Scottish charity number: SC004487 Congregation number: 010102
## **St Stephen’s Comely Bank Church of Scotland, Edinburgh**
Annual Report and Financial Statements Year ended 31 December 2024
St Stephen’s Comely Bank Church of Scotland, Edinburgh **Contents of the Annual Report and Financial Statements** for the year ended 31 December 2024
||Page|
|---|---|
|Report of the Trustees|1 - 4|
|Report of the Independent Examiner|5|
|Statement of Financial Activities|6|
|Balance Sheet|7|
|Notes to the Financial Statements|8 – 14|
St Stephen’s Comely Bank Church of Scotland, Edinburgh
## **Report of the Trustees** for the year ended 31 December 2024
The Trustees present the annual report and accounts for St Stephen’s Comely Bank Church, Edinburgh (SSCB) for the year ended 31 December 2024. The accounts are presented this year on the accruals basis due to an increase in income beyond the maximum permitted level for use of the receipts and payments basis. The prior year comparatives have also been restated.
## **Reference and administrative information**
Charity name: St Stephen’s Comely Bank Church of Scotland, Edinburgh Charity registration number: SC004487 Congregation number: 010102 Contact address: Church Office 10 Comely Bank Road Edinburgh EH4 1DW Bankers: Bank of Scotland 43 Comely Bank Edinburgh EH4 1AF
## **Constitution and governance**
SSCB is a Church of Scotland congregation established under the unitary form of constitution.
The Elders serving on the Kirk Session are the trustees of the charity and have been chosen from those members of the church who are considered to have the appropriate gifts and skills. The minister, who is a member of the Kirk Session, is elected by the congregation and inducted by Presbytery. The Kirk Session is responsible for the recruitment, appointment, induction and training of new trustees, when required.
The Kirk Session met formally seven times during the year, with meetings considering both the practical and spiritual matters of the church. Routine business is dealt with by circulation of papers.
The Trustees who served during the year were as follows:
Day to day oversight for financial matters is delegated to the Finance Convenor and the Treasurer, , a member of the congregation who carries out the bookkeeping.
The Minister and Session Clerk hold title to both the church and the manse (see page 6) on behalf of the members.
Page 1
St Stephen's Comely Bank Church of Scotland, Edinburgh
Report of the Trustees for the year ended 310ecember 2024
ObJectl¥es and actlvltles
SSCB is an evangelical congregation of the Church of Scotland, with one objective.. to make God's ways known
to all.
This is done through our worship together each Sunday. meetings for prayer, encouragement and teaching-
offering homegroups for small group ministry and discipleship,. ministry to the older members of our
community through our lunch club- youth ministry in our local schools and community. family outreach
support for families in our community. the provision of meeting space for Guides. Scouts and other
community groups,. and special 8v8nts.
Achlevements and performance
This year, we have been working with our new Parish Grouping cornmunity pushing forward with a
framework for us IGorgie and Palmerston Place Church, Murrayfield Church and ourselves) to effectively
work together. With a number of absences through ill-health and vacancies to fill, progress has been slower
than we would have liked. But we are excited about the opportunities for thi5 in the next 12 months.
Our Sunday services continua to be a place where church family meet together to share in worshipping the
Lord and in fellowship with one another. Our Praise Band has blessed us at one service each month, the
other services being covered by our technical team. The numbers of our church family involved in our
services- reading the Word, leading in prayers, teaching our children and young people, looking after babies,
welcoming people, serving coffee - continues to grow and we are grateful for the high proportion of our
church family who actively serve each week. We are also blessed with lunch after our service once each
month- always well attended.
We are thankful for our staff team.
Our Minister, George Vidits, has had some periods of absence this year with health issues but we have
been able to cover the preaching at our services from within the church staff and family, and with th
support Of in November,
-watkins in Dècember an
from January 2025 until the date of this report.
Ouryouth Pastor,
has continued to èxtènd our reach into our local schools- Broughton
High School primarily, but also in Flora Stevenson Primary School. This has included bringing Try Praying
into the classrooms, leading at Assemblies and running weekly lunchtime clubs.
ran a successful
holiday club at Easter for primary aged children, supportèd by members of the church family who gave
up their week to help. We have seen new seeds of growth in our Inspire group on a Sunday morning
which now boasts 11 teenagers who regularly attend.
We filled a new postthis year when
joined us as our Families Outreach Worker. Funded
by the Pioneer Mission Fund, this role is to build a bridge between our church and families in our
community, Particularly thosè who rèquirè additional practical support. Building on our succèssful
Thursday Baby and Toddler group. we have now started a monthly Comely Play on a Saturday morning
which invf(es families into our halls for a time of play and bible stories. We have seen a growing group
of families happy to join with us and were pleasèd by how many tame to our Christinglè sèrvicè this year.
Our cleaner of many years,
we are grateful for her service.
continues tirelessly with her love and caro for our building-
Prayer continues to be at the heart of what we do. As well as a prayer meeting before each Sunday service,
we have a prayer ministry team who are available to pray with people after each service and a quarterly day
of prayer where we cover prayer from 10am to 10pm on a Saturday. These days of prayer are held in the
church and we now schedule them for the Saturday before our Communion Sundays as the sense of thè Holy
Spirit after these time5 Of prayer has been such a 'felt' blessing in our Sanrtuary.
Pagè 2
St Stephen’s Comely Bank Church of Scotland, Edinburgh
**Report of the Trustees** for the year ended 31 December 2024
## **Achievements and performance (continued)**
Our Lunch Club (for retired people) and Baby and Toddler group (for young families) continue to be very well attended. These are authentic places of Christ-centred service where there is always a bible story or faithbased message. We pray that these will be outreaches which build a bridge into our worship community.
Our 4 homegroups continue to be a place for discipleship and care. We have a hope that as many from our church family as possible are part of one of these small groups as we believe it is such an important addition to Sunday morning worship in our journeys of faith.
At the end of the year, we again hosted the Bethany Christian Trust Christmas trees, along with jointly hosting a Christmas Fair with them in our church. We see this outreach as a real chance to engage with people in our local community who are coming to pick up their trees.
We finished the year with 111 members (2023: 111 members). In addition, we have around 26 children and young people who are part of our Inspire, Sunday Club and creche communities.
None of what we do at Church would be possible without the commitment of our faithful community of members who volunteer in so many ways to serve.
## **Financial review**
## _**Principal sources of funding**_
The Church is primarily funded by church members through their offerings and the Gift Aid thereon. This year, a generous legacy was left to the church by a dearly loved and missed member of our church family which has significantly improved our financial position. It should however be noted that we have an emerging trend of a decreasing number of high value givers as those members either move on elsewhere or reduce their giving due to changes in circumstances.
## _**Results for the year**_
The Accounts for the year are set out on pages 6 to 14. They have been restated this year to comply with the Statement of Recommended Practice for Charities 2019 which applies to all charities with income over £250k. This means that our figures for 2023 have also been restated on the same basis to provide comparability.
The Statement of Financial Activities on page 6 shows a surplus of £125,796 (2023: restated surplus of £16,187), comprising a deficit on general funds after transfers of £3,353 (2023: restated deficit of £3,171), a surplus on designated funds of £135,267 (2023: £nil) and a deficit on restricted funds after transfers of £6,118 (2023: surplus of £19,358).
The Church’s funds totalled £975,330 (2023 restated: £849,534) at the end of the year and are divided between general funds of £18,818 (2023 restated: £22,171), designated funds of £935,267 (2023 restated: £800,000) and restricted funds of £21,245 (2023: £27,363).
## _**Reserves**_
It is the policy of the church to maintain unrestricted funds of approximately three months of unrestricted expenditure. This allows sufficient funds to enable the ongoing work of the Church to be maintained. Per the Statement of Balances on page 7, the general fund at 31 December 2024 amounted to £18,818 (2023: £22,171) which falls short of this level. This shortfall will be addressed as part of the discernment process being undertaken by the Kirk Session on the appropriate use of the legacy received this year of £135,267. We have already agreed to a thanksgiving offering of 10% to be donated to Christian partners we work with in our community.
Page 3
St Stephen’s Comely Bank Church of Scotland, Edinburgh
## **Report of the Trustees** for the year ended 31 December 2024
## **Risk assessment**
The Trustees have assessed the risks to which the Church is exposed and are satisfied that systems are in place to mitigate those risks. The Kirk Session regularly discusses both financial and non-financial risks. The latter include those associated with occupying church buildings and employing staff, together with the risks associated with groups and individuals using our buildings.
## **Statement of Trustees' Responsibilities**
The Trustees are responsible for preparing a trustees’ annual report and financial statements in accordance with applicable law and UK Accounting Standards.
Charity law in Scotland requires the charity trustees to prepare financial statements for each year which show a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the income and expenditure of the charity for that period. In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- state whether applicable accounting standards and statements of recommended practice have been followed, subject to any departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operational existence.
The Trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the charity’s financial position. The Trustees are also responsible for taking such steps as are reasonably open to them to safeguard the charity’s assets and to prevent and detect fraud and other irregularities.
The Trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the charity and financial information on the congregation’s website.
## **Signed on behalf of the Trustees on 13 March 2025:**
Page 4
St Stephen’s Comely Bank Church of Scotland, Edinburgh
## **Report of the Independent Examiner to the Trustees** for the year ended 31 December 2024
I report on the accounts of the church for the year ended 31 December 2024 which are set out on pages 6 to 14.
## **Respective responsibilities of trustees and examiner**
The Charity’s Trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the terms of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended). The Charity’s Trustees consider that the audit requirement of Regulation 10(1) (a) to (c) of the Accounts Regulations does not apply. It is my responsibility to examine the accounts as required under section 44(1) (c) of the Act and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
## **Basis of Independent Examiner’s statement**
My examination is carried out in accordance with Regulation 11 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended). An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also includes consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeks explanations from the trustees concerning such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence that would be required in an audit, and consequently I do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.
## **Independent Examiner’s statement**
In the course of my examination, no matter has come to my attention
1. which gives me reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect the requirements:
- to keep accounting records in accordance with Section 44(1) (a) of the 2005 Act and Regulation 4 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations (as amended), and
- to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with Regulation 8 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations (as amended)
have not been met, or
2. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Cornerstone Accounting Ltd Chartered Accountants Date: 28 March 2025
11 Erngath Road Bo’ness EH51 9DP
Page 5
## St Stephen's Comely Bank Church of Scotland, Edinburgh
## **Statement of Financial Activities**
For the year ended 31 December 2024
|**General Designated**
**fund**
**funds**
**Notes**
**£**
**£**
**Income and endowments**
Donations and legacies
**2**
**81,154**
**135,267**
Income from charitable activities
**3**
**151**
**-**
Income from trading activities
**4**
**20,564**
**-**
**Total income and endowments**
**101,869**
**135,267**
**Expenditure**
**_Expenditure on charitable activities_**
Raising funds
**5**
**98**
**-**
Charitable activities
**6**
**104,168**
**-**
**Total expenditure**
**104,266**
**-**
**Net income/(expenditure)**
**(2,397)**
**135,267**
Transfers between funds
**10**
**(956)**
**-**
**Net movement in funds**
**(3,353)**
**135,267**
Total funds brought forward
**22,171**
**800,000**
**Total funds carried forward**
**18,818**
**935,267**
**Represented by:**
General fund
**10**
**18,818**
**-**
Designated funds
**10**
**-**
**935,267**
Restricted funds
**10**
**-**
**-**
**Total funds**
**18,818**
**935,267**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**£**
**39,854**
**3,215**
**-**
**43,069**
**16**
**50,127**
**50,143**
**(7,074)**
**956**
**(6,118)**
**27,363**
**21,245**
**-**
**-**
**21,245**
**21,245**|**2024**
**Total**
**£**
**256,275**
**3,366**
**20,564**
**280,205**
**114**
**154,295**
**154,409**
**125,796**
**-**
**125,796**
**849,534**
**975,330**
**18,818**
**935,267**
**21,245**
**975,330**|General
fund
£
86,780
1,145
13,944
101,869
16
107,524
107,540
(5,671)
2,500
(3,171)
25,342
22,171
22,171
-
-
22,171|Designated
Restricted
funds
funds
£
£
-
80,005
-
3,253
-
-
-
83,258
-
21
-
61,379
-
61,400
-
21,858
-
(2,500)
-
19,358
800,000
8,005
800,000
27,363
-
-
800,000
-
-
27,363
800,000
27,363
Restated|2023
Total
£
166,785
4,398
13,944
185,127
37
168,903
168,940
16,187
-
16,187
833,347
849,534
22,171
800,000
27,363
849,534|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The notes on pages 8 to 14 form part of these financial statements.
Page 6
## St Stephen's Comely Bank Church of Scotland, Edinburgh
## **Balance sheet**
As at 31 December 2024
|**Notes**
**Fixed assets**
Tangible assets
**7**
**Total fixed assets**
**Current assets**
Debtors
**8**
Cash at bank and in hand
**Total current assets**
**Liabilities**
Creditors: falling due within
one year
**9**
**Net current assets**
**Total assets less current liabilities**
**Net assets**
**Funds of the charity**
General fund
**10**
Designated funds
**10**
Restricted funds
**10**
**Total charity funds**|**General **
**fund**
**£**
**-**
**-**
**6,035**
**16,675**
**22,710**
**3,892**
**18,818**
**18,818**
**18,818**
**18,818**
**-**
**-**
**18,818**|**Designated**
**funds**
**£**
**800,000**
**800,000**
**-**
**135,267**
**135,267**
**-**
**135,267**
**935,267**
**935,267**
**-**
**935,267**
**-**
**935,267**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**£**
**-**
**-**
**1,850**
**19,395**
**21,245**
**-**
**21,245**
**21,245**
**21,245**
**-**
**-**
**21,245**
**21,245**|**2024**
**Total**
**£**
**800,000**
**800,000**
**7,885**
**171,337**
**179,222**
**3,892**
**175,330**
**975,330**
**975,330**
**18,818**
**935,267**
**21,245**
**975,330**|General
fund
£
-
-
5,180
17,935
23,115
944
22,171
22,171
22,171
22,171
-
-
22,171|Designated
Restricted
funds
funds
£
£
800,000
-
800,000
-
-
-
-
27,363
-
27,363
-
-
-
27,363
800,000
27,363
800,000
27,363
-
-
800,000
-
-
27,363
800,000
27,363
Restated|2023
Total
£
800,000
800,000
5,180
45,298
50,478
944
49,534
849,534
849,534
22,171
800,000
27,363
849,534|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The financial statements on pages 6 to 14 were approved by the Trustees on 13 March 2025 and signed on their behalf by:
Page 7
St Stephen’s Comely Bank Church of Scotland, Edinburgh
## **Notes to the Financial Statements** for the year ended 31 December 2024
## **1. Accounting policies**
## _**Accounting convention**_
The financial statements are prepared under the historical cost convention and in accordance with FRS 102, and in compliance with the Charities SORP 2019 (FRS 102), the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended). The principal accounting policies adopted in the preparation of the financial statements are set out below.
St Stephen’s Comely Bank Church of Scotland, Edinburgh meets the definition of a public benefit entity.
## _**Basis of financial statements**_
The financial statements have been prepared on an accruals basis. The Trustees consider that there are no material uncertainties so the accounts have been prepared on a going concern basis.
## _**Income and debtors**_
All income is recognised when the Charity is legally entitled to the income, any performance conditions attached to the income have been met, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably. Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid is recognised at the time of the donation.
Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable.
Donated goods and services, principally the service of volunteers, have not been quantified for the purposes of the financial statements.
Debtors are valued at cost at the year-end and adjusted for any amounts considered to be irrecoverable.
## _**Expenditure and creditors**_
Expenditure is accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.
Creditors are valued at cost at the year-end and split between amounts due in less than one year and amounts due in more than one year.
## _**Tangible fixed assets**_
All tangible fixed assets over £1,000 are capitalised at cost. Depreciation is provided at the following percentages on a straight-line basis to write off the cost or initial value, less residual value, of tangible fixed assets over their estimated useful lives:
Land and buildings 0%
## **Cash at bank and in hand**
Cash at bank and in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisition or opening of the deposit account.
## **Funds**
Funds are classified as either restricted funds or unrestricted funds, defined as follows:
_Unrestricted_ funds comprise income received for the objects of the charity without further specified purpose and are available as general funds or are placed within designated funds which can be used for purposes in agreement with its charitable objectives.
_Restricted_ funds comprise income which has been received for the objects of the charity and specified for a restricted purpose within these objects by the donor.
_Endowment_ funds are funds which have been given on the condition that the original capital sum is not reduced, but the income arising is used for the purpose defined in the objects of the charity.
Page 8
## St Stephen's Comely Bank Church of Scotland, Edinburgh
## **Notes to the financial statements**
For the year ended 31 December 2024
|**2. Donations and legacies**
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**£**
Offerings
**67,525**
Gift aid receivable
**13,629**
Grants
**-**
Legacies
**135,267**
**216,421**
**3. Income from charitable activities**
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**£**
Fundraising income
**-**
Ministry groups income
**151**
Weddings and funerals
**-**
**151**
**4. Income from trading activities**
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**£**
Hall letting income
**20,564**
**20,564**
**5. Expenditure on raising funds**
**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**£**
Card machine costs
**98**
**98**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**£**
**29,836**
**6,668**
**3,350**
**-**
**39,854**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**£**
**-**
**3,215**
**-**
**3,215**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**£**
**-**
**-**
**Restricted**
**funds**
**£**
**16**
**16**|**Total**
**2024**
**£**
**97,361**
**20,297**
**3,350**
**135,267**
**256,275**
**Total**
**2024**
**£**
**-**
**3,366**
**-**
**3,366**
**Total**
**2024**
**£**
**20,564**
**20,564**
**Total**
**2024**
**£**
**114**
**114**|Unrestricted
funds
£
69,151
17,389
240
-
86,780
Unrestricted
funds
£
895
-
250
1,145
Unrestricted
funds
£
13,944
13,944
Unrestricted
funds
£
16
16|Restricted
funds
£
53,200
9,008
17,797
-
80,005
Restricted
funds
£
650
2,603
-
3,253
Restricted
funds
£
-
-
Restricted
funds
£
21
21|Total
2023
£
122,351
26,397
18,037
-
166,785
Total
2023
£
1,545
2,603
250
4,398
Total
2023
£
13,944
13,944
Total
2023
£
37
37|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Page 9
## St Stephen's Comely Bank Church of Scotland, Edinburgh
## **Notes to the financial statements**
For the year ended 31 December 2024
## **6. Expenditure on charitable activities**
|**Unrestricted**
**funds**
**£**
Giving to Grow contributions
**60,735**
Presbytery dues
**1,102**
Gross salaries
**7,289**
Employer pension
**1,164**
Minister's expenses
**1,546**
Pulpit supply and worship expenses
**151**
Ministry and mission expenses
**367**
Ministry group expenses
**-**
Building redevelopment costs
**-**
Church repairs and maintenance
**2,836**
Manse repairs and maintenance
**864**
Manse council tax
**3,738**
Other building costs
**270**
Church utility and water costs
**11,129**
Insurance
**6,888**
Church office and IT costs
**3,402**
Licence costs
**1,392**
Catering, hygiene and cleaning costs
**895**
Donations
**-**
Independent examination
**144**
Other expenses
**256**
**Total expenditure**
**104,168**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**£**
**-**
**-**
**35,750**
**874**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**5,992**
**-**
**4,834**
**2,376**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**301**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**50,127**|**Total**
**2024**
**£**
**60,735**
**1,102**
**43,039**
**2,038**
**1,546**
**151**
**367**
**5,992**
**-**
**7,670**
**3,240**
**3,738**
**270**
**11,129**
**6,888**
**3,703**
**1,392**
**895**
**-**
**144**
**256**
**154,295**|Unrestricted
funds
£
59,722
1,019
18,090
-
1,511
638
340
-
-
1,285
1,284
3,638
123
8,510
6,425
2,011
1,064
1,544
100
144
76
107,524|Restricted
funds
£
-
-
26,649
-
-
-
-
7,223
27,418
89
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
61,379|Total
2023
£
59,722
1,019
44,739
-
1,511
638
340
7,223
27,418
1,374
1,284
3,638
123
8,510
6,425
2,011
1,064
1,544
100
144
76
168,903|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Giving to Grow contributions are based on the level of our income each year and are used to fund ministry staff employed by the Church of Scotland and mission work of the wider Church.
Ministry group expenses include all expenses (excluding salaries) or our Youthwork, Families work, Lunch Club and Community Money Advice centre.
Support costs have not been separately identified as the trustees consider there is only one charitable activity.
The average number of staff during the year was 3 (2023:2). No employees were paid more than £60,000.
All Church of Scotland congregations contribute to the National Stipend Fund which pays the employment costs of the Minister. Minister's stipends are paid in accordance with the national stipend scale which is related to years of service. This year, the minimum stipend was £31,642 and the maximum (for more than 5 years' service) was £38,884.
There are no paid staff of the Church who fall within the definition of Key Management Personnel.
No accrual has been made for holiday pay at the year-end as unused holidays are not carried forward.
Page 10
St Stephen's Comely Bank Church of Scotland, Edinburgh
## **Notes to the financial statements**
For the year ended 31 December 2024
## **7. Tangible fixed assets**
|**_Cost_**
At 1 January 2024
At 31 December 2024
**_Depreciation_**
At 1 January 2024
At 31 December 2024
**_Net book value_**
At 31 December 2024
At 31 December 2023|**Land and**
**buildings**
£
800,000
800,000
-
-
**800,000**
800,000|**Total**
**£**
**800,000**
**800,000**
**-**
**-**
**800,000**
800,000|
|---|---|---|
Land and buildings consist of the church manse at 8 Blinkbonny Crescent, Edinburgh, EH4 3NB. The manse is stated at a prudent estimate of valuation based on property sales of similar properties in the street over the last 5 years.
The Church building is also owned by the congregation but the Trustees have not sought a valuation of the building nor is an estimate considered to be sufficiently accurate to be meaningful.
## **8. Debtors**
|Trade debtors
Gift aid recoverable
Other debtors|**General**
**fund**
**£**
**220**
**5,286**
**529**
**6,035**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**£**
**-**
**-**
**1,850**
**1,850**|**2024**
**£**
**220**
**5,286**
**2,379**
**7,885**|2023
£
-
5,180
-
5,180|
|---|---|---|---|---|
## **9. Creditors: falling due within one year**
|Trade creditors
Accruals and deferred income
Other creditors|**General**
**fund**
**£**
**378**
**2,178**
**1,336**
**3,892**|**Restricted**
**funds**
**£**
**-**
**-**
**-**
**-**|**2024**
**£**
**378**
**2,178**
**1,336**
**3,892**|2023
£
-
944
-
944|
|---|---|---|---|---|
Page 11
St Stephen's Comely Bank Church of Scotland, Edinburgh
## **Notes to the financial statements**
For the year ended 31 December 2024
## **10. Funds movements**
**Current year**
|**Unrestricted funds**
General fund
Designated assets fund
Designated legacy fund
Designated tithe fund
Total unrestricted funds
**Restricted funds**
Youthwork fund
Families Outreach fund
Lunch Club fund
Baby and toddler fund
Community Money Advice fund
Eco fund
Fabric fund
North Merchiston mission fund
Total restricted funds
**Total funds**
**_Prior year_**
**_Unrestricted funds_**
_General fund_
_Designated assets fund_
_Total unrestricted funds_
**_Restricted funds_**
_Youthwork fund_
_Families Outreach fund_
_Lunch Club fund_
_Baby and toddler fund_
_Community Money Advice fund_
_Eco fund_
_Fabric fund_
_2020 fund_
_Gift Day fund_
_Total restricted funds_
_Total funds_|**Balance at**
**1 Jan 2024**
**£**
22,171
800,000
-
-
**822,171**
1,034
15,000
544
84
921
1,561
8,219
-
**27,363**
**849,534**
**_Balance at_**
**_1 Jan 2023_**
**_£_**
_25,342_
_800,000_
_825,342_
_2,691_
_-_
_1,704_
_846_
_1,204_
_1,531_
_(7,604)_
_7,633_
_-_
_8,005_
_833,347_|**Income**
**£**
101,869
-
121,740
13,527
**250,663**
28,340
800
2,188
1,687
1,204
-
7,000
1,850
**43,069**
**293,732**
**_Income_**
**_£_**
_101,869_
_-_
_101,869_
_29,428_
_10,000_
_1,817_
_1,686_
_2,486_
_119_
_7,875_
_1,422_
_28,425_
_83,258_
_185,127_|**Expenditure**
**£**
104,266
-
-
-
**104,266**
32,810
7,048
1,920
510
645
-
7,210
-
**50,143**
**154,409**
**_Expenditure_**
**_£_**
_107,540_
_-_
_107,540_
_31,085_
_-_
_1,437_
_726_
_645_
_89_
_(86)_
_7,704_
_19,800_
_61,400_
_168,940_|**Balance at**
**Transfers 31 Dec 2024**
**£**
**£**
(956)
**18,818**
-
**800,000**
-
**121,740**
-
**13,527**
**(956)**
**967,612**
3,436
**-**
-
**8,752**
-
**812**
(1,000)
**261**
(1,480)
**-**
-
**1,561**
-
**8,009**
-
**1,850**
**956**
**21,245**
**-**
**988,857**
**_Balance at_**
**_Transfers 31 Dec 2023_**
**_£_**
**_£_**
_2,500_
_22,171_
_-_
_800,000_
_2,500_
_822,171_
_-_
_1,034_
_5,000_
_15,000_
_(1,540)_
_544_
_(1,722)_
_84_
_(2,124)_
_921_
_-_
_1,561_
_7,862_
_8,219_
_(1,351)_
_-_
_(8,625)_
_-_
_(2,500)_
_27,363_
_-_
_849,534_|
|---|---|---|---|---|
**Explanation of funds - overleaf**
Page 12
## St Stephen's Comely Bank Church of Scotland, Edinburgh
## **Notes to the financial statements**
For the year ended 31 December 2024
## **10. Funds movements**
## **Explanation of funds**
## _**Unrestricted funds:**_
_The General fund_ represents all income and expenditure relating to the primary focus activities of the charity, other than those for which funding is designated or restricted.
_The Designated assets fund_ represents the value of fixed assets held by the church which are not available as liquid funds on a day to day basis.
_The Designated legacy fund_ represents a ring-fenced legacy received in the year to be used at the Kirk Session's discretion.
_The Designated tithe fund_ represents 10% of the value of a legacy received in the year which the Kirk Session will distribute to charitable causes in 2025.
## _**Restricted funds:**_
The _Youthwork fund_ represents donations received to fund youth work in the church, including the salary of the Youth Worker.
The _Families Outreach fund_ holds grants and donations received to fund a Families Outreach worker.
The _Lunch Club fund_ represents donations received and payments made for the provision of the monthly lunch club. The transfer out in the year was a donation made from the Club to the Church.
The _Baby and Toddler fund_ represents the income and expenses managed by our Baby and Toddler group. The transfer out in the year was a donation made from the Group to the Youthwork in the church.
The _Community Money Advice fund_ represents the donations received and costs related to our Debt Advice Centre. The transfer out in the year was a donation made from the Centre to the Youthwork in the church.
The _Eco fund_ represents donations received and payments made by the church Eco group.
The _Fabric fund_ represents donations received and utilised for specific fabric projects.
The _North Merchiston mission fund_ represents a grant received by the congregation for community outreach.
The _2020 fund_ represents the completion and wind-down of our 2020 building project funds.
The _Gift Day fund_ represents funding raised to pay for a fire detection/smoke alarm for the church. The balance remaining on that fund was transferred to the Families Outreach fund and the Fabric fund, with the permission of the donors.
## **11. Trustee and related party transactions**
During the year, one Trustee (the Minister) received reimbursement of travel and broadband expenses totalling £1,546 (2023: £1,511) and benefitted from the payment of Council Tax on the manse of £3,738 (2023: £3,638). No other Trustees received remuneration or expenses, other than the direct reimbursement of items purchased on behalf of the church (2023: nil).
All Church of Scotland congregations contribute to the National Stipend Fund which bears the costs of ministers' stipends and employer's contributions for national insurance, pensions and housing and loan funds. Ministers' stipends are paid in accordance with the national stipend scale which is related to years of service. For the year under review, the minimum stipend was £31,642 and the maximum stipend (in the fifth and subsequent years) was £38,884.
Unrestricted donations by Trustees of the Charity amounted to £25,740 (2023: £40,951).
There were no other transactions with trustees or related parties during the year (2023: nil).
## **12. Pension commitments**
The Charity operates an auto-enrolment pension scheme with NEST for all eligible employees. Employer contributions to the scheme are disclosed in note 6.
## **13. Volunteers**
The Church benefits from the services of many volunteers from within the congregation: in supporting Sunday worship, in teaching at our children and youth based programmes on a Sunday and during the week, in helping with hospitality and administration and in volunteering on other outreach services we provide to our local community. We are indebted to all those who minister on our behalf in this way.
Page 13
## St Stephen's Comely Bank Church of Scotland, Edinburgh
## **Notes to the financial statements**
For the year ended 31 December 2024
## **14. Restatement of comparatives**
The accounts have been restated this year from the Receipts and Payments basis to the Accruals method. This has resulted in the following adjustments to the comparatives this year:
## **2022 brought forward reserves**
|2022 reserves, as previously stated
Add:
Fixed assets - church manse
Income due but not received
Deduct:
Bills due but not paid
**2022 reserves, restated**
**2023 surplus**
2023 surplus, as previously stated
Add:
Income due but not received
Bills from 2022 paid
Deduct:
Bills due but not paid
Income due from 2022 received
**2023 surplus, restated**
**Restated 2023 reserves carried forward**|29,168
800,000
12,791
(8,612)
**833,347**
16,130
5,180
8,612
(944)
(12,791)
**16,187**
**849,534**|
|---|---|
Page 14