Buildings and maintenance / Minor Matters
DIOCESE OF BRISTOLFACULTY JURISDICTION
CHANCELLOR’S GUIDANCE TO ALL PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCILS, MINISTERS AND CHURCHWARDENS
IN THE DIOCESE AS TO MATTERS NOT REQUIRING A FACULTY
General Introduction
1. Part of the purpose of the Faculty Jurisdiction is to assist parishes in applying good practice to the care of their churches, to enable the protection of historic fabric, to minimise the risk of inadvertent damage and to facilitate the expeditious repair of damage which might otherwise become more serious.
2. This document describes actions which are regarded as minor and can be undertaken in a careful way without going through the formalities of a faculty application. It has been prepared after consultation with the Diocesan Advisory Committee and replaces the De Minimis Regulations issued by the Chancellor in January 1996 and revised in April 2001.
3. The list is intended to assist parochial church councils, ministers and churchwardens (for brevity referred to as “the parish”) so that they are aware of when they can introduce or replace items or carry out work without a faculty.
4. In all cases where approval of the Archdeacon is required, it is expected that the parish will obtain such approval before entering into a contract for work to be carried out. Failure to do so may result in the need for a Confirmatory Faculty for which a fee can be charged.
5. In case of doubt, the parish may consult the Archdeacon or the Diocesan Registrar. However, most requests for advice or further information are best directed to the Diocesan Advisory Committee in the first instance. Members of the DAC represent many areas of expertise and it is the committee’s job to advise and support parishes in the use and maintenance of church buildings.
6. If the list is altered in the future the Chancellor will give fresh written guidance.
The following items, listed under A to G, may be carried out without a Faculty:
A. MINOR REPAIRS
1. Works of minor repair identified as such in the quinquennial inspection report provided that the specification has first been agreed by the Diocesan Advisory Committee.
2. Works of routine maintenance on the fabric of the church (not materially altering its appearance) up to the value of £5,000 excluding VAT and the cost of scaffolding, providing that the Archdeacon has been notified and has given his approval in writing for work costing between £1,000 and £5,000 before the contract to carry out the work is entered into. This work includes, for example, replacement like for like of broken roof tiles or slates or window glass; cleaning gutters or downpipes; and treating isolated beetle or fungal activity (except in areas where bats may be affected). It does not include repairs to broken or cracked quarries in historic stained glass, historic clear glazed windows or historic tiled floors.
3. Works of routine maintenance to heating systems, gas, water or other services, electrical fittings or other electrical equipment (by approved NICEIC electricians or CORGI registered fitters) and furniture up to the value of £5,000 excluding VAT. No addition to an electrical system is to be made without a faculty because of the risk of jeopardising the church’s insurance policy.
4. External or internal redecoration using the same colours and materials, providing those original colours and materials had been approved by faculty when first used.
5. Treatment of fixtures and furniture against beetle or fungal activity (unless bats may be affected).
6. Repair of flagpoles.
7. Work to lightning conductors by approved NICEIC or ECA contractors.
8. Repair of wire mesh window guards using non-ferrous materials.
B. FURNITURE AND FIXTURES
No item may be disposed of unless the Archdeacon has been consulted and raises no objection.
1. Introduction, removal or disposal of:
(a) Furniture in church halls, but not items from the church kept in the hail.
(b) Furniture, furnishings, office equipment and minor fixtures (excluding wall safes) in vestries, but not so as to change the existing use of the room as a vestry.
(c) Fire extinguishers (subject to Archdeacon’s instructions as to location and method of fixing).
(d) Hymn boards (subject to Archdeacon’s instructions).
(e) Internal notice boards (subject to Archdeacon’s instructions).
(f) Small movable bookcases or display stands.
2. Replacement of carpets or curtains with the equivalent of similar colour, material, pattern and type of backing. (The carpeting of additional areas is not included.)
3. Additions in an existing style to name boards (excluding war memorials).
4. The use of a security system recommended by insurers for marking movable items kept in the church.
C. MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
1. Introduction, storage or removal of musical instruments and stands used by music groups.
2. Routine tuning and adjustment, by a qualified person, up to a value of £1,500 excluding VAT, of organs, harmoniums and pianos.
3. Maintenance and repairs to pianos using matching materials.
D. BELLS/CLOCKS
1. Inspection and routine maintenance of bells, bell frames, clocks and clock faces.
2. Replacement of damaged wooden bell stays and bell ropes.
E. MOVABLES
No item may be disposed of unless the Archdeacon has been consulted and raises no objection.
Introduction, removal, replacement or disposal of:
1. Kneelers, hassocks and cushions (but not a substantial replacement of them).
2. Surplices, albs, cassocks, choir robes and vergers’ robes.
3. Cruets.
4. Vases.
5. Service books authorised by Canon.
6. Bibles, hymn books, song books and sheet or bound music (but not disposal of hand-bound or other valuable books).
7. Altar linen (but not frontals or falls).
8. Decorative flags and banners used for temporary displays.
9. The Union flag, St. George’s flag or the diocesan flag.
F. EMERGENCY ITEMS OF WORK WHICH MAY BE AUTHORISED BY THE ARCHDEACON
1. Installation of security locks on doors and/or windows when the Archdeacon is satisfied that they are urgently required and the type of lock has been approved by him in writing.
2. Installation of security lighting or camera(s) on a temporary basis where there is urgent need to protect the building against burglary or vandalism pending the grant of a faculty for a permanent scheme provided the temporary arrangement is approved in writing by the Archdeacon and the Diocesan Registrar is notified by the Archdeacon that he has given his approval.
G. CHURCHYARDS
1. Purchase and maintenance of lawnmowers and other churchyard equipment.
2. Routine repair of paths including resurfacing in the same material and colour.
3. Repairs to and repainting in the same colour of a notice board.
4. Minor repairs to fences and gates (but not walls).
DISPENSATION IN OTHER CASES
Where the proposal is of a similarly minor nature, but does not appear in the above list, the Chancellor may be willing to dispense with a faculty, sometimes subject to conditions such as consultation with the Diocesan Advisory Committee. The Chancellor’s decision will normally be based
upon a letter, to be sent to the Registrar, giving all relevant information about the proposal.
GENERAL NOTES
1 A faculty is not required for the deposit of parochial registers or other parochial records in the diocesan record office, nor for the obtaining of new registers.
2. Repairs, acquisitions and the disposal of articles in the list should be recorded in the church log book.
The Worshipful Dr James Behrens
Chancellor of the Diocese of Bristol
August 2005
CONTACT ADDRESSES
The Archdeacon of Malmesbury, The Venerable Alan Hawker
Church Paddock, Church Lane
Kington Langley, CHIPPENHAM, Wilts, SN15 5NR
Tel: 01249 750085 Email: alan.hawker@bristol5.gotadsl.co.uk
The Archdeacon of Bristol, The Venerable Tim McClure
10 Great Brockeridge
Westbury-on-Trym
BRISTOL BS9 3TY
Tel: 0117 9621433 Email: tim.mcclure@bristoldiocese.org
Mrs Gill Hawkings
The Diocesan Registry
14 Market Place
WELLS, Somerset
BA5 2RE
Tel: 01749 674747 Email: gill.hawkings@harris-harris.co.uk
Mrs Celia Gibbons
DAC Office, Church House
23 Great George Street
BRISTOL BS1 5QZ
Tel: 0117 9060100 Email: celia.gibbons@bristoldiocese.org