Does my church need a faculty?

We’ve been in touch with many DAC Secretary/Church Building Advisors up and down the country to ask their advice whether your church needs a faculty to install an Info Point. Here is what we’ve learnt.

Schedule 1 of the Faculty Rules are national legislation but interpreted locally by churches, with advice from Archdeacons and DAC Secretaries, though it is only the Chancellor in each diocese who can definitively rule upon what does or does not need a faculty. It details what can and cannot be done and under what permission. List A needs no permission, List B requires Archdeacon’s permission, and what isn’t listed is usually a faculty. Churches are encouraged to log List A permissions on the Online Faculty System so there is a record.

Our research has uncovered that opinions vary from diocese to diocese regarding how the Rules are interpreted because the exact concept of an Info Point isn’t specially covered in Schedule 1. However, the Rules are clear enough for us to identify the correct points that we believe apply. The installation of the Info Point (or any other of our of additional products such as a tablet) that is free standing would not require any permission and could be done under List A5(4) – see below – as they would both be within the realms of portable audio-visual equipment, Wi-Fi routers and card payment systems. Equally the noticeboards could be installed under the same permission. Where things might start straying into List B or faculty would be the running (and securing) of electrical cables, installation of a new socket and/or the fixing of equipment to the building to the church. Some works require differing levels of permission dependent on whether the building is listed or not.

In addition, there are circumstances in which individual dioceses can make their own special arrangements for works that do not need a faculty, known as ‘Additional Matters Orders’ (AMO). The Chancellor for the Diocese of Norwich has approved an AMO for Info Point.

Below are listed some of the categories from Schedule 1 of the Faculty Jurisdiction Rules (List A and List B) that we believe are relevant. 

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List A – Matters which may be undertaken without a faculty and without the need for consultation

A5. Church contents

(4) The introduction, removal or disposal of—

                   …

(c) free-standing noticeboards

(d) movable display stands

…

(k) portable audio-visual equipment

(l) wi-fi routers

(m) equipment for card payment systems

on condition that:

• No article being introduced is fixed to historic fabric

List B – Matters which may be undertaken without a faculty subject to consultation etc.

B1. Church building etc.

(11A) The installation of equipment for receiving, or for receiving and sharing, wireless broadband services

on condition that:

• The equipment does not adversely affect the church’s protection against lightning
• Any cable runs are secured so as to minimise the risk that they become loose
• Details of the equipment, its proposed location and the location and securing of any cable runs are submitted to the archdeacon when the archdeacon is consulted on the proposal to undertake the matter
• In the formulation of those details, regard is had to the desirability of avoiding loss of or damage to historic material
• The diocesan registrar is consulted on the terms of any proposed contract for the sharing of the wireless broadband services

List B – Matters which may be undertaken without a faculty subject to consultation etc.

B1. Church building etc.

(15) The introduction of fixed audio-visual equipment in a church which is not a listed building

on condition that:

• Details of equipment, its proposed location and the location of any cable runs are submitted to the archdeacon when the archdeacon is consulted on the proposal to undertake the matter

List B – Matters which may be undertaken without a faculty subject to consultation etc.

B1. Church building etc.

(20) The installation of photovoltaic panels on a church which is not a listed building or in a conservation area

List B – Matters which may be undertaken without a faculty subject to consultation etc.

B4. Church contents

(9) The introduction of a fixed internal noticeboard (including in a porch) where the church is a listed building

In each instance we strongly advise that you contact your local DAC Secretary or Archdeacon to discuss your project from the outset. Please feel free to share this article with them for their feedback as we are keen to ensure we communicate the correct advice. As such this page is likely to be updated over time.

Credits:

Many thanks to Daniel Crooke (Salisbury), Nicholas Cannon (Norwich), Jen Reed (Blackburn) and Luke Tatam (Southwark) whose advice directly fed into this article.