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

13/07/10 – 6. Newsletter). Cost breakdown for Alison had been done. Heather Robinson was told about its late arrival (but it was early!). SR had asked Kings of Wessex.

Alison’s e-mail was read, expressing misgivings about the price of paper from Kings. We have committed to supplying paper- CJ will purchase in bulk to get lowest cost.

ACTION: CG to ask Alison Jeffries to contact Colette to get paper.

13/07/10 – 7 a. (Church closing). SR had written to the Bishop. CG had contacted the insurers about church closing, and DC had followed up.

13/07/10 – 7 c. (Secretarial help for Sue). This has been agreed between the churches by correspondence- CG read out Rod Pring’s mail reporting that Sylvia Hall is shortly to start for a 6 month period (to be reviewed) on Thursday mornings, at an hourly rate of £8. To formalise this agreement CG proposed the motion that we accept this arrangement (and our share in its cost). TH seconded. All were in favour. The motion was carried.

13/07/10- 7e. (Notice for car park). In TO’s absence we don’t know.

13/07/10- 7f. (Diocesan directory). SR had bought, there is a copy in the vestry.

13/07/10- 8a. (Worship).Worship subcommittee to discuss the 1^st Sunday evening services had met. Other actions also in hand.

13/07/10- 8h. (Letter to Linda Whittle). Done.

13/07/10- 8k. (Trees). Done

13/07/10- 9a. (150^th celebrations). Committee met on 12^th July- BR, CB, CJ, Gordon Jeff and Alan Rowntree. SR is going through the process to get the bishop.

5. Any other business

6b, 6c on original agenda were covered in Arising. An extra item was added to decision, and two items for discussion.

6. Items for Decision

6a. Church refurbishment

DC briefed the meeting on current developments. An industrial sander had been hired for Monday and Tuesday, and several volunteers had spend a large part of this time sanding the wooden floor. This is largely complete, apart from some bits around the edges.

David circulated a budget (included here as Appendix). This presented us with several choices.

i. Chairs- we would like to see (and sit on!) one of those chosen, if possible. They will not divulge customers who have bought specific types. Can we get them to deliver one, and avoid delivery charges since we are purchasing a number?
ACTION: DC to ring the company (Chairs GB) and ask them. We could postpone the final decision a while, as we will not want the chairs delivered until after the redecorating works in any case.

ii. Carpeting. DC had asked for two quotations from Premier Flooring (Cheddar), for different surface areas. NB. Cost was not the only consideration- BR was especially concerned not to spoil the acoustics of the church- too much carpeting would make it ‘dead’.
ACTION: the meeting decided in favour of the lesser amount (quote 2). NB. this still leaves some possible variations- the vestry (NB. parquet flooring), and also the floor immediately inside the door. We could postpone the latter decisions as it would cost the same- it would be good to try it out, if possible.

iii. Will VAT be recoverable?
ACTION: TH will find this out for us, for the different items.

iv. Curtain rail. DC wanted the curtain rail on the kitchen side of the transept to stay down. Some rewiring would be required- could this be buried in a conduit under the floor?
ACTION: DC would suggest this.

v. Colour. Will wait for paint samples.

Corbel were willing to be paid after they complete, not requiring advance payments. NB. we still don’t know when they will start.

The meeting thanked David for the immense amount of hard work he had put in to this project- it would certainly not be going ahead without him. Also we thanked those who had spent much of the last two days sanding the floor (including Gordon and Piers)- this was now looking splendid.

6b. Harvest Supper

To be held on 3^rd October.

The worship group decided on a ‘songs of praise’ with Ploughman’s supper in the Strawberry Special skittle alley, if it was available- or else in the school. The meeting preferred the former.

ACTION: CG to ask TO to contact Strawberry Special

Reserve possibilities- the Red Lion- (RD will ask) or the school (SR will ask).

We would collect food for the Sisters of the Church- CG shared the ‘harvest appeal’ letter with the meeting. This would be a bit more difficult given the harvest supper venue.

ACTION: CG to publicise the CSC appeal in the Church Newsletter, and suggest collection points in the villages (houses of Trish Corrick and Richard & Sylvia Dingley in Draycott, CG’s porch in Rodney Stoke).

6c. St Peter’s 150^th anniversary.

BR circulated a sheet of ideas that had come out at the meeting, for our comments outside the meeting.

We were asked to decide in principle whether any of the events would have an entrance fee, and whether we would pay for speakers- in which case, what was the budget?

ACTION: Would take a vote when we have a clearer idea of potential costs. Where possible, events should be free- but open gardens (for example) would be paying.

6d. Pastoral Measures Act.

The diocese is moving forward on the process to create a united benefice (CG read out a letter from the Archdeacon).

MOTION- RD proposed that we respond, signalling our approval for this process; CG seconded. All were in favour.

ACTION: CG to respond to the archdeacon, conveying the feeling of the PCC.

7. Items for Discussion

7a. Worship

SR reviewed the change in regular morning service times at Draycott to 9:30. It seemed to be working well, except that we were not getting any representation from The Laurels. CG reported that this was because of the lack of disabled access.

During church closure, do we want to have services in the school (with their approval)? The meeting agreed that we do

ACTION: SR is seeing Cathy Lowe and will put the request formally.

First Sunday special services. The services on 5^th September had worked well. The 8 am service only had 7, but there were 24 at 6:30- most of whom stayed for Compline.

The next two first Sundays coincided with Harvest at Draycott, and the patronal service at Rodney Stoke. We would need to decide about the latter- perhaps we should join them? In view of the lack of evening service, we should probably have our 9:30 service as normal.

For some future 8am services- could use BCP. SR had no objections.

Note that joint benefice services would always be at 10 am, for consistency.

7b. Fabric

(already covered under Decisions).

7c. Finance

(already covered under Decisions).

7d. School

CG reported for Nikki.

· The foundation unit.had got off to a good start, though it is still not up to capacity. The staff had worked very hard over the summer to get everything ready (especially Cathy Lowe).

· Cathy had asked Nikki to take a lead role in planning the assembly themes for the term.

· Were we having a Christingle? Cathy was keen that we would. SR to discuss with her.

BR would look into arranging a concert for 18^th.

CG announced that he was arranging his reader’s placement, that would take him to Southmead for 6 Sundays during October/ November.

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APPENDIX

Budget for refurbishment works- as presented to PCC on 08/09/2010
	£
Total of Corbel prices	8,020.00
Add VAT @ 17.5%	1,403.50
Total	9,423.50

Chairs - Hi-Lux Louis (page 11) 40 chairs @ 27.45	1,098.00
Add VAT @ 17.5%	1,290.15


(Ball-park) quotation from Premier Flooring (includes preparation of floor, fitting and VAT) 1. Whole of nave and transepts,	2,800.00



2. Straight across transepts and front of nave, centre walkway and surrounding font.	1,600.00



Grand total	9,423.50
	1,290.15
	1,600.00
	12,313.65
Less recoverable VAT (?)	1,403.50
	10,910.15
This does not include the cost (unknown) of moving the pulpit.
(Is VAT on carpets recoverable? - the carpets will become part of the fabric of the church, stuck down.)

In the bank
Fabric Fund	9,843.85
Deposit	2,645.77
Total	12,489.62

General Fund	5,968.01
Deposit	4,517.23
Total	10,485.24

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