| REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: |
| REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: |
| Report of the Trustees and |
| Unaudited Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 August 2025 |
| for |
| Central England Proficiency Testing |
| Limited |
| REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: |
| REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: |
| Report of the Trustees and |
| Unaudited Financial Statements for the Year Ended 31 August 2025 |
| for |
| Central England Proficiency Testing |
| Limited |
| Central England Proficiency Testing |
| Limited |
| Contents of the Financial Statements |
| for the Year Ended 31 August 2025 |
| 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 | 12 |
| Central England Proficiency Testing |
| Limited (Registered number: 04896217) |
| Report of the Trustees |
| for the Year Ended 31 August 2025 |
| 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 August 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 Charity's objectives are the advancement of education and training by means of collaboration with the City and Guilds Network in the administration of schemes of Proficiency Tests, Vocational Qualifications of Competence, Certificates of Qualifications and other such awards in agriculture, horticulture, forestry and other industries within the UK. All charitable activities are undertaken to further charitable purposes for the public benefit. |
| In recent years CEPT has made this facility available on a limited basis to the Young Farmers Clubs situated in the charities three main Counties - Warwickshire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire. It is hoped that going forward with a more predictable income due to the interest received from our reserves that this free option will be available on a larger scale whilst we still retain our capital reserves. |
| Public benefit |
| In drafting this report, the trustees have complied with the duty in Section 4 of the Charities Act 2011, to have due regard to public benefit guidance published by the Charity Commission. |
| ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE |
| Overall review |
| Total costs have decreased by 22.42% in line with income received from charitable activities also decreasing by 22.68%, this together with careful management of other fixed costs has resulted in nett income being maintained at 2.39% (2024 - 2.65%) of total income. As noted in previous "Report of the Trustees" the prudent management of CEPT by all involved has created a considerable cash reserve - added to again this year, which will secure the charity and its activities for the foreseeable future. |
| FINANCIAL REVIEW |
| Investment policy and objectives |
| The reserves are currently held on deposit with the NatWest Bank. The current level of reserves are in excess of the £85,000 covered by the Governments Bank Guarantee Scheme but the opinion of the Trustee`s is that as the NatWest is one of the UK`s leading banks this is not a reckless decision. |
| With the increase in interest rates and thus deposit rates, we plan to leave one third of our reserves in our Current Account and the other two thirds divided equally between two fixed interest Accounts/Bonds with different maturity dates. The plan is to have the accounts maturing just after our six monthly Board Meeting, this will allow the Directors to discuss CEPT`s current financial circumstances, should some or all of the reserves be needed, the money can be transferred back to our Current Account, if the reserves are not required they can be re-invested for a further year. This method will enable CEPT to review its financial situation and re-introduce cash reserves at each Board Meeting, yet if the funds are not required they can be re-invested for a full year gaining a higher rate of interest compared to investing for only six months. This can be done in the safe knowledge that the same option will be available at the next six monthly meeting. |
| Reserves policy |
| At 31 August 2025 "free reserves", being unrestricted funds other than fixed assets amounted to £142,813 (2024 - £139,110). |
| The reserves policy has always been to maintain adequate reserves to cover all outcomes during the UK economic cycles. In recent times this policy has proven to be both wise and prudent. Guidance would suggest that capital reserves should be sufficient to cover the charities fixed costs for a period of ten years, with this formula CEPT has reached that benchmark and is continuing to increase its cash reserves all be it at a much slower pace than in previous times. |
| Central England Proficiency Testing |
| Limited (Registered number: 04896217) |
| Report of the Trustees |
| for the Year Ended 31 August 2025 |
| FUTURE PLANS |
| The charity will continue to operate in accordance with its charitable activities. |
| 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 |
| Recruitment is done by personal contacts and if need be, advertising. After approval by the Board of Trustees, the new Trustees' appointment is ratified at the Annual General Meeting. |
| Organisational structure |
| Day to day responsibility of the charitable company is delegated to a staff team. |
| Induction and training of new trustees |
| After appointment all new Trustees fill in relevant forms for the Charity Commissioners and Companies House, plus conflict of interest, skills audit and acknowledge their responsibilities. |
| Related parties |
| Central England Proficiency Testing Limited is part of the City and Guilds Network. |
| REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS |
| Registered Company number |
| Registered Charity number |
| Registered office |
| Trustees |
| Independent Examiner |
| A D Accounts (Trusts) Limited |
| Rural Enterprise Centre |
| Vincent Carey Road |
| Rotherwas |
| Hereford |
| Herefordshire |
| HR2 6FE |
| Central England Proficiency Testing |
| Limited (Registered number: 04896217) |
| Report of the Trustees |
| for the Year Ended 31 August 2025 |
| REFERENCE AND ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS |
| Administrator |
| Pauline Harcourt |
| Bankers |
| Natwest Bank |
| The Round House |
| 2 Bridge Street |
| Evesham |
| Worcester |
| WR11 4RS |
| Approved by order of the board of trustees on |
| Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of |
| Central England Proficiency Testing |
| Limited |
| Independent examiner's report to the trustees of Central England Proficiency Testing Limited ('the Company') |
| I report to the charity trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Company for the year ended 31 August 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. |
| Allan James Davies F.C.C.A. |
| A D Accounts (Trusts) Limited |
| Rural Enterprise Centre |
| Vincent Carey Road |
| Rotherwas |
| Hereford |
| Herefordshire |
| HR2 6FE |
| 12 May 2026 |
| Central England Proficiency Testing |
| Limited |
| Statement of Financial Activities |
| for the Year Ended 31 August 2025 |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| Unrestricted | Total |
| fund | funds |
| Notes | £ | £ |
| INCOME AND ENDOWMENTS FROM |
| Charitable activities |
| Investment income | 2 |
| Total |
| EXPENDITURE ON |
| Charitable activities | 3 |
| NET INCOME |
| RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS |
| Total funds brought forward |
| TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD | 139,110 |
| Central England Proficiency Testing |
| Limited (Registered number: 04896217) |
| Balance Sheet |
| 31 August 2025 |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| Unrestricted | Total |
| fund | funds |
| Notes | £ | £ |
| CURRENT ASSETS |
| Debtors | 8 |
| Cash at bank |
| CREDITORS |
| Amounts falling due within one year | 9 | ( |
) | ( |
) |
| NET CURRENT ASSETS |
| TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES |
| NET ASSETS |
| FUNDS | 10 |
| Unrestricted funds | 139,110 |
| TOTAL FUNDS | 139,110 |
| The charitable company is entitled to exemption from audit under Section 477 of the Companies Act 2006 for the year ended 31 August 2025. |
| The members have not required the company to obtain an audit of its financial statements for the year ended 31 August 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. |
| Central England Proficiency Testing |
| Limited (Registered number: 04896217) |
| Balance Sheet - continued |
| 31 August 2025 |
| 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 |
| Central England Proficiency Testing |
| Limited |
| Notes to the Financial Statements |
| for the Year Ended 31 August 2025 |
| 1. | 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. |
| Taxation |
| The charity is exempt from corporation tax on its charitable activities. |
| Fund accounting |
| Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the charitable objectives at the discretion of the trustees. |
| Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the charity. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular restricted purposes. |
| Further explanation of the nature and purpose of each fund is included in the notes to the financial statements. |
| 2. | INVESTMENT INCOME |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| £ | £ |
| Deposit account interest |
| Central England Proficiency Testing |
| Limited |
| Notes to the Financial Statements - continued |
| for the Year Ended 31 August 2025 |
| 3. | CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES COSTS |
| Direct | Support |
| Costs (see | costs (see |
| note 4) | note 5) | Totals |
| £ | £ | £ |
| Examinations | 113,330 | 38,116 | 151,446 |
| 4. | DIRECT COSTS OF CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| £ | £ |
| Examiners' fees | 107,270 | 135,749 |
| Examiners' travel expenses | 6,060 | 10,269 |
| 113,330 | 146,018 |
| 5. | SUPPORT COSTS |
| Governance |
| Management | Finance | costs | Totals |
| £ | £ | £ | £ |
| Examinations | 35,369 | 122 | 2,625 | 38,116 |
| Support costs, included in the above, are as follows: |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| Total |
| Examinations | activities |
| £ | £ |
| Trustees' remuneration etc | 54 | - |
| Administrator's fees | 31,293 | 43,345 |
| Insurance | 1,689 | 1,337 |
| Sundries | 509 | 115 |
| Accountancy fees | 1,575 | 1,500 |
| Office equipment | 249 | 270 |
| Bank charges | 122 | 139 |
| Independent examiners' fee | 2,100 | 2,000 |
| Secretarial fees | 525 | 500 |
| 38,116 | 49,206 |
| Central England Proficiency Testing |
| Limited |
| Notes to the Financial Statements - continued |
| for the Year Ended 31 August 2025 |
| 6. | NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE) |
| Net income/(expenditure) is stated after charging/(crediting): |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| £ | £ |
| Independent examiners' fee | 2,100 | 2,000 |
| 7. | TRUSTEES' REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS |
| The following trustees received payment of assessment and other fees during the period. |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| £ | £ |
| J Everest | 460 | 144 |
| A C Gibb | 1,729 | 3,227 |
| P Rees | 7.920 | 4,276 |
| The charity's administrator, who is not directly employed by the charity, was paid £31,293 (2024 - £43,345). Included in the total amount paid was £31,293 (2024 - £43,345) relating to administration fees. |
| Trustees' expenses |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| £ | £ |
| Trustees' expenses |
| Trustees are not remunerated. |
| During the year, £54 was reimbursed for directly incurred travel expenses to one trustee (2024 - £NIL to zero trustees). |
| 8. | DEBTORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| £ | £ |
| Trade debtors |
| Prepayments |
| Central England Proficiency Testing |
| Limited |
| Notes to the Financial Statements - continued |
| for the Year Ended 31 August 2025 |
| 9. | CREDITORS: AMOUNTS FALLING DUE WITHIN ONE YEAR |
| 2025 | 2024 |
| £ | £ |
| Trade creditors |
| Accruals and deferred income |
| 10. | MOVEMENT IN FUNDS |
| Net |
| movement | At |
| At 1.9.24 | in funds | 31.8.25 |
| £ | £ | £ |
| Unrestricted funds |
| General fund | 139,110 | 3,703 | 142,813 |
| TOTAL FUNDS | 3,703 | 142,813 |
| Net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows: |
| Incoming | Resources | Movement |
| resources | expended | in funds |
| £ | £ | £ |
| Unrestricted funds |
| General fund | 155,149 | (151,446 | ) | 3,703 |
| TOTAL FUNDS | ( |
) | 3,703 |
| Comparatives for movement in funds |
| Net |
| movement | At |
| At 1.9.23 | in funds | 31.8.24 |
| £ | £ | £ |
| Unrestricted funds |
| General fund | 133,776 | 5,334 | 139,110 |
| TOTAL FUNDS | 133,776 | 5,334 | 139,110 |
| Central England Proficiency Testing |
| Limited |
| Notes to the Financial Statements - continued |
| for the Year Ended 31 August 2025 |
| 10. | MOVEMENT IN FUNDS - continued |
| Comparative net movement in funds, included in the above are as follows: |
| Incoming | Resources | Movement |
| resources | expended | in funds |
| £ | £ | £ |
| Unrestricted funds |
| General fund | 200,558 | (195,224 | ) | 5,334 |
| TOTAL FUNDS | 200,558 | (195,224 | ) | 5,334 |
| A current year 12 months and prior year 12 months combined position is as follows: |
| Net |
| movement | At |
| At 1.9.23 | in funds | 31.8.25 |
| £ | £ | £ |
| Unrestricted funds |
| General fund | 133,776 | 9,037 | 142,813 |
| TOTAL FUNDS | 133,776 | 9,037 | 142,813 |
| 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 | 355,707 | (346,670 | ) | 9,037 |
| TOTAL FUNDS | 355,707 | (346,670 | ) | 9,037 |
| 11. | RELATED PARTY DISCLOSURES |