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Report to:
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Cabinet
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Date of
meeting:
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10 December
2024
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By:
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Director of
Communities, Economy and Transport
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Title:
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Annual Accounts for
Lewes Public Library and Museum Charitable Trust
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Purpose:
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Provide annual
statement of accounts for Lewes Public Library and Museum
Charitable Trust
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RECOMMENDATIONS:
Cabinet is recommended
to:
1)
Note the final
accounts for 2023/24 for the Lewes Public Library and Museum
Charitable Trust; and
2)
Note that there are
no issues that require any further action by the County Council as
the Corporate Trustee.
1
Background Information
1.1
The Charitable Trust was established by a Conveyance dated 21 June
1872, relating to the old library and museum at
Albion Street, Lewes (the ‘Original Library’) when
that property was conveyed ‘on trust to permit the same
premises and all buildings to be erected thereon to be and forever
hereafter appropriated and used as and for a school of children and
adults in drawing, painting, modelling, designing for architecture,
manufactures and decorations and for no other purpose’. This
created a permanent endowment of the Original Library which became
known as the Lewes School of Science and Art. By Orders made by the
Board of Education in 1934 and 1956 the scheme was modified and
extended to include ‘Public library’ and
‘museum’. The County Council became the owner of
the Original Library and museum by virtue of a transfer of
functions under the Local Government Act 1972.
1.2
In 2008 the Council signed a Declaration of Trust after detailed
consultation with the Charity Commission regarding the disposal of
the Original Library. By the 2008 Declaration, the Council
confirmed the current name of the Charity as the Lewes Public
Library and Museum Charitable Trust. East Sussex County Council
also declared that the current Lewes Library at Styles Field would
be held on trust and used for the Charity in place of the Original
Library.
1.3
The charitable use of the Library is ‘use as a public library
and museum for the safe custody exhibition and study of objects of
educational artistic or scientific interest and such other
collections and objects of a similar nature as the council may
think fit’, constituting the objects of the Charity.
1.4
From 1 July 2018, the Library Service entered into an initial seven
year lease with NSL Limited, providing a local area hub for traffic
rule enforcement administration, parking and traffic attendants at
Lewes Library. This lease is currently being extended in line with
the NSL Limited parking contract extension until 30 June 2028. This
hub includes the use of office space and shared facilities for NSL
staff.
1.5
£22,000 per year rental income has been achieved for the
Charity, however as the gross income exceeds the statutory
threshold for registration (£5,000 per annum) the Charity has
been registered with the Charity Commission.
1.6
The registration was completed in December 2019 and subsequent
annual returns have been completed during quarter three of the
following financial year as per the Charity Commission guidance
annually. The return for 2023-24 has again been completed in the
same format.
1.7
The Governance Committee on 26
June 2018 agreed that annual accounts will be prepared
and reported annually to Cabinet, in line with the current practice
where the County Council is a Corporate Trustee.
2
2023/24 Accounts
3
4
2.1 The annual return for Lewes
Public Library and Museum Charitable Trust has been completed and
submitted to the Charity Commission. As the income is less than
£25,000 there is no requirement for the accounts to be
submitted along with the annual return.
2.2
The Trust’s Income and Expenditure Account and Balance Sheet
are set out below:
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Lewes
Public Library and Museum Charitable Trust
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Income and
Expenditure Account for the year ended 31 March 2024
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2022/23
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Income
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2023/24
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£
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£
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(22,000)
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Fees
-NSL Ltd shared facilities
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(22,000)
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(22,000)
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(22,000)
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Less
Expenditure
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22,000
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Other
expenses (contribution to library for building costs)
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22,000
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0
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(Surplus)/Deficit
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0
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Balance Sheet as
at 31 March 2024
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2022/23
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2023/24
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£
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£
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0
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Fixed
Assets: Land and Buildings
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0
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Current
Assets:
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0
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Cash
at Bank
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0
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Current
Liabilities:
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0
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Sundry
creditors
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0
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0
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0
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Representing:
Reserves:
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0
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General Reserve
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0
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0
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0
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2.3
Please refer to Appendix 1 of this report to review the submission
for the annual return to the Charity Commission.
3
Conclusion and Reasons for Recommendations
4
3.1 Cabinet is recommended to
note the final accounts for 2023/24 for the Lewes Public Library
and Museum Charitable Trust.
3.2
Cabinet is also recommended to note that there are no issues that
require any further action by the County Council as the Corporate
Trustee.
Director of Communities, Economy
and Transport
Contact Officer:
Samantha McManus
Tel. No. 07919
298416
Email: samantha.mcmanus@eastsussex.gov.uk