REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: 03898093 (England and Wales)

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: 1079421

REPORT OF THE TRUSTEES AND

UNAUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025

FOR

RYE & DISTRICT COMMUNITY TRANSPORT

Page

Report of the Trustees

1

to

3

Independent Examiner's Report

4

Statement of Financial Activities

5

Balance Sheet

6

to

7

Notes to the Financial Statements

8

to

14

The trustees who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2025. The trustees have adopted the provisions of Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019).

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

Objectives and aims

The objectives of the Charity are to provide and maintain non-profit community transport services and to assist the charitable work of other organisations providing relief to the inhabitants of Rye and district who are in need because of age, mental or physical disability or otherwise. The focus of the Charity's activities must always be public benefit - the Charity's strength is entirely due to its position within the community.

The trustees have regard to the Charity Commissions guidance on public benefit.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

Charitable activities

The RDCT continues to deliver its core services to the community in an efficient and cost-effective manner under Section 19 and 22 Permits, exclusively for non-commercial purposes in support of its Objectives and its 326-community bus service (Section 22 Permit). In normal times it provides transport for more than half the primary schools in the Rye area to swimming lessons and other academic and sporting activities while 3 buses deliver students to and from Homewood School in Tenterden. The Dial-a-Ride service helps to transport the elderly and infirm to attend clinics at Rye Hospital and medical appointments, go shopping, and attend club meetings and day centres. With the opening in 2021 of the Hub on the Hill (part of Rye Hospital) the bus service is vital in transporting users of its facilities. Group Hire is also very popular.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

Financial review

During the past year, the Directors' efforts have continued to concentrate on stabilising the Charity's financial position and focussing on a business strategy to ensure ongoing viability. The cost base for RDCT is high but the Permits only allow for recovery of certain operating costs from passengers and excludes any administrative expense. This means that the charity relies heavily on community funding for financial assistance.

Organisations such as the Friends of Rye Hospital, Rye Town Council, the Rye Fund, Icklesham Parish Council, Sussex Community Foundation. Rye Bonfire Society, Sunflower Shop and Jempsons have all supported the Charity during the year and much is also done by other fund-raising initiatives. It is also extremely grateful for very generous donations from the public who have used the service and value its contribution to their transport needs.

During the past year, whilst income from fares increased by 4%, the Charity continued to suffer particularly from inflationary cost pressures and the need to maintain an ageing transport fleet. This has entailed a higher funding need, placing even greater emphasis upon donations and grants.

However, decisions were taken to replace two aging buses. This followed a serious accident resulting in an insurance claim of some £14,000.

Thanks to substantial donations, two replacement buses (Harry Conlin's and Priscilla Ryan's) were purchased for £23,700 which should contribute to overall reliability and lower maintenance costs.

The Directors wish to express their gratitude to everyone who make donations for the new buses and in particular Jane Conlin for all she did to fund raise for the bus in memory of her late husband.

The surplus donations for the two buses of almost £7,000 did cover the overall and unwelcome funding shortfall for providing the bus services and the Directors are aware that more needs to be done to eliminate the operating financial deficit thereby reducing funding needs.

The Trustees would like to thank the Operations Manager for her unstinting commitment to the Bus Company, the employees and all the volunteers and donors who do so much to ensure we continue to provide an excellent and much appreciated community service. The Bus Company is indeed the glue that binds the community together.

Reserves policy

The Trustees have continued to ensure that reserves should be sufficient to permit operations to continue for at least 12 months in the event of a major downturn in income and to help build up funds for any future bus replacement.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Governing document

The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust, and constitutes a limited company, limited by guarantee, as defined by the Companies Act 2006.

Recruitment and appointment of new trustees

Trustees are recruited and appointed from members of the local community who wish to assist the charity.

Risk management

The Trustees continue to work to ensure that risks to which the charity is exposed are identified and dealt with appropriately, with particular regard to fraud and error and the safety of passengers and drivers.

REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

Registered Company number

03898093 (England and Wales)

Registered Charity number

1079421

Registered office

Rye Wharf

Harbour Road

Rye Harbour

Rye

East Sussex

TN31 7TE

Trustees

M J Miller

B M Nealon

I J Foster

No director has any beneficial interest in the charitable company. All directors are appointed representatives of member organisations who have guaranteed to contribute £1 in the event of a winding up. The number of guarantees at 31 March 2025 was 25.

Company Secretary

I J Foster

Independent Examiner

David Ashby FCCA ACA

Gibbons Mannington & Phipps LLP

Chartered Accountants

82 High Street

Tenterden

Kent

TN30 6JG

This report has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies.

Approved by order of the board of trustees on 25 November 2025 and signed on its behalf by:

B M Nealon - Trustee

Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Rye & District Community Transport ('the Company')

I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 31 March 2025.

Responsibilities and basis of report

As the charity's trustees of the Company (and also its directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 ('the 2006 Act').

Having satisfied myself that the accounts of the Company are not required to be audited under Part 16 of the 2006 Act and are eligible for independent examination, I report in respect of my examination of your charity's accounts as carried out under Section 145 of the Charities Act 2011 ('the 2011 Act'). In carrying out my examination I have followed the Directions given by the Charity Commission under Section 145(5) (b) of the 2011 Act.

Independent examiner's statement

I have completed my examination. I confirm that no matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe:

1.	accounting records were not kept in respect of the Company as required by Section 386 of the 2006 Act; or

2.	the accounts do not accord with those records; or

3.	the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of Section 396 of the 2006 Act other than any requirement that the accounts give a true and fair view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination; or

4.

the accounts have not been prepared in accordance with the methods and principles of the Statement of Recommended Practice for accounting and reporting by charities (applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102)).

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

David Ashby FCCA ACA

Gibbons Mannington & Phipps LLP

Chartered Accountants

82 High Street

Tenterden

Kent

TN30 6JG

10 December 2025

2025

2024

Unrestricted

Restricted

Total

Total

fund

funds

funds

funds

Notes

£

£

£

£

INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM

Donations and legacies

70,294

-

70,294

37,945

Charitable activities

Operation of bus service

80,732

-

80,732

76,829

Other trading activities

3

7,895

-

7,895

6,774

Investment income

4

736

-

736

399

Other income

14,837

-

14,837

-

Total

174,494

-

174,494

121,947

EXPENDITURE ON

Raising funds

2,400

-

2,400

2,400

Charitable activities

Operation of bus service

144,534

2,203

146,737

127,774

Other

753

-

753

-

Total

147,687

2,203

149,890

130,174

NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)

26,807

(2,203

)

24,604

(8,227

)

Transfers between funds

13

449

(449

)

-

-

Net movement in funds

27,256

(2,652

)

24,604

(8,227

)

RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS

Total funds brought forward

26,944

9,209

36,153

44,380

TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD

54,200

6,557

60,757

36,153

2025

2024

Unrestricted

Restricted

Total

Total

fund

funds

funds

funds

Notes

£

£

£

£

FIXED ASSETS

Tangible assets

10

23,784

6,475

30,259

11,784

CURRENT ASSETS

Debtors

11

4,961

82

5,043

4,254

Cash at bank and in hand

34,584

-

34,584

28,923

39,545

82

39,627

33,177

CREDITORS

Amounts falling due within one year

12

(9,129

)

-

(9,129

)

(8,808

)

NET CURRENT ASSETS

30,416

82

30,498

24,369

TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES

54,200

6,557

60,757

36,153

NET ASSETS

54,200

6,557

60,757

36,153

FUNDS

13

Unrestricted funds:

General fund

54,200

26,944

Restricted funds

6,557

9,209

TOTAL FUNDS

60,757

36,153

The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 31 March 2025.

The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025 in accordance with Section 476 of the Companies Act 2006.

The trustees acknowledge their responsibilities for

(a)	ensuring that the charitable company keeps accounting records that comply with Sections 386 and 387 of the Companies Act 2006 and

(b)

preparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company as at the end of each financial year and of its surplus or deficit for each financial year in accordance with the requirements of Sections 394 and 395 and which otherwise comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 relating to financial statements, so far as applicable to the charitable company.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to charitable companies subject to the small companies regime.

The financial statements were approved by the Board of Trustees and authorised for issue on 25 November 2025 and were signed on its behalf by:

B M Nealon - Trustee

1.	STATUTORY INFORMATION

Rye & District Community Transport is a private charitable company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales. The company's registered number and registered office address can be found in the reference and administrative details in the Report of the Trustees.

2.	ACCOUNTING POLICIES

BASIS OF PREPARING THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The financial statements of the charitable company, which is a public benefit entity under FRS 102, have been prepared in accordance with the Charities SORP (FRS 102) 'Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019)', Financial Reporting Standard 102 'The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' and the Companies Act 2006. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.

INCOME

All income is recognised in the Statement of Financial Activities once the charity has entitlement to the funds, it is probable that the income will be received and the amount can be measured reliably.

EXPENDITURE

Liabilities are recognised as expenditure as soon as there is a legal or constructive obligation committing the charity to that expenditure, 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 accounted for on an accruals basis and has been classified under headings that aggregate all cost related to the category. Where costs cannot be directly attributed to particular headings they have been allocated to activities on a basis consistent with the use of resources.

GOVERNMENT GRANTS

Government grants are recognised and accounted for under the performance model.

Grants that do not specify any future performance-related conditions are recorded when the grant proceeds are received or receivable. Any grant that imposes specified future performance-related conditions is recognised only when the performance-related conditions are met. Grants received before the revenue recognition criteria are satisfied are recognised as a liability.

TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS

Fixed assets are recorded at cost or, in cases where fixed assets have been donated to the Charity, at valuation at the time of acquisition.

Depreciation is calculated so as to write off the cost of an asset, less its estimated residual value, over the useful economic life of that asset as follows:

Office equipment 20% on written down value

Motor vehicles 25% on written down value

TAXATION

The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities.

FUND ACCOUNTING

As all the activities of the charity are within its primary objective to provide non-profit community transport services, it has not been considered necessary to designate any funds or show any funds as restricted.

Where funds are received for a significant and specific project these are allocated to restricted funds.

DONATED SERVICES

Donated services are included at a value equivalent to market value at the date of donation.

DEBTORS AND CREDITORS

Debtors and creditors are recognised at their settlement amount after allowing for any trade discounts.

Creditors are recognised where the charity has a present obligation resulting from a past event that will probably result in the transfer of funds to a third party and the amount due to settle the obligation can be measured or estimated reliably.

3.	OTHER TRADING ACTIVITIES

2025

2024

£

£

Fundraising events

3,214

1,884

Social lotteries

4,681

4,890

7,895

6,774

4.	INVESTMENT INCOME

2025

2024

£

£

Deposit account interest

736

399

5.	SUPPORT COSTS

Governance

Management

Finance

costs

Totals

£

£

£

£

Operation of bus service

12,480

430

1,500

14,410

Support costs, included in the above, are as follows:

GOVERNANCE COSTS

2025

2024

Operation

of bus

Total

service

activities

£

£

Independent examination

500

525

Accountancy fees

1,000

1,050

1,500

1,575

6.	NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)

Net income/(expenditure) is stated after charging/(crediting):

2025

2024

£

£

Depreciation - owned assets

4,472

3,914

Deficit on disposal of fixed assets

753

-

7.	TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS

There were no trustees' remuneration or other benefits for the year ended 31 March 2025 nor for the year ended 31 March 2024.

TRUSTEES' EXPENSES

There were no trustees' expenses paid for the year ended 31 March 2025 nor for the year ended 31 March 2024.

8.	STAFF COSTS

2025

2024

£

£

Wages and salaries

62,704

61,766

62,704

61,766

The average monthly number of employees during the year was as follows:

2025

2024

Drivers

3

3

Administration

1

1

4

4

No employees received emoluments in excess of £60,000.

9.	COMPARATIVES FOR THE STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES

Unrestricted

Restricted

Total

fund

funds

funds

£

£

£

INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM

Donations and legacies

37,945

-

37,945

Charitable activities

Operation of bus service

76,829

-

76,829

Other trading activities

6,774

-

6,774

Investment income

399

-

399

Total

121,947

-

121,947

EXPENDITURE ON

Raising funds

2,400

-

2,400

Charitable activities

Operation of bus service

124,726

3,048

127,774

Total

127,126

3,048

130,174

NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)

(5,179

)

(3,048

)

(8,227

)

RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS

Total funds brought forward

32,123

12,257

44,380

TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD

26,944

9,209

36,153

10.	TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS

Office

Motor

equipment

vehicles

Totals

£

£

£

COST

At 1 April 2024

1,589

63,368

64,957

Additions

-

23,701

23,701

Disposals

-

(15,001

)

(15,001

)

At 31 March 2025

1,589

72,068

73,657

DEPRECIATION

At 1 April 2024

1,411

51,762

53,173

Charge for year

36

4,436

4,472

Eliminated on disposal

-

(14,247

)

(14,247

)

At 31 March 2025

1,447

41,951

43,398

NET BOOK VALUE

At 31 March 2025

142

30,117

30,259

At 31 March 2024

178

11,606

11,784

11.	DEBTORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR

2025

2024

£

£

Trade debtors

472

557

Other debtors

3,044

2,146

Prepayments

1,527

1,551

5,043

4,254

12.	CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR

2025

2024

£

£

Social security and other taxes

842

802

Creditors

-

1

Other creditors

8,287

8,005

9,129

8,808

13.	MOVEMENT IN FUNDS

Net

Transfers

movement

between

At

At 1/4/24

in funds

funds

31/3/25

£

£

£

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

26,944

26,807

449

54,200

Restricted funds

20/20

449

-

(449

)

-

Bus Fund

8,760

(2,203

)

-

6,557

9,209

(2,203

)

(449

)

6,557

TOTAL FUNDS

36,153

24,604

-

60,757

Net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Incoming

Resources

Movement

resources

expended

in funds

£

£

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

174,494

(147,687

)

26,807

Restricted funds

Bus Fund

-

(2,203

)

(2,203

)

TOTAL FUNDS

174,494

(149,890

)

24,604

Comparatives for movement in funds

Net

movement

At

At 1/4/23

in funds

31/3/24

£

£

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

32,123

(5,179

)

26,944

Restricted funds

20/20

599

(150

)

449

Bus Fund

11,658

(2,898

)

8,760

12,257

(3,048

)

9,209

TOTAL FUNDS

44,380

(8,227

)

36,153

Comparative net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Incoming

Resources

Movement

resources

expended

in funds

£

£

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

121,947

(127,126

)

(5,179

)

Restricted funds

20/20

-

(150

)

(150

)

Bus Fund

-

(2,898

)

(2,898

)

-

(3,048

)

(3,048

)

TOTAL FUNDS

121,947

(130,174

)

(8,227

)

A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined position is as follows:

Net

Transfers

movement

between

At

At 1/4/23

in funds

funds

31/3/25

£

£

£

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

32,123

21,628

449

54,200

Restricted funds

20/20

599

(150

)

(449

)

-

Bus Fund

11,658

(5,101

)

-

6,557

12,257

(5,251

)

(449

)

6,557

TOTAL FUNDS

44,380

16,377

-

60,757

A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows:

Incoming

Resources

Movement

resources

expended

in funds

£

£

£

Unrestricted funds

General fund

296,441

(274,813

)

21,628

Restricted funds

20/20

-

(150

)

(150

)

Bus Fund

-

(5,101

)

(5,101

)

-

(5,251

)

(5,251

)

TOTAL FUNDS

296,441

(280,064

)

16,377

The 20/20 fundraising appeal was set up to mark the Charity's 20th anniversary and allowed the replacement of 2 buses. All funds have been spent and the balance on the fund represented the carrying value of the fixed assets acquired. Following the disposal of these buses in the year, the remaining fund balance has been transferred to unrestricted funds.