Two nominations had been received, those of Richard Dingley and Thea Oliver. They were declared duly elected, and thanked for taking on the task for a further year.

Thea requested deputies to cover the time that Richard is away, due to be several months this year. Victor Skinner and Tricia Heckbert agreed to do this.

4. Confirmation of Minutes from meeting on 24th April 2005

These had been available to everyone on the church notice board and on the website for the past year. No points of accuracy had been raised so they were declared to be an accurate record.

5. Matters arising

Actions arising from the previous APCM were reported in the PCC meeting of 19/07/2005, under 6c. These were summarised at the meeting:

6. (Should the names of those on our electoral roll appear on the website?- check the electoral roll form for a consent clause). The form contains no such clause. We should probably refrain from publishing names on the website without explicit consent, with the exception of PCC members, and those in the public eye (such as local businessmen, parish councillors, school staff etc., whose names will probably appear in websites somewhere else anyway). We would have to use some common sense in this.

7. (i) (Inviting RS to share our patronal festival) The service was announced at Rodney Stoke, as are all our special services.

7. (ii) (Passover service to be combined with ecumenical Lent course service). This has gone forward with the current Lent course, and parishes in the Cheddar valley have been invited.

8. (How much did Draycott PCC contribute to the purchase of the second vicarage?). We contributed £500 in 1965, as part of the total cost of the vicarage of £9,486.

13 d). (Thanks to the Newmans for their work on the parish newsletter). CG has sent a letter of thanks.

Richard further explained some of the background to the vicarage question. The diocese will not return our original funds or reimburse our share in the vicarage (since sold off). However they have indicated a quid pro quo in respect of a grant to establish office facilities, which could for instance form part of the next stage of church refurbishment. We do not have this in writing however.

6. Electoral Roll

Richard Dingley

(See report A)

7. Report on PCC proceedings

Chris Green

(See report B)

8. Financial Report

Wendy Cartwright

(See report C)

Since this report, further expenses have been claimed for the chancel ceiling (£3,940).

We still owe West Country Tiling some £8-9,000, and will have to do some juggling to manage the cash flow until English Heritage reimburse us.

9. Audited Accounts

Wendy Cartwright

(See report D)

The contributions from Sealey Close/ The Laurels is declared separately. They would like to use the money towards kneelers for Draycott, and may raise some extra cash with coffee mornings.

The meeting agreed to accept the audited accounts (prop. Colette Jeff, seconded Audrey Morgan, agreed nem con).

Wendy was thanked by the meeting for all her hard work over this and previous years.

10. Report on Fabric, Goods and Ornaments of the Church

Richard Dingley

(See report E)

One item to add- the lightning conductor has been examined and additional earth rods are required.

11. Report of Refurbishment Fundraising Committee

Victor Skinner

(See report F)

Victor reported that the £1500 grant from Wyvern Environmental Trust has been approved.

One complication has arisen in that receipts to be reimbursed must be after 27^th March, but the workers finished on 24^th March. It is hoped that it can be put against the architect’s retention, yet to be paid.

Victor was thanked for delivering a spectacularly successful year of fundraising.

12. Report on Deanery Synod

Wendy Cartwright

(See report G)

Next meeting is in Highbridge on 14^th June.

13. Other reports

14. Worship Group

Thea Oliver

(See report H)

Tricia Corrick commented that Rodney Stoke were not always well represented in this cross-parish group.

(Richard replied) We will just have to keep trying.

Why did we not start our ‘informal’ communion services today?

(Stanley replied) It was not judged suitable for Passion Sunday- they will start on April 30^th.

15. Covenant Secretary

John Cartwright

(See report I)

John was thanked for all the work he had put into this important task.

16. School

Nikki Devitt

(See report J)

Audrey was grateful for the encouragement over the weekday services designed to accommodate needs of the school and parents. We all need to join these weekday services.

17. Magazine

(No written report received)

The attention of the meeting was drawn to the publication of the newsletter on the benefice website www.rodneystokewithdraycott.org.uk.

The newsletter is well produced and profitable, but the content has been variable. This is dependent on the material received, and we were encouraged to contribute articles. Perhaps the school and youth club should produce something.

Actions:

the next PCC will consider ways to help to widen the interest of articles contributed to the newsletter.
this APCM will be reported in the next issue

18. Diocesan Synod

Sylvia Dingley

(A written report was also contributed by Wendy Cartwright- see report L. Sylvia has written an article that appeared in the Magazine)

Additional- it was reported in the Grapevine that Synod has decided not to implement the 3^rd sage of clergy pay (which would have raised clergy pay levels to those of primary school head teachers).

19. Charitable Giving

Colette Jeff

A new committee has been set up by the PCC to disburse any monies, consisting of Owen Spencer, Tricia Heckbert and Colette Jeff. It will meet when there is money to distribute.

20. Bible study group

Thea Oliver

(See report N)

Thea encouraged more people to join us, in an interesting and informal weekly meeting.

21. Incumbent’s summary

Stanley Price

(See report O)

Stanley was thanked by Thea Oliver on behalf of the church, not only for his leadership in the past year but also for agreeing to stay for another year!

22. Election of PCC Members for 2006/2007

The following are members of the PCC ex officio:

· Stanley Price (priest in charge)

· Richard Dingley (church warden)

· Thea Oliver (church warden)

· Sylvia Dingley (Deanery Synod representative)

The following have agreed to be carried over from last year (NB. The rules state that one-third are to be elected annually).

· Tricia Heckbert

· Colette Jeff

· Victor Skinner

The following are proposed for election or re-election

· Chris Green (prop. Colette Jeff, sec. Victor Skinner

· David Cheetham (prop. Chris Green, sec. Thea Oliver)

· John Cartwright (prop. Chris Green, sec. Thea Oliver)

· Wendy Cartwright (prop. Chris Green, sec. Thea Oliver)

(the Cartwrights have kindly agreed to stay until nearer the time of their departure).

No counter-proposal or objection to the above proposals was made, so the new/ returning members were declared duly elected.

23. Any other business

Stanley suggested that at the new-style informal communion services (1st Sunday of each month) an open invitation should be given to everyone to receive communion (using a formula such as ‘all who love the Lord Jesus’). Is this feasible/ acceptable?

A discussion followed. It was generally agreed that for adults this was no problem- we have no need to enquire into the credentials of anyone who responds to the invitation to communion.

However it is different for children, who may require further instruction. The Revd. John Hall (our previous vicar) gave children communion bread (no wine), using the formula ‘the bread of Jesus’. It was agreed that this would be the best way to proceed.

24. Closing prayer

The meeting was closed by Stanley with a prayer.

Reports

A. Electoral Roll

Richard Dingley, electoral roll officer

During the past year four people have moved away from the parish and have been removed from the Electoral Roll. The following have joined during 2005: Trisha Heckbert (before the last APCM) and David Cheetham. Consequently the number on the Electoral Roll is now 51

Of these three are not ordinarily resident: Morgan Oliver and Tia Tinsong (at University), and Lois Dingley working in Nepal with INF. Taking these into consideration the Resident number is 48.

B. PCC Proceedings

Chris Green, PCC secretary

Since the last APCM on 24th April 2006 the PCC have held their regular meetings on 6th June, 19th July, 6th September, 25th October and 5th December in 2005; and on the 17th January and 27th February in 2006.

Your PCC has been 12 strong over the last year. This APCM we are losing four members- Gillian Crease, Lorne Talbot, and John and Wendy Cartwright. In thanking them all of for their various contributions. I hope the other two won’t mind if I make special mention of John and Wendy, who are currently selling their house and will be moving this year.

The Cartwrights have been on the PCC since well before my time- I won’t embarrass them by trying to put dates on this! I will say that Wendy has been PCC treasurer for about 14 years, off and on; and John has been covenant secretary for roughly the same time. This period has seen big increases in government regulation of charities, added to which we have been financing extensive repairs to the roof. Both have added greatly to the work for the treasurer in particular, and we have been most fortunate in having Wendy to navigate us through these difficult waters. John, too, has been most effective in building up the level of covenants on which our income largely depends. Before being covenant secretary John had a spell as PCC treasurer under John Wood (and we do not forget that he has also been treasurer to the Deanery Synod for the past 21 years). They are proving extremely difficult to replace - so much so that we may be begging them to help us in the transition period until they actually do move away!

We are welcoming at least one new member this year, David Cheetham.

PCC minutes have continued to appear on the Website, and this report will shortly be uploaded there as well: www.rodneystokewithdraycott.org.uk/Draycott/Reports/Reports.htm.

C. Financial Report

Wendy Cartwright, Treasurer

We started the year with a bank balance of £2539 credit having allowed for any outstanding cheques, issued but not yet presented. We have ended the year with a balance of £2007 credit, having allowed for all outstanding items, but I feel I must tell you that since then these monies have been utilised in repairs and refurbishments. No doubt Victor will be bringing us all up-to-date with those.

For the sixth year running we have not been able to pay the whole of our Parish Share, having paid just £3500 of a share of £9454. The Diocesan Office has been advised of our financial situation, which, of course, is still caused by our efforts to keep a sound roof over our heads. In 2006 our share has reduced to £9081, a small though welcome reduction of some £400.

The balance in the Central Board of Finance Investment Fund as at 31st December 2005 was £9379, The interest we received over the year was £407, a slight increase on 2004.

Unfortunately this year the amount of income tax recovered was down somewhat at £1507.06, about £680 below that of 2004. No doubt the Covenant Secretary will be able to explain this himself.

The Flower Fund is still in existence but has not been used during 2005. There is still a balance of £22 in the account at the end of 2005.

The Roof & Refurbishment bank balance at 31^st December 2005 was £2812 and the Central Board of Finance account designated “Roof Fund” was £186. We continued the repairs to the roof and also, while the scaffolding was in the chancel, have had that ceiling repainted. We have also had the bells repaired and made safe at a total cost of £6170, but, strictly speaking, that comes under 2006. Another expense was having the boiler controls moved into the secure part of the church so that once the builders have finished we can again have the church open during the day. This only cost £94 and we feel it was necessary in order to make the church available to everyone all the time, not just when there is to be a service.

The total for collections at services continues to increase, reflecting the effort that Stanley has put in to our Parish. We have also gained in the way of fees for things such as baptisms and funerals, although church weddings seem to be out of favour these days, which is a pity.

A copy of the Audited Accounts will be posted on the Notice Board at the back of the church for all to see. That is all from me but if you have any questions I shall be happy to answer them to the best of my ability.

This is the last report you will have from me as I am not standing for the PCC again in view of the fact that we wish to move north. I hope I have carried out the job to your satisfaction over the last 10-15 years.

D. Audited accounts

i. Financial statement for the year ended 31^st December 2005.
General fund receipts and payments account

RECEIPTS	2005		2004		2003
Incoming Resources from Donors	£		£		£
Covenants & gift Aid (101)	6039.00		5664.50		5,337.20
Collections at services (104)	1132.69		860.31		781.80
Income Tax Recovered (102)	1507.06		2182.51		1,330.18	7,449.18
VAT Recovered	0	8678.75	2367.76	11075.08

Other Voluntary Incoming Resources
Emergency transfer from Roof Fund (WC Tiling)	0.00		300.00		414.98
Donations (201a)	20.00
Donations (Legacies) [201b]	0.00		0.00		164.18
Donations (105 + 202)	215.81		139.30		42.50
Fund Raising (203)	0.00	235.81	0.00	439.30	-	621.66

Income from Investments
Bank Interest (2004 Inland Revenue int refund)	0.00		14.80		15.73
CBF Investment Account Interest	407.35		346.51		319.20
3.5% War Stock Dividends	1.18	408.53	1.18	362.49	1.18	336.11