DAC

The Monumental Brass Society is in the process of making a full comprehensive survey of the monumental brasses in the country. The last survey was published in 1926. The new survey wishes to record all memorial brasses including inscriptions right up to the present as well as surviving slabs which once held brasses. More information can be found at www.mbs-brasses.co.uk or http://home.clara.net/williamlack

If you have monumental brasses in your church please let me know, so I can forward these on to the local surveyor for the project!

SPAB (The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings) have recently published new guidance on lightning protection systems in churches. There is some confusion over how often lightning protection systems should be tested, and the answer is yearly – at least!

A lightning strike can cause serious problems for churches so make sure yours is safe and working! Go to: http://www.spabfim.org.uk/pages/lightning_protection_systems.html
for more details.

We are still short of a few advisers on the Leicester DAC at the moment. If you, or someone you know, has a good knowledge of electrical, lighting or AV systems we’d love to hear from you.

Feel free to contact the DAC office if you would like some more information on these roles on 02476 521327 or claire.strachan@covlec.org

During a course on welcome recently, in which the topic of noticeboards came up, one Churchwarden mentioned that the normal SmartWater signs sent by Ecclesiastical Insurance get quite tatty rather quickly.

Given these signs are normally displayed in key places in terms of projecting the best possible image, she asked whether some more robust signs might be available.

Smart Water have now made some available click here for more info: http://sbg.dioceseofleicester.com/?p=294

The Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme is due to come to an end on 31^st March 2011.  There has been a longstanding fear that this scheme will not be extended after this point. The new Government is currently reviewing it’s online services, including e-petitions – of which there was one in place to campaign against the potential loss of this important grant scheme. As a result of this review, existing e-petitions, submitted to the previous administration, will not be carried forward to the new administration. The Government will be welcoming resubmissions on issues of concern to the improved e-petitions system when it is launched later in 2010.

Please can I take this opportunity to encourage any parishes which have projects currently underway, who are using this grants scheme, to complete as much of their work as possible before next March to take full advantage of this scheme. And also keep your eye out for the resubmitted petition later in the year – we will update you as soon as we know anymore! Please get in touch with the DAC office if you would like further information or guidance.

PCCs are reminded of the following closing dates for applications: -
 
Grade I & Grade II*:  closing date for applications – 30 June.
Grade II:  closing date for applications – 30 September.
 
The English Heritage office for the East Midlands region is in Northampton & their contact details are:
 
44 Derngate
Northampton
NN1 1UH
 
01604 735 400
eastmidlands@english-heritage.org.uk
 
There is more information about the RPOW grant scheme on our website here

Click here

To create the most complete picture of church buildings in the UK.  Open to all Christian denominations (there are an estimated 45,000 Christian places of worship in the UK), questions created with heritage organisations, Christian denominations and people that look after churches.

The survey is online – http://survey.nationalchurchestrust.org – is easy to follow and offers online help and technical support.

Information from the survey will inform policy-making enabling the Trust and the whole sector to offer support to those who care for church buildings by:
        – Allowing the Trust to tailor grant-giving to use resources efficiently and effectively

        – Informing those outside the sector of the current state of the UK’s church buildings

        – Identifying good practice to create practical case studies and advice 
This is an opportunity for those looking after church buildings to share views, successes and raise issues of concern.

Event Date: Saturday 8th May

This year’s event will be held at Hinckley, Holy Trinity from 10 – 4 p.m.

An individual invitation will be sent out to each Churchwarden in the next few days.

Bookings should be made to: -
Kate Minnis,SPAB Faith in Maintenance, 37 Spital Square, London E1 6DY Tel: 020 7456 0913 email: katem@spab.org.uk Or book online at the website
www.spabfim.org.uk

On 11 February the Church of England General Synod debated the repair of church buildings and passed the following motion unanimously: that Synod welcomed the contribution made to church building repairs by the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, and call on HM Government to (i) substantially increase the amount of money available for the repair of listed church buildings; and (ii) give an early commitment to continuing beyond March 2011 the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme. A letter is being sent to the Prime Minister accordingly.
 You can help support this call by signing the Downing Street petition  http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/VAT-refundscheme/ and / or visiting the CofE Churchcare website http://www.churchcare.co.uk/news.php where you will find a sample letter to send to your MP to encourage them to ask for an extension to the Listed Places of Worship Grants scheme.

Click on and complete

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/VAT-refundscheme/

The Churches’ Legislation Advisory Service have sent through their first circular for 2010. In that circular, three items are of immediate relevance to PCCs: -

1. Radio microphones
2. Security in places of worship
3. Church halls and non-domestic rates

The attached document is extracted from the Circular and contains the up-date on these three topics for your information.

CLAS Circular 2010-01 (Extract)

If you need any further  assistance with these matters, please let us know.

Rupert Allen
024 7652 1312

We are beginning to see a trend developing for arson/malicious damage related claims/incidents.  During December alone we had two church fires which were both arson.  As such I attach the latest information/guidance note.

 Arson & Malicious Damage Guidance Note

One of our church architects has recently been in touch regarding the damage that the severe weather conditions can be causing to our buildings.  He summarises that “During the past 12 months we have noted that the exceptionally wet weather has resulted in complete saturation of some exposed and slender elements of construction, parapets, spire cones, finials, crockets, etc.  Damage that has resulted seems to have been restricted, so far, to cracking of masonry as a result of rusting ironwork within it.  We have concluded that the ironwork has either not been so wet before or has dried out sufficiently quickly that the rust/expansion has been less rapid.   Now, however, we have severe and prolonged freezing conditions and are concerned that masonry that has  remained saturated, particularly in open joints and fissured surfaces may well be damaged by the formation of ice and become unsound.  We would advise that PCC’s should ensure that inspections of all vulnerable areas should be carried out, particularly at high levels, by competent people, ie: using appropriate safety equipment and knowing what to look for, particularly as it thaws” 

If you would like any more information on this please do contact the DAC office or speak to your Church Architect.

DCMS’s approach to the identification, protection, conservation and investigation of England’s premier archaeological sites under the provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 ‘including the principles to which the Secretary of State has regard when determining applications for scheduled monument consent is set out in the policy statement: Scheduled Monuments: investigating, preserving and recording nationally important archaeological sites and landscapes under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.

Written consent from the Secretary of State is required prior to the commencement of works affecting a scheduled monument. Procedures for applying for scheduled monument consent (SMC), changed on 2 November. The Secretary of State remains responsible for determining applications for SMC, but responsibility for their administration has now been transferred to English Heritage. New applications and applications to modify existing consents should therefore be sent direct to the relevant English Heritage regional office. For more information visit: http://www.culture.gov.uk/what_we_do/historic_environment/4171.aspx”
 
With The guidance from DCMS, the application form for consent from English Heritage and the Guidance Note for Applicants will shortly be available on the DAC section of the Diocesan website on the Advisory Notes page.

Sent on behalf of
Rupert Allen

 In the last few days we have become aware again that the lead thieves have been very active in certain parts of the Diocese. Please can you flag this up with your PCC and consider what additional steps might need to be taken to make roofs less accessible. If you have any queries about this, please contact us in the DAC Office.

If the roof covering is stolen, the first steps that the PCC should take are: -

1. Report the theft to the Police and a crime number obtained – without this it is unlikely that your insurance company will process a claim

2. Arrange for tarpaulins to be put over the roof to keep water out until a repair can be made

The replacement of the roof will require a faculty (see attached Faculty process document).

If the church is leaking: -

Then you need to ask the  Church Architect to draw up a specification for the works so that the PCC can get the necessary quotes. Having done this, the specification and any appropriate drawings and/or photographs should be sent the DAC Office so that the an architect member of the DAC can be asked to consider them. If everything is OK, an application should then be made to Trevor Kirkman, Diocesan Registrar (01509 238822) for consent from the Chancellor to undertake the work. The usual faculty paperwork should then be submitted for a confirmatory faculty.

If not, after the specification and quotes have been sorted, the PCC should apply for a faculty in the normal way. The list of DAC meetings (and the Agenda closing dates) are attached for your information.

If the PCC is considering a change of roofing material: -

to, say, terne-coated steel, then the PCC must also consult the local planning authority before applying for the faculty or Chancellor’s consent as a change in material may require planning permission.

I hope this is helpful but please contact me if I can be of further assistance.

Please let me know if I can of any further assistance to you with this matter.

The list of DAC meetings (and the Agenda closing dates) and Faculty Process document, are attached below for your information.

(Please click on links immediately below)  

Dates of DAC Meetings

 Faculty Process document

Rupert Allen
Assistant Church Buildings Development Officer
Dioceses of Coventry and Leicester
T: 024 7652 1312 (Direct with voicemail)
F: 024 7652 1330
E: rupert.allen@covlec.org

Church Security – How to obtain Smartwater

            A message from Rupert Allen – DAC

             For Church Wardens and PCC’s

“Smartwater”

PCCs wanting to obtain supplies should contact Ecclesiastical Insurance’s Church Purchasing Scheme

http://www.ecclesiastical.com/ourproducts/insurance/churchinsurance/churchespurchasingscheme/index.aspx

or telephone 0845 777 3322

With best wishes

Rupert Allen – Assistant Church Buildings Development Officer
Dioceses of Coventry and Leicester, 1 Hill Top, Coventry, CV1 5AB
.
T: 024 7652 1312 (Direct with voicemail)
E: Rupert.Allen@CovLec.org (for correspondence)
or dac@CovLecPortal.org (for applications and attachments)

W: www.coventry.anglican.org/diocesanadmin/diocesanadvisorycommittee/
or
www.leicester.anglican.org/diocesan-info/subsite/dac.aspx