Company no. 3918210
Charity no. 1148403
Voscur Limited
Report and Financial Statements
31 March 2013
Voscur Limited
Legal and administrative details
For the year ended 31 March 2013
Status
Company number 3918210
Charity number 1148403
Royal Oak House
and operational address Royal Oak Avenue
Bristol
BS1 4GB
Honorary officers Max Beseke Chair
Richard Pendlebury Chair
Steph Mustoe Treasurer
Paul Hazelden Vice-Chair/Interim Treasurer
Anna Smith Vice-Chair
Principal staff Wendy Stephenson Chief Executive/Company Secretary
Rebecca McDougall Resource Manager
Bankers Lloyds TSB Bank plc
282/4 Wells Road
Knowle
Bristol
BS4 2PY
Auditors Sayer Vincent
Chartered accountants and statutory auditors
8 Angel Gate
City Road
London
EC1V 2SJ
The organisation is a mutual company and a company limited by
guarantee, incorporated on 31 January 2000.
Registered office
1
Introduction
Aims and objectives
Voscur's purpose is to:
Voscur's strategic aims are therefore:
Ensuring our work delivers our aims
Voscur's board reviews its aims, objectives and activities on an ongoing basis, and at least
every year. These are set out in our business plan, a live document that guides both strategic
and day-to-day developments. We consider the relative achievements of all our activities, and
how they have had a positive impact on the individuals and groups it is our purpose to help.
This ensures our operational objectives and activities remain focused on our longer-term
strategic goals, and therefore our constituted objects. The board's reviewing of past activities
and planning future aims and strategies is underpinned by reference to the Charity
Commission’s guidance on public benefit. In particular, the trustees consider how planned
activities will contribute to the aims and objectives they have set.
Support: Help organisations to function more effectively and improve their services.
Liaison: Help organisations communicate and collaborate effectively together.
Representation: Represent the views of the VCS to public bodies and policymakers to
help improve the environment in which we all work.
Strategic partnerships: Foster effective working between the public and voluntary sector to
inform and influence local planning and policymaking.
Equality: Increase the participation of all equalities groups in civil society.
Sustainability: We will be entrepreneurial and responsive to ensure Voscur’s own
sustainability.
benefit the public by supporting and developing a thriving, effective and influential
voluntary, community and social enterprise sector in Bristol - in particular by building the
capacity of voluntary groups to pursue or contribute to any charitable purpose, and
promote, organise and facilitate co-operation and partnership working between third
sector, statutory and other relevant bodies to achieve a thriving voluntary sector.
Development: Find out what local communities need and help organisations to meet
those needs.
Voscur Limited
Report of the board of directors
For the year ended 31 March 2013
Voscur Ltd (Voscur) is a Council for Voluntary Service (CVS) in Bristol; a member-led,
generalist infrastructure organisation. Voscur works with voluntary and community sector
(VCS) organisations and the private and statutory sectors to ensure VCS representation at a
range of strategic partnerships and decision-making bodies. Voscur offers a range of services
to its members, associate members and the wider VCS including the provision of information,
advice, training and networking opportunities.
The board of Trustees presents its report and the audited financial statements for the year
ended 31 March 2013.
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Voscur Limited
Report of the board of directors
For the year ended 31 March 2013
Our services are primarily provided to individuals and community groups based or working in
the city of Bristol. A majority are provided free to our members (c. 550 organisations) and client
groups (c. 1,500 - 2,500 organisations) in the city.
Of constant concern to our trustees is that we are providing support where it is needed most.
However, measuring need is subjective to some extent, and certainly complex. Our Support
Hub services are therefore specifically focused on groups that are, amongst other things, new,
small, addressing key needs in disadvantaged areas and are led by or serve Equalities
communities. Any such criteria or framework are inevitably imperfect, and must change over
time, but this is a practical way of ensuring our limited resources create the most possible
impact.
Voscur makes a small charge for a relatively small proportion of its services. These include, for
example, some training courses, specialist development (consultancy) projects and supporting
specific collaboration initiatives. These services are paid for on a case-by-case basis for two
reasons. First, because an increasing proportion of the work we do is not covered or
subsidised by our infrastructure contract with the Bristol City Council. Second, because there is
a free market for such services in which for-profit companies compete, so if Voscur must
compete against them on quality, it is fair that we should be able to also compete with them on
price - especially as any surplus generated is used to further contribute to our charitable aims
and hence create additional public benefit.
Our main activities and the individuals and groups we help are described below. All our
charitable activities focus on increasing the impact of local voluntary and community
organisations in achieving their own charitable purposes more effectively, and we undertake
these activities to further our own charitable objects for the public benefit.
Who uses and benefits from our services?
Promoting and facilitating participation in local democracy and decision-making, especially
among communities and target groups that are typically underrepresented.
Supporting collaboration within the VCS, and between sectors. For example, Voscur
actively identifies opportunities to work with other organisations to increase our collective
impact and make best use of limited resources, and we support collaboration between
local groups to ensure smaller organisations have equal access to development
opportunities.
How our activities deliver public benefit
Our specific operational objectives this year have continued to be the strengthening and
expansion of support and development services. To achieve these objectives, our strategies
have included:
Consolidating our Support Hub service to give customers more coherent and
comprehensive capacity building.
Improving our external communications and information services so the organisations we
support are better informed and more effective in their work.
Maintaining the promotion of equality and diversity through a range of projects to develop
the capacity of specific equalities groups, especially as equality related issues and funding
opportunities appear to have dropped down the public agenda.
Our focus in 2012-13
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Voscur Limited
Report of the board of directors
For the year ended 31 March 2013
1)
2)
3)
4)
5) Bristol VCS groups contribute effectively to meeting the changing needs of the city.
Service delivery
Voscur’s main area of activity since February 2011 has been the delivery of the Infrastructure
Support Services Contract on behalf of Bristol City Council. The contract outcomes are:
The Bristol VCS has increased capacity, sustainability and quality.
The Bristol VCS is well-informed and well-connected.
Bristol VCS groups have a strong and influential voice.
The Bristol VCS has strategic involvement.
Governance
The governance of the organisation is the responsibility of the board of trustees of the charity
who are also the directors of Voscur Ltd. The board comprises at least three and not more than
fifteen individuals. Thirteen trustees must be nominated by and be active in member
organisations. Up to two additional trustees can be co-opted by the board to bring specialist
skills or experience to the organisation's governance. The trustees appoint a chair, two vice
chairs and a treasurer. The board meets every six weeks, and delegates the day-to-day
management of the organisation to the chief executive who is a paid member of staff.
Activities for generating funds
Membership
As at 31 March 2013, Voscur’s membership comprised 561 full members including 98
associate members and 3 honorary members. Membership fees are charged in relation to
member groups’ income and membership status; groups with an income of less than £10,000
per annum are not charged membership fees. Support Hub customers are given an
introductory offer of 1 year’s free membership.
Charitable activities
Whilst most of the direct benefits are clearly gained by specific groups, the impact of our work
extends far beyond such obvious outputs to wider but significant outcomes for voluntary
organisations, public bodies and individual citizens. These wider benefits are harder to quantify.
Voluntary and community groups that we help to collaborate on projects and share
experiences, for example, could simply benefit from helpful advice but sometimes discover
radical new opportunities or ways of working. Public bodies may benefit from new potential
providers being able to bid for contracts but may also gain creative new approaches to long-
standing social problems. One individual might learn how to vote but another will gain the
confidence to lead a whole organisation, or community group.
The precise range of our activities changes each year, but all flow clearly from our aims and
objects, and the achievements of each are outlined below.
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Voscur Limited
Report of the board of directors
For the year ended 31 March 2013
Organisational development support
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
Typical Support Hub customers have an income of less than £50,000 per year, are new and
emerging groups meeting an identified need in the community, providing services in Bristol’s
most disadvantaged neighbourhoods, led by and/or providing services to equalities
communities, interested in bidding for public service contracts or are in crisis.
The Support Hub service is delivered by a team of staff skilled in training, fundraising,
governance, commissioning, equalities, the Compact and organisational development. In
addition, the service is extended by our contracted partner agencies: Social Enterprise Works
(providing business planning and social enterprise advice); Ethical Property Foundation
(providing property advice); Avon and Bristol Law Centre (providing advice on legal structures
and constitutions); and Volunteer Bristol (providing advice on volunteer management and
placement of volunteers).
(1*) Performance Domains as described in the VCS Support Service contract; we use the term ‘area of development’
in our communications with VCS groups.
Service provision
Managing your organisation (strategic planning)
Managing people
Developing skills
Physical resources and environmental impact
Influencing
In order to achieve these outcomes Voscur has established the Support Hub and the Voice and
Influence Service. Both are underpinned by Voscur’s information services and enhanced by our
partnership work with other VCS, public and private sector organisations.
Following the first year of the delivery of the Infrastructure Support Services Contract on behalf
of Bristol City Council, we have analysed groups’ needs, reviewed our service offer and
restructured, in order to better meet the needs of service users and the demands of the
contract. We have employed additional staff within the Support Hub, and allocated more
resources to the management and development of Equalities initiatives.
Support Hub activity
Voscur’s Support Hub service provides organisational development support, information and
training for Bristol’s Voluntary and Community Sector groups and organisations. Support is
provided under the following headings.(1*)
Funding and financial stability
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Report of the board of directors
For the year ended 31 March 2013
Open training programme, Kick-start and Locality training
The number of YouTube views of our videos between April 2012 - March 2013 reached 2520.
The top viewed videos were on a CYP Network meeting presentation on Safeguarding, a
presentation on the Bristol e-procurement system, and videos on the PCC and Mayoral
election.
Information services
All of our activities are underpinned by our information services: websites, a quarterly
magazine, weekly e-bulletins, and social media.
86,318 unique visitors accessed the Voscur website between 1 April 2012 and 31 March 2013,
which received an impressive 1,522,150 page-views.
Our quarterly magazine, Thrive!, was sent to 560 VCS organisations in 2012/13; of these 204
(36%) were groups with an income of under £10,000, 70 Bristol City Councillors, all public
libraries, a number of public sector partners, regional and national VCS umbrella bodies, and a
number of external stakeholders.
Subscriptions to our weekly VCS e-bulletin in 2012/13 have risen to 2114 (an increase of 22%
from 2011/12). From April 2012 - March 2013 the e-bulletin had 16,100 tracked opens and
55,860 click-throughs.
During 2012/13 the number of Twitter followers has reached 1199 compared with 493 in 2012
(an increase of 143%).
This year the Support Hub provided intensive capacity building to 58 groups; 32 of these were
BME led and 14 provided services to Children and Young People. Additionally, the Support
Hub reported 579 instances of achievement of significant improvement by individual VCS
groups within a single performance domain (listed above).
The Support Hub service is delivered by a team of staff skilled in training, fundraising,
governance, commissioning, equalities, the Compact and organisational development. In
addition, the service is extended by our contracted partner agencies: Social Enterprise Works
(providing business planning and social enterprise advice); Ethical Property Foundation
(providing property advice); Avon and Bristol Law Centre (providing advice on legal structures
and constitutions); and Volunteer Bristol (providing advice on volunteer management and
placement of volunteers).
We offered 1392 learning opportunities at 38 training/learning events; 995 places were taken
up; of the 899 participants who completed evaluation forms 739 reported increased skills or
capacity.
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Report of the board of directors
For the year ended 31 March 2013
Disabled people led 45
Deaf Transitional Work
Voscur responded to a request to support Deaf people in Bristol by working with Deaf people to
explore and identify the needs, aspirations and outcomes that need to be addressed in order to
help Bristol City Council work out what it should commission in the future for Deaf people and
those with a significant hearing impairment. The project also provided short-term focused
support to the Deaf Community through a time of change. This was an ambitious and
challenging project that we achieved through linking it to our Voice and Influence team, and
Equalities and Support Hub trainers. As at March 2013, the final report from the project is in
draft; however this work has already led to two expressions of interest for follow up projects.
Voice & Influence activities
The past year has seen significant change in decision-making structures in the city. The
referendum and subsequent election of the city’s first Directly Elected Mayor and Police and
Crime Commissioner, the creation of the new Health and Wellbeing Board and Clinical
Commissioning Group and the ongoing commissioning processes have each led to challenges
for voluntary and community sector (VCS) organisations. Throughout these changes the
Voscur’s Voice and Influence Service has supported and facilitated VCS organisations to
ensure that their voices and views are heard and that they have been strategically involved in
influencing the new decision makers and decision making structures.
BME Community Connector
Following the closure of the local B.M.E. led infrastructure organisation in 2011, in partnership
with Bristol City Council and the Legacy Commission Voscur set up a steering group
comprising local BME led VCS organisations, individuals and statutory sector partners. The
group commissioned independent research into the needs of Black and Minority Ethnic
communities in Bristol. Recommendations from the report have been taken forward into an
action plan that will be delivered by a Community Connector employed by Voscur and hosted
by a local BME led organisation. The Community Connector is now in post and will be based at
Ujima Radio.
Additionally, from time to time we undertake targeted work with specific communities.
Equalities activities
A significant number of Equalities-led organisations are Voscur members; these organisations
are prioritised in Support Hub delivery, as are groups working in deprived neighbourhoods.
As at 31 March 2013, Voscur membership groups self-identified as:
BME led 83
Women led 43
LGB led 12 Older people led 28
Faith led 30
Transgender led 2Children and Young People led 45
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Report of the board of directors
For the year ended 31 March 2013
The introduction of directly elected Police and Crime Commissioners (PCC's) were included as
part of the coalition government’s agreement in 2010. The introduction of these important new
decision making roles provided an opportunity for VCS organisations to engage with
candidates and the PCC election process. Voscur was awarded a small grant from the Home
Office to lead the development of a Safer Future Communities Network for Avon and Somerset
to inform VCS organisations and groups about the introduction of PCC's and help engage them
with the PCC candidates.
Mayoral elections
Voscur worked with partners (including neighbourhood VCS organisations, community radio
stations, and Further and Higher Education institutions) to hold four 'Question Time' events with
the Mayoral candidates. Each event was held in an area of the city where voter turnout in the
mayoral referendum had been low. More than 1,000 people attended the events which were
promoted by working closely with local voluntary and community organisations, through the
distribution of postcards and posters.
(2*) http://www.voscur.org/reports
the VCS has influenced the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) and the Health
and Wellbeing Strategy, with particular targeted effort to ensure the views of equalities
groups and those working with CYP groups and in the area of H&SC have been engaged;
the Troubled Families (TF) programme has been informed by VCS involvement through a
VCS stakeholder reference group and VCS representatives on the TF steering group;
the VCS has engaged with and influenced the newly elected Mayor of Bristol and Police
and Crime Commissioner, influencing their priorities and the role they see for the VCS.
Assembly
Our annual survey shows that there is high awareness of respondents about the work of the
Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) Assembly, with high awareness of Assembly and
Network meeting (averaging 80%), Special information and consultation meetings/events
(85%), Website and e-information (92%), with slightly lower awareness of the work of VCS
Advocates (63%), V&I reports and publications (60%), and the work of the Bristol Compact
officer (52%).
Police Crime Commissioner
Our Voice and influence work is reported on comprehensively in our Influence Achieved (2*)
report - this demonstrates how the Voice and Influence team has supported the VCS to have
strategic influence during 2012/13. Examples in the report include how:
the VCS has influenced the roll-out of self directed care (personalised budgets) through a
VCS working group;
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Report of the board of directors
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(3*) http://www.voiceandinfluence.org.uk/restorativebristolconference
Neighbourhoods and Communities Network
This network brings together groups working at a local community level in Bristol and
particularly engages groups who are active in their local neighbourhood partnership. During this
year, network members raised a number of issues and concerns about the role and function of
Neighbourhood Partnerships. The Voice and Influence service convened a working group of
groups and residents involved with Neighbourhood Partnerships to look at how they could be
improved. The working group produced a report with 29 recommendations that was presented
to Bristol Councillors, and to candidates for the Mayor and PCC election. In response to the
working group’s report, Bristol City Council officers agreed to action many of the report’s
recommendations. Following the election the new Mayor initiated a wide review of
Neighbourhood Partnerships.
Health & Social Care Network
Building on the work of our recently established health and social care network, Voscur led the
successful Bristol bid to be one of 12 'Building Health Partnership' (BHP) pilot areas. Building
Health Partnerships is a learning programme designed to improve collaboration between
Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG) and local voluntary and community organisations and
social enterprise sector. This network has supported the VCS in influencing the roll-out of self
directed care (personalised budgets) through a VCS working group; and the Joint Strategic
Needs Assessment (JSNA) and the Health and Wellbeing Strategy, with particular targeted
effort to ensure the views of Equalities groups have been heard.
Children & Young People’s Organisations Network
The introduction of the government’s payment by results (PbR) Troubled Families Programme,
raised many questions from VCS organisations working with families being targeted by the
programme. The network has helped to clarify and allay many of the VCS concerns. The
network has also supported groups in responding to the Bristol Youth Links Commissioning
process. This process highlighted the fact that many groups needed support with safeguarding
issues. The CYP Network co-ordinator compiled a checklist/safeguarding tool for VCS groups
to use, which was cross-checked with Bristol City Council Safeguarding Policy and Projects
Officer, BAND and PEYTU. In addition to developing the safeguarding tool, a training course
has been organised for VCS groups on writing a safeguarding policy. Working with the
Avonsafe partnership which focuses on child safety, particularly accident prevention, a training
session on preventing child injury was organised.
Restorative Justice
The Voice and Influence service worked with Avon and Somerset Probation Trust and Safer
Bristol to secure additional funding (from the Home Office ‘Innovative Partnerships Fund’) to
deliver the Restorative Bristol Conference in December 2012 (3*). The conference involved
100 delegates from VCS, public and private sector organisations. The event was attended by
the Police and Crime Commissioner, and the Mayor of Bristol, both of whom gave their support
to making Bristol a ‘Restorative City’.
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Report of the board of directors
For the year ended 31 March 2013
*partnership development, financial risk, T.U.P.E., communication about commissioning intentions and
commissioning cycles, unrealistic timescales, breaking down contracts into smaller lots, allowing room for innovation,
and lack of awareness by commissioners of the challenges faced by smaller organisations.
Volunteer Bristol
Following the joint work on our BASIS 2 project that came to an end in March 2012, Volunteer
Bristol commissioned Voscur to develop a plan that would ensure the sustainability of the
training programme that had been developed as part of the BASIS 2 project.
University of Bristol
Proving Our Value, Voscur's three-year knowledge partnership with the University of Bristol and
South West Forum, has continued to develop towards the production of an impact
measurement tool this year. Throughout 2012 a total of 54 members participated in the
research phase of the work. This has gathered data about the extent to which groups improved
(or reduced) their organisational performance and impact for beneficiaries. Once this phase is
complete, the changes in performance and impact will be correlated with the level of support
organisations received from Voscur. This will indicate how far Voscur's input contributed
towards increasing members' impact, and put an economic value on this contribution. The final
phase of the project, in 2013, will focus on turning the research methodology into a practical
tool that can be used by other infrastructure organisations.
Community Learning Network
Voscur supported VCS organisations to engage with the West of England bid to become a
Community Learning Trust and partnered with Bristol City Council’s Community Learning Team
to develop a project to support VCS involvement in the new Community Learning Trust.
Partnerships
Compact Liaison
Voscur continues to host the Compact Liaison Officer. This work is overseen by the Compact
Partners Group, (a cross-sector board comprising statutory and VCS representatives).
Commissioning and contracting* remains a concern for Bristol VCS organisations and much of
the Compact Liaison Officer’s work has been advocating for and supporting VCS groups within
generic commissioning activity and specific commissioning processes. This has included
meeting with Councillors and officers, planning, organising and participating in joint events for
VCS organisations and commissioners, providing one-to-one support for organisations and
maintaining an up-to-date, informative website.
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Voscur Limited
Report of the board of directors
For the year ended 31 March 2013
It is important that we recognise the pro bono support that has been offered during the past
year. Voscur has established excellent relationships across all sectors and greatly values the
partnership working that enhances and adds considerable value to our work with VCS
organisations in Bristol.
Our Focus in 2013-14
Future funding strategy
Voscur has retained the post of Business Development Officer who has continued to work with
the Chief Executive to develop income generation activities, and respond to funding and
investment opportunities. In February 2013 Bristol City Council commissioners committed to a
2 year extension of the Infrastructure Support Services Contract (to March 2016) subject to
successful renegotiation of Key Performance Indicators. Voscur has developed relationships
with key new structures and is conscious of the importance of developing and fostering
relationships with potential partners from all sectors. The Local Enterprise Partnership and the
potential for working in partnership with organisations across the West of England provide new
opportunities for Voscur and its members.
Governance and management
We have strengthened and improved Voscur’s governance, offered Media and Equality and
Diversity training to board and staff members, held a joint board and staff development day,
and established a sustainability sub-group comprising board and staff members. We have
submitted a file of evidence to NAVCA (our umbrella and accrediting body) who have audited
our work before renewing our NAVCA Quality Mark, which we first achieved in 2008.
Charity registration
Following a period of consultation, legal advice and an extraordinary general meeting, Voscur
registered as a charity in August 2012. Voscur has operated for some time as if it were a
charity, so registration will not make a significant difference to its operations. However, funders
will be reassured in that there is an additional level of reporting and higher standard of
governance required for registered charities. Charitable status offers Voscur additional
fundraising opportunities.
Voscur and Volunteer Bristol
Almost two years after discussions first began about the possibility of joining forces to form a
stronger and more responsive support organisation, (and having followed a number of due
diligence processes), Volunteer Bristol and Voscur held Extraordinary General Meetings in July
2013 and sought the support of their members to merge into one organisation. This work has
been facilitated by a grant from the Esmee Fairburn Trust’s merger fund. With the approval of
their respective memberships, the organisations aim to merge in October 2013.
Activities and review of the year
Pro bono supporters
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Voscur Limited
Report of the board of directors
For the year ended 31 March 2013
Reserves policy
Max Beseke Chair until 26 September 2012
Richard Pendlebury Chair from 26 September 2012
Steph Mustoe Treasurer from 05 September 2012
Paul Hazelden ) interim Treasurer until 05 September 2012
Paul Hazelden ) Vice-Chair
Anna Smith Vice-Chair
Joanna Holmes
Frances Fox
Abdullahi Farah
Poku Osei from 26 September 2012
Philip Parry
Hen Wilkinson until 27 February 2013
Mike Zeidler from 26 September 2012
Statement of the board of Trustees’ responsibilities
Voscur has a reserves policy of £115,000 based on core operating costs. The resources sub-
committee, in accordance with guidance from Voscur’s auditors, reviews the level of reserves
annually. This was reviewed by the resources committee in May 2013. Voscur has transferred
£5,000 to its contingency reserve to increase its reserve figure to £96,000 and will continue to
build its reserves to reflect its reserves policy figure. Voscur also seeks to maintain sufficient
unrestricted funds not committed or invested in tangible fixed assets to cover funding shortfalls
or interruption to normal operating activities.
Members of the company guarantee to contribute an amount not exceeding £1 to the assets of
the company in the event of a winding up. The total number of members with such guarantees
at 31 March 2013 were 495 (2012 - 485) with 78 new joiners, 179 free members and 68
leavers (including non-paid) during the year. Members of the board of Trustees and staff
have signed declarations of interest in the organisation and a register of any interests is kept.
Members of the board of Trustees, who are Directors for the purpose of company law, who
served during the year and since the year-end were as follows:
Members of the board of Trustees and their interests
The board of Trustees who are also directors for the purpose of company law, are responsible
for preparing the Trustees’ report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable
Company law requires the board of Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial
year. Under that law the board of Trustees have elected to prepare the financial statements in
accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom
Accounting Standards and applicable law). Under company law the board of Trustees must not
approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of
the state of affairs of the company and the profit or loss of the company for that period.
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Voscur Limited
Report of the board of directors
For the year ended 31 March 2013
In preparing these financial statements, the board of Trustees are required to:
select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;
make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
Auditors
Approved by the board of Trustees on 4 September 2013 and signed on its behalf by
Richard Pendlebury - Chair
prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to
presume that the company will continue in operation.
The board of Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are
sufficient to show and explain the company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable
accuracy at any time the financial position of the company and enable them to ensure that the
financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for
safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the
prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Each of the board of Trustees confirms that to the best of his/her knowledge there is no
information relevant to the audit of which the auditors are unaware. Each of the board of
Trustees also confirms that he/she has taken all necessary steps to ensure that he/she is
aware of all relevant audit information and that this information has been communicated to the
The board of Trustees are responsible for the maintenance and integrity of the corporate and
financial information included on the company's website. Legislation in the United Kingdom
governing the preparation and dissemination of the financial statements may differ from
legislation in other jurisdictions.
Sayer Vincent were re-appointed as the company's auditors during the year and have
expressed their willingness to continue in that capacity.
state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any
material departures disclosed and explained in the financial statements;
The board of Trustees' report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable
to companies subject to the small companies' regime.
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Independent auditors' report
To the members of
Voscur Limited
•
•
•
As explained more fully in the Statement of Trustees’ responsibilities set out in the trustees’ report,
the trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law)
are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a
true and fair view.
give a true and fair view of the state of the charitable company’s affairs as at 31 March 2013 and
of its incoming resources and application of resources, including its income and expenditure, for
the year then ended;
Opinion on financial statements
In our opinion the financial statements:
have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted
have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.
We have audited the financial statements of Voscur Limited for the year ended 31 March 2013 which
comprise the Statement of Financial Activities, balance sheet and the related notes. The financial
reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom
Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
This report is made solely to the charitable 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 charitable company's members those matters we are required to state to them in an
auditors' 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 charitable company and the charitable company's
members, as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
Respective responsibilities of trustees and auditors
Our responsibility is to audit and express an opinion on the financial statements in accordance with
applicable law and International Standards on Auditing (UK and Ireland). Those standards require us
to comply with the Auditing Practices Board’s Ethical Standards for Auditors.
Scope of the audit of the financial statements
An audit involves obtaining evidence about the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements
sufficient to give reasonable assurance that the financial statements are free from material
misstatement, whether caused by fraud or error. This includes an assessment of: whether the
accounting policies are appropriate to the charitable company’s circumstances and have been
consistently applied and adequately disclosed; the reasonableness of significant accounting estimates
made by the trustees; and the overall presentation of the financial statements. In addition, we read all
the financial and non-financial information in the trustees’ report to identify material inconsistencies
with the audited financial statements. If we become aware of any apparent material misstatements or
inconsistencies we consider the implications for our report.
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Independent auditors' report
To the members of
Voscur Limited
•
•
•
•
•
Matters on which we are required to report by exception
the trustees were not entitled to prepare the financial statements in accordance with the small
companies regime and take advantage of the small companies exemption in preparing the
trustees’ report
we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or
Opinion on other matter prescribed by the Companies Act 2006
Sayer Vincent, 8 Angel Gate, City Road, LONDON EC1V 2SJ
In our opinion the information given in the report of the board of directors for the financial year for
which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements.
We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters where the Companies Act 2006 requires
us to report to you if, in our opinion:
adequate accounting records have not been kept or returns adequate for our audit have not
been received from branches not visited by us; or
the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or
certain disclosures of trustees’ remuneration specified by law are not made; or
Catherine L Sayer (Senior statutory auditor)
1 October 2013
for and on behalf of Sayer Vincent, Statutory Auditors
15
Statement of Financial Activities (incorporating an income and expenditure account)
2013 2012
Restricted Unrestricted Total Total
Note £ £ £ £
Incoming resources
Voluntary income - 200 200 494
Activities for generating funds 2 729 35,885 36,614 34,102
Investment income - 75 75 78
3 - 247,382 247,382 244,236
4 - 81,088 81,088 87,088
5 36,427 16,124 52,551 19,657
6 7,990 142,818 150,808 142,839
7 41,333 - 41,333 40,494
Total incoming resources 86,479 523,572 610,051 568,988
Resources expended 8
Costs of generating funds:
Costs of generating voluntary income - 27,207 27,207 16,257
Charitable activities
- 252,174 252,174 231,590
- 86,458 86,458 85,032
30,090 13,932 44,022 21,403
10,573 147,600 158,173 138,978
44,175 - 44,175 41,695
Governance costs 299 5,737 6,036 6,070
Total resources expended 85,137 533,108 618,245 541,026
9 1,342 (9,536) (8,194) 27,962
8,937 (8,937) - -
10,279 (18,473) (8,194) 27,962
Funds at the start of the year 1,025 141,489 142,514 114,552
Funds at the end of the year 14 11,304 123,016 134,320 142,514
Support Hub activity
Incoming resources from charitable
activities
Equalities activities
Information services
Equalities activities
All of the above results are derived from continuing activities. There were no other recognised gains or
losses other than those stated above. Movements in funds are disclosed in note 15 to the financial
statements.
Transfers
Net movement in funds
Voice & Influence activities
Partnerships
Support Hub activity
(Deficit)/Surplus for the year before tax
and transfers
Partnerships
Voice & Influence activities
Voscur Limited
For the year ended 31 March 2013
Incoming resources from generated funds
Information services
16
2013 2012
Note £ £ £
Current assets
Debtors 11 57,014 49,695
Cash at bank and in hand 135,259 131,071
192,273 180,766
Creditors: amounts due within 1 year 12 57,953 38,252
Net current assets 134,320 142,514
Net assets 134,320 142,514
Funds 14
Restricted funds 11,304 1,025
Unrestricted funds
Designated funds 99,878 102,987
General funds 23,138 38,502
134,320 142,514
Approved by the board of directors on 4 September 2013 and signed on its behalf by
Richard Pendlebury - Chair
Voscur Limited
Balance sheet
31 March 2013
Total funds
These accounts have been prepared in accordance with the special provisions applicable to companies
subject to the small companies' regime.
Company No. 3918210
17
Notes to the financial statements
1. Accounting policies
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)
j)
k)
l)
Voscur Limited
For the year ended 31 March 2013
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention and in
accordance with applicable accounting standards and the Companies Act 2006. They follow the
recommendations in the Statement of Recommended Practice, Accounting and Reporting by
Charities (SORP 2005).
The charitable company is dependent on receiving future funding from key providers. At the
current time, the management team and the directors are in negotiations with key funders. The
directors are confident these negotiations will be successful and accordingly have prepared the
financial statements on the going concern basis.
The accounting policies have been applied consistently.
All income is included in full in the Statement of Financial Activities when receivable and
measurable with accuracy. Income is deferred if it has been received but relates to a specific
future period or is dependent upon conditions to be fulfilled by the organisation.
Income from other activities such as membership or training are included in the Statement of
Financial Activities once the related goods or services have been delivered.
Unrestricted funds can be used in accordance with the company's objects at the discretion of the
board of management.
Contractual income and performance related grant income are included in the Statement of
Financial Activities when the related goods or services have been delivered.
Resources expended are recognised in the year in which they are incurred. Resources
expended include attributable VAT which cannot be recovered.
The organisation from time to time may need to transfer funds between funders. These
transfers are usually made between funds that finance the project or where restricted funds are
in a deficit and funds are transferred from unrestricted funds.
Grants, including grants for the purchase of fixed assets, are recognised in full in the Statement
of Financial Activities in the year in which they are receivable. Grants receivable are only
recognised when any conditions for receipt have been complied with.
Designated funds are funds set aside by the board of management out of unrestricted general
funds for specific future purposes or projects.
Restricted funds can only be used for particular restricted purposes within the objects of the
company. Restrictions arise when specified by the donor or when funds are raised for particular
restricted purposes. Expenditure which meets these criteria is charged to the fund.
Resources expended are recognised in the period in which they are incurred and are allocated to
the particular activity where the cost relates directly to that activity. However, the cost of overall
direction and administration of each activity, comprising the salary and overhead costs of the
central function, is apportioned on the basis of staff time spent on each activity. Resources
expended include attributable VAT which cannot be recovered.
18
Notes to the financial statements
Voscur Limited
For the year ended 31 March 2013
1. Accounting policies (continued)
m)
n)
2. Activities for generating funds 2013 2012
Restricted Total Total
£ £ £ £
729 - 729 5,224
- 7,150 7,150 5,604
- 13,453 13,453 12,201
- 14,638 14,638 11,073
- 644 644 -
729 35,885 36,614 34,102
3. Support Hub activity 2013 2012
Restricted Total Total
£ £ £ £
- 220,462 220,462 220,462
- 20,400 20,400 16,054
- 6,520 6,520 -
Facilitation & Support - - - 7,720
- 247,382 247,382 244,236
4. Information services 2013 2012
Restricted Total Total
£ £ £ £
- 81,088 81,088 81,088
- - - 1,000
- - - 5,000
- 81,088 81,088 87,088
Unrestricted
Bristol City Council - ISSP
Training income
ChYP Business Support
Newsletter/website income
Voluntary Value - SWF
Connecting Bristol
Reimbursement of costs
Unrestricted
Membership income
The organisation offers a defined contribution scheme offering 7% of gross pay towards either
Voscur's group personal pension plan or employees' personal pension plans. The cost of
providing pension and related benefits is charged to the income and expenditure account within
staff costs.
Under FRS 1, the company is exempt from the requirement to prepare a cash flow statement on
the grounds of its size.
Unrestricted
Bristol City Council - ISSP
Facilitation/training income
BNHC consortium
19
Notes to the financial statements
Voscur Limited
For the year ended 31 March 2013
5. Equalities activities 2013 2012
Restricted Total Total
£ £ £ £
- 13,657 13,657 13,657
12,292 - 12,292 -
24,135 - 24,135 -
- 2,467 2,467 -
- - - 6,000
36,427 16,124 52,551 19,657
6. Voice & Influence activities 2013 2012
Restricted Total Total
£ £ £ £
- 138,589 138,589 138,589
4,910 - 4,910 -
3,080 - 3,080 3,000
- 1,000 1,000 -
Quartet - 1,729 1,729 -
- 1,500 1,500 1,250
7,990 142,818 150,808 142,839
7. Partnerships 2013 2012
Restricted Total Total
£ £ £ £
5,312 - 5,312 17,367
10,221 - 10,221 -
7,800 - 7,800 4,547
18,000 - 18,000 18,000
Facilitation - - - 580
41,333 - 41,333 40,494
Avon & Somerset Police -
Restorative Justice
University of Bristol - Proving our
Value
Unrestricted
BCC/Neighbourhoods - BME
BCC/H&SC - Centre for Deaf
Facilitation/Training income
Unrestricted
Bristol City Council - ISSP
BCC/Neighbourhoods - BME
Community Learning Service
navca - Police Crime
Bristol Compact
CLinks
Bristol City Council - ISSP
Unrestricted
Lottery - BASIS II - Volunteer
Esmee Fairbairn
20
Notes to the financial statements
8. Total resources expended
Cost of
generating
funds
Support
Hub
activities
Information
services
Equalities
activities
Voice &
Influence
activites Partnerships
Governance
Costs 2013 Total
2012
Total
£ £ £ £ £ £ £ £ £
Staff costs (Note 10) 13,084 168,996 65,651 33,753 126,876 33,084 - 441,444 397,007
Research & developments 430 688 299 221 426 358 - 2,422 19,578
Training programme 2,604 18,111 119 180 141 64 - 21,219 12,402
Recruitment fees - - - 568 - - - 568 1,133
Travel 1,309 950 265 728 985 331 164 4,732 3,216
Training & Conference 1,079 649 494 34 251 283 340 3,130 -
Attendance fee - - - - - - - - (6,000)
Meeting costs 2,890 2,874 601 502 10,718 276 - 17,861 7,326
Bursaries - 2,300 - - - - - 2,300 2,160
Library resources 16 494 - - - - - 510 488
Subscriptions/memberships 277 326 182 23 254 243 - 1,305 2,021
Advisors support - 4,910 592 107 1,038 - - 6,647 1,750
Rent 1,669 10,525 3,768 4,895 6,673 1,414 - 28,944 27,079
Telephones 255 1,761 617 197 1,091 221 - 4,142 2,906
Office stationery 287 1,581 583 337 1,035 214 - 4,037 2,548
Photocopying 130 791 294 252 521 215 - 2,203 1,043
Postage/carriage 195 1,158 434 444 750 162 - 3,143 2,399
IT costs 706 4,435 1,684 468 2,752 986 - 11,031 9,180
Grants payable - 28,046 - - - - - 28,046 28,339
Professional fees 303 216 89 23 160 4,798 - 5,589 6,329
Newsletter and directory 636 502 9,750 310 2,669 244 - 14,111 6,221
Office equipment, hire & maintenance 540 1,231 439 848 778 553 - 4,389 2,669
Insurance & legal fees 693 1,367 508 116 897 697 - 4,278 3,881
Audit & accountancy - - - - - - 5,532 5,532 6,314
Bank charges 104 263 89 16 158 32 - 662 598
Miscellaneous - - - - - - - - 439
Total resources expended 27,207 252,174 86,458 44,022 158,173 44,175 6,036 618,245 541,026
Voscur Limited
For the year ended 31 March 2013
21
Notes to the financial statements
9. (Deficit)/Surplus for the year
This is stated after charging / crediting:
2013 2012
£ £
Board of directors' remuneration - -
Board of directors' reimbursed expenses * 504 459
Operating lease rentals:
Property 28,944 27,079
Auditors' remuneration:
Audit 5,532 5,400
Taxation services 660 850
10.
2013 2012
Staff costs were as follows: £ £
Salaries and wages 376,110 315,617
Social security costs 27,883 28,825
Pension contributions 24,608 21,575
Non-salary staff costs 12,843 30,990
441,444 397,007
Total emoluments paid to staff were: 400,718 337,192
No member of staff earned remuneration over £60,000.
2013 2012
No. No.
Management 2.40 3.50
Projects 7.34 4.40
Administration 3.48 2.96
13.22 10.86
* 7 trustees received reimbursements for expenses
Voscur Limited
For the year ended 31 March 2013
Staff costs and numbers
The average weekly number of employees (full-time equivalent) during the
year was as follows:
22
Notes to the financial statements
Voscur Limited
For the year ended 31 March 2013
11. Debtors 2013 2012
£ £
Trade debtors 46,270 33,434
Prepayments and accrued income 10,744 16,261
57,014 49,695
12. Creditors: amounts due within one year 2013 2012
£ £
Trade creditors 13,197 2,939
Accruals 7,050 5,400
Advance income 11,875 -
Other taxation & social security 6,040 4,712
VAT 19,791 25,201
57,953 38,252
13. Operating lease commitments Property Property
2013 2012
£ £
Expiring within one year 19,101 -
1 - 2 Years - 21,376
19,101 21,376
14. Movements in funds
1 April
2012
Incoming
resources
Outgoing
resources Transfers
31 March
2013
£ £ £ £ £
Restricted funds:
- 24,135 (21,784) - 2,351
- 18,000 (26,109) 8,109 -
- 12,292 (8,308) - 3,984
- 10,221 (5,252) - 4,969
- 7,800 (7,800) - -
Volunteering Bristol BASIS II - 5,312 (5,312) - -
- 4,910 (4,910) - -
Infrastructure Support Service Project
2,100 3,080 (5,662) 482 -
Green Volunteering - BHNC (1,075) 729 - 346
Total restricted funds 1,025 86,479 (85,137) 8,937 11,304
Purposes of restricted funds
The transfer included in restricted funds has arisen due to more being spent than was received.
The company has annual commitments under operating leases as follows:
Funds are restricted by each project's funder, and the funds are used for the purposes described in the
directors' report.
Comminity Learning Service
Esmee Fairbairn
Compact Liaison:
Police Crime Commissioning - SCF/Navca
Community Learning Network
Proving Our Value - University of Bristol
Bristol City Council
BME Community Connector
Centre for Deaf Transitional Work
Bristol City Council
Bristol City Council
23
Notes to the financial statements
Voscur Limited
For the year ended 31 March 2013
14. Movements in funds (continued)
1 April
2012
Incoming
resources
Outgoing
resources Transfers
31 March
2013
£ £ £ £ £
Unrestricted funds:
- Bristol City Council - 453,796 (482,894) 29,098 -
- Support Hub Plus
- 6,520 (6,520) - -
- Quartet Community Foundation - 1,729 (1,729) - -
- Clinks - Innovation Partnerships - 1,500 (1,500) - -
- 1,000 (1,000) - -
Bristol PCT 11,987 - - (8,109) 3,878
Contingency reserve 91,000 - - 5,000 96,000
Total designated funds 102,987 464,545 (493,643) 25,989 99,878
General funds 38,502 59,027 (39,465) (34,926) 23,138
Total unrestricted funds 141,489 523,572 (533,108) (8,937) 123,016
Total funds 142,514 610,051 (618,245) - 134,320
Voscur has transferred £5,000 to its contingency reserve to increase that reserve to £96k.
Voscur has transferred (£8,109) to support its work under Partnerships for Compact Liaison
Voscur has transferred £29,098 from its general funds to support the work of the Bristol City Council's
Infrastructure Support Service Project (ISSP)
Compact Liaison:
Designated funds:
- Avon & Somerset Police Restorative
- ChYP Business Support
Infrastructure Support Service Project
Infrastructure Support Service Project
24