Synodical Government Measure 1969

[F1 Membership E

Textual Amendments

F1 Sch. 3 substituted (1.1.2020) by Church Representation and Ministers Measure 2019 (No. 1), s. 1(3), Sch. 1 (with Sch. 3); S.I. 2019/1460, art. 2

Members E

M15 (1) The members of the PCC are— E

(a) every clerk in Holy Orders who is beneficed in or licensed to the parish,

(b) any clerk in Holy Orders who is authorised to chair meetings of the PCC under Rule M26,

(c) any deaconess or lay worker licensed to the parish,

(d) if the parish is in the area of a benefice for which there is a team ministry, every member of the team,

(e) the churchwardens of the parish,

(f) any person chosen as a churchwarden of the parish but not yet admitted to office as such,

(g) any deputy churchwarden who is an ex officio member under a scheme under Rule M34 or M35,

(h) if the annual meeting decides that one or more of the readers licensed to the parish or to an area including the parish whose names are on the roll of the parish should be members, the reader or readers in question,

(i) every person whose name is on the roll of the parish and who is a lay member of a deanery synod, a diocesan synod or the General Synod,

(j) the elected representatives of the laity, with the number being determined under paragraphs (8) and (9), and

(k) any clerk in Holy Orders, or any actual communicant aged 16 or over, whom the PCC decides to co-opt as a member, with the number being determined under paragraph (10).

(2) A clerk in Holy Orders (other than the minister) is not eligible for membership under paragraph (1)(a) or (d) if, were he or she to become a member, the number of clerical members would equal or exceed the number of lay members.

(3) Where there are two or more clerks in Holy Orders who (but for this paragraph) would become eligible under paragraph (1)(a) or (d) on the same day, paragraph (2) applies to each of those clerks taken together; and, accordingly, in a case within paragraph (2), none of them are eligible for membership under paragraph (1)(a) or (d) (as the case may be).

(4) A person is eligible for membership under paragraph (1)(e), (f) or (g) only if the person is an actual communicant whose name is on the roll of the parish.

(5) For the purposes of paragraph (1)(i), a lay member of a deanery synod who is a parochial representative elected by the annual meeting of the parish is eligible only for membership of the PCC for the parish, even if the person's name is on the roll of one or more other parishes.

(6) For the purposes of paragraph (1)(i), a lay member of a deanery synod who is a member of the synod otherwise than by virtue of election as a parochial representative and whose name is on the roll of the parish and on the roll of one or more other parishes—

(a) must choose one of the parishes concerned, and

(b) is accordingly eligible only for membership of the PCC for the parish if it is the parish which he or she chooses.

(7) For the purposes of paragraph (1)(i), a lay member of a diocesan synod or a member of the House of Laity of the General Synod whose name is on the roll of the parish and on the roll of one or more other parishes—

(a) must choose one of the parishes concerned, and

(b) is accordingly eligible only for membership of the PCC for the parish if it is the parish which he or she chooses.

(8) The number of representatives of the laity for the purposes of paragraph (1)(j) is—

(a) if there are no more than 50 names on the roll, six;

(b) if there are more than 50 but no more than 100, nine;

(c) if there are more than 100, a further three per hundred names and, where the number of names on the roll is not divisible by 100 without fraction or remainder, for the fraction or remainder, up to a maximum of 15.

(9) The annual meeting may by resolution vary the number of representatives there would otherwise be for the parish under paragraph (8); but a resolution under this paragraph does not take effect before the next annual meeting.

(10) The number of members under paragraph (1)(k) is either two or any greater number which does not exceed one-fifth of the number of members under paragraph (1)(j).

(11) A person whose name is removed from the roll of the parish on a revision under Rule 4 ceases to be a member of the PCC on the date on which the revised roll is completed.

(12) A person who does not make a fresh application for enrolment when a new roll of the parish is being prepared ceases to be a member of the PCC on the date on which the new roll is completed.

(13) A person who is or becomes disqualified as a member of the PCC (whether under Part 7 or otherwise) ceases to be a member on the date on which the disqualification takes effect.

(14) In a case within paragraph (11) or (12), the PCC may nonetheless co-opt the person concerned as a member under paragraph (1)(k).

Term of office: representatives of the laity E

M16 (1) A person who is a member of the PCC under Rule M15(1)(j) (representatives of laity) holds office as such for a period which— E

(a) begins with the conclusion of the annual meeting at which the person was elected as a representative of the laity, and

(b) ends with the conclusion of the third subsequent annual meeting.

(2) But the annual meeting may, despite paragraph (1)(b), decide that the members under Rule M15(1)(j) are to retire at the conclusion of the annual meeting following their election.

(3) A decision under paragraph (2) does not affect the term of office of a member due to retire from the PCC at the conclusion of the annual meeting held after the one at which the decision was taken.

(4) A decision under paragraph (2) must be reviewed by the annual meeting at least once every six years; and if, on the review, the annual meeting revokes the decision, paragraph (1) applies unless and until a further decision is taken under paragraph (2).

(5) Where a decision is not taken under paragraph (2), one-third of the members under Rule M15(1)(j) are to retire and be elected each year; but at an annual meeting at which more than one-third of the members under Rule M15(1)(j) are elected, lots are drawn to decide which third is to retire in the first year after that meeting, which third in the second year and which third in the third year.

(6) A member under Rule M15(1)(j) is, subject to paragraphs (7) and (8), eligible on retirement for re-election.

(7) The annual meeting may decide that nobody who is a member under Rule M15(1)(j) may hold office as such after the date of the meeting for a continuous period which exceeds whatever number of years the annual meeting decides.

(8) The annual meeting may also decide that a person who, as a result of a decision under paragraph (7), has ceased to be eligible to be a member under Rule M15(1)(j) may, after such interval as the annual meeting decides, again stand for election as a representative of the laity.

(9) Where a member under Rule M15(1)(j) resigns or otherwise fails to serve the full term of office, the casual vacancy is to be filled for the remainder of the term in accordance with Rule M18.

(10) A reference in this Rule to the conclusion of an annual meeting is, in a case where an election held at the meeting also involves postal voting, to be read as a reference to the declaration of the result of the election.

Term of office: other cases E

M17 (1) A person who is a member of the PCC under Rule M15(1)(f) (churchwarden elect) holds office as such for the period which— E

(a) begins when the person is chosen as churchwarden, and

(b) ends when the person is admitted to the office of churchwarden (at which point the person continues as a member, holding office as such under Rule M15(1)(e)).

(2) A person who is a member of the PCC under Rule M15(1)(h) (readers) holds office as such for the period which—

(a) begins with the conclusion of the annual meeting at which it was decided that the person should be a member, and

(b) ends with the conclusion of the next annual meeting, unless it is decided at that meeting that the person should continue to be a member.

(3) A person who is a member of the PCC under Rule M15(1)(i) as an elected lay member of a deanery synod holds office as a member of the PCC for the period which—

(a) begins with the date of election, and

(b) ends with the next 30 June following the annual meeting at which elections of parochial representatives of the laity to the deanery synod are required to be held under Rule M6(1)(a).

[F2 (4) A person who is a member of the PCC under Rule M15(1)(k) (co-opted members) holds office as such for the period which—

(a) begins when the decision to co-opt the person as a member takes effect, and

(b) ends with the conclusion of the next annual meeting.

(5) Paragraph (4)(b) does not prevent the person being co-opted on subsequent occasions for a similar term.]

Textual Amendments

F2 Sch. 3 rule M17(4)(5) inserted (9.4.2020) by The Church Representation Rules (Amendment) Resolution 2020 (S.I. 2020/406), paras. 1(2), 15

Casual vacancies E

M18 (1) A casual vacancy among the parochial representatives elected to a PCC must be filled as soon as practicable after the vacancy occurs. E

(2) Where the annual meeting is not due to be held within the two months following the occurrence of the vacancy, the vacancy may be filled by the election by the PCC of a person qualified to be elected as a parochial representative.]