Annual Report.docxAnnual Report: John Cross Trustees ## **John Cross Trustees Charity registration Number :526240 Trustees’ Annual Report Year Ending 31 March 2025** The John Cross School Trust was established in 1718 under the terms of the Will of John Cross a local gentleman who wished to provide a school for the education of poor children in the districts of Myerscough and Bilsborrow. The children were to be educated in reading, writing , arithmetic and geography and the principles of the Christian Religion according to the Doctrine of the Church of England. The Trustees had the power to ‘put in’ and ‘displace’ both schoolmaster and scholars ‘at their discretion.’The Trustees were also directly the Governors/Managers of the school. In the first ‘scheme’ for the governance of the school up to 1873 the Trustees were co-opted but under the second scheme of 1873 there was provision for up to eight trustees, four being elected by the Myerscough Parish Council, two by the Bilsborrow Parish Council and two were coopted. The elected trustees were to serve for two years but could be reelected , and the coopted trustees up to ten years. Over the years the management of the school has changed.Trustees are no longer the Managers/Governors of the School.A new Deed of Appointment of new trustees was drawn up on the 26[th] day of April 2016 . For the period covered by this report there have been six trustees ,All of them were appointed by this ‘deed of Appointment of New Trustees. The Trustees administer any lands of the Trust on behalf of the Charity Commission. The area of land constitutes approx. 5.82 acres of land(2.2 hectares ). the land is in two portions.the first to the North of Bilsborrow Lane constitutes 3.91 acres and the second immediately to the West of the railway line 1.91.acres.All this land is leased to a local farmer and is in a third generation tenancy. The annual income of the trust is derived from the annual rent of the land and any interest generated from accumulated invested capital. The Total Gross Annual Income of the Trust in the past four years(to 31/03/2024) has not exceeded £4,000. However unusual circumstances beginning in 2020 have now meant that in the year of this report , total gross income has risen to £66,791.86. The ‘ unusual circumstances’ began at the start of 2020 when United Utilities exercised their statutory rights to enter the Trustees’ land to install two huge underground drainage tanks close to the A6 to alleviate local flooding. In compensation ,the agent acting on behalf of the Trustees, eventually negotiated a settlement of £63,566.00. In the year of this report this amount is now showing on the Trustees’ Balance sheet and has increased our gross total income manyfold and necessitated this report to the Charity Commissioners. The work undertaken by United Utilities as they prepared to hand back the land to the Trustees has significantly altered the appearance of the land to the North of Bilsborrow Lane..A permanent right of access for the Water company has been constructed, trees have been planted and the remaining pasture land and the area where the tanks are situated has been fenced off.The tenant has not yet found the area suitable to be used for grazing stock, but was notified by UU of his own rights to negotiate compensation. However the redevelopment has given the Trustees opportunities to start to make new developments for the benefit of the school and eventually for the wider community.The Trustees have also assisted the children from the school in planting trees to commemorate the late Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. The land which was used by UU workers as a compound during the excavations has been developed into a car park, with the intention of encouraging Parents bringing children to school, to seek a safer option than using the Village hall car park and thus having to negotiate Church Lane which does not have a footpath at its junction with the A6 and can be subject to flooding. This car Park also assists the wider Community in providing an ‘overflow’ car park for the nearby St. Hilda’s Church. Importantly also a safe footpath linking the school to St. Hilda’s Church has also been constructed enabling children from the school to walk in safety to the Church. The trustees are most grateful to one of their number who spent much time and effort constructing a security gate and barrier across the access road to the car park and the footpath to the Church The trustees are currently pursuing further plans for the use of the land by leasing land adjacent to the new car park to Myerscough and Bilsborrow Parish Council so that a Multi Use Games Area(MUGA) can be constructed . This will provide ( during school hours) a secure all-weather pitch’ for the school as well as a facility for the local community in ‘out of school’ hours. In addition to this work ‘in progress’, the Trustees assist the school by paying an annual contribution on behalf of the school to the Blackburn Diocesan Board of Education ( Barchester Fund) which enables the school to seek financial assistance from the Diocese of Blackburn for repairs and capital works on the School.The Trustees also aim to keep the invested reserves at a level to be able to assist the school with ‘improvements’ when needed.The Headteacher of the School is invited to attend meetings of the Trustees to advise the trustees on the needs of the school and also to be appraised of the current business of the Trust so that there is a close rapport between the Trustees and the School ## **Additional Information** The Trustees are grateful to Mrs J Hodge of Marshall & Co Accountants and Business consultants who independently verified the 2024/2025 accounts free of charge. Trustees. Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025 Income and Expendtture Account 2025 2025 Income Interest on noti￿ account Dividends on COIF income unrts United ulililies Annual rent 1,Q78.86 2,147.00 63,566.00 0.00 86,79186 Expenditure 8lackburn Dictesan Board of EducalKJn - Contribution to eommon fund Contribution to school for tr￿ f&lling Security Gale Napthens fee 48.00 600.00 2,760.00 3,408.00 SurplusllDeficitl of income over expenditure 63,383.86 Transfer to Blackburn Diocesan Board of Education Surplus 480.00 b2,903.86 Lloyds Account Balance brought fotward Surplus for year 28,645.gS 62,903.86 Balance carried lo￿ard 91,549.81 Summary of Account Balances at 31 March 2025 2025 32 notice account Lloyds Bank current acccMJnt 86,504.88 91549.81 Statement of Investments at 31 March 2025 3,863.60 COIF Charities Invesknenl Fund Income units IPurchased on 21.11.02 with the proceeds of sale of 679 Accumulation units al a price of £30,718.30) Al 31.3.25 the value of the holding was £75,265.25131.3.24 £78,943.39) School Assgts 5.5 Acres of land on Bilsborrow Lane18t to Stuarts (on ternis of a lea60 for 7 yaarsfrom 2.2.621 Barchestef Account Reeelpts Contribution from trustees 480.00 Tot81 receipts 480.00 Annual Report.docxAnnual Report: John Cross Trustees ## **John Cross Trustees Charity registration Number :526240 Trustees’ Annual Report Year Ending 31 March 2025** The John Cross School Trust was established in 1718 under the terms of the Will of John Cross a local gentleman who wished to provide a school for the education of poor children in the districts of Myerscough and Bilsborrow. The children were to be educated in reading, writing , arithmetic and geography and the principles of the Christian Religion according to the Doctrine of the Church of England. The Trustees had the power to ‘put in’ and ‘displace’ both schoolmaster and scholars ‘at their discretion.’The Trustees were also directly the Governors/Managers of the school. In the first ‘scheme’ for the governance of the school up to 1873 the Trustees were co-opted but under the second scheme of 1873 there was provision for up to eight trustees, four being elected by the Myerscough Parish Council, two by the Bilsborrow Parish Council and two were coopted. The elected trustees were to serve for two years but could be reelected , and the coopted trustees up to ten years. Over the years the management of the school has changed.Trustees are no longer the Managers/Governors of the School.A new Deed of Appointment of new trustees was drawn up on the 26[th] day of April 2016 . For the period covered by this report there have been six trustees ,All of them were appointed by this ‘deed of Appointment of New Trustees. The Trustees administer any lands of the Trust on behalf of the Charity Commission. The area of land constitutes approx. 5.82 acres of land(2.2 hectares ). the land is in two portions.the first to the North of Bilsborrow Lane constitutes 3.91 acres and the second immediately to the West of the railway line 1.91.acres.All this land is leased to a local farmer and is in a third generation tenancy. The annual income of the trust is derived from the annual rent of the land and any interest generated from accumulated invested capital. The Total Gross Annual Income of the Trust in the past four years(to 31/03/2024) has not exceeded £4,000. However unusual circumstances beginning in 2020 have now meant that in the year of this report , total gross income has risen to £66,791.86. The ‘ unusual circumstances’ began at the start of 2020 when United Utilities exercised their statutory rights to enter the Trustees’ land to install two huge underground drainage tanks close to the A6 to alleviate local flooding. In compensation ,the agent acting on behalf of the Trustees, eventually negotiated a settlement of £63,566.00. In the year of this report this amount is now showing on the Trustees’ Balance sheet and has increased our gross total income manyfold and necessitated this report to the Charity Commissioners. The work undertaken by United Utilities as they prepared to hand back the land to the Trustees has significantly altered the appearance of the land to the North of Bilsborrow Lane..A permanent right of access for the Water company has been constructed, trees have been planted and the remaining pasture land and the area where the tanks are situated has been fenced off.The tenant has not yet found the area suitable to be used for grazing stock, but was notified by UU of his own rights to negotiate compensation. However the redevelopment has given the Trustees opportunities to start to make new developments for the benefit of the school and eventually for the wider community.The Trustees have also assisted the children from the school in planting trees to commemorate the late Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. The land which was used by UU workers as a compound during the excavations has been developed into a car park, with the intention of encouraging Parents bringing children to school, to seek a safer option than using the Village hall car park and thus having to negotiate Church Lane which does not have a footpath at its junction with the A6 and can be subject to flooding. This car Park also assists the wider Community in providing an ‘overflow’ car park for the nearby St. Hilda’s Church. Importantly also a safe footpath linking the school to St. Hilda’s Church has also been constructed enabling children from the school to walk in safety to the Church. The trustees are most grateful to one of their number who spent much time and effort constructing a security gate and barrier across the access road to the car park and the footpath to the Church The trustees are currently pursuing further plans for the use of the land by leasing land adjacent to the new car park to Myerscough and Bilsborrow Parish Council so that a Multi Use Games Area(MUGA) can be constructed . This will provide ( during school hours) a secure all-weather pitch’ for the school as well as a facility for the local community in ‘out of school’ hours. In addition to this work ‘in progress’, the Trustees assist the school by paying an annual contribution on behalf of the school to the Blackburn Diocesan Board of Education ( Barchester Fund) which enables the school to seek financial assistance from the Diocese of Blackburn for repairs and capital works on the School.The Trustees also aim to keep the invested reserves at a level to be able to assist the school with ‘improvements’ when needed.The Headteacher of the School is invited to attend meetings of the Trustees to advise the trustees on the needs of the school and also to be appraised of the current business of the Trust so that there is a close rapport between the Trustees and the School ## **Additional Information** The Trustees are grateful to Mrs J Hodge of Marshall & Co Accountants and Business consultants who independently verified the 2024/2025 accounts free of charge.