You couldnt make it up Good Governance in

You couldn’t make it up! Good Governance in Parochial Ministry Session 2 Church Representation Rules and the Churchwardens’ Measure

Key legislation • Church of England Assembly (Powers) Act 1919 gave legal status to PCCs • Parochial Church Councils (Powers) Measure 1921 defined functions and powers of PCCs • amended by Parochial Church Councils (Powers) Measure 1956 and • Synodical Government Measure 1969 schedule 3 (Church Representation Rules) • Churchwardens’ Measure 2001 Frequent amendments since then, including • Church Representation and Ministers’ Measure 2019. Good Governance in Parochial Ministry

Role of PCC • PCC a body corporate • PCC a charitable body • PCC solely to promote charitable objects, not for different public or private purposes To co-operate with the incumbent in promoting in the ecclesiastical parish the whole mission of the Church, pastoral, evangelistic, social and ecumenical. Good Governance in Parochial Ministry

Church Representation Rules Electoral Roll – basis of church governance • Roll is drawn up from scratch every six years and revised annually in the intervening years. Changes for 2020: • simplifies process, includes electronic storage, and only name now to be on published roll Rule 1 (13) though other details stored safely on full roll. • PCC decides how roll to be published – whether electronic or otherwise Rule 8 (1) Good Governance in Parochial Ministry

Church Representation Rules Annual Parochial Church Meeting • PCC reports on the mission and activities of the previous year, including statement of accounts. • elects representatives to Deanery Synod (every three years unless a vacancy occurs) • and to the Parochial Church Council (usually a third of members stand down every year but can be re-elected if still eligible) • Appoints auditor / independent examiner • PCC decides on venue and timing of APCM Good Governance in Parochial Ministry

Church Representation Rules Annual Parochial Church Meeting - Changes for 2020 • APCMs to be held by 31 st May M 1(1) • a joint APCM with other parish(es) in benefice or group if annual meetings establish a joint council. Rule M 37 - 42 • no mention of appointment of sidesmen – PCC to appoint • may decide that to use a STV system at future APCMs Rule M 10 • may decide that at future APCMs postal votes are to be allowed. Postal votes to be made up to fourteen days after APCM. Rule M 11 • limit of two terms (six consecutive years) for a rep to Deanery Synod unless elected before 2019 or APCM decides otherwise. Rule M 6 (5) (6) & (7) Good Governance in Parochial Ministry

Church Representation Rules Parochial Church Council • CRR governs membership and lays down all procedures • Chair, Vice Chair and other cleric authorised to chair • District Church Councils Good Governance in Parochial Ministry

Church Representation Rules Parochial Church Council – changes 2020 - simpler layout of rules - simpler requirements about publicising aspects of Electoral Roll, financial statements etc - model rules apply to all PCCs but individual PCCs may apply to vary these. Rule 12 & 13 - the PCC must hold a sufficient number of meetings to transact its business Rule M 23 (1) - the Chair may decide to conduct business by correspondence Rule M 29 - allows PCCs in multi-parish benefices and group ministries to meet as a Joint Council if agreed at APCMs Rules M 37 – M 42 - lay members of the PCC must always be in a majority. Rule M 13 (2) & M 27 (2) Good Governance in Parochial Ministry

Churchwardens Measure 2001 • • elected at Annual Meeting of Parishioners AMP to be held before 31 st May each year – only recent change open to those on local government electoral roll who live in parish. Who is disqualified? all nominations before the meeting starts can someone stand if not an Anglican? PCC membership churchwardens only allowed to serve for six consecutive years, unless. . Good Governance in Parochial Ministry

Case study A The Vicar sends out a revised PCC agenda on Sunday night for a PCC meeting scheduled to take place on the following Tuesday. However, he says that the meeting will now be held on Thursday to allow the new Youth and Children’s Worker to join the PCC as a member. She will make a presentation explaining how the all-age Sunday Praise service will replace the 10. 00 am Holy Communion on the 3 rd Sunday of each month. What do you think of this action, and how might you best respond? Good Governance in Parochial Ministry

Case study B Your church treasurer has served the church faithfully for many years. As he has got older his financial reports have become a bit erratic and the figures do not always exactly add up. Everyone loves him and knows that he is absolutely honest and they do not want to lose him. This year, at the APCM, he circulated his figures for the previous year which he had only just finished. They were handwritten and hard to read. What should the PCC do? Good Governance in Parochial Ministry

Case study C The Vicar and PCC have been working for some time on a plan for an extensive re-ordering of the Church, installing a small kitchen and toilets and replacing the pews with chairs so that the worship space may be used more flexibly, both for worship and for the community activities. It is the APCM and just as you are about to begin, a group of twenty local residents who are against the changes enter the parish hall where you are meeting. They make it plain that they have come to stop the re-ordering going ahead. They begin to lobby the twentyfive faithful parishioners present and want them to support them standing for churchwarden and PCC. What do you do? Good Governance in Parochial Ministry

Case study D The parish has only had one churchwarden for the last two years, and repeated attempts by former wardens and the existing wardens to find someone to stand take on the role have proved unsuccessful. Although there are several people able to fulfil the role, none will stand because they are concerned about the time commitment that will be required. A member of the PCC suggests that the employed Parish Administrator, who is also a faithful worshipper and on the electoral roll, would be an ideal person, has the skills needed, is very good with people and could do the role as part of her duties. What might you do? Good Governance in Parochial Ministry

ELS: Good Governance in Parochial Ministry