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Jubilee Beacons

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Advice from the diocesan registry regarding the lighting of beacons for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

Many of you will have seen or heard about the widely-publicised proposal to celebrate Her Majesty's Jubilee next year by lighting flaming beacons on church towers. The proposal has obvious attractions, but also carries obvious dangers. It will be important that only the beacon, not the tower or the flagpole or the rest of the building, shines as a light in the darkness on the day.

Ordinarily, a proposal like this would require the authority of a faculty before it could be implemented. However, we do not want to put parishes to the trouble of making applications where the basic concept is so clearly outlined nationally and the project is so temporary.

So the Chancellor has directed that beacons may be used for this purpose without the need to apply for a faculty, provided that:

  1. The PCC has obtained full details of the kind of burner to be used, and decided where and how the burner and its associated equipment (tripods, gas canisters, etc) are to be stored, put to use, and disposed of;
  2. It has undertaken a full risk assessment (some insurers will have their own form of risk assessment which PCCs will need to follow);
  3. It has submitted the risk assessment to its insurers, and obtained written confirmation from them that they are content with what is proposed, and will not restrict or deny cover in the event of a claim arising from the proposed storage or use;
  4. If the insurers express any reservation about the particular project, then the PCC is to comply with the insurers'requirements;
  5. The PCC's resolution to proceed is to record each of these steps, and confirm that the project will be undertaken in strict compliance with them.

I have been asked by the archdeacons to remind PCC members that although in normal circumstances they do not bear personal liability for activities undertaken by the PCC, failure to insure adequately, or failing to ensure compliance with insurers'requirements leading to the insurers denying liability, might result in a personal claim against individual members.

'Handle with care'!

John Rees MA LLB M Phil
Registrar of the Diocese

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