Buying Smarter

Between them, PCCs spend over £350 million each year. This covers major repairs to the building, utility bills, paper, photocopiers, insurance and so on.  This page seeks to help PCCs buy smarter - knowing that every pound saved makes a difference to the parish. 

Utilities

The average PCC spends over £2300 on Utility bills, with the majority going on electricity and gas. There is clearly huge variation - a large church, with a hall in regular use, will cost more to heat and light than a small rural church. However, every parish can benefit from regularly reviewing its buying of utilities.

We have two guides :
A Buying Guide to Electricity and Gas outlines five steps to manage your utilities. 
Minimising Utility Costs provides an 0800 number to call to obtain a quote for a non-contracted electricity or gas supply from the Utility Warehouse Discount Club. Whilst utility prices are falling this may be a good time to get a non-contract rate, with a view to re-entering a contract if you believe prices will rise in the years ahead.

Stationery

The C of E's Procurement Group have negotiated a contract for parishes to purchase stationery from Lyreco. This saves an average of 41% of the prices many parishes are currently paying.  We are currently piloting this with parishes from the Worcester Diocese, but would invite other parishes join in this pilot. Click here to find out more. 

Other Guides

Guides to producing other products will be available shortly.