Lists A and B

Minor Works (List A) Limits & Archdeacons’ Licences

MINOR WORKS – LIST A

For minor works, a faculty is not required. These works were previously described as ‘de minimis‘ works, but are now known as ‘minor works’ and are listed in List A at the start of Schedule 1 to the Faculty Jurisdiction Rules 2015, as amended by the Faculty Jurisdiction (Amendment) Rules 2019. This national List, covering the whole of England, came into force on 1 April 2020, and replaced an earlier 2015 version of the list.

Note that the List A works are subject to some conditions, which are clearly set out in the Schedule referred to above.

If you are not sure whether proposed works fall within List A, please inquire of the DAC or the Registry.

ARCHDEACON’S LICENCE FOR TEMPORARY RE-ORDERING

An Archdeacon’s Licence may be obtained for a temporary scheme of minor re-ordering pursuant to Rules 8.2 and 8.3 of the Faculty Jurisdiction Rules 2015. This is normally appropriate where the parish wishes to try out alternative arrangements before progressing an application for a faculty to authorise more permanent changes. Advice on the use of Archdeacons’ Licences is set out in a paper at Use of Archdeacons’ Licences. If in doubt about whether the use of a Licence is appropriate, advice should be sought from the Registrar.

An Archdeacon’s Licence for temporary re-ordering is now valid for up to 24 months, but cannot be extended. An application for a faculty should be submitted before the 24 month period expires if the parish wishes to retain the re-ordered arrangements permanently.

List B Works

Under the Faculty Jurisdiction Rules 2015 (“FJR 2015”) a PCC or other authorised person may apply to their Archdeacon for approval to carry out a range of works described in List B, in Table 2 of Schedule 1 to the FJR 2015. From the start of April 2020, a new List A and B has replaced the previous lists. For details see the Faculty Jurisdiction (Amendment) Rules 2019 . The new Lists have enlarged the range of works which may be undertaken either without formal approval (List A) or with the Archdeacon’s approval (List B).

For List B works, once the Archdeacon’s approval has been obtained, the works may be undertaken without the need for a faculty.

The Archdeacon is required to take advice on any request for approval from the DAC or such other persons as the Archdeacon may consider proper, but subject to this the approval can normally be granted quite quickly, which means that the PCC will be able to proceed with the works rather earlier than if a full faculty had been needed.

The list of works for which this procedure is available is set out in the new Schedule 1 FJR 2015, introduced in 2019. Each type of work listed there may be carried out with the Archdeacon’s approval, but subject always to the conditions in List B, and if those conditions cannot be met, the PCC should apply to the Archdeacon or the Registrar for further directions.

In giving approval, the Archdeacon may impose some additional conditions.

An application form for Archdeacon’s approval can by made on the Online Faculty System.  Below is a template showing what the application and response would look like:

List B Works Application Form

Archdeacon’s Approval of List B Works

The application can be made in writing to the Archdeacon, but is preferred for applicants to use the Online Faculty System – see Online Faculty Applications (where this is available)