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2024-07-31-accounts

Charity No: SC051106

Portobello Central SCIO

REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Period 1 August 2023 to 31 July 2024

Report and Financial Statements 2023 -2024

Charity No: SC051106

Index

Page
Reference and Administrative information 1
Trustees’ Annual Report 2
Independent Examiner’s Report 8
Statement of Financial Activities 9
Balance Sheet as at 31 July2024 10
Notes to the accounts 11

Report and Financial Statements 2023 -2024

Charity No: SC051106

REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS: PERIOD 1 AUGUST 2023 TO 31 JULY 2024

Reference and Administrative information

Trustees

Registered Address 147-149 Portobello High Street Edinburgh EH15 1AF Charity Number SC051106 Independent Examiner OnPoint Accounting Group Duddingston Yards Duddingston Park South Edinburgh EH15 3NT Bank Triodos Bank UK Ltd Deanery Road Bristol BS1 5AS

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Charity No: SC051106

Trustees’ Annual Report 2024

In 2019 a group of Portobello residents came together to challenge the permanent closure of Portobello Town Hall. They had a vision of bringing Portobello Town Hall back into community life and under community management.

In 2021, that group formally became Portobello Central SCIO which was established as a charitable community business to enhance community life in Portobello for the benefit of local residents and the local economy. Our charitable aims are:

On 1[st] June 2023 we were handed the keys to the Town Hall on a 25-year lease at a cost of £1 per annum. In the 12 months since the last AGM there has been much change and development.

The Building: inside

We received a grant of £90,000 from the Department of Levelling Up Community Ownership Fund made up of £15,000 revenue towards staffing costs and £75,000 capital costs (building work). We had to match the capital costs £1 for £1.

We also received a grant of £10,500 from the Architectural Heritage Fund which enabled us to employ an architect to guide us through the process of planning the improvements, building warrants, permission and a quantity surveyor to help us with the tendering process.

Thanks to the grant we have been able to proceed with a programme of renovations, starting with painting the foyer (the tobacco stain yellow is not missed), then bringing the kitchen back into use with new flooring, plaster work and some new shiny equipment, tarting up the “green rooms” at the back of the building, repairing the balcony seats, upgrading the sound and lighting including replacing the XX light bulbs in the chandeliers with LED bulbs and then, the piece de resistance, the toilets! The female toilet space housed 2 original 1914 cubicles. The additional accessible toilet was installed in the 1980s. The men’s space was no better; two cubicles, some urinals and no accessible toilet. The “ladies” now looks splendid with a capacity of 6 toilets, new sinks and new flooring. The “gents” is much improved but there is still a need for an accessible loo in that area.

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Charity No: SC051106

Above is the foyer after a refresh along with the new multi-functional reception desk.

To the right a brand-new toilet cubicle. Work undertaken has increased the cubicles in the downstairs women’s toilets from two to five.

This award prompted a visit by Minister a who was, at that time, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland. He, and his advisers, secretaries and PR people had a tour of the building, discussed the project with us and had a good (sandwich) lunch! They were impressed with what they saw and heard.

The Building: outside

In February we held a community consultation about the outside space. We received hundreds of individual responses. The most dominant vision from community responses was for a welcoming and inclusive, multipurpose civic space that would encourage biodiversity, provide opportunities to grow fruit and vegetables and space for reflection. The outcome of the consultation is being used as a basis for putting a brief together for an affordable garden design.

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Charity No: SC051106

The Staff

This year we appointed 3 new members of staff: an admin worker and two events staff, each for 10 hours a week. This is in addition to the Venue Manger post which has been increased to 30 hours a week. Over the year we have gradually moved a position where the staff are taking on some of the tasks that were previously carried out by Trustees.

The Hirers/Events

When we first opened the doors in June 2023, we had a small handful of bookings and were unsure what our job would be: whether huge amounts of effort would be needed to market the building and encourage hires, or the doors would be opened and the requests would come flooding in. We have been very fortunate that it’s been nearer the second scenario than the first.

Weddings, disco wrestling, dancing, ceilidhs, musicals, markets, panto, Thai boxing, reggae nights, Debate Night Scotland, Portobello Bookshop events with authors, birthday parties, Rugby Club centenary celebrations, political hustings, poetry nights, jazz concerts… and this is not a comprehensive list!

There has been so much activity in the Town Hall over the last 12 months that there really has been something for everyone.

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Charity No: SC051106

A highlight for many of us was the exhibition created by the P4s at Towerbank Primary School who brought along models of the shops on the Hight Street made, in the main, from cardboard boxes, toilet roll holders, lolly pop sticks and sticky backed plastic. They were superb and for one afternoon the hall was full of P4s, their parents, teachers, grandparents, carers, siblings and more than a few of the shopkeepers whose business were displayed. It was joyous and reminded us of why caring for the building is important to the whole community.

The Board of Trustees

Before the SCIO opened the doors of the Town Hall and before we had staff, we were a very hands-on Board. If anything needed to be done, we did it (or at least organised it) but the organisation has now grown and we are gradually transitioning away from the operational side of activities and focussing more on the governance role - setting direction, developing strategy, overseeing the quality of operations, ensuring there is enough funding and supporting staff.

For most of this year we have had 8 Trustees but in August we co-opted 2 new ones. We meet monthly as a SCIO and we still operate with a number of sub-groups. The subgroups that take responsibility for progressing different areas of our work are:

Each group provides a short report to our monthly Board meeting informing of activities or developments in that area. Any major decisions are brought to the Board meeting.

Until August there was a sub-group for work relating to communications and volunteers but it has now moved to the staff.

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Charity No: SC051106

The Venue Manager also provides the Board with a monthly report.

The volunteers

Before opening, an appeal for volunteers brought an overwhelming response of over 120 volunteers. Many of them still steward, or garden or do bits of DIY and for that we are grateful. We are now at the stage where we need to rebuild that initial enthusiasm and have a smoother process for matching volunteers to tasks.

We applied successfully to the Scottish Building Society Fund, administered by Foundation Scotland, to employ a Volunteer Coordinator for the next 6 months. The funding will help us to give volunteers a positive experience of volunteering and enable them to use their energy, skills and experience in a way that benefits them as well making a contribution to the operation of the Town Hall.

Working with volunteers remains an important way for us to engage with the community and it anchors our work within the community.

The members

We have over 300 members and are now in the swing of producing a regular monthly newsletter which receives regular favourable feedback.

In January we held a well-attended “thank you” event for members, volunteers and

other well-wishers. Some of you may remember our Crowdfunder which enabled us to open the Town Hall debt free. At the “thank you” event we are able to unveil our lovely tiled mural to thank those who made very generous donations.

We have also consulted with members about a change to our name, from Portobello Central SCIO to Portobello Town Hall. When the organisation was established to 'save' Portobello Town Hall and bring it into community management Portobello Central was an appropriate name because we were not entitled to call ourselves "Portobello Town Hall”. We think we are now! It is certainly how we are commonly referred to and it is also how we refer to ourselves. We are suggesting a formal name change at the AGM.

We never forget that we are a membership organisation and it is only the support of members and the wider community that keeps our doors open.

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Charity No: SC051106

The next twelve months

We have learnt a huge amount in the last 12 months about the building and its idiosyncrasies, about running a business on a shoestring, about working together as team and about unblocking toilets! In the next 12 months we will continue to improve the building and continue to find more ways to fund new activities and to support and strengthen our team – staff, trustees and volunteers.

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Charity No: SC051106

Receipts and Payments Independent Examiner’s Report to the trustees of Portobello Central SCIO

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the charity for the year ended 31 July 2024 which are set out on pages 9 to 13.

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) 2005 Act and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended). The charity 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 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 2006 Accounts Regulations. 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 any 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:

  2. to keep accounting records in accordance with section 44(1) (a) of the 2005 Act and Regulation 4 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations, and

  3. to prepare accounts which accord with the accounting records and comply with Regulation 9 of the 2006 Accounts Regulations

have not been met, or

  1. to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

19 September 2024

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Charity No: SC051106

Portobello Central SCIO

Statement of Receipts and Payments period ended 31 July 2024

Note
Receipts:
Building hires
Donations
5
Grants
6
Fundraising
7
Loan received
Other incoming resources
8
Total Receipts
Payments:
Charitable activities
9
Governance Costs
10
Total Payments
Surplus / (Deficit) for the year
Transfer between funds
Surplus / (Deficit) for the year		 Unrestricted
Funds
2024
£
Restricted
Funds
2024
£
Total
Funds
2024
£
114,407
-
114,407
334
-
334
-
60,000
60,000
2,428
-200
2,228
20,000
-
20,000
280
-
280
137,449
59,800
197,249
143,173
55,700
198,873
99
-
99
143,272
55,700
198,972
-5,823
4,100
-1,723
-
-
-
-5,823
4,100
-1,723		 Unrestricted
Funds
2023
£
Restricted
Funds
2023
£
Total
Funds
2023
£
12,170
-
12,170
31,058
-
31,058
-
6,500
6,500
1,368
-
1,368
10,000
-
10,000
58
-
58
54,654
6,500
61,154
9,082
9,579
18,661
33
-
33
9,115
9,579
18,694
45,539
-3,079
42,460
-
-
-
45,539
-3,079
42,460

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Charity No: SC051106

Portobello Central SCIO

Statement of Balances period ended 31 July 2024

Opening cash at bank and in hand
Surplus / (Deficit) for the year
Closing cash at bank and in hand
iabilities
Loans outstanding
Pension contributions
PAYE
Total Liabilities		 Unrestricted
Funds
2024
£
Restricted
Funds
2024
£
Total
Funds
2024
£
52,332
200
52,532
-5,823
4,100
-1,723
46,509
4,300
50,809
30,000
-
30,000
140
-
140
416
-
416
30,556
-
30,556		 Unrestricted
Funds
2023
£
Restricted
Funds
2023
£
Total
Funds
2023
£
6,793
3,279
10,072
45,539
-3,079
42,460
52,332
200
52,532
10,000
-
10,000
-
-
-
53
-
53
10,053
-
10,053

Liabilities

During the year to 31 July 2024, Portobello Central SCIO obtained a loan of £20,000 on commercial terms from Social Investment Scotland. This loan is repayable over 5 years and £3,090 of capital is repayable over the next 12 months. During the previous year the organisation obtained an interest-free loan of £10,000 from one of its members. No repayments are due within the next 12 months and there are no restrictions on how the loan may be utilised.

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Charity No: SC051106

Portobello Central SCIO

Notes to the accounts for the period ended 31 July 2024

1 Basis of accounting

These accounts have been prepared on the Receipts and Payments basis in accordance with the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) 2005 Act and the Charities Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended).

2 Nature and purpose of funds

Unrestricted funds are those that may be used at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the objects of the charity. The trustees maintain a single unrestricted fund for the day-to-day running of the charity.

Restricted funds may only be used for specific purposes. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or grant-giver or when funds are raised for specific purposes. During the year the charity received £60,000 of grants (2023: £6,500). All other income, including fundraising, was unrestricted.

3 Related party transactions

No remuneration was paid to the trustees or any connected persons during the period covered by these accounts (2023: nil).

4 Reserves Policy

During the course of the year, Portobello Central SCIO adopted a Reserves Policy as required by our regulator. This sets a level of reserves deemed sufficient to allow for either an orderly close down of the operation or to deal with an extended denial of access to the Town Hall. Specifically, it includes potential redundancy costs, the refund of outstanding customer deposits and other outstanding costs and commitments. It is not expected that a charity will be able to generate and retain sufficient reserves early in its life.

Actual reserves are tested against the policy on an annual basis at the charity’s financial year end. As anticipated, the level of charitable funds held at 31 July 2024 fell short of the requirements of the Reserves Policy.

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Charity No: SC051106

5 Donations
Crowdfunder
Gift Aid received
Other donations
Total Donations
6 Grants Received
Architectural Heritage Fund
Community Ownership Fund
Total Grants
7 Fundraising
Porty Food Map
Ceilidh 2023
Total Fundraising		 Unrestricted
Funds
2024
£
Restricted
Funds
2024
£

-
-
-
-
334
-
334
-

-
-
-
60,000
-
60,000
-
-
2,428
-200
2,428
-200		 Total
Funds
2024
£

-
-
334
334
-
60,000
60,000
-
2,228
2,228		 Unrestricted
Funds
2023
£
Restricted
Funds
2023
£

24,714
-
5,294
-
1,050
-
31,058
-

-
6,500
-
-
-
6,500
1,368
-
-
-
1,368
-		 Total
Funds
2023
£
24,714
5,294
1,050
31,058
6,500
-
6,500
1,368
-
1,368

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Charity No: SC051106

Unrestricted Restricted Total Unrestricted Restricted Total
Funds Funds Funds Funds Funds Funds
2024 2024 2024 2023 2023 2023
£ £ £ £ £ £
8 Other incoming resources
Interest Income 280 - 280 58 - 58
Other - - - - - -
Total Other Incoming Resources 280 - 280 58 - 58
9 Cost of charitable activities
Development Contractor - - - - 1,100 1,100
Consultants 9,760 - 9,760 4,200 - 4,200
Legal Costs - - - 816 6,500 7,316
Employment Costs 25,768 10,000 35,768 3,004 - 3,004
Property Costs 39,607 - 39,607 659 267 926
Refurbishment 48,239 45,700 93,939 - - -
Other costs 19,799 - 19,799 403 1,712 2,115
Total Cost of Charitable Activities 143,173 55,700 198,873 9,082 9,579 18,661
10 Governance Costs
Independent Examiner’s fee - - - - - -
Bank charges 99 - 99 33 - 33
Other - - - - - -
Total Governance Costs 99 - 99 33 - 33

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