Synodical Government (Amendment) Measure 2003

Section 1(2)

SCHEDULE Amendment of Church Representation Rules

1 The Church Representation Rules shall be amended as follows.

2 In rule 10(1) at the end of sub-paragraph (a) there shall be inserted the words “and, unless he is under the age of eighteen years at the date of the election, has been so entered for at least the preceding period of six months”.

3 In rule 14(1) after sub-paragraph (a) there shall be inserted the following sub-paragraph—

“(aa) any clerk in Holy Orders who is duly authorised to act as chairman of meetings of the council by the bishop in accordance with paragraph 5(b) of Appendix II to these rules;”.

4 In rule 14(1) in sub-paragraph (g) for the words from the beginning to “determined” there shall be substituted the words “six representatives of the laity where there are not more than fifty names on the electoral roll, nine such representatives where there are not more than one hundred names on the roll and, where there are more than one hundred names on the roll, a further three such representatives for every one hundred (or part thereof) names on the roll up to a maximum of fifteen such members, and so that the aforesaid numbers “six”, “nine”, “three” and “fifteen””.

5 For rule 16 there shall be substituted the following rule—

“16 (1) Subject to the following provisions of these rules, representatives of the laity serving on the parochial church council by virtue of rule 14(1)(g) shall hold office from the conclusion of the annual meeting at which they were elected until the conclusion of the third annual meeting thereafter, one third retiring and being elected each year, but, subject to rule 17, shall on retirement be eligible for re-election.

(2) Where a representative of the laity resigns or otherwise fails to serve for his full term of office the casual vacancy shall be filled for the remainder of his term of office in accordance with rule 48(1).

(3) Notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this rule an annual meeting may decide that the representatives of the laity serving by virtue of rule 14(1)(g) shall retire from office at the conclusion of the annual meeting next following their election, but any such decision shall not affect the terms of office as members of the parochial church council of those due to retire from office at the conclusion of an annual meeting held after that at which the decision was taken.

(4) A decision taken under paragraph (3) above shall be reviewed by the annual meeting at least once every six years; and on any such review the annual meeting may revoke the decision, in which case paragraph (1) above shall apply unless and until a further decision is taken under paragraph (3).

(5) Persons who are members of a parochial church council by virtue of their election as lay members of a deanery synod shall hold office as members of the council for a term beginning with the date of their election and ending with the 31st May next following the election of their successors.

(6) At an annual meeting at which all the representatives of the laity serving by virtue of rule 14(1)(g) are elected to hold office in accordance with paragraph (1) above, lots shall be drawn to decide which third of the representatives is to retire in the first year following that in which the meeting is held, which third is to retire in the second year and which third is to retire in the third year.”.

6 In rule 18—

(a) in paragraph 3(i) the words from “including” to “of this rule” shall be omitted,

(b) paragraph (5A) shall be omitted, and

(c) in paragraph (6) the words “or to apply for a designation referred to in paragraph (5A) above” shall be omitted.

7 In rule 31(8) for the number “150” there shall be substituted the number “120”.

8 In rule 54(1) in the definition of “parish” paragraph (d) shall be omitted.

9 In Appendix II in paragraph 5—

(a) for sub-paragraphs (a) to (d) there shall be substituted the following sub-paragraphs—

“(a) by the chairman of the council if he is present;

(b) if the chairman is not present, by the clerk in Holy Orders, licensed to or with permission to officiate in the parish duly authorised by the bishop with the clerk’s agreement, following a joint application by the minister of the parish and the council or, if the benefice is vacant, by the council for the purposes of this sub-paragraph;

(c) if neither the chairman of the council nor the clerk mentioned in sub-paragraph (b) above is present, by the vice-chairman of the council:”;

(b) for the words from “neither the chairman” to “rector” there shall be substituted the words “none of the persons mentioned above”.