(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 secretary of the parochial church council, or
(b)by a resolution of the parochial church council, passed at a meeting held under section 11 of this Measure,
a joint meeting of the parochial church council 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 prepared under section 11(1)(a) of this Measure (needs of the parish) and the statement presented under subsection (2) below (needs of the diocese).
(2)At any meeting held under this section the bishop shall present either orally or, if a request for a statement in writing has been made by the registered patron or the parochial church council, in writing a statement describing in relation to the benefice the needs of the diocese and the wider interests of the Church.
(3)Any notice given under subsection (1)(a) above shall be of no effect unless it is sent to the secretary of the parochial church council not later than ten days after a copy of the statement prepared under subsection (1)(a) of section 11 of this Measure is received by the persons mentioned in subsection (8) of that section.
(4)The outgoing incumbent and the [F1spouse] [F2or civil partner] of the outgoing incumbent shall not be entitled to attend a meeting held under this section.
(5)A meeting requested under this section shall be held [F3as 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], and at least fourteen days’ notice (unless a shorter period is agreed by all the persons concerned) of the time and place at which the meeting is to be held shall be given by the secretary of the parochial church council to the registered patron, the bishop (if he is not the registered patron) and the members of the parochial church council.
(6)If either the registered patron or the bishop is unable to attend a meeting held under this section, he shall appoint some other person to attend on his behalf.
(7)The chairman of any meeting held under this section shall be such person as the persons who are entitled to attend and are present at the meeting may determine.
(8)No meeting requested under this section shall be treated for the purposes of this Measure as having been held unless there were present at the meeting—
(a)the bishop or the person appointed by the bishop to attend on his behalf, and
(b)the registered patron or the person appointed by the patron to attend on his behalf, and
(c)at least one third of the members of the parochial church council who were entitled to attend.
(9)The secretary of the parochial church council shall invite both the rural dean of the deanery in which the parish is (unless he is the outgoing incumbent) and the lay chairman of the deanery synod of that deanery to attend a meeting held under this section.
[F4(10)Rule 83A of the Church Representation Rules (remote meetings) applies to a meeting under this section as it applies to a meeting of a parochial church council.]
Textual Amendments
F1Word in s. 12(4) substituted (1.2.1994) by 1993 Measure No. 2, s. 10, Sch. 3 para.11; Instrument dated 31.1.1994 made by Archbishops of Canterbury and York
F2Words in s. 12(4) inserted (5.12.2005) by Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Overseas Relationships and Consequential, etc. Amendments) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/3129), art. 1, Sch. 3 para. 3(3)
F3Words in s. 12(5) substituted (1.1.2020) by The Legislative Reform (Patronage of Benefices) Order 2019 (S.I. 2019/1183), arts. 1(1), 3(2) (with arts. 8, 9)
F4S. 12(10) inserted (25.1.2024) by Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure 2024 (No. 1), s. 22(2)(j), Sch. 2 para. 3