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THE RURAL COMMUNITY COUNCIL OF ESSEX

Registered charity 1097009 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register

RCCE works to provide local communities with the skills, resources and expertise necessary to achieve a thriving and sustainable future, specialising in working with local community groups in villages and market towns across Essex on community-led planning, village halls and community buildings, funding, housing enabling, transport and access to services.

Objects

3.1 THE COUNCIL IS ESTABLISHED TO PROMOTE ANY CHARITABLE PURPOSE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITY IN THE COUNTY OF ESSEX AND, IN PARTICULAR(A) THE ADVANCEMENT OF EDUCATION;(B) THE PROTECTION OF HEALTH; AND(C) THE RELIEF OF POVERTY, DISTRESS AND SICKNESS

Area of benefit: COUNTY OF ESSEX

The charity’s charitable objects and area of benefit, quoted from its governing document as held on the Charity Commission register.

Causes: General Charitable Purposes · Education/training · The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty · Accommodation/housing · Economic/community Development/employment · Grant history (this charity is a funder) · website · Get email alerts

Registered contact address: Braintree, East of England, England (from the postcode on the register)

Latest income
£1.7m
Latest spending
£1.8m
Registered
2003
Accounts read
FY2026

Financial health, per its FY2026 accounts

The accounts state that the charity reported a surplus on unrestricted activities of £26,249 and held total unrestricted funds of £1,104,993 at year-end. The trustees confirmed that free reserves of £379,093 exceeded the stated policy minimum of £143,657, representing five months of direct expenditure. The auditors reported no material uncertainties regarding the charity's ability to continue as a going concern.

Automated summary of the FY2026 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Highest-paid employee band: Over £60,000 — below the median for charities its size (£70k)
“One employee earned more than £60,000 per annum (2025: one), and no employee received any other benefits from the company (2025: Zero).” — page 25
Per its FY2026 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Employees paid over £60,000: 1
“One employee earned more than £60,000 per annum (2025: one), and no employee received any other benefits from the company (2025: Zero).” — page 25
Per its FY2026 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Reserves policy: five months of direct expenditure on unrestricted activities (reserves figure: £379k)
“The company’s Reserves Policy requires RCCE’s minimum unrestricted funds neither committed nor invested in tangible assets (i.e. the company’s minimum ‘Free Core Charitable Funds’ or ‘Free Reserves’) to be sufficient to enable the company to meet its next five months’ direct expenditure on its unrestricted activities.” — page 8
Per its FY2026 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Note 14
“During the year amounts of £400 were paid to Essex Agricultural Society, a company with a common directorship (2025: £400). This was for activities deemed to be for charitable purposes. No amounts were outstanding at year end. During the year amounts of £520 were paid to T Sapsford, a close family member of key management personnel (2025: £700). This was for activities deemed to be for charitable purposes. No amounts were outstanding at year end.” — page 33
“During the year amounts of £520 were paid to T Sapsford, a close family member of key management personnel (2025: £700). This was for activities deemed to be for charitable purposes. No amounts were outstanding at year end.” — page 33
Per its FY2026 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Note 14
“During the year amounts of £400 were paid to Essex Agricultural Society, a company with a common directorship (2025: £400). This was for activities deemed to be for charitable purposes. No amounts were outstanding at year end. During the year amounts of £520 were paid to T Sapsford, a close family member of key management personnel (2025: £700). This was for activities deemed to be for charitable purposes. No amounts were outstanding at year end.” — page 33
“During the year amounts of £520 were paid to T Sapsford, a close family member of key management personnel (2025: £700). This was for activities deemed to be for charitable purposes. No amounts were outstanding at year end.” — page 33
Per its FY2026 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by Streets Audit LLP. Discloses 6 of 6 completeness components.

Year-over-year changes

Comparing this charity’s FY2024 and FY2026 accounts as analysed by this site.

Policies the charity declares

In its annual return the charity told the Commission that it has the policies listed below. This is self-declared: it is not verified by the Commission or by this site, and it is not evidence of how a policy works in practice.

From the charity’s annual return (Part A, self-declared)

Answers and figures the charity gave in Part A of its annual return to the Charity Commission. They are self-declared: not verified by the Commission or by this site. Only positive answers and figures are listed; items not listed are simply not shown.

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/03/2026

  • Volunteers: 30
  • Government income: £287,972 — contracts £36,011 (4), grants £251,961 (4); 16% of the £1,748,431 total gross income on the same return
  • Employees paid over £60,000: 1 (£60,001–£70,000: 1)

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/03/2025

  • Volunteers: 30
  • Government income: £392,741 — contracts £101,442 (8), grants £291,299 (6); 22% of the £1,811,985 total gross income on the same return
  • Employees paid over £60,000: 1 (£60,001–£70,000: 1)

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/03/2024

  • Volunteers: 30
  • Government income: £347,188 — contracts £126,780 (8), grants £220,408 (4); 22% of the £1,595,254 total gross income on the same return
  • Employees paid over £60,000: 1 (£60,001–£70,000: 1)

Source: this charity’s annual returns on the Charity Commission register.

Corporate structure

Company officers (Companies House)

Current officers of the charity’s own company per the Companies House register, cross-checked against the Charity Commission trustee list by name. A director not on the trustee list is usually a timing or naming difference between the two registers — check both records before drawing conclusions.

Official officers record.

Property (HM Land Registry)

1 registered title in England and Wales held by the charity’s company or corporate body (0 freehold). All charity-held property. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.

Public profiles (found on the charity’s own website): instagram · linkedin

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2026)

Total income
£1.7m
Total spending
£1.8m
Reserves (reported)
£379k
Employees
63

Reported reserves equal ~2.5 months of spending — below the median for charities its size (median 4.7 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, largest income source: Charitable activities (98% of income) — components as reported reconcile to the return’s total income; not from the accounts narrative.

Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 0.0% of total income — below the median for charities its size (5.3%) (benchmarks).

Trustees · trustee networks

Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).

Operates in: Essex

Income and spending

Financial year endIncomeSpending
31/03/2026£1.7m£1.8m
31/03/2025£1.8m£1.7m
31/03/2024£1.6m£1.6m
31/03/2023£1.6m£1.8m
31/03/2022£2.5m£2.1m

Common questions

Is THE RURAL COMMUNITY COUNCIL OF ESSEX financially healthy?

Per its FY2026 accounts: The accounts state that the charity reported a surplus on unrestricted activities of £26,249 and held total unrestricted funds of £1,104,993 at year-end. The trustees confirmed that free reserves of £379,093 exceeded the stated policy minimum of £143,657, representing five months of direct expenditure. The auditors reported no material uncertainties regarding the charity's ability to continue as a going concern. Its FY2026 accounts were audited by Streets Audit LLP.

What does the highest-paid employee of THE RURAL COMMUNITY COUNCIL OF ESSEX earn?

Per its FY2026 accounts, the highest-paid employee was in the Over £60,000 band, and 1 employees earned over £60,000.

Who funds THE RURAL COMMUNITY COUNCIL OF ESSEX?

Funders whose own accounts filings name THE RURAL COMMUNITY COUNCIL OF ESSEX as a grant recipient include JOHN SWIRE 1989 CHARITABLE TRUST, THE COLCHESTER AND TENDRING COMMUNITY TRUST.

Known funders

Grants to this charity found in funders’ own accounts filings.

FunderYearAmountPurpose (as stated by the funder)
JOHN SWIRE 1989 CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2024Unverified read£5k
JOHN SWIRE 1989 CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2023£1k
JOHN SWIRE 1989 CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2021£1k
THE COLCHESTER AND TENDRING COMMUNITY TRUSTFY2026amount not statedNo grant paid in this period (listed in previous year)

Grants marked “Unverified read” were flagged by automated checks as possibly misread from the funder’s filed accounts. They are listed, but left out of the totals, counts and funder relationships this site computes.

Government & lottery funding

Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).

FunderDateAmountPurpose
The National Lottery Community Fund09/04/2026£223kVibrant Village Halls
The National Lottery Community Fund07/04/2026£20kCommunity-led Climate Action
The National Lottery Community Fund03/02/2017£250kSEL/2/4 - Essex Rural Skills Project
The National Lottery Community Fund26/04/2016£43kSEL/2/4 - Essex Rural Skills Project
The National Lottery Community Fund25/04/2013£101kBraintree Advice Services Partnership
The National Lottery Community Fund08/04/2010£7kVillage Halls & Community Buildings Training

Funders of similar charities

Funders whose accounts show grants to charities similar to this one (and no recorded grant to this charity) — a starting list for fundraisers.

FunderSimilar charities fundedAmount to them
NORMAN GARON TRUST1£1.2m
ESSEX COMMUNITY FOUNDATION1£78k
THE HOPE KEITH VILLAGERS TRUST1£61k
SIR ROBERT GEFFERY'S ALMSHOUSE TRUST1£3k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with GLOUCESTERSHIRE RURAL COMMUNITY COUNCIL.

Side by side with its peers

CharityIncomeTop pay bandStaff >£60kReserves vs policyFundraising costGoing concern
THE RURAL COMMUNITY COUNCIL OF ESSEX£1.7mOver £60,0001above—no doubt
GLOUCESTERSHIRE RURAL COMMUNITY COUNCIL FY2025£1.3m——above—no doubt
SUSSEX RURAL COMMUNITY COUNCIL FY2025£554k——unclear—no doubt
RUBERY COMMUNITY AND LEISURE CENTRE LTD FY2025£29k—0above—no doubt
ACTION WITH COMMUNITIES IN RURAL ENGLAND (ACRE) FY2025£5.0mmore than £60,0001unclear—no doubt
CITIZENS ADVICE ESSEX LIMITED FY2025£2.1m—0unclear—no doubt

Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.