Inspiring Churches Conference

Just to remind you to book your place on the Inspiring Churches Conference taking place on Saturday 8th December, 10-4. It should be an excellent day with first class speakers on all the practicalities of developing your church project. Why not come to Leeds for the day and get your Christmas shopping done at the same time.

You can book your place by:

ringing 0113 2000540

emailing Alice.Ullathorne@riponleeds-diocese.org.uk 

or visiting http://www.riponleeds.anglican.org/inspiring-churches.html

Building Communities - St Philip's Centre

This is a fantastic example of how to use space in church buildings for community uses. In this case it is in the church hall but could just as easily happen within the church itself. The current project was funded by a Landfill Community Grant from Biffaward and really showed what can be done with very little cash. The St Philip's Centre in Osmondthorpe in Leeds used the £3,788.20 to replace windows and make their centre safer for their users.

Inspiring Churches: Practical resources to develop your church projects

Saturday 8^th December 2012, 10-4

St George’s Centre, Great George Street, Leeds. LS1 3BR

Ticket Price £10 including lunch

To book: ring 0113 2000540

email Alice.Ullathorne@riponleeds-diocese.org.uk 

or visit http://www.riponleeds.anglican.org/inspiring-churches.html

The day includes Keynote from Maggie Durran (author and church development consultant), case studies and practical ideas and workshops from how to fund a youth project to shrinking the footprint of your church building

Workshops include:

New Look Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme

Details have been released this week of the new look Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme. The scheme has been running since 2001 as a way to enable Listed churches to reclaim VAT for repairs and maintenance. Changes to the Scheme and points of note are:

• the government are confident that increased budgets (£42 million annual budget) will now mean claims will be refunded in full
• the scope of the scheme has been widened to include approved alterations including plumbing and electrical works; works to kitchens, toilets, floor coverings and handrails; decoration; work to pews; asbestos removal and security measures
• The scheme will be administered on a monthly basis so that churches are out of pocket for as little time as possible

Do remember to reclaim your VAT for repairs, maintenance and approved alterations but do note that your claim will only be eligible if:

1.       the invoice or invoices are worth over £1,000 excluding VAT

2.       You make your claim within 12 months of the invoice date

3.       You use a VAT registered contractor and have a VAT invoice

If you have any queries don't hesitate to contact me at the Diocesan Office.

Great Church Building Example

Here's a great example of a reordering scheme at Kirkby Overblow that has created a flexible multi-use space within the church that meets the needs of the worshipping congregation as well as allowing the church to hire out the church for a range of activities from theatrical productions to banquets.

The Church of England has welcomed an agreement with the Government over the future funding of alterations and repairs to its 12,500 listed buildings, which will provide £30 million a year extra money. This is on top of the £12 million already in the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme (LPWGS).

Despite not persuading the Government that maintaining zero rated VAT for alterations is the best way forward, church leaders said that the £30 million a year extra money that the Chancellor has committed to the LPWGS will enable the equivalent to the VAT bill to be paid out on all alterations and repairs to listed church buildings.  The Scheme pays out to those denominations and faiths with listed buildings

The LPWGS will in future be ring fenced and no longer vulnerable to cuts in departmental budgets and it is planned to re-introduce monthly pay outs from October. The scheme will be guaranteed for the duration of this Parliament. Parishes have shown they need a much greater degree of certainty in the funding they receive and this will now be met by ironing out some of the more unhelpful characteristics of the current LPWGS.

Anne Sloman, Chair of the Church Buildings Council said, “the fact that the Treasury offer went from £5million to £30million is a recognition of the tremendous value for money to the nation as a whole that our buildings represent. We are grateful to parishes up and down the land who have lobbied so hard since the Budget to bring this point home to the government, and even more grateful for the massive contribution volunteers make by their efforts, week in and week out, to keep our beautiful churches in good repair for worship and adapted to serve the community in so many creative ways.”

Wakefield Cathedral VAT Ditty

Here's a timely reminder to sign up to the Church Building Council's VAT e-petition to stop the removal of the zero-rating of VAT on Listed Churches:
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/32229

The Government's consultation document can be downloaded at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/budget2012/vat-con-4801.pdf

The following link shows how you can support the campaign to keep the zero-rate:
http://www.theheritagealliance.org.uk/2012/04/17/vat-2012-campaign-toolkit/