THE CITY OF WINCHESTER TRUST LIMITED
REPORT OF THE COUNCIL AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED
31 MARCH 2016
1 NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS - ACCOUNTING POLICIES
The accounting policies adopted by the Trust are summarised below. The accounting policies have been applied consistently throughout the year and the preceding year.
a. Basis of Accounting
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention as modified by the inclusion of fixed asset investments at market value, and in accordance with the Companies Act 2011, the Financial Reporting Standard for Smaller Entities (effective 2008). and the Statement of Recommended Practice: Accounting and Repoiting by Charities issued in March 2005 and revised in May 2008.
b. Fund accounting
Unrestricted funds are available for use at the discretion of the trustees in furtherance of the general objectives of the charity. Designated funds are unrestricted funds earmarked by the Council for particular purposes. Restricted funds are subjected to restrictions on their expenditure imposed by donors. The Alder Bequest restricted fund, both capital and income is restricted to expenditure on the trusts archives.
c. Incoming Resources
All incoming resources are included in the statement of financial activities when the charity is entitled to the income and the amount can be quantified with reasonable accuracy. The following specific policies are applied to particular categories of income:
- Voluntary income is received by way of grants, donations and gifts and is included in full in the Statement of Financial Activities when receivable. Grants, where entitlement is not conditional on the delivery of specific perfomance by the charity, are recognised when the charity becomes unconditionally entitled to the grant.
- Donated services and facilities are included at the value to the charity where this can be quantified. The value of services by volunteers has not been included in these accounts.
- Investment income is included when receivable.
- Incoming resources from grants, where related to perfomance and specific deliverables, are accounted for as the charity eams the right to consideration by its performance.
d. Resources Expended
Expenditure is recognised on an accrual basis as a liability is incurred. Expenditure includes VAT which cannot be recovered, and is reported as part of the expenditure to which it relates:
- Costs of generating funds comprise the costs associated with attracting voluntary income.
- Charitable expenditure comprises those costs incurred by the charity in the delivery of its activities and services for its beneficiaries. It includes both costs that can be allocated directly to such activities and those costs of an indirect nature necessary to support them.
- Govemance costs include those costs associated with meeting the constitutional and statutory requirements of the charity.
- All costs are allocated between the expenditure categories of the Financial Statements on a basis designed to reflect the use of the resource. Costs relating to a particular activity have been allocated directly; others are apportioned on an appropriate basis.
e. Tangible Fixed Assets
Individual assets costing £500 or more are capitalised at cost. Depreciation is calculated to write down the cost of fixed assets to their estimated residual value over their expected useful lives. Leasehold property is not depreciated for the foreseeable future on the basis the asset has a long useful economic life and is held primarily for charity use. All other fixed assets are depreciated on a reducing balance basis at 25% per annum.
f. Stocks
Stocks are valued at the lower of cost and net realisable value.