About the DAC Office
The team comprises Caroline Hilton, DAC Secretary and David Bayley, Assistant to DAC Secretary (The DAC is the Diocesan Advisory Committee for the Care of Churches).
Caroline and David provide support to parishes in their care of church buildings, churchyards and boundary walls. They assist with a very wide range of matters, from simple items such as introducing a bench to a churchyard or bits of localised repairs, to major development of church buildings.
They assist parishes with enquiries and guide them through the application process for necessary legal permissions (List Bs and faculties) for works to be carried out. The DAC office also administers the quinquennial inspection scheme for churches and work relating to closed churches. They also carry out the DAC meetings which take place once a month, apart from April and August.
They are a very busy team, dealing with a high volume of enquiries and casework processing - which is great as that means there is really good engagement with the DAC in the diocese. This can occasionally also mean it is difficult for them to respond as speedily as they would like, but they are happy to receive a friendly hastener if you have been waiting.
The Diocesan Advisory Committee - the DAC - has the primary function to provide informal advice to parishes and make formal recommendations to the Chancellor about faculty applications received from parishes.
The Committee is made up of clergy, architects and a range of other specialists in the maintenance and development of church buildings. It therefore contains a very wide range of specialist knowledge and experience which it is pleased to share with parishes planning works to their buildings.
As well as reviewing applications, the DAC may occasionally visit a particular church. This helps the DAC to understand complex or unusual proposals. It also allows for informal discussion with the parish at an early stage, often helping the parish to develop their scheme in line with best proven practice and avoiding unnecessary expense.
For advice on policy or conservation issues, Quinquennial inspections, church buildings repairs, the faculty process and existing faculty applications, please contact the DAC Secretary Caroline Hilton.