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2022-07-31-accounts

Council

of Church

Universities and Colleges

(operating as The Cathedrals Group)

Annual Report and Accounts

31 July 2022

Charity Registration Number 801726

Contents

Reports

Reference and administrative information 1
Executive Committee report 2
Independent auditor’s report 7
Accounts
Statement of financial activities 11
Balance sheet 12
Principal accounting policies 13
Notes to the accounts 15

Council of Church Universities and Colleges (operating as The Cathedrals Group)

Reference and administrative information

Executive Committee Professor Julie Mennell (Chair until 3 October 2022)
Professor Jackie Dunne (Vice Chair)
Professor Jean-Noel Erzingeard (Vice Chair)
Professor Rama Thirunamachandran
Professor Jane Longmore
Paul Barber, Director of Catholic Education Service
Garry Neave, HE Adviser, Church of England
Registered/Principal office University of Cumbria
Fusehill Street
Carlisle
CA1 2HH
Charity registration number 801726
Auditor Buzzacott LLP
130 Wood Street
London
EC2V 6DL
Bankers NatWest Bank
High Street
Lincoln
LN2 1AZ
Solicitors Lee Bolton Monier-Williams
1 The Sanctuary
Westminster
London
SW1P 3JT

Council of Church Universities and Colleges (operating as The Cathedrals Group) 1

Executive Committee report Year to 31 July 2022

The Executive Committee presents the report and accounts of the Council of Church Universities and Colleges (operating as The Cathedrals Group) (“the Council”) for the year ended 31 July 2022. Audited accounts are required under the terms of the Council’s Constitution.

The accounts have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out on pages 13-14 of the attached accounts and the requirements of Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).

The Council has adopted an abbreviated Executive Committee report as it qualifies as a small charity.

Governance, structure and management

Constitution

The Council is governed by a constitution adopted on 1 November 1988, which has been amended in subsequent years, the latest amendment being November 2016. The Council is also a registered charity (charity registration number 801726).

Organisation

The policy and general management of the affairs of the Council is directed by the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee consists of the Chair, two Vice-Chairs and two Vice Chancellors/Principals elected by the Members representing the range of Members. The Director of the Catholic Education Service and the Chief Education Officer of the Church of England are entitled to attend.

Representation

Membership of the Council is open to the designated Vice-Chancellor or Principal of each University or Church University College in full membership. One nominee from each of the Catholic Education Service, the Church of England Board of Education, and the Methodist Church in Britain are entitled to attend. Associate membership may be granted to such bodies as are willing and able to subscribe to the principal aims and activities of the Council.

The Members elect the Chair of the Executive Committee to serve for a period of two years or such longer period as the Members may determine. The Honorary Treasurer or Treasurer is elected by the Members to serve for a period of two years.

The members of the Executive Committee are also the trustees of the Council for the purposes of charity law. They are listed on page 1 and have all served in office throughout the year and to the date of this report except where stated.

Council of Church Universities and Colleges (operating as The Cathedrals Group)

2

Executive Committee report Year to 31 July 2022

Governance, structure and management (continued)

Key management personnel

The key management personnel of the charity in charge of directing and controlling, running and operating the charity on a day-to-day basis comprise the members of the Executive Committee.

No member of the Executive Committee receives any remuneration from the charity in respect of their duties.

Statement of responsibilities of the Executive Committee

The Executive Committee is responsible for preparing the annual report and accounts in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

The law applicable to charities in England and Wales requires the Executive Committee, as the trustees of the Council (the “charity”), to prepare accounts for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity at the year end and of its income and expenditure for the period. In preparing the accounts, the members of the Executive Committee are required to:

The Executive Committee is responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the accounts comply with the Charities Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regulations and the provisions of the charity’s constitution. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

When setting the objectives and planning the work of the Council for the year and its future activities, members of the Executive Committee have given careful consideration to the Charity Commission general guidance on public benefit.

Council of Church Universities and Colleges (operating as The Cathedrals Group)

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Executive Committee report Year to 31 July 2022

Governance, structure and management (continued)

Risk management

The Executive Committee has assessed the major risks to which the Council is exposed, in particular those related to the operations and finances of the Council and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate exposure to the major risks.

As a membership organisation whose income is primarily subscriptions, the major risk facing the Council is the loss of members. The financial consequences of this are mitigated in two respects: the low level of fixed costs with most expenditure being more discretionary project spend; and the level of reserves carried to allow activity to be transitioned to a smaller membership base.

Objectives and activities

Overview

The principal objectives of the Council are to advance and develop higher education in the Church Universities and Colleges. In support of these objectives several meetings were held during the year on both a face-to-face basis and online.

The Council’s AGM was held at Friends House, London on 1 December 2021. Thereafter Council meetings were held on 15 March 2022 (online) and in person at Canterbury Christ Church University as part of the Cathedrals Group’s Choirs Festival on the weekend of 13-15 May 2022. Executive meetings were convened online on 31 January, 15 March and 4 July 2022.

For the first time since 2019 and the Covid-19 pandemic, the Choirs Festival took place in person. Hosted by Canterbury Christ Church University, this was a highly successful event with the choirs performing in Canterbury Cathedral itself.

Vice-Chancellors also met formally during the Choirs Festival. In addition to the business meeting, sessions were addressed by Professor David Spendlove, Associate Dean Faculty of Humanities, University of Manchester, James Noble-Rogers, Executive Director Universities’ Council for the Education of Teachers and Nick Hillman, Director of the Higher Education Policy Institute. Following the Council meeting, a joint session of Vice-Chancellors and Chaplains from the Group’s Universities was convened.

Personnel

Professor Julie Mennell was elected as Chair of the Cathedrals Group at the AGM in December 2021, Professor Peter Neil having completed the second year of his two-year term as Chair. Professor Jackie Dunne, and Professor Jean-Noel Erzingeard continued to serve as Vice-Chairs during the year. Having taken up appointment as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Winchester Professor Sarah Greer was welcomed as a member of the Group.

Administrative support was provided by Professor Neil’s office until December 2021 and by the office of Professor Mennell for the remainder of the 2021-22 year. The contract of the Group’s Head of Public Affairs and Communications ended in autumn 2021 and the Council agreed in principle to appoint a Head of Policy at its December AGM. This was subsequently amended and in February 2022 a Sub-Committee of the Executive agreed to appoint Pam Tatlow as a Policy Adviser on a part-time and consultancy basis with the role commencing in April 2022.

Council of Church Universities and Colleges (operating as The Cathedrals Group)

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Executive Committee report Year to 31 July 2022

Governance, structure and management (continued)

Infrastructure

The pandemic, the transfer of administrative responsibilities and change in staff have required work to review the Group’s website and social media account. In addition records, policy and parliamentary networks have been updated as has information relating to the Cathedrals Group’s significant contribution to local communities, teacher supply and the education of key public sector workers including in health, social services, local government and the police.

The new Chair initiated one-to-one meetings with all Cathedral Group members and the Chairs of the Group’s Education and Research Sub-Committees. For its part, the Education SubCommittee has been particularly active because of the UK Government’s market review of initial teacher education provision in England and a new framework by which Ofsted is inspecting this provision. In addition to regular meetings with officials at the Department for Education, members of the Sub-Committee have been active in sharing experience in relation to Ofsted inspections and the DfE’s requirement that all ITT providers should apply to Ofsted to be reaccredited in a two-stage process.

In July 2022 the Group’s Executive Committee revisited the terms of reference of both SubCommittees. Their recommendations will be considered by the Council at its September 2022 meeting in the next academic and financial year.

Policy

2021/22 has been a year when proposals from the Office of Students including those related to the definition and assessment of teaching excellence and the Department of Education’s review of teacher education provision have been the focus of discussion and liaison with officials. OfS’s proposals have the potential to undermine the Cathedral Group’s long-standing commitment to providing access to, and supporting the success of, students who are first in family to progress to university as well as those from under-represented groups.

Members of the Cathedrals Group have historic foundations in the provision of teacher education and are long-established and highly respected providers of the latter, supporting partnerships with hundreds of schools and providing a key supply of teachers including those who go on to work in schools in communities which are part of the government’s ‘levelling up’ agenda.

The DfE’s intention to reduce the number of initial teacher education providers via a two-stage accreditation process has therefore been a significant and ongoing concern. In addition to liaison with officials, the Chair has corresponded with the relevant Ministers. Following the outcome of Stage 1 of the accreditation process, Vice-Chancellors of the Cathedrals Group and members of the Education Sub-Committee met with the then Minister for School Standards.

The Group has also taken a proactive approach in considering other key issues in the sector including the continuing implications of the Covid-19 pandemic, degree apprenticeships, the expansion of health education programmes, research assessment as well as sharing individual members’ initiatives to support students e.g. the University of Chichester’s homelessness project.

Council of Church Universities and Colleges (operating as The Cathedrals Group) 5

Executive Committee report Year to 31 July 2022

Governance, structure and management (continued)

Projects

The Communiversity project, funded by the Church Universities Fund and involving four Cathedral Group Universities, completed its work and presented its report to the Fund in March 2022. The Project explored the added value that students experience from undertaking community-based projects with a social justice dimension at Cathedrals Group universities.

Looking forward, a Cathedrals Group project to consider sustainability and the green agenda was agreed in principle by the Executive Committee in July 2022. Taken together, this body of work highlights that although 2021/22 has presented challenges, the Cathedrals Group has been able to utilise the talents and experience of its members to continue to provide a network and forum which has directly benefitted students and staff and has provided an important input into the current higher education agenda.

Financial review

Total income amounted to £67,083 (2020/21- £67,085), which related entirely to membership subscriptions totalling £67,083 (2020/21- £67,083). Total expenditure amounted to £34,874 (2020/21- £88,332).

The net movement in funds was a surplus of £32,209 (2020/21 – deficit of £21,247). The total net assets at the year end were £120,600 (2020/21 - £88,391).

Reserves policy

Sufficient free reserves are maintained to enable the Council to meet any unexpected demands for its services and to finance projects undertaken at short notice, broadly defined as equivalent to an average year’s expenditure. Should its reserves be insufficient, additional resources would be provided by the universities and colleges that are members of the Council. At the balance sheet date, the free reserves were £120,600 (2020/21 - £88,391) and so in excess of this policy. It is anticipated that the surplus will be used to fund future projects.

Future plans

The Cathedrals Group plan to continue the advancement of public education in Church universities and colleges in 2022-23.

Signed on behalf of the Executive Committee on

Professor Jean-Noel Ezingeard Vice-Chair

Date: 15 November 2022

Council of Church Universities and Colleges (operating as The Cathedrals Group) 6

Independent auditor’s report 31 July 2022

Independent auditor’s report to the Executive Committee of Council of Church Universities and Colleges (operating as The Cathedrals Group)

We have audited the accounts of Council of Church Universities and Colleges (the “charity”) for the year ended 31 July 2022, which comprise the statement of financial activities, the balance sheet, the principal accounting policies and the related notes. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice), including FRS 102, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland.

In our opinion the accounts:

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the accounts section of our report. We are independent of the charity in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the accounts in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the accounts, we have concluded that the trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the accounts is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the accounts are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The Executive Committee is responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information included in the annual report other than the accounts and our auditor’s report thereon. Our opinion on the accounts does not cover the other information and we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.

Council of Church Universities and Colleges (operating as The Cathedrals Group)

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Independent auditor’s report 31 July 2022

Other information (continued)

In connection with our audit of the accounts, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the accounts or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the accounts or a material misstatement of the other information. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Charities Act 2011 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

Responsibilities of the Executive Committee

As explained more fully in the Statement of responsibilities of the Executive Committee, the Executive Committee is responsible for the preparation of the accounts and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the Executive Committee determine is necessary to enable the preparation of accounts that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the accounts, the Executive Committee is responsible for assessing the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the Executive Committee either intend to liquidate the charity or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the accounts

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the accounts as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these accounts.

Council of Church Universities and Colleges (operating as The Cathedrals Group)

8

Independent auditor’s report 31 July 2022

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the accounts (continued)

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below:

Our approach to identifying and assessing the risks of material misstatement in respect of irregularities, including fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations, was as follows:

We assessed the susceptibility of the charity’s financial statements to material misstatement, including obtaining an understanding of how fraud might occur, by:

To address the risk of fraud through management bias and override of controls, we:

In response to the risk of irregularities and non-compliance with laws and regulations, we designed procedures which included, but were not limited to:

As a result of our procedures we did not identify any key audit matters relating to irregularities.

Council of Church Universities and Colleges (operating as The Cathedrals Group)

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Independent auditor’s report 31 July 2022

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the accounts (continued)

There are inherent limitations in our audit procedures described above. The more removed that laws and regulations are from financial transactions, the less likely it is that we would become aware of non-compliance. Auditing standards also limit the audit procedures required to identify non-compliance with laws and regulations to enquiry of the trustees and other management and the inspection of regulatory and legal correspondence, if any.

Material misstatements that arise due to fraud can be harder to detect than those that arise from error as they may involve deliberate concealment or collusion.

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor’s report.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the charity’s Executive Committee, as a body, in accordance with section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 and with regulations made under section 154 of that Act. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charity’s Executive Committee those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charity and the charity’s Executive Committee as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Buzzacott LLP Statutory Auditor 130 Wood Street London EC2V 6DL

Date: 15 November 2022

Buzzacott LLP is eligible to act as an auditor in terms of section 1212 of the Companies Act 2006

Council of Church Universities and Colleges (operating as The Cathedrals Group) 10

Statement of financial activities Year to 31 July 2022

Notes Unrestricted funds Unrestricted funds
2022
£		 2021
£
Income from
Charitable activities
Advancement of public education
in Church universities and
colleges
1
Investments
Total income
Expenditure on
Charitable activities
. Advancement of public education
in Church universities and
colleges
2
Total expenditure
Net income (expenditure) and net movement in funds
Reconciliation of funds
Balances brought forward at 1 August
Balances carried forward at 31 July		 67,083
-		 67,083
2
67,083 67,085
34,874 88,332
34,874 88,332
32,209
88,391		 (21,247)
109,638
120,600 88,391

There is no difference between the net movement in funds stated above, and the historical cost equivalent.

All of the charity’s activities derived from continuing operations during the above two financial periods.

Council of Church Universities and Colleges (operating as The Cathedrals Group) 11

Balance sheet 31 July 2022

Notes 2022
£		 2021
£
Current assets
Debtors
5
Cash at bank and in hand
Liabilities
Creditors: amounts falling due within one
year
6
Net current assets /total net assets
The funds of the charity:
Unrestricted income funds
General fund
Total funds		 16,650
131,066		 1,533
93,116
147,716
(27,116)		 94,649
(6,258)
120,600 88,391
120,600 88,391
120,600 88,391

Approved by the Executive Committee and signed on its behalf by:

Professor Jean-Noel Ezingeard Vice-Chair

Approved on: 15th November 2022

Council of Church Universities and Colleges (operating as The Cathedrals Group) 12

Principal accounting policies 31 July 2022

The principal accounting policies adopted, judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty in the preparation of the accounts are laid out below.

Basis of preparation

These accounts have been prepared for the year to 31 July 2022.

The accounts have been prepared under the historical cost convention with items recognised at cost or transaction value unless otherwise stated in the relevant accounting policies below or the notes to these accounts.

The accounts have been prepared in accordance with Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (Charities SORP FRS 102), the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and the Charities Act 2011.

The charity constitutes a public benefit entity as defined by FRS 102.

The accounts are presented in sterling and are rounded to the nearest pound.

Assessment of going concern

The trustees have assessed whether the use of the going concern assumption is appropriate in preparing these accounts. The trustees have made this assessment in respect to a period of one year from the date of approval of these accounts.

The trustees of the charity have concluded that there are no material uncertainties related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the ability of the charity to continue as a going concern. The trustees are of the opinion that the charity will have sufficient resources to meet its liabilities as they fall due.

Income recognition

Income is recognised in the period in which the charity has entitlement to the income, the amount of income can be measured reliably, and it is probable that the income will be received.

Income comprises donations, membership subscriptions and bank interest.

Donations are recognised when the charity has confirmation of both the amount and settlement date. In the event of donations pledged but not received, the amount is accrued for where the receipt is considered probable. In the event that a donation is subject to conditions that require a level of performance before the charity is entitled to the funds, the income is deferred and not recognised until either those conditions are fully met, or the fulfilment of those conditions is wholly within the control of the charity and it is probable that those conditions will be fulfilled in the reporting period.

Council of Church Universities and Colleges (operating as The Cathedrals Group) 13

Principal accounting policies 31 July 2022

Income recognition (continued)

Membership subscriptions are calculated on an institutional basis, and by reference to student numbers, plus a flat rate, and are accounted for in the period to which they relate. Subscription rates are set annually.

Expenditure recognition

Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to make a payment to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in settlement and the amount of the obligation can be measured reliably.

Expenditure on the advancement of public education in Church universities and colleges includes such expenditure as:

All expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and is recognised when there is a legal and constructive obligation to make a payment and includes any attributable VAT which cannot be recovered.

Cash flow statement

The accounts do not include a cash flow statement because the charity, as a small reporting entity, is exempt from the requirement to prepare such a statement under the Charities SORP (FRS 102) Update Bulletin 1.

Debtors

Debtors are recognised at their settlement amount, less any provision for non-recoverability. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid.

Cash at bank and in hand

Cash at bank and in hand represents such accounts and instruments that are available on demand or have a maturity of less than three months from the date of acquisition.

Creditors and provisions

Creditors and provisions are recognised when there is an obligation at the balance sheet date as a result of a past event, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefit will be required in settlement, and the amount of the settlement can be estimated reliably. Creditors and provisions are recognised at the amount the charity anticipates it will pay to settle the debt.

Funds structure

Unrestricted funds comprise those funds which the Executive Committee are free to use in accordance with the charitable objects of the Council.

Council of Church Universities and Colleges (operating as The Cathedrals Group)

14

Notes to the accounts 31 July 2022

1
2		 Charitable activities 2022
£		 2021
£
Advancement of public education in Church
universities and colleges
Membership subscriptions		 67,083 67,083
67,083 67,083
Cost of charitable activities 2022
£		 2021
£
Advancement of public education in Church
universities and colleges
Accommodation, staff support and office
expenses
Conferences and meetings
Funding of research projects
CG Class of 2020 Careers fund
Website & Brand Development
Policy & Communications
Other costs
Auditor’s remuneration		 21,826
7,528
-
-
1,560
-
-
3,960		 53,134
2,968
3,620
19,390
4,372
197
(10)
4,661
34,874 88,332

3 Taxation

Council of Church Universities and Colleges (operating as The Cathedrals Group) is a registered charity and therefore is not liable to taxation on income or gains derived from its charitable activities, as it falls within the various exemptions available to registered charities.

4 Executive Committee remuneration, expenses and transactions with Members

The members of the Executive Committee consider that they comprise the key management personnel of the charity in charge of directing and controlling, running and operating the charity on a day to day basis.

No member of the Executive Committee, or any persons connected with them, received any remuneration from the Council during the year (2020/21 - £nil).No expenses were reimbursed to any members of the Executive Committee during the year (2020/21 - £nil). All travel and subsistence expenses associated with the business of the Executive Committee are met by the members’ institutions.

Most of the members of the Executive Committee are employed by universities and colleges who are Members of the charity. Membership fees to these organisations are charged on an arm’s length basis. Some of these organisations also provide administrative and other services to the charity. During the year to 31 July 2022, £10,000 was incurred for administration costs, which was incurred by University of Cumbria (2020/21 - £51,146 incurred by York St John University and BGU).

Council of Church Universities and Colleges (operating as The Cathedrals Group) 15

Notes to the accounts 31 July 2022

5
6		 Debtors 2022
£		 2021
£
Other debtors and prepayments 16,650 1,533
16,650 1,533
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year 2022
£		 2021
£
Accruals
Creditor		 3,960
23,156		 6,258
-
27,116 6,258

7 Related party transactions

Other than the transactions disclosed in note 4, there are no further related party transactions to disclose.

Council of Church Universities and Colleges (operating as The Cathedrals Group) 16