balance sheet date and of its incoming resources and application of resources, including income and expenditure, for the financial year; in preparing those financial statements, the Trustees should follow best practice and:
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select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently.
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make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; and
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prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is not appropriate to assume that the charity will continue on that basis.
The Trustees are responsible for maintaining proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Charities Act 2011. The Trustees are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection or fraud and other irregularities.
Responsibilities of the Trustees
Trustees who served during the year and up to the date of this report are set out under Legal and Administrative Information. In accordance with charity law, as the charity’s Trustees, we certify that:
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so far as we are aware, there is no relevant information of which the charity’s examiner is unaware; and
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as Trustees we have taken all the steps that we ought to have taken in order to make ourselves aware of any relevant accounts information and to establish that the charity's examiner is aware of that information.
This report has been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Reporting by Charities (issued in January 2019).
Approved by the Trustees on 11[th] November 2025 and signed on their behalf by:
Paul Buffery, Treasurer
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INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS REPORT ON THE UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS TO THE TRUSTEES OF PONTHIR VILLAGE HALL (the ‘Charity’).
I report to the Charity Trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above Charity for the year ended 31[st] March 2025, which are set out on pages 7 to 14.
Respective and basis of report
The trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (the ‘2011 Act’).
Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the charity are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity’s accounts as carried out under Section 145 of the Charities Act 2011. In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.
Independent examiner's statement
In respect of the year ended 31[st] March 2025, I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
· The accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
· The accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
· The accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.
Richard Alsept
……………………. Richard Alsept Chartered Accountant 16 Burlington Terrace Cardiff CF5 1GG
11[th] November 2025
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PONTHIR VILLAGE HALL
STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 March 2025
| Note INCOME Activities and Events 3 Donations 3 Grants received 3 Facilities Hire 3 Investment income: Interest received Total Income EXPENDITURE Charitable activities 4 Total Expenditure Net Income/(expenditure) Transfer between funds Net Movement in Funds Funds Reconciliation: Fund balances brought forward Fund balances carried forward |
Unrestricted Funds £ 31,918 588 1,000 49,830 281 83,617 75,079 75,079 8,538 - 8,538 22,200 30,738 |
Restricted Funds £ - - 133,666 - - 133,666 144,829 144,829 (11,163) - (11,163) 11,163 - |
Total y/e 31 March 2025 £ 31,918 588 134,666 49,830 281 217,283 219,908 219,908 (2,565) - (2,625) 33,363 30,738 |
Total y/e 31 March 2024 £ 41,555 - 27,726 37,510 261 107,052 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 111,728 111,728 |
||||
| (4,676) | ||||
| - (4,676) 38,039 |
||||
| 33,363 |
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses in the year / period. All incoming resources and resources expended derive from continuing activities.
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PONTHIR VILLAGE HALL
BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 March 2025
| Notes FIXED ASSETS 2 CURRENT ASSETS Stock Cash at bank and in hand CURRENT LIABILITIES Amounts falling due within one year 6 Net Current Assets NET ASSETS Restricted Funds Unrestricted General Funds TOTAL CHARITY FUNDS 11 |
March 2025 £ 1,100 39,204 40,304 (9,566) - 30,738 |
£ - 9,566 30,738 30,738 |
March 2024 £ 1,310 32,653 33,963 (600) 11,163 22,200 |
£ - 33,363 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33,363 | ||||
| 33,363 |
These financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees on 11[th] November 2025 and signed on its behalf by:
.........................................
Paul Buffery, Treasurer and Trustee
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PONTHIR VILLAGE HALL
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 March 2025
1 ACCOUNTING POLICIES
The principal accounting policies are summarised below. The accounting policies have been applied consistently throughout the period and in the preceding year.
a. Basis of accounting
The financial statements are prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with the provisions of Financial Reporting Standard 102, Section 1a Small Entities, and the Charity Statement of Recommended Practice, (Charities SORP (FRS 102) 2019), as well as the Charities Act 2011.
The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102.
b. Fund accounting
Unrestricted funds are incoming resources received or generated for charitable purposes. They are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in the furtherance of the general objectives of the charity.
Restricted funds can only be applied for a particular purpose as defined within their objects.
c. Income
All income is included in the statement of financial activities when the charity is entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy. The following specific policies are applied to particular categories of income:
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Income which is received by way of grants, donations and gifts to the charity is included in full in the Statement of Financial Activities upon receipt. Grants, where entitlement is not conditional on the delivery of a specific performance by the charity, are recognised when the charity becomes unconditionally entitled to the grant.
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Bank interest and other investment income is included when receivable.
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Income from charitable activities is derived from activities and Hall hire and is accounted for as the charity earns the right to consideration by its performance.
Gift Aid receivable is included in income when there is a valid declaration from the donor.
Volunteers – the value of any volunteer help received is not included in the accounts but is described and acknowledged in the Trustees’ report.
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PONTHIR VILLAGE HALL
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 March 2025
d. Expenditure
Expenditure is recognised on an accrual basis as a liability is incurred. Expenditure includes unrecoverable VAT.
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Costs of generating funds comprise the costs associated with attracting voluntary income.
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Operation and development of the charity includes all costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services.
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Governance costs include those costs associated with meeting the constitutional and statutory requirements of the charity and include accountancy fees.
e.
Fixed assets
Fixed assets are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation.
All small items of a capital nature, together with capital items which are fully grant funded, are fully expensed in the Statement of Financial Activities in the year in which they are purchased.
f. Cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash on hand and call deposits, and other short-term highly liquid investments that are readily convertible to a known amount of cash and are subject to an insignificant risk of change in value.
g. Trade debtors
Trade debtors are amounts due from funders for merchandise sold or services performed in the ordinary course of business. Trade debtors are recognised initially at the transaction price. They are subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method, less provision for impairment. A provision for the impairment of trade debtors is established when there is objective evidence that the company will not be able to collect all amounts due according to the original terms of the receivables.
h. Trade creditors
Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of business from suppliers. Accounts payable are classified as current liabilities if the company does not have an unconditional right, at the end of the reporting period, to defer settlement of the creditor for at least twelve months after the reporting date. If there is an unconditional right to defer settlement for at least twelve months after the reporting date, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at the transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
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PONTHIR VILLAGE HALL
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 March 2025
2. Tangible Fixed Assets
The charity operates from leasehold premises at Ponthir Village Hall. The premises is leased from Torfaen Borough Council at a peppercorn rent. The lease on the premises runs until 2045.
All items of a capital nature purchased by the charity in the year have been fully expensed in the Statement of Financial Activities as expenditure is incurred, and there is no carrying value of fixed assets in these accounts.
3. Income
Income |
|
|---|---|
| Activities, Hire and Events Bar Sales Facility Hire Donations received Charitable activities Grants received / receivable: Community Facilities Food 4 Growth Community Enterprise Decarbonisation (solar) Warm Welcome Torfaen BC – Community Resilience Grant National Lottery Community Fund Torfaen CBC Torfaen Voluntary Alliance Other grants Interest receivable Bank interest receivable Total |
Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds Total y/e 31 March 2025 Total y/e 31 March 2024 £ £ £ £ 31,918 - 31,918 38,348 49,830 - 49,830 39,574 588 - 588 - |
| 82,336 - 82,336 77,922 - 40,128 40,128 - - 13,545 13,545 - - 50,000 50,000 - - 25,993 25,993 - - 4,000 4,000 - - - - 4,463 - - - 19,313 - - - 200 - - - 3,750 1,000 - 1,000 1,143 |
|
| 1,000 133,666 134,666 28,869 281 - 281 261 |
|
| 83,617 133,666 217,283 107,052 |
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PONTHIR VILLAGE HALL
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 March 2025
| 4. Expenditure Charitable Activities: Bar and Events: Bar and events stock Function and Event costs Staff Costs: Salaries and wages Property Costs: Maintenance and Hall improvements Utilities, rates and waste Licences and insurance Other Hall costs Bank Charges Governance Examination fees Total |
Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds Total y/e 31 March 2025 Total y/e 31 March 2024 £ £ £ £ 17,322 - 17,322 19,763 - - - 1,464 37,854 14,286 52,140 46,260 3,269 127,748 131,017 26,650 9,769 2,795 12,564 10,906 2,645 - 2,645 2,554 2,288 2,288 2,453 1,332 - 1,332 1,078 |
|---|---|
| 74,479 144,829 219,308 111,128 600 - 600 600 |
|
| 600 - 600 600 |
|
| 75,079 144,829 219,908 111,728 |
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PONTHIR VILLAGE HALL
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 March 2025
5. Creditors: amounts falling due within one year
| Creditors & accruals Total |
31 March 2025 £ 9,566 9,566 |
31 March 2024 £ 600 |
|---|---|---|
| 600 |
6. Staff costs and numbers
During the financial period the charity had an average of 3 employees and their remuneration was made up as follows:
| Salary and wages Total |
2025 £ 52,140 |
|---|---|
| 52,140 |
No employee received emoluments of more than £60,000.
7. Analysis of net assets between funds
| Current Assets Creditors and accruals Total |
Unrestricted Funds £ 31,270 (532) 30,738 |
Restricted Funds £ 9,034 (9,034) - |
Total £ 40,304 (9,566) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30,738 |
8. Remuneration of management committee
Trustees received no remuneration, other than the reimbursement of expenses properly incurred in relation to attendance at meetings and charity activities.
No payments were made to Trustees or other related parties for services as a Trustee.
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PONTHIR VILLAGE HALL
NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 March 2025
11. Fund balances
| Unrestricted Funds Restricted Funds: National Lottery Community Fund Other Restricted Grants |
Balance 1 April 2024 Incoming Resources Resources Expended Trfs Balance 31 March 2025 £ £ £ £ £ 22,200 83,617 75,079 - 30,738 11,163 - 11,163 - - - 133,666 133,666 - - |
|---|---|
| 33,363 217,283 219,908 - 30,738 |
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