for the Period Ended 31 March 2022
Directors report | |
Profit and loss | |
Balance sheet | |
Additional notes | |
Balance sheet notes |
Directors' report period ended
The directors present their report with the financial statements of the company for the period ended 31 March 2022
Principal activities of the company
Additional information
CHAIR’S REPORT OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES Objectives and aims for the public benefit The principal objectives of the charity, as set out in the Memorandum of Association, are “to promote any charitable purpose for the benefit of the community in Sudbury and the surrounding areas by the advancement of education, the protection and preservation of health and the relief of poverty, sickness and distress”. The board confirm that they have referred to the guidance contained in the Charity Commissions general guidance on public benefit when reviewing the charity’s aims and objectives and in planning future activities. The charity carries out these objectives through the involvement of our staff and volunteers in a very wide range of activities reflecting the many kinds of issues that trouble members of the community on a daily basis. Significant activities We provide free, independent, confidential, and impartial advice to everyone on their problems, rights and responsibilities across a range of topics. These include benefits, consumer issues, debt, discrimination, employment, family and relationships, health, housing, immigration, and legal issues. Our experience is that many clients in difficulties have several issues that are connected and need resolution together. So, we continue to support our clients with advice and guidance until their problems are resolved or they have a clear pathway they can follow. The benefits of our support extend beyond the practical resolution of clients’ issues to their peace of mind and significant health and well-being improvements. National research shows this brings measurable fiscal benefits and wider gains in social and economic terms.PERFORMANCE AND IMPACT The year on which we are reporting continued, from the previous year, to be dominated by the Covid-19 pandemic. While we had hoped for a return to the office and more normal team working, the uncertainty did not lift until the last quarter. As a result, the team continued to work remotely to serve our clients with just a few people attending the office based on their preference. In the last quarter this gradually eased and we returned to offering clients face-to-face advice on a by-appointment basis. This remained a small part of our service mix and the Board recognises that the future will be hybrid working supported by digital technology. I wrote last year that “Our team responded brilliantly to the challenges of the new model; but the Board is under no illusion that lockdown and remote working has taken a toll from which we must all work hard to re-build.” We did indeed experience that toll (a national phenomenon) and during the year experienced loss of capacity in the form of both staff and volunteers re-defining their personal priorities together with operational issues from remote working. In the second half of the year, we worked hard to turn that around and the Board is pleased with both the extent to which the team has been rebuilt and the introduction of new roles to improve productivity and quality. This work continues. In the context of the shifting sands of demand during the pandemic combined with the capacity issues, the Board is pleased that we supported 1910 clients with 8596 issues and achieved £460,579 of direct financial benefit for them and the local economy. We noted last year that clients are presenting with more, and more complex issues and this trend continued with a 7% increase in issues per client and a 21% increase in the activities we have to undertake on clients’ behalf. The Board expects this trend to continue with further implications for capacity, productivity and workflow design. The profile of client demand is also changing in some areas. Our long-term experience has been that around 50% of our clients are disabled or with long term health conditions. Alongside that our normal experience is that work on benefits is around 25% of our work. These two fundamentals have not changed but below that we have seen significant changes in demand profile. Universal credit support and employment issues were well down while questions on debt, housing and relationships have seen significant increases. We expect this trend to continue in the face of the cost-of-living crisis. A crucial role for the Board is to ensure the financial sustainability of our organisation so that we can continue to provide our essential service. We entered the year forecasting a surplus of £25,000 but the outturn has been £8,483 as the funding environment tightened faster than we had expected. The forecast as we enter the coming year 22/23 is for a deficit of £55,000. Our strategic review process has the correction of this situation at its centre and the Board is determined to innovate in both funding and delivery models. We are fortunate to have the cash to invest over and above our reserves policy. We were clear in last year’s report that we viewed this as a post-Covid investment and development opportunity for our organisation and our funders. We are extremely grateful to our many supporters for their funding and especially the District, Town and Parish Councils, Suffolk County Council, the Clinical Commissioning Group and the National Lottery. We appreciate their confidence in what we do, their support during the pandemic and the increasing funding horizons they are providing. We are committed to working with them on reach and engagement with our community and in alliance with other Citizens Advice organisations across Suffolk. The advice we provide is totally dependent on our team of dedicated volunteer advisors, led by our outstanding core staff. Their combined work during the continuing fall-out from the pandemic has shown dedication and commitment to our community of the highest order. On behalf of the trustees, they all have our greatest respect and sincere thanks. Principal Funding Sources The charity is principally funded by grants from various bodies detailed in the reports and accounts. The charity did not have any borrowings from either a provider of funding or other sources at the Balance Sheet date. Reserves policy The directors believe that the Bureau should set aside financial reserves to ensure that it can continue to operate and meet the needs of clients in the event of unexpected contingencies including a cessation or interruption of part of its funding. In addition, the Bureau needs to be in a position to meet its contractual commitments. Under the agreed reserves policy reserves of £186,660 are set aside within unrestricted reserves. In addition to the above, the Bureau will maintain restricted reserves where funds are restricted by the donor or funder and cannot be used for general purposes. At 31 March 2022, total unrestricted reserves were £268,406 (2021: £232,925) and restricted funds were £32,093 (2021: £59,086).Chief officer: Colleen Sweeney Structure, Governance and Management Governing document Sudbury & District Citizens Advice is a charitable company limited by guarantee, incorporated on 4 April 2008. The Company is governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association. In the event of the company being wound up every member (including members who ceased to be members within one year prior to such winding up) would be required to contribute to the company's assets an amount not exceeding £1. The company is a registered charity with the Charity Commission. Trustee recruitment and appointment Trustees are either initially co-opted by the Trustee Board and then elected to the Board at an Annual General Meeting within three years of co-option or, alternatively, elected directly at an Annual General Meeting. The charity seeks nominations for trustee vacancies in regard to having the need to have a broad mix of skills and experience. Trustee induction and training New trustees are briefed on their legal obligations under charity and company law, the content of the Articles of Association, the committee and decision-making processes, the strategic business development plan and recent financial performance of the charity. They also meet key employees, volunteers and other trustees. Trustees are encouraged to attend appropriate external training events where these will facilitate the understanding of their role. Organisational structure The trustee board 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 Sudbury & District Citizens Advice and for ensuring that the charity satisfies its legal and contractual obligations. Trustees meet quarterly as a minimum, and delegate the day-to-day operation of the organisation to a paid chief officer. The trustee board is independent from management. A register of members' interests is maintained at the registered office and is available to the public. Related parties and co-operation with other organisations Sudbury & District Citizens Advice is a member of Citizens Advice, the national association for the Citizens Advice service. From April 2015 Citizens Advice Bureau became known as Local Citizens Advice (LCA). The charity also cooperates and liaises with many other advisory services, local charities, trusts and social services departments on behalf of clients. Pay policy for senior staff The directors consider the board of directors, who are the Trust’s trustees and the chief officer, the key management personnel of the charity in charge of directing and controlling, running and operating the charity on a day-to-day basis. All directors give of their time freely and no director received remuneration in the year. Details of directors’ expenses and related party transactions are disclosed in note 17 to the accounts. The pay of the senior staff is reviewed annually and normally increased in accordance with average earnings. In view of the nature of the charity, the directors benchmark against pay levels in the public sector.
Directors
The directors shown below have held office during the whole of the period from
1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022
The directors shown below have held office during the period of
1 April 2021 to 8 December 2021
The directors shown below have held office during the period of
26 January 2022 to 31 March 2022
The above report has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions in part 15 of the Companies Act 2006
This report was approved by the board of directors on
And signed on behalf of the board by:
Name:
Status: Director
for the Period Ended
2022 | 2021 | |
---|---|---|
| £ | £ |
Turnover: | | |
Cost of sales: | | |
Gross profit(or loss): | | |
Distribution costs: | | |
Administrative expenses: | ( | ( |
Other operating income: | | |
Operating profit(or loss): | | |
Interest receivable and similar income: | | |
Interest payable and similar charges: | | |
Profit(or loss) before tax: | | |
Tax: | | |
Profit(or loss) for the financial year: | | |
As at
Notes | 2022 | 2021 | |
---|---|---|---|
| £ | £ | |
Fixed assets | |||
Intangible assets: | | | |
Tangible assets: | 3 | | |
Investments: | | | |
Total fixed assets: | | | |
Current assets | |||
Stocks: | | | |
Debtors: | | | |
Cash at bank and in hand: | | | |
Investments: | | | |
Total current assets: | | | |
Prepayments and accrued income: | | | |
Creditors: amounts falling due within one year: | 4 | ( | ( |
Net current assets (liabilities): | | | |
Total assets less current liabilities: | | | |
Creditors: amounts falling due after more than one year: | | | |
Provision for liabilities: | | | |
Accruals and deferred income: | | | |
Total net assets (liabilities): | | | |
Members' funds | |||
Profit and loss account: | | | |
Total members' funds: | | |
The notes form part of these financial statements
This report was approved by the board of directors on
and signed on behalf of the board by:
Name:
Status: Director
The notes form part of these financial statements
for the Period Ended 31 March 2022
Basis of measurement and preparation
Turnover policy
Tangible fixed assets depreciation policy
Other accounting policies
for the Period Ended 31 March 2022
2022 | 2021 | |
---|---|---|
Average number of employees during the period | | |
for the Period Ended 31 March 2022
Land & buildings | Plant & machinery | Fixtures & fittings | Office equipment | Motor vehicles | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cost | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ | £ |
At 1 April 2021 | | | | | ||
Additions | | | | | ||
Disposals | | | | | ||
Revaluations | | | | | ||
Transfers | | | | | ||
At 31 March 2022 | | | | | ||
Depreciation | ||||||
At 1 April 2021 | | | | | ||
Charge for year | | | | | ||
On disposals | | | | | ||
Other adjustments | | | | | ||
At 31 March 2022 | | | | | ||
Net book value | ||||||
At 31 March 2022 | | | | | ||
At 31 March 2021 | | | | |
for the Period Ended 31 March 2022
2022 | 2021 | |
---|---|---|
£ | £ | |
Bank loans and overdrafts | | |
Amounts due under finance leases and hire purchase contracts | | |
Trade creditors | | |
Taxation and social security | | |
Accruals and deferred income | | |
Total | | |
for the Period Ended 31 March 2022