CHESTER DIOCESAN BOARD OF FINANCE

Values shown as filed in the company's annual accounts. — indicates the figure wasn't present under that line item in that period. About these numbers

Margins divide P&L lines by turnover. Gearing is liabilities over total assets. Current ratio is current assets over creditors falling due within one year. Interest cover is operating profit over absolute finance costs. Sector-distribution context coming next.

Accounting basis

FRS 102

Reporting scope

Standalone (parent only)

Auditor

HaysMac LLP

Audit opinion

Unqualified (clean)

Going concern

Affirmed

“The trustees consider that there is a reasonable expectation that the DBF has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future, and as a result, the trustees continue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing the accounts. The trustees did not consider there to be any material uncertainty relating to events or conditions that individually or collectively may cast significant doubt on the DBF's ability to continue as a going concern.”

Significant events

• “I took over as Chair of the Board of Directors at the November meeting of Diocesan Synod.”
• “George Colville, who left in the summer after 25 years working for the Diocese, latterly as Diocesan Secretary.”
• “Canon Christoper Penn has agreed to act as our interim Diocesan Secretary supported by Revd Jennifer Bridgman as Interim Executive Officer.”
• “We welcome the Ven Jane Proudfoot, who previously served in Grappenhall parish, as the new Archdeacon of Macclesfield.”
• “Work has progressed on developing the diocesan strategy, with the aim of delivering the vision of reaching the 1.5 million people in the diocese who haven't yet encountered Jesus.”
• “Improvement projects continued, including the replacement of kitchens and bathrooms.”
• “Vicarages at Birkenhead St James, Cheadle St Mary and Frodsham were replaced. A replacement for the vicarage at Bowdon was purchased. The former vicarage was Runcorn Weston was sold; a replacement having been purchased in the prior year. The vicarage at St John, Chester was sold, pending a replacement. The vicarage at Compstall was sold following a pastoral reorganisation. The development at Poynton was completed and the vicar had moved in.”
• “In 2024, 10 people were ordained deacon, 7 started ordination and 6 started training for Licensed Lay Ministry. 10 new Lay Ministers were licensed, and 10 curates completed their post ordination training.”
• “2024 saw the launch of the Church of England National Safeguarding Standards, and its implementation by the DBF. The delivery of training has expanded, now including all employed DBF staff.”
• “The Defined Benefits Scheme section of the Church Workers Pension Fund for lay staff closed during the year while in surplus.”

Auditor, going-concern and subsidiary information is drawn from the narrative of the latest annual accounts. About these numbers

Filings

10

last 12 months

Capital events

0

last 24 months

Officers appointed

0

last 12 months

Officers resigned

2

last 12 months

Direct counts from the register. No score, no rating — see the Filing timeline for the underlying events.

• Turnover

  +3%

  £11,021,000 → £11,348,000

• Cash

  +12.2%

  £7,997,000 → £8,972,000

• Net assets

  -10.1%

  £170,847,000 → £153,514,000

• Employees

  +7%

  43 → 46

• Wages

  +21.5%

  £1,777,000 → £2,159,000

Each % is (latest − prior) ÷ |prior| for the line item as filed. The comparison is only shown when the latest and prior accounts cover broadly equal-length periods — short or long stubs (typical around incorporation or a year-end change) are suppressed rather than misrepresented. Lines a company doesn't report are omitted. About these numbers