Finance Score: -8
Governance Score: 5
Support Score: 7
  • Poor Liquidity: -1
  • Good Reserves: +1Spending falling: -1
  • Multiple Deficits and declines: -5
  • Fundraising costs high: -2
  • 12+ Trustees: -1
  • Good trustee age range: +3
  • Dynamic board: +3
  • Overall weighted support: +7
Overall GiG Score: 4 ?

LUTON CULTURAL SERVICES TRUST

Luton Culture comprises arts, community centres, libraries and museums. Our facilities received over 1.45 million visits. Core library and museum services and arts development activities are provided free of charge with most events and performances subsidised.
Analysis by Giving is Great

Positives:

  • A significant proportion of recent income was derived from major grant makers including the Government
  • The Board appears to be well diversified in terms of age and dynamic in terms of composition

Regulatory & Governance issues to consider:

  • Why are there 15 trustees whereas the Charities Commission recommends a maximum of 12?
  • Over half the Board have joined recently

Financial issues to consider:

  • Liquidity appears to have been slender at the latest year end but unrestricted reserves are available
  • Spending has fallen significantly over the last 5 years relative to the previous period
  • Income has been volatile and on several occasions in recent years less than spending
  • Fundraising costs are high relative to funds raised

Financial Data ?

Income & Spending ?
Sources of Income ?
Y/E Income
£k
Spending
£k
Surplus/
Deficit £k
Fundraising
Cost £k
Total
Funds £k
Unrestricted
Funds £k
Mths
Rsrvs
Staff Volun-
teers
31/03/23£2,832£4,304£-1,471£543£5,815£5,70315.94576
31/03/22£3,992£3,636£356£387£-698£-738-2.4381,429
31/03/21£4,541£3,314£1,227£320£-3,858£-3,904-14.15015
31/03/20£6,710£6,866£-156£680£-771£-950-1.71271,525
31/03/19£8,066£6,611£1,455£561£-1,852£-2,393-4.3128186
31/03/18*£7,666£7,256£410£719£-3,504£-3,893-6.41600
31/03/17£7,262£7,594£-332£956£-4,155£-4,341-6.91750
31/03/16£7,217£7,915£-698£879£-1,994£-2,191-3.31920
31/03/15£7,217£7,696£-479£766£-3,310£-3,567-5.61390
31/03/14£8,229£7,943£285£1,007£-478£-659-11660
31/03/13£8,875£7,954£921£1,007£-769£-850-1.31440
31/03/12*£8,428£7,925£503£1,028£-473£-503-0.81440
31/03/11*£7,891£7,698£193£429£-78£-78-0.11600
31/03/10*£7,653£7,893£-240£429£-2,869£-2,906-4.41520
31/03/09£8,010£7,683£328£380£-160£-268-0.41490

Financial Ratios
Fundraising Costs/Relevant Income: 24.8%
Fundraising Costs/Total Spending: 12.6%
Senior Staff Costs/Total Spending: 7%
Highest pay band: £100,000-£110,000
Liabilities/Assets: 26%
Liabilities/Income: 73%
Unrestricted Funds/Total Funds: 98%
Reserves/Spending: 15.9 months
Net Current Assets/Spending: -1 months
Quick Ratio: 0.1
Asset Split ?
Balance Sheet History
Established: 17 years

www.culturetrust.com

info@culturetrust.com

01582 878122

Charity Commission for England and WalesCompanies HouseFacebookInstagramX
UN SDGs
?
Listed activities
  • Arts/Culture/Heritage/Science
  • Education/Training
GiG Classification
  • Museums, parks, historical sites
How it operates
  • Provides services
Where it operates
  • Luton,
Who it helps
  • The General Public/Mankind

Who supports them? ?

Donations from Grant Makers ?

We have details on the following donations. Multi-year donations are allocated to the years for which they are earmarked.

Major supporters in last 5 years
DCMS£1,131,429
National Lottery Heritage Fund£77,700
Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation£25,000
The Pilgrim Trust£20,000
Specific Donations
Amount When
Months
To be used for
National Lottery Heritage Fund - Grant to Luton Cultural Services Trust
£10,000 22/03/2023
Sustainable Stockwood
DCMS - 47 Guildford Street, Luton, LU1 2NJ
£18,200 01/04/2022
Development and repair project to site, repairs to substructureand superstructure at 47 Guildford Street
Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation - Developing LGBTQ+ visibility and support structures in Luton
£25,000 09/02/2022
Over 18 months, The Culture Trust will work with key voluntary, community, and professional partners to develop and deliver a programme of co-created change for the LGBTQ+ community of Luton. It will particularly respond to the increased physical ....more
DCMS - Culture Recovery Fund: Continuity Support
£293,777 27/10/2021
To support cultural organisations who have received funding from the Culture Recovery Fund: Grants programme, in the first or second rounds, and can clearly demonstrate the financial need for further funding in order to be able to operate on a ....more
National Lottery Heritage Fund - Grant to Luton Cultural Services Trust (Luton Culture)
£67,700 18/08/2020
COVID19 Luton Cultural Services Trust
The Pilgrim Trust - Grant to Luton Cultural Services Trust (The Culture Trust)
£20,000 05/06/2020
9
The conservation and regeneration of Grade 2 listed Victorian hat factory at 47 Guildford Street, Luton known as the Hatworks.
DCMS - ALB-HISTORIC ENGLAND - 47 Guildford Street, Luton, LU1 2NJ
£50,000 01/04/2020
Development and repair project to site. The wider aim of the scheme is: The scheme is intended to reduce the risk faced by some of the most significant historic sites in England, as shown on the Heritage at Risk Register. The focus of grants is on ....more
DCMS - Re-Animate
£769,452 01/04/2020
To support Arts and Culture throughout England
DCMS - 47 Guildford Street, Luton
£181,800 01/04/2019
Development and repair project to site
DCMS - 47 Guildford Street, Luton
£4,400 01/04/2018
Roof and RWG repair.
DCMS - Repair Grants for Heritage at Risk
£44,000 12/07/2017
Roof and RWG repair.
National Lottery Heritage Fund - Grant to Luton Cultural Services Trust (Luton Culture)
£78,200 18/07/2013
Taking the next step: Improving heritage commercialisation at Luton Culture
National Lottery Community Fund - Luton Veg Fest
£10,000 11/04/2013
12
This is a project by an incorporated charity in Luton, Bedfordshire. The organisation will use funding to provide schools with support to run sustainable growing projects, culminating in a celebratory event, where schools will showcase their produce ....more
Show more rows

Data sourced from Donors via 360 Giving

How is it governed?

Trustees (15)
Current Trustees appointed

Age Range of Trustees: 29-62
  • ANDREW STRANGE Appointed: 2008, Occupation: Web Developer
  • AMY NICHOLLS Appointed: 2024, Occupation: Constituency Support Manager
  • ANDREA GODDARD STARK Appointed: 1992, Occupation: Retired
  • BILAL HUSSAIN Appointed: 2022, Occupation: Company Director
  • CHARMAINE ISLES Appointed: 2024, Occupation: Transport For London
  • DR CARLOTA LARREA Appointed: 2019, Occupation: Head Of School, Culture And Communications
  • JOANNE ELIZABETH READ Appointed: 2022, Occupation: Managing Director
  • JULIA LUDDINGTON Appointed: 2024, Occupation: Content Manager
  • JULMA BEGUM Appointed: 2021, Occupation: Solicitor
  • NADINE COTTON Appointed: 2024, Occupation: Deputy Director Of School Improvement
  • NIGEL MARSHALL Appointed: 2024, Occupation: Recruitment Specialist
  • PRITESH MISTRY Appointed: 2024, Occupation: Risk Policy And Framework Lead
  • ROBERT SMALLEY Appointed: 2018, Occupation: Commercial Director
  • SUFIAN SADIQ Appointed: 2018, Occupation: Head Of Vocational Education
  • SAFEER AHMED Appointed: 2022, Occupation: Lecturer In Accounting And Finance
Legal constitution
  • Charitable company registered in England & Wales on 27/02/2008, number: 1122964
  • Registered at Companies House on 17/09/2007, number: 06373488
Gift Aid
  • Registered with HMRC for Gift Aid
Policies in force
  • Bullying and harassment policy and procedures
  • Complaints handling
  • Complaints policy and procedures
  • Conflicting interests
  • Financial reserves policy and procedures
  • Internal charity financial controls policy and procedures
  • Investing charity funds policy and procedures
  • Paying staff
  • Risk management
  • Safeguarding policy and procedures
  • Safeguarding vulnerable beneficiaries
  • Serious incident reporting policy and procedures
  • Social media policy and procedures
  • Trustee conflicts of interest policy and procedures
  • Trustee expenses policy and procedures
  • Volunteer management
Filing Record
15 returns made; AR18: 36 days late, AR12: 0 days late, AR11: 1 days late, AR10: 2 days late,
Main office

THE HAT FACTORY ARTS CENTRE
65-67 BUTE STREET
LUTON
LU1 2EY

Objectives

3.1 THE ADVANCEMENT AND SUPPORT OF EDUCATION, CULTURE, ARTS, HERITAGE AND HISTORY INCLUDING THE PROVISION OF LIBRARIES, MUSEUMS, GALLERIES, LEARNING AND INFORMATION CENTRES, ARCHIVES AND OTHER RELATED SERVICES; AND/OR3.2 THE PROVISION OR ASSISTANCE IN THE PROVISION OF FACILITIES FOR RECREATION OR OTHER LEISURE TIME OCCUPATION IN THE INTEREST OF SOCIAL WELFARE SUCH FACILITIES BEING PROVIDED TO THE PUBLIC AT LARGE SAVE THAT SPECIAL FACILITIES MAY BE PROVIDED TO PERSONS WHO BY REASON OF THEIR YOUTH, AGE,INFIRMITY OR DISABILITY, POVERTY OR SOCIAL OR ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES MAY HAVE NEED OF SPECIAL FACILITIES OR SERVICES; AND/OR3.3 SUCH OTHER CHARITABLE PURPOSES BENEFICIAL TO THE PUBLIC CONSISTENT WITH THE OBJECTS ABOVE AS THE DIRECTORS SHALL IN THEIR ABSOLUTE DISCRETION DETERMINE

Defined Area of Benefit:

LUTON AND WIDER AREA OF EAST OF ENGLAND

Data Sources

Charity Commission for England and Wales
360 Giving

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