In December 2024, C J Thorne & Co Limited was acquired via C J Thorne Holdings Limited by Thorne Employee Ownership Trust. The results presented in these consolidated financial statements represent the final 5 months trade of C J Thorne & Co Limited to 30th April 2025. The following strategic review is taken from C J Thorne and Co Limited annual financial statements to 30th April 2025.
The results for the year and financial position of the Group are as shown in the annexed financial statements.
With turnover increasing slightly on the previous year, we were able to maintain profit margins despite some challenging weather conditions that inhibited productivity for a significant part of the year. The Group was able to maintain employment for all of its staff in what remains a very competitive employment market, and ultimately showed a net profit for the 2024-25 period.
The major schemes in the year were Horsted Keynes WwTW, a sewage treatment works extension for CMDP / Southern Water; Tilting Weir installations in various locations across Pevensey Levels for the Water Levels Management Board; Ditchling WwTW, a sewage treatment works extension for bWGM / Southern Water. These were complemented by regular contracts with SES Water, East Sussex Highways, Cappagh Browne and Wealden District Council, and all of these are likely to be repeat customers in 2025/26 .
The Directors are satisfied overall that the required diversification of our range of Clients is being achieved, whilst maintaining and developing relationships with our existing Client base. The offering of the respective skill sets of C J Thorne & Co., Hobart Paving and J P Hunter Surfacing have helped to attract new Clients and enabled us to offer a “one-stop shop” service both to new and existing Clients, and this created additional opportunity in the year.
ISO9001, ISO14001 and ISO45001 standards were maintained and improved in respect of our Quality, Environmental and Safety Management Systems during the year, demonstrating our commitment to formalised management systems across the Group’s operations. The standards were re-certified in an interim external audit.
Staffing levels were consolidated and whilst there was some natural wastage, the Group has attracted new staff across all three divisions. Further steps towards succession planning have been taken with the appointment of a new Operations Director, a promotion from within the existing senior management team.
CAPEX was maintained in line with projections and over £1m was spent on new plant and vehicles, with a focus on sustainability. Key investments included new 3-8 tonne excavators, 1-3T Dumpers and new welfare units, with plant continuing to run on Hydrated Vegetable Oil as opposed to diesel with Client agreement.
The primary goals of the Business remain consolidating and increasing our market share as a specialist civil engineering contractor with an increasingly diverse Client base, but particularly in the Water Industry in what will doubtless be a challenging first year of AMP8 (2025-2030). We will look to consolidate key long-term Client relationships and develop new ones both with Tier 1 contractors and directly with the water companies, as well as further expanding our influence with the south east’s Highways authorities as we have during 2024/25.
Our order book for the first quarter of the financial year is strong with some residual projects from the previous year, but Q2 and Q3 are less certain, with the focus likely to be on consolidation. All three divisions of the Group anticipate increasing levels of workload across all sectors going forward into 2026.
Relationships developed with a number of Utility partners have given us a broad cross-section of work, with no excessive dependence on any one Client, and away from utilities we have orders from a range of local authority, industrial and developer Clients, as well as our existing regular Customers.
Due to the likely glacial progress of projects in the water industry in the first year of AMP8, we do not expect to see significant growth over the next 12 months, but will maintain our focus on consistent levels of profitability, whilst looking forward to developing new opportunities across the sectors in which we are working.
The sale of the business to the Employee Ownership Trust was a key part of the outgoing shareholders’ next stage of succession planning, and whilst the existing Directors have remained in place, we will continue to plan the evolution of the senior management team to take us forward for the next 5-10 years.
We will be working closely with our supply chain partners to plan investment in upgrading and updating our plant and vehicles. This will form a key feature of our plans towards the end of 2025, as we expand our fleet to meet the requirements of the business in delivering Client expectations.
Similarly, investment in training our staff will be maintained at least at the levels of 2024-25 as we look to continue to recruit and train the best people in the industry.
On behalf of the board
The directors present their annual report and financial statements for the period ended 30 April 2025.
The results for the period are set out on page 11.
Ordinary dividends were paid amounting to £50,486. The directors do not recommend payment of a further dividend.
The directors who held office during the period and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were as follows:
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 fair value interest rate risk on its fixed rate borrowings and cash flow interest rate risk on floating rate deposits, bank overdrafts and loans. The group uses interest rate derivatives to manage the mix of fixed and variable rate debt so as to reduce its exposure to changes in interest rates.
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.
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 C J Thorne Holdings Limited (the 'parent company') and its subsidiaries (the 'group') for the period ended 30 April 2025 which comprise the group profit and loss account, 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, the company 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 period 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. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud, is detailed below.
Extent to which the audit was considered capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud
The objectives of our audit, in respect to fraud, are: to identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements due to fraud; to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence regarding the assessed risks of material misstatement due to fraud, through designing and implementing appropriate responses; and to respond appropriately to fraud or suspected fraud identified during the audit. However, the primary responsibility for the prevention and detection of fraud rests with both those charged with governance of the entity and its management.
Our approach was as follows:
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, and through discussion with the directors and other management (as required by auditing standards), and discussed with the directors and other management the policies and procedures regarding compliance with laws and regulations;
We considered the legal and regulatory frameworks directly applicable to the financial statements reporting framework (FRS 102 and the Companies Act 2006), the relevant tax compliance regulations in the UK, and the relevant waste regulations in the UK (including the Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011);
We considered the nature of the industry, the control environment and business performance, including the key drivers for management’s remuneration;
We communicated identified laws and regulations throughout our team and remained alert to any indications of non-compliance throughout the audit;
We considered the procedures and controls that the company has established to address risks identified, or that otherwise prevent, deter and detect fraud; and how senior management monitors those programmes and controls.
Based on this understanding we designed our audit procedures to identify non-compliance with such laws and regulations. Where the risk was considered to be higher, we performed audit procedures to address each identified fraud risk. These procedures included: testing manual journals; reviewing the financial statement disclosures and testing to supporting documentation; performing analytical procedures; and enquiring of management, and were designed to provide reasonable assurance that the financial statements were free from fraud or error.
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 auditing standards. For example, the further removed non-compliance with laws and regulations (irregularities) is from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, the less likely the inherently limited procedures required by auditing standards would identify it. The risk is also greater regarding irregularities occurring due to fraud rather than error, as fraud involves intentional concealment, forgery, collusion, omission or misrepresentation. We are not responsible for preventing non-compliance and cannot be expected to detect non-compliance with all laws and regulations.
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 £0.
C J Thorne Holdings Limited (“the company”) is a private limited company domiciled and incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is The Courtyard, Shoreham Road, Upper Beeding, Steyning, West Sussex, BN44 3TN.
The group consists of C J Thorne Holdings Limited and all of its subsidiaries.
The financial statements for the period ending 30 April 2025 are presented on a 5 month period from the date of incorporation of this company which is 03 December 2024.
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, modified to include the revaluation of freehold properties and to include investment properties and certain financial instruments at fair value. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.
The consolidated group financial statements consist of the financial statements of the parent company C J Thorne Holdings Limited together with all entities controlled by the parent company (its subsidiaries) and the group’s share of its interests in joint ventures and associates.
All financial statements are made up to 30 April 2025. 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.
Subsidiaries are consolidated in the group’s financial statements from the date that control commences until the date that control ceases.
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.
When cash inflows are deferred and represent a financing arrangement, the fair value of the consideration is the present value of the future receipts. The difference between the fair value of the consideration and the nominal amount received is recognised as interest income.
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, associates and jointly controlled entities 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.
The carrying amount of the investments accounted for using the equity method is tested for impairment as a single asset. Any goodwill included in the carrying amount of the investment is not tested separately for impairment.
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.
Recognised impairment losses are reversed if, and only if, the reasons for the impairment loss have ceased to apply. Where an impairment loss subsequently reverses, the carrying amount of the asset (or cash-generating unit) is increased to the revised estimate of its recoverable amount, but so that the increased carrying amount does not exceed the carrying amount that would have been determined had no impairment loss been recognised for the asset (or cash-generating unit) in prior years. A reversal of an impairment loss is recognised immediately in profit or loss, unless the relevant asset is carried at a revalued amount, in which case the reversal of the impairment loss is treated as a revaluation increase.
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 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.
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.
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.
Revenue and associated costs for longer term projects are recognised at key milestones. For ongoing projects at the year end, management exercises judgement to estimate the stage of completion for each to assess the milestones reached and therefore the level of revenue and associated costs to recognise in profit and loss. The assessments made carry an inherent element of estimation uncertainty however the group has relevant controls in place to mitigate this. The estimates impact amounts recoverable on long term contracts and cost of sales accruals.
Management adopt a risk based policy of recognition of retentions based on time and risk profile of the project. The assessments made carry an inherent element of estimation uncertainty however the group has relevant controls in place to mitigate this. The estimate impacts accrued income.
The average monthly number of persons (including directors) employed by the group and company during the period was:
Their aggregate remuneration comprised:
The actual charge for the period can be reconciled to the expected charge/(credit) for the period based on the profit or loss and the standard rate of tax as follows:
Details of the company's subsidiaries at 30 April 2025 are as follows:
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.
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: