Charity Accounts Intelreading the accounts so you don’t have to

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.

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

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 (held: £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.

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 4.8 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 (5.2%) (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.

Known funders

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

FunderYearAmountPurpose (as stated by the funder)
JOHN SWIRE 1989 CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2024£5k
JOHN SWIRE 1989 CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2023£1k
JOHN SWIRE 1989 CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2021£1k

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 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
THE HOPE KEITH VILLAGERS TRUST1£61k
Cheshire West Voluntary Action1£27k
THE GRACE TRUST1£6k
KATHLEEN BERYL SLEIGH CHARITABLE TRUST1£5k
CLA CHARITABLE TRUST1£5k
THE HOBSON CHARITY LIMITED1£3k
THE MILLICHOPE FOUNDATION1£3k
THE DIXIE ROSE FINDLAY CHARITABLE TRUST1£3k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with RURAL COMMUNITY COUNCIL (LEICESTERSHIRE AND RUTLAND).

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
RURAL COMMUNITY COUNCIL (LEICESTERSHIRE AND RUTLAND) FY2025£802k—0unclear—no doubt
THE COMMUNITY COUNCIL OF SHROPSHIRE FY2025£1.4m——above—no doubt
SUSSEX RURAL COMMUNITY COUNCIL FY2025£554k——unclear—no doubt
WARWICKSHIRE RURAL COMMUNITY COUNCIL FY2024£1.1m—0unclear—no doubt
WEST OF ENGLAND RURAL NETWORK FY2025£527k—0unclear—no doubt

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