URC THAMES NORTH TRUST 
Financial notice: Rate for Synod loans, including car loans from 01/01/2010: 2.75%
Fergus Urquhart and Keith Berry welcome you to the web pages for
URC THAMES NORTH TRUST
Trust Messageboard
FAITH IN MAINTENANCE TRAINING DAYS (spab)
NATIONAL CHURCHES'TRUST SURVEY 2010 HERE
FOR HIRING PERIODS OVER THREE DAYS PER WEEK, YOU MAY REQUIRE A LEASE TO AVOID PROBLEMS FOR YOUR CHURCH IN THE FUTURE SUCH AS SECURITY OF TENURE ISSUES WHICH COULD PROVE DETRIMENTAL TO THE MISSION OF YOUR CHURCH. PLEASE, MAKE SURE YOU SEEK EXPERT ADVICE ON SUCH MATTERS FROM URC THAMES NORTH TRUST AT THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE OPPORUNITY.
NEW!!!! STEWARDSHIP PAGES HERE!!!!!
Check out the new Stewardship Pages where there will soon be dedicated information for Stewardship and Property!!!!!!
JOB VACANCY!!!!! URC Thames North Trust, Treasurer
URC Thames North Trust hold the majority of property in Thames North Synod in trust on behalf of local churches so, when churches become involved in dealing with property, whether hiring, leasing, disposal or acquisition, their first step should always be to contact the Trust for appropriate advice. As Trustee Owners of the property, The Trust holds the Title Deeds to your premises and is the party empowered to contract, for example, as Landlord in leases and, for Manses, in Assured Shorthold Tenancies. E-mail The Trust or phone on direct line 020 7799 6000. Fergus Urquhart, as Trust Officer, is the main contact for property questions, while Keith Berry, as Secretary of the Trust, handles investments held in trust on behalf of the local churches.
Wales Synod has organised a SPAB Faith in Maintenance Course on 3 September 2009 near Newport, South Wales.
SPAB have apparently made mention in Reform of the availability of a DVD produced on the course material.
My contact at SPAB, Kate Minnis, asked me how they might distribute these (free) to URC churches via their Synods. I suggested that the PLATO network might be the best point of contact.
So, if you would like free copies, as well as some free delivery, get in touch with Kate as follows:
If any nearby church members in Wessex, West Mids or the South West would like to come to our event they would be very welcome. Please ask them to look on the SPAB website for full details of the course and then book a place by contacting me. It’s all free… even lunch…
Sue
Click here to refer to URC Thames North Trust Guidance notes which comprise the following subjects and on the titles to view specific Guidance Notes:
Guidance Note 1- About the Trust PDF
Guidance Note 2 - Trusteeship of local church property and funds PDF
Guidance Note 3 - Title deeds and other documents PDF
Guidance Note 4 - Sales and leases of church premises by third parties PDF
Guidance Note 5 - Use of church premises by third parties PDF
Guidance Note 6 - Letting manses and other residential property PDF
Guidance note 7 - Purchase or lease of land and/or buildings PDF
Gudance Note 8 - Building Contracts PDF
Guidance note 9 - Choice of investments PDF
Guidance Note 10 - Release of funds to churches PDF
Guidance Note 11 - List of charges applicable from 1 January, 2009 PDF
Guidance Note 12 - Insurance PDF
Guidance Note 13 - Employee accommodation PDF
Please note: a further valuable source of information on church property matters is the URC Property Handbook. Click on the title to go to the appropriate web pages.
The Revd David Skipp, Property Development Worker
In addition to the work of URC Thames North Trust, URC Thames North Synod has appointed the Revd David Skipp as Property Development Worker, concentrating, as suggested by his designation, on development of our local church premises. David is also one of the main liaisons between local churches and Grants, Loans and Property Committee ("GLP") of the Synod and has overall responsibility for the quinquennial inspections and their follow-through. For an overview of the areas in which David and GLP are involved in particular, click here to view his full Guidance notes which, by contrast with URC Thames North Trust, comprise the following subjects:
Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA)
Annual Inspection of Church Properties
Construction Design and Management Regulations 2007
Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 Guidelines
Grants, Loans and Property Procedures
Grants, Loans and Property (GLP) Application form
Grants Loans &and Property (GLP) Application form for Capital Improvement
Gas Servicing Guidelines (Manses)
Guidance Notes for Quinquennial Inspection for Church Members and Consultants
Quinquennial Procedures Update - March, 2008
*Please note, the Synod gives grants of up to £500 + VAT towards the survey of a church and up to £300 + VAT for that of a manse occupied by a minister in pastoral charge. There isn't a form to fill in, I just need to see the invoices (electronic copies are fine) which I presume you have already paid.
Quinquennial Inspection Report Form
Regulatory Reforms (Fire Safety) Order 2005, Emergency Procedures and Emergency Evacuation
In addition, David publishes an occasional bulletin entitled Property Matters the latest of which may be viewed by clicking on the title.
Trust Messageboard Click here to ascertain the latest developments on registration of churches with the Charity Commission
FEBRUARY 2010 SPAB BULLETIN HERE