the central council of church bell ringers

Tower Stewardship Committee — Report to 2006 Council

(This report has been updated to reflect changed schedule dates announced during the 2006 annual meeting of the Council)

      Remit: 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.

The Council created this Committee in 2005 and 8 members are due to be elected in 2006 to carry forward the work. The four tasks areas are summarised: -

• inform and make available advice on the roles and responsibilities of tower officials,
• promote good tower management and good governance,
• monitor future regulatory issues that might affect the local parochial organisation,
• act to support the interests of tower officials in consultation with the authorities whenever necessary.

The task of the Working Group this year has been to make a start on these four areas so that the new committee can hit the track running.

A number of volunteers offered their specialist services as members of a Working Group. The first action was to research the potential scope of the committee's remit and develop our understanding of the legislative environment affecting ringing and the Health & Safety dimension in particular. This led to a meeting with Ecclesiastical Insurance Group, who insure some 96% of all churches in England.

Two members of the Working Group met with the Senior Surveyor of the Ecclesiastical Insurance Group (EIG) and other members of staff at their Gloucester HQ in October 2005 and established that we have a number of common interests . They have a number of concerns: -

• EIG may eventually be in a position where they cannot continue to insure towers that are not compliant with the law. This will either lead to a closure of towers or will force the issue.
• Their published Guidance Notes covering all activities in churches are not getting the circulation within churches that is necessary.
• They are aware that their Guidance Notes may not be "ringer friendly" and would be better drafted with "ringer input" or come from the ringing establishment in the first place.
• The regulatory framework is becoming more demanding each year and frequently now becomes obligatory without consultation with or recognition of those affected, particularly churches. They would welcome co-operation in managing this increasingly difficult area.

The outcome of that meeting was that: -

• The CCCBR was invited to comment on the EIG's Guidance Notes that were about to be re-published. This we did and all our suggested amendments were accepted.
• It was agreed that ringers needed their own compliant "safety" Code of Practice in ringers' language and reflecting the practicalities of the belfry. This could be published by the CCCBR with the support, both in authority and financial terms, of EIG.
• The problem of planting good practice in every tower was only likely to be achieved through our ringing organisations so the solution to this problem lay with us.
• It was proposed that a liaison meeting (as happens with EH and the CCC) should take place annually between the CCCBR and EIG in May to review the Insurance situation, develop a partnership in the mutual interests of preserving ringing from unnecessary restriction, avoiding the possibility of prosecution for non-compliance and minimising the risks to be insured.

Following this, proposals to publish a Tower Manual containing Health & Safety and other matters affecting the local tower were circulated within the Working Group with a proposed schedule and a possible option as to how this matter could be disseminated throughout the country by the societies.

A follow-up meeting was held with EIG in March 2006 with the objective of reviewing progress, considering the emerging issues, reviewing planned timescales and formalising the Agenda for the 1^st Annual CCCBR/EIG meeting planned for 31^st August 2006.

Agenda items for Annual Meeting 31^st August 2006 were agreed as follows: -

• Review of accident record 2005-6 and identification of trends, areas of high risk etc
• Review of insurance cover scenario for volunteer-organised "Bell-hanging Groups".
• Health & Safety issues including design of new installations.
• Formation of "Places of Worship Special Interest Group" to seek Government recognition and formal consultation on future legislation and regulation affecting churches (places of worship).

A report of the outcome of this annual meeting will be given to the Council Meeting each year.

Proposed Working Group/Committee Work Plan

Since the initial outline proposals were made for the proposed Tower Manual (a working name for the present) some work has been done to identify existing materials and what new material will need to be drafted. The main area for drafting is of course Health & Safety and this will be prioritised. For the time being it is proposed to reference other publications within the draft.

However the perceived urgency of the original objective of producing a draft for consultation by this Council Meeting (2006) has been reviewed on advice from EIG that the anticipated "Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order 2005", which is not expected to be published until October 2006, may seriously affect belfries.

It is understood that this Order will replace all existing Fire Regulations and will seriously affect churches (and belfries) because it has been drafted without taking into consideration any of their special circumstances.

EIG suggested that it would be prudent to work towards the production of a consultation draft for October and then take the new Fire Order into account before consultation with the societies.

There are however two issues on which we need to consult the Council's constituent societies: -

• The proposed system for introducing and managing the H&S requirements in the 8000 individual towers (inc 3 and 4 bells towers) through them.
• Whether or not there are activities that they undertake for which their existing insurance cover is adequate or should be improved.

Revised Timescales

• Consultation document on process to societies in July 2006
• Decision on Implementation Options in October
• 1^st draft Tower Manual October 2006 for society consultation on content
• Consultation completed by end Feb 2007
• Final draft to March Admin Committee 2007
• To print April 2007
• Regional Workshops Sept - Oct 2007
• Rollout to towers completed by November 2007.

Legislative Areas

The activity so far is focussed on the situation pertaining to England and Wales. Information is being sought as to how the issue may need to be addressed differently in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic.

It is recognised