Functions of the DAC
The Diocesan Advisory Committee (DAC) is comprised of members with expertise in architecture, sustainability, heritage, accessibility, and liturgy, plus the five Archdeacons and the Chair. The membership is supplemented by specialist advisers on a range of topics from audiovisual installations to stained glass. The DAC is supported by DAC staff who sit within the Church Buildings Team. The DAC makes recommendations and offers advice to the Chancellor in regard to faculty applications, but the Chancellor retains the ultimate authority to grant or refuse faculties (see Chancellor & Consistory Court).
Dates & Deadlines
In order for your application to be added to the agenda for discussion, it must be submitted at least two weeks in advance of the DAC meeting and be deemed sufficient by the DAC staff. Only applications which contain all necessary paperwork will be added to the agenda.
If you are not sure whether your application has all the required paperwork or need further information about whether your application may require consultation, please contact the DAC staff. We can help to make sure you have done everything you need for your application to progress.
|
DAC Meeting Date |
Deadline for Applications |
|---|---|
|
Tuesday 21st Janurary 2025 |
Monday 6th January |
|
Tuesday 18th March |
Monday 3rd March |
|
Tuesday 20th May |
Monday 5th May |
|
Tuesday 15th July |
Monday 30th June |
|
Tuesday 23rd September |
Monday 8th September |
|
Tuesday 25th November |
Monday 10th November |
We encourage you to make contact with the DAC staff early in the process so that we can help you prepare your applications to be brought before the DAC in a timely manner. Simpler applications may, at the discretion of the DAC Secretary, be processed more rapidly outside of meetings under delegated advice (see permissions). So you should submit your proposals whenever they are ready, even if this is well in advance of the listed deadlines.
Some applications may also require external consultation before they can be considered by the DAC so submitting your application in good time will allow for this consultation process.
DAC Members & Advisers
The current DAC membership term runs from July 2025 until July 2031. Advisers are appointed on a rolling basis and there is no fixed term of appointment.
If you are interested in becoming an adviser, please contact Lisa McIntyre.
For a full list of current members and advisers see DAC Members and Advisers.
Faculty Application Process
All faculty applications are made using the Online Faculty System (OFS). The user manual explains how to register as a new user and how to create applications, there is also an FAQ section which may have some of the answers you need.
If you are struggling to use the OFS, please contact Gemma Shearwood.
Faculties are a legal process and as such strict rules and procedures must be complied with during each stage of the application. Submitting the right documentation as required will allow the process to progress smoothly and minimise potential delays. Provided that all necessary evidence is submitted and consultations invited at the right time, it can take at least 2-3 months to complete a straightforward faculty application. More contentious or complex applications can take considerably longer.
The following guidance explains each step of the application process: