WESTCOUNTRY SCHOOLS TRUST
Company number: 07398467
Reporting period:
1 September 2025 to 28 February 2026
Report filed on:
31 March 2026
Approved by:
Andrew Flay
Contracts and payments
Do any of this business's construction contracts with its suppliers include retention clauses? Yes
Payment statistics
Average time taken to pay invoices: 32 days
Total value paid:
- within 30 days: £8,468,107 (59%)
- in 31 to 60 days: £4,498,175 (31%)
- in 61 days or more: £1,378,112 (10%)
Invoices paid:
- within 30 days: 67%
- in 31 to 60 days: 25%
- in 61 days or more: 8%
Late and disputed:
- total value of payments due in the reporting period which have not been paid within the agreed period: £5,876,287
- payments due in the reporting period which have not been paid within the agreed period: 33%
- not made in the reporting period due to a dispute: 0%
Payment terms
Shortest standard payment periods
14 days
Longest standard payment period
Answer not provided
Standard payment terms
The Trust’s standard contractual length of time for payment of invoices is 30 days from the date of invoice.
Were there any changes to the standard payment terms in the reporting period?
The Trust now operates a 'no purchase order, no pay' policy with effect from 1 September 2025. .
Were suppliers notified or consulted about these changes before they were made?
A letter was emailed to every supplier on our database in May/June 2025 explaining the change in policy, and its implications. The letter included a dedicated email address for any queries, and those received were dealt with individually by our accounts team leads. Any emails that bounced back were individually checked and amended where possible. Any new supplier is automatically advised on the new policy as part of our standard terms and conditions.
Maximum contractual payment period agreed
45 days
No further comment provided
Any other information about payment terms
No further comment provided
Retention clauses
How does this business use retention clauses?
Retention clauses are used in specific circumstances:
If the Trust uses a JCT (Joint Contracts Tribunal) contract for construction works, these will include a retention clause.
Does this business only use retention clauses in construction contracts above a specific contract sum?
No
Does this business use a standard percentage rate in retention clauses?
Yes: 5%
Does this business apply retention clause practices that are no more onerous than those applied to it on the same project?
No
Releasing money under a retention clause
Process for releasing money this business has deducted or retained under a retention clause
5% of the cumulative certified value of the works is automatically deducted as a retention by the supplier on invoicing.
At the point practical completion is agreed, the supplier will send a completion invoice showing the final value of the works from which a 2.5% retention is made.
This 2.5% retention is then released by a final invoice from the supplier at the end of the contractual rectification period, which is paid if approved by the Trust's Estates Director and where applicable the external project manager.
Is the money released in stages?
Yes:
During works 5% of the certified value of the works is retained.
At practical completion, this reduces to 2.5% with half the retention made to date being released.
At the satisfactory completion of the rectification period, the final 2.5% is released.
Amount retained from suppliers in the reporting period
Amount retained stated as a percentage of the money retained from this business by its clients
100%
Amount retained stated as a percentage of the total construction payments made by this business
5%
Dispute resolution process
If the Trust has a complaint or concern about a purchase invoice, the member of staff responsible for placing the order will contact the supplier as soon as reasonably practical after receipt of the said invoice in order to resolve the concern and/or complaint as quickly as possible. Invoices under dispute will not be paid until resolved including where applicable by the receipt of an appropriate credit note. Where matters cannot be resolved between the member of staff responsible for placing the order and the supplier, the matter will be referred to an individual school’s Finance Officer and ultimately to the Trust’s Chief Financial Officer for resolution.
Other payment information
Has this business signed up to a code of conduct or standards on payment practices? If so, which?
For example, signatories to The Fair Payment Code must commit to paying 95% of their invoices within 60 days.
No, this business has not signed up to a code of conduct or standards on payment practices.
Does this business offer e-invoicing in relation to qualifying contracts?
This is where suppliers can electronically submit and track invoices. It's not just allowing suppliers to email them an invoice.
Yes
Does this business offer supply chain finance?
This is where a supplier who has submitted an invoice can be paid by a third-party finance provider earlier than the agreed payment date. The business would then pay the finance provider the invoiced sum.
No
Under its payment practices and policies, can this business deduct sums from payments under qualifying contracts as a charge for remaining on a supplier list?
No
During the reporting period, did the business deduct sums from payments as a charge for remaining on a supplier list?
No