THE CHURCH BUILDINGS COUNCIL 

Recruitment of new Council member, to serve 2026-27 

A new member is sought to fill a casual vacancy on the Church Buildings Council, to serve until 31 May 2027. The successful candidate will be appointed by the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture Media and Sport (DCMS). 

The Council is a national body, advising all levels of the Church of England on the care, development and use of church buildings. As a national body it keen for its membership to reflect the diversity of England, particularly in relation to gender, disability, ethnicity and geographic location. Applications from people of Global Majority Heritage are especially sought to broaden the experience and perspective of the Council. 

In February 2020 the General Synod gave the Church the challenge of achieving net zero carbon by 2030. The Council has a key role in advising churches as they work to achieve this and experience of working with historic buildings to reduce carbon emissions plays a key part of the Council’s work.  

The description below sets the vacancy in its full context. To complement the skills of existing members, applications are encouraged from people with a strong understanding of architectural and church building history, or a policy background in environmental or financial sustainability related to the use and development of historic buildings. Familiarity with the legal context in which the Council works would also be relevant. 

The member to be appointed by the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport will serve also on the Statutory Advisory Committee (SAC). The SAC has a membership of eight Council Members. It advises the Church Commissioners on proposals for the reuse, vesting or demolition of closed churches. 

Members are expected to be sympathetic to the purposes and aims of Church of England but can be from any religion or none. 

Role of Church Buildings Council – summary 

1. The Church Buildings Council is responsible forsetting national level policies and giving both general and specific advice on the care and development of church buildings. The Council also works at a national level with government and others. Advised by specialist committees, it awards grants towards the cost of the care and conservation of churches and their furnishings. It gives formal advice on case work proposals of high significance or controversy and, through the Statutory Advisory Committee, it gives advice on the architectural significance and potential of church buildings being considered for closure.
2. The Council publishes its guidance and advice on the Church of England website and is most readily accessed at ChurchCare | The Church of England.

Time commitment / meetings  

1. The Council presently meets six times annually. Meetings are spaced evenly through the year, with no meetings in August. 
2. Meetings are normally held at Church House in London and typically take up to three hours depending on the volume of business. Business may be undertaken between meetings. Members are called onto undertake some site visits to church buildings. 
3. Papers are issued electronically at least one week in advance of the meeting. Total time commitment is estimated at no more than fourteen days per year. SAC Members will need to attend for longer on meeting days, typically around five hours, including a sandwich lunch.

Member skills and experience  

1. The Council is committed to supporting church buildings as centres for worship and mission and its members must be in sympathy with this aim. It is essential that the Council collectively has a wide range of relevant skills and experience.
2. Relevant knowledge and skills for Council members include:
3. policy work relating to managing a large collection of buildings;

• the liturgical use of church buildings;
• how to successfully reduce the carbon footprint of heritage buildings across their lifetime, considering their energy use and the sustainability of materials;
• the resilience and adaptation of heritage buildings to a changing climate,
• the wider use and development of church buildings;
• the future of church buildings not regularly needed for worship;
• raising and granting funds for the conservation and development of church buildings and furnishings;
• technical or specialist issues relevant to the care of church buildings, access and furnishings.

And an understanding of: 

• architectural or art history; 
• the wider built heritage sector.
• the importance of voluntary work to the care of church buildings

Role of the Council 

• The list below provides detail on the role of the Church Buildings Council:
• To formulate policy in relation to the strategic use and future of church buildings.
• To influence national policy as it relates to matters affecting church buildings and funding available to them.
• To consider consultation by and requests for advice from judges and registrars of the ecclesiastical courts and from Diocesan Advisory Committees in relation to applications or possible applications for the grant of a faculty. This forms a part of each Council meeting.
• To promote the care and conservation of churches and the greater knowledge, understanding and enjoyment of and artistic activity relating to churches both within the Church of England and more widely.
• To promote standards of good practice in relation to the use, care, conservation, repair, planning, design and development of churches.
• To support the work of Diocesan Advisory Committees.
• To assist with discussions over the future of church buildings that may no longer be required for regular worship.

• To advise on proposals for legislation that may affect church buildings.
• To create an environment where funders are confident to support church buildings in the long-term.

Terms 

Council members are voluntary roles and membership is not remunerated although reasonable out of pocket expenses are paid. 

Wider context 

The secretariat for the Church Buildings Council is provided by the Cathedral and Church Buildings Department, whose Director, Emily Gee, is also Secretary of the Church Buildings Council; while the Deputy Director for Church Buildings, Dr David Knight, is the Deputy Secretary. The Department has a staff of 33 and also services the Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England and work with closed churches.  

The Dioceses, Pastoral and Mission Measure 2007 sets out the role of The Church Buildings Council in Part VII (Appendix 1: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukcm/2007/1). Schedule 4 – The Church Buildings Council. 

For further information about the Church Buildings Council please visit Church Buildings Council | The Church of England.  

Appointment process 

Applications close on Tuesday 20 January at 11:59pm. 

Candidates whose applications are taken forward will be invited for interview on Friday 30 January, 2026. 

Previous applicants need not reapply.