The trustees present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025.
The trustees have paid due regard to guidance issued by the Charity Commission in deciding what activities the charity should undertake.
Preston Youth Zone, recently named by young people as 'Vault', will be a purpose-built facility for the city's young people aged 8 - 19, and up to 25 for those with physical disabilities or impairments and those with neurodiverse characteristics which would have the potential to impact their opportunity at social engagement.
The Youth Zone will be in the city centre, on the corner of Tithebarn Street and Crooked Lane, and is expected to be completed in 2025. It is a core component of a wider development funded by Preston Towns Fund which sees the development of several sites within the Harris Quarter. Together, these will create an entertainment, cultural and community hub in the heart of the city - bringing social and educational benefits to the local community. As well as the Youth Zone, once finished the Harris Quarter programme will include a new cinema and entertainment complex and the refurbishment of the Grade I listed Harris Museum, Art Gallery and Library.
Preston Youth Zone will join a network of similar independent youth organisations that all share the same principles, developed by the Charity OnSide Youth Zones, which is building 21st century youth facilities across the UK. Youth Zones are based upon a proven model, which has been established in several other towns and cities across the country, and young people from Preston will have access to a variety of fantastic activities for a cost of only £5 for an annual membership and 50p per visit. The Youth Zone will provide a safe environment, where young people can spend their leisure time, helping each young person to raise their aspirations, as well as improve their physical and mental health. Up to 20 different activities will take place each night, such as football, boxing, dancing, climbing, creative arts, music, drama and employability training - all for just 50p per visit.
The OnSide Youth Zone model uses a unique partnership approach, drawing together the Local Authority, private sector businesses, young people and the wider local community. This partnership approach aims to establish the Youth Zone right in the heart of the community for the long term, whilst meeting the needs of young people today. Preparation for Preston Youth Zone has been taking place for several years, with all the capital funding in place to develop this amazing new facility, and with an active revenue fundraising campaign underway this will provide the necessary funds required to operate the Youth Zone for the first three years. The contractor (Triton Construction) officially commenced their works on 06 Jul 2024 and this was a significant milestone in the Youth Zone's development history. We look forward to construction works progressing at pace and the opening of the building in late 2025 when Preston's young people can begin to benefit from their amazing new Youth Zone.
Preston Youth Zone's objects are to help and educate children and young people resident in Preston and surrounding areas through their leisure time activities by promoting their full physical and spiritual potential in order that they may grow to full maturity as individuals and members of society and their conditions of life may improve.
We are indebted to the capital funders who have committed to support the Youth Zone. Preston Towns Fund and the Government’s Youth Investment Fund have committed their support to the capital project along with strategic funders BAE Systems and the Eric Wright Charitable Trust; together these funders have provided all of the finances needed for the construction and fit out of the facility provide all the remaining capital funding required and have been instrumental in driving the project forward. Preston City Council, Preston Towns Fund, the Youth Investment Fund have also pledged revenue support during the pre-opening phase and early years of the Youth Zone’s operation.
The Founder Patron campaign, which provides a significant proportion of the operating revenue for the Youth Zone, aims to secure a total of £3.4m to support the first four years of running costs of the Youth Zone; this will come from a combination of supporters at Founder Patron (£100k over four years) and Cornerstone Patron levels (£400k over four years). We are pleased to report that we have already confirmed pledges of support from BAE Systems, the Eric Wright Charitable Trust, Bespoke Healthcare, Pringle Homes, James Hall & Co and other anonymous patrons committed to our work with young people. Thankfully, we reach the end of the current financial year in a positive position, able to report a start to construction and just a short period remaining before we are able to bring this incredible facility to life.
Preston Youth Zone enjoys the support of OnSide Youth Zones (charity number 1125893) in its development and will become a member of the growing OnSide network of Youth Zones.
Public benefit
All the activities of the Charity (as summarised above) were undertaken to further its charitable purposes for public benefit. The provision of a high-quality city centre facility for young people responds to a clear, ongoing demand from young people, parents and wider communities for more and better places for young people to go. Preston Youth Zone will focus on attendance and participation by young members from across the entire community who will be able to enjoy affordable access to all the opportunities that the facilities will provide. This will lead to improved achievements and enhanced aspirations amongst young members of the local community. They will be happier, healthier and make more constructive use of their leisure time which will consequently enable longer term public benefits including improved health, enhanced learning and employability, reduced crime and greater community cohesion.
The Trustees of Preston Youth Zone believe they have complied with the duty in section 17 of the Charities Act 2011 to have due regard to the public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission.
Volunteers’ contribution
Throughout the period all members of the Board of Trustees made invaluable voluntary contributions to the Charity’s work in terms of governance, professional and business experience, financial planning, fundraising and leading initiatives across the project. Such contributions were, on average, equivalent to two full days each calendar month, but occasionally were significantly more.
Under the memorandum and articles of association, the charitable company has the power to make any investment which the Trustees see fit. Investments are made where required to further the aims and objects of the Charity. Currently, the Charity does not currently hold any investments other than cash on deposit with Handelsbanken plc.
Total reserves at 31 March 2025 were £6,511,861.
The charity is still in its early life with grants and donations being received to fund the design and construction of the Youth Zone. The charity continues to cultivate further donations to support future revenue expenses from a variety of sources as outlined above (see “achievements in the period”).
The board have considered the principal risks facing the Charity which include; shortage of revenue funding to achieve the goal of securing funding for 4 years operations during the early opening phase and the impact of delays to the opening of the Youth Zone. A risk register is established with specific mitigating actions; this register is reviewed by the Senior Management Team and reviewed by the board at each meeting. The board also consider the relative impact of the mitigating actions and look to strengthen these where required.
The Charity has secured the funding to complete the construction of the Youth Zone and the Founder Patron (revenue) campaign is well underway. The Trustees have prepared projections of the operating costs once completed. The Board of Trustees of Preston Youth Zone has established a reserves policy which appropriately reflects the risks to which the Charity is exposed. Once the Youth Zone is operating and in compliance with such policy, it will review regularly both the sum it wishes to hold in reserves in the unrestricted budget and the basis for that figure. The reserves policy does not consider expenditure which is linked to restricted projects and therefore covered by restricted funds.
In reviewing the potential costs that could arise should a significant reduction in income be incurred, the Trustees have determined that unrestricted, ‘free’, reserves should be maintained at approximately 3 months running costs. This is based on the running costs when the Youth Zone is fully operational and is not therefore based on the expenditure in these accounts. The Trustees manage Preston Youth Zone’s finances so that an adequate level of reserves can be maintained in compliance with the reserves policy. At 31 March 2025 unrestricted reserves were £420,611, this amounts to approximately 3.5 months' cover of operational costs once we are fully operational.
Total reserves at 31 March 2025 were £6,511,861 of which £6,091,250 are restricted reserves and £420,611 are unrestricted reserves. £5,989,107 of total reserves can only be realised by disposing of fixed assets.
Total reserves at 31 March 2025 after deducting both restricted funds and funds that can only be recognised on the disposal of assets totals £416,757.
The Directors wish to record their thanks to all those individuals and companies who have made donations or pledged their support to the work of the Charity; this includes all those listed above plus other anonymous donors.
We cannot overstate the importance of the Founder Patrons who have committed their support to Preston Youth Zone so far. BAE systems, the Eric Wright Charitable Trust, Bespoke Healthcare, Pringle Homes, James Hall & Co and other anonymous patrons have shown incredible enthusiasm and generosity toward the project, and their involvement will only add to the credibility of our work, helping to draw further support from the local business and philanthropic community.
With all parties fully committed to the completion of Preston Youth Zone, work is continuing to execute the construction of an incredible facility, with plans to elevate in the interior to provide a welcoming, high spec and attractive impression to all visiting young people. As construction progresses, the Youth Zone will look to significantly increase the size of the team employed, the Chief Executive will lead on this exercise, creating a large delivery and support team to include both paid staff and volunteers, who will be recruited and inducted ready for opening.
At the same time, the campaign will continue to grow the Youth Zone’s family of Founder Patrons with a target of ensuring that the Youth Zone’s preopening and first four years of running costs are fully funded.
Preston Youth Zone already benefits from a Board of experienced and committed Trustees. To build on this, and in preparation for full operation, the organisation will continue to expand the Board of Directors / Trustees including portfolios for finance, legal, safeguarding, People, etc. who will provide effective governance, oversight and support across the full spectrum of Youth Zone operations and activities.
Governing Document
Preston Youth Zone is a company limited by guarantee without share capital and registered under the Companies Act 2006, registration number 14606941. The company is governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association dated 20 January 2023. Management of the company’s affairs is vested in the co-Directors. It is a Charity registered with the Charity Commission on 19 June 2023.
In the event of a winding up, the present members and those who have ceased to be a member within one year of such an event have guaranteed the liabilities of the company to the sum not exceeding ten pounds each.
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:
The first Directors were the subscribers to the memorandum as notified to Companies House as the first Directors of the Charity. A person appointed as a Director thereupon becomes a Member of the Charity and a Directors who ceases to hold office for any reason thereupon ceases to be a Member of the Charity. Directors have the power to appoint, by ordinary resolution, any person to be a Director who is willing to act as such. New Directors will be recruited according to the needs of the Charity and the suitability of possible candidates. A unanimous approval of existing Directors would lead to their appointment.
The Memorandum and Articles of Association states that the number of members (Directors) shall have no maximum and shall not be less than three. At the first Annual General Meeting all Directors must retire and seek re-election. At each subsequent Annual General Meeting one third of the Directors are required to retire by rotation and seek re-appointment if they wish to continue.
The Members of the Charity are its Directors for the time being and the only persons eligible to be Members of the Charity are its Directors.
Full details of the rules are contained in the company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association, dated on incorporation on 20 January 2023, which may be inspected at the Preston Youth Zone registered office.
A pay review will be conducted annually by the Chief Executive each January/February with a proposal being brought to the Nomination & Remuneration Committee. The CEO remains responsible for the proposal of the Organisation’s employees remuneration with oversight from the Committee. The Committee shall be consulted on the CEO’s proposed total planned aggregate employee costs for the next financial year, including the proposed standard annual salary uplift, prior to the setting of the annual budget. A number of scenarios may be presented to the Committee which consider economic conditions, individual performance and the financial security of the Organisation.
Once agreed, this will be presented for discussion and endorsement by the Directors with any applicable changes implemented from the 1 April.
There is no commitment to a perpetual annual increase, however due consideration will be taken each year. Any consideration around re-grading jobs will involve a review of the pay structure to ensure decisions are being made fairly across the Organisation’s staff team. The CEO will seek approval of the Chair in response to mid-year regrading or salary uplift requests. The Nomination & Remuneration Committee in collaboration with the Chair of the board is responsible for setting the salary and remuneration of the Chief Executive.
The company's current policy concerning the payment of trade creditors is to follow the CBI's Prompt Payers Code (copies are available from the CBI, Centre Point, 103 New Oxford Street, London WC1A 1DU).
The company's current policy concerning the payment of trade creditors is to:
settle the terms of payment with suppliers when agreeing the terms of each transaction;
ensure that suppliers are made aware of the terms of payment by inclusion of the relevant terms in contracts; and
pay in accordance with the company's contractual and other legal obligations.
Trade creditors of the company at the year end were equivalent to 12 day's purchases, based on the average daily amount invoiced by suppliers during the year.
Preston Youth Zone is governed by its Trustee Board which is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the organisation and the policy of the Charity. The Trustees carry the ultimate responsibility for the conduct of Preston Youth Zone and for ensuring that the Charity satisfies its legal and contractual obligations. Trustees meet approximately 5 times a year and may delegate the implementation of their decisions or day-to-day operation of the organisation to senior management, any employee of the Charity, person or committee as they see fit. Any committee must include at least one Trustee. The Trustee Board is independent from management.
Decisions are determined by a simple majority of votes. In the case of an equality of votes the Chairman of the meeting has the casting vote.
Risk management
The Trustees have considered the major risks to which the Charity is exposed and have established suitable risk management and control procedures.
The trustees, who are also the directors of Preston Youth Zone Ltd for the purpose of company law, are responsible for preparing the Trustee's Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charity and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that year.
In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP;
- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
- state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements; and
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charity will continue in operation.
The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charity and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
In accordance with the company's articles, a resolution proposing that DonnellyBentley Ltd be reappointed as auditor of the company will be put at a General Meeting.
Are disclosed in Note 20 to the financial statements.
In preparing this report the directors have taken advantage of the special provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.
The Trustee's report was approved by the Board of Trustees.
Opinion
We have audited the financial statements of Preston Youth Zone Ltd (the ‘charity’) for the year ended 31 March 2025 which comprise the statement of financial activities, the balance sheet, the 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).
In our opinion, the financial statements:
Basis for opinion
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the charity in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the Trustee's 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 charity’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 trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.
Other information
The other information comprises the information included in the annual report other than the financial statements and our auditor's report thereon. The trustees are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.
We have nothing to report in this regard.
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 Trustee's report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared, which includes the directors' report prepared for the purposes of company law, is consistent with the financial statements; and
the directors' report included within the Trustee's report has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the charity and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the directors' report included within the Trustee's report.
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:
adequate accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or
the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
certain disclosures of trustees' remuneration specified by law are not made; or
we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or
the trustees were not entitled to prepare the financial statements in accordance with the small companies regime and take advantage of the small companies' exemptions in preparing the Trustee's report and from the requirement to prepare a strategic report.
As explained more fully in the statement of Trustee's responsibilities, the trustees, who are also the directors of the charity for the purpose of company law, are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the charity’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the charitable company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.
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 obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory framework applicable to the company and the sector in which it operates and considered the risk of non - compliance with applicable laws or regulations.
We determined that the following laws and regulations were most significant: the Companies Act 2006, the Charities Act 2011, Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial and Reporting Standard applicable to the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS102), those that relate to safeguarding and child protection and those that relate to employment law. We designed audit procedures to respond to the risk, recognising that the risk of not detecting a material misstatement due to fraud is higher than the risk of not detecting one resulting from error, as fraud may involve deliberate concealment, for example, forgery or intentional misrepresentations, or through collusion.
We obtained an understanding of how the company is complying with those legal and regulatory frameworks by making enquiries of the management. We corroborated our enquiries through our review of board minutes.
Our tests also included agreeing the financial statements disclosures to underlying supporting documentation. There are inherent limitations in the audit procedures described above and, the further removed non-compliance with laws and regulations is from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, the less likely we would become aware of it. We did not identify any key audit matters relating to irregularities, including fraud.
We also addressed the risk of management override of internal controls, including testing journals and evaluating whether there was evidence of bias by the management or trustees that represented a risk of material misstatement due to 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 charitable 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 charitable 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 charitable company and the charitable company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
The statement of financial activities includes all gains and losses recognised in the year. All income and expenditure derive from continuing activities.
These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to charitable small companies.
Preston Youth Zone Ltd is a private company limited by guarantee incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is Onside Youth Zones, Atria, Spa Road, Bolton, BL1 4AG.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the charity's governing document, the Companies Act 2006, FRS 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland" and the Charities SORP "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)". 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 or grantors 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.
Cash donations are recognised on receipt. Other donations are recognised once the charity has been notified of the donation, unless performance conditions require deferral of the amount. Income tax recoverable in relation to donations received under Gift Aid or deeds of covenant is recognised at the time of the donation.
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.
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 property is currently under construction and will not be depreciated until construction has been completed.
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.
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.
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.
Included within support costs are £15,630 of governance costs (2024: £7,284).
The average monthly number of employees during the year was:
Key management personnel are considered to be the Chief Executive. The total amount of employee benefits paid to the key management personnel for the period was £62,500.
Preston Youth Zone has entered into a 125 year lease with Preston City Council to lease the land on which the building is being constructed.
Included within accruals and deferred income is £1,220,580 of deferred income (2024: £805,928) relating to grant monies.
The charity operates a defined contribution pension scheme for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the charity in an independently administered fund.
The restricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants held on trust subject to specific conditions by donors as to how they may be used.
The restricted funds relate to monies received to fund the initial construction and fitting out of the building and the operating costs of Preston Youth Zone. The Youth Investment Fund capital grant and Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government grant relate to the construction of the Youth Zone. The Youth Investment Fund revenue grant relates to the operating costs of the Youth Zone. The Lancashire Violence Reduction Network grant relates to the targeted Youth Work Interventions commissioned via the Multi Agency Safeguarding Panel (MASP). |
The unrestricted funds of the charity comprise the unexpended balances of donations and grants which are not subject to specific conditions by donors and grantors as to how they may be used. These include designated funds which have been set aside out of unrestricted funds by the trustees for specific purposes.
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:
During the period, no trustees received any remuneration. |
During the period, no trustees received any benefits in kind. |
During the period, no trustees received any reimbursement of expenses. |
The company operates a defined contributions pension scheme. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the company in an independently administered fund. The pension cost charge represents contributions payable by the company to the fund and amounted to £1,265. There was £653 of outstanding employer pension contributions at 31 March 2025.
Fiona Norcross, who is a director of Preston Youth Zone, was a member of the key management personnel of OnSide until 30 September 2024. During this period, Preston Youth Zone Ltd paid £207,360 (2024 - £585,120) to OnSide by way of a Project Services fee. This fee is charged in relation to OnSide's responsibility for the development and delivery of all aspects of Preston Youth Zone including; fundraising, planning, construction and fit out of the building, development of partnerships and community engagement, recruitment and training of staff and volunteers and securing the first 3 years of revenue funding.
During the year to 31 March 2025, the charity didn't receive any donations from directors/trustees of the charitable company or other companies with a shared Director. In the period to 31 March 2024, the charity received £72,000 from directors/trustees of the charitable company or other companies with a shared director.
John Chesworth, who is a director of Preston Youth Zone, is the independent chair of the City of Preston Town Fund Board. Adrian Phillips, who is a director of Preston Youth Zone, is the chief executive of Preston City Council. Preston City Council is the accountable body for a Town's Fund grant from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (formerly Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities). The role of the Town Fund Board is to determine the allocation of this grant and to oversee the preparation and implementation of the Town Investment Plan. Preston Youth Zone has been awarded a total grant of £4.2million from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government of which they have received £96,669 during the period to 31 March 2025 (2024 - £606,578).
Preston Youth Zone has entered into a 125 year lease with Preston City Council to lease the land on which the Youth Zone building is being constructed. Preston Youth Zone has not been charged any rent in the period to 31 March 2025.
There is no controlling party.