) SCOTTISH EPISCOPAL CHURCH ST JAMES THE LESS CHURCH, PENICUIK
formally known as St James Episcopal Church: Penicuik — Scottish Charity number SC011288 Postal address: TSSs ae Website: www.stjamesthelesspenicuik.org Facebook: St James the Less Episcopal Church: Penicuik
TRUSTEES' REPORT FOR THE YEAR TO 30 SEPTEMBER 2025
Trustees — The Trustees serving during the year and/or up to the date of approval of the accounts were the members of Vestry, as follows — a Rector 2 Elected Member Secretary Elected Member Rector's Warden Elected Member ry] People's Warden r Flected Member Lay Representative Fabric Convener | [| Alternate Lay Rep FP Elected Member * Members elected at Annual General Meeting on 1 December 2024 The Treasurer, f | GE, though not a member of Vestry, is also a Trustee. Trustees ceasing during the year - (S,whose term of office had expired, retired from Vestry on 1 December. QD I having moved away from the area, resigned on 31 July. Contact Address - IiSiSY sees sees Independent Examiner ~ JjiiiTscesGl Bankers — Bank of Scotland, The Direct Business Bank Branch (80-22-60) Governance, Management and Organizational Structure — St James the Less Episcopal Church is an unincorporated association governed by a constitution. As amember congregation of[the][Diocese][of] Edinburgh in the Scottish Episcopal Church, it is also governed by Canon Law of that Church. The management team of the church is known as the Vestry, members of which are the ‘Charity Trustees’. Apart from the Rector, who is appointed by the Diocese at the invitation of the Vestry, ordinary members are elected by the Congregation at the Annual General Meeting; the two longestserving members step down each year to encourage new intake. Also elected by the Congregation are the Lay Representative,(on the Diocese), the Alternate Lay Representative, and the People's Warden; the Rector's Warden is appointed annually by the Rector. It has been the practice of the Vestry at St James the Less to balance any weakness in particular skills or aptitudes by co-opting to Vestry a few non-voting members who have the appropriate skills. The Vestry Secretary regularly updates Vestry members on relevant changes in legislation and best practices relating to charities. Relationship with Diocese and Province — St James the Less is supported by the Diocese (of Edinburgh) and the Province (of Scotland) through pastoral oversight of the Bishop, central support functions provided at Diocesan level, and grants from central funds. The church is represented at Diocesan level by the Rector and the Lay Representative. As a member of the Scottish Episcopal Church St James the Less has an obligation to contribute to the costs of the Diocese and the Province through the payment of an annual quota, which is based on its level of income relative to that of other churches in the Diocese and the Province.
Activities and Achievements — During this year we have had six more individuals join our communicants roll, and sadly four of our older members died in the year. Our monthly fellowship lunches are times where our community deepens its connections with each other whilst generously donating to worthwhile causes, local, national and international. Our weekday online services of the Daily Offices has a loyal following and is its own small community of faith, praying for all in need. It is a valuable resource for those unable to attend church. Our monthly service in the style of Taizé continues to be a source of comfort and prayer for members of the congregation and occasionally for others attracted to this style of worship. We continue to reach out to those unable to attend services in person, and the live-streaming of our Sunday service continues to be popular.
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Reserves Policy — As at 30 September 2025 St James the Less Church held liquid funds amounting to £74,478-02. Of this total, £11,776-25 was restricted; the remaining £62,701-77 was unrestricted, though £9,000-00 of it was 'designated', as noted in the section in the Accounts 'Movement in Funds'. In addition the congregation held 926 units in the Scottish Episcopal Church Unit Trust Pool. Statement of Trustees' Responsibilities — Vestry are responsible for managing and safeguarding the assets of the church, and assisting the Rector in matters affecting the spiritual welfare of the congregation. They are also responsible for keeping proper accounting records and ensuring that the accounts comply with Scottish charity legislation. Vestry regularly consider the risks faced by St James the Less and ensure that appropriate risk management procedures are in place to mitigate those risks. ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR TO 30 SEPTEMBER 2025
| 2024-25 | 2023-24 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STATEMENT OF BALANCES | |||||||
Liquid funds held at 1 October2024: |
“ | . | . | + | 72,512-88 | 59,852:06 | |
| Add: Net surplus forthe year (see below) |
” | . | .* | + | _1,965-14 | 12,660-82 | |
| Liquid funds held at 30September 2025 | . | “ | . | + | 74,478-02 | 72,512-88 | |
| Add: Holding in the SEC Unit Trust Pool at bookvalue |
value (Note 12) | * | 24,513-26 | 24,513:26 | |||
| Total funds held at 30September 2025 | “ | * | * | 98,991-28 | 97,026-14 | ||
| NOTE: As at30September2025 thecongregation wasdue | to receive a payment from HM Revenue | ||||||
| & Customs. Further detail is given in |
Note 11. | ||||||
| RECEIPTSAND PAYMENTSACCOUNT | |||||||
| Receipts - unrestricted — |
|||||||
| Givings (Note 1) - |
. | “ | - | + | 53,302-88 | 54,729-76 | |
| Interest and dividends | . | - | - | ” | + | 1,438-75 | 1,459-37 |
| Other receipts (Note 2) | -- | “ | - | + | 10,935-32 | 9,431:11 | |
| 65,676-95 | 65,620:24 | ||||||
| restricted (Note 3) | ” | “ | . | ” | - | _7,340-00 | 4,478-50 |
| 73,016-95 | 70,098-74 | ||||||
| Payments - unrestricted (Note 4) | “ | . | “ | 65,703-81 | 55,937-08 | ||
| restricted (Note 8) | ” | ” | ” | 5,348-00 | 1,500:84 | ||
| Excess ofreceipts overpayments (as above) | -: | ” | “ | + | 71,051:81 = 557,437-92 _1,965-14 12,660-82 |
||
| MOVEMENT IN FUNDSAND BALANCESTHEREIN | |||||||
| Balance | Balance | ||||||
| at 1-10-24 | Receipts | Payments | at 30-9-25 | ||||
| Restricted funds — | |||||||
| Covid recoverygrant | 2,195-63 | 2,195-63 | |||||
| Organ | 172-92 | 172-92 | 0-00 | ||||
| Heating and hall insulation | 2,096-30 | 1,310-00 | 786-30 | ||||
| Mission | 528-84 | 16-80 | 512-04 | ||||
| NetZero | 4,309-00 | 7,250-00 | 3,728-28 | 7,830-72 | |||
| History book | 481-56 | 90-00 | 120-00 | 451-56 | |||
| 9,784-25 | 7,340-00 | 5,348-00 | 11,776-25 | ||||
| General Fund (unrestricted) | 87,241-89 | 65,676:95 | 65,703-81 | 87,215-03 | |||
| 97,026-14 | 87,649-01 | 85,683-87 | 98,991-28 |
NOTE: Included in the General Fund is £9,000-00 which has been ‘designated’ by Vestry to cover unexpected payments on maintenance and repairs. This sum is currently increasing by £1,000 a quarter. iD me
NOTES ON THE FOREGOING ACCOUNTS
| 2024-25 | 2023-24 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Analysis ofGivings | ||||||||
| Sums paid direct to | the bank (largely gift-aided) | " | + | 40,376-00 | 39,677-50 | ||||
| Othergivings (tax partly recoverable direct | or perGASDS) | -- | 1,792-81 | 2,689-06 | |||||
| Income tax recovered through gift aid | . | + | 11,134-07 | 12,363:20 | |||||
| 23,302:88 | 54,729-76 | ||||||||
| 2 | Analysis ofother unrestricted receipts | ||||||||
| Donations for use of Hall | -: | ” | ” | ” | + | 1,482-50 | 1,934-00 | ||
| Weddings/funerals | etc | “* | “* | " | " | * | 990-00 | 1,095-00 | |
| Fundraising | “ | " | ” | ” | “ | « | 7,592-21 | 5,310-97 | |
| Stipend Transition Grant (2023-24) | “ | ” | °° | 0-00 | 480-00 | ||||
| Tea/coffee money | - | *° | “ | - | “ | “ | 636-38 | 553-14 | |
| Miscellaneous | . | " | “° | “ | ° | 234-23 | 58-00 | ||
| 10,935:32 | 9431-11 | ||||||||
| 3 | Analysis of restricted receipts | ||||||||
| Net Zero Fund (grant) | ” | ” | . | ” | + | 7,250-00 | 4,309-00 | ||
| Organ Fund | ” | ” | - | ” | ” | “ | 0-00 | 30-00 | |
| History Book Fund (sales of | booklet) | ” | ” | ” | 90-00 | 139-50 | |||
| 2340-00 | 4,478-50 | ||||||||
| 4 | Unrestricted payments | ||||||||
| Rector (Note5) | - | ” | ” | ” | ” | + | 36,320-59 | 33,382:22 | |
| Buildings (Note 6) | - | ” | ” | ” | ” | + | 18,594-99 | 13,748-56 | |
| Other (Note 7) | ” | ” | ” | “ | ” | + | 10,788-23 | 8,806:30 | |
| 5 | Analysisofunrestricted | payments (1) - Rector | |||||||
| Stipend - |
” | . | ” | ” | ” | *- | 33,978-00 | 32,391:00 | |
| Pension Fund contribution | -- | . | . | . | + | 8316-36 | 10,429-92 | ||
| Payroll costs | ” | ” | “ | . | . | ” | 504-00 | 489-00 | |
| Travelling expenses | . | * | ” | “ | “ | 702-09 | 801-59 | ||
| Rectory council tax | .- | . | ” | . | + | 2,561-10 | 2,414:00 | ||
| Rectory maintenance | . | . | . | . | oo | 540-00 | 2,169-99 | ||
| Rectory insurance | - | “ | . | . | . | 589-84 | 575-07 | ||
| Telephone - * |
. | . | ” | ” | ” | 259-20 | 259-20 | ||
| ClergyConference fee | . | ” | ” | 970-00 | 310-00 | ||||
| Miscellaneous | ” | ” | ” | 0-00 | 62-45 | ||||
| 48,420-59 | 49,902:22 | ||||||||
| less: Contribution paid by St Mungo's,West Linton | +» | 12,100-00 | 16,520-00 | ||||||
| 36,320°59 = 33,382-22 | |||||||||
| 6 | Analysis ofunrestricted | payments (2) - Buildings | |||||||
| Heating and lighting | * | . | . | + | 7,341-25 | 8,238-75 | |||
| Insurance (church and hall) | . | - | - | + | 3,758-52 | 3,688-14 | |||
| Repairs and maintenance of buildings and grounds | -: | + | _7,495-22 | 1,821-67 | |||||
| 18,594:99 = 13,748-56 | |||||||||
| 7 | Analysis ofunrestricted | payments (3) - Other |
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| Quota - |
” | ” | ” | ” | + | 6,335-00 | 5,573-40 | ||
| Worship expenses | -: | “ | . | . | .- | * | 1,352-91 | 1,057:98 | |
| Bank charges | - | “ | ° | “ | “ | 301-96 | 233-59 | ||
| Pastoral care group | “ | “° | * | ” | ” | 101-98 | 121-54 | ||
| Printing and stationery | . | . | - | “ | 378-40 | 342:95 | |||
| Costs offundraising | ” | ” | ” | ” | ” | 906-64 | 386-73 | ||
| Miscellaneous | “ | ” | “ | ” | ” | + | 1,411-34 | 1,090:11 | |
| 10,788-23 | 8806-30 |
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NOTES ON THE FOREGOING ACCOUNTS (Cont'd)
| 2024-25 | 2023-24 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Analysisofrestricted payments | |||||
| Organ Fund (organ tuning [part]) - |
‘° ” |
“ | 172-92 | 312:90 | ||
| Pew BiblesFund: " “ |
” “ |
* | 0-00 | 75:00 | ||
| Heating/Hall Insulation Fund (insulation | work) ” |
+ | 1,310-00 | 403-20 | ||
| NetZero Fund (architects' fees) ” |
” “ |
+ | 3,728-28 | 312-90 | ||
| History Book Fund (printing ofbooklets) | —-- - |
- | 120-00 | 325-00 | ||
| Mission Activities Fund (Good Friday hot | cross buns) | “ | 16-80 | 384-74 | ||
| 5,348-00 | 1500-84 | |||||
| 9 | The accounts have been prepared ona receipts-'n'-payments | basis (asopposed | to | an | ||
| accruals basis). | ||||||
| 10 | In addition tothe receipts shown above, during theyearthe congregation raised the | |||||
| following amounts byway of special collections forothercharities — | ||||||
| Schoolyard Kitchen - 350:40 |
Renew 26 | ” | “ | + | 240-00 | |
| Broomhill DayCentre ~ 355-00 |
= ChristianAid | * | a | - | 445-75 | |
| Penicuik Breakfast Club - 147-41 |
~—AberlourChildcare Trust | - | 147-42 | |||
| EmbraceMe “ “ 55:00 |
Mary'sMeals- | = | * | ~ | 385-00 | |
| The Bishop of Edinburgh's LentAppeal 2024 (additional) | —-- | “ | ~ | 305-00 | ||
| The Bishop of Edinburgh's LentAppeal 2025 ” |
“° | . | - | 295-00 | ||
| MedicalAidforPalestinians “ |
” | . | ” | + | 251-83 |
9 The accounts have been prepared on a receipts-'n'-payments basis (as opposed to an accruals basis).
10 In addition to the receipts shown above, during the year the congregation raised the following amounts by way of special collections for other charities —
Apart from Christian Aid, which handles all donations themselves, these amounts were duly handed over together with all the information necessary to enable the recipients to claim repayment of tax under gift aid where appropriate.
11
As at 30 September 2025 there were no outstanding liabilities. There was, however, a payment of around £29,000 due in mid-October for insulation work on the rectory. There was also a sum of around £2,550 due by HM Revenue & Customs in respect of income tax recoverable on sums received under gift aid in the final quarter of the year. The corresponding claim was of course not submitted until after the year-end.
12 The liquid funds shown in the Statement of Balances above (£74,478-02) were held at the Bank of Scotland, £15,662-21 on current account and £58,815-81 in the (interest-bearing) savings account. The congregation also holds 926 units in the Scottish Episcopal Church Unit Trust Pool. This holding was purchased in June 2022 at a cost of £25,000. Its market value as at 30 September 2025 was £30,848 (2024 £28,248).
- 13 Apart from the reimbursement of properly-incurred out-of-pocket expenses, no payments were made either to any ofthe trustees or to any person 'connected with' any of the trustees.
14 It has proved to be quite troublesome enough to produce this account in the accurate-tothe-penny version. A second version, rounded to the nearest pound, is not being produced. 15 Despite no £-sign appearing anywhere in these accounts (other than in some of these Notes), every figure is in fact expressed in pounds sterling (and pence where applicable).
The foregoing Accounts, including the Notes, have been prepared on behalf of the Trustees by Bi aa 9 November 2025
The foregoing Trustees' Report, incorporating the Accounts (in particular the Statement of Balances) and the Notes on the Accounts, was approved by Vestry on 11 November 2025 and was signed on their behalf on 28 November bypo EE es
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INDEPENDENTST JAMES THE EXAMINER'SLESS CHURCH, REPORTPENICUIK, ON THEFOR ACCOUNTSTHE YEAR TO OF 30 SEPTEMBER 2025
| report on the accounts of St James the Less Church, Penicuik for the year to 30 September 2025 (including the notes thereon) which are set out on the preceding three pages.
The charity 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. The trustees consider that the audit requirement of Regulation 10(1)(d) of the Accounts Regulations does not apply. It is my responsibility to examine the accounts as required by section 44(1)(c) of the Act and to state whether particular matters have come to my attention.
My examination has been carried out in accordance with Regulation 11 of the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. An examination includes a review of the accounting records kept by the Church 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 any such matters. The procedures undertaken do not provide all the evidence which would be required in an audit; consequently | do not express an audit opinion on the view given by the accounts.
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 respects the requirements (i) to keep accounting records in accordance with section 44(1)(a) of the said 2005 Act and with Regulation 4 of the said 2006 Regulations, and (ii) to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with Regulation 9 of the said 2006 Regulations 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. ae —
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