Salwarpe and District Village Hall
Registered Charity No.525139
Trustees’ Annual Report for the year ended 31 March 2025
Salwarpe and District Village Hall (“the Foundation”) is governed by the terms of a Deed of Conveyance dated 22 February 1973.
The Foundation is established for the maintenance of a Village Hall for the use of the inhabitants of the parish of Salwarpe and the neighbourhood (“the area of benefit” as defined in the Trust Deed). The Village Hall has been provided for letting to persons both within the area of benefit and to other parties throughout the year. In carrying out these activities and exercising their powers and duties under the Trust Deed, the Trustees have paid due regard to the guidance on public benefit published by the Charity Commission.
The principal office of the foundation is Old School House, Salwarpe, Worcestershire, WR9 0AH, being the address of the Secretary, Mrs M Harris.
The members of the Committee of Management are Trustees of the Foundation. The names of all the trustees at the date of this report and other trustees acting during the financial year are set out below in alphabetical order. Elected Members of the Committee are normally appointed at the Annual General Meeting but the Committee has the power at other times to co-opt further members to act until the following Annual General Meeting. The local organisations set out in the Trust Deed may appoint Representative Members of the Committee; their names are to be advised to the Secretary of the Committee, in advance of any Annual General Meeting, for appointment for the year following that Annual General Meeting.
Dr B Clough Mrs M Miles Mr J Hill Mr F Randall Mrs M Harris Mrs C Stephan Mrs C Luscombe
Financial Review
The accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025, which are enclosed with this report, show a deficit for the year of £8231. Although the deficit has reduced the hall reserves, the balance of £25984 at 31st March 2025 is more than sufficient to cover the current level of operating costs for one year.
Hire income for the year was £30148, a small increase on the year before, in spite of the limitations on weekend bookings considered necessary during the year. However, once again it produced the numerically highest level ever achieved.
Operating costs, excluding the expenditure on the extension and development of the car park, totalled £22717, slightly lower than the year before. Within that figure, the largest item of expenditure was for caretaking and maintenance services of £9052, an increase of almost 3.5%, in part reflecting the changes in arrangements which started in January 2025. Expenditure of £524 was incurred in replacing some of the seat backs on the hall chairs. For the first time, the accounts include a full year cost of providing broadband access at the hall, amounting to £245. The only other item showing a significant percentage increase was electricity costs which rose by 13% and now includes a full year cost of the two-year fixed rate contract effective from November 2023.
The total cost of the extension and development of the car park was £40561, including VAT. The grant from Wychavon provided £15975 and that from the Parish Council covered £7200, leaving net expenditure of £17386 to be met from the village hall funds and reflected in the accounts.
Once again, investment income more than doubled (the corresponding figure two years ago in 2022-23 was £360), reflecting both the higher level of bank balances and the interest rate environment. Fund raising income of £164 relates to the barn dance earlier this year.
It is worth noting that excluding the expenditure on the car park development, there was a surplus of almost £9000 for the year from the normal activities in the hall.
The hall holds deposit funds on two accounts, consisting of a 95-day notice account with Cambridge & Counties (£13292) and an instant COIF Charities Deposit Account (£11588), currently earning 4% and 4.3% respectively.
The accounts were reviewed by the Independent Examiner without qualification and a copy of his report has been filed with the signed accounts.
Chairman’s Report
In January 2024 an application was prepared and submitted for a grant from Wychavon Rural Prosperity Fund. After much discussion and a re-submission the grant was finally approved for an extension to the car park, two EV charging points, bicycle racks and relining of the car park.
David Luscombe submitted the application and Philip Oakley managed the project. The Parish Council contributed towards the costs which included resurfacing the car park. This work was carried out in March 2025.
The hall continues to be a popular venue for hirers and is busy most of the week. Thursday mornings are kept free for general maintenance. Week-end activities have been limited to allow lighter duties for the caretaker. The caretaker Steve Tyler, announced his intended resignation at Christmas 2024. After much negotiation, it was decided that he and Andrew Parkes, his occasional assistant , should job share. This has been organised – and is still under review. As a result Tracey Hall our part-time cleaner is no longer required.
Hall maintenance has been quite considerable this year.
Barbara and Cheryl have completed extensive Health and Safety checks
About 20 chairs have had new seat pads.
The ladies toilets required a new floor due a leaking water main. Blocked drains due to excessive use of toilet paper have required regular hosing down.
The boiler house fascia boards have been replaced. Steve has his nephew helping with other outside work.
On the social side, a successful January Jig (aka Barn Dance) with a pig roast took place in January. Our annual dinner was held at The Thai at Bullocks.
Finally, we welcomed Cheryl Stephan onto the committee. She had formerly acted as secretary on the committee but now has more time so has rejoined.
My thanks to all committee members for their part in running the hall. Special thanks go to Nikki, Steve and Andrew, for their day-to-day involvement at the hall, also to Fred and Miranda.
SALWARPE & DISTRICT N;ILLAGE HALL Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025 Registered Charity No. 525139 RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT 2024-25 2023-24 Receipts Hirings lnv&tmt Ineom8. Intwest Fund raising Other income Total ReceiFts 30148.17 1548.28 164.29 11.97 31872.71 29465 rj) 731 38 746.28 11.97 30954.63 ments Bwking sry Caretaknng Serwces C8r Park de4dopm Cleanlng d)arge8 Equipment Insuranc• LISIng f88S Mainlan¢& of grounds Rep8irs & maintenance Building and g(ndS Cleaning 8 clhw supplleg ElerAnc. heakn.ng & uMb1j FumishiThJs & Reluse coll&on W1ndAl dwir#J 3247.89 52. 17386.32 3227 59 8752 (KJ o. 1732.95 315.68 144. 112 257.04 2569.63 463.81 325.02 534.39 2629.62 39.93 734.80 0.00 374.40 176.IXJ 189. 4447.17 1320.58 919.34 282.51 2522.43 1171.98 1407 (KJ .78 Wat•r Mlscellanwjs Intem8t and webslt• Oth 417.98 369.20 212.80 238.20 787.18 Total PaYmts 40103.62 23048.26 Net surplus l-deficitl lor the yèar 4230.91 75X)6 37 STATEMENT OF ASSETS & LIABILITIES 31.3.26 31.3.24 Reserves General Brw I13rd Net sulUS {- d*41) for yex Bal#n at 31 M4r¢h 34215.33 2yJ.91 2&J84 42 26J)B. 79% 37 34215 33 Assets Currwtt aOnI 2492.66 9210.85 24879.76 28331.48 AthIare hire deposits Total asmts .1388.1 -3327.00 25984.42 34215.33 sur
INDEPEIYDENT EMINER's REPORT ON ACCOUNTS IDdepe•det eumlner'i y4rt to of S#lwwp¢ Vllknge Hall I report Im the Counts of th¢ Tn for the year ended 3111 March 2025 Rtspectiw¢ rtSPDnsibilitiu of trttt8 and examiner requirements of the Charities A¢t 2011. The tharity'5 tnL#e¢5 (oDsider that an audit is not require4J for this year unthr seetioti 14412) of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Art) but th w Jodep¢tt examination T¢quired the requirements of the Chartty Commissio It is my responsibility to.. Exarnine the accounts uth s¢¢tion 145 of the 2011 ACL To follow the prdUr¢S laid do in the genernl Directi(¥Js given by the Cknrity Commission under se¢11 145(5Xb) of the 2011 ACL and Buls ofind¢p¢deit ¢MmlDer'J rewtrrt Commission. An examination Includes a review of the accounting [ld$ kept by the charity and a compari50n of the accounts presented with those re&)rd8. It also inclth consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the account4 and se¢king exPlanlOnS from you as t concernin8 any $ueh matters. The prcrfedures undertaken do not provide ¥411 the evideno that would be required in an audil and ¢owu¢nlly no opinion is 8iven as to whether the )Unts pres¢N a'tw al fair view" and the report is limi*d to those matters set lort in the Staterne below. Independent eumlBer'• statem¢•¢ In ¢ODnedion with my ¢xaminthofy no ha5 come to my atte10 (l) which gives me rea80nable cause to believe that in 8Dy materid Tespxt the requiremetits: to kw accounti08 rviyds in with wioo 130 of the 2011 Act: and to prepare a¢counts whi¢h a¢¢ord with the ond ¢onwty with th¢ a¢¢ountin8 requirements of the 2011 Act hav¢ not me(. or (2) to whith in my opinioo all¢nti sh(Id be drnwn in order to enabk 8 pro wxlerswding of the a¢¢ounts to be re4ch¢ Name.. l E Argyle Rel¢vant profession qualifi1 ort. ACIB Datr: 30th Awl 2025 Signature.