CLEE_HILL_PLANT_LIMITED - Accounts

The directors present the strategic report for the year ended 31 December 2021.

The Group experienced a good year after the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and continuing problems arising from Brexit in the prior year.

Political and economic effects can have a significant effect on the business activity. We are also subject to competitive pressures from a number of companies in the UK.

The company's operations expose it to a variety of financial risks that include the effects of changes in credit risk, liquidity risk and interest rate risk. The company has in place a risk management programme that seeks to limit the adverse effects on the financial performance of the company by monitoring levels of debt finance and the related finance costs.

Given the size of the company, the directors have not delegated the responsibility of monitoring financial risk management to a sub-committee of the board.

Credit risk

The company had implemented policies that require appropriate credit checks on potential customers before sales are made. The amount of exposure to any individual counterparty is subject to a limit.

Liquidity risk

The company actively maintains a mixture of long term and short term debt finance that is designed to ensure that the company has sufficient available funds for operations.

Interest rate cash flow risk

The company has both interest bearing assets and interest bearing liabilities. Interest bearing assets only include cash balances, which earn interest at a variable rate. The company has a policy of maintaining debt at a floating rate. The directors will revisit the appropriateness of this policy should the company's operations change in size or nature.

The directors use a range of key performance indicators to evaluate the performance of the business. Of these, the level of sales and gross profit are key factors. A KPI for gross profit which the company uses is depot overheads at 10% of total revenue. The directors report that sales increased 30% compared to the prior year, tighter controls over costs and an increase in turnover has resulted in the gross profit margin being 39% of sales (2020: 32%).

The company places great importance in developing both its skills and the use of technology to maintain a competitive edge in the marketplace. We will continue this process as necessary in this time and the coming financial years.

On behalf of the board

The directors present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2021.

The principal activity of the company during the year was the provision of plant for hire to the civil engineering industry.

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

The results for the year are set out on page 9.

Ordinary dividends were paid amounting to £500,000 (2020: £500,000). The directors do not recommend payment of a further dividend.

In accordance with the company's articles, a resolution proposing that UHY Hacker Young be reappointed as auditor of the company will be put at a General Meeting.

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 Clee Hill Plant Limited (the 'company') for the year ended 31 December 2021 which comprise 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 31 December 2021 and of its profit for the year 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.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the directors' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the company's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the directors with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

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 strategic report and the directors' report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and

• the strategic report and the directors' report have 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 strategic report and 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.

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.

Based on our understanding of the company and the industry in which it operates, we identified that the principal risks of non-compliance with laws and regulations related to the acts by the Group, which were contrary to applicable laws and regulations including fraud, and we considered the extent to which noncompliance might have a material effect on the financial statements. We also considered those laws and regulations that have a direct impact on the preparation of the financial statements such as the Companies Act 2006. We evaluated management’s incentives and opportunities for fraudulent manipulation of the financial statements (including the risk of override of controls), and determined that the principal risks were related to inflated revenue and the existence and impairment of fixed assets.

Audit procedures performed included:

• review of the financial statement disclosures to underlying supporting documentation;

• enquiries of management and testing of journals and evaluating whether there was evidence of bias by the Directors that represented a risk of material misstatement due to fraud;

• challenging assumptions and judgements made by management in their critical accounting estimates;

• enquiries of management and discussions around asset utilisation rates supporting carrying values;

• physical verification of fixed assets

There are inherent limitations in the audit procedures described above and the further removed noncompliance with laws and regulations is from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, the less likely we would become aware of it. Also, the risk of not detecting a material misstatement due to fraud is higher than the risk of not detecting one resulting from error, as fraud may involve deliberate concealment by, for example, forgery or intentional misrepresentations, or through collusion.

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.

Clee Hill Plant Limited is a private company limited by shares incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is Mansfield Road, Hasland, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S41 0JW.

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 £'000.

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. 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 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’.

• Section 33 ‘Related Party Disclosures’: Compensation for key management personnel.

The financial statements of the company are consolidated in the financial statements of Clee Hill Plant Holdings Limited at 31 December 2021. These consolidated financial statements are available from the address in note 25.

Atruet the time of approving the financial statements, the directors have a reasonable expectation that the company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the directors continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.

Turnover is recognised to the extent that it is probable that the economic benefits will flow to the Company and the turnover can be reliably measured. Turnover is measured as the fair value of consideration received or receivable, excluding discounts, rebates, value added tax and other sales taxes.

Rental charges are recognised on a straight line basis over the period of the lease. Delivery and collection charges are recognised at the point of delivery or collection. Turnover from repairs is recognised at the point that the work is agreed with the customer.

Interest income is recognised in the profit and loss account using the effective interest method.

Tangible fixed assets are initially and subsequently measured at cost, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.

The Company adds to the carrying amount of an item of fixed assets the cost of replacing part of such an item when that cost is incurred, if the replacement part is expected to provide incremental future benefits to the Company. The carrying amount of the replaced part is derecognised. Repairs and maintenance are charged to the profit and loss during the period in which they are incurred.

Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:

The assets' residual values, useful lives and depreciation methods are reviewed, and adjusted prospectively if appropriate, or if there is an indication of a significant change since the last reporting date.

The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is credited or charged to profit or loss.

Stocks are stated at the lower of cost and estimated selling price less costs to complete and sell. Cost comprises direct materials and those overheads that have been incurred in bringing the stocks to their present location and condition.

At each reporting date, an assessment is made for impairment. Any excess of the carrying amount of stocks over its estimated selling price less costs to complete and sell is recognised as an impairment loss in profit or loss. Reversals of impairment losses are also recognised in profit or loss.

Cash and cash equivalents are basic financial assets and include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.

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. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.

Basic financial liabilities, including creditors, bank loans, and loans from fellow group companies, are initially recognised at transaction price. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.

Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of business from suppliers and classified as current liabilities.

Finance costs are charged to the profit and loss account over the term of the debt using the effective interest method so that the amount charged is at a consistent rate on the carrying amount. Issue costs are initially recognised as a reduction in the proceeds of the associated capital instrument.

The tax expense represents the sum of the tax currently payable and deferred tax.

The tax currently payable is based on taxable profit for the year. Taxable profit differs from net profit as reported in the profit and loss account because it excludes items of income or expense that are taxable or deductible in other years and it further excludes items that are never taxable or deductible. The company’s liability for current tax is calculated using tax rates that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the reporting end date.

Deferred tax liabilities are generally recognised for all timing differences and deferred tax assets are recognised to the extent that it is probable that they will be recovered against the reversal of deferred tax liabilities or other future taxable profits. Such assets and liabilities are not recognised if the timing difference arises from goodwill or from the initial recognition of other assets and liabilities in a transaction that affects neither the tax profit nor the accounting profit.

The costs of short-term employee benefits are recognised as a liability and an expense.

The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received.

Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the company is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.

Payments to defined contribution retirement benefit schemes are charged as an expense as they fall due.

Leases are classified as finance leases whenever the terms of the lease transfer substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership to the lessees. All other leases are classified as operating leases.

Assets held under finance leases are recognised as assets at the lower of the assets fair value at the date of inception and the present value of the minimum lease payments. The related liability is included in the balance sheet as a finance lease obligation. Lease payments are treated as consisting of capital and interest elements. The interest is charged to the profit and loss account so as to produce a constant periodic rate of interest on the remaining balance of the liability.

Rentals payable under operating leases, including any lease incentives received, are charged to income on a straight line basis over the term of the relevant lease.

Government grants are recognised at the fair value of the asset received or receivable when there is reasonable assurance that the grant conditions will be met and the grants will be received.

A grant that specifies performance conditions is recognised in income when the performance conditions are met. Where a grant does not specify performance conditions it is recognised in income when the proceeds are received or receivable. A grant received before the recognition criteria are satisfied is recognised as a liability.

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 critical judgments relates to the following:

Depreciation is provided so as to write down the assets to their residual values over their estimated useful economic lives as set out in the Company's accounting policy. The selection of these estimated lives requires the exercise of management judgement. Useful lives are regularly reviewed.

There are a large number of operating lease commitments at the year end. Management use their judgement to decide whether these constitute operating lease commitments rather than finance lease commitments in line with their accounting policy.

An analysis of the company's turnover is as follows:

All turnover arose within the United Kingdom.

The average monthly number of persons (including directors) employed by the company during the year was:

Their aggregate remuneration comprised:

Investment income includes the following:

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

The Government plan to increase the Corporation Tax rate to 25% in 2023. This has had a significant impact on the deferred tax liability.

The carrying value of land and buildings comprises:

The net carrying value of tangible fixed assets includes the following in respect of assets held under finance leases or hire purchase contracts.

The depreciation charge in respect of such assets amounted to £607,000 (2020: £1,011,000) for the year.

Included in land and buildings is freehold land at cost of £896,000 (2020: £896,000) which is not depreciated.

Bank loans totalling £Nil (2020: £373,000) are repayable in quarterly instalments and carry interest at LIBOR plus 2.625%. The loan is secured by debenture incorporating a fixed floating charge over the land and buildings owned by the company.

Bank loans totalling £Nil (2020: £80,000) are repayable in quarterly instalments and carry interest at LIBOR plus 2%. The loan is secured by debenture incorporating a fixed floating charge over the land and buildings owned by the company.

Finance lease payments represent rentals payable by the company for certain items of plant and machinery. Leases include purchase options at the end of the lease period, and no restrictions are placed on the use of the assets. The average lease term is 5 years. All leases are on a fixed repayment basis and no arrangements have been entered into for contingent rental payments.

Obligations under finance lease and hire purchase contracts are secured on the assets to which they relate.

The following are the major deferred tax liabilities and assets recognised by the company and movements thereon:

The company operates a defined contribution pension scheme for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the company in an independently administered fund.

Amount subscribed for share capital in excess of nominal value.

This comprises opening retained earnings, the profit or loss for the year and dividends paid as set out in the Statement of Changes in Equity. This is a distributable reserve.

At the reporting end date the company had outstanding commitments for future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases, which fall due as follows:

Amounts contracted for but not provided in the financial statements:

During the year the company paid rental charges of £27,500 (2020: £27,500) on a property owned by D A Hargreaves, a director, and R J Hargreaves.

The directors of the company are paid by Clee Hill Plant (Holdings) Limited. The remuneration received in respect of the work carried out on behalf of the company is £272,000 (2020: £201,000).

The company is controlled by Clee Hill Plant Holdings Limited which is the largest and smallest group for which consolidated financial statements are prepared. Consolidated financial statements are available from Companies House, Crown Way, Cardiff, CF14 3UZ.

In the opinion of the directors, the ultimate controlling party is D A Hargreaves.