St Andrew’s - Redevelopment Report - September 2011

First I can confirm that the architect has now issued the practical completion certificate for the whole project. As I write this we are still awaiting Mustoes account for work done after 30^th June (primarily on the new pillars) and for release of part of the retention. Assuming that we recover all of our VAT claims (and that is a lottery decided every quarter) the VAT income will cover future costs although there will be a cash flow effect in the meantime. That should give us a build cost, net of VAT reclaims, of just under £350,000.

Consultants costs have so far cost over £60,000 and a further £10,000 is estimated as still due to give an overall project cost of circa £420,000.

Donna Sutherland prepared figures for 2011 alone, that were submitted to the finance committee earlier this month. The implication of these figures and our future estimates, is that the balance in the redevelopment fund at the end of this year will effectively be Nil, but that we will still need fundraising to deal with the original redevelopment depreciation next year. That is where residual aspects of the Talents challenge, Saturday coffee and other giving will be needed to cover the charge of £14,900.

The Talents challenge had banked £1,221 to end August. Other fundraising contributed £1,042 and the Saturday stalls and coffee a combined £3,135. Our offerings and standing orders in favour of the redevelopment fund have generated £6,897 before gift aid tax reclaims.

On behalf of the elders I wish to thank you for what you have been able to do, to date. Regrettably we cannot rest on our laurels and I do ask you to support what you can, and try and get your friends involved as well, as we work towards ensuring that we can meet our commitments, before we need to address the cost of organ repairs, identified as being partly caused by the effects of having a much warmer church sanctuary for the last decade.

A more detailed presentation will be made at the church meeting on 16^th October, together with an update on where we are on church funds, parking proposals and alternative arrangements required to assist us function plus whatever else might be appropriate. Although it has not been submitted to finance, we may even have the 2012 budget for discussion a month earlier than normal.

David Black