Patronage (Benefices) Measure 1986

Benefice comprising two or more parishes U.K.

1 U.K. Where a benefice comprises two or more parishes then, except in a case in which paragraph 19 or 20 below applies, the provisions of Part II of this Measure shall have effect subject to the modifications for which paragraphs 2 to 18 below provide.

2 U.K. In section 7(4), for the words “the parish” there shall be substituted the words “each of the parishes”.

3 U.K. In section 9(6) for the words “secretary of the parochial church council” there shall be substituted the words “secretaries of the parochial church councils”.

4 E For section 11(1) there shall be substituted:—

“(1) [F1 As soon as practicable after the start date specified in the notice under section 7(4) and in any event before the end of the period of six months beginning with that date, one or more joint meetings of the parochial church councils concerned] shall be held for the purposes of—

(a) discharging the duties imposed on them by subsection (1A) below;

(b) appointing such number of persons, but not less than four, as will enable each of those councils to have at least one representative, [F2 but not more than two representatives,] to act as representatives of those councils in connection with the selection of an incumbent;

(c) deciding whether to request the registered patron to consider advertising the vacancy;

(d) deciding whether to request a meeting under section 12 of this Measure;

(e) deciding whether to request a statement in writing from the bishop describing in relation to the benefice the needs of the diocese and the wider interests of the church;

and each person appointed under paragraph (b) shall be a member of one of the parochial church councils concerned.

(1A) At the meeting, or the first meeting, convened under this section, the parochial church councils shall decide whether they will join in preparing a statement describing the conditions, needs and traditions of the parishes belonging to the benefice or whether the parochial church council of each parish will prepare such a statement in relation to that parish, and that decision having been made, the parochial church councils of those parishes or the parochial church council of each parish, as the circumstances require, shall prepare such a statement.”

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in Sch. 2 para. 4 substituted (1.1.2020) by The Legislative Reform (Patronage of Benefices) Order 2019 (S.I. 2019/1183), arts. 1(1), 3(4) (with arts. 8, 9)

F2 Words in Sch. 2 para. 4 inserted (1.6.1992) by Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure 1992 (No. 1), s. 17(1), Sch. 3 para.27 (with s. 18);Instrument dated 27.5.1992 made by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York.

5 U.K. In section 11(2), for the words from the beginning to “council”, in the second place where it occurs; there shall be substituted the words “A joint meeting of the parochial church councils for which subsection (1) above provides shall be convened by the secretaries of those councils, and no member of any of those councils”.

6 U.K. In section 11(3), for the words “the parochial church council” there shall be substituted the words “any of the parochial church councils” and for the words “the parish” there shall be substituted the words “any of the parishes”.

7 U.K. In section 11(4), for the words from “the council by which he was appointed” to the end there shall be substituted the words “any of the councils by which he was appointed then, except where he ceases to be such a member and those councils decide that he shall continue to act as their representative, his appointment shall be deemed to have been revoked and those councils shall appoint another lay member of any of those councils in his place”.

8 U.K. For section 11(5) there shall be substituted—

“(5) If the parochial church councils concerned hold a joint meeting under subsection (1) above but do not appoint representatives under paragraph (b) of that subsection, all the churchwardens who are members of any of the councils concerned shall appoint not more than five of those churchwardens to act as representatives of those councils in connection with the selection of an incumbent.”

9 U.K. In section 11(8) for “1(a)” there shall be substituted “(1A)” and for the words “secretary of the parochial church council” there shall be substituted the words “secretaries of the parochial church councils”.

10 U.K. For section 12(1) there shall be substituted—

“(1) Where a request for a meeting under this section is made—

(a) by a notice sent by the registered patron or the bishop to the secretaries of the parochial church councils concerned or

(b) by a resolution of those councils passed at a joint meeting held under section 11 of this Measure,

a joint meeting of those councils with the registered patron and (if the bishop is not the registered patron) the bishop shall be held for the purpose of enabling those present at the meeting to exchange views on the statement or statements prepared under section 11(1A) of this Measure (needs of the parish) and the statement presented under subsection (2) below (needs of the diocese).”

11 U.K. In section 12(2) for the word “council” there shall be substituted the word “councils”.

12 U.K. In section 12(3) for the words “the parochial church council” there shall be substituted the words “each of the parochial church councils concerned” and for “(1)(a)” there shall be substituted “(1A).”

13 U.K. In section 12(5) for the words “secretary of the parochial church council” there shall be substituted the words “secretaries of the parochial church councils” and for the words “parochial church council” in the second place where those words occur there shall be substituted the words “parochial church councils concerned”.

14 U.K. In section 12(8)(c) for the word “council” there shall be substituted the words “councils concerned”.

15 U.K. In section 12(9) for the words “The secretary of the parochial church council shall invite both the rural dean of the deanery in which the parish is” there shall be substituted the words “The secretaries of the parochial church councils concerned shall invite both the rural dean of the deanery which comprises the parishes concerned.”

F3 16 U.K. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F3 Sch. 2 para. 16 omitted (1.1.2020) by virtue of The Legislative Reform (Patronage of Benefices) Order 2019 (S.I. 2019/1183), arts. 1(1), 4(6) (with arts. 8, 9)

17 U.K. In section 19(1) for the words “of the parish” there shall be substituted the words “of each of the parishes”.

18 U.K. In section 22(1) for the words “the parish of each benefice” there shall be substituted the words “every parish belonging to each benefice”.