The Church Representation Rules (Amendment) (No. 1) Resolution 2025

Timetable for elections to House of Laity of General Synod

2.—(1) In Rule 52 (timing), in paragraph (1), for the words from “three months” to the end substitute “100 days beginning with the day on which the General Synod is dissolved.

(2) In Rule 52, for paragraph (2) substitute—

“(2) The elections are to be carried out in each diocese in accordance with the timetable provided by rules under Rule 56; and a reference in these Rules to a date given in the timetable for the stage of an election is a reference to the date given for that stage of the election in accordance with that timetable.”.

(3) In Rule 53 (presiding officer), after paragraph (5) substitute—

“(6) The presiding officer must, in accordance with rules under Rule 56, give each person entitled to vote in an election to the House of Laity in a diocese a letter which contains the matters specified in those rules.”.

(4) In Rule 54 (entitlement to vote), in paragraph (5), for “at least 21 days before invitations to nominate are issued under Rule 55” substitute “by the date given in the timetable (which must be at least 21 days before the invitations to nominate are issued under Rule 55)”.

(5) In Rule 54, in paragraph (6), for “within seven days of receiving the copy names and addresses” substitute “by the date given in the timetable (which must be within seven days of the date given in the timetable for the purposes of paragraph (5))”.

(6) In Rule 54, in paragraph (8), for “no later than seven days before invitations to nominate are issued under Rule 55” substitute “no later than the date given in the timetable (which must be at least 14 days before the date given in the timetable for the issue of invitations to nominate under Rule 55)”.

(7) In Rule 54, omit paragraphs (9) to (11).

(8) In Rule 55 (nomination), in paragraph (2)—

(a) after “each diocese” insert “, having taken into account the replies received to the letter sent by virtue of Rule 53(6),”, and

(b) after “ensure that” insert “, on the date given in the timetable,”.

(9) In Rule 55, in paragraph (4), for the words from the beginning to “28 days” substitute “The period for making nominations begins with the date given in the timetable and ends with the date given in the timetable; and that period must be at least 21 days”.

(10) In Rule 55, after paragraph (5) insert—

“(6) The invitation to nominate must state that, if an election is held in which there are sufficient candidates to require a poll to be held and invitations to vote to be issued, the name of each person who has nominated a candidate will be published alongside the name of the candidate.”.

(11) In Rule 55, after paragraph (6) (inserted by sub-paragraph (10) of this paragraph) insert—

“(7) Rules under Rule 56 must include provision for the inspection of the register of lay electors during the period within which nominations may be made.”.

(12) In Part 11 (index of defined expressions), at the appropriate place insert—

“date given in the timetable

Rule 52(2)”