Property

 

If you are undertaking any work on property, either church buildings or manses, you will need to consider whether your plans need approval by the District and/or the Connexion. You may find it helpful to obtain a copy of the new CD “Building Confidence” to support your development which is available from Resourcing Mission Office

 

Contents

Abbreviations

Significant Work

What approvals are required …

Sale of Buildings

Renting Manses

Minor Works Scheme

Property Scheme

District Property Panel

 

 

Abbreviations

CAF – Circuit Advance Fund

DAF – District Advance Find

DPP – District Property Panel

DPS – District Property Secretary

RMO – Resourcing Mission Office, Manchester

MPFO – Mission Projects and Funding Office at RMO

TMCP – Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes

 

 

Significant Work

eg. extension to current building, major repairs, major internal changes, new buildings

·          if you are planning building work on Methodist Trust Property (church buildings or manses) you are advised to contact DPS at the planning stage – with the support of the DPP a wide variety of expertise is available

·          in the early stages of planning you are advised to put together a Funding Package in consultation with MPFO.

·          all Schedules must go through the District for approval before they are sent to RMO – if they are sent directly to the RMO in Manchester they have to go back to the District for approval before they can be processed

·          if the property is a listed building you are advised to contact the Conservation Officer at RMO  at the earliest opportunity

 

What approvals are required from the church, Circuit, District and connexion for the work?

The questions below are designed to help you answer this question

 

If all the funds are already available from within the local church’s own bank account (not including funds from CAF) approval is NOT needed, unless you answer YES to one of the following:

·          is it a listed building?

·          is it in a conservation area (unless work is only internal)?

·          is the work anything more than minor works of repair and maintenance?

·          are there any external visual changes to the building? (planning approval may also be required)

 

If you have answered YES to one of these questions, you need to decide what type of ‘Scheme’ you have:

 

If the cost of the work is likely to be less than £20,000 (excluding fees and VAT) this is a Minor Works Scheme (unless you are in one of the situations listed on the Application Form Guidelines

 

If the cost of the work is likely to be more than £20,000 it becomes a Property Scheme

 

 

Sale of Buildings (Churches or Manses)

To seek approval to sell a church:

·          approval is first required to advertise for sale

·          please note, in order to advertise for the sale of a church, approval to cease public worship, from District Synod, is required – requests must be submitted by the Circuit outlining the reasons and planned date of worship ceasing (this should not be retrospective), to the Secretary to District Executive for approval by the District Executive

 

Process:

1.        complete Schedule 5 (currently only available by post)

2.        send completed Schedule to DPS for approval

3.        this is then sent to RMO for formal approval

4.        a key document is the qualified surveyor’s report which should either accompany Schedule 5 or be submitted at a later date. Permission to Advertise cannot be issued by RMO until all relevant matters have been fully satisfied

5.        subsequent arrangements to sell the building are then made directly with RMO and the Trustees’ solicitor

 

 

Renting Manses

In order for a manse to be rented a formal lease between the Circuit and the people leasing the property is required

 

Process:

1.        complete Schedule 6

2.        send completed Schedule to DPS for approval

3.        this is then sent to RMO for formal approval

4.        a key document is the qualified surveyor’s report which should either accompany Schedule 6 or be submitted at a later date. Permission to lease cannot be issued by RMO until all relevant matters have been fully satisfied

5.        subsequent arrangements to sell the building are then made directly with RMO and the Trustees’ solicitor

 

 

Minor Works Scheme

·          for Schemes less than £20,000 (excluding fees and VAT)

·          requires less form filling and is approved within the District

·          can be submitted at any time (but not retrospectively)

 

Process

1.        complete Schedule 1 (MW)

2.        send to DPS a package that includes all of the following:

·           2 copies of completed Schedule, both original signed copies (if money is required from CAF then three original signed copies – the extra copy is required to be sent to RMO to release CAF money

·           copy of Mission Statement for the church where the work is taking place

·           please check that DPS has copy of latest Quinquennial Report – if this is not the case please include a copy

·           plans, further details and quotations, as appropriate (please check with the DPS to confirm what is required)

3.        Scheme is scrutinised and approved by the DPS and Chair of District (having taken advice from the DPP, if appropriate)

4.        approved Schedule and confirmation letter is sent to the Circuit Superintendent to confirm District approval (copy of letter is also sent to ‘correspondent’ for the Scheme)

 

Please note, this approval enables work to begin and there is no need to wait for the formal approval of District Synod. When the work is approved and undertaken you can write to TMCP for release of any invested money approved for the Scheme.

 

 

Property Scheme

·          for Scheme more than £20,000 (excluding fees and VAT)

·          scrutinised and approved within the District, although formal approval required from RMO

·          can be submitted at any time (but not retrospectively)

 

Process

1.        undertake initial consultations with Circuit, District and RMO and obtain a copy of the Thinking about a major property scheme? leaflet

2.        complete Schedule 1

3.        send to DPS a package that includes all of the following:

·           copy of completed Schedule 1

·           copy of the Technical Form to be completed in consultation with professional adviser where appropriate

·           copy of the Local Church Profile

·           copy of Mission Statement for the church where the work is taking place

·           please check that DPS has copy of latest Quinquennial Report – if this is not the case please include a copy

·           drawings, further details and quotations, as appropriate to explain the proposals – 5 copies of the drawings are required if it is a listed building or in a Conservation Area (please check with the DPS to confirm what is required)

4.        the Scheme is scrutinised and approved, as follows:

4.1     If the Scheme is less than £200,000:

·           the Scheme is scrutinised and approved by the DPS and Chair of District (having taken advice from the District Property Panel, if appropriate) and forwarded by  the District to RMO

·           please note, schedules do not need to await the approval of District Synod before they are passed to RMO, however, work must not begin until the Superintendent has received formal written Scheme Approval from RMO.

4.2     If the Scheme is over £200,000:

·           the DPP will usually make a visit to the Scheme

·           in the light of this visit, the Scheme is scrutinised and approved by the DPS and Chair of District (having taken advice from the District Property Panel, if appropriate)

·           please note, schedules do not need to await the approval of District Synod before they are passed to RMO, however, work must not begin until the Superintendent has received formal written approval from RMO.

·           RMO may request further information, particularly with regards to funding, before making their final decision

5.        a letter, from RMO, giving formal Scheme Approval is sent to the Circuit Superintendent (with copies to DPS and Chair of District)

6.        where changes to the Scheme, cost, or funding, occur subsequent to Scheme approval an amendment will be required and issued by RMO. Minor amendments can be notified to RMO direct. Major amendments should be sent via Circuit and District as usual.

 

 

District Property Panel (DPP)

The DPP has three basic responsibilities:

a.         to scrutinise and approve Minor Works Schemes, which is usually done by correspondence with a few relevant members

b.         to assist local churches in the preparation of major schemes (over £200,000), which may include site visits by some members and the scrutiny of schedules when submitted

c.         to offer advice to DPS as required

 

The DPP meets formally twice per year but does most of its work by correspondence. Representative members make site visits where appropriate. Schemes are usually scrutinised by relevant members prior to receiving District support.

 

The DPP includes people with a variety of expertise, currently including: architects, structural engineer, planner, building services, theological/mission implications, conservation, disability issues

 

Support and advice with funding available from RMO