How, and why, does Synod need to be involved in your building projects
A major purpose of Synod is to support churches in their mission, and most congregations meet in buildings which are formally owned by the URC (Mersey Province) Trust. Synod therefore must maintain oversight of what happens to its buildings, it has a responsibility to ensure legal requirements are met and it must demonstrate accountability for the way its money is spent as it, and its churches are charities. Synod has formed a Property Group which can help and support you with the practicalities and give advice on the technical aspects of your buildings project.
The formal decision for approval to proceed with building projects, rests with two Committees within Synod, as delegated oversight has been granted to them to expediate the process. These Committees work together to ensure that a suggested project helps to deliver the vision for the future life, witness and outreach of the church, and constitutes good value for money. Even if you are not requesting a monetary contribution to the cost of the project from Synod, you must still request its permission, as building owners, to carry out work.
Pastoral Committee
The project will be reviewed by the Synod Pastoral Committee to assess how what is being proposed fits in with the mission of the church, and that of the wider church. If you haven’t already undertaken a Being Church assessment, you will be asked to carry one out and the Committee will use this as part of it’s assessment to judge the need and viability of the project. Pastoral Officers will also want to meet the church elders to discuss its mission.
Resources Committee
The project will also be assessed by the Synod Resources Committee who will advise on technical aspects of the proposal, primarily through the Property Officer or other Resources Committee representatives. The committee also assesses the financial viability of the proposal and can, where appropriate, consider the provision of a grant or loan for the project, funded by the Synod Property Fund.
Synod Process: two stage approval
Initial Enquiry: approval in principle
Synod should be involved as soon as the church decides it wants to undertake a project, with the completion of the Initial Enquiry Form. The form does not require a lot of detail and has been designed to help you focus on the necessary information which will be needed for Synod to assess your proposal. Members of the Synod Property Group can provide advice on getting this information together.
Synod will then make a preliminary assessment of whether or not it is likely to agree to such a project going ahead based on the information given on the form. This will not normally be a “green light” to go ahead, but an indication that Synod is favourable to the project, so that the church can progress to producing a fuller project plan, a formal feasibility study etc, particularly for larger more complex projects. Having an early warning of projects helps Synod to plan to provide support to the church when it is needed and to ensure that decisions are made quickly when required, so things are not unduly held up.
Formal Project Review
Following the approval to the Initial Enquiry, you will need to go ahead and prepare your project in more detail, collating all the necessary information and documents, including quotations. The next stage is dependant on the cost of the work or how the need for the work has arisen:
Work arising from a septennial (formally known as quinquennial) survey: complete Stage QQ Form
Work less than £5,000, form for Work less £5,000 should be completed.
For larger projects, form for Work above £5,000 should be completed. This is then reviewed by Pastoral Committee and Resources Committee: a local church representative is able to present their project to Pastoral Committee if they wish.