My services were not in great demand during the year, which from the Exercise’s point of view must be good.
Salisbury St Thomas had a complainant who lived quite close and I gave the Vicar and Churchwardens advice and the pamphlets about complaints and sound control. I also did a sketch of some baffles to suit St Thomas’ louvres.
Similarly, I went to Steep, All Saints, in September and gave advice to the architect and ringers.
In August I spoke to the ringers at Kingsworthy, St Mary and in December I talked to the Vicar and architect at Whitchurch, All Saints, about a complaint.
Certainly, in three of the four cases above, the bells were rather loud at the bottom of the tower and I think the Environmental Health Officer, if he had been involved, would have recommended soundproofing.
As I said in my report for 1997, it does seem that the message has reached Incumbents, PCC’s and towers that any complaint must be treated seriously. I am taking it as a good sign that no feedback has come to me from the four places mentioned and that my advice was either heeded, or just possibly the complainant has moved away.
Graham C Grant