The directors present the strategic report for the year ended 30 April 2024.
During the year there has been a group reconstruction. The company has acquired 100% of the share capital of Lakeside Oils Limited in exchange for the issue of shares in the parent company. There was no change of control as part of this transaction. These consolidated financial statements show the group performance and position of the newly formed group as if it always existed as merger accounting has been employed.
The group's performance reduced in the financial year . Turnover decreased from circa £60m to £54m with the gross profit margin remaining steady at circa 7% (2023 8%).
There have been no material changes to the structure of the business in the financial year, although management continue to look at ways to expand. One particular option is to set up a new distribution hub in a different area within the UK.
The key performance indicators are as follows:
Turnover - £54m (2023: £60m)
Gross Profit Margin - 7% (2023:8%)
Net Profit before tax Margin - 3% (2023:2%)
A major consideration for management is the effect of rising underlying fuel prices. These can adversely affect the business, reducing profit margins as larger players in the market can absorb the increase in underlying costs more readily than a medium sized player like Lakeside Oils Limited.
Another, is the change in the demand for petroleum based products which is a focus of world governments, who continue to look at ways to remove reliance on fossil fuels in general. Naturally a fall in demand for such products would have a detrimental effect on the profitability of the Company. However, management are confident this will not be something to affect the business in the short to medium term.
In summary, management are confident in the continued growth and expansion of the business in the upcoming financial year.
On behalf of the board
The directors present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 30 April 2024.
The results for the year are set out on page 8.
Ordinary dividends were paid amounting to £25,000. The directors do not recommend payment of a further dividend.
The directors who held office during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were as follows:
The group operates a treasury function which is responsible for managing the liquidity, interest and credit risks associated with the group’s activities. The group manages interest rate risks arising from the group's activities. The group has various other financial assets and liabilities such as trade debtors and trade creditors arising directly from it's operations.
The group manages its cash and borrowing requirements in order to maximise interest income and minimise interest expense, whilst ensuring the group has sufficient liquid resources to meet the operating needs of the business.
The group is exposed to cash flow interest rate risk on floating rate deposits.
Investments of cash surpluses, borrowings and derivative instruments are made through banks and companies which must fulfil credit rating criteria approved by the Board.
All customers who wish to trade on credit terms are subject to credit verification procedures. Trade debtors are monitored on an ongoing basis and provision is made for doubtful debts where necessary.
The auditor, Rickard Luckin Limited, is deemed to be reappointed under section 487(2) of the Companies Act 2006.
This report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies entitled to the medium-sized companies exemption.
We have audited the financial statements of Lakeside Oils Holdings Limited (the 'parent company') and its subsidiaries (the 'group') for the year ended 30 April 2024 which comprise the group statement of comprehensive income, the group balance sheet, the company balance sheet, the group statement of changes in equity, the company statement of changes in equity, the group statement of cash flows and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Basis for opinion
Conclusions relating to going concern
In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the directors' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.
Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the group's and parent company's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.
Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the directors with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.
Other information
Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of our audit:
The information given in the strategic report and the directors' report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and
The strategic report and the directors' report have been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud, is detailed below.
We identified areas of laws and regulations that could reasonably be expected to have a material effect on the financial statements from our: general commercial and sector experience; through verbal and written communications with those charged with governance and other management; and via inspection of the parent company’s and the group's regulatory and legal correspondence.
We discussed with those charged with governance and other management the policies and procedures regarding compliance with laws and regulations.
We communicated identified laws and regulations to our team and remained alert to any indicators of non-compliance throughout the audit, we also specifically considered where and how fraud may occur within the group and the parent company.
The potential effect of these laws and regulations on the financial statements varies considerably.
Firstly, the parent company and the group are subject to laws and regulations that directly affect the financial statements, including: the company’s constitution; relevant financial reporting standards; company law; tax legislation and distributable profits legislation and we assess the extent of compliance with these laws and regulations as part of our procedures on the related financial statement items.
Secondly the parent company and the group are subject to many other laws and regulations where the consequences of non-compliance could have a material effect on the amounts or disclosures in the financial statements, for instance through the imposition of fines and penalties, or through losses arising from litigations. We identified the following areas as those most likely to have such an affect: employment legislation; health and safety legislation; dangerous goods and safety; data protection regulations; anti-bribery and anti-corruption legislation.
ISAs (UK) limit the required procedures to identify non-compliance with these laws and regulations and no procedures over and above those already noted are required. These limited procedures did not identify any actual or suspected non-compliance with laws and regulations that could have a material impact on the financial statements.
In relation to fraud, we performed the following specific procedures in addition to those already noted:
Challenging assumptions made by management in its significant accounting estimates in particular: depreciation and deferred taxation;
Identifying and testing journal entries, in particular any entries posted with unusual nominal ledger account combinations or large and unusual journal entries and consolidation journals;
Performing analytical procedures to identify unexpected movements in account balances which may be indicative of fraud;
Ensuring that testing undertaken on both the performance statement, and the balance sheet includes a number of items selected on a random basis; and
Discussions with management.
These procedures did not identify any actual or suspected irregularity that could have a material impact on the financial statements.
Owing to the inherent limitations of an audit, there is an unavoidable risk that we may not have detected some material misstatements in the financial statements, even though we have properly planned and performed our audit in accordance with ISAs (UK). For example, the further removed non-compliance with laws and regulations is from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, the less likely the procedures that we are required to undertake would identify it. In addition, as with any audit, there remains a high risk of non-detection of irregularities, as these might involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentation, or the override of internal controls. We are not responsible for preventing non-compliance with laws and regulations or fraud, and cannot be expected to detect non-compliance with all laws and regulations or every incidence of fraud.
A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: https://www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor's report.
Use of our report
This report is made solely to the company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the company’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the company and the company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
As permitted by s408 Companies Act 2006, the company has not presented its own profit and loss account and related notes. The company’s profit for the year was £749,980 (2023 - £0 profit).
Lakeside Oils Holdings Limited (“the company”) is a private limited company domiciled and incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is 1st Floor, County House, 100 New London Road, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 0RG.
The group consists of Lakeside Oils Holdings Limited and all of its subsidiaries.
These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” (“FRS 102”) and the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.
The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the company. 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.
As permitted by S408 Companies Act 2006, the company has not presented its own statement of cash flows and profit and loss accounts and related notes.
The company is a qualifying entity for the purposes of FRS 102, being a member of a group where this company prepares publicly available consolidated financial statements, including this company, which are intended to give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and profit or loss of the group. The company has therefore taken advantage of an exemption from the following disclosure requirements for parent company information presented within the consolidated financial statements:
Section 7 ‘Statement of Cash Flows’: Presentation of a statement of cash flow and related notes and disclosures.
The consolidated group financial statements consist of the financial statements of the parent company Lakeside Oils Holdings Limited together with all entities controlled by the parent company (its subsidiaries).
All financial statements are made up to 30 April 2024. Where necessary, adjustments are made to the financial statements of subsidiaries to bring the accounting policies used into line with those used by other members of the group.
All intra-group transactions, balances and unrealised gains on transactions between group companies are eliminated on consolidation. Unrealised losses are also eliminated unless the transaction provides evidence of an impairment of the asset transferred.
The consolidated statement of comprehensive income and balance sheet include the financial statements of the company and its subsidiary undertakings made up to 30 April 2024 under the merger accounting method.
On 29 January 2024 the parent company acquired 100% of the share capital of Lakeside Oils Limited as part of a group reconstruction. This combination has been accounted for as a merger.
Under merger accounting, the consolidated financial statements merge the financial statements of those undertakings of Lakeside Oils Holdings Limited as if they had always been owned. Accordingly, in those years where mergers take place, the whole of the results, assets, liabilities and shareholders' funds of the merged companies are consolidated, regardless of the actual merger date, and corresponding figures for previous years are shown as though the group had always existed. Intra-group sales and profits are eliminated fully on consolidation.
These financial statements have been prepared under the going concern basis.
At the time of approving the financial statements, the directors have a reasonable expectation that the group has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the directors continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.
Turnover is recognised at the fair value of the consideration received or receivable for goods and services provided in the normal course of business, and is shown net of VAT and other sales related taxes. The fair value of consideration takes into account trade discounts, settlement discounts and volume rebates.
Revenue from the sale of fuel and the transport of fuel is recognised when the significant risks and rewards of ownership of the goods have passed to the buyer (usually on delivery of the goods), the amount of revenue can be measured reliably, it is probable that the economic benefits associated with the transaction will flow to the entity and the costs incurred or to be incurred in respect of the transaction can be measured reliably.
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 profit and loss account.
Equity investments are measured at fair value through profit or loss, except for those equity investments that are not publicly traded and whose fair value cannot otherwise be measured reliably, which are recognised at cost less impairment until a reliable measure of fair value becomes available.
In the parent company financial statements, investments in subsidiaries are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost less any accumulated impairment losses.
A subsidiary is an entity controlled by the group. Control is the power to govern the financial and operating policies of the entity so as to obtain benefits from its activities.
At each reporting period end date, the group 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). Where it is not possible to estimate the recoverable amount of an individual asset, the company estimates the recoverable amount of the cash-generating unit to which the asset belongs.
Recoverable amount is the higher of fair value less costs to sell and value in use. In assessing value in use, the estimated future cash flows are discounted to their present value using a pre-tax discount rate that reflects current market assessments of the time value of money and the risks specific to the asset for which the estimates of future cash flows have not been adjusted.
If the recoverable amount of an asset (or cash-generating unit) is estimated to be less than its carrying amount, the carrying amount of the asset (or cash-generating unit) is reduced to its recoverable amount. An impairment loss is recognised immediately in profit or loss, unless the relevant asset is carried at a revalued amount, in which case the impairment loss is treated as a revaluation decrease.
The group 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 group's balance sheet when the group becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.
Financial assets and liabilities are offset and 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.
Financial assets, other than those held at fair value through profit and loss, are assessed for indicators of impairment at each reporting end date.
Financial assets are impaired where there is objective evidence that, as a result of one or more events that occurred after the initial recognition of the financial asset, the estimated future cash flows have been affected. If an asset is impaired, the impairment loss is the difference between the carrying amount and the present value of the estimated cash flows discounted at the asset’s original effective interest rate. The impairment loss is recognised in profit or loss.
If there is a decrease in the impairment loss arising from an event occurring after the impairment was recognised, the impairment is reversed. The reversal is such that the current carrying amount does not exceed what the carrying amount would have been, had the impairment not previously been recognised. The impairment reversal is recognised in profit or loss.
Financial assets are derecognised only when the contractual rights to the cash flows from the asset expire or are settled, or when the group transfers the financial asset and substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership to another entity, or if some significant risks and rewards of ownership are retained but control of the asset has transferred to another party that is able to sell the asset in its entirety to an unrelated third party.
Financial liabilities and equity instruments are classified according to the substance of the contractual arrangements entered into. An equity instrument is any contract that evidences a residual interest in the assets of the group after deducting all of its liabilities.
Basic financial liabilities, including creditors, bank loans and loans from fellow group companies that are classified as debt, 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 business 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 group's contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.
Equity instruments issued by the group are recorded at the proceeds received, net of transaction costs. Dividends payable on equity instruments are recognised as liabilities once they are no longer at the discretion of the group.
The tax expense represents the sum of the tax currently payable and deferred tax.
The tax currently payable is based on taxable profit for the year. Taxable profit differs from net profit as reported in the profit and loss account because it excludes items of income or expense that are taxable or deductible in other years and it further excludes items that are never taxable or deductible. The group’s liability for current tax is calculated using tax rates that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the reporting end date.
Deferred tax liabilities are generally recognised for all timing differences and deferred tax assets are recognised to the extent that it is probable that they will be recovered against the reversal of deferred tax liabilities or other future taxable profits. Such assets and liabilities are not recognised if the timing difference arises from goodwill or from the initial recognition of other assets and liabilities in a transaction that affects neither the tax profit nor the accounting profit.
The carrying amount of deferred tax assets is reviewed at each reporting end date and reduced to the extent that it is no longer probable that sufficient taxable profits will be available to allow all or part of the asset to be recovered. Deferred tax is calculated at the tax rates that are expected to apply in the period when the liability is settled or the asset is realised. Deferred tax is charged or credited in the profit and loss account, except when it relates to items charged or credited directly to equity, in which case the deferred tax is also dealt with in equity. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are offset if, and only if, there is a legally enforceable right to offset current tax assets and liabilities and the deferred tax assets and liabilities relate to taxes levied by the same tax authority.
The costs of short-term employee benefits are recognised as a liability and an expense, unless those costs are required to be recognised as part of the cost of stock or fixed assets.
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 company 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.
Leases are classified as finance leases whenever the terms of the lease transfer substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership to the lessees. All other leases are classified as operating leases.
Assets held under finance leases are recognised as assets at the lower of the assets fair value at the date of inception and the present value of the minimum lease payments. The related liability is included in the balance sheet as a finance lease obligation. Lease payments are treated as consisting of capital and interest elements. The interest is charged to profit or loss so as to produce a constant periodic rate of interest on the remaining balance of the liability.
Rentals payable under operating leases, including any lease incentives received, are charged to profit or loss on a straight line basis over the term of the relevant lease except where another more systematic basis is more representative of the time pattern in which economic benefits from the leased asset are consumed.
In the application of the group’s accounting policies, the directors 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.
The estimates and assumptions which have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amount of assets and liabilities are as follows.
Depreciation is provided for on all tangible fixed assets at the point upon which the asset is available for use. Depreciation rates used are the management's best estimates of the useful economic life of these assets.
Deferred taxation is calculated as the timing difference between the tax treatment and accounting treatment of transactions in the financial statements. Deferred taxation is calculated at the tax rates expected to apply when the liability is settled and is reviewed annually for indications that the liability recognised will no longer requirement settlement.
The average monthly number of persons (including directors) employed by the group and company during the year was:
Their aggregate remuneration comprised:
The actual charge for the year can be reconciled to the expected charge for the year based on the profit or loss and the standard rate of tax as follows:
The net carrying value of tangible fixed assets includes the following in respect of assets held under finance leases or hire purchase contracts.
Details of the company's subsidiaries at 30 April 2024 are as follows:
Fusion Fuels Limited is a dormant subsidiary.
Amounts due under finance leases are secured over the assets to which they relate.
Amounts due under finance leases are secured over the assets to which they relate.
Finance lease payments represent rentals payable by the company for certain items of plant and machinery. Leases include purchase options at the end of the lease period, and no restrictions are placed on the use of the assets. The average lease term is 4.5 years. All leases are on a fixed repayment basis and no arrangements have been entered into for contingent rental payments.
In the prior year, a provision was included for a legal claims bought against the company by former employees. This expense has been settled in the current financial year and there are no further costs to be accrued.
The following are the major deferred tax liabilities and assets recognised by the group and company, and movements thereon:
A defined contribution pension scheme is operated for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the group in an independently administered fund.
The defined contributions payable to the fund at the year end and included in creditors is £15,142 (2023: £679).
During the year the company acquired 100% of the share capital of Lakeside Oils Limited which was related by virtue of common control. This was acquired via the issue of 1,000 Ordinary shares in exchange for the 100% of the share capital of that company.
Following the share for share exchange, the shares have been redesignated from Ordinary shares into share classes Ordinary A, Ordinary B and Ordinary C.
Each share class ranks equally for voting rights. Dividends may be paid to the holders of one or more class of shares to the exclusion of other classes of shares. Each share class ranks equally for any distribution made on winding up. The shares are not redeemable.
Group
In accordance with the accounting policy, the group has adopted the merger accounting method. On consolidation, this has given rise to a merger reserve.
Company
The profit and loss reserves of the parent company are wholly distributable.
At the reporting end date the group had outstanding commitments for future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases, which fall due as follows:
The remuneration of key management personnel is as follows.
During the year the group repaid £115,000 (2023: £nil) of a loan which had been advanced by a director. At the balance sheet date the amount outstanding was £640,101 (2023: £755,101). No interest has been charged on this loan.
During the year the group sold goods to the value of £nil (2023: £1,260) to a company connected to one of the close family members of the directors. The transactions were undertaken on an arms length basis and under commercial terms.