methods of conservation and repair. The form that records will take will be left to individual DACs but it may be worthwhile ensuring that the local records office or archivist is' aware of these records and it may be that they can be integrated with the local records system, Since the 1955 Measure, all parochial church councils have had to commission quinquennial inspections of their buildings; previously these had to be carried out by architects but now the tide has been altered to "a qualified person" to include chartered surveyors, This is yet another illustration of how the architectural profession has allowed itself to be downgraded by turning its back on historic buildings, leaving a yawning gap to be filled by enthusiastic surveyors and other occupations. The scope of the quinquennial inspection includes significant movable objects and ruins and trees in churchyards. The new Measure sets out the duties of churchwardens in some detail; these include an annual inspection of the fabric together with a report to the PCC and the maintenance of the terrier, inventory and log book produced annually. Section 17 of the Measure deals with Faculties for demolition or part demolition, stating that no Faculty for demolition of a listed church, or one in a Conservation Manufacturerosf OakShingles madefromairdried EnglishOak Also ChurchDoors andLychGates Area, should be granted before the Registrar has notified the Secretary of State, the local planning authority, English Heritage and the national amenity societies, and their advice has been considered. There is, however, prov1s10n for emergency demolition (without prior Faculty) in the interests of safety and health. Returning to the make-up of the DACs, there does not appear to be a definition of the "relevant associations of local authorities" which are to be consulted in respect of the appointment of one of the members, This presumably refers to the ADC, ACC, AMC and ALBC, but the way in which these bodies may go about making nominations could well be a lottery. This is an area in which the ACO might well bring its influence to bear in order to ensure suitable nominations. As I hope I have made clear, the calibre of members of DACs is vitally important: properly appointed, these committees will be a valuable source of well informed advice (such as we would welcome from local authority planning committees), But the wrong appointees could result in decisions which might allow changes which would permanently damage our historic churches. All Conservation Officers should make contact with the secretary of the local DAC and inquire as to the membership. Any opportunities to lobby for representation on the Committee should be taken. Nominations from individual local authorities for representation may not be welcomed by the dioceses but if there are good reasons for making suggestions it might be a course worth considering, Each DAC will have its own constitution based upon a model draft; a view of this document, if it is available, would be of interest to all Conservation Officers. In the future, changes to our parish churches will be influenced by the new Measure and for that reason we should all be aware of its implications. BIBLIOGRAPHY Care of Churchesand Ecclesiasticajlurisdiction Measure (1991), HMSO, price £8,35 Previous Measures covered the following subjects: 1955: Quinquennial inspections 1963: Consistory courts 1964: DACs, demolitions, archdeacon's certificates 1967: Faculty jurisdiction rules Facultyjurisdiction of the Churchof England by GH Newsom, Sweet & Maxwell, 1988, Context 28 included articles by Jane Grenville on the Council for British Archaeology's approach to ecclesiastical exemption, and by Peter Howell on Roman Catholic Churches ' Peter Richards is Head of the Essex County Council Conservation Team. Getting to grips with building Riviera Hotel, Bowleaze Cove, Weymouth, Dorset. • repair ... An opportunity to gain first hand knowledge of historic building repair from experts in other fields. 18th- 22nd April Hands-on experience ... 2 full days of practical repair techniques led fry skilled craftsmen. Madeto YourSpecification Day school ... a packed programme of lectures including Dr R. Brunskill, Ian Constantinides, John Fidler and Prof. John Ashurst. After dinner speak!rs will stimulate and inform. Chance to visit Kingston Lacy House, to see Blandford, Corfe Castle and some of Dorset's villages, and to discuss local conservation issues. Tel: 0874 84 626 24 Hr Answerphone For booking form contact: Alison Cummings ( conference administrator) 39 Roman Road, Weymouth DT3 5JH T eleplwne 0305 773824 ASPIRING WOOD~1 ____ l I 20 MAESYFELIN, LLANGORSE, BRECON, POWYS LD3 7TS. j Association of Conservation Officers 20 CONTEXT 36 l
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjgyMjA=