The Maintenance Committee

The Committee is responsible for selecting all contractors who carry out any works in the parish.

The Committee meets four times annually on the same nights as the finance committee. After the maintenance committee meeting, the Chairman delivers a brief report to the Finance Committee and answers any questions which that Committee may have. The Committee will have extra meetings if required, for example if major works of any kind are proposed or are in progress.

All parish property is owned under civil law by the diocese and managed under Canon Law by the parishes.

Members

Simon Craig-McFeely (photograph below) Chairman, Email Phone 893764
Adrian Organ – Deputy Chairman Email Phone 262826
Michael Rowan - Phone 825601
Tim Stevens - Email Phone 263193
Justin Kelly – Email Phone 893082

Members are appointed by the parish priest for a period of three years. One member of the Committee is elected by simple majority vote to act as Chairman. The Chairman is celected every three years.

Helping the Committee

The work of maintaining the buildings and grounds requires both professional and DIY skills, ranging from gardening and cleaning out the rainwater drains, (a contractor cuts the grass and does basic care but volunteers look after the flower beds) to major redecoration works, mending the roof and building alterations.

Duties

The Church of St Laurence is a Grade 2 Listed building and any alterations require Listed Building Consent. Additionally, St Laurence Church is within the Petersfield Conservation Area and therefore Conservation Area consent is also required before certain works can be done.

All parishes are required to have a five yearly review (the Quinquennial Review) of all of their buildings by an independent surveyor. This review is similar to the building survey which house buyers often have done before purchasing a house. The Maintenance Committee is responsible for arranging this review, as well as arranging any works which the review may state are necessary to keep the parish buildings in a good and proper state of repair. Additionally, this Committee arranges regular annual safety inspections at our parish properties include inspections of all electrical appliances, gas appliances and all of the fire appliances. The gas appliances are also serviced annually and the electrical wiring undergoes a rigorous check every five years.