1. Caring for and making changes to your church building
Emma Critchley
Pastoral and Advisory Secretary
The Diocese of St Albans

2. Caring for your church building
Maintenance
Repairs
Alterations
To adapt for today's needs of worship, mission and community
To comply with the law

5. Repairs Repairs need authorisation unless they are very minor (List A)
Otherwise, routine repairs will need an Archdeacon’s Letter (List B) and more extensive repairs will need a faculty
In most cases, get a specification
Don’t use:
Portland cement on old buildings
Emulsion paint on old buildings
Unqualified electricians in any building
Getting a specification and schedule of works from your professional adviser enables the PCC to get comparable quotations for the work. The specification should tell contactors clearly what needs to be done, how much work and how it should be done. It should also cover matters such as security, safety, access and restrictions whilst working in a church. It will also be needed so that the DAC can check the materials and methods are in accordance with good practice, if permission is needed. Finally, if there is an issue with the work that has been done, it can be useful to have a clear specification to refer to.

6. Alterations and development
What is needed to make your church fulfil its role as a local centre of worship and mission?
Improving access and welcome
Re-ordering for worship, outreach or wider use
Additional facilities
Statement of Needs
Get to know your building and churchyard
Understand your building
Statement of Significance
Whose building is it?
Alterations need permission
Archdeacon’s Letter or Faculty

7. …improving access

8. … improving facilities

9. Christmas Tree Festival
Messy Church
Messy Mass
Café Church
Tea at Three
Christmas Tree Festival
Art Exhibition
Wedding Exhibition
Mediaeval Banquet
Village History
Food Bank
Lunch Club
After-school club
Holiday Food Club
Community Gardening
Holiday at Home
Community Cafe
Night Shelter
English language classes
Befriending
Youth Club
Brownies
Scouts
National Curriculum learning
Library
Post Office
Daily newspaper collection
Community Shop
Village wi-fi hub
Mobile phone mast
GP Surgery
Art
…enabling new activities to take place [the only one of these we haven’t had in this diocese is a PO – but we’re working on it!]

10. What is a Faculty? A legal document Issued by The Chancellor
Authorises you to:
undertake repairs, or
make changes:
Addition
Alteration
Disposal

11. When do you need one?
Whenever you plan to make a change to the church or the churchyard
Types of permission:
Minor matters – List A – Just do it!
Minor matters – List B – Archdeacon’s Letter
Anything else – Faculty
From 1 January 2016, national Lists A and B set out minor matters not requiring a faculty.

12. Why do you need a faculty?
Faculty Jurisdiction
Ecclesiastical Exemption
Local Authority Planning Permission
Note that a faculty takes the place of Listed Building Consent for listed churches in use, but planning permission may be needed as well as a faculty.

13. The Diocesan Advisory Committee for the Care of Churches
How do you get one?
Involve the DAC
The Diocesan Advisory Committee for the Care of Churches

14. What is the DAC?
Committee appointed by the Bishop and the Bishop’s Council
A Statutory Body regulated by:
The Care of Churches and Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction Measure 1991
The Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction and Care of Churches and Measure 2018
Faculty Jurisdiction Rules 2015

15. The Care of Churches and Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction Measure
“Any person or body carrying out functions of care and conservation under this Measure … shall have due regard to the role of a church as a local centre of worship and mission.”

16. What does the DAC do? We offer (free) advice We visit you (if invited)
We discuss your proposals
We issue paperwork
We do not issue Faculties
We make sure your quinquennial inspection is done
The QI is a important as a snapshot of the condition of the church and as a working document for the PCC to refer back to.

17. Who are we? Chairman - Dr Christopher Green
Ex-officio members - The Archdeacons
Committee (15)
Specialists in Architecture, Archaeology, Conservation Bells, Lighting, Sound, Heating, Organs, Design, Art History, Re-ordering,
Synod representatives
Consultants (10)
Specialists in stained glass, clocks, archives, textiles, soft furnishings, fire prevention
Secretariat

18. Pastoral & Advisory Team

19. How do we work? Historic England Amenity Societies Local Authorities
Standing Committees
DAC Meetings
Liaison with:
Historic England
Amenity Societies
Local Authorities
The Registrar

20. How and when should you involve the DAC?
Contact us at the office:
Phone
Via the DAC on-line portal at:
Letter
In person (come to a meeting)
Statements of Significance and Needs
Get us involved EARLY

21. Churchyards You may have… No churchyard; Closed churchyard;
Open churchyard
Closed Churchyard
No new graves
Family burials
Garden of remembrance
Maintenance by local authority
Still under Faculty Jurisdiction
Open Churchyard
New burials
Blue forms for permitted headstones
Faculties for other memorials
Garden of remembrance
Maintenance by PCC including safety of memorials

22. Resources

23. Caring for your church building
Maintenance and repairs
Get to know your building and churchyard
Alterations and development
Faculties
The role of the DAC
Questions?