Works Not Requiring a Faculty
The Faculty Jurisdiction Rules (as amended from 1 July 2022) include:
- a national ‘List A’ of works which can be carried out on churches without a faculty (this replaced all previous Diocesan ‘De Minimis’ and ‘Minor Matters’ lists)
- a national ‘List B’ of works which can be carried out once the written permission of the Archdeacon has been obtained. This includes a variety of minor works. The Archdeacon must consult the DAC (usually via the Secretary) for informed informal advice, but this should be a speedy and simple process enabling parishes to get on with the work without undue delay. In addition to ‘specified conditions’ set by the Rules, the Archdeacon may add his or her own conditions as to the way the works should be carried out.
Parishes are also encouraged to download and read our booklet on List A and List B, which gives advice on process and includes the full lists.
Online Faculty System
- You need to use the Online Faculty System (OFS) to apply for the Archdeacon’s approval under ‘List B’ (as well as to make a faculty application). Read our web page on the Online Faculty System for more information, and visit the Online Faculty System website to sign up.
- You are also encouraged to use the Online Faculty System to record works carried out under List A: it is there to help you and your successors keep track of information about your building and its contents.
The full Faculty Jurisdiction Rules and associated information can be found on the ChurchCare webpages.
Other works not on List A or List B (see above) will still require a Faculty, although the process has been simplified in a number of respects. For further advice please read our brief guidance on the Faculty process or contact the DAC Secretary Luke Tatam.
Additional matters permitted in Southwark Diocese
The Chancellor has made an order which permits the Archdeacon to give List B approval to the installation of Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) churchyard signage in certain circumstances:
Please contact the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to begin an application for CWGC churchyard signage; we ask that you then use the Online Faculty System to submit your List B application to your Archdeacon for approval. Please select ‘Additional Diocesan matter’ as the category of works on List B (this option can be found at the bottom of the list when you commence a List B application in the online system).
Why ‘List A’ and ‘List B’?
These Lists are part of the Church of England’s ongoing ‘Faculty Simplification’ initiative. In 2012, the Archbishops’ Council Faculty Simplification Group appointed a working party to make recommendations for updating and streamlining the faculty system.
The working party consulted widely with parishes and Dioceses, providing the basis for practical proposals to speed up and simplify the process for those who operate the faculty system. This included the Faculty Jurisdiction Rules 2013, which began to simplify and modernise the application procedures, and was followed by the Faculty Jurisdiction Rules 2015 which established ‘List A’ and ‘List B’ (as amended in 2019-2020 and 2022).
