THE PARISH CHURCH OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST, MALDEN
Registered Charity No. 1145155

Minutes of the 720th Meeting of the Parochial Church Council
held on Tuesday, 7th May 2019 in the Church Extension

Present: Lynn Sanger (Chair), Mike Broome, Pauline Armour, Franklin Barrington, Margaret Barrington, Milly Broome, Brian Bowers, Marilyn Burkett, Lisa Down, Louise Hall, Sally Josolyne, Anthony Pullen, and Liz Pullen.
       In attendance: Alastair Harris (treasurer) for the Finance items, and Faith Bowers (clerk).

Milly opened with prayer.  Franklin was welcomed to his first PCC meeting.

7182	1 - Apologies for absence were received from Richard Burkett, Steve Clark, Deborah Harris, and Marie McGuire.

7183	2 - Minutes of the March PCC Meeting
With one clause added to 7175 (‘other than the spouse of the outgoing clergy person’), these were approved and signed.  They would be published on the church noticeboard and website.    LS/DH

7184	3 - Matters arising from the minutes
7176 The donation to the school had been arranged, and Mike would visit in early June, with camera.

	7180 PCC membership: Geoff Little felt that with two members of Maintenance Committee, Mike 	and Richard, on the PCC, he did not need to be coopted.  Like the Treasurer, he could attend if matters made that desirable.

7185	4 - Finance
Alastair said that with the change of church warden the bank signatories needed to be changed.  There were normally four: the treasurer, the two church wardens, and one other, which could but did not have to be the incumbent.  Kevin had been a signatory, but some preferred not to be.  Lynn suggested that Richard Burkett might be the fourth, as he was willing to chair the Finance Committee.  Three bank accounts were involved.

Lynn proposed from the Chair that for the St John’s NatWest accounts Alastair Harris and Lynn Sanger should remain signatories and Mike Broome and Richard Burkett should be added.  Tatiana Hagan should no longer be a signatory.
	This was agreed unanimously.

Lynn proposed from the Chair that for the St John’s Barclays accounts Alastair Harris and Lynn Sanger should remain signatories and Mike Broome and Richard Burkett should be added.  Tatiana Hagan should no longer be a signatory.
	This was agreed unanimously.

Lynn proposed from the Chair that for the St John’s CCLA accounts Alastair Harris and Lynn Sanger should remain signatories and Mike Broome and Richard Burkett should be added.  Tatiana Hagan should no longer be a signatory.
	This was agreed unanimously.

Some time ago a Metrobank account had been opened but this had never been used so should be discontinued.

	Lynn proposed from the Chair that St John’s Metrobank account should be closed.
	This was carried unanimously.

Alastair said that the general state of the accounts was satisfactory.  Arrangements were in hand for his presentation to the 9.45 congregation.

Some useful information about churches and cashless payments had been received. Alastair himself was not on the Working Group on cashless payments, because of time pressures, but it consisted of Sheri Davis from Finance Committee, Debra Barrett from Fundraising, Geoff Little from Maintenance, and Sally Josolyne from Outreach.  Alastair would talk to his contacts at St Andrew and St Mark, the nearest church already taking  cashless payments. 
     Alastair added that most payments are now done online.  He gets the agreement of another signatory before making such payments.

7186	5 - Review of the Annual Parochial Church Meeting
This had gone well, with good attendance and the Archdeacon in the chair.  Having questions in writing in advance worked better, with committee chairs ready to answer.

7187	6 - Review of committee membership
	Richard Burkett had chosen to serve on the Finance Committee and was willing to chair it.
	Franklin and Jane had yet to choose their committees but should do so by the next PCC meeting.
	     Mike said that Maintenance Committee really needed one or two more active members.  Lynn 	was coming off that, as both church wardens were not needed on the same committee.  She already serves on Fundraising.

7188	7 - Reports and Recommendations from Committees
a) Children and Young People
Charlotte Budd had taken over from Alison Woodhouse on the third Sunday Little Fishes.  Alison had left because about to have twins.
This week the collection had at last been managed as planned.
	
b) Church Hall
	Brian reported that the rotten floor had now been relaid in concrete. 
Sally said that the QR link should be added in making the new sign, as this allows people to go direct to the website by phone.  It could just be the plain code or could have St John’s in words or logo in the centre.  The simplest version was judged best for reproducing small. 
Sally added that the sign outside the church was linking to a wrong website and needed to be modified.  The sign still had Kevin’s name and that should be painted over.  Sally would communicate with Geoff about this.                                                          SJ/GL

c) Congregation Committee
Marilyn had had to postpone the meeting planned for next Sunday because she was leading 30 Minutes.  The next activity was the Ascension Day Breakfast, following the 6.30 Eucharist.  A leader had not yet been found for a September Quiet Day: perhaps the new incumbent might lead it.

	d) Finance had been dealt with earlier.

	e) Fundraising
Lynn said plans were in hand for the Maeldune Fair.  A difficulty had arisen because Kingston Council now want a licence, costing £400, if any stall is within seven metres of the highway.  It was not clear whether that meant from the road or the pavement - the latter would prove difficult, so this should be clarified.  The licence fee would make a big hole in the funds raised at both the Maeldune and Scout Fairs.  Anthony suggested appealing to the Council since the Fair was both a charity and a community event, not like a commercial stall.  The Council’s other restrictions were less troubling. 

     Lynn did not anticipate a problem with Miller & Carter this year but either she or Janet Flemming would call on the manager.

f) Maintenance Committee
Geoff was looking into new chairs and tables, which were likely to be a significant expense.  There was the possibility of buying some year-old chairs from Terrazzino, but they were not padded.  That would be adequate for coffee time but not comfortable for longer sessions.  Two more chairs had broken that day.  The present were sixteen years old.  There had originally been 40 of them.

g) Outreach Committee
Sally said they had not met, but were arranging the Big Brekkie on the coming Saturday, to raise funds for Christian Aid.
	
7189	8 - 	Legacies Policy
The legacy policy had to be approved by the PCC each year.  It took the form recommended by the Diocese and was unchanged.  
	Lynn proposed from the Chair that the PCC adopt the current policy:

The policy of the PCC is to use legacies to help fund significant development projects in the parish, whether buildings, equipment or staff.  As circumstances change over the years, it may not be possible to fulfil specific donor requests, so church members are encouraged to leave legacies for the general purposes of the parish.  The PCC will discuss with executors the most appropriate use of the legacy in the light of current projects and the donor’s known areas of interest in the church (e.g. children and youth, music, buildings).

	This was carried unanimously.

	Lynn said that David Owen was happy to continue as Legacies Officer.

7190	9 - Approval of St John’s annual insurance
Geoff requested that the PCC should approve this.  It is the second of a three-year Ecclesiastical Parish Plus Policy, and will cost £1762.91 this year.
	Mike proposed that the PCC approve this and it was carried unanimously.

7190	10 - Any Other Business - There was none.

7191	11 - Church Wardens’ Notes
	Lynn said the three shortlisted candidates would visit the parish the coming Saturday, 11 May.  The church wardens should not be involved in this. She had planned a rota for touring the parish, including visits to the Hall and vicarage, and needed three volunteers with cars.  Milly and Tony (or Liz) volunteered, and Marilyn was sure Richard would be willing.  All three would meet the school’s head teacher at 12 noon, and then go to the Church Lounge for a light lunch, when other PCC members and committee chairs might meet them.  Those PCC members not present at this meeting should be told of the arrangements.
	The vicarage would not be looking at its best, but the Diocese has arrangements for major refurbishment in hand.  The three drivers would need vicarage keys.  Mike would turn the alarm off earlier and back on later in the day.
	It was stressed that the purpose of the visit is for candidates to see the parish, rather than to assess them.  The church wardens would represent the parish at the interviews in Oxford on Wednesday, 15 May.

There being no further business Milly closed the meeting with prayer at 9.09 p.m.
The next PCC meeting will be on Tuesday, 5 June 2019 at 8 p.m.