The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2023.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies set out in note 1 to the financial statements and comply with the charity's Memorandum and Articles of Association, the Companies Act 2006 and "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 UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)".
Principal activities
The company is a Registered Charity offering support to voluntary organisations and communities in Amber Valley and its neighbouring districts.
The objects of the charity are to promote any charitable purpose for the benefit of the community in the Local Government District of Amber Valley and its neighbouring districts (hereinafter called ‘the area of benefit’). This is in accordance with the objects contained in the constitution, the charity’s governing document. There have been no changes in the policies of the charity which are:
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Public Benefit
Amber Valley CVS is open to enquiries from members of the public who wish to volunteer their time to others in the community. We promote and encourage volunteering and broker arrangements between local voluntary sector groups and individuals. This activity raises community spirit and cohesion.
We provide training activity to volunteers and voluntary sector groups, raising their skills and aspirations as a result.
Our organisation offers direct support to families and older people in Amber Valley and Erewash, tackling issues such as debt, social isolation and access to services. This benefits the public and our communities by increasing their self sufficiency.
We are the local support for voluntary sector organisations and our leadership to them in respect of governance, finance, human resource and health & safety issues ensure that the voluntary sector in Amber Valley has good governance arrangements and groups develop to their full potential.
Volunteers
The organisation encourages and supports volunteers within the organisation in administration roles, as part of the Befriending project and as Trustees. We also actively promote volunteering to businesses, statutory partners and the general public using window displays, web site, social media, local press & radio and work in schools. We work in partnership with health, sport, children’s, disability organisations to extend and improve the volunteering experience for any age or ability.
Internal records of our performance against outcomes for the organisation and the sector show we have worked towards our strategic headlines and also add value to our communities and the sector.
In providing support to develop and sustain local groups this year we have:
Maintained a databases of 532 active groups and presented information in real time for the public and professionals to connect on google maps;
Maintained contact with 373 local groups, with 7 new groups formed;
Offered free membership to all groups as part of our direct support of sustainability;
Increased by 41, to 256 groups as member organisations;
Had contact with and given direct advice and support to 86 groups, including supporting 38 with an extensive development plan;
DBS checks increased from 382 to 470, showing the recovery of sector activity;
Managed the grant giving process for Public Health and 5 Ways to Wellbeing grants with a great response from groups this year although only £14,000 disseminated as grants;
Maintained a presence on local and county wide resilience forums and other partnerships;
Responded to 115 befriending referrals and trained 32 new volunteers as well as providing Home from Hospital support with 11 volunteers to 82 referrals;
Added physical activity support through Couch to 5x.
In encouraging an increase and diversity in volunteering opportunities, volunteers and voluntary action, we have explored the use of new volunteering platforms and implemented Volife Amber Valley. Currently there are 119 live online opportunities, increased with 47 new opportunities.
Help at Home continued to support older people this year, ensuring they remained safe and well at home. Staffing levels have been for the service have been a challenge however we have been able to keep the service sustainable.
We are enhancing the health, well being and safe guarding in our communities by delivering a range of support through Home from Hospital, Befriending volunteers, Get Out Get Active and Social Prescribing Link Workers.
We continue to support Charles Hill CIO, Derbyshire Community Bank, Read Easy and other voluntary organisations through staff involvement as volunteers, trustees and secretariat.
We have continued to work in partnership with local organisations and statutory partners to contribute to Amber Valley Partnership, Place Alliance and Active Amber Valley. We have contributed to the development of a VCSE Alliance , to influence health planning. With DIAA colleagues we contribute to County Place board, Safer Derbyshire Board and continue to encourage the VCSE Leadership and Mental Health programmes.
We take the concerns and offers of support of the voluntary sector to local and county strategic meetings including with Derbyshire County Council, Derbyshire Clinical Commissioning Group to increase the sector profile.
Detailed financial information is shown from page 7. The charity reports a deficit for the year of £24,814 (2022: surplus of £21,000).
Reserves Policy and Going Concern
At 31 March 2023 the charity had total reserves of £560,323. Of these reserves £260,850 was held in restricted funds, with the balance remaining of £299,473 being held in unrestricted funds.
The charity has designated some of its unrestricted funds for particular purposes. At 31 March 2023 the designated funds of the charity comprised:
Training Fund 5,000
Contingency Fund 40,000
Building Fund 75,000
Help At Home Fund 55,000
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£175,000
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The Training Fund is to ensure the organisation has sufficient funds for staff development that would not be met by other project costs and to pump prime training initiatives that support development of the sector.
The Contingency Fund is set aside to cover any organisation costs or debts not covered by project costs. It is also in case of long term incapacity or absence of a senior manager that requires costs for interim support of another professional.
The Building Fund is in line with our aspiration to refurbish the ‘Cottage’. We are designating funds which could then be used as match funding in any future bids and to maintain the fabric of the building in the meantime.
The Help at Home Fund is to ensure that in the event of any difficult circumstances or disaster we are able to continue Help at Home activity to our clients by replacing essential equipment, personnel and work space immediately or meeting other liabilities.
Unrestricted general reserves (excluding tangible fixed assets of £6,405), freely available for use by the charity amount to £118,068.
The Trustees' policy is to build unrestricted free reserves equivalent to 4-8 months directorate expenditure, which is currently running at the rate of £150,000 per annum. At the year end free reserves amounted to £118,068 which is considered prudent as there are indications that grant funding will decrease in 2023/24.
In addition to directorate expenditure, unrestricted funds are designated to ensure resources are available for expenditure which would relate to changes to Help at Home, either for closure or continuation in another charitable format.
Principal funding sources
Our principal funding sources remain Southern Derbyshire CCG and Derbyshire County Council along with earned income from activity as a counter signatory for DBS and customer charges to Help at Home clients.
Investment Policy
The Executive Committee are responsible for setting the investment policy of the charity.
Risk Management
The trustees examine the major risks that the charity faces each financial year when preparing and updating the strategic plan. The charity has developed systems to monitor and control financial and other risks to mitigate any impact they may have on the charity in the future. Information about risk and the actions to mitigate them are discussed at board meetings.
We have a renewed strategy with headlines of “ Strong Foundations, Funding the Future ,Dreaming Big“. We will implement this over the next three years to ensure support for groups is strengthened, our base is fit for purpose and we adapt to changes in the internal and external environment.
The organisation is a charitable company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 13 May 2003 and registered as a charity on 1 April 2004. The company was established under a Memorandum of Association, which established the objects and powers of the charitable company and is governed under its Articles of Association and its constitution which was adopted on 13 July 1994 when the charity was operating as an unincorporated entity. In the event of the company being wound up members are required to contribute an amount not exceeding £1.
The trustees, who are also the directors for the purpose of company law, and who served during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were:
Appointment of trustees
Trustees are actively recruited through the year and have a formal application process which identifies the skills and knowledge they offer for this role.
Organisational structure
The business of the charity is managed through board meetings consisting of a maximum of no more than twenty members and a minimum of not less than six members.
Members of the Board as listed on page 1 are appointed at the Annual General Meeting and serve for one year, but may offer themselves for reappointment if they so wish.
The Committee is responsible for the strategic direction of the Charity and therefore responsibility for the day to day running of the charity is delegated to the Chief Executive, who in turn delegates a share of that responsibility to other members of the senior management team.
Induction and training of trustees
Each trustee receives an induction pack which includes information about the organisations aims, plans, financial situation and governance arrangements. Trustees have direct access to the Chief Executive for further information exchange and support in their role. Development of the Boards understanding of the organisation is led by the Chief Executive using regular meeting dates to identify and progress this, involving other staff members as appropriate.
Pay policy for key management personnel
In considering the rate of pay for key management personnel the board take into account national pay rates identified by NAVCA, comparator pay rates within Derbyshire and the previous years rate of inflation. These are set against any changes (rise or fall) in external funding received by the organisation.
Links with other organisations
The charity has strong relationships with local authorities, in particular Derbyshire County Council, Joined Up Derbyshire / Integrated Care Board, Amber Valley Place Alliance and other Councils for Voluntary Service.
The trustees' report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
I report to the trustees on my examination of the financial statements of Amber Valley Council For Voluntary Service (the charity) for the year ended 31 March 2023.
As the trustees of the charity (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 (the 2006 Act).
Having satisfied myself that the financial statements of the charity are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of the charity’s financial statements carried out under section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 (the 2011 Act). In carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the 2011 Act.
Since the charity’s gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a body listed in section 145 of the 2011 Act. I confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of ICAEW, which is one of the listed bodies.
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
accounting records were not kept in respect of the charity as required by section 386 of the 2006 Act; or
the financial statements do not accord with those records; or
the financial statements do not comply with the accounting requirements of section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or
the financial statements have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the financial statements to be reached.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year.
All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
Amber Valley Council For Voluntary Service is a private company limited by guarantee not having share capital. In the event of a winding up of the company every member agrees to contribute such amount as may be required (not exceeding £1) to the Charity's assets if it should be wound up while he or she is a member or within one year after he or she ceases to be a member, for payment of the Charity's debts and liabilities. It is registered in England and Wales. The registered office is 33 Market Place, Ripley, Derbyshire, DE5 3HA.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity's Memorandum and Articles of Association, the Companies Act 2006 and "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 UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)". The charity is a Public Benefit Entity as defined by FRS 102.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the charity. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.
At the time of approving the financial statements, the trustees have a reasonable expectation that the charity has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of their charitable objectives.
Restricted funds are subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used. The purposes and uses of the restricted funds are set out in the notes to the financial statements.
Designated funds are unrestricted funds earmarked by the Management Committee for particular purposes.
All incoming resources are included in the Statement of Financial Activities when the charity is entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy. The following specific policies are applied to particular categories of income:
Grants, where entitlement is not conditional on the delivery of a specific performance by the charity, are recognised when the charity becomes unconditionally entitled to the grant.
Donated services and facilities are included at the value to the charity where this can be quantified. The value of services provided by volunteers has not been included in these accounts.
Investment income is included on an accruals basis.
Incoming resources from Help at Home are accounted for when earned.
Incoming resources from grants, where related to performance and specific deliverables, are accounted for as the charity earns the right to consideration by its performance.
Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or constructive obligation to transfer economic benefit 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 is classified by activity. The costs of each activity are made up of the total of direct costs and shared costs, including support costs involved in undertaking each activity. Direct costs attributable to a single activity are allocated directly to that activity. Shared costs which contribute to more than one activity and support costs which are not attributable to a single activity are apportioned between those activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources. Central staff costs are allocated on the basis of time spent, and depreciation charges are allocated on the portion of the asset’s use.
Expenditure is recognised on an accruals basis as a liability is incurred.
Costs of operating Help at Home comprises those costs incurred in delivering the Help at Home service.
Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them.
Governance costs include those costs associated with meeting the constitutional and statutory requirements of the charity and include the independent examination fees and costs linked to the strategic management of the charity.
All costs are allocated between the expenditure categories of the Statement of Financial Activities on a basis to reflect the use of the resource. All costs have been allocated directly relating to a particular activity.
Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.
Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:
The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is recognised in the statement of financial activities.
Fixed asset investments are initially measured at transaction price excluding transaction costs, and are subsequently measured at fair value at each reporting date. Changes in fair value are recognised in net income/(expenditure) for the year. Transaction costs are expensed as incurred.
At each reporting end date, the charity reviews the carrying amounts of its tangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment loss (if any).
Cash and cash equivalents include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.
The charity has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.
Financial instruments are recognised in the charity's balance sheet when the charity becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.
Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.
Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.
Basic financial liabilities, including creditors and bank loans are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.
Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.
Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of operations from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
Financial liabilities are derecognised when the charity’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.
The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received.
Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the charity is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.
Payments to defined contribution retirement benefit schemes are charged as an expense as they fall due.
In the application of the charity’s accounting policies, the trustees are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.
The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.
Volunteering, Training & Development
Help at Home
Volunteering, Training & Development
Help at Home
Directorate (DCC)
NHS/ICB - Core
Southern Derbyshire CVS - Post Hospital Support
Volunteering, Training & Development
Help at Home
Volunteering, Training & Development
Help at Home
Staff travel
Volunteer travel and expenses
Grants paid
Event costs
Premises costs
Equipment
Insurance
Administration costs
IT costs
Sundry costs
Compliance costs
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
The charity is exempt from tax on income and gains falling within section 505 of the Taxes Act 1988 or section 252 of the Taxationof Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to the extent that these are applied to its charitable objects.
Balanced Fund
NHS Derby & Derbyshire ICB Core; provision of infrastructure support to local voluntary and community organisations, promotion and brokerage of volunteering and provision of funding information, governance and networking for local groups.
Southern Derbyshire CVS Post Hospital Support; respond to requests for volunteer support to individuals discharged from hospital for a time limited period. Manage the recruitment, supervision, training of volunteers.
Derbyshire County Council Adult Care Befriending; respond to requests for volunteer support to reduce isolation and loneliness of older, isolated people in Amber Valley. Manage the recruitment, supervision, training of volunteers.
Derbyshire County Council Adult Care Infrastructure; provision of infrastructure support to local voluntary and community organisations, provision of funding information, governance and networking for local groups.
Postcode Lottery; costs of pathway access to Charles Hill Playing Fields and community development activity in Loscoe related to increasing use of playing fields.
Public Health 5 Ways / Small Grant; manages grants to benefit local organisations to improve wellbeing.
GP Link Worker; social prescribing activity for the ARCH PCN, encouraging the use of community and voluntary services as a preventative step in recovery from illness.
Social Connectedness; leading a steering group, developing an action plan to decrease social isolation and identify gaps and projects to fund to increase connectedness.
Social Prescribing Directory; to prepare information about community resources for use of PCN staff members.
VCSE Leadership Funding; to develop the capacity of the voluntary sector to engage and influence Joined Up Care Derbyshire planning systems and develop a VCSE Alliance.
Police and Crime Commissioner; grants to community groups and development worker activity for writing applications.
NAVCA; participation in an emergency planning partnership, cost of living grant award.
Space to Connect; developing community action in Loscoe.
The National Lottery Community Fund; supporting infrastructure activity and developments in reducing isolation including digital connection.
The Training Fund is to ensure the organisation has sufficient funds for staff development that would not be met by other project costs and to pump prime training initiatives that support development of the sector.
The Contingency Fund is set aside to cover any organisation costs or debts not covered by project costs. It is also in case of long term incapacity or absence of a senior manager that requires costs for interim support of another professional.
The Building Fund is in line with our aspiration to refurbish the 'Cottage'. We are designating funds which could then be used as match funding in any future bids and to maintain the fabric of the building in the meantime.
The Help at Home Fund is to ensure that in the event of any difficult circumstances or disaster we are able to continue Help at Home activity to our clients by replacing essential equipment, personnel and work space immediately or meeting other liabilities.
At the reporting end date the charity had outstanding commitments for future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases, which fall due as follows:
There were no disclosable related party transactions during the year (2022 - none).
The charity had no debt during the year.