Minutes of the Parochial Church Council, St. Peter’s Draycott

 

Held on 17/06/2007 at 7:30 p.m. at 9, Barnet's Well, Draycott.

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1.     Opening prayers. 1

2.     Attendance, apologies and welcome. 1

3.     Minutes of previous meeting. 1

4.     Arising, actions. 1

5.     Any other business. 2

6.     Items for Decision. 2

6 a.      Current works (Electrical, cleaning, plastering) 2

6 b.     Treasurer/ book-keeper. 2

6 c      Pollarding. 2

6 d      Church insurance. 2

6 e      Signage for smoking ban. 3

6 f       Insurance of Glebe field. 3

6 g      LMG request subscription. 3

7.     Items for Discussion. 3

7 a.      Worship. 3

7 b.     Fabric. 3

7 c.      Finance. 3

7 d.     Fund raising. 3

7 e.      LMG.. 3

7 f.      Events. 4

7 g.     Risk Assessment 4

8.     Items of New Business. 5

8 a.      Ernest & Dorothea Green. 5

8 b.     Revised listing for church. 5

9.     Dates. 5

10.      Closing prayer 5

 

1.      Opening prayers

Stanley opened the meeting with a prayer. Thea Oliver took the chair.

2.      Attendance, apologies and welcome

Present

David Cheetham Richard Dingley Sylvia Dingley Chris Green

Tricia Heckbert

 

DC

RD

SD

CG

TH

Colette Jeff

Thea Oliver

Stanley Price

 

Apologies

Tricia Lumley

CJ

TO

SP

 

 

TL

3.      Minutes of previous meeting

Minutes of the 22/05/2007 meeting were agreed as accurate subject to minor amendments.

4.      Arising, actions

(previous to meeting of 22/05/07)

7c. i. (snagging list) SP reported that 1 rainwater pipe was still broken- SP had proposed to architect that they would renew bends, we will pay for extra ones. Not heard back yet.

(from meeting of 22/05/07)

6b. i. (TH as lay chair) Confirmed: TH has agreed

6b. iv.   (Newsletter) Alan thanked but asked to carry on with newsletter, please!

            (Bernard Wood- bookkeeper) Bernard has agreed to do the books- NB. he can't write cheques. DC agreed to take up role as treasurer again, but without the bookkeeping role. The meeting thanked both Bernard Wood and DC.

6b. v.   (letter to VS) CG had written to Victor Skinner and also Rita Skinner. We had received a reply from Victor, which CG read to the meeting.

6f.        (Insurance) This had been taken forward by SP, who had contacted Len May. The next step would be to contact the broker who had arranged a reduced premium for them.
FURTHER ACTION: SP to contact the broker used by Rodney Stoke

            (Risk management) This had been done- added to agenda as 7g.

7a. ii.    (1st July special service) SP has a draft order of service- will meet with TO

8a.       (Articles of enquiry) RD has done this- copy passed to CG

5.      Any other business

(1 item added)

6.      Items for Decision

6 a.      Current works (Electrical, cleaning, plastering)

i.      Kingsway making good progress. One issue to have come up- the reredos lights are loose and falling apart- will need to be replaced. If we were to replace with similar, would cost £196-22. After a discussion the meeting agreed to have them.
The wiring or the organ may be extra- currently this comes off the lighting circuit.

ii.     Kingsway Electrical has proposed to give us use of the scissor lift for high cleaning for the day (8:30 – 17:00) for £157.45. The meeting agreed.
Victor has voiced his disquiet that we are doing this ourselves, on the grounds of safety. SP responded that the scissor lift comes with a driver and there is no special cause for concern. We decided to go ahead, with all due caution.
ACTION: (all) need volunteers to clean when the electricians have finished- TBA

iii.   Plastering- Minerva Conservation has estimated the work at £1,210 + VAT. Specialised, requires lime plaster. Needs to be revisited as there is further plastering to be done. Also we don't currently have the money, so must leave this for the moment.
ACTION: SP to contact architect to explore alternatives

6 b.      Treasurer/ book-keeper.

(see also under section 4- Arising) Bernard Wood has e-mail address Wbernardwood@aol.com. NB. Victor currently has the books.
ACTION: DC to liaise with Bernard.

6 c       Pollarding.

RD has been investigating. The trees in the closed churchyard are the responsibility of the local authority (i.e. Mendip District Council)- RD read out a draft letter
ACTION: This should be sent with minor amendments. RD to forward to CG.

6 d       Church insurance

(dealt with under section 4- Arising).

6 e       Signage for smoking ban

CG read out relevant documentation received from the diocese. We thought that although it may be considered strictly unnecessary (no-one to our knowledge has ever smoked in the church pre-ban), we had to comply with the law- which was not in any case onerous.
ACTION: RD will download the appropriate signs, print, laminate and put up.

6 f        Insurance of Glebe field

Raised by Mrs. Garrett in view of forthcoming wedding and the use of the field for parking. SP contacted Ecclesiastical Insurance who said we were not covered. The Churches Office said that we were insured, and added a clause to our policy.

6 g       LMG request subscription

The LMG request £10 from each church for costs. RD said that there was £57 still in an account set up for our joint Pentecost celebrations in 2000 and proposed to transfer this to the LMG. All were in favour.

7.      Items for Discussion

7 a.      Worship

·      30th September: Archdeacon Preaching

·      28th October: Pulpit exchange (NB. RD may be able to cover The Laurels)

·      30th June: picnic and Compline at the church, organised by the Jeffs.

·      1st July : Family service, affirmation of vows (ordination, baptism, marriage). SP had invited 36, from whom he had 17 responses. 12 adults will come. Ideas for the service include dramatisation of the reading of the miraculous catch of fishes. There will be a 'fishy' theme. Nikki Devitt has agreed to cook a cake

·      2nd July: Preaching team meeting

7 b.      Fabric

SP had written to English Heritage to explore eligibility of current issues for grants. Serious problems might be considered (rising damp, rainwater pipes).
ACTION: could start to apply for more grants after we have some money.

7 c.      Finance

DC reported that there was £5,091 in the general fund and £8,184 in the refurbishment fund. Much of this would go towards our current emergency electrical works. Proposed that we don't pay any parish share this month as we don't have the money. On the bright side, we should at least have a lower gas bill, with the heating off.

7 d.      Fund raising

            Cream teas? Not possible this year. Market and soup lunch?

Michaelmas fair- sounds a good idea, but which weekend? NB. the 29th September clashes with Mendip Players Céilidh. Agreed on 6th October.

7 e.      LMG

The Pentecost celebration had been very successful, on an appropriately windy day.

7 f.       Events

(no special events to organise- although NB. Michaelmas Fair proposal in 7d).

7 g.      Risk Assessment

CJ and DC reported back on the risk assessment they had undertaken, based on the document supplied by Ecclesiastical Insurance. CJ read out the main points for action:

 

Item

Assessment

Action

Fire extinguishers

Present

Consider adding a carbon dioxide extinguisher by the organ

Fire blanked

Not present

Not needed

Safe secured

Attached to the floor and wall

No further action

Current keyholder list

We have a list but it is not fully up to date

Bring list up to date. RD to look out previous list

Boiler house

Various issues:

Steps are hazardous. Keys to padlock have been lost.

CJ to get new padlock

Main door security

Secured with removable wooden bolt

Adequate- no further action

Nails and hooks, items hanging on wall

A number of these present which may pose a hazard

These should all be removed. The banners already have been & should not go back.

Church valuables- descriptions

All have been photographed, photos kept by RD

No further action needed

First aid kit

We have one, virtually unused

No further action needed

Accident book

We don't have one

A proforma supplied by EI- CJ will make copies and put in a folder in a drawer in the vestry. We will use as appropriate.

Outside- bier house

Full of old chairs- a fire hazard (and now unusable). Also has wooden stage but this is still sometimes used

Get rid of the chairs (CG)

Garden

Several self-seeded trees need to be removed (near Diana Brown memorial)

Will get working party to do this later in the year

Carpets

Several in church- tripping hazard

Remove vestry carpet. Do we need the aisle carpet? We will look at it & decide

Fire evacuation

We have never had a fire drill. Sometimes the rear door is locked when there are people in the church.

Keep the rear door unlocked at all times during services and other events. Do a fire evacuation drill one Sunday after church (in August)

 

 

8.      Items of New Business

8 a.      Ernest & Dorothea Green.

TO read out their thank-you card.

8 b.      Revised listing for church.

This has been amended at the request of the Victorian Society to include a description of the Burges font. NB. some of the other details are inadequate- SP will write and supply.

9.      Dates

3rd July- responses needed for Victorian Society objections

23rd July: next PCC meeting (7:30 at Lotus House)

10. Closing prayer

The meeting was closed with the Grace.

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