Minutes of Standing and Business Committee 7 November 2012

Ledbury Deanery Synod
Minutes of the Meeting of the Standing & Business Committee
held at 5.30 pm on Wednesday, 7 November 2012
at Gloucester House, Ledbury.
Present: Mr William Hopkinson (Chairman), Prebendary Mike Vockins (Rural Dean), Mr Ian
Bailey, Mr Nick Hills, Mr Nat Hone, Mr David Longman, Mr George Probyn (Treasurer), Rev’d
Robert Ward.
Apologies were received from: Preb Paul Dunthorne, Rev’d Melanie Horton, and Preb Sue Strutt.
Welcome and Opening Prayers: Prayers were led by the Rural Dean
1. Finance:
i Current Year: The Treasurer reported that receipt of share from parishes was going
satisfactorily, apart from Eastnor where the short-fall remained a concern. The parish is taking
action to alleviate the situation, but it seemed likely that, to enable all parishes to qualify for the
rebate, it might be necessary to meet the short-fall from Deanery reserves in the first instance and,
at the same time, look to the parish and the Team Rector (Ledbury) to consider how the position
might be resolved. SBC hoped this might include consideration of: a) what factors led to the shortfall,
b) whether it is anticipated that the short-fall will continue beyond the current years, and c)
what measures may be taken in the short and medium term to alleviate matters.
ii Deanery Reserves. The Treasurer spoke to the paper he had submitted to SBC, which
indicated, if no action were taken, Reserves of about £3,000 being carried forward to the
coming year. This amount was considered insufficient by SBC. To increase the Reserves to an
acceptable level, following discussion, SBC agreed to invite Synod ask parishes to accept either: a)
a reduction in the level of rebate to 1% with the balance of the rebate being retained by Synod in its
Reserves; or b) meeting the requirement by increasing the parish share by 2.56% compared to the
2012 level.
iii Budget 2013: The budget for 2013 would be dependent on Synod’s decision on ii)
above, and would see the total Deanery Share increase by 1.56% from £280,818 (in 2012) to
£285,199 if alternative a) above is agreed, or to £288,051 if alternative b) were adopted.
2. Reporting Progress on Parish Plans and MAPs: The Lay Co-Chairman opened a brief
discussion, expressing his concern that, on the one hand it was essential to see that parishes
maintained momentum on MAPs and Five Year plans, but on the other, there would be little
advantage in Synod's hearing very brief epitomes of 22 plans on any one occasion. There
was general agreement that there was a problem. There might be benefit in inviting
incumbents to give a brief overview of them most important developments in their
benefices, and confirmation that planning was moving forward satisfactorily (or an outline
of any problems if it were not. The formation of a Deanery Plan and MAP might be of
considerable assistance top parishes, but in the past the Deanery Plan had been built up from
the parish plans. There were good arguments for changing that but there would be little to
put before parishes until the July Synod at earliest. SBC agreed to keep the issue under
review and to consider whether to call for some interim reports fro the March Synod.
3. Minutes of Synod 27 September and SBC 29 August and 20 September: Noted.

4. Agenda for 22 November Synod: The Lay Co-Chairman explained that because of diary
commitments it would not be possible to invite the Diocesan Secretary and Financial Secretary
to attend the November Synod; however, they could attend the March one. In the circumstances
he and the Rural Dean had extended an invitation to the Archdeacon of Hereford to address the
November Synod. SBC took note and with that amendment agreed the draft Agenda.
5. Recruitment of Deanery Secretary: The Lay Co-Chairman reported on the soundings that
he and the Rural Dean had undertaken. He believed that they had now found a suitable
candidate, Mrs M Macdonald of Canon Frome. He proposed that, if Synod agreed, she might be
elected to one of the vacant slots on Diocesan Synod and then appointed Deanery Secretary.
SBC took note with approval.
6. Appointment of Working Group to organise Social Event: The Lay Co-Chairman
suggested that it would now be appropriate to invite Synod to appoint the members of a
Working Group to organise the social event to be held in 2013. He invited members to consider
suitable names, take sounding as appropriate, and come to Synod with suggestions. He
undertook to sound Mr I Beer on experience with the 2012 event. There was a brief discussion
on possible timing, in the light of Mr hone's very kind offer to host. The general feeling was
that we should aim for June or possibly early July.
7. Dates of 2013 Synod/SBC Meetings:
Synod: . 21 March, 25 July, 26 September,21 November. SBC agreed to put the foregoing
dates to Synod for approval. They also invited the Rector Colwall to nominate a venue for
March; the Rector C,M&S, to nominate one for July; the Rector Ledbury for September,
and, in conjunction with the Team Vicar, Cider, one for November.
Standing and Business Committee: 6 March, 3 July, 4 September, 6 November. It was
noted that the SBC timings and dates may vary and that there may need to be more meeting
of the committee.
8. Any other business. Mr N Hills mentioned Aylton's fund raising event to be held at the
Feathers, Ledbury, on 15 November, 4.30 to 8.30 pm. SBC approved the reimbursement of
£50.60 to the Rural Dean for Mr Ian Beer's farewell.
The meeting concluded with the Grace at 7 pm.