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Our key recommendations
In Building faith in our future the Church Heritage Forum sets out key recommendations for national, regional and local government in the following areas:
Working with Regional Partners
Making the Best Use of Buildings
Funding for Repairs and Maintenance
1 We urge national, regional and local bodies to pay special attention in their funding and planning decisions to the importance of places of worship – as part of the historic environment which is so important to our society and as a physical focus of community activity.
2 A continuing standing group is needed to take forward co-ordination of these initiatives at national level.
3 New policy initiatives may sometimes impact unexpectedly on places of worship. We recommend the establishment of a cross-Departmental Governmental group to look at the impact of policy proposals on churches and places of worship.
4 We need a greater understanding of the state of the church building stock and repair needs, both present and future, plus the effects of inadequate maintenance. We are keen to work with partners to achieve this more secure body of knowledge. We urge that further effort be directed in 2005 towards compiling facts, to build a stronger base for future action.
Working with Regional Partners
5 We recommend that all Regional Cultural Consortia and Regional Development Agencies include at least one faith representative, and take active steps to engage with and respond to the contribution which church buildings and communities can make and are making – for example, by regularly consulting church bodies on regional cultural and community strategies.
6 We ask Local Strategic Partnerships (LSPs) or similar groupings to actively encourage faith representation.
7 We urge regional authorities to support capacity building, to help churches participate as full partners.
8 We draw attention to the considerable catalyst which a church building can provide for regeneration of an area, and urge funding authorities to recognise this and respond to it in their proposals.
9 We support the Government’s statements about the importance of faith communities. We seek active partnership on that basis.
10 We invite local authorities to treat churches as partners in tackling rural exclusion. In rural areas, as elsewhere, places of worship may have potential for providing community facilities which are otherwise lacking.
11 We ask that public funds should be available for appropriate modification of church buildings and the upkeep of community facilities within them.
12 We urge public authorities to affirm the contribution of cathedrals to their communities, and consider practical ways of recognising that contribution.
13 We welcome the continuation of English Heritage grants for cathedrals, but urge that the modest amounts made available should be increased (say from £1m pa to the previous £2m or £3m), continuing support for cyclical maintenance rather than simply major repair.
14 We encourage the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Association of English Cathedrals to continue discussions to strengthen mutual understanding of priorities, potential and needs.
15 We draw attention to the considerable economic magnet effect of cathedrals and greater churches for their cities and towns, as well as the similar, if less easily quantifiable, effect of smaller parish churches. We encourage all local and regional authorities to consider with the churches and faith groups in their area how this economic effect can best be reflected in mutually supportive practical and financial help.
16 We urge Government to consider support to develop education activity in church buildings and cathedrals.
17 See recommendation 15.
18 The Church’s own systems for control of their historic buildings (often known as the ‘ecclesiastical exemption’) have served the historic environment well. We support their continuation, and will ourselves continue efforts to simplify them.
Making the Best Use of Buildings
19 We emphasise the need for regional and local authorities to consult church bodies on draft development plans at all levels, as recommended in PPG 12.
20 We commend the establishment of good working relationships at personal level between dioceses, churches, and local authorities, and urge both sides to develop these where they do not exist.
21 We ask local and regional authorities to consider how they can ensure appropriate liaison with church and faith groups, perhaps by appointing a ‘champion’.
22 Maintenance of church buildings is often the key to avoiding future repairs. We recommend that an element of the public funding available be used to support maintenance programmes, and welcome the initiatives already in train to look at ways of doing this successfully.
23 We recommend that a careful assessment of the real risks should precede any new regulatory controls which may impact on work of voluntary groups.
Funding for Repairs and Maintenance
24 We draw attention to the limited state funds received by churches in this country, in contrast with other European countries.
25 We welcome the grants made available for repair of historic buildings of all kinds.
26 Central funding for repair of historic church buildings is insufficient. An increase in Treasury funds to double the amount available for repair from public funds (ie enabling an increase in English Heritage funding for churches from £10 to £20m) would involve no more than 20p per head of population per year. 60p per head per year would enable a doubling of all EH major grant schemes.
27 The Heritage Lottery Fund needs continuing support from Government to continue its work. We welcome the help the HLF have been able to give new works as well as repairs in churches, and urge them to continue it to those parishes who wish to apply.
28 We welcome the continuation of the Listed Places of Worship Scheme until March 2006 and extension of its scope to the full 17.5% of VAT. We urge that this scheme be made permanent if a resolution within the EU more generally cannot be achieved, and welcome the Government’s continuing support for such a change.
29 We warmly welcome the contribution of other Trusts and funding bodies who give grants towards repair of historic churches. There may be potential to simplify, streamline and develop a greater consistency in the application processes, to reduce unnecessary hurdles for parishes. We recommend that the major grant-givers consider together the possible scope for so doing.
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