What sort of work needs a faculty?
Even though the work has been recommended in the Quinquennial Inspection report or it is replacing like with like, a faculty is almost certainly required by the Church in Wales rules.
All of the following need faculty permission.
- any change in use of a building or land
- any alteration, addition or repair to, decoration, re-decoration or demolition of, or removal from, the fabric of a church
- any alteration or addition to land, including the construction of new buildings
- the introduction, removal, alteration or repositioning of, furniture, fittings, murals, monuments (including gravestones), plate and other precious objects, into, from, or in, a church or land, or the repair of any such furniture, fittings, murals, monuments, plate or objects
- the alteration or addition to an inscription on any monument or gravestone
- the acquisition of a permanent or exclusive right of burial in any grave, grave space, vault or tomb
- the removal of a corpse, or human or cremated remains, from an existing grave, vault, tomb or plot.
MAINTENANCE
A faculty is not needed for routine maintenance work which keeps the church, its contents, or the churchyard clean and tidy or which keeps electrical or mechanical items (including heating and lighting equipment, musical instruments and bells) in good working order.
BUT maintenance which involves replacement (other than of light bulbs and heating elements), redecoration, pointing, repointing, or rewiring DOES need a faculty.
MOVEable Items and furniture
Introduction or removal of some items may not need a faculty but may need permission from the Bishop.
(The list is in the Constitution, Rules of Diocesan Court: First Schedule:Minor Matters)
Exploratory work
Sometimes exploratory work has to be done before the full works can be specified eg. opening up a section of roof, investigating plaster on medieval walls. Such exploratory work will need a faculty in advance of the faculty for the main work.