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The Director of Finance submitted a report outlining the Statement of Accounts of the Mayor’s Charity for the year ended 14 May 2022 for approval.  It was reported that this included an amount of £11,279 that had been carried forward which had subsequently been donated to various charities in 2022/23.  The Internal Audit report into the Mayor’s Charity Account was attached at Appendix 2 of the report for Members’ consideration.

The Senior Finance Business Partner outlined the report and confirmed that the Mayor’s Charity has a financial year end of 14 May 2022.  It was highlighted that £2,300 (£13,650 in 2020/21) had been brought forward from 2020/2021 which was a significant reduction from the previous year resulting from reduced activity due to the Covid-19 pandemic.  Members were advised that a total of £15,505 had been raised from the Mayor’s Lottery and that payments to winners had meant only £505 had been added to the monies available for donation to local charities.  The Mayor’s Ball had raised £8,610.  It was reported that this resulted in a total of £11,279 to be carried forward to 2022/23.  It was further reported that it was a consideration for the Charitable Trusts Sub-Committee as to whether the accounts be approved.

The Audit Manager confirmed that the Trust Deed had now been updated and lodged with the Charity Commission.  Members were advised that actions had been taken from the previous year in order to strengthen the charity’s internal financial controls which included all expenses for invoices are now paid by cheque from the charity account and for in person cash collection at events the number of tickets sold is recorded and cash tallied and signed off at the end of the event.  Also during this year, other initiatives had been progressed such as the move to increase participation in the Lottery via a Just Giving page.

In response to questions from Members in respect of ways to generate more income, it was suggested that increases to prices of tickets for the Mayor’s Lottery could be made and the amount available to win be decreased or to limit the prize to a first prize only.

On a motion by Councillor C Davies and seconded by Councillor J Hoey it was -

Resolved –

(1)  That the Statement of Accounts and the Internal Report be noted.

(2)  That the Statement of Accounts be approved.