LANE_4_MANAGEMENT_GROUP_H - Accounts

The directors present their annual report and financial statements for the period ended 16 July 2021.

The principal activity of the company continued to be that of the provision of management development services.

The directors who held office during the period and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were as follows:

On 16 July 2021, the company and trading subsidiary was acquired by EY Professional Services Limited. On the same date the trade and assets of the trading subsidiary Lane 4 Management Group Limited were transferred to EY Professional Services Limited. Following the acquisition, the group has ceased trading.

HW Fisher LLP were appointed as auditor to the company and in accordance with section 485 of the Companies Act 2006,

So far as each person who was a director at the date of approving this report is aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the company’s auditor is unaware. Additionally, the directors individually have taken all the necessary steps that they ought to have taken as directors in order to make themselves aware of all relevant audit information and to establish that the company’s auditor is aware of that information.

The directors are responsible for preparing the annual report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.

Company law requires the directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law the directors have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law). Under company law the directors must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company and of the profit or loss of the company for that period. In preparing these financial statements, the directors are required to:

•     select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;

•     make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

•     prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in business.

The directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

We have audited the financial statements of Lane 4 Management Group Holdings Limited (the 'company') for the period ended 16 July 2021 which comprise the profit and loss account, the statement of comprehensive income, the balance sheet, the statement of changes in equity and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including FRS 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

•     give a true and fair view of the state of the company's affairs as at 16 July 2021 and of its loss for the period then ended;

•     have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and

•     have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Emphasis of matter - financial statements prepared on a basis other than going concern

We draw attention to note 1.2 of the financial statements, which explains that due to the group ceasing to trade and the intention to wind up the group following the hive-up of its trade and assets on 16 July 2021, the directors do not consider it to be appropriate to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements. Accordingly the financial statements have been prepared on a basis other than going concern as described in note 1.2. Our opinion is not modified in this respect.

Other information

The other information comprises the information included in the annual report other than the financial statements and our auditor's report thereon. The directors are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of our audit:

• the information given in the directors' report for the financial period for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and

• the directors' report has been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the directors' report.

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters where the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

•     adequate accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or

•     the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or

•     certain disclosures of remuneration specified by law are not made; or

•     we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit; or

•     the directors were not entitled to prepare the financial statements in accordance with the small companies regime and take advantage of the small companies' exemption in preparing the directors' report and take advantage of the small companies exemption from the requirement to prepare a strategic report.

As explained more fully in the directors' responsibilities statement, the directors are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the directors determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. In preparing the financial statements, the directors are responsible for assessing the company's ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the directors either intend to liquidate the company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud, is detailed below.

As part of our planning process:

• We enquired of management the systems and controls the company has in place, the areas of the financial statements that are mostly susceptible to the risk of irregularities and fraud, and whether there was any known, suspected or alleged fraud.

• We obtained an understanding of the legal and regulatory frameworks applicable to the company. We determined that the following were most relevant: FRS 102 and Companies Act 2006.

• We considered the incentives and opportunities that exist in the company, including the extent of management bias, which present a potential for irregularities and fraud to be perpetuated, and tailored our risk assessment accordingly.

• Using our knowledge of the company, together with the discussions held with the company at the planning stage, we formed a conclusion on the risk of misstatement due to irregularities including fraud and tailored our procedures according to this risk assessment.

The key procedures we undertook to detect irregularities including fraud during the course of the audit included:

• Identifying and testing journal entries and the overall accounting records, in particular those that were significant and unusual, in timing or amount.

• Reviewing the financial statement disclosures and determining whether accounting policies have been appropriately applied.

• Reviewing and challenging the assumptions and judgements used by management in their significant accounting estimates

• Assessing the extent of compliance, or lack of, with the relevant laws and regulations.

• Documenting and verifying all significant related party balances and transactions.

Owing to the inherent limitations of an audit, there is an unavoidable risk that we may not have detected some material misstatements in the financial statements even though we have properly planned and performed our audit in accordance with auditing standards. The primary responsibility for the prevention and detection of irregularities and fraud rests with management.

A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: https://www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor's report.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the company's members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the company's members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the company and the company's members, as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

The profit and loss account has been prepared on the basis that all operations are continuing operations.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies subject to the small companies regime.

Lane 4 Management Group Holdings Limited is a private company limited by shares incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is 1 More London Place, London, England, SE1 2AF.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” (“FRS 102”) and the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the company. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention, modified to include the revaluation of freehold properties and to include investment properties and certain financial instruments at fair value. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.

This company is a qualifying entity for the purposes of FRS 102, being a member of a group where the parent of that group prepares publicly available consolidated financial statements, including this company, which are intended to give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and profit or loss of the group. The company has therefore taken advantage of exemptions from the following disclosure requirements:

- Section 7 ‘Statement of Cash Flows’: Presentation of a statement of cash flow and related notes and disclosures;

- Section 3 Financial Statement Presentation paragraph 3.17(d).

The financial statements of the company are consolidated in the financial statements of EY Professional Services Limited. These consolidated financial statements are available from Companies House.

Following the acquisition of the group and the hive-up of its trade and assets on 16 July 2021, trading has ceased and the directors intend to wind the group up. In these circumstances it is not appropriate to prepare the financial statements on a going concern basis. Nevertheless the group has sufficient resources to realise and distribute its assets in an orderly fashion. Although these financial statements have been prepared on a basis other than going concern, the directors have determined that the accounting policies applied to individual items should be consistent with those adopted in the prior year and there have been no significant effects arising from this change in basis of preparation.true

The current period for these accounts is the short period from 1 January 2021 to 16 July 2021. The comparative period is for 12 months to 31 December 2020.

Interests in subsidiaries are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost less any accumulated impairment losses. The investments are assessed for impairment at each reporting date and any impairment losses or reversals of impairment losses are recognised immediately in profit or loss.

A subsidiary is an entity controlled by the company. Control is the power to govern the financial and operating policies of the entity so as to obtain benefits from its activities.

The company has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.

Financial instruments are recognised in the company's balance sheet when the company becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.

Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.

Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.

Financial liabilities and equity instruments are classified according to the substance of the contractual arrangements entered into. An equity instrument is any contract that evidences a residual interest in the assets of the company after deducting all of its liabilities.

Basic financial liabilities, including creditors, bank loans, loans from fellow group companies and preference shares that are classified as debt, are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.

Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.

Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of business from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

Equity instruments issued by the company are recorded at the proceeds received, net of transaction costs. Dividends payable on equity instruments are recognised as liabilities once they are no longer at the discretion of the company.

In the application of the company’s accounting policies, the directors are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.

The Directors do not consider there to be any key judgements or sources of estimation uncertainty.

The actual charge for the period can be reconciled to the expected credit for the period based on the profit or loss and the standard rate of tax as follows:

The investment has been written down to its recoverable amount following the transfer of its trade.

Details of the company's subsidiaries at 16 July 2021 are as follows:

Respective rights of 'Ordinary' and 'B' shares

Dividends

The company may by ordinary resolution following a recommendation by the board determine to distribute to the holders of the 'Ordinary' shares and/or the 'B' shares by way of dividend any available profits of the company, in each case pro rata to the number of shares held by them respectively.

Voting

'Ordinary' shares shall confer on each holder of an 'Ordinary' share the right to receive notice of and to attend, speak and vote at all general meetings of the company on the basis of one vote for each share held.

Return on capital on liquidation

On return of capital upon liquidation or otherwise, the surplus assets of the company remaining after payment of its liabilities shall be applied as follows:

a) firstly, in paying to the holders of 'Ordinary' shares the sum of £2,700 per 'Ordinary' share, together with a sum equal to any arrears and accruals of dividend calculated down to and including the date of the return of capital and, if there is any shortfall of assets remaining to satisfy the entitlements of holders of 'Ordinary' shares in full, the proceeds shall be distributed to the holders of 'Ordinary' shares in proportion to the amounts due to each such share held.

b) secondly, the remainder to the holders of 'B' shares in proportion to the number of 'B' shares held.

The immediate parent undertaking is EY Professional Services Limited, who have a registered office of 1 More Place, London, England SE1 2AF.

On 16 July 2021, the company's entire share capital was acquired by EY Professional Services Limited. On the same date the trade and assets of the company and its subsidiary Lane 4 Management Group Limited were transferred to EY Professional Services Limited. Following the acquisition, Lane 4 Management Holdings Limited and its subsidiary Lane 4 Management Group Limited has ceased trading.

On 10 February 2022 a special resolution has been passed in which every existing B Ordinary Share be re-designated as an Ordinary Share, each such share having the same rights and being subject to the same restrictions as each of the existing Ordinary Shares and as set out in the articles of association.