Synodical Government Measure 1969

1 (1) There shall be a church electoral roll (in these rules referred to as “the roll”) in every parish, on which the names of lay persons shall be entered as hereinafter provided. The roll shall be available for inspection by bona-fide inquirers. E

[F1 (2) A lay person shall be entitled to have his name entered on the roll of a parish if he is baptised, of sixteen years or upwards, has signed an application form for enrolment set out in Appendix I of these rules and declares himself either—

(a) to be a member of the Church of England or of a Church in communion therewith resident in the parish; or

(b) to be such a member and, not being resident in the parish, to have habitually attended public worship in the parish during a period of six months prior to enrolment; or

(c) to be a member in good standing of a Church which subscribes to the doctrine of the Holy Trinity (not being a Church in communion with the Church of England) and also prepared to declare himself to be a member of the Church of England having habitually attended public worship in the parish during a period of six months prior to enrolment.

Provided that where a lay person will have his sixteenth birthday after the intended revision of the electoral roll or the preparation of a new roll but on or before the date of the annual parochial church meeting, he may complete a form of application for enrolment and his name shall be enrolled but with effect from the date of his birthday.

(3) Where a person resides in an extra-parochial place he shall be deemed for the purposes of these rules to reside in the parish which it abuts, and if there is any doubt in the matter a determination shall be made by the bishop’s council and standing committee.]

[F2 [F3 (4)] A person shall be entitled to have his name on the roll of each of any number of parishes if he is entitled by virtue of F4 . . . [F5 paragraphs (2) and (3)]of this rule to have his name entered on each roll; but a person whose name is entered on the roll of each of two or more parishes must choose one of those parishes for the purpose of the provisions of these rules which prescribe the qualifications for election to a deanery synod, a diocesan synod or the General Synod or for membership [F6 of a parochial church council under rule F7 . . . [F8 14(1)(f)]or] of a deanery synod under rule [F9 24(6)(b)].]

[F3 (5)] The roll shall, until a parochial church council has been constituted in a parish, be formed and revised by the minister and churchwardens (if any), and shall, after such council has been constituted, be kept and revised by or under the direction of the council. Reference in this rule to a parochial church council shall, so far as may be necessary for giving effect to these rules, be construed as including references to the minister and churchwardens (if any).

[F10 [F3 (6)] Where a new parish is created by a pastoral scheme, the roll of that parish shall in the first instance consist—

(a) in the case of a parish created by the union of two or more former parishes, of the rolls of those parishes combined to form one roll;

(b) in any other case, of the names of the persons whose names are at the date of the coming into existence of the new parish entered on the roll of a parish the whole or any part of which forms part of the new parish and who are either resident in the new parish or have habitually attended public worship therein.]

[F3 (7)] The parochial church council shall appoint [F11 a church electoral roll officer] to act under its directions for the purpose of carrying out its functions with regard to the electoral roll.

[F3 (8)] The names of persons who are entitled to have their names entered upon the roll of the parish shall, subject to the provisions of these rules, be from time to time added to the roll. F12 . . . [F13 It shall be the duty of the electoral roll officer to keep the roll constantly up to date by the addition and removal of names as from time to time required by these rules and to report such additions and removals at the next meeting of the parochial church council.][F14 When additions and removals have been made by the electoral roll officer a list of such amendments shall be published by being exhibited continuously for not less than fourteen days on or near the principal door of every church in the parish and every building in the parish licensed for public worship in such manner as the Council may appoint and the list shall contain notification of the right of appeal referred to in rule 43.]

[F3 (9)] Subject to the provisions of this rule, a person’s name shall, as the occasion arises, be removed from the roll, if he:—

(a) has died; or

(b) becomes a clerk in Holy Orders; or

(c) signifies in writing his desire that his name should be removed; or

F15 (d) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F16 (d) ceases to reside in the parish, unless after so ceasing he continues, in any period of six months [F17 habitually], to attend public worship in the parish, unless prevented from doing so by illness or other sufficient cause; or]

[F18 (e)] is not resident in the parish and has not [F19 habitually]attended public worship in the parish during the preceding six months, not having been prevented from doing so by illness or other sufficient cause; or

F15 (g) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F18 (f)] was not entitled to have his name entered on the roll at the time when it was entered.

[F3 (10)] The removal of a person’s name from the roll under any of the provisions of these rules shall be without prejudice to his right to have his name entered again, if he [F20 has or acquires that right].

F3 [(11)] The roll shall where practicable contain a record of the address of every person whose name is entered on the roll, but a failure to comply with this requirement shall not prejudice the validity of any entry on the roll.

Textual Amendments

F1 Sch. 3 rule 1 para. (2)(3) substituted for (2) (1.1.1995) by virtue of S.I. 1994/3118, para. 1.

F2 Rule 1(3) (now renumbered (4)) substituted by S.I. 1973/1865, para. 1(2)

F3 Sch. 3 rule 1 paras. (3) to (9) renumbered (4)-(11) (1.1.1995) by S.I. 1994/3118, para. 1.

F4 Words in Sch. 3 rule 1 para. 1(4) omitted (1.1.1995) by virtue of S.I. 1994/3118, para. 2.

F5 Words in Sch. 3 rule 1 para. (4) substituted (1.1.1995) by virtue of S.I. 1994/3118, para. 2.

F6 Words inserted by S.I. 1980/178, para. 1(2)

F7 Words in Sch. 3 rule 1 para. (4) omitted (1.1.1996) by virtue of S.I. 1995/3243, para. 1

F8 Words in Sch. 3 rule 1 para. (4) inserted (1.1.1996) by virtue of S.I. 1995/3243, para. 1

F9 Words in Sch. 3 rule 1 para. (4) (originally (3)) amended (1.1.1995) by S.I. 1994/3118, para. 63, Sch.

F10 Rule 1(4A) (now renumbered (6)) inserted by S.I. 1981/959, para. 1

F11 Words substituted by S.I. 1973/1865, para. 1(3)

F12 Words in Sch. 3 rule 1 para. (8) omitted (1.1.1995) by virtue of S.I. 1994/3118, para. 3

F13 Words in Sch. 3 rule 1 para. (8) inserted (1.1.1995) by S.I. 1994/3118, para. 3

F14 Words in Sch. 3 rule 1(8) inserted (with proviso) (1.1.2000) by The Church Representation Rules (Amendment) Resolution 1999 (S.I. 1999/2112), paras. 1, 24(3)

F15 Rule 1(7)(d)(g) (as originally enacted) repealed by S.I. 1973/1865, para. 1(4)

F16 Rule 1(7)(d) (now renumbered 1(9)(d))substituted by S.I. 1984/1039, para. 1(2)

F17 Word in Sch. 3 rule 1 para. (9)(d) inserted (1.1.1995) by S.I. 1994/3118, para. 4

F18 Rule 1(7)(d)(e)(f) (originally (e)(f)(h)) re-lettered by S.I. 1973/1865, para. 1(4)

F19 Word in Sch. 3 rule 1 para. (9)(e) inserted (1.1.1995) by S.I. 1994/3118, para. 4

F20 Words substituted by S.I. 1973/1865, para. 1(5)