Part 4

Procedure for making pastoral church buildings schemes

Procedure for schemes

Notice and publication of draft schemes
24
1
The Commissioners shall serve a copy of any draft scheme prepared under section 23 on each of the interested parties together with a notice stating that written representations with respect thereto may be made to the Commissioners not later than a date specified in the notice, being a date not less than twenty-eight days after the service of the notice.
2
The Commissioners shall—
a
also serve a copy thereof on the Church Buildings Council, English Heritage and the Joint Committee of the National Amenity Societies and on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and, if the draft scheme provides for the care and maintenance of the building proposed to be closed for regular public worship by the Churches Conservation Trust, that Trust;
aa
publish the draft scheme or notice online together with a notice stating the objects of the draft scheme and that written representations may be made to the Commissioners not later than a date specified in the notice, being a date not less than twenty-eight days after such publication; and
b
publish in one or more newspapers circulating in the locality affected by the scheme a notice stating the objects of the draft scheme, specifying the address online at which the notice is published under paragraph (aa) and naming a place or places within the locality where a copy thereof may be inspected, and stating that written representations with respect to the draft scheme may be made to the Commissioners not later than a date specified in the notice, being the date specified for the purposes of paragraph (aa).
3
The Commissioners shall, in the case of every draft scheme, send copies of such a notice as is mentioned in subsection (2), but specifying a date not less than twenty-eight days after the sending of the notice, to the secretary of the parochial church council of every parish affected by the draft scheme, and require him or her —
a
to affix a copy on or near the principal door of every church in the parish and every building licensed by the bishop for public worship in the parish (including any building referred to in section 80(13) or (14)),
b
to make such arrangements as are practicable, in the case of each of those churches or buildings at which one or more services are to be held in the period in which representations may be made in accordance with the notice, for announcements to be made at the service or, if there is more than one held there in that period, at as many of them as is practicable with a view to ensuring that as many of those who habitually attend public worship there as is practicable are aware of the contents of the notice.
3A
A reference in subsection
(3)(b)
to a service held at a church or building does not include a reference to any of the services known as occasional offices.
4
The Commissioners shall consider any written representations duly made with respect to any draft scheme and may, if they think fit, afford an opportunity to any person, whether he has made written representations or not, to make oral representations with respect to the draft scheme.
5
The Commissioners may, before or after the end of the period within which written representations may be made under this section, extend that period, and any representations made within the period so extended shall be deemed to be duly made.
S. 24 in force at 1.7.2012 by S.I. 2012/1, art. 2
S. 24(2)(aa) inserted (1.10.2018) by Mission and Pastoral etc. (Amendment) Measure 2018 (No. 4), ss. 3(8)(a), 14(3); S.I. 2018/722, art. 3(c) (with Sch. para. 1)
Words in s. 24(2)(b) inserted (1.10.2018) by Mission and Pastoral etc. (Amendment) Measure 2018 (No. 4), ss. 3(8)(b), 14(3); S.I. 2018/722, art. 3(c) (with Sch. para. 1)
Words in s. 24(2)(b) substituted (1.10.2018) by Mission and Pastoral etc. (Amendment) Measure 2018 (No. 4), ss. 3(8)(c), 14(3); S.I. 2018/722, art. 3(c) (with Sch. para. 1)
S. 24(3A) inserted (1.3.2019) by Mission and Pastoral etc. (Amendment) Measure 2018 (No. 4), ss. 3(10), 14(3); S.I. 2019/66, art. 2(a)
Words in s. 24(3) inserted (1.3.2019) by Mission and Pastoral etc. (Amendment) Measure 2018 (No. 4), ss. 3(9)(a), 14(3); S.I. 2019/66, art. 2(a)
S. 24(3)(b)(c) inserted (1.3.2019) by Mission and Pastoral etc. (Amendment) Measure 2018 (No. 4), ss. 3(9)(b), 14(3); S.I. 2019/66, art. 2(a)
S. 24(3)(b) substituted for s. 24(3)(b)(c) (1.3.2019 immediately after the provisions of Church Measure 2018 No. 4 commenced by S.I. 2019/66, art. 2 come into force) by Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure 2018 (No. 7), ss. 15(1), 17(3); S.I. 2019/67, art. 2(1)(n)(2)
Word in s. 24(3A) substituted (16.3.2020) by Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure 2020 (No. 1), ss. 15(1), 16(2)