Tuesday’s meeting of the PCC found us grappling with some big numbers! We discussed how we might take further our commitment to alternative energy sources, following the report that was commissioned last year. Terry Miller, the diocesan environmental chaplain, joined us and encouraged us by committing his support to the parish to find funding for these new developments. The PCC agreed to investigate:
This potentially comes to a huge amount of money (around £150,000) but we are told that it is possible to get grant aid to cover all the costs, although this will take time and effort to achieve. The PCC voted unanimously for this, and we will keep you informed of progress. Please ask if you would like any more details. We also noted that we will be involved in a project with the Primary School this year for which children will be investigating the church to measure our carbon footprint.
As you may be aware, David Fleshbourne has been exploring a call to the priesthood over the past few years and is about to attend a diocesan selection panel. If he is successful here, he will be sent to a national selection conference later in the year. If recommended, he will start training in September. The PCC have to give their seal of approval for this, and members were pleased to do so. Please do pray for David and Rachel during this time.
We also reviewed our current insurance arrangements, which were felt to be comprehensive and appropriate, and our finances, and heard that we are still awaiting the granting of a faculty before the work on the vestries can begin. The PCC were asked to consider arrangements to select our charity for 2009/10. We were keen to build on links with Liuli and to make that relationship deeper and more frequent and so the PCC voted to retain St Anne’s as one of our charities for the next year. However, they were also mindful that the Women’s Refuge will open on the estate shortly and decided that we should also support this local charity, one that will be operating on our doorstep.
We noted that three members of the PCC have come to the end of their three years service: Daniel and Tabitha Holt and Paul Cartwright and that David Fleshbourne had decided to step down as churchwarden this year. We thanked them all for their service and contributions. It is possible for those stepping down from the PCC to be re-elected should they wish.
We discussed parking at the front of church (on the pavement/drive area) and were concerned that vehicles parked there for significant amounts of time block access to the pavement, and to the dropped kerb. This could cause a problem for wheelchair users and does obstruct the pavement. This land does not belong to us and the PCC felt that it would be appropriate to ask people to limit parking on the path to a few minutes for unloading or dropping off people with mobility difficulties, and that cars should not be parked there as a matter of course.
If you would like any more information about these issues, please do ask any member of the PCC.