The Diocesan Advisory Committee for the Care of Churches (DAC) is a statutory body set up under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction, which provides advice and guidance on the care of churches and churchyards.
Making changes to church buildings, contents or grounds requires submission of a faculty application (a request for permission) to the Chancellor of the Diocese. Faculties are issued by the Chancellor or the Archdeacons, taking the DAC’s advice into account.
>> See the current faculty applications
Important dates
Faculty application closing dates
2027 meeting dates (PDF format)
DAC Committee Members
Mr Michael Bye, DAC ChairVenerable Matthew Trick, Archdeacon of Derby & South Derbyshire
Venerable Nicky Fenton, Archdeacon of Derbyshire Peak & Dales
Mr James Darwin, Amenities Societies Representative
Mr Simon Gratton, Conservation Architect
Revd Canon Peter Walley, clergy member
For advice or guidance, please contact:
Kat Alldread: 01332 388683
Email: dac@derby.anglican.org
New Building Management Portal
The Church of England is developing a new system for handling Faculty applications which will replace the Online Faculty System in October 2027. Further communications regarding when the new system will be launched, training on the new system, how to register and how active Faculty cases will be transferred to the new system will all follow and be posted on this webpage, as further information is received from the national Church. You will find more information about the Building Management Portal and its rollout here.
Look for further updates regarding the new system in the regular email to church leaders. If you have any questions about this, please email dac@derby.anglican.org.
DAC & Church Buildings Surgery Sessions this autumn
The DAC Secretary Kat Alldread and Church Buildings Support Officer Gareth Greenwood are offering a series of drop-in surgeries for churchwardens, clergy and others with responsibility for church buildings.
These informal sessions are designed to offer practical guidance, answer questions, and provide support on matters relating to the care, maintenance and development of church buildings. Whether you are planning repairs, considering improvements, or simply need advice about processes and permissions, Kat and Gareth will do their best to help you on your way.
If your query is very involved, requiring more complex input, Kat and Gareth may ask you for contact details in order to follow things up outside of the session.
The sessions will be held on Teams, and dates, times and links are as follows:
7pm on the 24th September Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/362111422273304?p=6fqSuSvUED1uUAoVnj
3pm on the 30th September Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/339952164983352?p=tL1l9FsP4RyKvgbbDR
6:30pm on the 20th October Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/337715919446110?p=qoX9hGctTKpKHCRjpH
10:am on the 22nd October Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/383760036732101?p=IQwkxZYEa4sMHSAhAY
2pm on the 17th November Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/321510083642055?p=OJ5tMB45tdw3Glbilj
7pm on the 3rd December Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/336934769873709?p=8Ph55mzC9D33rVrf6Z
It is very simple to take part, you will not need to download the Teams app, but simply click on the meeting invite link, and when prompted, choose 'continue in browser.'
A series of Learning in Faith Bitesize training sessions are available online to guide you through church maintenance and the faculty process. The training sessions are free of charge and available to access at any time.
The Derby Diocesan Registry website has further information on faculty jurisdiction, churchyards, memorials and more.
Churchcare provides a series of guidance notes relating to the care, use and development of church buildings. For further information and guidance, click on the Guidance Notes button below.
REMEMBER : Reguar attention to these things saves you money ...
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inspection: undertake regular inspections, to assess condition, identify problems and to decide whether work is necessary
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regular maintenance tasks: jobs like clearing gutters, testing services, checking for damp and clearing the churchyard
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minor repairs: ongoing minor repairs to the building, perhaps as the result of extreme weather, can include fixing slipped roof tiles, replacing broken glass or making temporary ‘flashband’ repairs
Download your Maintenance Checklist here.
Other helpful information can be found on the National Churches Trust webpages.
To find accredited maintence contractors register for FREE with Maintenance Booker.
Submitting applications
All applications for works to churches can be made through the Online Faculty System
Additonal Matters Orders
The Faculty Jurisdiction Rules allow the Chancellor to make an order for items that are not listed in Lists A and B to be treated as such rather than needing a full faculty.
Links to the AMOs applicable to this diocese are given below.
>> Additional Matters Order - Vaccination Centres [PDF]
>> Additional Matters Order -Trial Pits [PDF]
>> Additional Matters Order - Disposal of Church Contents [PDF]
>>Additional Matters Order- Commonwealth War Graves Signage [PDF]
