The format of the Parish annual return has changed - effective for the year ending 31 December 2008.
The key reason for the change is the new requirement to file an annual return to the Charities Commission, the first being in 2009.
Under the arrangements with the Commission, the Diocese will file a return on behalf of all parishes. The new annual return for parishes incorporates the information now required to be provided to the Charities Commission.
The Diocese will consolidate the annual returns from all parishes and then prepare a Group return (which will include parish information) to the Charities Commission.
In order to meet the Commission’s deadline, completed Parish annual returns must be submitted to the Diocese by 31 March 2009.
The new forms for the 2008 Parish Return are attached below. They are:
1. Parish Annual Return
Form 1: Annual summary of payments to Diocese
Form 2: People Statistics report
Form 3: Financial Statistics report
2. House Account Annual Return
Form H1: Annual summary of Bishop allocation payments
Form H2: Financial Statistics report
A copy of your Parish annual financial statements [Income Statement, Balance Sheet] must also be attached to your return forms.
For those parishes that do not currently have a preferred format for their annual financial statements, attached is a suggested template for an Income Statement and Balance Sheet. This suggested template has been designed to keep your annual reports as simple as possible, whilst meeting the reporting requirements as set out by the Charities Commission.
Information is also required by the Charities Commission on the number of volunteers in your parish and the average amount of volunteer hours worked. This information simply represents your best estimate of volunteer work in your parish. Voluntary work in a parish can be defined as any unpaid work provided by a lay individual which assist the parish in its needs. This would cover all types of works in the parish including administrative, pastoral and liturgical activities.
A listing of the various activities often undertaken by volunteers in a parish is attached below. This list may be of assistance to you in identifying the actual volunteer activities and volunteer time provided in your own parish.