Parish council meeting, January 10, 2022

Minutes of parish council meeting on Monday, January 10, 1900 parish hall

Present Stephen Griggs, chairman, Sue Devlin, Lisamaria De Pasquale, Mim MacMahon, Sue Manley and Stephen Donaghy, secretary
Apologies for absence received from Judy Fell

1 Minutes of last meeting were accepted

2 Matters arising Fire alarm testing to be pursued. SG undertook to reinstate.
One £5,000 donation had been received for a statue of Our Lady of Nettuno. Fr planned to open a subscription to raise funds as he did not want to divert parish funds for the statue. Might list names but not publish. Consideration would be given to using crowdfunding website.

3 Financial report SD asked if we can return to having collection figure in newsletter. Collection is not being counted weekly but as counting rota is reinstated consideration would be given to reporting figure in newsletter, possibly on a monthly basis. There had been a hiatus over Christmas but the finance committee will be re-established.

4 Building works Builders have started work on ensuite which is the last significant building expense for the presbytery but decoration and furnishings are still to be done.
Estimates were being prepared to reposition fire escape from hall to improve prospects in event of emergency with exit in straight line from entrance into hall from church. Suggestion was to leave doors in position of old fire exit to allow people attending events in hall to spill over into land alongside hall. Consideration was given to allowing land to be used for allotment/rewilding though there was concern about lack of sunshine.
Fr Joseph’s brief from bishop had been to sort out house and altar. An administrator would be needed to project manage altar and following decline in attendance and income after pandemic parish might not be able to afford an administrator’s salary.
Alive in Faith had been intended to fund work on organ, sacristry and rose window. It had not been used, to date, for work on house but should be available to pay for organ restoration work.
A follow-up diocesan fundraising project to Alive in Faith was being launched. The organ had been available for Christmas, true to builders’ pledge, but lack of space for choir in loft had made it impractical to use it during Christmas liturgy. The organ work meant the millennium window had been fully revealed.

5 Synod The secretary was to look at holding parish meetings after 1215 Mass on Thursday and after Sunday Masses to prepare parish response to diocese for synod on synodality.

6 Repository LdP asked if we could move a Dona machine nearer the repository to facilitate contactless payment for items. Fr agreed to experiment with positioning.

7 Rotas coffee/stewarding Coffee was again being provided after 11 Mass. Suggestions were given to arranging cake stall/raffle to increase attendance.

8 Standing item: Health & Safety report Quotes awaited for lining car park. Food hygiene certification is in hand and Pat testing is to be arranged.

9 Standing item: safeguarding report Believed DBS checks up to date for those working with children. Others being actioned.

10 Any other business There had been praise for carol service and for music in parish generally. Christmas decorations and relocation of crib appeared successful. Over-60s coffee mornings were also praised
There are plans to revive Thursday lunches, maybe monthly with tickets sold beforehand to help gauge numbers. Lunches are to be held on five Thursdays in Lent.
A parish pancake party is to be held on March 1, about 1800
Mim presented 2021 archive

11 Next meeting was to be held on March 14 or 21