the central council of church bell ringers

Tower Stewardship Committee

Leaflets

The Committee has identified a number of areas where external factors can affect how bell towers are used and managed. It is in the process of producing a series of leaflets to be distributed to every tower in the UK. The following are currently available and can also be downloaded from this website in the form of PDF * documents:

• Tower Management
• Child Protection in Towers
• Church Law in Relation to Bells
• Fire Risk Assessment
• Insurance and Ringing
• Tower Safety and Risk Assessment

* PDF documents can be displayed and printed using Adobe® Reader®, which is downloadable free of charge.

Leaflets | Reports | Terms of reference | Background | Membership | Top

Annual Reports

• 2007
• 2006

Leaflets | Reports | Terms of reference | Background | Membership | Top

Terms of Reference

• To support the good management of towers by promoting best practice and good governance;
• to inform and make available advice on the roles and responsibilities of tower officials;
• to monitor regulatory issues that might affect the local parochial organisation
• and to act in support of the interests of tower officials in consultation with the authorities whenever necessary.

Leaflets | Reports | Terms of reference | Background | Membership | Top

Background

In recent years there has been a steady increase in legislation and social regulation that impacts directly on the role and responsibilities of the Tower Captain. It is quite probable that this trend will continue and Tower Captains are becoming exposed to considerable potential personal risk in the discharge of their voluntary duties.

Insurance, Child Protection and Health and Safety issues have recently been dealt with on behalf of the Council within the Administrative Committee by the formation of ad hoc sub-committees of Officers or Members. However, these issues are ongoing, they continue to be subject to further review, extension and development and they go right to the heart of how ringing is managed at the local level.

The office of Tower Captain or Ringing Master is generally not recognised within the constitutions of most members societies of the Council or of the Council itself, yet this office is not only crucial to the day-to-day management of ringing but carries the principal responsibility for compliance with the law within our ringing community.

During its 2005 meeting the Central Council approved the creation of the Tower Stewardship Committee at its 2006 meeting, and appointed a Working Group to start work immediately.

Leaflets | Reports | Terms of reference | Background | Membership | Top

Committee Membership

The following eight members were elected at the Central Council meeting in Leicester on 29 May 2006 to serve until the 2008 meeting:

Ernie Runciman - Chairman

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