## **Burnley Civic Trust Charity No. 700029**
## **Annual Report and Financial Statements**
**Year ended 30[th] September 2025**
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## **Burnley Civic Trust**
## **Reference and administrative details**
Trustees Edward Walton (Chair) Ramon Collinge Roger Barstow Frost MBE Peter Hornby Geoff Ashworth Carol Stinton Marjorie Fawcett George David Grimshaw Nixie Mae Edwards (appointed 2 October 2024) Principal address C/o 7 Watt Street Burnley BB12 8AA Bankers Lloyds Bank Skipton Building Society Registered Charity Number 700029 Independent Examiner M R Heaton FCCA FCIE DchA KM Chartered Accountants 1[st] Floor, Block C The Wharf Manchester Road Burnley BB11 1JG
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Burnley
Civic Trust
President: Ken G. Spencer M.B.E.,
M.A., M.Sc.
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President: Ken G. Spencer M.B.E.,
M.A., M.Sc.
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Burnleycivictrust.org.uk bcthic.org
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**burnleycivictrust@gmail.com 13 October 2025**
The Trust has had a busy year again with representation at various Town events and committees.
We continue to make critical and praising comments on planning matters after discussion at our monthly meetings. The Trust has an ongoing battle to try and remedy the problem of poor ‘gateway’ neglected sites affecting the immediate visual impression visitors to Burnley gain when entering the town. A reluctance to act by Council is detected.
The ‘Awards’ event for the year recognized 15 sites within the town that deserved recognition and at a ceremony awards were given, some plaques, certificates or letters of appreciation.
Government grants are being made to the town and we represent an independent view on various Heritage aspects discussed at meetings attended by our members.
Civic Trust members have been active in providing several educational talks for the public over ‘Heritage Week’ and involved in the organisation of the programme of events.
‘Talking newspaper’ has benefitted from recordings we were able to supply from our expanded librarya benefit gained from the recent donation from an estate.
Our continuing work on the freely accessible website on Burnley’s history, now more than 17500 articles/photos get worldwide viewing and reactions. An educational spin-off has been the university student involvement over the summer, and earlier local school projects we have assisted via the library/archives service. Visitors and enquirers have been directed to us for help in researching their family history and successful results have been appreciated.
Our application for grant enabled a new panoramic information table to be installed at a local landmark artwork and also the restoration of a historic waymark in a remote rural location.
Work for the restoration of another ‘lost’ artwork for the town centre continues.
The recent receipt of substantial bequest from the Brian Hall estate secures the Trust’s wellbeing for many years and gives great scope for our charitable and educational role.
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## **Trustees Annual Report**
## **Objects**
The objects of the charity, as per its constitution adopted 16 March 1988 as amended 7 February 2001 and 12 November 2008 are:
for the public benefit for the following purposes in the area comprising Burnley and district which area shall hereinafter be referred to as "the area of benefit":
(1) to promote high standards of planning and architecture in or affecting the area of benefit.
(2) to educate the public in the geography, history, natural history and architecture of the area of benefit.
(3) to secure the preservation protection development and improvement of features of historic or public interest in the area of benefit.
## **Public Benefit**
In accordance with their objectives for this year, and with due regard to the published Charity Commission guidance on the operation of the Public Benefit requirements of the Charities Act 2006, the trustees have undertaken appropriate activities in furtherance of these aims for the public benefit. This report explains how our activities achieve public benefit.
## **What we do**
In support of the objects we undertake the following:
The Charity holds photographic prints, picture, negatives and ancillary items donated by local companies, individuals and estates of Historic and Heritage images of Burnley and district that are being scanned and processed for inclusion in a freely accessible website that is administered and maintained by Burnley Civic Trust members and volunteers. In addition the Trust has a library of local interest historical books and journals, council minute records, and a small collection of objects and artefacts relating to local social history.
## **Reserves**
At the year end our reserves, being the amounts held in bank accounts, amounted to £150,175. A legacy was received of £140,000 which will be used to further the purposes of the charity and ensure its existence for years to come. We aim to retain a minimum of £5,000.
## **Structure, governance and management**
The charity is governed by its constitution, adopted 16 March 1988 as amended 7 February 2001 and 12 November 2008.
Trustees otherwise known as Executive Committee are recruited as required.
## **Risks and uncertainties**
Risks are monitored by the trustees.
This report was approved by the trustees on 5th November 2025 and signed on their behalf by:
**E J Walton Trustee**
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## **INDEPENDENT EXAMINER'S REPORT TO THE TRUSTEES OF BURNLEY CIVIC TRUST**
I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the charity for the year ended 30[th] September 2025.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
As the charity's trustees 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 charity’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 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 matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:
- (1) accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by Section 130 of the Act; or
- (2) 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.
M R Heaton FCCA FCIE DChA
KM Chartered Accountants 1[st] Floor, Block C, The Wharf Burnley Lancashire BB11 1JG
5th November 2025
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## **BURNLEY CIVIC TRUST RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS ACCOUNT**
|**Receipts**
Membership
Book and leaflet sales
Bank interest received
Float
Donations
Brian Hall Bequest
Grant – Cliviger Parish Council
Green Spaces
**Payments**
Donation
Chairman expenses
Insurance
Trade subscriptions
Internet
Volunteer expenses
Computer expenses
Rent
Printing, postage and stationery
Advertising
Replacement laptops
Civic Voice membership and CVS renewal
Catering and wine gift
Contribution to Panopticon Panoramic table
Timber and frames
H&S Purchases
Net receipts
Balances bfd
Balances cfd
**STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES**
Bank balances
Petty Cash
Unspent grants at year end
Cash gift|Year ended
**30.9.25**
**£**
575
37
325
20
1038
140000
1427|Year ended
**30.9.25**
**£**
575
37
325
20
1038
140000
1427|Year ended
**30.9.24**
**£**
561
449
159
18
3297
-
2650|
|---|---|---|---|
||**143422**||**7134**|
||-
-
129
-
255
266
-
500
137
-
1272
70
367
2650
104
29||50
115
62
75
238
328
90
500
537
60
-
-
-
-
-
-|
||**5779**||**2055**|
|||||
||**137643**||**5079**|
|||||
||**12570**||**7491**|
|||||
||**150213**||**12570**|
|||||
|||||
|||||
||**150175**||**12570**|
||**38**||**-**|
||**-1427**||**-2650**|
||**-**||**300**|
Approved by the trustees on 5th November 2025 and signed on their behalf by:
E J Walton Trustee
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## NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
- 1 Basis of preparation
These accounts have been prepared on the Receipts and Payments basis in accordance with the Charities Act 2011.
- 2 Fund Accounting
- (a) Unrestricted funds are those that can be expended at the discretion of the trustees in the furtherance of the objects of the charity
- (b) Restricted funds are those that may only be used for specific purposes. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor.
- 3 Taxation
The charity is not liable to tax on its charitable activities.
The charity is not registered for VAT. Irrecoverable VAT is included in the expense to which it relates.
- 4 Transactions with trustees
No remuneration nor expenses were paid to any of the other trustees or any persons connected with them during the year.
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